Sometime later, heaving deep breaths sounded out as Novus and Adrianne's lungs pulled at the air around them. Novus controlled his breathing enough to let out an angry call.

“Garbal!”

“Shhh!”

Garbal popped out of some bushes and pressed his reeking finger against Novus’ mouth. Then, he waved them into the bushes, and the two readily agreed to the opportunity to catch their breaths. A good few moments passed before Adrianne looked around the area with her shining irises.

“Novus.”

“I know.”

‘Shhh!”

Adrianne, now more focused than before, surveyed the area around them. But, instead of giving her answers, they only demanded more rotten questions.

In her sight, a black, murky fog enveloped the area past the bushes. The slight forest breeze did nothing to disturb it. Instead, it seemed like something unnatural was pulsating inside that unnerved Adrianne.

“Guys!”

Heave.

“Guys!”

“SHHH!”

“MMM!”

Percival almost vomited from the smell as Garbal grabbed him by the mouth and pulled him into the inconspicuous bushes.

Meanwhile, Novus had his eyes closed as he extended his senses to the area beyond the bushes. Though he couldn’t see it like Adrianne, Novus could feel it. Slimy licks of energy that felt like they would devour him the moment he entered.

“Can you see the fog?”

Adrianne asked Novus, but Percival answered through gasps for air.

“What fog?”

Grunt. Grunt.

Thud! Snarl!

The group’s tense nerves were instantly attracted to the sound of collisions deeper in the forest. There, two Blood Raccoons fought tooth and claw against each other as one bashed violently against a tree. The Blood Raccoons seemed like bitter rivals as the Blood Raccoon with a broken fang finally won the battle.

SNARL!

A tree shook as the Blood Raccoon snarled in rage and pain. However, this did little to stop the Blood Raccoon from continuing the rampage as it used its body to try and bring down an innocent tree. It wasn’t until the life in the Blood Raccoon’s eyes dimmed that it finally stopped its insane battle.

“What was that?”

Percival’s hesitant tone made it seem like he didn’t want an answer.

Suddenly, the hairs on Percival’s skin stood as he felt a cold feeling wash over him. The origin scared him even more as he looked at Novus, who had his crimson aura unconsciously seeping from him.

“Encroach the darkness to fill the heart with unrest, disease the mind and let the body fall victim to its own misery.”

Novus lashed his tongue with utter hatred as he recited the phrase he would rather forget. But, his memories flooded in against him as he remembered the figure who taught him that phrase. The figure that would sweep back his hair and fix the neat bowtie on his butler attire.

“Mercury!”

Unbeknownst to Novus, the veins in his eyes slowly reddened, and his hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles were almost entirely white.

Pat.

A wrinkled greenish-brown hand clapped Novus’ shoulder. The back of the hand glowed with a quickly drawn white symbol that slowly spread a glowing aura around Novus.

“Edna, but not Edna, must focus. Goblins in danger.”

The crimson aura seethed as it concealed itself again, and the red in Novus’ eyes receded. Then, finally, his rapidly clearing eyes looked at Garbal’s leafy-green eyes and unclenched his hands.

Though unclenched hands seemed like a good sign, Garbal could still see the swath of emotions clenching Novus on the inside.

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

Tch.

Novus bitterly looked away as he remarked to the group.

“The black fog is an ambient spell that corrupts the mind, heart, and for weaker-willed creatures, enables mind control. I know the one who did this, but that’s not good news. It’s actually some of the most terrible possible news.”

“Is that why the animals…?”

“They’re slowly going insane.”

“How do you know—”

“Not now. Garbal, lead us to the goblin settlement.”

The rest of the group flinched from the foreign snap in Novus’ tone. From what they had experienced from Novus so far, he seemed a little eccentric. But, compared to the ominous tone filling Novus’ words, he seemed like a sword released from a smiling sheath.

Garbal slowly nodded and cast a glowing set of symbols on everyone present.

You have gained the buff, Minor Light Blessing.

The light symbol briefly glowed on each individual as it worked to counteract the black fog around them as they entered.

“Be wary.”

It was the most concern Novus showed for the rest of the trek to the goblin settlement other than killing off violent forest animals that threatened the group. As blood splattered along his sword, a scary light reflected in Novus’ eyes.

Even when the group grew close enough to the settlement to see dead goblin scouts and Garbal’s eyes turned a murky yellow with fury, Novus’ eyes still shone darker.

"Garbal, keep moving."

The group's tense silence reigned supreme as they rushed through the forest. Finally, the most unaware in the group, Percival, tipped the balance when Garbal drifted ahead to scout.

“Goodness, the corpses should have already disappeared. The developers need to rework the game in this—”

Thud!

“Ack!”

You have initiated an attack on a party member. Do you wish to enter a duel with the player Percival?

Novus’ hand gripped Percival’s throat against a tree with an unruly strength as his anger flared out. Then, with nearly clenched teeth, he spat out his frustration.

“This isn’t some game.”

However, Percival wouldn't let himself stay pinned to the tree, and Novus wasn't so overbearingly powerful that he could keep Percival pinned. With wrestling hands and a kick that landed on Novus' leg, Percival managed to push off Novus.

“Ack!"

Cough! Cough!

“What the f*ck! What was that for!?”

Percival felt ostracized as he watched Novus refusing to look at him and Adrianne looking at him with emotions that he couldn’t read. A defiant burst of pissed-off teenager welled up inside Percival as he spoke.

“What is it? Huh? If this isn't a game, then what is it!?”

Novus’ steps paused as he spoke without turning around.

“Our life. Or, maybe just mine? I can’t tell with you.”

“What kind of answer….”

Percival was silenced by a meaningful stare from Adrianne, who looked equally troubled by the question as she watched Garbal return. Soon, Garbal pointed the way, and the trio left a dazed Percival behind.

Percival's scrunched-up face of displeasure relayed his inner thoughts as he debated on following the group any further. Finally, after tossing ideas around his head and coming up with very little, he reluctantly followed the trio deeper into the woods.

“Delusional, roleplaying little….”

----------------------------------------

Rizzz! Screech!

A sickening smile accompanied the spinning spear's tearing of flesh and armour. The spear spun at such high speeds that it nearly matched a high-speed drill and tore apart bodies like a screw into thin wood.

“Guild Master Cain! There’s a problem!”

The sickening smile was instantly extinguished as the lips became a static line. The bizarre change left the player who shouted out frozen in their tracks. Then, the gaze that stared at them made their brain nearly turn to mush.

“Explain.”

The heat of battle flickering in Cain’s hazel eyes dimmed as a coldness took over his thoughts. The previous battle lust was nowhere in sight.

“The… the members that were guarding the bridge! They’re all dead! A group of three, no, no four! Three people and a goblin mage managed to… get past them.”

The tension restricted the players’ speaking ability but didn’t seem to distract Cain as his voice rang out again. This time, there was a hint of anticipation in his tone.

“Describe them.”

The player’s shaky voice did what it could to keep the narrative straight.

“Two males! One with curly red hair and one with sandy brown. The former was quick and briefly had flaming legs. The latter was scrawny and could hardly even catch up to the rest of them.

A female too! Beautiful, but with creepy eyes and a hood.

But most importantly, the goblin mage! Boss, a goblin mage! Like the one you told us to find! That’s the one, right? Boss? Boss?”

Shivers went down the player’s spine as the sickening smile capable of making a clown frown was back on Cain’s face. With his hand, Cain beckoned the frightened player to come closer. Then, at an uncomfortably close distance, Cain softly spoke to the player.

"The curly redhead, was he using a sword to fight? Did he have golden eyes?"

The player did their best to eke out a response, but all they could muster was nearly a whisper.

"Yes...?"

Suddenly, Cain burst into laughter, sending the nearby player into a shocked daze. Their boss, Cain, hardly ever laughed like this. Finally, after a few moments, rational coldness found its way back into Cain's eyes.

“Notify me when they’re found.”

Kuak!

The nearby goblin on the brink of death was sent to the afterlife with one spear stab.

“Nobody touches them except me.”