CHAPTER 24: CHAPTER 23: SIMPLE CONVERSATION

Oliver was still awake, even though a long time had passed since he had closed his eyes.

He was lying near the trunk of a tree, leaning his back against it, pretending to be asleep.

Meanwhile, his ears followed the quiet conversation between the masked man and Tell.

Their voices were low, but he could still make out what they said, even if most of it was unclear.

And with every sentence that came from the masked man, the irritation inside him grew stronger and stronger with time.

Still, he stayed silent, holding his breath, trying not to make a sound so he wouldn’t miss a word of their conversation.

Tell fluttered her wings lightly, then flew in front of the masked man’s face.

"What brought you here in the first place? You don’t seem like the kind who goes for a walk in a forest full of spirits and monsters. You’re probably the second person to come here from the outside in a very long time."

"I came to meet someone, and to finish something I left undone."

"And who’s this person that caught your attention here? And what’s the thing you want to finish?"

He sighed as he adjusted the gun beside him.

"You talk too much, you know that?"

"That’s a nice way of changing the subject."

He didn’t reply, just turned his gaze back toward the horizon.

After a moment of silence, Tell asked again,

"Anyway, how do you plan to get them out of the forest?"

He answered while still staring into the dark horizon,

"There’s someone waiting for me somewhere inside the forest. I’ll make him take them out safely. Meanwhile, you and I will go back to eliminate the Spirit of Autumn."

A hint of disapproval appeared on her face.

"Eliminate her? Isn’t there a way to cure her from the corruption?"

He turned to her.

"And what do you know about corruption?"

"It’s something that turns spirits into monsters."

"Has corruption ever affected any spirit in your city?"

"Over the years, a few have been afflicted. My grandfather was one of them. We had to destroy him before he wiped out what remained of our home."

"Yes, that’s the only cure for a corrupted spirit."

"Couldn’t you have said that in a kinder way? Can’t you show a bit of sympathy for my story?"

He said flatly, without even turning his head toward her,

"And why should I sympathize with a random spirit I’ve only known for a few days? Besides, your grandfather probably lived for hundreds of years already, so why should I feel sorry for him?"

"How did you know he lived hundreds of years?"

He replied while adjusting his leather glove,

"I guessed."

"Do you really think you can defeat the Spirit of Autumn?"

"I don’t know."

She flew closer, her wings flapping faster.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, I’m serious. Too many things have changed recently. Because of you and those villagers, I’ve already been delayed far too long. By the time I finish this foolish rescue mission, the corruption will have spread even further."

"As if you were just going to let them die if we hadn’t stepped in?"

"Of course. That’s exactly what I intended to do."

"You really are heartless."

"I’ve heard that plenty of times. But unlike you, I prefer the greater good over personal sentiment."

Tell stared at him for a while, silent. Long moments passed with nothing but the sound of wind rustling through the leaves.

"Do you know who that person was, the one who gave us the vial?"

"I have a few guesses."

"Are you going to tell me, or keep it to yourself as usual?"

"Even if I told you, it wouldn’t do you any good."

"Just tell me."

"Simply put, it was the work of some cult."

"A cult? And what are they after?"

"As I said, it wouldn’t do you any good to know. Don’t tire yourself asking, because I won’t answer anything else."

"Why do you always enjoy playing the mysterious man?"

"I don’t enjoy playing any role. I just prefer keeping information to myself. Anyone who spills their secrets dies faster."

...

With the first light of dawn, everyone began moving again.

The thin mist that covered the forest faded as the sun rose, while the light filtered through the tall branches, touching their tired faces.

They pulled out what was left of their dried fruits and some edible herbs, then sat on tree trunks and ate their simple meal.

No one felt like talking. Their eyes were half closed from exhaustion, their bodies barely recovering strength.

After the short meal, the masked man stood up.

"Let’s keep moving."

They followed him without question. He led the way, with Oliver and Lemur behind him, and the rest following.

The sage walked at the rear, leaning on a thick branch every few steps.

He regretted how much food he’d devoured back in the cave.

Every now and then he muttered incomprehensible words, pressing his stomach in pain.

The forest around them was quiet. At first, they turned cautiously at every sound or rustle.

But as time passed, the fear began to fade. They noticed that whenever danger approached, the masked man handled it.

No matter what kind of predators appeared, he always took them down.

That repeated sight gave them a strange sense of safety.

And over time, the suspicion in their eyes began to ease.

They started to trust that his presence among them meant survival, even if they never said it out loud.

Every few hours, the masked man would let them rest for a short while.

He didn’t like stopping, but they would always convince Oliver to ask for it.

And every time, Tell insisted that he give them a little time to rest.

...

After a long trek, they reached an open area with a small lake at its center.

The water was clear, reflecting the blue of the sky, and the cool breeze over its surface softened the heat of the day.

Some sat under the trees while others took off their shoes and went down into the water to swim.

Oliver was among the first, splashing water at Lemur and the one eyed man, joined by one of the others soon after.

Despite the exhaustion, despite all the grief they carried, that short break made them feel slightly better.

Their laughter mixed with the gentle sound of the flowing a rare moment of peace in the middle of everything they’d been through.

On the shore, the sage sat under the shade of a broad tree, his hat covering his face as he tried to rest.

But Oliver didn’t leave him alone.

"Come on, sage, get in the water! It’s great!"

The sage waved lazily without lifting his head.

"No, thank you. I’m perfectly fine right here."

On the other side, the masked man sat leaning against a tree trunk, arms crossed.

Tell floated beside him, watching the lake with equal attention.

"All these delays you’ll be the one paying for them."

She turned to him, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh really? What will you do, shoot me?"

"Learn to set your priorities straight, daughter of the elder."

After saying that, he turned and walked into the depths of the forest, while Tell kept staring at the lake the smile on her face fading away.