"That being said—"
A sharp paralyzing sensation traveled across Kaelin's body. Her pupils vanished, leaving behind an eerie emptiness that seemed to swallow the very essence of her being.
A thunderous gasp escaped her lips. With a defiant strike, she hammered her fist against her chest, unleashing a shockwave that sent ripples of energy cascading through the atmosphere.
Coughs racked her body; Agony clouded her eyes, yet, through the haze of exhaustion and despair, a flicker of determination burned brightly.
"What a pathetic display… This… 'illness' is getting out of hand… I can't let it get out of hand."
"Not again."
Her words hung in the air like a potent incantation. As she gazed out into the vast expanse of the unknown before snapping back to reality.
"Jared!"
Jared's eyes snapped to the sky in astonishment.
"God?! Is that you! Give me your wisdom!"
"Stop being an idiot." Kaelin's upper body poked through the leaves, hanging upside down."Your five minutes are up. Next break, it's down to four, so prepare yourself mentally starting now."
"What! You're worse than those Insight generals, more like a slave driver."
"No—" Kaelin gracefully descended from the tree, leading with ease. "—if anything, I'm just a wandering old head."
Kaelin's strides quickened, and Jared found himself effortlessly keeping pace, unaware of their increased speed.
"So, if you can step it up, maybe I'll actually keep you around." 'I'm holding up my end of the bargain, Melinda. This kid had better come through for me with my problem, just like you promised.'
The gap between them grew rapidly, effortlessly moving through the terrain. It wasn't the first time he noticed , nor was it the first time he heard about her elusive nature. Even so, Jared watched in awe, his eyes wide with a mixture of admiration and concern.
…
Day 4
Travel notes : Traveled distance 40 miles in 13 hours, several breaks were taken. Toast seemed spooked for no particular reason, but he settled down quickly.
Total distance: 70 miles
Day 5:
Travel notes: same distance and time, less breaks taken
Total distance: 110 miles
Day 6:
Travel notes: 50 miles in 13 hours, no breaks
Toast seems awfully on edge the past couple of days. Apparently he senses Millennial Beasts every time we make more than 50 miles of progress. It seems like I can't sense them myself. It could be a side effect of my illness. I told him to keep me posted.
Total distance: 160 miles
Day 7:
Travel notes: 45 miles in 13 hours, breaks taken, but not many.
Apparently the distance is shrinking, but their Ego is still too dispersed. To my knowledge the only Millennial Beasts with that level of stealth are herbivores. Why take several days to stalk your prey… unless… I hope I didn't jinx it.
Total distance: 205 miles
Day 8:
Travel notes: 80 miles in 13 hours, no breaks
Travel note: Jared/ serious leg injury while trying to push his limits/ no physical activity was done/ Talked about nonsense / I carried Jared all the way./
I'm starting to sense it now. There's no point denying it any longer, we're their target. The question is now, what do I do?... What if it's them…? Could they really still be alive?
Total distance: 285 miles
….
Day 9
The night was far from being young. The moon was a decent way along its cycle as the nightly creatures started making themselves known. Although remaining silent, corroded green eyes glowed in the night.
Kaelin's eyes widened. Successfully fighting the urge to look around, Kaelin glued her eyes to her meal.
Toast jumped from his slumber, rearing his fangs. " No, we're not doing this anymore!"
Confused, Jared turned to him. Toast snapped toward Kaelin on the other side of the campfire in a panic. " Stop pretending! I know you sensed it."
" I have no clue what you're talking about." Avoiding eye contact, she reached for the ladle, before quickly having her hand held hostage by Jared.
"Spill it." Jared continued to stare Kaelin down, consolidating his grip.
" Spill what? The soup? Can't really do that while you're gripping my wrist. "
" Ha ha, funny. Did you think that's how I'll react? It's been a week, you think I haven't noticed the secret meeting you've been having without me! "
Kaelin remained quiet. Jared flipped to Toast. "Start talking!"
Toast anxiously looked away, defying his orders.
" You two huh."
" They're talking about a Millennial Beast." Ore appeared from out the forest. She took the seat next to Kaelin.
Jared turned to look at her. " Millennial Beast? You mean the monsters the Guilds hunt on request right? That's the official name."
"It's not that straightforward." Kaelin muttered.
"So what are they?"
Once again, Jared was replied to with silence.
" Don't mind her." Ore interjected, regaining Jared's attention. " Let's just say the term monster implies many false qualities."
" Ore, shut it." Ore swiftly sealed, muting her from saying any more. "And you-" Kaelin met Jared's gaze, her pupils narrowed like slits, imitating a predator. "Let go of my hand."
Despite marking him as her prey, Jared held his stance. " Or what? You're going to attack me right here and now. Go for it. I'll love to see how you fight those Mill Beasts you seemed to be afraid of. "
" You little-!"
In a moment's notice, Jared was hoisted up into the air, not by Kaelin but by one of Toast's many tails.
"Toast!" Jared screamed, baffled by his action.
" You made the right decision." Loosening up her wrist, Kaelin began pouring more soup into her bowl.
Toast's claws dug into the ground, his wisp-like entities clearly irritated by Kaelin's words. " I didn't do that for you. My intentions will always be keeping Jared safe."
" But for how long." Kaelin took a sip of her soup before continuing. " I know what that form does to your Kernel, it's only a matter of time till that permanent damage makes you inoperable."
In a matter of seconds, Toast's entire demeanor shifted. The fierce aggression that once radiated from him dissolved, leaving his features eerily soft and disturbingly blank.
Still struggling to get up, Jared barely registered the shift in Kaelin's focus. Her gaze snapped to him, eyes alight with a predatory hunger far more intense than before.
"Maybe I didn't make myself clear the last time you defied my orders," she snapped, her voice dripping with cold authority. "As long as you're traveling with me, you have no more rights than a tool has over its wielder. You're cargo I was assigned to carry, nothing more. So stop making my job harder than it needs to be."
Jared responded with silence, knowing his next word would very well be his last.
"What was your plan, anyway? Fight it? Are you that dense, or is your brain just broken? Did you honestly think you and your self-destructive pet could handle that on your own? Because, trust me, I had no intention of saving your sorry ass."
"…And what exactly do I gain from being your carry-on? What does that do for you in the long run? Last I checked, tools are meant to be used—not shoved in a drawer, collecting dust."
Their gazes clashed, neither willing to back down. After a drawn-out battle of wills, Kaelin finally conceded. With a sharp sigh and normalizing of her eyes, she drained the last of her soup and stood.
"Toast, put him down. Ore, pack up the equipment. Since everyone's so adamant about beast hunting, I'll accommodate."
Ore hopped off the tree stump, gathering the scattered camp supplies. "So, the plan's changed?"
"It seems like that's what everyone wants," Kaelin looked north, angled eastward. " The Lowestoft Campsite shouldn't be too far from here. We'll deal with the beast first, then pull an all-nighter to get there."
She glanced back at her team of misfits, a flicker of disgust crossing her face before she shoved the feeling aside. With a commanding tone, she spoke, " This was y'alls plan, alright. So I don't want to hear any complaining when it's all said and done. Do I make myself clear?"
In unison, they replied, "Yes, sir."