Chapter 11 — Five days of silence

Arin dreamed of warmth. It was not fire or battle but laughter. He saw shared meals and carefree days beneath open skies back when Eldrin still walked beside them. It was a time when the road ahead didn't feel soaked in blood.

​He saw them training together, arguing, and laughing. He heard Eldrin's calm voice correcting his stance. He felt his hand striking Arin's head lightly followed by a rare smile.

​Then the dream shattered.

​Arin woke with tears streaming down his face and his breath uneven. The dim light of a cave greeted him as the scent of damp stone and ash lingered in the air. Neblaheim sat nearby and handed him a piece of dried food.

​"…Why were you crying?" he asked quietly.

​Arin hesitated then spoke of the dream. He spoke of the days before Eldrin died and of moments he feared would fade with time. Neblaheim listened and then he nodded.

​"That's exactly why we're here," he said. "So those days won't be the end of our story."

​Arin wiped his face and looked around. "Where's Hanase?"

​"She went hunting," Neblaheim replied. "We were running low on food."

​Arin sat up too quickly. "How long was I out?"

​Neblaheim's voice was calm but the answer was not. "Five days. You've been asleep for five days."

​Arin froze. Before he could respond, footsteps echoed from outside the cave. Hanase appeared while dragging the body of an orc behind her. Relief washed over her face the moment she saw Arin awake.

​"You're finally up," she said with a tired smile.

​Arin noticed the sword at her side. It was Eldrin's sword.

​"…Why do you have that?" he asked.

​She looked down at it. "I needed something for close combat. Orcs don't wait for chants."

​Arin exhaled slowly and then he nodded. "Let's eat and move. We can't stay here forever."

​They cooked the meat in silence. The journey ahead was too heavy for idle talk. After eating, they set out once more. The Death God's castle lay four months away.

​The Monster Realm did not welcome them kindly but it didn't stop them either. Orc leaders fell and goblin kings were slain while vampires burned to ash. Their movements grew sharper and their teamwork became seamless. What once required struggle now demanded only focus.

​Then they encountered something different. A Wrath.

​Arin charged first with his blade flashing but the strike passed through it like mist. The Wrath moved instantly. Pain exploded through Arin's body as his grip failed. His sword slipped from his hands and clattered against the stone. He hit the ground hard as the breath was knocked from his lungs.

​The Wrath loomed above him with its form twisting with malice. And then it attacked.