|Location: Wasteland|
-ZERO-
As we left behind the ruins of the ancient city that once dazzled me, Dia led the way toward a dense wall of black fog looming just a few miles ahead. The fog was so thick and dark that even the sun's rays seemed unable to penetrate it, casting an eerie shadow over the land. I stood still, mesmerized and unsettled as I stared into the inky veil.
Without warning, Dia reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me forward into the fog.
"Ah!" I couldn't help but blurt out a startled cry, my voice echoing sharply. Dia jumped in surprise and gave me a sharp look.
"Stop screaming! Seriously, I can't believe you," she scolded, smacking my shoulder lightly with a mix of disbelief and amusement. "You killed an apostle, but you're scared of some fog?"
I shook my head quickly, trying to defend myself. "That fog wasn't like anything I've seen before. It's not the same. It felt... different."
Dia crossed her arms, watching me closely as I raised my hand and called out to SAI, commanding it to scan the area ahead. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she took a cautious step back.
"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, noticing her distance.
She quickly averted her gaze. "Nothing," she muttered, but I sensed there was more on her mind.
A few tense seconds passed as I waited for SAI's scan results. Disappointment washed over me when the system returned an error.
[Scanning area. Error. Unable to scan geographical elements.]
A translucent panel flickered to life in front of me, showing a five-kilometer radius around us—but the screen was almost entirely blank except for a single, large red dot pulsing ominously in the center. No signs of terrain, life, or vegetation appeared.
[Dense unknown metal deposits blocking frequency.]
I focused intently on the panel, watching the frequency disruption data flicker across the display. The strange interference felt like a warning—something to make me step back, to be cautious. I tightened my grip on Dia's hand, feeling the weight of the unknown pressing in around us as we stood at the edge of something dangerous and unseen.
I could feel Dia's discomfort as we plunged deeper into the dark, fog-shrouded forest. The thick mist curled around the gnarled branches like ghostly fingers, swallowing the faint light and turning everything into shadowy shapes. Her eyes flicked toward me, sharp and wary, loaded with skepticism and unease. I caught the silent question she didn't voice—was I really all there, or had she made a mistake dragging me into this creeping fog?
"Yeah, right," she muttered, breaking the heavy silence. "So, how about we just keep moving?"
I sensed her unease, but it wasn't the old distrust. It was worry—something colder and more fragile. I tried to ignore it, focusing instead on the scan data SAI had shown me. But as I glanced down at the flickering numbers and symbols, I frowned. "Why here? I can't sense anything," I said, my voice echoing unevenly between the skeletal trunks and the thick mist.
Dia's eyes met mine again, but this time her expression was blank, almost confused. I could see the doubt creeping across her face, like she was wondering if I was missing something basic—something obvious.
"That's exactly why we stay in places like this," she replied flatly.
Nuk, walking just behind us, rubbed his forehead and muttered something about how he didn't know how I managed to survive out there. Then, spotting some familiar landmarks through the swirling fog, he added, "Anyway, we're close now. Dia, keep an eye on Zero so he doesn't get lost."
I still didn't have the answer I wanted. I stopped and faced her directly, hoping to peel back the layers of mystery. "You still haven't told me why you chose this place. What is it about here?" I asked, my voice low but serious, searching her eyes for truth.
For a moment, something strange flickered across her face. It wasn't just irritation—it was a deeper unease. I caught the way her gaze shifted, almost like my black hair blending into the shadows and my dark eyes glinting unnervingly made her feel swallowed whole by the darkness around us. The fog seemed to thicken, wrapping us in silence and cold.
Suddenly, she shoved me aside, breaking the spell. Her breath came quick and sharp. Nuk stepped forward immediately, his hand gentle on her back. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.
Dia nodded, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She shook off the eerie feeling, then turned back to me, her voice steady and low.
"Like I said," she said, "that's exactly why we stay here. Nothing can grow in this place. Not even the Gods or their underlings dare come near. It's like this place doesn't even exist to them."
The fog curled thicker, and the forest around us felt less like a place and more like a void—silent, empty, and watchful. I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of her words settle deep into the shadows.
I listened closely as Dia spoke, her words drifting through the heavy, damp air like a whispered secret. The forest around us was a realm of shadows—gnarled branches clawed at the sky as thick fog slithered low over the ground, swallowing every sound except the crunch of dead leaves beneath our feet. My head tilted slowly toward my shoulders, arms folding tight across my chest as I let her meaning settle in my mind. Then, a wide grin broke across my face, stretching from ear to ear. "Is that so? Why didn't you say that earlier?" I said, my voice cutting through the stillness, laced with a spark of excitement and challenge.
Dia didn't answer. She stayed silent, her quiet refusal speaking volumes. I caught the tension in her jaw, the way her eyes flicked away, and I knew she wasn't ready to share more—not yet.
The darkness around us felt almost alive, a thick, suffocating blanket woven from the fog and shadows. But amid that oppressive gloom, a tiny orb of light glimmered faintly in the sky—a soft, otherworldly glow that barely pierced the haze. It was subtle, but it gave Nuk and Dia just enough to navigate this barren wasteland. I kept my steps close behind Dia's, moving swiftly but carefully.
Nuk's eyes scanned the landscape with practiced precision. Every dead, hollowed-out trunk we passed bore familiar markings—silent guideposts etched into the lifeless wood, leading us deeper into this forsaken place. When he finally nodded in satisfaction, his face grew serious, and his voice lowered with caution.
"Zero, follow Dia carefully," he said, his hand briefly resting on my shoulder. Then, without hesitation, he moved ahead, determined to avoid any missteps. "Be careful—you might set off some traps."
His warning barely registered with me.
As Dia followed Nuk cautiously, every step deliberate and careful, I felt a surge of restlessness—spurred by a mix of spite, curiosity, and pure adrenaline. Without thinking, I pushed past Dia, my feet pounding against the soft earth as I raced forward.
"Okay, carefully pass? Zero, don't!" Nuk's warning echoed behind me, but it was too late.
Suddenly, the air snapped with tension as traps stirred to life. Dia's scream cut through the fog like a blade—sharp, terrified. I spun around just in time to see her caught, her feet ensnared in cruel metal jaws, leaving her hanging upside down beside a twisted tree trunk.
My eyes widened, caught by the clatter and snap of traps triggering one after another. "Wow, primitive traps," I said, awe coloring my voice.
Dia shot me a glare, her face flushed with frustration despite her predicament. "Rude…" she muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
I moved quickly, scanning the ground and surrounding trees for more hidden dangers, my pulse racing with excitement. Nuk, meanwhile, dashed to Dia's side, ignoring me completely. I should have taken the hint, but the rush was intoxicating.
"Crap!" Nuk cursed, narrowly dodging a volley of flying arrows. They whistled past him, embedding themselves in the trunks around us.
"Brother!" Dia called out, panic lacing her voice.
"I'm coming!" Nuk shouted, reaching toward her, but then I heard the telltale click of another trap.
From the darkness, a massive log swung out with brutal force, striking Nuk square in the chest. He was thrown backward, landing hard in a net that snapped shut like a cage. He was caught—immobilized and helpless.
"Ah!"
Dia's voice wavered between disbelief and frustration. "Great, we're both caught, Zero?"
I smirked, not quite ready to admit defeat. Moments later, the net tightened around me, hoisting me off the ground like a rag doll. The sight of all three of us trapped like some sad joke made my face flush—not just from excitement but from the sudden rush of blood pounding in my head.
"Hahaha, that was fun. I'd like to try again," I laughed, the adrenaline still buzzing through my veins.
I flexed my hands, starting to tear at the ropes binding me, but Nuk's sharp voice stopped me cold. "Please don't," he warned, eyes twitching toward something beyond us. "It's hard to find materials to set traps if you break those."
He sighed with a mixture of annoyance and resignation. "How about helping us down now, and stop that—I can feel your snickering from over here."
Before I could respond, a figure emerged from the shadows—a man with vibrant green hair and ears like Nuk and Dia's, but eyes that burned a fierce red, just like mine behind my fox mask. He smiled, barely containing laughter.
"Hahaha. Yes sir!" the man said, grinning at Nuk and making him even more irritated. "You got trapped by your own trap, Nuk."
The fog twisted around us as the laughter echoed through the empty forest. Despite the danger, the silence, and the cold creeping into my bones, moments like this made the darkness feel strangely alive—a wicked, wild place where every shadow held a new story waiting to unfold.
Nuk couldn't even argue with what Hansel said, but I could see the flush of embarrassment creeping into his face, his body tense as if ready to snap. With a serious, almost monotonous tone, he said, "Hansel, just let us down now."
Hansel grinned, clearly enjoying the moment, but when he caught the fire burning in Nuk's eyes, he knew better than to push it any further. Without another word, he moved toward a nearby thicket and began fiddling with some hidden mechanism. Almost immediately, the traps around us clicked and reset, some disabling entirely.
"Thanks, Hansel," Dia said, brushing dust off her clothes as she landed back on firm ground. Her glare shot straight at me—a death stare that made me grin even wider, innocent and unbothered as ever.
"No prob, Dia," Hansel replied with a smirk. Then his sharp eyes caught mine, narrowing slightly. "Well, I didn't expect you to bring a short ear."
He stepped closer, inspecting me from head to toe. I wanted to hold my ground, but Nuk quickly pulled him back, shaking his head as if to say, "Not now."
"Long story. Let's just go," Nuk said, his exhaustion practically dripping from his voice. But Hansel wasn't done yet. His gaze flicked away for a split second, then he asked, "Wait, where is—?"
Nuk cut him off sharply before the question could finish.
"Like I said. Long story," Nuk responded, his voice heavy now, carrying regret and guilt beneath the fatigue.
Hansel caught the meaning instantly and stepped back, letting Nuk pass. He forced a smile, pretending ignorance, but I could tell there was more beneath the surface.
I watched silently, confused by this strange exchange. Their words didn't add up, and I couldn't grasp the tension hanging between them.
"Let's get into the camp first," Hansel finally said, breaking the silence. "You guys rest up, and just, you know, Father will definitely give you an earful for bringing a short ear here."
The mention of "Father" caught me off guard. My heart skipped a beat as I processed the threat of scolding aimed at Nuk and Dia—my friends, the only people I'd dared to call that since arriving here. I'd forgotten everything that happened before, even the unease I felt around them earlier.
"Is my presence here that bad?" I asked suddenly, stepping up behind Hansel. The sound of my breath made him jump.
"Ah! Don't just sneak up like that," Hansel exclaimed, taking a step back. "And please, keep your distance."
Before things could get more awkward, Nuk moved ahead, already urging us to hurry.
"Let's just go," he said, and without another word, we quickened our pace to catch up with him.
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