As the group trudged wearily back to the great hall, a cautious sense of relief gradually enveloped them. Although far from perfect, the hideout provided at least a semblance of safety. They were exhausted, and the tension that had gripped them throughout their journey still lingered in the air.
Hector and Frank, their faces etched with weariness, tired from all the weight they carried, took charge of cooking the meat. It was a decision born necessity - they needed to check whether the scent of cooking meat would draw the attention of any lurking monsters. They understood the gamble they were taking; they were basically playing bait.
In the cavernous room that served as their base, Diana, her brow furrowed with concern, had taken care of Mia. The still unconscious woman lay on a makeshift bed, her features pale and drawn. Diana kept trying to heal Mia to no effect. The dim light that pervaded their hideout seemed more subdued to Hector than ever before, almost as if it were a reflection of his own somber thoughts.
With a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, Hector glanced at Diana, who was meticulously tending to Mia's injuries. Was he able to trust her now, after what he saw? She was still his friend, she wouldn’t willingly hurt Mia. Right? Hector felt shame at even considering that scenario.
“How is she, Diana?” Hector said, kneeling next to the two women.
"She's hurt, Hector," Diana said, her voice low and heavy "The wound in her shoulder is closed but I have no way to know if anything got crushed when that monster fell on her."
Hector’s response was filled with grim determination. "We'll find a way," he said, his tone unwavering. "We always do."
Diana nodded, not looking up from Mia. It was a delicate dance of unspoken truths, a silent agreement that they would keep pushing forward, no matter the darkness.
With a heavy heart, Hector left the hideout, his footsteps echoed softly in the confined space. As he stepped out through the door, he cast a final glance back at Diana. It was hard to shake the nagging doubts that had crept into his mind about Diana's betrayal and the trust that had been shattered. His brow furrowed, he turned away, the weight of uncertainty settling on his shoulders like a leaden cloak, and made his way to join Frank.
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Spotting a relatively secluded room, that was easy to defend and big enough to start a fire inside safely, Hector decided the spot would do.After they decided on their cooking spot, Frank hurriedly scouted the area, his eyes scanning for any dangers.
"Alright, this looks good," Frank said, his voice barely above a whisper as he surveyed the area. "Let's begin."
"Okay," Hector replied, his hands already at work gathering rocks and debris. "We'll need to make a fire pit to cook the meat over."
Working together, they formed a circle with the rocks, creating a makeshift barrier to contain the fire. With each rock placed, the sense of urgency grew. They needed to get finished quickly and bring back food to the hideout without attracting any attention.
To make the fire faster, they had brought a torch from their hideout. Hector carefully ignited the gathered wood, and the flickering flames illuminated their faces.
Amidst the haunting shadows cast by the flickering campfire, skewers of monster meat roasted over the open fire. Frank and Hector sat side by side, each burdened by their own thoughts. The scent of the cooking meat mingled with the chilling air, creating an eerie atmosphere around them. When the first of the meat was ready, the two friends ate in heavy silence
Hector cleared his throat, his gaze fixed on the fire. "Frank," he began hesitantly, "I've been thinking..."
Frank, still engrossed in the sizzling meat, glanced at Hector with a furrowed brow. "Thinking about what?"
Hector hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to broach the topic of Diana wanting to abandon Frank to the monsters. "About... the choices we've had to make, the things we've seen..."
Frank nodded, his expression one of understanding. "It's been rough out here, no doubt about it."
Hector nodded but couldn't find the words to continue. Frank, unaware of Hector's inner turmoil, returned his attention to the meat cooking over the fire. The unspoken conversation still hanging in the air.
Hector felt ill equipped to deal with this situation. His world was simple, stick to your friends, be loyal and everything will be fine. To Hector the situation he was in was impossible to resolve. His first instinct was to tell everyone what Diana did but he stopped himself when he realized it could endanger them all. The situation wasn’t anywhere near normal and they couldn't afford any real conflict. Hector punched the floor in flustration.
"What's eating at you, Hector?" Frank asked, glancing up, concern etched across his face.
Hector withdrew his hand from the floor, shaking it off as if the pain could somehow dispel his irritation. He sighed heavily and offered a vague response, trying to deflect the question. "Oh, you know, just the usual..."
Frank raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced by the evasive answer. "Come on, Hector, I can tell something's bothering you. You can talk to me about it."
Hector hesitated for a moment, wrestling with his inner turmoil, before coming up with something believable. "I’m just angry about how the fight went, and I'm angry that I couldn't protect Mia better."
Frank nodded understandingly, placing a reassuring hand on Hector's shoulder. "I get it, Hector. I feel the same. Don’t worry Diana will fix her. By the way, killing that monster in one blow was awesome, but you had me worried for a second there. You know, when you let the first two pass? I was afraid that you wouldn’t spring the trap. I should have known better, I'm sorry man."
Hector, shifted uncomfortably under Frank's hand. His response sounded evasive, "Yeah, no problem. Had to adapt on the fly and that was what came to mind.”
Frank raised an eyebrow, clearly detecting something unusual in Hector's demeanor. "You're acting a bit... strange. What's really going on?"
Hector hesitated for a moment, his gaze avoiding Frank's probing eyes. " Just got a lot on my mind, that's all."
Hector could feel his friend's concern deepened as they sat in silence. Thankfully, Frank eventually chose to let the issue go, allowing Hector to return to his thoughts.
Hector didn’t know what to think about Diana, he always thought of her as a friend. An introvert but with her heart in the right place. However, he couldn't help but wonder if she would sacrifice him the same way she wanted to sacrifice Frank for her own survival. That's not what friends did. He couldn’t keep silent and he couldn’t speak about it. Maybe he misunderstood? That sometimes happened, he should talk to Diana first and go from there.
The crackling of the fire served as the only backdrop to Hector's unspoken concerns. Diana's actions had left a rift inside of him, a fracture he couldn't ignore. How was he supposed to protect them if they acted in this way? Hector sighed heavily and turned back to his meal.
With the last of the monster meat cooked to sizzling perfection, Hector and Frank carefully removed the skewers from the fire, the savory aroma lingering in the night air. Their impromptu cooking experiment had been successful, at least in that they'd managed to avoid attracting any monster attention. As they stood up, ready to leave the fire behind, they shared a nod of satisfaction.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Packing up their supplies, they shouldered their burdens and began the trek back to their hidden refuge.
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As Hector and Frank cautiously entered their hideout through the hole in the ground, they were met with a scene that both surprised and relieved them. Diana was there, tending to Mia, who was conscious but appeared really weak. Her striking green eyes, usually filled with vitality, were now dulled by the ordeal she had endured.
Upon closer inspection, they noticed a sizable scar on Mia's shoulder, a jagged reminder of their last battle. Mia's lips formed a weak but grateful smile as they approached.
"Mia, you're awake!" Frank exclaimed, his voice tinged with joy and relief as he hurried to her side.
Mia managed a faint nod, her voice scarcely more than a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might be a painful experience. "Yeah, guys... I'm here," she breathed, her words carrying the weight of their last battle. "It's been... rough."
Hector and Frank exchanged glances, their concern for their friend etched across their faces. Mia's return to consciousness was a beacon of hope, but it was clear that she had suffered greatly.
"I hear you saved me?" Mia's voice quivered slightly as she spoke, her eyes shifting from one friend to another. "Pushed the monster off of me and carried me back here." Her gratitude hung in the air like a fragile, precious thing. "Thank you," she added, her voice barely louder than a whisper, but every word resonated with sincerity.
Hector, unable to contain his relief, leaned in and gently hugged Mia. His eyes reflected a mixture of emotions - relief, guilt for not being able to protect her, and the fierce determination to ensure her safety in the future. "You'd have done the same for any of us, Mia," he said softly, trying to reassure her. "We're a team, remember? We look out for each other, no matter what."
“All in a day's work, don’t worry about it” Frank said lightly, waving it off. “You guys could have left me hanging back there, so it's the least i could do”
Hector's expression twitched for a moment, a flicker of unease crossing his features as Frank hit so close to the truth. His brown eyes briefly darted towards Diana, who seemed to be meticulously focused on tending to Mia, evidently avoiding his eyes.
He cleared his throat, his voice carefully neutral. "You're right, Frank," Hector replied, forcing a small smile. "We're a team, and we stick together. No one gets left behind."
Diana, her gaze unwavering, continued her ministrations to Mia, her silence speaking volumes to Hector.
“Let’s eat!” Frank said, oblivious to the tension between Hector and Diana.
Seated around a makeshift table, the party shared portions of cooked monster meat. Frank and Mia exchanged glances, their expressions reflecting relief and gratitude for surviving their last battle.
"It's good to be alive," Frank finally said, his voice tinged with a touch of optimism as he chewed thoughtfully.
Mia nodded in agreement. "You said it, Frank. We survived some serious stuff, right?" She took another bite.
Their exchange rang hollow to Hector, who on the other hand, had a noticeably darker mood. He let out a heavy sigh, his gaze distant as if lost in the shadows flickering across the cave walls. "Survival comes at a cost," he muttered under his breath, thinking of the sacrifices they had all made along the way. The mood dropped after that.
Diana remained uncharacteristically silent, her face betraying nothing of her inner thoughts. She watched her friends eat, and analyzed her situation carefully.
In the quiet moments between bites, their unspoken fears and shared experiences hung heavy in the air. The cave seemed to echo with the weight of their journey, and the once-unshakable bonds that united them felt increasingly fragile. Each day dragged them deeper into this nightmare , and the faint glimmers of hope they clung to so desperately were overshadowed by the unforgiving toll it exacted.
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With their bellies finally full, the warmth of the fire began to lull Mia and Frank into a drowsy state. The flickering flames danced in Mia's green eyes as she turned her back to the fire, getting ready to sleep. Frank, on the other hand, slouched down next to her, his gray eyes heavy with fatigue.
"Hey, Hector," Frank mumbled, stifling a yawn. "Keep an eye out for monsters, will you?"
"Of course," Hector responded, chuckling softly. "Now get some rest."
"Thanks, man," Frank said, closing his eyes. "You too, Mia."
"Good night," Mia whispered before drifting off to sleep, her auburn hair fanned out around her like a halo.
As Mia and Frank succumbed to their exhaustion, Hector and Diana were left alone by the fire, the orange glow casting shadows across their faces. The crackling of burning wood punctuated the silence between them.
"Hey, Diana," Hector began, his brown eyes studying her intently. "You've been awfully quiet tonight."
Diana hesitated for a moment, her piercing blue eyes reflecting the dancing flames. "I've just been... thinking," she admitted, twirling a strand of her long, black hair around her finger.
"About what?" Hector asked, genuinely interested.
"About our situation," she sighed. "And the consequences of our actions."
"Frank," he replied, shifting his weight as he crossed his arms. "And how you wanted to leave him behind."
Diana's expression hardened, her jaw clenching as she leaned back slightly. She was silent for a minute
"What I want to know is why. Why would you even think about abandoning him?" Hector’s words cut through the silence, revealing the raw emotion that had been festering within him.
Her voice was cold and measured as she attempted to explain her earlier actions. "Hector, it's not about abandoning him," she began, "When he lured those three monsters, I couldn't help but think that..” She stopped herself and tried again. ”Truth is, if you hadn't managed to take down one of them with a single attack, we might not be here having this conversation. Frank was in a bad situation, and trying to help him in that moment could've meant all of our lives. It's about survival, Hector, as brutal as it may sound. Every decision we make carries that weight."
Hector's anger flared, and he accused Diana with a voice that cracked like a whip in the tense silence of the cave. "Drop the survival bullshit, you were ready to abandon Frank out there, Diana," he seethed, his eyes burning with a sense of betrayal. "You were ready to watch him get torn to bits."
The accusation hung heavily in the air, the weight of it pressing down on them. Hector had always been fiercely protective of his friends, and the idea that one of them would even contemplate such an action had ignited a furious fire within him.
"We're a team," he continued, his voice trembling with anger. "No matter how dire things get, we stick together. We don't leave each other behind, ever. That's the only way we're going to survive in this hellhole."
She met Hector's accusatory gaze without flinching, her voice steady. "Again, it wasn't about abandoning Frank," she began, her words measured. "It was a calculation of risk. In that moment, trying to help him could've cost all of our lives."
She paused, her eyes holding Hector's with unwavering determination. "Survival in this world demands tough decisions. We have to prioritize the greater good, even if it means making painful choices. It's about strategy, not betrayal."
Her response was an unapologetic defense of her actions, grounded in the reality they faced daily. In her mind, emotions were a luxury they couldn't afford in this unforgiving landscape.
Hector clenched his fists, the firelight casting ominous shadows across his face. The crackling of the flames filled the air, punctuated by the distant growls of lurking monsters. "You know what, Diana?" he spat, his voice low and dangerous. "If we can't trust each other, we're as good as dead anyway."
Diana maintained her composure, her expression unyielding in the face of Hector's anger. "Trust is important," she conceded, her tone as steady as ever. "But in a world like this, trust alone won't keep us alive. We need strategy, logic, and sometimes, sacrifices."
Her words hung heavy in the air. To Diana emotions were a luxury they couldn't afford, and she would stand by her belief that tough decisions had to be made, even if they strained their bonds of trust.
Hector's anger simmered, but a resolute determination filled his eyes. "I get it, Diana, I stare down those monsters daily." he said, his voice firm. "I understand we're in a brutal world, but I won't stand by and let anyone be sacrificed. Not now, not ever."
His words carried the weight of his loyalty to his friends, a loyalty that burned brighter than any harsh reality they faced. In his mind, there was no room for leaving anyone behind, and he was ready to fight for that principle, even if it meant challenging his closest allies.
"Understood, I will keep that in mind. " Diana replied, her tone solemn and resolute.
“Good. You should.” Hector said, still seething inside. Neither of them spoke after that.
As the fire continued to burn, casting flickering shadows on their faces, Hector and Diana sat side by side in tense silence. The rift between them had not gotten any better, but a fragile understanding had taken root. Only time would tell if that understanding could grow into something more.