Dakota: "Great, now we have to kill someone, and we don't even know where he is..."
Henry: "I wonder if he's going to leave more clues on this mountain."
Henry glanced at Dakota, his expression slightly more thoughtful than usual.
Henry: "So, what do we do now, Dakota?"
Dakota: "I guess we keep searching for clues... and for that guy we're supposed to kill."
Henry: "Okay, let's hope we find him before we die..."
Dakota: "Yeah, we can only hope."
Dakota and Henry continued their search, their footsteps heavy as they trudged through the thick fog on the mountain. The air was thin, and the mist clung to them like a cold, suffocating blanket. Despite their exhaustion, they didn't stop, because they knew they had no other choice.
But after hours of searching, their frustration began to mount. The mountain seemed endless, the fog impassable, and they still hadn't found a single clue. Their hope began to dwindle, replaced by irritation.
Dakota: "Oh, this pisses me off! What do we do now?"
Henry: "I don't know. But tomorrow, we definitely need to find him."
Dakota: "Yeah, that's for sure."
They both settled down for the night, their faces contorted with anger and exhaustion. They had been at this for what felt like days, and yet it seemed as though the world around them was mocking their every move. Neither of them could sleep easily, the weight of the mission pressing down on them.
The next morning, when they woke up, the mountain still felt like a prison. Their food and water were running out, and the urgency of their situation became even more apparent.
Dakota: "Alright, let's go find some clues... if he left any."
Dakota's expression was worried, as if the weight of their situation was starting to wear on him more than he let on.
Henry: "Don't worry, Dakota. We'll definitely break out of this illusion. There's no way we're dying here."
Henry's words, though meant to reassure, did little to ease Dakota's troubled mind. But at least his smile was genuine, and Dakota appreciated the effort.
Dakota: "Yeah, thanks, Henry. We definitely aren't dying here. Let's go."
Henry: "Yeah."
With renewed energy, they set out again, determined to find something—anything—that would lead them to their target. But despite their best efforts, another hour passed, then another, and another... but still, no clues.
Dakota: "Should we give up for today?"
Henry: "We shouldn't. We've still got some food and water left. Tomorrow's our last day with supplies. After that, we won't have anything left."
Dakota: "Damn it, I wanna kill whoever trapped us in this fucking illusion. I can't wait to find him."
Henry: "I can't wait to find him too. I'll definitely kill him."
Dakota: "…Even if he's human?"
Henry hesitated at that, his eyes narrowing in thought.
Henry: "I… don't know about that. I probably wouldn't have a choice but to kill him if it came down to it."
Dakota: "Well, it might be good if it was a human."
Henry: "Huh? Why would you say that?"
Dakota: "Because, in the future, you're going to have to kill some humans."
Henry: "Huh? Why?"
Dakota: "There are a lot of evil humans in this world. Greedy, selfish people who'll do anything for fame and power. If they can kill you, they'll do it. And they'll try to get famous by doing so."
Henry: "...I see. Looks like I'll have no choice but to kill a human in the future, huh?"
Dakota: "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."
Henry: "...Why do you say it like you've already killed a human?"
Dakota went quiet at that, his gaze dropping to the ground.
Dakota: "I may have killed a human. That's why."
Henry: "What!? You killed a human, Dakota?"
Dakota nodded slowly, his face unreadable.
Dakota: "Yes. When I was just 12 years old". And in my past life, too.
Henry stared at him, stunned.
Henry: "What...!? When you were only 12!"
Dakota: "Yeah. It wasn't a good feeling, but I had to do it."
Henry's expression softened, understanding starting to click into place.
Henry: "Why did you have to kill him?"
Dakota: "To protect my friends. That bastard tried to kill them. He was strong, too. So, as he was about to kill them... I came up behind him and stabbed him through the chest. That was my first time killing a human." Well, in this life.
Henry was quiet for a moment, clearly thinking over what Dakota had said. He then gave a slight nod, his face serious.
Henry: "Ah, so that's why you killed him... I would've done the same thing. If it was to protect my friends, I'd have no choice. You made the right choice, Dakota."
Dakota: "Yeah, I know. And if something like that happens again, I won't hesitate. I'll kill the enemy without a second thought. What about you?"
Henry: "I don't know... I'd kill him, but I'd probably hesitate."
Dakota: "Let's say if you hesitate, your friends die. Would you hesitate then?"
Henry was quiet for a long moment, the weight of Dakota's words sinking in.
Henry: "No... I wouldn't. I'd kill him without hesitation."
Dakota gave a satisfied nod.
Dakota: "Good. Now, let's go search for clues."
Henry: "Okay."
The two of them got up from the ground, the conversation lingering in Henry's mind. There was something about Dakota's past, something that haunted him, that made Henry uneasy. But he pushed the thought aside for now. They had a mission.
They searched for another hour, but still, there was nothing. No new clues, no signs of their target. Frustration continued to build between them.
Dakota: "Should we give up for today?"
Henry: "We can't. We've already come this far. We can't just quit now."
Dakota: "You're right."
But even as he spoke, they both knew they were running out of time. And their food and water were gone.
The third day arrived, and with it, the urgency. Dakota's hunger gnawed at him, his stomach growling louder with each passing minute.
Dakota: "Ahh... I'm so hungry."
Henry: "Me too... And I'm thirsty as hell."
Neither of them had the energy to talk much anymore. The exhaustion was overwhelming, but they couldn't afford to stop now.
Dakota: "Get up, Henry. We have to find him. We have to kill him."
Henry: "Fine... Let's go."
They both trudged down the mountain, their bodies moving on instinct more than anything else. They had been searching for days, but finally, something changed. As they descended, they found the clue they had been hoping to see for the past two days.
Dakota: "Haha, finally!"
Henry: "A clue! Yes!"
The clue was simple, cryptic even. It read: "What is a creature that flies?"
Dakota: "Huh? 'What is a creature that flies'?"
Henry: "What does that mean? There are a lot of creatures that can fly."
Dakota: "What could that mean?"
Five hours passed as they tried to puzzle out the meaning behind the clue. Their bodies were weary, their minds cloudy with fatigue. But then, suddenly, it clicked.
Dakota: "...Wait a minute. Maybe the creature he's talking about is himself."
Henry: "Huh?"
Dakota: "I'm not saying he's an insect or something. What I mean is, maybe he's a human or a Djinn who can fly. That's why he said 'What creature can fly.' He was hinting at the fact that he can fly."
Henry's eyes widened in realization.
Henry: "Oh... that actually makes sense. So he's somewhere in the sky?"
Dakota: "Yeah. And I'm guessing he's up at the top of the mountain, waiting for us. Let's go get him."
Henry: "What? We have to go all the way up to the top? But that'll take forever!"
Dakota: "We have no other choice. Let's go, Henry."
The time for hesitation was over. They had to act now.