'Who is that? Everyone else except me and the girl is dead. Is it a shadow?'
"Are you the only ones left?"
'If it is a Shadow we are so dead let's discard that option. So, it's a human?'
"Who are you?"
Will tried to shout but his body was too tired so it was more like speaking a bit louder.
"That does not concern you. Now, I asked you a question."
Will wanted to shout "fuck you" but was too tired to start fighting
"Yes, god damm it, we are the last survivors. A giant grey tiger-like Shadow chased us. That thing killed three of us. The other one fell."
"Huh. Interesting was there a second one? Never mind, that doesn't matter. I never expected the both of you to survive. I had some hopes for those first two Listeners but not the little weak girl and the average-looking guy over here. I mean the other two casualties were completely certain."
'What? Does he know us? So, he left the group. I mean I thought about it too but thinking back it would have been a death sentence. So how is he alive? He mentioned that there was a second. He probably meant the tiger. He encountered that thing and lived? Is he a Listener as well? Well, the other two helped us so maybe he'll help us too.'
"Please help us we really can't go on anymore."
The man with blond hair made an annoyed face.
"Fine."
The man walked down to Will and the girl. Only now could Will see him a bit better. He was wearing casual grey sweatpants and a red pullover. His choice of clothing wasn't matching. Normally Will wouldn't comment on that even in his thoughts but he was a bit offended after being called average-looking.
'What does he mean by "average-looking"? He's one to talk. I look fine. Sure I haven't showered in two or three days and my white shirt has seen better days. But my pleated pants are new and with the brown belt, I don't look too bad. Of course, I don't look bad I was on my way to a job interview. So, it's only natural that I don't look bad.'
Will was not considering his current state and his damaged clothes but the man also referred to Will's previous state.
The man arrived at Will's side but kept walking to the girl. He picked her up with one hand and walked up. Then he did so with Will as well and continued his way up.
'That's a weird feeling. I can't remember the last time someone picked me up and carried me moreover so easily. How much weight can this guy carry? He is definitely a Listener. He could have helped us. I guess that's how things are.'
They reached the top of the leaf but they did not stop there. He continued carrying Will and the Girl. The situation looked a bit comical but Will did not mind he was tired so he fell asleep.
He was shaken awake. Will was a bit confused at first and looked around. Nothing changed in his environment he was still on the tree.
"Ah, you are finally awake you slept on the whole way here. Even the little girl fell asleep. It is not wise to sleep in such a situation you know. I would never do that. Now, that you are awake we are going to do a little experiment."
'What is he on about? Of course, I am tired, I climbed a lot today and completely destroyed my body and what does he mean by experiment? Ah, I am so tired.'
The man took the girl in his arms again. Then he held her over the edge of the leave and lowered her. However, she did not descend. It was as if she was floating mid-air.
"Hm, so you can't reach it as well? You are so useless."
With that, he grabbed her waist and threw her in another direction into the abyss.
"Wow, what are you doing? Nooo..."
"She annoyed me. Why can nobody get access? Alright, let's try it with you."
"What? What is going on?"
Will evaded his hand and fell to the ground. he wanted to escape but the man blocked his escape route. So Will crawled to the edge of the leaf. The girl was floating there a moment ago. So maybe he could escape in that direction. The man in sweatpants was in no hurry he did not mind if his victim was crawling to the place where he wanted him to be.
Will reached the edge and there he saw it again. The golden gemstone, in the shape of a sphere. It was here just hovering slightly beneath him, only a metre or two.
"Do you know what that is?"
Will turned around to the man in sweatpants.
"So, you know. Now don't be hasty. Don't try to reach it until I grab you. I don't want you to be able to reach it without me holding you back."
With that, all hope of getting out of this place vanished.
'Hm, this is how I die I guess. By the hands of the people who promised to protect humanity. Is it a fitting end? Being denied something by a more powerful person is basically the gist of my life so I guess, Yes. Just this time "something" is life.'
He knew this was it but he was still calm. Maybe because he always thought that he would die here.
'I should have done better in life. In my next life I won't waste time, I'll strive for the top and find the thing I always lacked.'
Will looked around again to just take in as much as possible. The fresh air.
'Ahhhh, what a contrast to the polluted air in New Berlin.'
The nature. Right now he was at the top of the tree. Or bottom depending on the perspective.
'That is really beautiful. This place caused me so much suffering but now, in the end, looking into the many tree branches is kind of amazing. How did I get here.'
The grey tiger.
The grey tiger?
There he was again the beast that killed the entire group.
"Hey turn around! The tiger is back."
The man turned around annoyed not believing Will's words but the tiger was there.
"Not you again. I killed you only a few hours ago. Wait? You have a shadow now? You did not have one the last time. Are you another Shadow? No, you look the same. How? How is this possible"
The man started to become nervous. No, it was fear. He started to quiver.
Will took his chance and jumped into the abyss in the direction of the golden sphere. And just then he witnessed the death of the man in sweatpants. He too was being impaled on the claw of the giant tiger.
And then he reached the golden sphere.