Kai kept running until the glowing lights drew nearer. His chest burned with heavy breath but his legs refused to slow. Relief pulled him forward like a rope.
At the bottom of the hill the fog finally began to thin and the full sight of the town revealed itself.
A sturdy stone wall rose from the earth, built with weathered gray blocks stacked tightly together.
Moss crawled along some cracks showing years holding against the mist.
Torches burned atop the wall, their orange flames flickering in the night air.
Behind the defenses faint silhouettes of tiled rooftops and wooden lanterns flickered.
The sound of distant chatter reached his ears making the place feel alive like a true pocket of civilization hidden in the endless mist.
"Phew finally," Kai whispered with a long breath of relief. After hours of blood and beasts the sight felt amazing.
He adjusted his grip on the broken sword hilt at his side and walked carefully toward the gate.
But before he could even get close an arrow whistled through the air and slammed into the dirt a mere step ahead of his boots.
The force of impact sent small pebbles scattering.
Kai froze instantly, his eyes snapping upward.
From atop the guard tower, the silhouette of an archer loomed with his bowstring still drawn.
"Another beast wandering close to the walls?" a voice called down sharply.
The heavy gate creaked, and in the next breath two men in simple but sturdy robes rushed out with swords gleaming under the torchlight.
Their movements were sturdy and trained. And it only came from people used to drawing blades..
"Stop right there!" one of them said, his eyes narrowing as he sized Kai up.
The other spread to Kai's side, forming a half-circle around him. His blade raised cautiously.
Kai's heart lurched. He raised both hands slowly, showing he carried nothing but the broken hilt at his waist. His voice cracked slightly as he called out,
"Wait! I'm not a beast. I'm human!"
The two swordsmen didn't lower their blades. Instead, their gazes sharpened with suspicion.
"Human?" one muttered coldly. "Out here in the mist at this hour?"
The archer above still had his bow drawn tight, the arrow's tip gleaming in the moonlight and Kai knew he could shoot accurately at him at any time.
Kai's throat went dry so he gulped again. His mind spun. One wrong move or word and they would cut him down before he even finished.
Kai licked his dry lips, forcing his trembling voice to steady.
"I… I don't remember much," he said, letting a nervous edge crack through his words. "I woke up by the river, and… and someone must have dumped me there. My head feels empty… I lost my memory. All I had was this chipped sword… Now it's broken. I had no choice but to fight my way through all those magical beasts."
He lowered his hands slightly, not reaching for anything, only gesturing to the useless hilt hanging from his waist.
Then he let his face twist into the most pitiful expression he could muster. His eyes wide, lips trembling, shoulders sagging as if exhaustion had broken him apart.
"Please… I just want to live."
For a moment, only the sound of the mist curling against the stone wall filled the silence.
The two swordsmen exchanged a look with doubt clear in their narrowed eyes.
"He made it this far…" one murmured under his breath.
"With nothing but a dull blade?" the other muttered back, his grip tightening on his sword hilt.
They both knew the truth. Even Rank 1 beasts that were weak compared to the terrors deeper in the mist rarely wandered alone.
Their numbers were often the real danger. Claws and fangs swarming all at once.
For this ragged young man to stand here alive with torn clothes and ruined sword it meant he had skill, or luck.
Neither option made him safe.
One of the swordsmen finally stepped forward. His voice was cautious, but not entirely hostile. "You said you lost your memory?"
Kai bobbed his head quickly playing the role of a desperate, broken survivor.
"Right! I can't remember where I came from or who left me there.. I'm just fighting and running."
The swordsman studied him a moment longer before sighing and lowered his blade though not completely.
"I can't trust you yet," he said flatly. "But right now, it's better to keep you inside than leave you out here. The mist won't forgive the weak."
Relief washed over Kai like a crashing wave.
His lips pulled into a wide smile he couldn't contain.
"Thank you! I won't cause trouble, I swear."
The two guards exchanged one last wary glance before motioning with their blades. "Follow us."
Kai nodded quickly, clutching his broken hilt and stepping forward.
His eyes gleamed as he passed beneath the heavy gate, the torches' light falling warm against his tired face.
For the first time since waking in this strange world, he stepped into the heart of civilization and finally was safe.
At least he thought so.
—