Tell pinched his cheek affectionately, and the corner of her lips lifted before she spoke in a restrained tone, "I want to go. You will not do it, right?"
Her purple eyes shimmered briefly as the two of them exchanged glances.
Zuhen drew a deep breath, took out a cigarette, and placed it between his lips. "Yes. I know, so do not mention it again." The cigarette burned brightly as he inhaled it, thin white smoke lingering in the air after he exhaled and stared at Tell as her form slowly faded.
'That reversal spell does not seem to be working properly. Is something blocking it?' Zuhen thought while glancing around.
Then he continued walking forward steadily, as if each of his steps carried a heavy burden, approaching Felina who lay face down on the ground. On her right side, Zavi sat with his head lowered, his consciousness fading, still gripping his wrist while creating several grayish white animal forms to guard himself from behind his shadow.
Zuhen did not take the initiative to wake them. He thought he would wait for them to regain consciousness on their own, accompanying them in the silence of the forest, wrapped in warm smoke and the scent of blood mixed with the air.
After gathering some dry wood, he arranged it neatly in front of them and made a small campfire to warm his body and illuminate the surroundings.
'There is something circling in my mind. Why was I brought here, and why did Tell act strangely, as if she were not herself? This is strange...'
Without realizing it, he curled slightly, his fingertips still gripping the cigarette tightly, his mind suddenly blank, unsure of what to do.
He flicked the cigarette slowly, its tip turning gray before crumbling and being carried away by the wind, disappearing from his sight.
'What can they even do?' he muttered softly, then took another drag as if trying to calm the burden he had carried alone all this time.
His gaze immediately shifted to the right, his blue eyes staring sharply at Zavi, recalling the purple mixed with black wound on his arm, revealing flesh that rotted like water constantly heated over fire.
"This... This is what surprised me." Zuhen pulled the edge of his coat up to his shoulder, staring at the wound with an expression of disgust and horror.
"Damn. No wonder that man received a bounty of one thousand Zen. Well, if you think about it, that amount is equal to a year's salary from an ordinary job, perhaps."
"I used to be just like him, knowing nothing before those events. An ordinary human, huh? Not a Receiver or a Hollow. But that person could compete with both skillfully. Even if it was cunning, that is the essence of battle, whether it is cunning, honest, or fair. If you lose, then you lose. That only proves that person is weak, or that his naive way of thinking led to his defeat."
Zuhen gave a faint smile after taking one last drag before extinguishing the cigarette on the ground beside him.
What he meant was himself.
Even though 'he' was only an ordinary human. Not a Receiver. Not a Hollow.
He was greatly avoided by Orders operating in secrecy such as Canyon, Soas Repena, and Maleferum. He was also closely monitored by three well known hunter organizations in Norn and several heretical sects scattered across the world, earning a bounty of 2000 Zen for anyone who managed to defeat or kill him.
That bounty was unknown to ordinary residents. Yet some knew that his name had sunk deeper into circles he should never have reached. Even if someone was dragged into it, that person would certainly be made a sacrifice by the rulers of the underworld, a place where humans with supernatural powers, both individuals and groups, preyed upon one another.
The events that had befallen Zavi recently were a pursuit by two hunter organizations, Xlender who wanted to finish what had to be finished, and Aperomodia who secretly deployed half of their members to capture Zavi Actitus after a bounty of 1000 Zen was spread by someone mysterious.
All of that had once been experienced by Zuhen Mudelk.
When he saved his family from the threat of a group of Hollow who wanted to make the village where he lived their feast. The souls within were about to be devoured by mysterious winged creatures, one of them being Tell, as part of a contract agreement to rise in rank from one to two, and two to three.
That night, a blue moon hung beautifully in the sky.
Then it slowly dimmed.
The light that should have illuminated the wooden rooftops turned bleak. The air seemed to freeze. Breathing felt heavy. A deep silence gripped the village, like a giant hand covering the mouth of every house, preventing anyone from stepping outside.
Children stopped crying. Dogs no longer barked.
Only heartbeats. And ritual whispers echoing through every silent street.
Even though the Hollow group's plan failed and lost control, with several souls and bodies distorted and problems occurring during the ritual, destruction had already touched that land. Houses cracked. The ground split open. Some bodies were no longer whole.
In one night, the village turned into a terrifying hell.
Zuhen, who knew nothing at that time, was dragged into it while trying to escape.
At the ritual altar.
Even though he did not die, his life changed from that moment on.
He had to do what had to be done, even if the act was vile. Obeying Tell's wishes, no matter how great the impact on his own life.
Not wanting to be involved deeper, not wanting to endanger the remaining family and village after that tragic destruction, he chose to wander. Traversing the darkness of the world. Searching for people with tragic fates like his.
At the age of twenty, he met a young woman with wavy black hair down her back and blue eyes carrying a heavy burden she had long endured. Felina Ronatte.
A poor girl.
Who had once been kidnapped by the Sosreca sect of the Yessaka Kingdom, a sect that performed human soul exchange rituals for something higher, stronger, and filthier.
Felina and several others had nearly become vessels for their own interests.
Nearly became replacements.
But the ritual was thwarted by Zuhen along with his companion, someone close to him who had also been kidnapped by the sect.
A companion who died during that incident.
His body was torn apart by uncontrolled ritual energy. He did not have time to scream. He did not have time to regret.
That death was deeply engraved in Zuhen's memory.
Since then, the way he viewed the world changed.
The strong would survive. The weak would be destroyed by the strong.
Or perhaps everything happened because of thinking that was too naive, believing that everyone could be saved.
And since that day, he was no longer certain which was more dangerous, power or hope.
---
Around 00:45 at night
A strange sensation pierced sharply through his mind. Startled, he woke from his sleep. His breathing was frantic as if he had been running without stopping, cold sweat soaking his exhausted face.
'Ah. What was that just now?'
Zuhen suddenly sat upright, lost in thought. Without realizing it, the sound of soft footsteps mixed with the rustling of dry leaves echoed rhythmically not far from where he had been leaning under the shady tree. Vigilance instantly rooted itself in his chest.
Zuhen fell silent for a moment. His eyes remained fixed on the creeping vines, dry branches, and fallen tree trunk ahead.
"Come out," he shouted loudly, his blue eyes scanning the surroundings rapidly.
There was no answer. The campfire before him flickered wildly as if a strong wind struck it from all directions, making the atmosphere suffocating in silence for a moment.
'What is this? The trees are not moving, there is no wind, I cannot even feel it. Then why is the fire surging as if struck by a strong wind trying to extinguish it?' Zuhen thought, filled with doubt and unease.
"Who are you?" he said in a restrained tone, standing instantly. "Could it be..."
He suddenly realized.
Felina and Zavi were no longer where they had been lying unconscious.
"Do not scare me," he muttered in panic, his breath catching.
Then from behind—
"Huahhhh..."
Felina was already behind the curved shady tree where Zuhen had been leaning. Her tone was restrained, her expression flat despite what she had just done.
'Damn. Is this their doing?' Zuhen thought while wiping his sweat, thinking that 'he' had already found his presence.
Zuhen stepped firmly toward her and flicked her forehead lightly.
"Sorry," Felina whispered calmly, though her tone carried deep relief.
She smiled, then flicked his forehead in return as repayment and a sign of success.
The two exchanged glances for a few seconds before Zavi emerged from the creeping vines, approaching them with ordinary steps as if he had forgotten they were enemies.
Zuhen turned to him, a wild idea crossing his mind. "So... do you want to continue from before?" he asked with a crooked grin.
Zavi's eyes widened, his body stiffening as if something pressed down on his shoulders.
'How could I forget he was my enemy?' he thought, stepping back two steps, preparing for a sudden attack.
Zuhen burst into laughter after seeing his reaction.
"I was joking," he said softly with a smile. "I am already exhausted too."
He nodded toward Felina and began to walk away, leaving Zavi behind. But then he stopped, his expression turning serious as he spoke without turning back.
"Mr. Actitus. I will, rather, be careful if you meet a man with wavy hair, blue eyes as deep as the ocean, and a black mark beneath his eye."
'Yes, perhaps I will meet you again after that,' Zuhen thought silently.
After saying that, without giving further explanation, he continued walking, followed by Felina.
Zavi only watched their backs.
Because he had begun to understand that this world had never been as simple as he once thought.