While Aizer watched the chaotic scene following the destabilisation of Lars's party, he couldn't help but ponder to himself, his body uneasy.
[Hmm, strange, that kid, what's his name, Jalkr? Why is he acting out so much? Isn't he overreacting a little too much?]
Is the atmosphere the reason he's acting like this? Hmm, maybe, but still, it just feels so exaggerated. [He does know what kind of situation they're in, right?]
[Nah, that can't be it.] Aizer frowned. [Otherwise, why would he be acting like this? Are his emotions clouding his judgement?]
[No, it can't be... Well, it's not impossible. But in this situation, really?]
[Dammit! Why did he have to start a fight with that girl? Couldn't he have kept his mouth shut and let that Harry kid activate the return shard?]
Aizer's enraged thoughts echoed through his mind. But contrary to his thoughts, his appearance seemed, albeit normal.
His face not even showing the slightest bit of anger as he continued to watch the group.
Ever since the group had shot the old man up until they started arguing, he had watched all of it. His mind taking in the information he hadn't known.
Such as the spatial ruptures Lars talked about and the imperial-level creatures Lars had briefly mentioned.
Even though he didn't know some of the basic things an awakener like him should know, he still took this chance to learn, albeit not much.
At least there was something he could be sure of. That being:
1. He had somehow survived being thrown into a spatial rupture along with that old man.
2. Creatures in this world had ranks assigned to them based on their strength.
3. That he was now in a place where an imperial-level creature could suddenly appear.
Even though he wasn't completely sure where on the ranking board those creatures were based, judging from that man's expression, it was clearly high on the board and clearly something he couldn't defeat.
And now he found himself in an unknown location where even the faintest bits of light couldn't be found.
But once he heard the black-haired boy named Harry shout in desperation that the return shard wasn't working, his eye lit up with a faint spark of hope.
Sure, it didn't sound beneficial that the shards didn't work, but so what?
It didn't mean he was out of options on how to leave here; it just meant it would take him a lot less time than he thought to leave this place.
The fact that there was even a shard that could teleport someone out of this eerie place was already good enough.
So what? If this group didn't have any that worked, it just meant he would have to look around longer to find people who did have them.
And once he did, he could snatch it off them.
Even if they didn't want to tell him, Aizer could just use some of his "methods" on them, causing them to "willingly" change their mind.
As long as there was a chance to escape, he would take it.
Others may say this was a cruel, unjust tactic, but since when had Aizer ever cared about morals?
He would plot, snatch, and steal if given a chance.
And so he waited quietly, leaning against a curved piece of bark that was attached to the giant tree branch pointing upwards like one could see in any ordinary tree.
The only difference being that these trees weren't ordinary.
Even with Aizer standing on it, he looked like an ant relaxing on a small piece of branch compared to how big the tree as a whole was...
He watched Harry attentively, while passively listening to the others in case some useful information came out.
Alas, it seemed like they had all gone mad, forgetting how dangerous the place they were in was.
Although Aizer didn't know, judging from Harry's behaviour, it was enough to cement the fact that he didn't want to be here.
However, there was a piece of information that did catch Aizer's attention, and that was the fact that Bella, the one who had been the prime target for this argument, was a shadow user.
After reading the books again.
This time more attentively compared to the first time where he just skimmed through.
Aizer had a bit more understanding as to what the differences were between shadow and dark users and what made dark users much better compared to shadow users.
But even with this understanding, he wasn't careless, nor did he underestimate people.
Channeling his elkris, which he had grown proficient in over the past few days, he manipulated some of the darkness he had, using it to cover his entire face.
He even used a tiny bit of shadow to tie his hair into a bun. That was how big his afro was.
Others may question his actions, but he didn't want people to recognise him.
Why? Who knows?
Why didn't he just use shadows to cover his face?
Well, that's because after reading the book, he had discovered something: shadow users couldn't see through darkness.
They could see through shadows, sure, but when it came to darkness, they were no different from a regular person who found themselves lost in a dark cave.
They couldn't see through it, they couldn't move it, they couldn't do anything with it. It was like a different entity to them altogether.
After forming the darkness into different shapes, he finally stopped on a simple design that was low energy efficient.
Even though maintaining it used elkris, it also helped him develop his proficiency in handling his abilities, so regardless, it was a win-win to him.
Solidifying it, he placed the pitch-black mask on his face as he continued watching the group when he felt it...
The presence of the being made Aizer's eye shrink as his body involuntarily started trembling. His entire body went on edge, his hairs sticking up as his heart began pounding vigorously.
Unknowingly, at some point, his breathing had become haggard. And slowly, he started to feel it.
[Wh-what is this?] He asked himself as he barely managed to raise a shaking arm.
[What is this? Who is doing this? How are they doing this?] A swarm of questions overwhelmed his mind, all being left unanswered. As he felt his thoughts slow down.
It was fear.. he didn't know where or who it was coming from but he definitely understood what this feeling was.
Fear...
Fear was like a type of weed, slithering through the darkness. It seeps into the minds of people, poisoning them, twisting their thoughts, breaking their will.
It spreads among tribes, dividing them, turning them against one another.
Those who have forgotten the simple yet ancient power of fear now dwell beyond the veil of life, forever tormented by its presence. Unable to escape, they are graced only by terror, their portent, their fear...
It was then that he realised it.. his life it.. it was in danger!
Even though He knew it but. He found it difficult to think of a plan that would help him in this predicament.
His thoughts had started to become unclear, strange even. To him, it felt like the more he tried to think in the presence of this entity, the slower his train of thought would become.
It halted his his brains movement making it harder for him to think of a plan for him to escape.
This wasn't just unclear ideas that had no proof. He himself was the living proof! As he felt it straining, to even think of 15 things, the numbers slowly decreasing, along with the passge of time.
And this wasn't all. He started to feel a mix of emotions as his emotions started flaring up before disappearing.
Still shaking, he clenched his chest, air barely managing to make its way down into his lungs. He felt like his throat was blocked... or was his mind just playing triks on him?
Noticing this, Aizer, who always had something on his mind, came up with an idea. A simple yet effective plan that would save him from this predicament, and that idea was to run.
[Just run...] He thought. [Don't look back. Run as if your life depends on it.]
Because it did.
So he did just that. He limited everything he was thinking about to just running.
He didn't know or care how the creature looked like; he just had one plan on his mind, and that was to run.
Run until his legs gave out. Run until his mind became clearer. Run until whatever was behind him focused their attention on the group of people ahead instead of him.