Ever since that incident, it's been weird in the group. Jin was awfully quiet, physically away from the rest of the group; Shen followed in suit, eating away from the campfire and seemed to keep herself busy.
As for myself, everyone aside from Shaun treated me the same. During the day he found out about my… reincarnation, he was distant. The next day he got curious and started asking questions.
"What were you like before?"
"How was your previous world before?"
Basic questions, one that anyone would ask. I had to bite my tongue, metaphorically and literally, it was tough to ask of these; I want to find my family, and I do not want to think of the past at this moment.
Despite that feeling, I eventually started to answer him. Truth was, I wasn't much different… well aside from some habits now, wearing a towel in the bath; wearing a nightgown, long hair, you know, the girly things that took over.
All of my answers seemed to answer his curiosities and by the second day he stopped asking.
We made good distance, and the air around us seemed to become nervy. Even just the air here has a scary aura.
"We're close." Shen said, her gaze was fixated on the mountain range in the distance. From an estimation, we were less than a day's worth of walking away.
Even from here, the mountain was humongous; many rocky hands rose from the earth. Not really hands, but it's quite a beautiful sight.
I closed my left eye, this action allowed me to see this chasm better. The peaks looked insurmountable, an impossible climb even for the most experienced climbers. Yet some people climbed it.
How the heck are we going to scale this? This is the question that entered my mind, and I let out the closer we go. There were two factors, well, three.
Shen was in her weakened state, Verd's kids were five or six, then lastly me. My feet didn't allow me to, err, climb well enough. My grip strength was decent, practicing with the sword did help out.
"I'll have to depart from you all." Shen suddenly claimed and her words caused everyone to stop. Before anyone could ask, she explained. "I physically can't go up that mountain, my physical condition will not allow me."
James was the first to speak. He really is choosing to be the leader…. Ugh.. "You need blood to regain your strength, no?"
"I do, but I won't take it from this group."
Why does she have to be stubborn…? She knows I won't turn. She can drink mine. However, it might be awkward as shit or painful, she can still do it!
Shen turned to walk away without another word.
"Shen, wait please!" I yelled out to her, I don't want to let her go. Even now, she's still a part of this group. I can't let her leave.
She won't make it by herself, it'd be way too dangerous. It'll be impossible, there's no way she can scale that first mountain by herself.
"Just drink my blood, you've already done it once." I said, but Shen didn't stop. "And seriously, I won't turn! Just stay with us, okay?"
"The first time could be due to luck." Shen pointed out. "Plus, I don't know if I can control myself if I do drink blood."
Eh?
"Listen, if I do drink blood, my vampiric urges are stronger." Shen pointed at her sharp canines. "I can go on a blood craze, it's a time where I cannot control my actions."
She seems to be perfectly fine… plus, she doesn't seem to have urges at all.
"As for you, Yukina, I know you won't turn. Your blood is special, it resisted the vampirism."
Other than that blood craze thing- what's the issue…? If I was susceptible to vampirism, whatever it's called I wouldn't be here!
"Master Shen, what if we can s-"
"None of you can stop me if I go on a blood craze."
With everything, Shen kept shooting our statements down. It was to the point I was getting frustrated, I had to hold my anger down so I didn't stomp my feet.
I understand she's worried, I can smell it on her AND it's obvious by how she looks! I still tried to be persistent, this time grabbing her arm; I was not going to let her go.
Eventually, that barrier started to break down. Shen's vehemently denying of us started to slow; her head was down, and her speaking was hesitant.
However, when I tried to pull her to the group, she wouldn't move. Even though she was evidently weaker than me, I couldn't move her body; it was like pulling a boulder.
"Do you want to take that… risk?"
"Climbing that," I pointed towards the frosted peaks, which one was far riskier? Climbing a dangerous mountain, this one having heightened risks of avalanches, or her drinking my blood.
Shen had a frown, and her eyebrows furrowed. In which, I tried yanking her, yanking and making myself almost fall.
****
"...are you sure?"
"Go ahead."
We managed to convince Shen to stay and to drink my blood. She was so annoyingly stubborn, ugh…I sat on the ground, Shen had me take off my jacket.
This is going to be weird…
"Mathew.. you don't need to do this." Shen stated, her voice was soft. It sounded like she wanted reassurance, or for me to deny it.
It was so meek, was she actively afraid? I didn't turn once, who's to say I won't turn again? Or in other words, I have a gut feeling I won't.
The worst is that I can't be healed, we have medical supplies for that.
"Mathew…."
"Yukina. Call me that, and I'm sure." I turned my view to catch a glimpse of Shen. Forcibly, I flashed a smile and nodded my head. "Just… don't go overboard, I only have so much."
Shen lowered her gaze before slightly letting her head down. Without words, she let out a breath, and held the left side of my neck.
Oookay… close your eyes Yukina… close them. Wait-? Wait for it…
I braced myself, and tightened every fiber of muscle in my body. I felt.. this sharp feeling enter my neck. It wasn't painful, and it went away immediately.
Was that all? Did she just need a prick? I kept my eyes closed, her hand still planted on my neck. I don't feel anything different…
I thought my body was going to react, but I felt nothing. You know, the burning in my neck, the classic vampire crap; nope, just a dull numbness that throbbed from the sharp prick.
After god knows how long, Shen removed her hand from my neck. Her breath seemed to be heavy, in which I turned around to see.
"Let me heal that…" Behind a muffled voice, Shen suggested.
"You know… it's still freaky if you cover your mouth?" She put her hand towards my neck, her other hand was covering her mouth.
I felt this warmth on the spot she bit me on, and she removed her hand. Her mouth was bloodstained, and a slight streak followed where she wiped.
Still, I felt these chills trickle up my spine. "It's alright… I'll have to take a moment…"
"..."
Shen turned away, and it was quite obvious she was wiping her mouth. Plus, she seemed agitated, her hands were seemingly itchy as she did this.
Wait, is she-Is she- I think we should've listened! Oh crap-
Due to this, I waddled a few steps backwards— if shen was truthful, we're going to-
"You don't need to be scared…" Shen let out whilst panting. "I'm in control, you don't need to be scared."
Despite that, I stayed planted where I was. Even when she turned to look at me, her mouth still had bloodstains.
"Yukina, you don't need to be scared. And you four can drop your weapons."
After some… well, time. We all calmed down eventually, and Shen seemed to be slightly irritated. With a huff, she pointed towards the frosted peaks.
"Since you all need me, let's get going through that big bastard."
"And it seems like she's more energetic…" I muttered when Shen began to walk towards the mountains. Her strides seemed to be faster, and her voice was healthier.
With her as the leader, we continued our journey.