Three days went by.
And the amount of time both of them left the underground base was kept to a minimum. Rhea only went out for more water and food. And Daichi, only for bodily purposes. But even so. Rhea kept on edge.
Which was noticeable to Daichi. Who couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened that he didn't know or realized.
They ate sprinters. Which Daichi found disgusting. And drank the odd tasting water Rhea fetched. But the silence between them was deafening.
Night time came and she didn't even bother to activate or turn on that little halo fire light of hers.
She's hardly speaking too.
It feels like...she's holding her breath.
Daichi mused to himself. Noticing Rhea's behavior. From how much she watched the trap door in the roof to how much more uncomfortable and heavy the atmosphere felt all together. Especially outside. Which felt like it was...recovering.
The sun rose on the third day. Both of them in the darkness. And suddenly. Rhea's halo came alive. Illuminating the room. And waking Daichi who was sitting upright on the desk. And all he heard above the silence was a drawn out sigh.
"Rhea?..."
He said softly. Looking at the flaming halo above her head.
Why did she...
Never mind that.
I need to know what's going on.
He thought to himself. Standing up and slightly leaning against the desk.
"Something dangerous was nearby..."
She said softly. Her shoulders sagging as she relaxed while sitting on the floor. Looking up at the trap door.
"What was it?"
"And how close?."
"Surely it couldn't have been that nearby right. I mean. You even went out to get more sprinters and water."
He said confused. Trying to make a point but also trying to understand.
"I...I'm not sure what it was. Or how close. But It's Vhis felt like it was...everywhere."
I know so much about all the different races. But...I don't know what that was.
She responded in a low tone. Her eyes never leave the trap door.
"Everywhere?."
"I didn't feel that."
Daichi said softly. Looking at the trap door. Then back at her halo. Which flickered unusually. It wasn't bright or dim. It seemed almost afraid to exist. And then he remembers something strange.
I*ter*sting...
A single partially blurred word. Hitting him like a truck. He held his head as he felt a flash of pain.
Where did I hear that from...
And why does it hurt so much
He thought to himself. Still hurting from his first life-fog absorption.
"Yeah...Everywhere."
"But it's...gone now."
"I think."
Rhea responded. Finally looking at Daichi. And for the first time in three days, he's really noticing Rhea's expression.
Her face is pale. Her cheeks were stained with tears. And her eyes were tired. And then he realized. She wasn't just staying down there to hide. She was scared. Of whatever it is she sensed in the forest. This girl managed to survive an Angel. A Gift hunter. Strong enough to kill and survive on sprinters. Smart enough to mimic Sorphel's halo and use fear as a weapon.
But even so. She never activated that halo once in those couple of days. Not in the darkness of midnight or for strategy.
"Why didn't you...Use your halo. Like you say you do."
"To scare stuff."
He asked hesitantly. Looking at her.
"I...I don't think whatever it was would've been afraid."
"It was intentionally releasing its life-fog."
"I didn't even know that's possible."
She responded softly. But the fear in her tone was evident.
"And...and it got close...really really really close."
Tears started flowing again as she stuttered.
"Th-That's why the b-bow was trembling..."
Her voice cracked as she stuttered even more.
She's...crying.
Daichi thought to himself. Walking over to her. Kneeling down to her and hugging her as she curled up into herself.
"It was near...Daichi. I swear"
She said in a terrified tone. Her tears dampened his clothes. Her smaller hands clutching his shirt.
"Is it gone now?. Can you still sense it?"
He asked softly. Trying to find out if the threat is still nearby.
"Mhmm.."
"It's...gone."
"I can't feel its presence anymore."
She responded in a low tone. Her vulnerability peeked through her armor.
"Daichi?..."
She said in a low tone.
"Hm?"
He answered.
"Did anything...strange happen?. When I left you with the sprinter to kill. I noticed it came just as you were absorbing its life-fog...so didn't you notice anything at all?."
She asked. Pulling back as she looked at him. Noticing that everything really got weird when she was back. Not to mention the trap door was left open because Daichi was fighting the sprinter. And the bow was trembling.
"I-I'm not sure. I don't remember anything besides the pain I felt."
He said in a low tone. Releasing her as he sighed. And suddenly!. A sharp pain struck him. With a Confusing Memory.
Anoth*r H#*@*#
#*...
His whole body was stunned. His eyes wide open but all he saw were random flashes. Wars. Random faces. Black horns with glowing patterns. Irregular shaped Halos. Long streams of color decimating the landscape. Creepy figures with masks that covered their faces.
Rhea looked at him. Noticing how his eyes opened.
"Daichi?"
She said softly. But he was unresponsive. And panic sets in. Rhea shook him.
"Daichi what's wrong?"
"You're not answering."
She shook him more. Looking at him. Standing up as she stepped back. Daichi's whole body went limp. But his expression remained.
No no no no no noo
What's happening!
Rhea was panicking. looking at him but didn't know what to do.
Um...Hmm
I think I can force his consciousness back.
She got up as she started searching around the room for something. Then she suddenly looked toward the rubble on the ground from the fight Daichi had with the sprinter. Running over to it she grabbed a piece of stone. And back to Daichi she went, who was slightly spazzing out. Dropping to her knees next to him.
Okay okay I can do this.
She sighed, closing her eyes and took a deep breath.
"This is going to hurt...I'm sorry"
Her flaming halo came alive. But as strong, fierce blue flames. With flickers of orange. She released the stone. But it didn't fall. It hovered above Daichi's thigh. Trembling as Rhea's palms were engulfed with orange flames. The heat slowly melted the rock. And keeping it in place as a liquid.
Surely this works right...
It only makes sense.
Mmh Shut up Rhea!!
She took another deep breath and bit her lip nervously. And without a beat later. She released the molten rock. It splatted on Daichi's thigh. Burning through his torn up clothes and immediately began to oxidize.
GASP!!!
Daichi sat up fast. His heart pumping ridiculously faster. His eyes locked onto the slowly oxidizing molten rock on his thigh. His skin and muscles underneath sizzled loudly as they were being burnt to a crisp.
"WHAT THE FU-"
"RHEA!!!"
He jumped up on his feet. Which only made it worse. The not yet oxidised molten rock between his thigh and the already oxidized molten rock started running down his thigh slowly.
Shit shit shit shit shit!!!!
Nghhh
He grabbed his improvised weapon. and tried to scrape off the excess molten rock from his thigh. Which Partially worked.
"I'm sorry!!"
"But you were...I don't know."
"But I had to!"
Rhea responded. Looking at Daichi scrambling around. And then he suddenly stopped. Looking down at his thigh. The molten rock slowly peeled itself off. His thigh was slowly healing. He could see every fiber of his burnt muscles regenerate.
It felt like the whole wound was numb with slight stings every now and then.
"Rhea?"
"What's going on?!"
He asked. He's confused. But also a bit terrified.
"Your life-fog is just...doing what life-fog does naturally."
She said softly. Her halo dimmed slightly. Going completely orange-red from fierce blue flames.
"That's...a vague answer."
He responded in a low tone, looking at his thigh as it slowly heals.
"Never mind that. What was happening to you?!"
"You were sitting there limp. With your eyes wide open."
"And...spazzing"
She said softly. Looking at him confused.
"What?"
"Rhea...you just poured lava on my thigh."
"After I was trying to comfort you."
He said in a serious tone. Looking at her. Clearly not happy about what she did.
"What?!"
He doesn't remember?!
Rhea looked at him just as confused.
"Look. You said that thing is gone. So we need to make haste now."
"We're already several days behind."
Daichi responded. Oblivious to what happened to him. And not caring much for Rhea's reasons for what she did. His only priority is his son's location and well being.
What's happening?!
Surely I saw him unconscious. With his eyes wide open.
Didn't I?
Of course I did. That's the whole reason I had to do what I did.
Right...
Rhea's mind was a mess. She was confused. But decided not to push further. They're both fatigued and exhausted. Especially Rhea.
I'll keep an eye on you.
"Uh...yeah. We'll be on our way to Nervaal soon."
Rhea said reassuringly. But her skepticism was evident. She sighed. Jumping up on her desk as she leaned against the wall.
"Finally"
Sitting flat on the ground, his back against the wall. Taking his phone out of his pocket. It's at twenty-five percent. Almost dying. But looking at the wallpaper of him and Mori nonetheless.