Rivered approached his teammate to explain the situation.
As he got closer, he noticed someone familiar standing beside them.
It was a woman with blonde hair and striking blue eyes, her face exuding a unique blend of masculine and feminine beauty. Her petite frame, clad in light armor, hinted at agility surpassing that of most knights.
Two silver cauldrons rested on her shoulders, with her knight's uniform visible underneath.
She turned to Vigrath and said, "Thanks for taking care of the monster."
Vigrath, stroking his mustache, replied, "That was nothing. If the Captain had allowed it, I would have taken on the monster by myself."
He brandished his curved sword and added, "That little creature would have been sliced in two by this mighty blade." The curved sword in his hand was unusual, reflecting an unnatural glow from the campfire's flames.
Seeing someone approaching, the lady knight immediately turned as she recognized him. "Rivered Callahan," she said.
"Yes, that's me," Rivered replied, his expression slightly surprised.
Noticing Rivered's surprised expression, she said, "We haven't had the chance to meet yet. I was just with the group ensuring the merchant's arrival at Marcentye Bay was secure."
"My name is Selina, of House Aquarius," she introduced herself, extending her hand toward him.
He shook it firmly and replied, "Pleasure to meet you. As you already know, for formality's sake, I am Rivered Callahan of Yorwkisa."
They had a short chat about how the cohort was doing.
Later, she explained to him the procedure she followed and how she was called in for the emergency, as the number of knights who fell was much higher than expected. She and her group were instructed to join the hunt to provide assistance.
This all made too much sense, as Rivered believed most of her words, but he still needed to get the Captain's opinion before proceeding.
He asked Selina to talk to the Captain.
Though he already had a feeling that the Captain already knew. He might as well have called for help too.
Selina nodded as she parted from the Yorwkisa.
The Yorwkisa were now gathered around the campfire, its flames warming their cold faces.
The firelight illuminated their grim expressions. Suddenly, Sugo said, "I don't feel right about this expedition. Something is bothering me."
The expression on the other's face changed too.
But before he could continue, Rivered interrupted, his eyes reflecting the flickering flames. "The Captain is fine. And now we have Selina and her knight with us." He met Sugo's gaze. "There's nothing to be afraid of."
"We can pull this off." The words seemed as much for himself as for Sugo.
He closed his eyes and muttered, "We will shine."
Before anyone could object further, Vigrath spoke up. "That monster was strange, Rivered."
There was no immediate response, Rivered eyes still closed as silence hung in the air.
The sound of wood crackling in the fire filled the silence that followed, stretching for several minutes.
Rivered opened his eyes and finally turned to Vigrath. "Tell me more."
Shaking his head, Vigrath stared into the fire. His eyes now told a different story, one of fear.
For a dungeon hunter, fear of a monster was natural; it was the thin line between life and death.
"When the Captain plunged his magic sword into its heart, it didn't scream. It just gave a faint smile as it died by the blade. And that's not the strange part. What repulsed me was the Captain's reaction he was smiling too. I know," he said, glancing at Rivered, "the Captain loves killing monsters, but this was different, like he was possessed by a specter or a ghost."
He let out a deep sigh. "And this feeling... I feel strange myself. I've been feeling sad for no apparent reason for a while now," he said, staring at the dense forest. "And it's not homesickness."
Sugo and the rest listened intently, but no one responded.
As the fire began to dwindle, Avatar added more wood to the campfire.
Then he spoke, his voice hoarse, "Do you think we've been cursed?"
He glanced at his teammates, his eyes shifting from one to the next, eager to share his thoughts.
"Think about it. We left our squad to perish in the Sumant Dungeon. Maybe the ghosts of our teammates are haunting us."
Sugo and rest rejected his idea as they averted their eyes, Rivered too wasn't able to face Avatar, he mumbled with muffled voice, "No, I don't think so."
With that, Rivered stood up and said in a stern, firm voice, "No more talk of ghosts. Vigrath, come take a walk with me."
The group fell silent, their attention shifting to the fire, now burning a little lower.
Vigrath rose to his feet, brushing the dust off his pants. He once wore full body armor, but reduced mobility had forced him to switch to fabric, a lesson learned the hard way in Sumant Dungeon.
During the Night Championship trial, he had bonded with Rivered more than anyone else, ultimately considering him a brother-in-arms.
He followed behind Rivered.
After walking a couple of meters away from the campfire, Rivered asked in a low voice, "Do you really think guilt has been eating us?"
Vigrath's eyes widened as he realized what Rivered was thinking. He wanted to retort and protest against the notion but ultimately chose silence.
Rivered glanced at his tiny friend, his eyes cast downward.
He exhaled through his nasal cavity. "I see."
Clearing his throat, he changed his expression, this time serious. "I want to make a name for myself, Vigrath. I need your help for that. I'm growing older, and I don't have many choices left."
A reply came softly, "I know."
Rivered pleaded again, "I'm already 42 this year, and I won't be growing younger. I need this!"
His voice carried a hint of anger, not directed at his friend but at his fate.
But he calmed himself and spoke again, this time in a low voice devoid of the earlier anger. "Have you heard of the Nocturnal Messiah?"
It was a rhetorical question as he continued, "They are cultists of an esoteric god. They believe their god requires a womb to come into this world. For that, they capture women from every corner of the empire and force them to bear the seed of the one closest to their god."
Rivered looked at his friend once more, his expression sorrowful.
Closing his eyes, he remembered the day the Nocturnal Messiah came to his home.
He began...