Avi crouched in the quiet room, the dim light of the moon filtering through a crack in the curtains. The scattered belongings of Emily and Ken lay before him—fragments of a life now painfully distant. Most of it was mundane: broken phones, crumpled notebooks, a half-empty bag of chips Ken probably stuffed into his pocket before the chaos began. Avi sighed, his fingers brushing across Emily's neatly folded wallet.
"She was always so meticulous," he muttered to himself, the memory bringing a faint, bitter smile to his lips.
He slipped the wallet into his dimensional inventory, a seemingly bottomless void that now carried the last remnants of his friends' lives. As he picked up Emily's notebook, something thin and glossy slipped free, fluttering to the floor.
Avi blinked and reached for it—a photo. Three tiny, smiling figures stared back at him.
It was them.
Ken, towering in the center, his enormous grin causing his eyes to squint shut. Emily stood to his left, her posture shy and awkward, while Avi on the right scowled in mock annoyance. The next image on the strip was more composed: all three standing straight with warm smiles. But the last picture was the one that broke him.
Ken flexed his massive arms with exaggerated bravado, flashing a peace sign while Emily and Avi were caught mid-laughter. The image captured everything they were—a perfect moment frozen in time.
"Damn it, Ken..." Avi's voice cracked. He rubbed at his face, but the tears came anyway. They fell silently, streaking down his cheeks as he stared at the photo.
He clenched it in his hand, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I'll find you. Both of you," he vowed, his voice firm despite the tremble. He carefully slipped the photo into his inventory.
The morning came too quickly. Avi had spent the rest of the night preparing—organizing supplies from the system's store, ensuring he had enough food and materials for the journey. His Shadowfangs hung at his hips, their polished edges catching the faint morning light.
The others gathered near the castle gate, their figures outlined by the pale dawn. The mood was somber, a tension hanging over the group that no one seemed willing to break. Avi avoided Alex's gaze, his resentment for the group's leader still too raw.
Caleb stepped forward first, a bundle of nerves barely contained beneath his usual eccentricity. He adjusted the oversized hammer strapped to his back, his hand brushing over the scarred leather of his smith's apron. "Hey, Avi," he began, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "About the other night..." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, avoiding Avi's eyes. "I had to knock you out. I didn't want to, but... you weren't yourself. I'm sorry."
Avi glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "You don't need to apologize. You did what you thought was right."
Caleb exhaled in relief, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Yeah, well... I wanted to say it anyway." He gestured toward the daggers at Avi's hips, his lips twitching into a faint smile. "Those Shadowfangs—I poured everything I had into them. They'll keep you safe, I swear."
Avi nodded, his hand brushing the hilts. "They're solid work, Caleb. Thanks."
Caleb's smile widened, a flicker of his usual energy returning. "Don't forget to bring 'em back in one piece. Or better yet, bring back some materials. I could use some new projects!"
Lucas approached next, his usual reserved demeanor making him hesitate before speaking. The tactician kept his arms crossed, his gaze darting toward the forest. "I've been running scenarios in my head all night," he admitted quietly. "None of them end well if you don't make it back."
"Is that your way of wishing me luck?" Avi asked, arching a brow.
Lucas chuckled nervously, glancing down. "I'm not great at this kind of thing. Just... stay alive. We need you."
There was a weight to his words that Avi didn't comment on, but he gave Lucas a small nod of acknowledgment.
Lena stood slightly apart from the group, her sharp eyes assessing him with the same precision she applied to everything. When Avi turned to her, she shrugged and crossed her arms. "You're reckless," she said bluntly. "But you're also stubborn enough to come back alive. Just don't prove me wrong."
"I'll do my best," Avi replied, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
From the crowd, a small boy stepped forward hesitantly, clutching a wooden sword that looked like it had been carved by an amateur hand. His wide eyes flicked between Avi and the forest behind him. "M-Mister Avi?" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Avi crouched slightly, bringing himself closer to the boy's level. "What is it, kid?"
"Are you... are you going to fight the monsters?" the boy asked, his grip tightening on the sword.
"That's the plan," Avi said, his tone softening.
The boy looked down at his sword, then back at Avi. "I... I hope you come back." His voice quivered slightly, and Avi caught the glimmer of worry in his young eyes.
Avi reached out, resting a hand gently on the boy's shoulder. "Don't worry about me. Just focus on getting stronger, alright?"
The boy nodded, his expression resolute despite the fear flickering behind it. Avi straightened, feeling the weight of the exchange settle into his chest.
Finally, Alex stepped forward. The crowd parted slightly, and the silence that followed was almost oppressive. Avi stiffened, his jaw tightening as Alex approached.
"Avi..." Alex began, his voice low and uncertain. He paused, searching for the right words. "I know I can't change how you feel about me right now. I wouldn't blame you if you never forgave me. But... you mean a lot to this group. To all of us."
Avi's expression didn't soften. "Then you'd better hope I make it back, for your sake."
Alex winced but didn't falter. "I do hope. More than anything." His eyes met Avi's, and for a brief moment, the guilt and worry in them were unshielded. "Just... come back. That's all I'll say."
The raw honesty in Alex's tone made Avi hesitate, but he didn't respond. Instead, he turned and began walking toward the forest, the weight of their expectations pressing down on him.
The morning air was cool against his skin, but the unease in his chest burned hotter with each step. He didn't look back.
The forest was unnervingly quiet, a stark contrast to the cacophony of sounds he had encountered the last time he ventured here. The creatures, with their multiple tails, horns, or oversized limbs, were nowhere to be seen.
As Avi walked, he opened the comrade system, its familiar interface flickering to life. His heart sank as he saw the "Offline" status for every one of his friends. He hesitated before clicking on Ken's profile, opening the message log.
Each message hit him like a blow:
[Ken Magnum: I'll make sure Emily is safe, Avi. Don't worry about us.]
[Ken Magnum: This is boring! I'm already missing our sleeping beauty, AKA you. BTW Emily says hi.]
[Ken Magnum: This is weird. Our team went south but managed to meet Tyler's group, who went west. We'll talk the details with Alex.]
[Ken Magnum: We also met with Ryan's team. I think something is going on.]
[Ken Magnum: Avi, I'm sorry. I don't think I'll be able to protect everyone.]
Avi stopped walking, his breath catching in his throat.
"Damn it, Ken," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Why didn't I saw this sooner? Why didn't I...?"
The last message echoed in his mind as he clenched his fists, guilt and anger warring within him. He cursed himself for staying behind, for sleeping while his friends fought for their lives.
As he approached the site of the ambush, the stench hit him—a sickening blend of decay and blood that turned his stomach, but didn't overwhelm him. This was a sight he had come to know, too familiar to shake him now. His hand instinctively brushed the hilts of the Shadowfangs at his sides, ready for whatever else the forest might throw at him.
The clearing was a chaotic mess. Broken weapons and shattered shields lay scattered like discarded toys, their edges slick with dried blood. Deep gouges in the earth marked the aftermath of powerful spells, while torn patches of grass hinted at desperate attempts to maneuver. The corpse of one of their classmates lay with its limbs twisted unnaturally, and the residue of fire magic darkened the surrounding grass.
Avi's gaze landed on the spot where he had first found Ken's shield. The memory of the shield's weight as he'd lifted it from the dirt resurfaced in his mind, grounding him in the purpose of his return. Now safely tucked into his inventory, it served as both a clue and a reminder of the stakes.
He knelt, studying the scene with narrowed eyes. The signs told a story, but not a complete one.
The bodies of their classmates lay in grim disarray, their faces pale and lifeless. Avi's chest tightened as he scanned the corpses, his breath catching when he failed to see Ken or Emily among them. Relief flickered briefly but was quickly snuffed out by a surge of guilt.
"They're not here," he murmured, the words a mix of hope and dread.
One of the fallen bore deep lacerations that crisscrossed their torso, the marks too precise to have come from claws alone. The faint glimmer of venomous residue on the wounds made Avi's stomach churn. His mind raced as he pieced together the possibilities.
A pattern emerged as he moved. The bodies were clustered in a loose circle, their formation defensive. Scorch marks nearby hinted at fire magic, likely a last-ditch effort to hold their ground.
"They fought hard," Avi said under his breath, glancing at the trajectory of the burn marks and broken weapons.
But then his eyes caught something unusual. Among the humanoid and animalistic tracks left by the attackers, two long, parallel grooves carved into the dirt stood out. They began outside the battlefield and led straight through it, disappearing into the dense forest.
Avi crouched, running his fingers along the grooves. "Wheels," he muttered. His brows furrowed as he considered the implications. "Someone—or something—came through here. Not just to fight. To take them."
The scene grew stranger the longer he observed. Some tracks suggested retreat—a handful of survivors, judging by the hurried, uneven footprints leading away from the chaos.
"They ran," Avi growled, his fists clenching. "They left them here. They didn't even come back for help."
Anger surged through him at the thought of comrades abandoning their own. The scouting team had been sent to gather information, not to face annihilation. What kind of coward ran and left their allies behind to die?
As he surveyed the clearing, the flicker of movement caught his eye. A dozen scavenger animals—a mix of small, rat-like creatures and larger, ravenous birds—darted away from the scene, chittering and screeching as they retreated to the safety of the forest's depths. Their sudden flight made him realize how close he'd come to interrupting their grim feast.
Avi's stomach twisted at the sight of the scavengers, but he pushed it aside. The reality of this world had hardened him. He didn't flinch at the smell, nor did he feel the urge to vomit when he looked at the fallen. He had learned to steel himself against these horrors, to use the anger instead of letting it consume him.
The faint sound of crackling leaves and the sharp snap of a broken branch in the distance made him freeze. The tracks leading deeper into the forest beckoned to him. That's where answers lay.
Rising to his feet, he dragged the bodies to a shaded patch of earth, making quick work of digging a shallow grave with the flat of his blade. He buried them respectfully, marking it with a crude cross fashioned from broken weapons. His hands trembled as he drove it into the ground.
"You deserved better than this," he whispered, voice rough with regret.
A glint of movement caught his eye, and his gaze shot toward the forest's edge. Something—or someone—was still watching. The air felt heavier, the silence more suffocating. Whatever had come through this clearing left more than just broken lives behind.
Avi set his jaw, feeling his resolve solidify like iron. The trail stretched ahead, deeper into the forest where the air grew heavier and the silence more unnerving.
"I'll find you," Avi swore, his voice hard. "I don't care who—or what—I have to face. I'll bring you back."
With a final glance at the grave, he disappeared into the trees, his resolve hardening with every step.