Getting up, I noticed that the forest looked a little different from what I had seen before. Some bushes were crushed, as if something heavy had fallen on them, and marks from large claws scratched the tree trunks.
"You said everything was ready to leave, but where's Ashi?" I asked, observing the vegetation.
"He went to a nearby river to get some water."
"Really? I couldn't see any river from up here."
"He said it's not far, but insisted on going alone."
After waiting a little longer, Ashi appeared among the trees, carrying a bag full of water. However, his face looked strange, with no sparkle in his eyes.
"Finally! Sorry for the delay, everyone!" Ashi shouted excitedly, though tired enough to lean on his knees with his hands.
It had been a long time since I'd seen him so lively, completely different from yesterday's gloom.
"We were waiting for you. If you had taken any longer, we would have left without you." Angela laughed, as always, lightly and carefree.
"Pick up your equipment from the ground."
"I managed to scan the entire area. There's a town ten kilometers from here, finally connecting the mountain and the valley. The problem is, on the other side of the mountain, there's only one route—climbing the shortest side, which is to the right."
Ashi looked shocked.
"Looks like we'll be walking even more, Ashi," I joked, giving a light punch to his chest.
"Just now…" he replied, as if exhaustion weighed down every word.
And so, we set off toward the hill shaded by broad-leaved trees, about thirteen meters tall. The difficulty came from the bushes in the middle of the path, as well as snakes and other animals that distracted us. The moss-covered ground made our feet slip constantly.
"Ahh!" Peter shouted as he fell backward onto a rock.
"Are you okay?" Kate ran over, worried.
"Just a slip, nothing serious."
Although he said that, he began walking with his hands on his lower back, his expression showing pain.
It was already hard to see what our next steps held, but the situation worsened with a dense white fog descending from the sky.
"Is this a cloud?" I asked, leaning on a branch to keep my balance.
"Could be, but it was alone."
A few minutes earlier, Angela had been rummaging through her bag looking for something.
"Don't worry, it should pass quickly. Let's communicate so we don't get separated!" Ashi ordered, taking the lead.
Shortly after reaching the halfway point of the hill, it was impossible to see a step ahead.
"Damn it!" Angela shouted, her voice coming from the right. "I couldn't find the flashlight!"
I had an idea after bumping into a thin, dry tree.
"Grab some branches to test the ground!" I said, breaking a few and tossing them in random directions, hoping they'd land near someone.
"Thanks!"
We continued. Perhaps going through the mountain wasn't the best option.
"This is the top! Keep going, the path is safe!" Ashi, the first to arrive, called out.
Sweat ran down my neck and dripped from my chin. I had lost feeling in my fingertips, and the pain multiplied from the times I had leaned on rocks and trunks. With sore knees and an exhausted body, I took the final step to the top.
"Finally… now just wait for the others," I sighed in relief, taking a sip of water.
Almost everyone arrived together.
"Drink and stay hydrated, we still have a long way to go." Ashi began distributing the bottles he had filled at the river.
"That was the best water I've ever had in my life."
"Phew… my feet are killing me, but it's better to keep going than to stop and rest," Kate said, panting.
"It won't be easy. The fog is increasing every second. Once we leave the port, we might lose sight of each other immediately," I warned, searching for larger, sturdier branches to mark the path.
Ashi put away the empty bottles and adjusted his shell.
"No need to rush. I'll go ahead to check the path," Ashi announced, stepping down some rocks.
A heavy silence took over the environment.
"He's really taking Jin's role," I said, following him. "It can't be easy carrying the weight of leadership. Let's help as much as we can."
Kate clenched her fist, looking concerned. Her expression changed when I mentioned Jin.
"Really?" I thought.
They've only known each other for such a short time and she's already in love? Maybe it's just worry over losing a friend, after all, she doesn't know him well enough to realize he can face any opponent. At least, that's the image I have of him: a boy who never talks about himself and prefers to bear his own challenges alone. I don't fully judge her.
"We won't leave him waiting."
I jumped across the rocks, careful not to slip. The air was humid due to the dense fog. My hurried steps scratched against thorny trees, cutting some superficial parts of my body.
Eventually, the plants ended, and all that remained was a steep grassy slope, making it impossible for any human to slow down.
"Guys! Where are you?" I shouted, looking at the whiteness around me, hoping to find someone.
"To your right, it's better if we meet down there!" Kate replied.
I quickened my pace, still on the rocky plain, trying to find the two.
But Peter was lying on the ground, his body showing no visible injuries.
"Peter! Can you hear me?!" I shouted, giving small slaps to his cheeks.
There was no response.
I put my ear to his chest. His heart was still beating, and his breathing seemed normal. It was as if he were in a deep sleep.
"Kate! Peter is down! I need help!"
"I'm coming!"
I wondered how Ashi was doing.
"Near the climb! Find me quickly!"
In the meantime, I dragged Peter to a cave beside us, where there wasn't much fog. A few minutes passed, and there was still no sign of Kate.
"Angela! Kate! We can hide here!"
Turning left, I saw Kate limping, carrying Angela in her arms. I ran as fast as possible to help her. Kate had no strength to speak.
"What happened to you?" I began to panic.
"I found little water…" Kate replied, almost voiceless. "Come, quickly!"
As we moved away, we could hear Angela crashing due to Kate's fall.
I placed Angela beside Peter and went back to get Kate, whose face was pale and lips blue.
"Gi, stay awake!"
As I entered the cave, I saw Ashi standing. He didn't seem desperate; his eyes were distant and empty.
"Ashi, you…" I was interrupted.
"You're still awake, Shiz? Better rest a little."
"Was it you who did this?!"
"Don't get me wrong, no restraints had anything to do with it."
"What are you talking about? Jin?"
There was a pause.
"Oh, yes. He's my goal."
"How much… better you sleep."
"You're not Ashi."
"Huh? Of course I am."
A deafening, high-pitched buzzing made us dizzy. A giant pink bat appeared, flying at high speed. The monster sank its claws into Ashi's chest, piercing through him.
"Ashi!"
Blood gushed, forming a puddle on the ground. His eyes turned white, and his expression showed pain. I quickly pulled Ashi's revolver from his pocket and fired at the giant bat.
I returned to the cave carrying his body.
"Ashi…" my legs trembled as I knelt. "This wasn't you…"
My voice echoed through the cave. A cold breeze entered, while tears blurred my vision. I couldn't rely on anyone; everyone was unconscious.
I knelt beside Ashi. It took about eight minutes to gather the courage to stand.
What would Jin say if he saw me like this?
"Shiz, get up. Let's save Ashi," I imagined his voice.
In front of me, it seemed Jin was reaching out to help, with shy eyes and a cheerful smile, reminding me of my childhood. It felt as if Jin was becoming the old Ashi, and vice versa.
"You made it," I whispered to myself.
On the first step, my feet sank into the puddle of my friend's blood, feeling the warmth contrasting with the cave's cold.
"Don't think about it…"
I carried Kate, Peter, and Angela further into the cave, looking for a safe place to leave them, giving me freedom to search for Ashi. I took the flashlight from the bottom of Peter's bag, almost out of battery, and covered everyone with the cloth we had used the night before.
"May God be with you."
I walked over sharp stones, where the sunlight no longer reached, turning on the flashlight. The cave walls had glowing blue minerals, and the floor was stained with blood, as if someone had been dragged.
My hands froze, but I continued. Just when I thought I wouldn't find anything else, I came across a gap more than fifteen meters wide. I was already below ground level.
Around me, I saw a small candle inside a jar covered in dust. A human had been upside down. I grabbed two stones and struck them together until a spark ignited the stick. A green flame appeared.
"It worked!" I shouted, my voice echoing. The fire spread to other candles, revealing a path along the higher part, possibly crossable with climbing.
I proceeded, jumping and holding my life at my fingertips, carefully crossing half the gap, thinking I could slip at any moment. From up here, it looked like a river channel, with no safe place. The fall would be the height of a house. I hesitated, but had no choice.
I closed my eyes and jumped.
But instead of falling, I was caught by a child.
"W-Who are you?" I panicked, quickly moving away from his arms.
"Al…" he answered calmly, not understanding my panic.
"What are you doing here?!"
"Rescuing you, of course," he said, looking around twice. "What's your name?"
"Shizuka. Thank you so much for saving me."
Still suspicious, I wondered what a boy of this age was doing in such a dangerous place.
"To answer your question, I came to rescue a man I saw at the river earlier."
"Seriously?! What was he like?" I asked, approaching.
"You ask too many questions; I don't remember your face."