The Lycanthos was bigger than Aiden thought. He was easily over two meters, with a burly body filled with muscles.
Despite his wolf-like head, it had arms and legs resembling humans — albeit covered with fur. His hands resembled those of humans, but he had long sharp claws at the end.
"The cat got your tongue?" the Lycanthos asked with a snicker. "You just proved me right, pathetic humans."
"You are a seeker, right? How would the association feel about this?" Jack said while squinting his eyes. "Harming civilians is one of their core taboos."
"And who would hear about it, here in the Fringes?" the Lycanthos asked with a smirk. He raised a hand, and a sword appeared in his grip.
"There will be witnesses."
"No one is foolish enough to antagonize a seeker," the Lycanthos said as he licked the sword in his hand. "But you are foolish enough to think we wouldn't notice."
"If this is about the gem, then we'll offer it," Aiden said without a change in his expression. "Our lives are a lot more important than some gem."
"You're wise, boy," the Lycanthos said. "But as I said… we can't leave any witnesses."
Everything became clear the moment he finished those words.
They were not just here to steal — but to do so without leaving a trace.
Jack raised his rifle, firing a bullet at the Lycanthos.
The seeker flicked his sword, and the bullet changed direction. Aiden retrieved the blade from his inventory as he watched the moonlight seep through the open doors.
"Do you have a plan?" Aiden asked.
Jack was silent.
His expression hardened as he looked at Aiden, then he looked back at the Lycanthos. The fog behind them was rising from the lower floor, making it impossible for them to see within it.
At that moment, Jack stepped toward the Lycanthos and away from Aiden.
"Let us join your team, and I will let you have the gem. That way, there won't be any witnesses," Jack said. "I'm a tamer."
The Lycanthos smirked. Then, his shifty eyes landed on Aiden.
"And the boy?" he asked.
"He can be useful."
"I don't have a need for dead weight," the Lycanthos said with a grin. "Kill the boy, and you're one of us. I could use a tamer."
Jack stiffened. His rifle was aimed at the ground now. Aiden couldn't see his face, but he already knew that his decision had been made. Before the tamer could turn to face him, Aiden smirked at them.
"I guess you have shown your true colors now," Aiden said, his eyes glaring at the hunter's back. "Everyone is kind if they could afford it — but when you have to choose between you and me, it will always be you."
"Am I to blame?" Jack turned around with an ashamed expression. Then, his rifle aimed at Aiden. "I have a mission now — a reason for me to stay alive. A single life is insignificant compared to millions."
"A single life," Aiden repeated with a smirk, "and the small shred of principle you had."
A look of shame passed Jack's face.
Aiden used that hesitation in his favor.
His blade danced, and moonlight shone on the two before him. They shielded their eyes, while he jumped down the stairs into the mist.
Aiden felt the mist engulf him, and his senses disappeared. He could no longer see nor hear a thing. He felt the pain of landing on the wooden floor, and one of them broke beneath him.
His past life as a thief and conman forced Aiden to memorize every place he walked into — and this inn was no exception. Despite not having any sensory feedback, he bolted toward the door.
Of course, he slammed into some tables here and there, sending him to the ground. Nonetheless, he jumped back up and rushed toward the door.
"If you poke the hole, all the rats emerge," a sinister voice said in his ears. Aiden couldn't pinpoint its source, and felt like the man was a breath away from him. He slashed with his sword, but struck nothing.
Aiden stopped.
He couldn't keep running toward the door aimlessly.
Instead, he focused everything he had on his blade.
And the dance he knew.
Moonlight began shimmering within the mist, and Aiden could see again. He saw the moonlight chase away the elusive mist as it shone inside the room.
Although Aiden could not wield it yet, his dance amplified the moon within the mist — until it revealed a creature. Its form shimmered with shadowy tendrils, and its pale skin shrunk under the moonlight.
"A damn user of light!" the monster rasped, its hollow eyes glowing as it glared at Aiden. "You are a fool to think this is enough to defeat me!"
"And who said anything about defeating you?" Aiden asked with a smirk as a spot of light appeared on the tip of his sword. "I just need you to move away."
Aiden then jumped forward and slashed. The light spot flew in an arc toward the shadow creature.
"What is this pathetic spot of light?" the creature questioned as he looked at the light flying toward him.
"It has a punch to it," Aiden said as he released his hand. "A few crates-worth of punch."
The shadow creature couldn't understand, until the spot of light turned into three giant crates hurling toward him. It let out a shriek as the mist exploded from its body to shield it.
At the same time, Aiden rushed toward the door. The moment before the mist blinded him again, he threw himself at the door and then outside.
He rolled on the ground outside the inn until he stopped and tried to rise. At that moment, a beastly howl came from above. Aiden looked up to see the Lycanthos on the rooftop, howling at the moonlight.
Jack stood beside him, aiming his rifle toward Aiden. Then, without hesitation, he fired. Aiden pushed himself aside, avoiding the bullets in the nick of time.
"No hesitation about killing me, huh?" Aiden muttered as he rose from the ground and smiled toward Jack. "This world is far crueler than I thought, but that makes it easier to understand."
Aiden then rushed into the forest, barely avoiding the branches and trees. He saw shadows dance above him, and remembered the woman from earlier.
"I'm being chased by a werewolf, a shadow creature, a flying beauty, and a tamer hunter," Aiden muttered as he slipped between the trees. "Life can't get better than this."
A gunshot resonated behind him.
Aiden tried to dodge, but felt the pain shoot through his arm. He slammed into the tree and felt the warm blood covering his arm.
The bullet lodged itself inside his arm.
He looked back to see Jack at the end of the forest.
Behind him was the Lycanthos, grinning from one ear to the other.
The shadow creature rushed through the forest.
The woman flew from above him, singing a song that clouded his senses.
Aiden could hear the angels of death calling for him.
But he pushed himself through the forest, leaving a trail of blood behind him. The blade in his hand cut through whatever branches he couldn't navigate around.
The forest slowly became a rope coiling around his neck. It dragged him back, while death chased from behind.
Aiden slashed another branch and found himself emerging from the forest into a giant clearing. The incline made him trip, and Aiden rolled down the hill. After he stopped, he rose to look around.
The clearing was covered in violet flowers.
In the middle was a single tree, piercing through the sky.
It had the same violet color as the flowers around him — now tainted with his own blood.
Another howl emerged from the forest.
Aiden felt the world spin as he rose.
Then, he began running — as fast as he could.
The woman was first to arrive, flapping her wings while staring down at Aiden. Her almost-translucent skin allowed moonlight to seep through, making her shadow barely visible.
She stared with her big round eyes as the shadow creature emerged from the forest.
Then, Jack appeared.
Followed by the Lycanthos.
The four of them looked at Aiden trudging toward the giant tree. They could see that he had bled from his arm more than enough to kill a man, but his will to live carried him forward.
"Can we… spare him?" Jack asked the Lycanthos.
The creature's face turned into a terrifying growl.
"If he lives, then you will replace him."
Jack steadied his trembling hand.
And then, he turned toward Aiden, who had now approached the tree.
The three marched forward.
As for the woman, she remained distant and watching from above.
Aiden pushed himself to the limit, no longer aware of his surroundings.
His blood now covered his torso and left a trail behind him.
At the foot of the giant tree, Aiden fell to his knees.
He looked behind him, and saw the approaching three.
Instead of fear, he smiled.
Then, he dragged himself toward the tree.
Aiden leaned on the tree, and sat there waiting for the three to arrive.
"I see that you have given up," the Lycanthos said with a grin. "You should've died without giving us trouble. Finish him, tamer."
"Can I do it?" the shadowy creature asked, its hollow eyes glowing with thirst to kill.
"The tamer must be the one to kill him," the Lycanthos said with a grin. "It's more entertaining that way."
Jack was silent.
Then, he stepped forward to stand in front of Aiden.
The two locked eyes.
Aiden gave him a bloody grin.
"Don't act reluctant when your rifle is already loaded," Aiden told him. "Spare me the hypocrisy and kill me."
"I have no other choice," Jack said. "This is what it means to be weak."
"You had a lot of choices," Aiden spat. "But this one is the easier."
Jack didn't answer him. Instead, he aimed his gun at the bleeding man.
Aiden smiled and closed his eyes.
This is what should've happened — his true end.
His arrival to this world was a mishap of what should've happened. For a moment, Aiden believed that he wanted to live in this world. Jack's betrayal reminded him of the reason he wished to never exist.
Hell is other people.
The desire inside him ignited — pure, quiet, and consuming. He didn't want revenge. He didn't want to win. He just wanted everything to end.
And the world answered.
[VOID LEVEL: 100% — THRESHOLD BREACHED]
[Perfect Erasure Initiated!]
[You have chosen nonexistence. The fracture is complete.]