Matthew arrived at the northern gate where he found Paula healing a shallow cut on Vanessa’s arm. Michael was atop of a wooden watch tower shooting arrows at wolves that were trying to climb over the wall. Near the gate, two other adventurers were by a hole in the wall keeping the wolves outside while a third adventurer was driving a forklift positioning the logs it was carrying to block the hole.
"Vanessa." Matthew got close concerned about the wound.
"I’m all right kid. Just a scratch." Vanessa said while testing her shoulder.
"Yeah kid, you shouldn’t be here." Paula stared daggers at him.
"Some wolves reached the inn." Mathew said showing the blood on his machete.
"How are the other gates?" Vanessa asked putting her arm back in her jacket.
"They said only this one was in trouble."
"These walls won’t hold them for long." Paula observed while checking the work of the other adventurers who managed to close the wall.
"Matthew." Vanessa said. "Go to whomever is in charge and ask for an alternative. We can’t hold the wall."
Matthew nodded and ran towards the encampment center.
"You should be careful with that boy." Paula admonished Vanessa.
"He’s not your ex, Paula."
"He has demon Mana. You saw it. Don’t trust him." Paula said turning on her heels and going to help Michael on top of the tower.
Matthew found the man in charge. The same adventurer who he helped earlier. His name was Jacob, a level 9 adventurer who was also the representative of the logging company that operated the encampment.
"So they closed the hole in the wall?" Jacob asked Matthew.
"Yes. But it won’t last. The other sides might not hold too." Chapters fırst released on NovєlFіre.net
Jacob got silent for a while remembering the employee manual. "Next step is isolation. We have to move to the employees’ dorm. Its walls are thick and it has a well inside and supplies." He then started to order people around to gather all supplies they could and move them all to the dorm. "Matthew, was it? Go around and find people in hiding, escort them to the dorm." He said pointing to the building in question.
Matthew complied quickly. His first stop was to check on the receptionist at the inn. She found her in one of the rooms hiding inside a bathroom. He then went from building to building calling out for people.
He arrived at the dorm with 5 women clinging on him. Jacob looked at him and asked surprised:
"Did you leave the men behind?!"
"No, I only found them." Matthew responded embarrassed.
"All right." Jacob said shaking his head gesturing for the women to come in. "Help carry the food from the restaurant inside and then call on the people on the walls."
The evacuation went faster than expected. All the civilians were accounted for and soon the adventurers and the company soldiers came inside.
The dorm was made to such eventuality, even though this was the first time needing it. The walls were very thick and the windows had steel bars like a prison, but to keep things out rater than in.
By night, or what could be described as night in that pocket plane, Michael and Matthew were on the rooftop. The door leading to it seemed more like a vault door and the fence surrounding it was designed to serve as perches for armed men.
Matthew was cleaning his gun nervously. An empty exercise for him to relax. Michael walked around the perimeter of the rooftop scanning the encampment. Some wolves were looting the food that was left behind, but there were few of them.
After hours of silence, he finally said to Michael.
"I would never hurt anyone."
"I believe you wouldn’t. But I’ve seen what demonic mana does a person." Michael said seriously without taking the eyes from the wolves around.
"I didn’t take in this mana by choice." Matthew defends himself.
"I know you didn’t. I’m not blaming you. But it is dangerous. You saw what you did to that Roth."
Matthew silenced himself. He had no counter arguments for that.
"My sister..." Michael started to speak but stopped himself for a few seconds. "She had a boyfriend. She was very much in love. And he was too."
Matthew didn’t speak, only listened.
"He... He was also an adventurer. Quite strong. As strong as Eric. I don’t know why but he chose to be a impiomancer. A demon summoner..." Michael exhales as if he was tired. "He started to get violent. Just like you. First against monsters. Then against other people..."
Matthew’s blood froze.
"Then to my sister." Michael finally said after a good while. "I had to take her to the ER several times because he would just... Just hit her for no reason. The last time I took her, he broke her arm because she took too long in the shower. That was the last drop. I brought her to my place and cut out all her ties with him. And you know what’s the worst part of it? She would keep protecting him. ’It’s not his fault.’ ’He’ll not hurt me anymore.’ ’He’s sorry.’ Just like Vanessa is doing now."
Mathew lowered his head. His eyes wet with tears. He was scared. Scared of becoming that. He felt it. The need to harm other people. To harm Vanessa.
"What happened to him?" Matthew asked in a low voice that Michael almost didn’t listen.
"He got angry. Angry at me. Angry at her. He would stalk her. Would appear at random at my place. Until one day he broke down the door. And what I was to do against an adventurer in their mid 20s? My sister herself was only level 7. And I didn’t have a drop of mana in me. He put me in a hospital and took my sister away." Michael said with his hand trembling in anger. "Eric saved her and killed him in the process."
Matthew shivered when he looked and Michael’s eyes filled with fury.
"That’s when I decided to leave Olympic archery and become an adventurer. I will NOT let anyone harm my sister again. Even if you are Vanessa’s friend..." Michael got closer to Matthew. "I will kill you if I think for second you are going to hurt her."
The rest of their watch passed in awkward silence. Matthew was scared. Scared of being forever imprisoned in that place. Scared of the wolves circling the building. Scared of Michael’s threat to him. But scared most of all by a voice inside of him that was urging him to say: