It's dark. Everything is dark. Alan felt a familiar eerie numbness as he tried to open his eyes, but no matter how hard he struggled, his thoughts and commands over his body only traveled towards a null, a void of nothingness. Alan's mind began to unravel, his thoughts raced, even unsure of its presence.
He could feel his heartbeat rising, his head burning, his nonexistent breaths quickening. He knew where he was; he was aware of this familiar void, this clenching darkness. He knew it was nearby, it had arrived again, but no matter how much Alan struggled in this numbness, he could not escape from this darkness.
Suddenly, within Alan's closed eyes, inside the void that extended into his blind gaze, six torch mounds appeared. The blazing dark fire on four of the torches was familiar to Alan's fear, and two distinguished torches sent shivers down Alan's spine. His blind gaze widened as he felt a sudden chill. The blazing flame of the fourth torch began to reduce into embers, before, with a snap, it extinguished as well.
Before Alan's darkened mind could register the eerie spectacle, his hearing returned with an eerie shriek drilling inside his head. Alan's voice tore through his throat in a scream of terror as a demonic grumble announced in his ears, "Three down… three to go!"
Suddenly, an eerie and dreadful grin flashed before Alan's eyes, punctuated by maniacal laughter that filled him with horror and desperation. His scream intensified, fear clutching his heart, crushing it beneath its grip.
Blood rushed to his head, bulging his veins, and his head felt near exploding. With a jolt, Alan opened his eyes, straightening up, his scream echoing in the ruined hallway. He gasped for air, sweat drenching what was left of his robe. Alan could feel the piercing pain of the open gashes on his arms, the bruises on his hands punctuating his breaths with faint groans of pain.
His ears still ringing, Alan looked around. None of his friends so much as glanced at the sudden commotion from his awakening. Their faces were downcast, their gazes holding a stabbing pain of hopelessness.
Lyco sat, his knees embraced by his arms, his features contorted between anger and despair, displaying the complex emotions of the loss he had suffered. Beside him, Poduria rested her head on his almost limp shoulder. The toll of constant suffering and the whirlwind of emotions were evident in her fatigued form. Even the breaths she drew from her flattening cheeks were shallow and meaningless.
Alan's slowly composing gaze traveled to Lady Roartad. Fatigue and the replacement of nutrition with dread and horror had transformed her once resolved and prideful eyes into a shivering, tired gaze.
She looked down at her husband, Longiseus, lying on her lap. Alan's lungs filled with surprise as he took in the sight of Longiseus's back. The leaves that should have left his body shrunk to a skeleton had almost no effect. His body remained muscular and bulky, his stature as imposing as ever. Alan's blinking eyes caught a glimpse of Longiseus's mark peeking out of his red tattered tights, bold and deep, Evolved, clarifying why Longiseus had survived the herb's side effects.
Alan began to move his lips to call out to Longiseus when suddenly he heard, "Darling!" Relecta called out to Alan, prompting him to turn.
She ran toward him, holding a drenched cloth in her hand. Apart from Lyco and Poduria, only her attire had somehow survived the non-stop onslaught of grief and despair. Her condition was as clean as it could be, apart from some green blood stains and dust from the air.
Relecta approached Alan, hugging him with concern and love. After a moment, she backed away, looking into Alan's expressionless eyes with her sunken gaze, holding a glimmer of hope despite the dread reflected around them.
Relecta's eyes and fading pink lips pulled into a smile after confirming Alan's condition. She quickly retrieved the drenched cloth she held and gently applied it to an open wound on Alan's wrist. Suddenly, his once numbing pain surged open with a stabbing sensation, eliciting a groan from Alan.
"Ahhh..!!"
"Sorry, this is all I could find here. It's some old spices, at least whatever survived the ruination of this place. My mother used to do this whenever I got injured, and we didn't have a potion…"
Relecta's humble voice began to fade into the background for Alan as he looked around, taking in the structure they had settled in. He didn't remember much after seeing Arian's wide, lifeless eyes embedded in a bleeding head attached to a maimed, limbless half-chest. He recalled Lyco's words, the dread on his shivering face, as darkness had begun to envelop his own eyes.
As Relecta went silent and continued wrapping the drenched cloth around Alan's wrist, Alan turned his gaze and strained his eyes.
He made out a faint silhouette of what seemed to him to be a giant gate. A strange relief washed over him, thinking they were safe. But within that instant, relief gave way to dread. Alan once again gazed at the hallway. On its ceiling hung broken chandeliers, dangling like ominous pendulums, their shattered crystals casting eerie shadows.
The walls were decorated with the same faded and torn paint that adorned almost every inch of this place, but here, broken, torn, even rotted portraits and paintings were also present, once regal, now depicted hollow-eyed figures, their gazes following anyone who passed.
The floor was strewn with debris, covered by a rugged and burrowed carpet, its color showing the most degradation from the ravages of time. Broken mirrors hung on the walls and lay scattered on the floor, reflecting distorted images of anyone daring to gaze into them. Despite being somewhat full, the hallway exuded an eerie and dreadful emptiness.
"Fascinating, right?" Alan's observing reverie was suddenly broken by Armis's voice. His attention shifted to the side where Armis, bare-chested, sat leaning against the wall. One hand rested on his knee, covered by tattered tights, while the other held a book. He, too, gazed into the threshold as he continued, "My guess is this is the pantry of the castle. Damn shame it's in ruins, otherwise it could have solved our shortage of supplies and food…"
With his last words, Armis turned his gaze towards Alan, conveying an unsaid message with his eyes. Somehow Alan's brain deciphered Armis's hint, connecting it to Relecta's earlier words. He retrieved his bandaged hand from Relecta's touch, prompting her puzzled gaze to look at him. Holding an even deeper puzzlement in his voice and gaze, Alan asked, "Wait, what happened to our potions? Where are our supplies? I remember that we also have some…"
Suddenly, Alan's weak stomach growled loudly, asking for the unavailable nutrition. A blush streaked across his cheeks as he finished his words, "Rations…"
Relecta's smile held a piercing pang of sadness, and in the next moment, it turned into a frown. She averted her gaze, and beneath her sealed lips, Alan discerned a grit of frustration. Concern rising, Alan approached Relecta and placed his hand upon her chin, recalling her gaze to his. He began to move his lips when suddenly Armis, replying to Alan's question, stood up and stretched his arms in the air.
"Well…the mourning couple over there left our supplies and knapsack back on the last floor."
"What the fuck, Armis?!!!" Poduria, who had been silent until now, reacted sharply to Armis's accusation. Her voice, though tinged with a hint of hoarseness, cut through the air as she defended herself. "I told you, we were worried about you two!!! And either way, it was because of Relecta's haste!!! She made us chase after her."
"Maybe I did!! But I was actually concerned for their safety, unlike Lyco, who was supposed to take care of our stuff, if not for his... greed." Relecta's sudden retort to Poduria's shifted blame shocked Alan. Her frustration was evident as her words began with a gritted teeth and ended with her eyes twitching into a hesitant glare at Lyco.
Lyco sat quietly for a moment, but Relecta's sharp accusation cut deeply, reopening wounds he had been trying to bury. His suppressed rage flared up, escalating the blame game. "Oh really?!! And how the fuck did that help?!! Huh?!!" Lyco exclaimed, glaring into Relecta's eyes before shifting his gaze to Lady Roartad, who was already shivering and now startled by the sudden arguments.
He then looked at Longiseus, lying quietly in her lap, as his sharp words continued, resonating with his pain. "My brother is still dead!!! Why?!! Why did he have to die?!! Huh?!! You!!! You two were supposed to keep them safe, it was your duty, your fucking responsibility, Master Longiseus!!!"
Lyco's sharp words hung in the tense air, everyone's gaze fixed on Lady Roartad, whose weak form began to break under the weight of his accusations.
Longiseus, after remaining silent for a moment, sat up before a tear could escape from his wife's eye. His face held almost no emotion, and his eyes were sunken into dark circles that spoke not only of repressed pain but also of the fatigue and weakness from the toll of the earlier battle.
His vacant gaze broke Lyco's glare, making the others reflect on the argument in which they had just partaken. Their own words began to crawl back, filling them with more frustration, and they viewed Longiseus's perceived nonchalance with despise. This feeling amplified when Longiseus's vacant and lost tone broke the tension around them, filling it with shock and apprehension.
"We are done." Longiseus spoke, as he silently stood and then supported Lady Roartad on her feet beside him. His empty gaze fixed on no one in particular, and his emotionless voice continued, "We will not partake in conflict of any kind."
"What… what do you mean, Commander? Is everything alright?" Alan asked as he stood up, staggering and holding Relecta's hand for support, his gaze confused as he looked at Longiseus.
"No, can't you see, Alan?" A sudden frustration colored Longiseus's tone and eyes, his glare fixed on Alan as he continued, "Nothing is alright here. We are tired. This endless cycle of chaos, horror, more chaos, and dread—only to end in pain and suffering that leaves us broken to our very core. And what's worse is that it all begins anew, and all we can do is accept it as our fate. It hurts, Alan. It hurts."
Longiseus's words pierced through the air, his voice no longer vacant but filled with the emotions he had kept hidden behind his facade of resolve. All those buried feelings began to resurface as he leaned closer to Alan, his glare conveying the helpless frustration he endured with every breath in the wretched hell he had chosen step inside himself. Alan stuttered, overwhelmed by Longiseus's intensity.
"I... I understand, Commander, but we can't just give up like thi—"
"Why?!" Longiseus's despair flared even more as Alan tried to offer hope. Cutting through Alan's words, Longiseus continued, his voice filled with despair.
"Why can't we? What do we have to hope for? You want us to keep going? You want us to sacrifice ourselves one by one until one of us reaches the damned floor and gets the wish?!"
Longiseus's voice tightened, adding to the rising tension in the air. His words cut through the silence, forcing everyone to confront the emotions they had been avoiding. Longiseus faced them head-on, understanding the weight of their circumstances. As his turn came to hurl accusations, he continued with a pointed tone.
"Look around you, Alan. Look at their faces. Can you trust any of them with your life?!" Longiseus's words echoed in the hall, each one carrying the weight of his doubt and concern. Alan felt a knot form in his stomach as he considered Longiseus's question.
"Sure, your wife may seem trustworthy to you, but what's to say she is not next on the chopping block—"
"Commander!!!!" Alan's voice erupted suddenly, cutting through the tension as Longiseus turned his glare towards Relecta. Alan's mind conjured horrific images, his imagination fueled by Longiseus's words. The flash of nightmare made Alan angry, his retort ringing out with a loud voice, but it seemed to have no effect on Longiseus. Instead, it only punctuated his point as Longiseus continued, his voice heavy with exhaustion and despair.
"See!!! See!! That is how I feel. I can't trust a soul anymore. I... we are too tired, Alan. I have lost my will to fight, to continue moving ahead. I just... I just can't endure any more deaths before my eyes, any more pain in my heart, and I might lose it."
Longiseus's voice softened, his gaze tender as he turned towards Lady Roartad, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. With a gentle touch, he pulled her close, enveloping her in a protective embrace. Turning to Alan, his tone remained firm as he spoke.
"She is all I have left, and I don't want to lose her too in the pursuit of something that might not even exist. We just want to sleep through this nightmare, we… we need rest, no more chaos, no more desire, no more greed, no more DESPAIR!!!"
Longiseus's expression reflected his helplessness as he began to move, guiding Lady Roartad away from the group.
"We are going our separate ways, just me and her."
"Wait!!!" Alan's voice rang out with a strange urgency and desperation, breaking through the tense atmosphere. Groaning in pain, he turned, his words tumbling out in disbelief and haste.
"What are you talking about, Commander? Separate ways? Look at yourself. You were able to survive the side effects of the leaves, and I'm sure your mark, your weapon, has evolved further. We need you, Commander. We need you if we want that—"
Alan's desperate plea abruptly halted as he realized his words fell on deaf ears. Longiseus didn't even wait for him to finish, resuming his pace towards the unknown of this new terrain.
"He is right, you know." Suddenly, Alan's stunned gaze was pulled away by Lyco's words. Clutching his fist, Lyco glared down at the ground. Seeing Lyco's struggle, Poduria rushed to entwine her hand with his, holding onto her supportive grasp tight.
Lyco raised his contorted glare, his words resonating with the emotions unveiled by Longiseus's voice. Looking at Alan's shocked expression, Lyco continued, his voice heavy with the weight of their shared burden.
"We can't trust each other right now. This place has broken everything I used to cherish with you guys. I can feel his pain. I too have lost almost everything. I only have her."
Lyco turned towards Poduria, his almost teary humble gaze meeting her sunken, fatigued eyes. A faint smile adorned the shrunken plump of her face. Suddenly, a grumble of hunger resurfaced the pain she was holding down. Her grasp on Lyco's hand tightened, sending sensations of her discomfort to her husband. Lyco turned back to Alan, preparing to speak, when Armis interjected from the side.
"You know, I lost my wife too. I k—"
"Shut the fuck up, Armis!" Lyco's voice shattered Armis's attempt to argue back. His gaze shifted to Armis in disgust, his flushed face and gritted teeth holding back the repulsiveness Armis's presence made him feel. Lyco continued, eliciting a furious glare from Armis.
"You? You feel pain? Aurelia was stupid to ever surrender her heart to someone like you. You might have been worthy of her love in the past, but this?" Lyco gestured with disgust-filled eyes at Armis. "This abomination doesn't feel a shred of pain for her death. What you feel is anger, anger that someone else killed your wife. That is not love, you fool. If you knew love, then you never would have let Arian sacrifice himself. You knew, right?"
Lyco released Poduria's hand, his heart heavy with despair and anger guiding his steps. The venom in his voice was palpable as he directed it at Armis, halting any retort with a glare that drilled into Armis's contorting gaze. Armis stood silent as Lyco filled the air with tension and dread.
"You knew? That he had someone waiting for him, you were there when he told us, right? As were you!!" Lyco's disgusted glare shifted to a stunned Alan, startling him into a stuttered attempt to argue back.
"Lyco, b.. but.. there was no other w—-"
"Don't!!!" Stunned silence gripped Alan's bruised body once again, his ears pierced by Lyco's despair.
"Don't start with that. Look at you two, together with Master Longiseus what could you have not achieved? And you tell me that there was no other way than to make a scapegoat out of my brother. Leave it, Alan. I consider you my friend, that's why I don't want to feel any more disgust for you than I already am."
"Lyco!" Relecta's silence shattered, her voice rising in defense of her husband against Lyco's harsh words. She stepped forward from beside the silent Alan, challenging Lyco's accusations.
"That is not fair," she argued, "you keep berating them, but do you think you would have done better if you were in their place? Do you think you have the courage to put your life on the line for o—"
"C'mon Relecta, don't make me laugh!!" Poduria's sharp interruption cut through the air, her voice gritty with pain and rage. Despite the agony in her stomach, her fury at seeing Relecta confront her husband surged forth. With bloodshot eyes, she silenced Relecta with a glare, her tone cutting and unyielding.
"You are talking about others? You don't even care about anyone except Alan. I taught you how to use your wielding, Lyco taught you how to read, and when danger struck, you didn't even think for a moment to leave us behind for Alan. You don't get to talk down to us. I have saved and helped you and your husband countless times, and the moment we make a mistake, you all come down on us with thunder? Pathetic."
"Calm down, Poduria," Lyco's voice soothed, as he enveloped his wife in his embrace, guiding her away from the stunned and speechless Alan and Relecta. Poduria, her tears almost breaking her down to her knees, turned away from their gaze.
Lyco's stern gaze shifted to his friends, his words carrying a weight of finality before their departure. "We can't trust any of you anymore," he declared. "We can survive in this place ourselves. First, I will get Poduria something to eat, then we will head ahead, trying our best to reach the 100th floor. And don't worry, unlike two of you, I care about my friends, and I promise that I will bring back all of them in return. I request you all to leave us alone, please."
With a gentle touch, Lyco guided Poduria forward, her fatigued and tear-stained form leaning on him for support. Hand in hand, they moved ahead into the passage, their steps echoing in the eerie silence they left behind.
Alan's heart twisted with grief and pain as he watched them go, his face contorted in sorrow. He took one last look at Lyco and Poduria before they disappeared into the dimness of the passage's threshold, leaving their friends behind in a whirlwind of loss, shock, and the piercing sting of betrayal.