The night was quiet—too quiet. The crackle of a dying campfire was the only sound that broke through the veil of stillness, its faint glow flickering against the burnt ruins of trees and rusted husks of old vehicles. The smell of ash and smoke hung in the air, mingling with the faint scent of blood and gunpowder.
Following the faint signal of the necklace, I finally arrived at the spot where Kate and the others were supposed to be. The trail had gone cold twice along the way, but the faint magical resonance still lingered enough for me to find them. The moment I stopped the bike near the campfire, I knew something was wrong. The atmosphere wasn't one of relief or victory—it was heavy, suffocating, steeped in grief.
I turned off the engine. The low rumble died, leaving the world unnervingly still. Shalltear stepped off beside me, her crimson eyes scanning the area. Her expression tightened slightly, her instincts as a predator picking up on the human sorrow thick in the air.
Before I could even take a step forward, a blur of motion crashed into me. Kate.
She wrapped her arms around me tightly, face pressed against my chest. I felt the faint, hot dampness seeping through my shirt—tears. Her body trembled, small, shaking breaths escaping her lips.
For a moment, I didn't say anything. I simply stood there, one hand resting gently on her head. Shalltear opened her mouth as if to speak, but I gave her a small look—one she instantly understood. She went silent, folding her hands behind her back, watching with quiet obedience.
I slowly looked around. The campfire's light revealed the rest of the group.
Yelena sat near the flames, legs pulled up to her chest, her face hidden behind her knees. Her usual sharpness was gone—her shoulders drooped, her hands clenched so tightly that her knuckles were pale.
Next to her sat Kamala. She gave me a tired, broken smile when our eyes met, but it barely reached her eyes. The girl looked like she'd aged years in a single day.
A few feet away, Blade Knight sat in silence, his helmet tilted down. The gleam of his sword reflected the firelight, the blade resting across his lap. He didn't speak or move, but the weight of his silence said more than words ever could.
I scanned again, but I didn't see Melina or Red Guardian. No sign of their hulking presence, no hint of their gruff voices or sarcastic banter. Only absence.
Finally, I spoke, my voice calm. "What happened?"
Kate's grip loosened slightly, but she didn't let go completely. Her words came out shaky. "We… we were ambushed. There were too many of them. Melina and Alexei… they stayed behind to hold the line. They told us to run."
She swallowed hard, trembling. "We didn't want to leave them. But we didn't have a choice. They… they sacrificed themselves for us."
I nodded slowly, my hand still resting lightly on her head. "I see."
Was I sad? I didn't know. My heart didn't ache, my eyes didn't sting. There was a distant echo of what I knew should be sorrow—but it was faint, hollow. I understood the concept of grief, but it didn't reach me anymore. Maybe that was part of being what I was now—a dragon. The apex of life, detached from mortal fragility.
Or maybe it was something else.
Like the undead, who possessed emotional suppression, perhaps I had developed something similar—a passive resistance to emotional instability. Calm Mind. That's what I'd call it.
Still, I felt the faintest flicker of respect. Melina and Alexei may have been humans but they faced death without flinching. That, at least, deserved acknowledgment. After all, I was also once a human, with lot of emotions.
Shalltear took a step closer to me, her voice soft but sharp. "My lord, should we avenge them?"
Shalltear, also didn't feel any attachment toward any human but Since her lord give those two value. How could some low level, rotting flies kill something that her lord values. That's probably what Shalltear point of view.
Kate looked up sharply, her tear-streaked face lit by the fire. "No! They… they wouldn't want that. They wanted us to survive."
Shalltear's crimson eyes flicked toward her, then back to me, awaiting my command. I merely gave a small shake of my head.
"Not yet," I said quietly. "We move when it's necessary. Not for vengeance—only for results."
Kate's breath hitched, but she nodded faintly.
Kamala poked the fire with a stick, voice hoarse. "We're running low on fuel. Yelena said we might try to reach the next outpost in the morning… if there is one left."
~~~
(This volume has been over in my patron and Demon Slayer Volume has started. If you are interested join me on Patreon.)
How was the chapter? If you have any advice for me, please comment on it.
I posted 100+ advanced chapters on Patreon, If you want to support me, check it out.
patreon.com/DreamerofUnknown