Uvan, Jess, and the remaining Wanderers stood at a distance, their figures framed by the faint glow of an overcast sky. They gazed silently at what was once a camp, now transformed into a desolate wasteland of decay. The air was heavy with the lingering stench of rot, and the earth, once alive with movement, was now a lifeless, ashen expanse.
I materialized from the mist alongside Lovia and Celia, my hands still steadying their shoulders. Both were pale, their exhaustion etched deeply into their expressions.
"Are you guys alright?" Jess asked as she and Uvan approached. Her voice carried a mix of relief and concern.
I nodded, finally letting go of Lovia and Celia. Lovia leaned on her knees, catching her breath, while Celia straightened up slightly and managed a faint, confident smile.
"We're fine," Celia said, her tone light despite the tension still crackling in the air. "A little tired, but still standing."
All of us turned to face the decayed wasteland again, the silence stretching out between us. The decay had erased everything.... the tents, supplies, even the ground beneath them had been consumed by that terrible energy. Only the faint outline of what had been remained, a stark reminder of how close we'd all come to annihilation.
I broke the silence, my voice calm. "We can't stop here. If we're going to make any progress, we need to find and kill the Lords of Teka. We can't move on without finishing them."
There was a murmur of agreement, but Lovia raised a hand slightly. "We can't keep pushing like this," she said, her voice tinged with fatigue. "We're depleted. If we fight in this state, it'll be a massacre. We need to rest, even if it's just for a few hours."
She was right. No one here, myself included, had the strength to face whatever came next. After a brief discussion, we all agreed to halt for the night.
Nightfall came swiftly, draping the wasteland in a thick shroud of shadows. The surviving Wanderers had set up a loose camp, though it was more of a gathering than a proper encampment. There were no tents or shelters... just scattered groups sitting around hastily made fires. The crackling of flames was the only sound, save for the occasional murmur of conversation.
Celia and I sat near one of the smaller fires, its warmth doing little to dispel the chill that seemed to seep into everything. For a while, neither of us spoke, the quiet between us surprisingly comfortable. The firelight danced across Celia's face, highlighting the faint frost that still clung to her hair and armor.
Finally, I broke the silence. "You came in with insane speed back there," I said, my tone teasing. "For a second, I thought you were trying to give me a heart attack, charging straight at that creature like that."
Celia's lips curved into a grin as she leaned back slightly. "Oh, please. That wasn't insane... it was mercy," she replied playfully. "If I'd been serious, I wouldn't have just stabbed it in the shoulder."
I let out a low chuckle, shaking my head. "Mercy, huh? That's one way to put it."
For a moment, the two of us laughed quietly, the tension easing just a little. But as the laughter faded, I glanced at her, my expression growing a little serious.
"How did you do it?" I asked. "See it move at that speed, I mean. I couldn't keep up, but you... you saw it coming."
Celia's smile faltered slightly, her gaze dropping to the flickering flames. She was quiet for a moment, as if searching for the right words.
"It was... strange," she said finally. "In that moment, everything just... slowed down. It was like I wasn't thinking, wasn't even trying to react. I just saw it."
She hesitated, then added, "Right then, I noticed something... the screen popped up in my vision. It said I'd developed a new ability."
I raised an eyebrow. "A new ability?"
She nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Yeah. It's called Eagle Gaze. I think that's the name for it. It lets me see things clearly, no matter how far away they are. Like... if something's in the next city over, I'd still be able to see it as if it were right in front of me."
Her voice grew more animated as she spoke, her hands gesturing slightly. "But it's not just distance. If something moves fast... like, really fast... I see it in slow motion. The faster it is, the slower it looks to me. It's... hard to describe, but it feels like time itself slows down when it's active."
I let out a low whistle, leaning back. "That's... impressive."
Celia shrugged, though there was a faint glint of pride in her eyes. "It came in handy, I guess."
I nodded, a small smirk tugging at my lips. "Eagle Gaze, huh? That's a nice ability."
She tilted her head slightly, a playful gleam returning to her expression. "Nice enough to save your life."
I chuckled softly, shaking my head. "Fair enough."
The fire crackled between us, and for a moment, the world felt just a little less bleak.