Humanity's Only Hero.

"Hey," Octan said, tapping the mountain's shoulder. "That's enough, he's dead."

Yaqob let go of his grip, letting the corpse fall to the ground. It fell, first to its knees, and then to its side.

Lena gazed at the corpse for a moment, and then back at Octan.

"You still haven't let go of that habit," Octan said. "At one point it will kill you."

"It's the only salvation I can give my people. After all, some, unlike this, are deserving." Yaqob said.

Octan shrugged, glancing down at the corpse, "If you believe so."

"Now, what is your plan?" Octan asked. "I will be leaving, the village and its people are none of my concern. If you want, I can lead you out at the very least."

Yaqob looked at Octan, his dark frown turning into a slight grin. "No, that won't be needed."

"You can move around the null zone? I wouldn't take the gifts for such niche abilities."

"No, I have this," Yaqob said, reaching into his pocket. "It's pretty handy, you should get one yourself." He pulled out, a compass.

"You... You should work on ur brain a little more..." Octan tapped the compass' top.

"M-my compass!" Yaqob cried.

The compass' needle had started spinning endlessly as Octan tapped it.

"As much as you hate the consortium, you should at least accept its useful procedures, there is quite the informational book about the null zone," Octan said.

"I would rather not... I don't want to live knowing the man I killed, or will kill, had somehow helped me..."

"Well, you can keep denying them as much as you want, but I hear their metric system is being accepted continent-wide."

The man smiled gently. "Well, I guess this side would benefit from some of our little qualities."

"You," Octan sighed. "You sure can get hypocritical."

"Here," Octan tapped the compass once more. "This should help you out, it's an exit opposite to the one I'm taking."

"Of course, it's the opposite," Yaqob chuckled, putting the compass back in his pocket. "But, thanks. It's nice seeing this Octan again."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Just don't get too excited, I'm humoring you, that's all." Octan said.

Yaqob turned, staring into the fog. His eyes were sentimental.

"I will go back for them," Yaqob said. "I can not let them be, even if they will die tomorrow, I just... Can't."

Octan listened to the man, disapprovingly gazing.

"I know, of course, you wouldn't agree. But, this is something I want to do. Call it redemption or whatever... I just... Can't let them die."

"Do not let his words sway you, Yaqob. You aren't responsible for these people." Octan said.

"Then, why would I kill him? Because he did something wrong? Octan, you should know, that this man was not part of my hunt. If his story was not falsified, he was no threat to this world's structure. Yet, I killed him." Yaqob gazed down at the corpse.

Octan kept silent.

"Back to the silent treatment I see..." Yaqob sighed. "Well, at least tell me this. If I have to take care of these people I will want to know how they lived until now. I have one point that I'm missing.

"How did they survive this long? it was clear that this community wasn't short-lived, their beliefs and rules must've been crafted over a long time. Especially the rules about visitors, they were much too stern to have been created without test before. They feasted on newborns of their own, which is why the women were healthy, and on visitors, as due to the kids' basket. But, that shouldn't have been enough. So how, how did they make it through the null zone?"

"Why don't you ask the kid?" Octan gazed down at Lena. "Even she, I would bet, has already figured it out."

"You did?" Yaqob eyed Lena.

"I did?" Lena cocked her head at Octan.

"Didn't you find anything different about the kid back at the apostle's?"

"Oh, right," Lena nodded. "I did. He had gained an arm, it was missing before when I went with the client."

"...This man, was sick..."

"Healing magic, and complete rock control... His ambitions were off the roof."

"And he was running them with nothing but himself in mind."

The two gazed down at the blood-surrounded corpse.

"By the way," Yaqob crouched down. "Kid, want to come along?"

Lena looked back at the man, slight confusion conveyed.

"This man here clearly doesn't cherish your company," Yaqob said mockingly nodding at Octan. "I promise you, I will." He smiled. "I would love to have a little companion, especially one as experienced as you."

Lena gazed at the man for a moment, took in his words, and then shook her head.

The man smiled as he stood up, seemingly satisfied. "I would expect no less."

"Well, I will go now." Yaqob spun around, "I already know where the next consortium member I'm going after is, so I will have to get the villager business down quickly." He moved, disappearing into the fog.

Octan sighed.

"What will we eat tomorrow..." He wondered in deep thought. "We've lost our income, and I had spent the last of my coins on this venture..."

Lena looked up at him. "The bag is still back there."

"That so..." Octan sighed. "We will get a new one, I don't want him thinking I want to join him now..."

Octan kneeled down and arched his back forward.

"I will be covering long distances, get on. we are hitting The Lake of Wothand." Octan pointed at his back.

Lena nodded and did as advised.

She wrapped her around around his back and held in tightly.

"Good, try not to fall off, I'm planning to cross half a continent by the end of the day," Octan said stretching.

As Octan prepared himself, Looked turned her head, looking back at the fog.

"Is that hesitation I sense? You wish you had joined him?" Octan asked.

"No," Lena immediately affirmed.

"Quick..."

"His gauntlets? It looked like he got stronger once he put them on, unlike when he used his gift."

"Well, that is just common sense, kid," Octan said. "A man with armor has the advantage over one without."

"B--" Lena tried to speak, but she was cut off.

"I know, that isn't what you meant. His gauntlets, can dismantle mana, break it down, and spread it. They are specially manufactured, such gauntlets are a rarity, and you are most likely to never run across them again."

Lena went silent.

"Satisfied?" Octan asked, coming to a stand. Seemingly ready to move.

"Who was he?"

"Asking a lot now, I see..." Octan found the conversation tired, as he wasn't used to the kid actually replying. Usually, she would stop at a nod. "That man? He is commonly known to the public as the wandering death, as whenever he is rumored to have appeared, death is soon followed, whether singular or multiple." Octan stated matter-of-factly.

"But, you, kid, can call him; Humanity's Only Hero."

Then, leaning forward, Octan suddenly dashed forward, forcing Lena to tighten her hold even more.

As The wind howled in Lena's air, Lena rested her head on the back she had laid eye on for so long. She would've gone to sleep, if not for the certain feeling of death if lost focus.