**The Man Who Came From the Same Place**
The forest seemed to hold its breath.
Steve walked a few steps ahead when he heard the voice behind him, too calm for that place.
— I don't know what you're talking about.
He didn't turn his face. He kept his eyes forward, as if the conversation held no importance whatsoever. But inside, his heart was racing.
Dagon stopped. The sound of footsteps ceased.
— Are you sure about that? — he asked, with that drawn-out tone that always seemed to hide something.
Steve clenched his teeth.
— Don't say things you don't know.
There was a brief pause. Then a low laugh echoed among the trees.
— Funny... — Dagon began to circle around him. — Isn't your mission to reach level 100?
Steve felt a chill run up his spine.
— And how do you plan to do that — Dagon continued — without getting involved in problems?
Steve stopped walking. That didn't make sense. It made no sense at all.
He turned suddenly.
— Who are you?
Dagon stopped before him. The sarcastic smile was there, intact, as if he'd been expecting exactly that question.
— Someone who came from the same place as you.
The world seemed to lose sound for a second.
— From... the same place? — Steve murmured.
Dagon pointed directly at him.
— I found out when you fell unconscious. Your HUD was showing.
Steve's body stiffened.
HUD.
That wasn't a common term in that world. It wasn't something someone simply "discovered."
Dagon stepped away a few paces and sat calmly on a nearby rock, as if they were just exchanging stories around a campfire.
— And if my memory doesn't fail me — he continued — you're that boy whose name they were shouting strangely. Nesin, wasn't it?
Steve felt his blood boil.
The empty space.
The voices.
The name echoing in the void.
He clenched his fists.
— Prove you're not lying.
Dagon tilted his head slightly, maintaining the calm smile.
— I don't need to prove anything else. I've already shown I know a lot about you.
The silence returned, spreading heavy like an omen.
Then Dagon spoke again, now in a lower, more serious tone.
— What really intrigues me is... what's going to happen to you if you don't reach level 100 in time.
Steve swallowed hard.
— You know the consequences — Dagon added. — Don't you?
Steve took a deep breath. There was no point in pretending.
— I'm going to die anyway — he said, without beating around the bush. — And I know I won't reach that level.
He raised his gaze to the sky covered by the dense forest canopy.
— So, before I die... I want to live at least one of my greatest desires.
For an instant, Dagon's smile disappeared. Just for an instant.
— And how do you plan to get out of this forest? — he asked.
— I'll find a way.
A heavy sound echoed behind them.
Steve felt the ground vibrate.
His body reacted before his mind. He turned slowly.
Between the trees, an enormous lizard with greenish skin advanced. Its muscular body scraped against the trunks, its eyes gleamed with pure hostility.
Fear took hold.
Steve tried to move, but his legs didn't respond immediately.
Then—
A blur passed by him.
Dagon was already running.
The sword was wielded in a single fluid movement. He accelerated, jumped and, in the air, spun his body in a perfect somersault, passing over Steve.
Time seemed to slow down.
Dagon dove through the air, holding the sword with both hands.
The strike descended with brutal force.
The blade pierced through the lizard's skull. A dry crack echoed through the forest. The creature fell dead to the ground, raising dust and leaves.
Steve turned his body, chest rising and falling rapidly.
While Dagon still applied final blows to ensure the monster wouldn't rise, he spoke without even looking at Steve:
— Don't be stubborn, boy. Alone in this forest... you won't survive.
The words hit deeper than any blade.
Steve ground his teeth.
Rage.
Shame.
An old and familiar feeling.
Why do I always have to be helped?
Why do I always depend on others?
He closed his eyes for a second, swallowing all of that.
When he spoke again, his voice was firm.
— I'll go with you to the village.
Dagon stopped moving.
— But after that — Steve continued — you'll help me get out of this forest.
Dagon calmly cleaned the blade, sheathing it afterward. The smile returned to his face.
— Smart choice, boy.
Steve looked away, knowing that decision would change everything.
The forest, silent again, seemed to watch them.
And, for the first time since waking in that world, Steve felt he was no longer walking alone.
---
Meanwhile, not far from there, the rest of the group waited.
Fog was leaning against a tree, arms crossed, expression impatient.
— Where's that old man? — he grumbled. — We're already wasting too much time.
Finn, sitting on an exposed root, kept his gaze fixed in the direction Dagon had gone.
— Let's wait a little longer — he responded, serious. — He doesn't usually delay without reason.
Near them, Jelím played distractedly. The abandoned weapons of enemy soldiers floated in the air, slowly spinning in circles above her head, reflecting the little light that pierced through the canopy.
Fog turned his face, irritated.
— Hey, you there.
Jelím didn't respond.
— Don't you see you're wasting mana pointlessly? — he continued, raising his voice. — Using magic like that, with no enemies around, is stupid.
Jelím kept silent for a few seconds. Then she turned her head slightly in his direction. Even with the mask covering her face, the contempt was evident.
— It's my mana — she responded coldly. — It's not your business.
She returned her attention to the floating weapons, as if Fog didn't exist.
— Hey! — Fog shouted. — Two-face, didn't you just hear me?!
No response.
Fog huffed, kicking a stone on the ground, while Finn sighed deeply, trying to maintain control of the group.
That's when Keara frowned.
She was standing, observing the forest attentively.
— Look... — she said, in an alert tone. — They're coming back.
Two shadows emerged among the trees.
Finn stood up immediately.
Dagon came first, walking with the same tranquility as always. Behind him, Steve followed in silence, expression closed, slower steps.
When they approached, Dagon spoke directly:
— We can continue now. Steve agreed to accompany us.
The group reacted with contained surprise.
Finn walked up to Steve, stopping before him. His gaze was serious, but there was something different there — regret.
— Thank you for deciding to help us — he said. — And... I'm sorry for the punch earlier. I didn't try to understand what you went through.
Steve looked away.
— You don't need to apologize — he responded, passing by him. — That's normal in my life.
The words hung in the air.
Finn watched Steve walk away, a weight forming in his chest. He took a deep breath, straightened up and spoke to the group:
— Let's go. We can't waste more time.
The group resumed the walk.
The forest seemed to change as they advanced. The trees became more twisted, the air heavier. The silence, more unsettling.
During the journey, Keara approached Steve, walking beside him.
— Thank you for the help — she said, with a gentle smile.
Steve nodded slightly.
— What did that clueless one tell you back there? — she asked, in a curious tone.
Steve let out a short, almost bitter smile.
— He showed me I'm weak.
Keara stopped for a moment, surprised, but soon resumed her pace.
— Weakness isn't asking for help — she said. — It's pretending you don't need anyone.
Steve didn't respond.
After a few minutes, he broke the silence:
— How long have you known each other?
Keara thought for a bit before responding.
— Me, Dagon and Jelím met here in the forest. As for Finn and Fog... we found them while trying to get out of here.
— And where did you come from? — Steve asked.
Keara hesitated.
Her expression changed.
— From a place very far from here.
Steve realized he wouldn't get more of an answer than that.
They continued walking.
After a while, Finn turned back.
— Steve, which direction do we go now?
Steve stopped, observing the surroundings. Something inside him reacted, like an ancient instinct.
— To the right — he responded. — After that... we'll reach the village in a few steps.
The group followed the direction.
They curved between dense trees, crossed a stretch of low vegetation and, after a few minutes, the forest began to open up.
The buildings appeared.
Or rather... what remained of them.
The death cult village was there.
But something was wrong.
Very wrong.
There were no voices.
There was no movement.
There was no one.
The wooden houses were too intact for a recently attacked village. No sign of struggle. No bodies. No fires lit.
The wind crossed the empty streets, producing a hollow and unsettling sound.
Steve felt a chill run down his spine.
— This... — he murmured. — Doesn't make sense.
Finn advanced a few steps, hand close to his sword.
— Where is everyone?
Fog frowned.
— I don't like this.
Jelím stopped in the middle of the street, looking around in absolute silence.
Keara felt her stomach turn.
Dagon, for his part, remained motionless, observing the village with calculated attention.
— Prepare yourselves — he said. — A place like this doesn't stay empty without reason.
Steve felt his heart accelerate.
That feeling...
It was worse than fear.
It was the certainty that something was watching them.
And that this village, too silent, was far from abandoned.