"Heh, I knew you'd be alive rat! Ah, but don't worry, I'll be the one to fucking kill you soon."
Dein heard Lei's words and his face sank. Just as when he thought the worse scenario had already happened – an even more worse situation just presented itself like it's nothing.
…Almost killing him in the process.
Even more unbelievable, the people of the tribe had already reached his location. Stopping one after another as they stay meters away from him. Readying their weapons, their glaring eyes piercing through Dein's body like a knife.
He felt their contempt and anger even as they stayed from afar.
Dein slowly stood up, readying his spear while stepping back as two more people arrive next to Lei. One was a serious and stern middle age man. Looking at Dein with cold eyes that sent shiver down his spine. The next one is a female, Dein remembered her to be beautiful and kind but now, she's covered in dirt, soot, and ash.
She's dirty… all of them really.
As if they've just survived a nightmare.
Clara didn't speak, only glaring at him, but Dein could feel something about her. He just didn't have time to put his finger to it right now as voices spoke on his mind.
[W-w-what do we do? W-were surrounded! We can't run, we can't run anywhere! We, we're going to die!]
[Why can't we could just surrender Mister?]
Scaredy and the Happy little girl spoke nonsense while the Serious guy remained silent. He also probably knows that there's no point speaking since we're out of options now.
But Dein refused to just die without doing anything. He gritted his teeth, his spear ready to block any attack as he try to calm himself down. He gulped.
"N-now, why don't we try to be civil?"
Lei just snapped after hearing that, he stepped forward, pointing his wooden sword at Dein.
"Be civil? You fucker, you destroyed our tribe! I'll make you pay for everything!"
But just then, Clara finally spoke, her voice trembling as if afraid to voice the question.
"C-clay… w-what happened to him? What did you do to him?"
Hearing her, Dein pressed his lips together. Unable to answer. Clara waited for a while but having received no answer, her face turn grim even more as tears started falling from her eyes. She asked again.
"W-why did you destroy our home?"
Again, Dein didn't answer. He knew the gravity of what he did of course. He killed countless people in that fire, even though for some reason the spell did not count it as his kills, he's still the one who ordered the echo to break the bonfire.
But if he didn't do that, how is he going to live? He has a family too, waiting for him. Is he supposed to just accept his death and abandon the people waiting for him as their Legacy Scion?
Of course not. And even though Dein did not enjoy killing any of them even one bit it's just…
…Something he has to do.
To survive.
He can drown in guilt all he wants after he escaped this Nightmare. For now, he has to survive. At least… that's what the Serious Guy is thinking right now as he tries to influence Dein's thoughts again.
Meanwhile, Quin who's been observing the long silence finally spoke. Asking in a serious, challenging tone.
"We are leaving this place. The fog is already moving just a few trees from swallowing us." He paused, looking ahead at the towering wall of fog that's now moving at a much noticable speed.
Then, he turned to Dein again.
"Tell me monster, do you plan to stop us? Is that why you're waiting for us here?"
Dein's eyes widened for a bit as he heard his words, realizing that they weren't here for him. More than that, there seem to be a way out of here.
Of course, none of that would be of help to Dein right now. Escaping this place wasn't part of his plan after all. Escaping this Nightmare is, and to do that, he has to kill that Nightmare Creature.
Dein's expression turned serious as he answered.
"N-no… i don't plan on doing tha–" But before he could even finish answering, he felt a burning pain slicing up his body and in the next second, Lei was already towards him.
'This idiots! I said I won't harm them…'
But Lei already reached him in just two steps, the first one was normal but the second one, Lei seems to vanish and before Dein knew it, a wooden sword swatted his spear from below.
Luckily, Dein managed to lift his arms up in time, preventing the spear from splitting in two. In return, a cut appeared on his chest.
Dein knew he would've been cut in half if he hadn't notice the attack sooner – hadn't felt it, rather – and tried to avoid it by jumping back.
Still though, they weren't satisfied yet as before Dein could even land on the ground he already felt [Dreadful Trepidation] work again. This time, he's too late and an arrow pierced his abdomen. It was then followed by a kick from Lei that sent him flying to the ground.
He groaned in pain. To think this people would bother ask him a question just to not listen to him. What a bunch of evil bastards! But of course, he should've know. There's no way this people would trust a nightmare creature's words. Especially not from the one that destroyed their home and murdered their friends and family.
Dein gripped his spear again, trying to stand despite the pain. In his head, the three were worried and scared but Dein pushed them to the very back of his mind. He can't afford distractions right now.
He has to find a way to survive this somehow.
As he stood up, using the spear as support as he ignored the pain. Lei and Clara didn't attack anymore. Instead, Quin seems to be saying something to them before patting them on the back and walking away. The tribe's people followed.
At some point, Dein even saw Klen staring at him even though everyone is.
A long silence stretched as Dein contemplated his next move. He watched as from afar, Quin and his people raised their torches. Quin was the first one to be swallowed by the fog… and his people followed.
One after another. Their torches dispelled the gigantic fog at first but once the last of them entered the fog, even the light of their torches became unable to be seen.
Soon, all of them were gone. Searching for the exit that had been swallowed by the fog.
The fog continue to move…
Finally, the silence was broken as Lei took his steps again and Clara aimed her bow. Lei and the arrow appeared in front of Dein almost at the same time.
Only this time, Dein's spear met Lei's sword in a clash as Clara's arrow simply burrowed itself in his side. Dein was once again thrown back to the ground and he got up, the fog swallowed him whole as well.