It took a long time.
A really long time.
Like, when I say a long time. I mean a really long time! Like the sun moved, and I SAW IT MOVE!
No no, I don't think you get it, it's been so long it's not even finished really.
"NO NO! But look, those boars were clearly stronger than anything we've seen, so like." Annie slam her hand on her palm multiple times to assert her point "so my theory is simple, every door is harder than the next!"
I'm barely even listening to her. It doesn't matter if she say good things or not, my ears will just bleed out.
Balrow look down at his forearm and massage them a bit. It's more a reflex than a need, realized that some times ago. He just does that a lot."They were strong"
Mousy nods, multiples times like a crazy fucker, jumping on balrow words like it's a life boat, she'll support this claim with HER life!
Jenna mouth twist in thought as she look at the door for a while before looking at annie, then balrow, and finally me "it...kinda make sense? We're like in a video game, everything should get progressively harder"
And before I can say anything
Malfoy defend his own point of view. "A video game, yes. But we're still in real life, you're simplifying everything" jenna look back at her bow and play with the string "maybe?"
And that's a good point too. It looks like a video game. Especially with the terms and shit, tutorial and bla bla bla. But we're still in real life.
Using game knowledge to figure things out is dubious at best.
Annie however doesn't let that go.
"We litterally have an inventory AND WE'RE IN A TUTORIAL!" She move her head so fast she may have got a whisplash. Staring straight at me for support.
And I just sigh, really, I can't do much more. I do rub my face with my hand and dig myself deeper on my seat, the one right on my bed, I do that for sure. But, I'm not doing more.
Tired of this shit already.
Seeing she won't get support she look back at jenna.
Jenna don't answer for a while.
Instead she just look at me rubbing my face and with some kind of apologizing smile she continue, answering Annie. "we're in a tutorial, so maybe?"
She probably don't even know why she's apologizing. Only malfoy and me got it.
Malfoy give the biggest sigh I've ever heard.
Told you.
Tjen he get up from his seat on his bed.
Yes we're pretty much all sitting now.
Why?
Told you it took long. Like verrrrry long.
"Really? All because a little system said we're in a tutorial? You are all overthinking this matter"
Blablabla 'you are all overthinking this matter' who the fuck say that seriously!?
Damn even malfoy weird way of speaking piss me off now. I'm a slightly tense I'll guess.
But understand me man, I really need to go home.
A single day. That's all.
Annie push back against his words "but what if it's true? What if every doors is harder than the last one?" He turn around around to look around.
And Annie start to move. Looking at him. Her hands start to clutch against her blanket. Nervously.
Her feet Bob up and down, and then she speak out.
Her voice, higher than usual"I mean, did you see how ludger fucking flew!?"
Wait what?
We're talking about me now?
Looking at her closer is a bit of a....weird sight. I'm not used to seeing her like this. It makes me remember how she acted after she puked, when we were fighting to boar.
This bring my focus back on the ridiculous conversation for a second.
Annie keep talking. About what happened.
Just from her point of view.
"He litterally flew!" Her hand shove itself to point at the hole that lead to the cave. It was a hard movement, a fast movement, a panicked one.
Then it move again, to point at a bed
"From there to here! It's fucking ridiculous! This shit is way too dangerous!" Her voice raise up, even higher than before, even louder.
Way louder.
Wasn't expecting that.
She sound worried for real too.
Wasn't expecting to see this from her of everyone. Just because of some kind of dumb reason.
Malfoy stop mid step to look at her, look at the hole and then the bed, then jenna speak up.
"the injury were quite nasty too"
Balrow look at his own forearm and say "strong they were."
Annie clap hard enough for the sound to grab everyone attention, she point with her whole hand at jenna. Leaning forward toward her for impact "exactly! It'-it's way to dangerous, and ludger is the strongest, so he do more and shit. If we continue like that he'll always end up injured, he'll do some crazy shit and finish handicappe-!"
Alright alright! I'm touched, but it's getting a bit too dark for me.
"Alright Annie, calm down, don't worry. I heard you, we're gonna be more careful" she stop her talking, and her leg bounce up and down nervously as she look back at me "alright...But-"
She keep up and look at malfoy and pretty much everyone again.
"-Like, really. That look pretty obvious, everything getting harder and harder, and more dangerous every door"
The silence is getting pretty heavy, well fuck.
Didn't expect that.
That woke me up for sure. And just proved my theory. Must have been a bit traumatizing to fight to the death and then see someone fly away like he's been run over by a bus.
Who could have guessed?
Damn I got run over by a boar shaped bus.
Malfoy break it soon enough "Annie. I understand your worry, I truly do." He take a step, and I see him roll his eyes.
What?
Doubt anyone saw him.
He continues. "But the last door was harder" he look at me.
"Wasn't it?"
What kind of bullshit is he dragging me into again?
I mean, it kinda was? Technically speaking at least.
"I guess?"
He turn in place and continue.
"There were dozen of goblins, I would have preffered fighting one of of those boar alone than a dozen of them." Annie lift up her hand, swatting to get attention and say something but before she can he continue "also hulk could crush those boar without any struggle"
Annie perk up at that? "What?"
Malfoy look at me as the three others look at us.
They didn't fight him true.
"I mean, yes technically hulk is stronger. Way stronger"
Annie blink multiples time and shake her head, standing straight in disblief "what the hell?"
I continue, don't really know why.
"Way stronger for sure, but we still killed him. Didn't we already talked about that?"
They look at each other before balrow speak up "vaguely."
Malfoy nod "yes yes, vaguely, maybe you should come to see this monster corpse, it was truly a specimen of nature"
Well, unfortunately I can't help to agree.
I still regret going for the side mission, it was way to risky.
I regret, even if I'm pretty sure I know why I did it.
Probably why because I didn't got my spear out actually.
It's also the reason why I took so long, two days. Before pushing and noticing the procrastination going on.
It's also the reason I was scared of taking my spear out.
My eyes roam on the door.
If we open the door.
And there are monsters behind, jumping at me, ready for a fight.
I'm almost sure of it.
My veins will burn.
I can hear small steps in the silence.
"Really it was, I am utterly confident that all the doors are at the same difficulty. we simply need to be smart about them that is all. Now, shall we all go?"
I answer first.
It's hard to let out the words out. It's really hard, really fucking hard.
I should stay there. In safety. Avoid my title as much as I can. Avoid the slimy feeling that come from getting your thoughts hijacked, from getting semi brain washed.
But...I really, Really need to go home.
Just for a day.
I'll be careful. I'll monitor everything. But I need to go home.
"Yeah, let's go."
I ignore the silence, eyes focused on the door.
Maybe I'm wrong? Maybe that was just a one time thing? Maybe my blood won't burn?
Maybe my grip will be normal? Maybe I won't be reckless? Maybe my thoughts won't be lazy, half hassed, and hungry for monster blood?
I need to know.
I really need to know if my blood will burn.
I really just need to know.
That's all. I need to go home. And that's all, it's not that this burning in my veins made me feel alive.
Something heavy rise from the bottom of my gut to coild behind my throat.
It's not that enjoyable.
Really it's not.
It's not.