Astel patrolled around the makeshift campsite, walking casually with his spear leaning against his shoulder. This was their third camp since arriving in the caves, and so far, they had been attacked seven times. Each time, the attackers were dealt with by Astel's quick reflexes.
The air in the cave was damp and cold, likely seeping in from the mountains ahead.
When he returned to camp, he noticed Sev sitting by the fire with a few lost souls. He had just summoned his guitar and was preparing to play.
"You seem at ease, Sev."
Turning his head toward the approaching figure, Sev replied, suspicion lacing his tone.
"I could say the same to you. You seem like a different person."
After a moment's pause, he pointed at an empty spot near the flames.
"Come, sit down. Relax."
Astel shrugged his shoulders and complied. The cracking fire filled the silence, its warmth pushing back the chill of the cave. Soon a soft tune drifted into the air, easing everyone's nerves. Sev played several songs, sometimes even humming along.
When his fingers finally left the strings and the humming subsided, Astel asked,
"When did you learn to play, anyway?"
Sev turned his head to Astel.
"It's a long story…"
Astel dismissed his spear.
"We have time."
Sev smiled awkwardly and opened his notebook. Flipping through the pages, he stopped at one of the first, reading it for a moment before closing the book and setting it aside.
"During my second year at the sanctuary, I received this guitar. With a lot of free time, I decided to learn it." He paused, thinking. "I was actually taught by someone when I was a child, but it still felt like a new experience."
Not understanding what he meant, Astel simply nodded.
"What is the sanctuary like, anyway?"
Sev looked at him with a tired expression.
"You should ask Max. He knows a lot more than I do."
Astel raised an eyebrow.
"Haven't you been here longer than him?"
Sev shook his head.
"Yes, but I don't spend much of my time in that place."
He dismissed the guitar and stood up slowly.
"Go get some rest. We have another long day ahead of us."
Astel nodded and watched him walk off into the distance.
'I swear, if I have to wake up again just because he can't patrol properly, I'll kick his ass,' Astel thought as he made his way to his improvised tent, crafted from what remained of the broken wagon.
Inside, he found Max fiddling with something.
"Can't sleep?"
Max raised his head and smiled innocently.
"No, it's just…" He paused, the smile fading. "I'm worried we won't make it."
Astel sat down and nodded.
"Don't worry about that… Instead, tell me more about the sanctuary. Take your mind off the journey and whatnot."
Max's eyes lit up.
"It's like a whole city hidden in the mountains. I've never seen anything like it! The houses are made of stone and held together by this weird spider silk that's super sticky."
Astel nodded along, listening intently.
"There are hundreds of people—uh, lost souls—and we have a very strong and cool leader." His voice was filled with admiration. "Her name is Astrid, and she's been taking care of us long before I arrived."
Astel smiled faintly.
"And what's this Astrid like?"
Max's cheeks flushed red.
"She's beautiful… I mean, strong. Very strong." He coughed awkwardly. "I heard she took down a category 4 beast once and obtained a notion from it."
Astel tilted his head slightly.
"Interesting… Tell me more."
"About the sanctuary, or Astrid?" Max asked, stunned.
Astel let out a quiet laugh.
"The sanctuary."
Max blushed even harder.
"...Uhhh, there's this weird cocoon near the spider's nest, but we were told never to approach it. I only saw it from a distance."
'Cocoon? Spider's nest?' Astel muttered inwardly.
Noticing his confusion, Max explained,
"The spider's nest is where we get that weird silk. We use it for almost everything, but only Sev and Astrid are allowed to go there and collect it."
Visibly sulking, he mumbled,
"I want to help them too, but they don't trust me."
Remembering Astel had come here to sleep, he quickly apologized.
"Sorry I kept talking. You must be tired."
"It's fine… Good night."
"Good night, Master Astel." Max bowed before leaving the tent.
Shaking his head, Astel laid down on the cold, hard ground and tried to sleep. After tossing and turning, he sat cross-legged and attempted to enter his mind palace. He had been trying to check on the original Astel from time to time, but every attempt felt like he was locked out.
'I wonder how that idiot's doing… If he hasn't bled out yet. Not like he can, but still…'
Giving up as usual, he laid back down and finally drifted off.
He was woken by a scream outside the tent. Astel rushed out, summoning his spear and entering a battle stance.
Max was already at the scene, calming down a frightened lost soul.
"Hey, hey, it's okay. There's nothing here." Max's voice was steady, but the woman clinging to him shook violently. Her robes were dirty, her body covered in blisters. She hugged Max tightly, sobbing softly.
"What happened?" Max asked when she had calmed a little.
"Something bit me," she whispered through heavy breaths.
"Do you mind showing me where?" Max asked nervously.
The woman nodded and pulled down her robe, revealing an oval-shaped bite mark on her neck.
Max frowned.
Seeing his expression, she asked in a trembling voice,
"Is it bad? Am I going to die?"
"You're not going to die, don't worry." Max's voice was firm but gentle. He paused, scanning the crowd. "Do you see that guy?" He pointed toward another lost soul in the distance. "He used to be a doctor. Ask him to treat the wound so you don't get an infection, and you'll be fine."
The woman nodded frantically and rushed to the man.
Astel placed a hand on Max's shoulder from behind.
"Why do you go so far for them?"
Max smiled awkwardly and turned to him.
"I do what I can… They're in the same position I was in five years ago, so I feel like it's my duty."
"I thought they weren't really themselves anymore."
Max frowned, glancing at the woman.
"Some of them aren't. The inversions affect everyone differently. Some are luckier than others."
"Are you one of the lucky ones?"
Max shook his head with a sad smile.
"Not really. I was a mess when I came here. Then I met Sev and Astrid, and they helped me back on my feet… but I lost most of my nerves." He hesitated, his voice quieter. "Sometimes I can't feel much of anything. Sometimes I can't even feel the ground beneath my feet, and I get really scared."
He turned his gaze away from the camp.
"If it wasn't for Sev, I probably would've hanged myself, or let some beast eat me."
He laughed dryly, though it didn't sound like a joke.
"I just like helping them out. I'm sure they're scared and confused like I once was, and I never want anyone to feel that way."
These words surely would have resonated with the original Astel. But instead, he simply nodded, feeling nothing in particular.
"If there's nothing else, I'll head back to bed."
"Rest well," Max said quietly from behind him.