The group entered the forest, swallowed almost immediately by its shadowy depths.
The only sounds were the crunching of leaves beneath their boots and the distant cries of an owl somewhere above.
Code's thoughts were divided, part of him on the mission, and part hopelessly trapped on Elara's face.
Everyone else moved with focus and discipline, but Code couldn't keep his mind steady. He tried to start a conversation with her, but before he could, a root caught his foot and sent him stumbling. Since then, he had kept quiet.
They ventured deeper and deeper, but there were no signs of demons or even demonic presence. Only trees, fog, and darkness surrounded them.
Low murmurs drifted from behind. The pot-bellied man was already complaining.
"Jeez, I'm tired," the man groaned.
'Tch. Go jump off a cliff or something,' Code muttered under his breath.
Yet, as they trudged on, a strange unease grew inside him. By now, they should have encountered something, even anything.
He looked ahead. Ran and Kael seemed calm, focused on navigating the terrain.
'Maybe it's just me,' Code thought, shaking the feeling off.
...
Hours passed. The sun had begun to set, streaking orange light through the canopy, and still, there was nothing.
"Hey..." someone whispered behind Code.
"Is there even a demon here?"
"Yeah, we should've found one by now," another voice answered.
"I'm getting tired," came a third.
Code looked ahead again. This time, Ran and Kael's expressions were tense. It was unusual. Most demons lived near the forest's edge, not this deep in.
'Wait...' Code's mind raced.
'Demons that live near the edges are usually low or mid-class... but if we've gone this far without seeing one, that means we're dealing with...'
He shook the thought away immediately. That possibility was too terrifying to consider, especially for a talentless 9th-grade like him.
...
Minutes turned to hours, and frustration began to boil.
"You know what?!" someone snapped.
The group halted. All eyes turned toward Lyra.
"I think we're just wasting our time. There's obviously no demon here!" she shouted.
"What if we go a little farther? We might find it," Kael replied, his voice steady.
"Nonsense!" the pot-bellied man barked, spittle flying from his lips. "It's sunset already! There's no demon here, goddamn it!"
Ran raised his hand. "Keep your voice down. We don't want to alert anything nearby," he warned, but that only made the uproar worse.
"I can't go further!" the pot-bellied man yelled.
"Me too," Lyra and Alric said together.
"This is pointless!" Alric argued. "We should've seen some kind of demonic trace if there really was one!"
"There's a demon here!" Ran snapped, losing patience. "The villagers swore they saw it!"
"Are you sick in the head?" the pot-bellied man fired back.
"You're the one who's sick!" Ran shouted. "I'm sure there's a demon here!"
"You're just being foolish!" Alric snarled, pointing at Ran. "If you want to die, then die alone!"
Code and Elara stood at the center of the argument, watching silently.
"Good grief," Code muttered. "This is turning into something else."
Ran shouted that there was a demon. Lyra, Alric, Dane, and the pot-bellied man said there wasn't.
But Code understood why Ran was pushing. If the mission failed, there'd be no payment. Ran had too much at stake to turn back.
He glanced at Elara. She hadn't moved or spoken, just stood still, her calm eyes watching the chaos unfold.
The argument grew louder, echoing through the forest.
When it looked like it might turn violent, Kael finally stepped in.
Clap!
The sound of his hands slamming together cracked through the air like thunder. Birds burst from the trees in every direction. Silence fell instantly.
"Whoa," Code whispered, impressed. That single clap had silenced an entire fight.
Kael stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Ran's shoulder. They exchanged quiet words, and then Kael turned to the group.
"Alright," he began, voice sharp and commanding. "We've come to a decision."
Everyone leaned in.
"If you want to leave, you're free to go," he said.
Murmurs spread through the ranks.
"However," Kael continued, his piercing blue eyes narrowing, "only those who continue from here will receive payment."
"What?"
"Huh?"
"What kind of nonsense is that?" voices erupted again.
"Yes!" Kael snapped. "The village only offered payment for defeating the demon, not for casualties or cowards. So anyone who leaves now gets nothing!"
"Tch," Alric hissed through his teeth, veins bulging.
"Make your choice. Now," Kael commanded.
Within moments, the group split.
Those turning back: Dane Mikas, Alric Screedinger, Lyra Evermere, and the pot-bellied man.
Those pressing on: Ran Cowell, Kael Jensen, Darian Soudra, Darian Tenò, Elara, and Code Weber.
"Tch. My life's worth more than this suicidal mission," Alric said as his group turned to leave.
"Just don't scream when you die, 'cause no one's coming for you," the pot-bellied man mocked as they vanished into the trees.
The forest fell silent again.
"Code," Ran called, turning to him.
"Uh?" Code blinked.
"I honestly thought you'd be the first to bail," Ran said with a grin, patting his shoulder.
"Oh, haha," Code chuckled nervously. He didn't know what to say, especially since his reason for staying was the four percent.
"I guess I shouldn't have doubted you," Ran said, giving another tap before turning away.
Still, Code's mind lingered on Elara. Why had she stayed? Any normal person would've left by now.
"Ahem," Kael's voice drew their attention.
"We're down to six. That means we'll need a tighter formation," he said. "Sword users and battle specialists will surround the healers. We can't lose our only support."
He glanced at Elara, who gave a small nod.
"I'll ask again," Kael said. "If anyone wants to leave, this is your last chance."
A soft wind passed through the trees, but no one moved.
'I can't go home empty-handed after coming this far,' Code thought.
The four percent mattered more than pride.
"Alright!" Kael barked. "Let's move!"
The group nodded. Kael signaled to Ran. "Lead the way."
"Tch," Ran hissed under his breath. "Fucking bastards." He punched the nearest tree...
...and froze when a heavy thud answered back.
"Uh?" Ran blinked. "Was that... me?"
But it wasn't. The sound came again.
THUD.
The ground trembled beneath them.
"What's that?" Code whispered, shivering.
Kael's face darkened. "Something's coming."
He turned sharply toward the noise...and froze.
Smash!
Something slammed into a nearby tree with a sickening thud.
Code jumped back, eyes wide. "What the hell...?"
He looked closer, and his blood ran cold.
Ran staggered back, horror washing over his face. "De... demon!"
Pinned to the tree was the pot-bellied man, broken, mangled, limbs twisted at impossible angles. His bloodied eyes were wide open.
He twitched, still breathing, and his cracked lips kept muttering the same word.
"De... De... mon..."
Code clamped a hand over his mouth, heart pounding.
Then, the sound came again.
Thud!
"What the hell..." Darian whispered, stepping back.
Thud. Thud.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the forest. Slow, thunderous, and impossibly close.
"De... De... mon..."
...
To be continued...