'We're going to die huh?'
Yes. That might actually be the truth. With how battered Dein's body currently is; having only one usable arm, broken bones and damage organs, it is actually safe to say that Dein is just hours if not minutes away from dying.
Dein coughed, staggering as he tried to stand up.
"Ahh… dammit…" he muttered.
Then, his gaze locked with the little girl who stood just in front of him, silent as ever. Her shadowy eyes didn't hold pity, not even concern – only a hollow sort of disappointment.
And yet… Dein knew that that disappointment wasn't pointed at him.
Looking at her eyes with his own bloodshotted gaze, the little girl appeared to be more disappointed for herself rather than him.
The scene made Dein blinked, trying to shake the thought off but then–
"Hmm?" Bon's grating voice cut in, amused as he tilted his head slightly. Eyeing Dein. "What's this? You're not gonna die on me before we could even start anything are you?"
The man towered over him like a walking tree. His weapon: a literal fricking tree fresh from its roots slung on his gigantic shoulder.
Dein did not say anything. It had become impossible for him after all; having an almost crushed side and bleeding all over he's sure to only vomit more blood if he does.
But that's okay, Dein couldn't find any words to say to the old man anyway.
What was he going to say? Please don't kill me? I have a family? Yeah no shit! As if Bon will listen to a monster.
In pain, Dein could only grit his teeth. 'I… I have to escape…' His fingers, almost instinctively clawed at the ground, pushing himself up while shaking. Trembling in agony.
As he did, the little girl dissapeared again. Like she never existed to begin with.
But unfortunately, Dein doesn't the have time to care as he finally manage to stand up. Tensing his body to bear the torment he's feeling.
Seeing this unfold before him, Bon let out a chuckle.
"Truly, A resilient one indeed!" He laughed even more without a care in the world. The tree trunk standing by his side and his muscles shone brilliantly. "Well then! Let us commence this fight…!"
But he was stopped as in the next moment, Dein took a slight step back, and then another and one more before finally turning around to burst into a run. "Hey, hey! What are you… Come back here!"
Dein of course, kept on going.
He doesn't care if this musclehead maniac is obsessed with fighting or what but he definitely isn't stupid to engage on a fight he knew he couldn't win.
So, escape was his only option.
But he haven't even taken more than ten steps when he saw a huge tree – the one Bon was holding on earlier – flew at him with incredible speed. "I said come back!" Bon hissed from behind him.
Strangely enough, the flying tree missed him. Or more precisely, Bon purposely did not hit him.
Instead, the tree hits another one of its kind just in front of Dein, making it explode into pieces and sending him rolling to the ground.
But Dein was fine. So he pushed forward, crawling up once again as he took another step. Whatever the case, Dein had to run, he had to survive.
Behind him, Bon spoke again. Curiously this time, as if totally perplexed.
"I don't get it. I really just don't get it." He paused, then Dein felt a massive presense on his back followed by a burning pain descending on his face. Before he could react, he was thrown away to the ground with a slap.
It hurts. It was painful. And black blood trickled down his right ears from the slap. He once again struggled trying to stand. Dizzy.
When he finally recovered enough. He grimace, gritting his teeth as he took another painful step forward. His body ever so slightly convulsing.
But then, there it was again. The unknown sensation burning on his flesh. Dein knew what it was, what he had to do. That he had to dodge; jump to his left, ducked, or maybe even fall to the ground to avoid the incoming attack but he just couldn't do so.
His already battered body only amplified the burning pain and he found himself unable to take another step, his body twitching uncontrollably.
Only, there was pain.
And then more pain as he felt a kick finally landing on his side. He screamed, choking on his own blood. But as as he was about to be thrown away again, Dein felt his only usable arm rose up and he was suddenly pulled closer to Bon even more before a heavy punch landed on his messed up face.
But again, he wasn't sent flying from the punch as Bon just kept on using his arm to pull him closer after each consecutive punch.
Dein felt the world shatter, his vision darkening. It wasn't even the punch anymore that hurts. Everything just… hurts. So then why? Why wasn't he dying?
His body has already been battered up, burned and beaten so why is he still alive?
Why can't he just die? Come to think of it, back when he first entered the nightmare he had also been shot with arrows all over his body, even on his neck. And yet it still took quite a lot of time for him to even lose consciousness.
'Ah… dammit… why am I thinking about this now? I wanna go home...' he thought, as another punch landed square on his stomach, his eyes widen in shock and pain, blood splattering out of his mouth. 'dammit… just kill me already'
Just then, lifting Dein's body to the air before slamming it on the ground. Bon watch Dein let out a silent scream as he convulse. His body arching up.
However, just as Bon thought it was over. Dein's body suddenly moved again, as if it was his instinct, and tried to crawl away.
The sight made Bon tilt his head and he let out a heavy sigh. "This coward!" He screamed, veins bulging on his forehead before a kick slammed on Dein's side once more and he flew to the ground for meters, stopping only once his body hits a tree.
"What a waste" with a disappointed voice, Bon shook his head dejectedly. "I thought I'll be able to stretch my muscles because of what you did to Lei but…" He let out another heavy sigh and then said "…Well, I guess it is just a waste of time after all."
He finished, taking a step towards Dein who lays limply down a few meters away. Groaning in pain while still trying to move.
Watching this, Bon mentioned, his voice questioning. "That said. I'm still curious though… why is it that you cannot seem to give up?"
Then he added. More confused rather than curious. "When you get chased, you run. When you get cornered, you still do your outmost best to run. Why is that?"
He paused, then added.
"Aren't you a monster? Y'know it's my first time seeing a monster whose first instinct whenever he saw a threat is to run. It's almost ridiculous."
Run? Dein groaned on the ground, lifting himself before leaning on a tree. It was weird. He kept on hearing the barrage of insults coming from the old man and yet Dein doesn't feel anything. In fact, he even feels like laughing right now.
It was weird indeed. If it was the usual Dein, he would've snapped already, cursing at Bon over and over and yet… he didn't.
Instead, on the corner of his eyes, he saw the little girl. Her teeth grinding as he watch the man with sharp gaze. As if wanting to crushed him where he stands.
Dein couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the sight. 'Why is she angry?' what Bon was saying was perfectly true.
All this time, Dein did not actually made a plan on how to end this nightmare. All he cared about was escaping. Running away from threat and keeping himself safe.
Of course, he has his reasons for that. Dein after all was a proud legacy… well, maybe hold the proud but he was indeed a legacy scion. A supposed pride of their family so he has his every right to want to prioritize safety than winning.
So that he could return to his family waiting at home.
That's the reason why Dein wanted to avoid danger as much as possible and find the safest way to end this nightmare.
He suddenly remembered Freya's words calling him a coward but now, strangely, he didn't mind.
He was a coward. And that is fine if it meant he could see his family again...
Dein suddenly shook his head violently, it hurts of course but he doesn't mind. Instead he shouted, caughting the attention of both the little girl and the old man while spitting mouthful of blood in the process. "What the fuck am I thinking!"
Running away to the end of this damn nightmare just so he could see his family again? "That's bullshit!"
Yes, bullshit! Dein wasn't lying when he said he'll do anything for his family – he would even hide if it's actually necessary but becoming a coward?
Ending his nightmare as safely as possible? Yeah no shit! There's no way that's possible.
And Dein's pride wouldn't accept that. He is a very prideful person after all and he prided himself as a legacy, he hates when people looks down on him and he hated it more when he looks down on himself so why?
The him he knows would never accept him calling himself a coward.
And there's no way he'd laugh in this very situation much more wished himself to die just so he could escape pain!
Yes Dein would try to escape if situation calls and it becomes absolutely necessary but he would call it tactical retreat not cowering in fear!
And Dein would never call cowardice an act of survivability so what the hell is going on?
He clicked his tongue. Not caring at all about the old man who stared at him bewildered, standing just steps in front of him.
Grtting his teeth, he gripped a handful of dirt in anger. He was still in pain but he couldn't care less, his existential crisis is much greater than the beat up he had received!
'When did this stupid thing even start?' when did his emotions started behaving abnormally? He was fine when he first entered this nightmare then the two bastards attacked him and after that…
His eyes widened and he grinded his sharp teeth.
'…After that, I suddenly crash out out of nowhere. Attacking Lei like a maniac…' no, actually it was even before that. When the two attacked, Dein's first instinct was to run and escape as fast as possible.
Why is that?
His gaze then lay on the little girl who still eyed Bon with threatening eyes. Dein's eyes widened and he almost let out a genuine laugh.
"I see… haha! I see, so that's how it is!"
Dein is sure even this laugh right now is also part of the influence but he doesn't care. In fact, he's even quite sure that the real him would've let out a slight chuckle too at the thought.
Because the little girl standing not quite far from him wore the exact same expression the Dein he knew would've had. And him wanting to laugh was exactly how he'd imagine the girl would react at his situation right now while saying "Haha! Aren't you messed up badly Mister"
It seems that… they could influence each other's emotions.
But how? Why? He couldn't answer yet.
A more pressing question is that why does the little girl seems to change personality from ever since he tried to escape. At first she was unserious and acted like a little child, then she suddenly became all serious and wore only a frown on her face when Dein tried to escape. The third… did not show any personality but it was hellbent on trying to stay alive.
Meaning it's the one trying to influence Dein whenever he's on danger, promting him to always run.
And the fourth and last one… yes, that fourth one should be Dein hence why they seemingly change personality sometimes.
'I see… so that's why she refered to herself as "us"'
Yeah that makes sense. And to think that Dein is part of that "us"… it's almost absurd... no, it is absurd!
But why would she wants Dein to stay alive though?
The answer was pretty obvious too. Their emotions are connected somehow but the little girl seems to exist only on Dein's mind so if he dies, it's only natural for her to dissapear too.
Finally, Dein sighed and a heavy voice cut in.
"I don't know what you keep on babbling about but…" A heavy voice interrupted, breaking Dein's barrage of thoughts. It was Bon of course, who's now walking towards Dein once more with renewed vigor, no longer held back by confusion. "I wanna go back to the tribe already so why don't we end this here? Oh and don't worry, I'm not gonna kill you. We still needs you for tomorrow's event after all.
Bon finished speaking but Dein heard none of that.
Instead, he looked up at the runes he had just summoned and spoke loudly in his mind. 'Hey, little girl and… whoever the rest of you are'
There was silence that followed and just as Dein thought no one would answer, three different voice suddenly rang in his mind.
[What is it Mister?]
[What? Are you planning on doubling this already worse situation you put us in?]
[I'm scared. I'm scared! We're going to die, were going to dieee. Please don't do anything! The man said he won't kill us so let's just surrender… no, wait, let's… let's not surrender, I'm sure they'll kill us tomorrow if we do! We have to run! Yes, we have to run, we have to escape!]
Dein chuckled, making Bon raise one of his eyebrows. "There they are…" He said, but internally, he hissed.
'Listen, I don't care what you all want but just so y'know, I too don't want to die and I'm kind of having a hard time not doing that with all of you messing up how I think'
Quickly, a barrage of mental voice erupted on Dein's skull as he mentioned that. Even the little girl – or at least the physical form that only exist in Dein's mind resembling a girl – standing not far from him was taken aback and stared at Dein's wounded form with wide open eyes.
In his mind meanwhile, they voiced.
[Haha… I told you guys, we shouldn't control Mister's thoughs. But me Mister, I just want you to be happy!]
[Hey kid, you better not be planning something ridiculous again that would get us killed cause I'm telling you, the reason we survived last time was a fluke!]
[No, no! We shouldn't do something reckless. We're only going to die! You listen to me bastard, we have to run, run!! That's all we have to do…!]
As weird as having literal voices in your head is, it was fricking annoying! And so Dein snapped.
"Tsk! Just do as I say bastards!" He shouted before pushing the voices on the very end of his consciousness and as he did, the little girl manifestation dissapeared. He sighed.
Then a voice sounded again, this time not in his mind but above him. "Really, what is happening?"
–Boom!
Beside Dein, the tree he was leaning on exploded with a punch that came from the musclehead old man. Luckily Dein managed to dodge – although… it wasn't really him who dodge that.
In this mind, a voice echoed. A very serious and arrogant one.
[Look, not even a second of shutting us up and your already about to die]
Hearing the voice, Dein simply pressed his lips tightly and grimace, his body in pain because of the sudden movement but he ignored it.
He put his feet on the old man's bulking arm still lodged on the tree, using it as a platform to push himself backward. He rolled, then used the momentum to quickly stand back up.
'Ah shit! It hurts as fuck'
Of course, Dein's body wasn't all recovered yet when he did that stuff. It was the opposite actually, he was in utter pain.
But it was fine.
If he could overcome the pain then that means Dein could still fight.
He has shattered organs, bones and every movement felt like torture. But it was fine, after all. Even his attributes says so.
On the corner of Dein's eyes the glowing runes shimmer and showed.
Name: Dein
True Name: –
Rank: Aspirant
Soul Core: Dormant
Memories:
Echoes:
Attributes: [Looming fate] [Dreadful Trepidation] [Distasteful]
[Dreadful Trepidation] Attribute description: "You feel the pain of the future that seeks to destroy you"
[Distasteful] Attribute description: "You are distaste by the shadow god, as such, the closer your body is to dying the further you are from death"
An ugly smile crept up on Dein's bloodied face.
"I see… so that's why I'm still alive"