The air still stung with the lingering scent of the creature's blood. A cold wind whipped around them, carrying the echoes of their ragged breaths. Lys sat leaning against a large rock, her hands trembling as she hugged her knees.
"We… we actually killed it,"
she whispered, her voice barely a breath.
Úlrey let out a long sigh, wiping the sweat and blood from his forehead. His dagger was still clutched tightly in his hand, though its blade was now dull with dark stains.
"We didn't have a choice,"
he said, voice low and distant. though his eyes still stared intently at the creature's corpse, as if to make sure it was truly dead.
Angga shook his head, trying to calm himself as he took a deep breath. This was his first kill.
"I didn't think we could do it."
"Luck was on our side,"
Úlrey muttered, sliding his dagger back into its sheath.
"If Lys hadn't slowed it down, we might be dead."
Lys nodded weakly, but a small smile appeared on her face.
"I think… we make a good team."
Úlrey merely snorted, but a hint of relaxation eased his previously tense jaw.
Angga stood slowly, surveying his surroundings. At least, there were no more terrifying sounds lurking nearby. "We should keep moving. We don't know if there are more of those things around here."
"Alright," Úlrey said, reaching out a hand to Lys. "Think you can walk?"
Lys nodded, though her face was still pale.
"Yes… I'm fine."
They continued their journey, this time with more caution. Every rustling leaf or snapping twig made them tense, ready to run or fight again.
…
After a while, they decided to rest, as the journey to the summit was still a long way off.
The air grew heavy as night approached. They stopped at a small clearing surrounded by tall trees, far from the shadow of the creature they had slain. A small campfire was lit, its flames dancing on their faces, which still bore the marks of tension.
Lys sat closest to the fire, her hands outstretched to warm herself. Her eyes were vacant, staring into the flames as if still seeing flashbacks of the fight.
"Do you think… there might be more out there?"
Angga asked suddenly, his voice rough with fatigue.
Úlrey stirred the small stick in the fire, making the embers burn brighter.
"Maybe," he replied curtly.
"Lys, you should know more about this than the two of us."
Lys took a deep breath.
"We'll need to be more careful… and quicker next time."
"I'm sorry, I… didn't help much."
She looked at her own hands, still trembling.
"I—need to be better at controlling my power."
Úlrey nodded gently. "You will be. I don't blame you at all."
Angga sighed, then lay on his back, staring at the sky.
"I just hope we find the answer at the summit. Something that can end all this madness."
…
"We can introduce ourselves now… maybe."
"Huh? Why? Don't we already know each other's names?"
"That's not what I mean. Maybe—we can get to know each other?"
With a confused expression, yet still with a sense of distrust, Úlrey replied.
"Get to know each other? You humans wouldn't understand us."
"Hey Úlrey, he won't harm us."
"Oh yeah? What kind of creature killed my mother, and who burned down your home?"
"Imagine if he reported us both to the authorities, who knows what our fate would be."
Angga, who overheard Úlrey and Lys's conversation, could only remain silent in contemplation. It was indeed difficult for him, not being from this world, to understand the current situation.
"Úlrey, enough," Lys said firmly.
"You can't generalize about people who aren't from here."
"He's also threatened, just like us."
Angga stood up and approached them.
"Úlrey, you may not trust me, I don't mind that."
He immediately prostrated himself before the two elves, sincerely apologizing for actions he had never committed.
"I apologize for the humans who oppressed you all. I sincerely apologize."
"Wait, no, Angga, it's not your fault, you haven't done anything wrong."
"No! I'm wrong for not understanding you. I don't know what the problem is."
"But… I'm very concerned about your lives right now."
"Therefore! I promise I will help you erase this system, and I won't return! Until I keep my promise!"
"Uh, no, Angga, you don't have to…" Before Lys could finish her sentence.
"Oh yeah?"
Úlrey, who had been sitting, immediately stood up and approached Angga, who was still prostrating himself.
"If you really mean to tear this system down… then prove it."
"Can I trust you?"
Angga rose slowly, meeting Úlrey's eyes.
"A real soldier doesn't break his word."
The atmosphere was quite tense around them. Then Úlrey blurted out.
"Pfft…"
"Ahahahaha! A soldier? My god, you're so confident."
"Calling yourself a soldier?"
Angga, who had been standing, sat down near the campfire.
"Officially, I'm not a soldier."
"But I—have lived a life like a soldier."
Lys was surprised at how quickly the mood had shifted. Somehow, Angga knew exactly how to melt the tension with a well-timed joke.
In her heart, she said.
"Is… he the one foretold?"
…
Night fell dark and quiet, the firelight flickering on their faces as they talked. Bit by bit, the distance between them seemed to shrink.
Lys was still curious about Angga, and she tried to ask him a few things. Until…
"Angga, I'm curious… what were you doing before you ended up here?"
Úlrey, who seemed to still be eating his rations, also became curious.
"Yeah, the last place you were before you arrived here, what were you doing?"
Angga responded to their questions about his beginnings before he arrived in this world.
"Actually…"