After listening to her granddaughter describe how she had assigned Eldric to chores, Reona was left speechless. She could only pat Sarah's head while shaking her own. "Didn't I ask you to show him around?"
"I did," Sarah replied calmly, her expression unyielding.
"Oh, come on. You know what I mean." Reona sighed, realizing that her granddaughter was deliberately being difficult. When she put Sarah in charge of Eldric, she hadn't expected her to act like a mischievous child. It was surprising to see her usually stoic and cold granddaughter causing trouble over something so trivial.
Sarah remained silent for a long moment, her face unreadable. Finally, she spoke, "Honestly... I just don't like him."
She turned to face Reona, her eyes narrowing. "I don't know what you're hiding, but I can tell you that he's not someone you can trust. Everything about him feels off—his smile, his embarrassment, his eagerness to obey. It all seems fake."
Her words hung in the air, plunging the room into an uneasy silence. Reona didn't respond immediately; instead, she closed her eyes, absorbing the weight of Sarah's words. If someone as young as Sarah could see through Eldric, then how could she, with all her years of experience, have missed it? The truth was, she hadn't missed it—she simply didn't care.
"Is that really what you think of him?" Reona asked quietly when she finally opened her eyes.
"It's what everyone should think," Sarah responded, her voice cold and distrustful. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself as she continued, "I don't know why you're doing this, but I'm not going to trust a stranger I know nothing about." Her words were firm, laying bare her inner thoughts. She had no intention of placing her trust in someone as suspicious as Eldric.
"I'm not asking you to trust him," Reona replied, raising her hand to stop Sarah from saying more. "I'm asking you to keep an eye on him. I know it's difficult, but for now, you need to trust me."
"You can at least do that, right?"
Sarah was at a loss for words, her resistance melting under her grandmother's plea. Finally, she sighed in resignation. "Fine." The single word was spoken with great reluctance, as though it had been forced out of her.
"That's my Sarah." A smile spread across Reona's face as she gently ruffled Sarah's short hair. Sarah sat there in silence, her eyes flickering with unspoken thoughts.
----------
In the storage room, Eldric was meticulously arranging boxes. He would open each one, scan its contents, and then move it to a spot with similar items. The hall was large, and the sheer number of boxes was overwhelming. It was a task that would take days to complete, yet despite the enormity of the job, Eldric remained unfazed.
"Four hours already?" He muttered to himself, glancing at the watch Sarah handed him. After hours of work, he was finally feeling the strain. Stretching his tired body, he let out a yawn and headed to the nearest supply box. He grabbed a can of food and a water bottle before making his way back to his room.
The walk back was uneventful; he didn't encounter anyone. After finishing his meal, he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes, hoping for a brief nap.
"...."
"....."
*Swish
*Swish
"Ugh!?" Eldric didn't know how long he had slept. Without the cycle of day and night, it was impossible to gauge the time. He was awakened by the sound of someone flipping through the pages of a book.
"Oh! You're awake?"
"Thanks to you," Eldric grumbled, his eyes still bleary as he focused on the man sitting beside his bed. It took a moment for his vision to clear.
"It's you?" Eldric exclaimed, recognizing the man he had met twice before. "What are you doing here?"
The thought of this middle-aged man silently watching him sleep sent a shiver down his spine.
"I was hoping we could have a chat." The man smiled as he placed the book on the table, then settled into his chair, crossing one leg over the other and resting his hands on his knee.
"Reaaaalllyyy?" Eldric stretched the word sarcastically. "How about we start with your name?"
The man seemed taken aback by the question but quickly composed himself. "I'm Arian. Reona's younger son and Sarah's father."
The introduction was brief, but it spoke volumes. Now, it was Arian's turn to ask a question.
"Can you tell me the last thing you remember?" There was a hint of expectancy in his voice, a glimmer of excitement. If he could just understand the boy in front of him, then perhaps he might have a chance of breaking out of this deadlock.
Unfortunately for Arian, Eldric's response was bound to disappoint.
"I don't remember much." With a brief pause, he continued...
"I only remember going to bed, and when I woke up, I was here." Eldric's tone was clipped, clearly unwilling to delve deeper. He wasn't even sure if this was a parallel world or something else entirely. And even if it was, he didn't want to discuss his previous life—especially not with people who had been living in this dark, cursed place for who knows how long. One doesn't need to be a genius to figure out just how desperate these people were. The less he revealed, the better.
Arian didn't reply immediately; his eyes closed as his eyelashes trembled ever so slightly. Though he didn't show it, Eldric could sense his disappointment.
"A pity," Arian finally said, his voice soft. He didn't press Eldric further, instead accepting the answer with quiet resignation. Yet, deep down, he knew the boy wasn't telling the whole truth. It was just a hunch, but after living in the darkness for so long, Arian was willing to gamble on it.
"If you have any questions, I'm willing to answer them," Arian offered, hoping to build some trust between them. He was certain the boy had many questions, and perhaps sharing some information would encourage him to open up.
Eldric's ears perked up at the offer. Though his earlier conversations with Reona and Sarah had provided some answers, there were still many things he needed to know. Now that someone was willing to answer his questions, he wasn't going to hesitate.
"Who saved me?" Eldric asked, the question burning in his mind. He had been sure he was a dead man when the Umbral grabbed him. It was a miracle he had survived, and he wanted to know who to thank—or repay, if necessary.
"It was my mother," Arian replied, surprising Eldric. He had expected it to be one of the sons, but it turned out to be their mother who had saved him. Eldric closed his eyes, thinking of the old lady, before nodding. He didn't express his gratitude verbally; if she ever needed his help, he would give it without hesitation.
"She said I've been marked. What does that mean?" Eldric asked his second question, still unsure if it was the truth or just a story made up to keep him there.
"Ah, that..." Arian nodded in understanding. "Do you remember the white monster that chased you?"
"Of course." Eldric couldn't forget that grotesque face even if he tried.
"It's one of many. We call their kind 'The Stalkers.'" Arian's words sent a chill through Eldric. Under his surprised gaze, Arain spoke further.
"Those Stalkers are natural hunters," Arian continued with a brief pause to catch his breath. "They hunt humans relentlessly. Usually, they won't attack if you're in a group, but if you're alone... that's when the hunt begins."
He paused, letting the gravity of his words sink in.
"One of the Stalkers will mark you as its target and will chase you. It won't kill you immediately. It hunts not for food, but for the thrill. It will toy with its victims, keeping them in a constant state of fear and despair. Only when the victim has completely given up will it kill them—by peeling off their skin and dragging their skinless body through the ground while they are still breathing."
Eldric swallowed hard, his mouth dry as he imagined the gruesome scene. If what Arian said was true, his days ahead were going to be anything but peaceful. Just when he was digesting this explosive piece of information, Arian spoke again.
"Their sense of smell is unfathomable too. You can bet they already know you're here," Arian added, dropping another bombshell on Eldric.
"Is... is there no way out?" Eldric asked, his voice trembling slightly. Surely, if these people had survived in this darkness for so long, there had to be a way.
"Heh..." Arian chuckled as if he had expected the question. "There is a way."
"There is?" Eldric leaned forward, eager to hear more.
"But..." Arian's voice trailed off, and Eldric's heart sank.
"But what?"
"It's difficult," Arian admitted.
"Just tell me," Eldric urged. What could be harder than surviving after being marked by one of those abominations?
"You can escape the pursuit easily... You just need to kill the Stalker that marked you." Arian's words hung in the air like a death sentence. Eldric stared at him in silence, disbelief etched on his face. He didn't need Arian to tell him that killing the Stalker would break the mark. The problem was...
The thought of that monstrous creature, over twelve feet tall with elongated limbs and a hideous, smiling face, made him shudder. Forget about killing it—he wasn't even sure he could keep his sanity if he encountered it again.
"If you don't have any other questions, I will head back now." Noticing how Eldric was lost in his train of thoughts, Arian spoke in a low voice.
"Umm..." Startled, Eldric immediately nodded before shooting his final question. "Can you tell me more about this place?"