The soft blue light of the Azure Cavern bathed the room in a quiet glow. Damian sat cross-legged near the fire they had built, his back leaning against one of the shimmering crystals that lined the cavern walls. He watched the fire flicker in the stillness, lost in thought. The hum of the Azure Crystals was a constant background sound, almost like a heartbeat, steady and soothing.
Across from him, Elara was cleaning her dagger with meticulous care. Her emerald eyes, sharp and watchful, occasionally flicked toward him, but she didn't speak. The atmosphere had shifted between them since the fight with the Gorehound, but there was still a noticeable distance. She was slowly warming to him he could feel it but he couldn't afford to let his guard down. Not fully.
Damian had made a decision the moment he stepped into this strange world. No one could know about the system. Not Elara. Not anyone. He couldn't afford to risk it. It had already begun to make him stronger, more powerful than he should have been, and while he hadn't fully understood it, he had no intention of telling anyone the truth. The less they knew about him, the better.
So, when Elara asked about his strange power the way he fought with such ferocity, as though blood itself fueled him he had given her a story. A lie, but one he could live with.
"I'm cursed," Damian had said, his voice steady. "It runs in my bloodline. I wasn't born like other people."
She hadn't questioned him too deeply, but the doubt in her gaze hadn't escaped him. He could see that she didn't fully believe it, but she didn't press him either.
He had no choice but to keep up the façade. The system was a gift, a curse, and a burden all at once. It had saved him after his death, pulling him into this new body, into this new world. And now it was tied to him in ways he didn't understand its influence, its power growing every time he spilled blood. Every time he fought, it whispered to him, urging him to take more, to absorb more.
And part of him wanted to. Not just because it felt good. But because it was the only way he knew how to survive.
The crackling fire popped and a burst of warmth radiated from the flames. Damian leaned forward, pulling his thoughts away from the system. He could feel Elara's gaze on him, the weight of her curiosity pressing down on him. But instead of pulling away, he met her eyes.
"You've been quiet," he said, keeping his voice casual. "Got something on your mind?"
Elara didn't immediately respond, her fingers still tracing the edge of her dagger as if it would help her organize her thoughts. Finally, she sighed, not looking up from her blade. "I'm still not sure about you, Damian."
"Fair enough," he said with a shrug, leaning back against the crystal. "I'm not sure about me either."
Her lips quirked at that, though she quickly suppressed the smile. "You don't talk much about yourself. It's like you've got a thousand secrets hidden under that cool exterior."
Damian chuckled, trying to sound nonchalant, but inside, his heart was pounding. "Guess I'm just a mystery."
She studied him for a long moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Is that what you really are? A mystery?"
He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Maybe. Maybe not."
A comfortable silence stretched between them, and Damian allowed himself to relax, just a little. He couldn't afford to get too comfortable, but the constant vigilance of the last few days had worn on him. Elara had become his only ally in this strange new world, and while he still couldn't trust her fully, he couldn't deny the pull of her presence. She was a fighter, someone who understood what it meant to survive, and in a world like this, that was a rare quality.
"So, tell me more about this place," Damian asked, his voice steady as he shifted the conversation away from himself. "The Azure Cavern. It seems important."
Elara's eyes flicked toward him, the tension between them easing just a little. "It is. This is where people like us come to rest. It's not safe outside. The monsters are always hunting, and the bloodthirsty ones get worse the longer you stay in this place. The Azure Crystals help, though. They have some calming properties, keep things at bay, and" She paused, looking down at her dagger again. "they can be traded for things. Weapons, supplies. That sort of thing."
Damian nodded, processing the information. "How long have you been here?"
"Too long," she replied with a grimace. "Maybe a few years. I don't keep track anymore."
"A few years…" Damian murmured. He felt a pang of something sympathy? Pity? but he quickly squashed it. He couldn't afford to let emotions get the better of him.
"Is that what you're doing?" he asked. "Staying here and trading?"
Elara didn't respond right away, instead looking into the fire with a far-off expression. "I used to have a place I called home," she said quietly. "But not anymore. I had to leave it all behind when things started going to hell." She looked at him then, her gaze sharp but not unkind. "And I'm guessing you're not here by choice either."
Damian stayed silent for a moment, not wanting to reveal too much. He had his reasons for hiding everything. "Not really. But this place…" He glanced around, taking in the cavern's tranquil beauty. "It's a temporary stop. We can't stay in one place for too long. Sooner or later, something someone will come looking."
Elara gave a small nod of agreement, the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Sounds like you know the game."
"I do," Damian said, leaning forward slightly, his gaze meeting hers. "I've played it before."
The fire crackled between them, the soft flickering light casting shadows over their faces. There was an unspoken understanding now, a shared bond forged in the heat of battle and the struggle to survive.
Elara finally spoke again, her voice softer now, almost contemplative. "You're different from the others. I don't know how, but you are."
Damian didn't respond immediately. Part of him wanted to tell her the truth, to let her know that he wasn't just cursed but something more a being bound by a strange, bloodthirsty power. But that wasn't his truth to share. Not yet.
Instead, he simply nodded. "Maybe I'm just lucky."
Elara's eyes flicked to him, the faintest smile tugging at her lips once more. "I don't believe in luck."
"Well, maybe you should start," Damian replied with a half-smile, his mind working to keep up the charade.
They sat in silence for a while longer, the tension between them easing bit by bit. Damian didn't trust her completely, but there was something reassuring about her presence, something familiar about the way they both navigated the dangers of this world.
And as the fire burned low and the Azure Crystals cast their gentle glow around them, Damian couldn't help but wonder if this fragile bond they were forming would be enough to survive the trials ahead. The system's whispers were growing louder, urging him to take more, to absorb more blood, to grow stronger. But for now, he held back. He would play it safe. He would keep his secret.
After all, in a world where blood was the only currency, trust was a luxury and Damian wasn't sure he could afford it.