SUBJECT // north // ???? //

THEORY POTENTIAL // burnished //

I hold up my hand. There's a splash. I glance back at the others, give them a grin, then gesture to keep moving. Put my gaze back on the stone monster. Saw him back at the arena too. Dragging that enormous sack behind him. Could be some kind of rock troll. Could be cursed. Suppose it doesn't matter. Seems like he's just standing there. Good. Wouldn't want to fight that. I'd win, just wouldn't want to do it.

Monster looks up. Looks around. Doesn't see me, because I don't want him to see me. The others have all moved on down the path. Waiting for me. The little mute girl standing close behind the little fidgety girl, and the old Raresafian leaning heavy on his cane, eyes on the Stoxan boys Bullish and Cheer as they engage in a silent contest of fear-burying. And of course Vee.

The stone monster has his head down now. Silent and unmoving. Good. Good enough.

"False alarm," I say, giving the group another grin as I walk up. "This way."

I head down another path. They follow. Of course they do.

"Um, Mr North?"

Glance back. "Yes, Vee?" She's fixed her makeup. We didn't even stop for a minute. I'm halfway impressed. "Problem?"

Vee shakes her head then adjusts her hair. "I—well, we, all of us—we're wondering if you know where this is? You said you're an explorer—"

"Vee, I don't know where we are. But that doesn't matter. Being an explorer isn't about following maps, it's about forging your own path forward. I know this is scary and strange for you, but trust me. This is my life."

"Okay. I know, I'm silly—"

"You're not silly, Vee. Just keep calm, follow my lead, don't touch anything, and we'll all get through this. Together. I promise."

She smiles. "I believe you. Thank you. The way you're helping me—all of us. We'd all be dead if it wasn't for you."

Probably true. Nice to hear anyway. I pat her on the shoulder, gods she's slim, feels like she'd shatter if she fell over. "You're helping the others too. Keeping it together like this. Panic is what'll kill you in a place like this. Be an example to the others, Vee. Stay strong."

She goes to reply but I hold my hand up, silencing her. Something. Not sure what but definitely something—I wave at the others, put my finger to my lips and they all shut up. Not that they were making much noise anyway. Still in shock, most of them.

There. Again. Something, but what? Not the stone monster, not footsteps. Not movement—a cry? Animal or human? Or something other? Maddeningly familiar, I hate that I can't place it. Vee's looking at me, her eyes big and trusting, mouth shut tight against the urge to question or scream. Good girl. Good enough.

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Again, again, it's sharp and high and more felt than heard, like it's not even a sound—

It's not a sound.

It's a curse.

Again it comes and there's no doubt now, no mistaking that shiver of a non-noise, that feeling like the air's getting thin and hard, it's getting closer by the second so what do I do with these half dozen innocents all looking to me for guidance. Fight for them? Die for them? It's not like I want any of them to get hurt.

But still.

Fuck that.

"North," Vee whispers, her hand over her mouth like she's doing something forbidden. I look at her and then at the others, open my mouth to speak—

Vee's standing near me. Six back on the path.

One more than I rescued from the arena.

"Well hello," he says because I see him now, thin and sharp and flicking his floppy white fringe from his face and grinning like he's never been curious about anything. "Darling."

With a swipe of his hand Bullish is gone, the boy's chest a mass of gore and splintered bone. The old man is next, stepping in front of the two little girls with a calmness that's shattered by his gurgling scream, guts torn out and thrown in his face. Through it all the little white haired shit doesn't take his eyes off me. Doesn't stop grinning. He's just watching me choose, as he shoves what's left of the old man aside and takes a cocky fucking deliberate step towards the little girls—

"God DAMN IT," and I'm charging, grabbing Cheer by the shoulder and throwing him behind me, don't know where Vee is, doesn't matter because this is what the cursed fucker wants.

"There's my darling man." His eyes are on mine. He's ignoring everyone else, Vee's dragging the little girls away, good girl Vee. But forget her. I clench my fists hard as I can then relax, take in a breath and let it out slow. Let him come close. Let him think he's even got a chance of winning this.

Punch his cocky little head off.

"Oh oh!" from up a fucking tree what the hell when did he "Not like that."

Stinging impact against my arm and a cool hand sliding over my cheek and he's right there in front of me, ducking my swing and pivoting to avoid the follow and another light pat on my cheek before my fist crushes around his wrist.

"Gotcha," I growl, and the little snot kisses me. I splutter and shove him away, grunt at another stinging impact, my other arm, he's still grinning about it as I slam my fist into the side of his head.

He goes down, sprawled on the dirt in a tangle of long thin limbs. I move to get a stomp in but he's already pushing himself up, raising his head and showing bloodied teeth.

"Oh yes," he says, and he spits out a long red drool. "I was right about you."

Then he's up and coming at me, tries for a jab to my gut and gets a bloodied nose instead. Manages a glancing slash that somehow tears my jacket before I slam both hands down on his head, feel a crack and he's grounded again, I raise my foot to deliver a finishing stomp but he rolls, catches my boot, twists and we're both down, he's faster but lets me get up, lets me draw in angry breath and growl it out before giving me a stupid god damn smirk and a ridiculous spinning leaping I don't even know what. I slap him out of it and follow with a heavy punch that fucks his right arm. He skips back and grins, happy as ever.

"You're SO cursed!" he crows, and he's about to come at me again before he stops, eyes wide, drawing himself back and up like a startled cat.

It's an old trick.

Too old for this cocky little prick.

So I shift stance to glance back and do my own startled cat impression.

It's the stone monster, standing in the middle of the path a few dozen metres back. He takes a casual bite of the leg he's holding and chews slowly, beady deepset eyes moving from me to the little white haired cock and back to me again.

"So then," the stone monster rumbles, and he grins, huge flat teeth stained red with blood. "What's this entertaining fuckery?"