Riku's breath hitched, the raw emotion leaving him momentarily drained. He stared out into the darkness of the eastern woods, the image of countless fallen villagers flashing through his mind – their faces contorted in fear, their bodies broken and lifeless. The injustice of it all, the sheer helplessness of humanity in the face of overwhelming power, had finally found its voice.
He turned back to Levi, his eyes still glistening with unshed tears, a bitter edge to his tone. "Hey, Levi," he began, his voice low and laced with a dark sarcasm, "it feels great to have revenge, right? In your world, those grotesque titans devoured humans, and in return, humanity fought back, clawing their way to survival, each titan felled a small victory, a taste of retribution." He paused, a mirthless chuckle escaping his lips. "But this world… this world isn't some simple cycle of predator and prey where you can fight back with a sharpened blade and unwavering resolve. Here, you can't do anything other than run and hide. We are insects scurrying beneath the feet of giants who don't even notice us."
He gestured wildly into the darkness, his voice rising again with a desperate intensity. "There are entities out there, Levi, beings of unimaginable power, who could kill hundreds, no, thousands of your precious titans in mere seconds, with a casual flick of their wrist. And these entities aren't mindless brutes driven by instinct; they possess intelligence, will, and often, a terrifying indifference to our existence." He took a ragged breath, the weight of his knowledge pressing down on him. "In this world, we humans don't stand a chance in a direct confrontation. We are the dust motes they haven't bothered to sweep away."
His voice dropped again, becoming a hushed, bitter whisper. "The other races… the powerful ones, the ones who could crush us without a second thought… they don't even know we truly exist. We are so insignificant that we are beneath their notice, and that, Levi, that is the only reason we are still alive. In this world, you can't just take a sword and go to kill the monster. The only thing you can do is run, hide in the shadows, sacrifice what little we have to survive another day, and ultimately… die, forgotten and meaningless." The raw despair in his voice painted a bleak and terrifying picture of their reality.
Levi stared at Riku, his usual stoic composure completely shattered. The raw anguish in Riku's words, the sheer despair that emanated from him, was unlike anything he had ever witnessed. This wasn't just frustration; it was a profound and terrifying disillusionment with the very nature of their existence. "Are you alright, Riku?" Levi asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft, laced with genuine concern.
Riku blinked, the intensity of his outburst suddenly receding, leaving him feeling exposed and vulnerable. He took a shaky breath, running a hand through his hair. "Uhh… sorry, Levi. I… I was… I lost my control all of a sudden." The raw emotion had vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind a lingering sense of unease and a profound weariness.
Riku took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to regain his composure. The outburst had been unexpected, a dam of suppressed fear and resentment suddenly breaking. He felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him, the vulnerability of his raw emotion exposed to Levi's unwavering gaze.
"It's just…" Riku began, his voice low and slightly shaky, "sometimes… the weight of it all… it just gets to me." He gestured vaguely towards the dark woods, the unseen threats lurking within. "Knowing what's out there… knowing how insignificant we are… it's… overwhelming."
Levi remained silent for a long moment, processing Riku's words. He had always been focused on the immediate threat, the tangible enemy he could fight. Riku's perspective, encompassing a cosmic scale of power and the sheer insignificance of humanity within it, was a chilling revelation.
"But we're still here, Dola," Levi said finally, his voice quiet but firm. "In my world, we were always on the brink. Titans were stronger, faster, more numerous. But we kept fighting. We found ways to survive, to adapt, to even strike back. Maybe this world is bigger, the threats more immense, but that doesn't mean we just roll over and die." A flicker of his old defiance sparked in his grey eyes. "We're still alive, aren't we? We built that generator. We're making our own light in the dark. That's not nothing."
Riku looked at Levi, a faint glimmer of hope rekindling within him at the soldier's unwavering spirit. Levi, despite witnessing the same terrifying realities, still clung to a sense of defiance, a refusal to be utterly defeated.
"Maybe you're right," Riku conceded, a small, tired smile touching his lips. "Maybe… maybe I'm just having a bad night." He took another deep breath, trying to push back the lingering despair. "Igris should be back soon. Let's just… focus on that for now."
"Master," Igris's deep, resonant voice echoed softly in the stillness. "I have scouted the area."
Riku's weariness vanished instantly, replaced by a surge of anticipation. "What did you find, Igris?"
"The unusual activity reported by the villagers," Igris began, his tone devoid of emotion but conveying a sense of significant discovery, "originates from a gathering of a different race entirely. They are not werebeasts estimated by the scouts."
Levi's grip tightened on the reins of his horse, his earlier frustration replaced by a grim alertness. "A different race? What kind of different?"
"They are small in stature, Master," Igris replied, his gaze briefly flicking towards Levi before returning to Riku. "With delicate, translucent wings that shimmer in the moonlight. Their features are fine and ethereal, and they possess an aura of subtle magic. I estimate their numbers to be around thirty."
Riku's mind raced, sifting through the fragmented knowledge of his past life. Small, winged beings… an aura of subtle magic… "Fairies?" he murmured, a knot of unease tightening in his stomach. While not possessing the raw power of some of the higher Exceed, fairies were intrinsically tied to the flow of mana and could wield surprisingly potent magic, especially in groups.
"They are gathered around a central point deeper within the woods," Igris continued, confirming Riku's apprehension. "There is a distinct magical signature emanating from that location, a delicate yet persistent resonance unlike anything I have encountered before. It seems to be the focus of their gathering."
A blue notification flashed in Riku's vision:
[Urgent Quest: Whispers of the Fey]
Difficulty: B Rank
Objective: Investigate the source of the unusual magical influence and the gathering of the fairies in the eastern woods.
Time Limit: Until Dawn
Failure Penalty: Severe Threat to the Village, Potential Loss of Villagers, Potential Injury or Death
Riku's breath hitched. Fairies. Even a gathering of them could signify a significant magical event or disturbance. Their connection to the natural world and the mana that flowed through it could have unforeseen consequences for the surrounding area, including their village.
"Fairies, huh?" Levi muttered, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Little winged things. What kind of trouble could they possibly cause?" He clearly underestimated the potential of magical beings.
"Don't let their size fool you, Levi," Riku warned, his voice low and serious. "Fairies are intrinsically magical. A gathering of this size focused on a single point… it could be anything from a ritual to a manifestation of raw power. We need to proceed with extreme caution." He urged his horse forward. "Lead the way, Igris. Let's see what these 'little winged things' are up to." The casual scouting trip had just taken a decidedly magical and potentially dangerous turn.
Following Igris's silent guidance, Riku and Levi cautiously made their way deeper into the woods, the air growing thick with the subtle, sweet scent of the fairies and the faint hum of their magic. They dismounted a distance away, tethering their horses to a thicket of bushes, and proceeded on foot, their movements slow and deliberate, each step carefully placed to avoid snapping twigs or rustling leaves. Igris remained within his card, a silent reserve of immense power.
As they crept closer, the clearing opened before them, revealing the spectacle of the fairy gathering. The small, winged beings flitted and hovered around a central point, their translucent wings catching the moonlight, creating a mesmerizing, ethereal display. They were chanting in a high-pitched, melodic language, their voices weaving together in an intricate, almost hypnotic harmony.
In the center of the clearing, resting on a moss-covered stone, was a large, glowing flower. Its petals pulsed with a soft, inner light, and a visible aura of magic radiated outwards, bathing the surrounding fairies in its glow. It was clearly the focal point of their ritual.
Levi, his sharp eyes scanning the scene, nudged Riku. "What are they doing, Dola? Some kind of flower worship?"
Riku frowned, his mind trying to decipher the scene. The intensity of their focus and the palpable magical energy suggested something far more significant than simple reverence. "I don't know, Levi. But it feels… important."
He turned to Levi, his voice a low whisper. "What do you think we should do?"
Levi's gaze darted around the clearing, assessing the fairies' numbers and their seemingly peaceful, albeit focused, state. "Stay hidden for now. Get closer. See if we can figure out what they're up to before we make any moves."
Nodding in agreement, Riku led the way, their movements even more cautious now, using the shadows and the dense undergrowth as cover. They moved with a practiced stealth, honed by the constant threat of the world around them, closing the distance meter by painstaking meter.
They were now approximately ten meters from the edge of the clearing, close enough to observe the fairies' delicate features and the intricate patterns of their flight. The air thrummed with their collective magic, a tangible energy that made the hairs on Riku's arms stand on end.
Riku subtly gestured to Levi, his eyes scanning the assembled fairies. "Who do you think is in charge here?"
Levi's gaze swept across the group, his sharp eyes lingering on a particular fairy who hovered slightly above the others. This individual was adorned with more intricate patterns of glowing dust on their wings and carried a small, ornate staff that pulsed with a soft light. Their movements seemed to direct the flow of the chanting, and the other fairies occasionally glanced towards them with an air of deference.
Levi nodded almost imperceptibly. "That one. The one with the staff. Looks like the conductor of this little orchestra."
Riku's gaze followed Levi's, and he felt a sense of agreement. The fairy exuded a quiet authority, a subtle command that set it apart from the others. "I think so too," Riku whispered. "That's likely their leader." The next step, he knew, would be far more delicate. They needed to understand the purpose of this ritual before deciding whether to intervene, and how.