Did You Feel that Spark?

Adhering to Jay’s suggestion, they really didn’t stall for time. Without any more greetings or exchanges, the group went on its way, following the directions depicted on the map. During the first five minutes, Yuushin felt worse than death. But as he forced his legs to keep moving, soon enough the pain in his body went from agonizing to somewhat-maybe-in-a-sense bearable.

They even managed to find a few more survivors, people who appeared to be in a shape a lot worse than his. Deep down, Yuushin wanted to see if there were more—more people who were desperately clinging to life, and that could still be saved.

Yet did any one of them have such a luxury? Could Yuushin even guarantee they would all reach that place alive, when the one person he saved still ended up dead?

“There’s nothing you can do, you know. Nothing any of us can do.”

The voice came from his side, a woman with short, red hair and freckles across her cheeks. And though her voice was warm and caring, the exhaustion and pain in her eyes spoke plenty.

Yuushin didn’t need to ask what she was talking about. From her gaze alone, he knew they had been sharing similar thoughts.

“How did you all end up together?”

She shrugged, flinching the next second—there was a cut in her left shoulder.

“Jay got the map after that guy died, and whenever the group found another survivor, they joined. We met some people who were still alive, but…” She looked at him, a soft smile touching her lips. “I thought that was the case with you. I’m glad it wasn’t.”

…if I hadn’t passed out in a place that coincided with the route they were taking, or if any other monster got to me first…

Hah, when was I ever this lucky? I should bet in the lottery here, if there’s one.

“I’m Heidi, by the way. You said your name is Yuushin?”

He nodded, glancing around at the other people in the group. “Where were you? Before being transported to this place, I mean.”

Heidi bit down on her lip, tears brimming in the woman’s eyes.

“I was at the park, walking with my dog. At first, I wished he had been transported with me, you know? So I wouldn’t be alone. But now, I-I’m just thankful I let out the leash.” Heidi must have seen something in his expression, given how she widened her eyes, apologetic. “Oh, I’m so sorry! That's not what you meant, right? I’m from Lübeck, Germany.”

For a second, he was surprised. Yuushin was quite certain he didn’t speak German, and doubted the woman in front of him spoke fluent Japanese.

Is there something like a universal translator, then…?

Before he could get lost in thought, Yuushin focused back on Heidi, giving her a reassuring smile.

“Oh, you don’t have to apologize! Really. I’m…sorry. About your dog.” Maybe he shouldn’t have asked.

Yet she shook her head, taking a deep breath. “No, it’s all right. Knowing he is alive is more than enough. What about you?”

“I…was at an animation studio in Tokyo, working overtime. Pretty boring, huh?”

Heidi met his gaze then, a sorrowful glow reflecting her blue eyes for a moment.

“I think boring is good, in this case.” She pointed at the tallest person in their group, a man who kept walking ahead of them all without ever slowing his pace. “I heard Jay talking before; he was with his family. And I’m not sure what happened before he got here, but he really wants to go back. I mean, we all do, but... He's really desperate.”

Yuushin felt a weight drop in his heart. A strange mix of gratitude and sorrow. Because at the same time, he was thankful there was no one waiting for him at home—be it a pet or a relative—he also couldn’t even imagine what it felt like.

Since there had never been anyone in his life to fill such an important role.

To stay so close to his heart.

Still…go back…

Was that possible?

Suddenly, Jay stopped for a second, glancing back. His eyes wandered for a while before they spotted their target.

“Yuushin, come here.”

Somehow, after hearing about the man’s family, he felt obliged to quicken his steps. A choice his body did not appreciate much. Once he got closer, however, he noticed how stiff Jay’s body was—the tension straining his eyes.

“Is something wrong?”

The man looked at him, surprised for a second, before relaxing his expression.

“We didn’t have a chance to talk much. Seeing how it doesn’t seem to be many creatures around here, I thought this was a good opportunity.”

Yuushin nodded once, realizing then how they hadn’t spotted any more creatures. He couldn’t recall the map much, yet there didn’t seem to be anything different on the route they were taking, compared to the rest of the forest.

So why was that?

“Do you really think it’s a trap?”

There was no accusation, much less hostility, in Jay’s tone. It was a simple question.

“I can’t ignore the possibility. But all things considered…I think there’s also a good chance of us finding someone to help us.”

The man didn’t even turn to Yuushin as he replied. “Why’s that?”

“The illustration—it looked like a guard post to me. I may be wrong, but—”

“We had the same thought, then.” Jay smiled for a brief second, his expression softening a bit. “I hope we are both right.”

“…and what if we aren’t?”

Jay didn’t reply.

“How did you kill that monster?”

Instead, the new topic caught Yuushin by surprise, not because of the question itself, but because something in the man’s eyes was a bit too knowing. As if he wanted to confirm rather than understand.

Yet how can I even explain, when I don’t know it myself?

So, instead of answering, Yuushin decided to make an assumption himself. “Did you experience it too? The spark.”

The man furrowed his brows, curiosity filling his green eyes. “A spark?”

Yuushin nodded. “A warmth that spread from within, like a flame. It made me stronger, and it numbed the pain. Was it not the same for you?”

As he spoke, Jay listened to him with an amused smile before glancing back toward the trail.

“This is certainly an interesting way to put it. A spark… Yes, guess I felt something similar. But it wasn’t the same for me. I did feel something spread, but rather than a flame or something warm…”

Jay closed his eyes for a moment, a silence stretching between them. When the man finally looked at Yuushin again, there was a new certainty in his gaze.

“It was like an electric current. Something shocking.”

That piqued Yuushin’s interest. Perhaps both of them had experienced this “aura”, yet it had manifested in different ways for each of them? And if the sensations had been so different, perhaps their effects had been as well?

Just as Yuushin was about to ask if Jay had also seen a glow around his body—

A chill.

A change in the air.

And not even two seconds later, every person stopped in their tracks as a new sound echoed through the forest. One that was not simply a warning, but a sentence—a judgment. A guttural sound, so grave and deep, it reached Yuushin’s heart and made it tremble.

A roar.

Coming from above.

Suddenly, Yuushin realized why there weren’t creatures in that region. Why the forest itself seemed quieter. And he blamed his foolishness for not considering the possibilities before.

They all shifted their gazes, and not even the mighty and tall trees could conceal the monster flying right above them. And if the sound echoing amidst the trees didn’t give it away, the size and shape of its shadow would.

The one of a dragon.