Everyone watched as a strange creature rushed straight toward Sev.
The creature looked like a large woolly pig. From near its mouth protruded two tusks — one broken, the other sharp, like the tip of a spear.
With a symphony of silent screams, the lost souls lowered themselves to the ground while distancing themselves from their steel-clad leader.
Sev stood tall. With a confident expression, he welcomed the category 1 beast.
As the beast got close, Sev took a small step to the side, narrowly dodging the sharp tusk. He quickly brought his hands together above his head and brought them down with intense force.
The pig stumbled and shook its head. As it did, its tusk impacted against Sev's side. The collision produced a muddled metal clang, pushing Sev back and dragging him through the snow.
Not wasting any time, Sev lunged toward the creature, slamming his shoulder against its neck. Before it could recover, he used his momentum to throw another strike aimed directly above its eye.
Sev moved with calculated precision, his movements oddly free despite the heavy-looking armor.
The lost souls watched in amazement and horror when suddenly a young boy rushed toward Sev.
Max reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, unimpressive-looking white knife. The creature was slow to recover — before it managed to shake off the previous strike, it was already pierced by the small blade.
Without hesitation, Sev moved to restrain the creature while Max finished it, blood spraying everywhere. The creature fell with a silent thud, never to wake up again.
Max pulled the blade out of the pig's neck, huffing as he did."Are you alright?" he asked, turning his head toward Sev while wiping his knife on his clothes.
"-Fine."
He barely heard Sev, who was coughing slightly. Sev stared at the dead body for a moment with a complicated expression on his face. He looked down, clutching his shaky hands into fists.
Behind them, the lost souls looked in shock. Their teamwork was flawless — it was like watching a well-rehearsed play instead of a sudden encounter with a wild beast.
They watched as Max turned toward them, signaling with his hand for them to come closer. Almost like flicking a switch, the people stood up, already understanding what came next.
As they stepped closer, Max pointed at the monster and asked them to butcher it."Oh, and if you could, keep its hide intact," he added after a moment with a smile, his hands pressed together, before turning his attention to Sev.
Still a little shaken, some of the people pulled out shabby knives made from the bone of some unknown desert monster and started cutting, disgust painting their pale faces.
A young-looking man approached Max, interrupting his conversation with Sev.
"I'm sorry to bother you, master," he said to Sev, nodding apologetically before turning his head back to Max. "That… that was incredible."
He took a deep breath, embarrassment showing on his well-defined face."Will I—We, will we be able to do that?"
Max laughed understandingly."Nothing is guaranteed, but if you try hard enough, then maybe. I believe in you."
He spoke louder, his attention shifting to the others."In fact, I believe in you all! Prove everyone wrong! Survive! If anyone can do it, it's you!"
As he spoke, he noticed everyone had stopped what they were doing to listen, clapping when he was done.
He looked back at the young man, who stood at least a head taller."Just… don't give up. Please," he said in a hushed tone, reaching to hold the man's hand. A warm smile painted his youthful face.
After finally finishing handling the dead creature, another man approached Sev. He was tall and looked rather fragile. Visible wrinkles formed on his face, his hair already showing signs of turning white.
In a raspy voice, he asked, "Master Severin, what should we do with the meat?"
Sev glanced at him, thinking for a moment before replying, "Carry what you can, leave the rest."
The man nodded. "And the skin?"
Sev replied with authority, "Take only the fat. Leave the rest."
The man answered, his head still lowered. "Yes, master," he said before walking away.
Sev stared at his back, his gaze drifting to the dismembered corpse, before shifting once more to the cliffs far behind them.
Max spoke from behind him, breaking the silence."What'll you do if he doesn't come back?"
Sev answered without moving."He will."
Max sounded slightly worried. "It's been days… what if he froze to death?"
Sev shook his head. "He wouldn't die to something like a little cold. No, that boy is meant for greater things."
Max shrugged, not understanding what Sev meant."Should we go? They're ready, and the storm is getting closer."
Sev nodded, finally turning around and commanding,"Everyone, let's go! There's a cavern ahead — we will camp one last time before the sanctuary."
Left behind them was a scattered corpse, stripped of most of its meat, and a long trail of footsteps leading in the direction of the setting sun.
As night approached, the quiet wind unsuspectingly picked up and threw up the familiar frosty haze. The visibility was low, and the cold was growing unbearable.
The group walked slowly, each step feeling like a hundred. Their hands covered their faces, while the other clutched at their hide cloaks.
Sev had it worst. He still wore the chipped steel armor in order to raise morale, but he had to give up the comfort of the cloak — instead wearing a version cut to appear like a cape, one that barely covered his shoulders.
As the land grew fully dark and the twin moons rose, the group finally approached what looked like the cavern.
Looking closely, they could barely make out the orange-red light of a burning flame and two silhouettes that looked like people.
Stepping out of the howling wind, they were greeted by the warmth of the flame and awaiting lost souls.
Two men stood by the entrance, one shorter and one taller. They were dressed in ragged robes and improvised armor, almost blending in with the dark rocks surrounding them.
"Master Sev, you've finally arrived!" one exclaimed, the other already moving to support Max and the others.
"Is everything ready?" Sev asked, taking off the cape-like hide.
"Yes, master. May I ask, how many did this journey yield?"
Sev stretched his neck, replying leisurely,"Forty-three, unless more were lost. We're also expecting one more, but he will be coming directly to the sanctuary at a later time."
The short man with long, deep brown hair nodded."Understood, master."
He pointed to the flame, above which was a large metal pan covered by a heavy-looking lid."Please, enjoy some soup while you rest."
Sev nodded and walked toward a prepared seat in the decorated cavern, only glancing back once to see where Max was.
Max stepped into the cavern last with the help of a tall blonde man with visible muscles."Thanks, Julian," he said, relieved by the warm interior.
"My pleasure, Max," the man smiled, pointing in the direction of the flame. "I'll take it from here — you should rest."
Max nodded, letting out a deep breath and walking toward Sev."We're almost there, huh? What a journey," Max said as he sank into a wood-carved chair.
Sev didn't respond, instead slurping on the hot soup.
Without hesitation, Max reached for a bowl and poured himself some of the pleasant-smelling soup. His stomach growled as he looked at it.
It had a deep brown color, tinted slightly red by a weirdly shaped root vegetable. Chunks of grey meat floated in the slightly thick soup along with a small leaf that Max proceeded to take out and throw on the ground.
He slurped a spoonful and sank even deeper into the chair with a satisfied grin on his face."So, how do you plan to bring Astel back?" he asked in a relaxed tone, his eyes halfway closed.
After a moment of silence, Sev answered with one word."Bait."
Continuing after a short pause, he added,"We use bait. But we'll need time. At least a few days."
Max sipped the last bit of his soup and asked,"How exactly do you plan to bait someone like him?"
Sev grinned and replied in a confident tone, his voice almost silent."You'll see."
His energy flowed intentionally toward a certain object; smiling deeply he felt for the presence of the glove notion.