Nert sat alone on a log by the campfire.

The orange glow casting shadows over his face as he looked at his companions sleeping soundly in the tents.

The night was still, but for the occasional crackle of burning wood, and he could hear the quiet breaths of his friends, each one a reminder of their presence, their struggles.

"Crazy, isn't it?"

He muttered softly to himself, barely more than a whisper.

"They're all here alive. And yet, it feels like we're all losing pieces of ourselves with every fight, every damn day."

He picked up a stick, absently prodding the embers.

"Funny how no one tells you how heavy this all gets. You think you're ready to fight for something, ready to make those choices. But the nights... yeah, they never tell you how the nights get to you."

A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, sending a shiver through him, though he wouldn't admit it was more than just the cold.

He glanced up at the stars, their distant light offering little comfort.

"I wonder if they even see us down here. Or maybe we're just mere pawns to them. Blips that vanish just as quick."

Nert sighed, a soft, sad chuckle escaping his lips.

"Guess that's just how it is. All we can do is keep standing up, keep going. Even if it feels like each step takes a bit of us with it."

With a final look at his friends, he tossed the stick into the fire, watching it spark and crumble.

Then, letting out a deep breath, he leaned back, speaking to the quiet.

"Guess that's what makes us stubborn enough to keep trying, even when it all feels a bit empty."

He let out a weary sigh, one of those deep ones that seemed to draw on years of battle.

Everything he'd seen, lost, and endured.

"War. There was a time I thought it was all glory, honor—something bigger than me, than all of us."

He shook his head slowly, a small, bitter smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"But I get it now. The price of it. You kill and kill, and each life you take just chips away a little more of what you are inside. And in the end, it doesn't matter if they were the enemy or a monster. A piece of you goes with them."

The fire crackled, casting brief flares of light over his face, illuminating the hardened lines and the quiet sorrow that settled in his eyes.

"We started out thinking we'd change something, that maybe we'd build a world that wouldn't need us to keep fighting for it. But the longer this goes on, the more I wonder if all we're doing is breaking ourselves."

Nert paused, watching the embers float up into the night, their soft glow vanishing into the vast darkness above.

"I don't know if I have it in me much longer," he murmured, barely audible.

"My fists, feels heavier every time, and it's not just the weight of it. It's all these years of blood and loss."

His gaze drifted toward the tents, to where his comrades slept, faces peaceful in their rest.

"They deserve better. Maybe they still believe in this fight, but for me, I think it's time I find something. Something outside the battlefield. Something that doesn't end with another body left behind."

Nert's voice softened, and there was a faint hint of hope, fragile yet determined.

"If there's still a part of me that hasn't been claimed by this war, I want to find it. Before it's too late."

He lifted his gaze back to the stars, their silent light bearing witness to his words.

Zach approached quietly, the rustle of leaves underfoot announcing his presence before he fully entered the firelight.

Nert didn't startle or even turn his head.

He'd sensed him coming a while back, the familiar steps of his captain almost as comforting as the crackling fire in the quiet of the night.

Zach's eyes scanned the camp, his gaze settling on the faint outlines of the tents.

"Where are the others?"

Nert gave a small nod in their direction, his voice soft.

"They're all asleep, captain."

Zach approaches Nert with a quiet nod, sinking down beside him on the log by the fire's fading glow.

His gaze drifts to the dark sky, the weight of exhaustion showing in the lines of his face.

After a long silence, Zach speaks softly, almost as if to himself.

"You know, Nert, you're the only one I've ever seen do it—talk to yourself, even when no one's there. Been watching you do it since the beginning."

Nert chuckles dryly, eyes still on the flames.

"Gotta admit, sometimes it's the only way to feel like I'm still here. Grounded, I guess. After so much fighting, it feels like I'm barely hanging on to myself some days. But hearing my own voice, it's proof I'm still something."

Nert sighs, a quiet resolve in his voice.

"It's a strange thing, fighting for so long. Makes you wonder if it's worth all it's taken. Maybe it's time I find a new path—something where I don't have to leave pieces of myself behind. I don't want to be just another warrior till the end."

"Maybe, we'll all find that someday. Somewhere out there."

They share a solemn glance, both silent but with an understanding.

Nert breaks the silence, his voice low and cautious.

"Captain, how're Kazaks and Leeani holding up? They just came here and straight up rest as soon as we set up the tents."

Zach looks down, tracing the lines of his hands as if they held answers.

"The're exhausted. Bruised, battered. But they'll be alright."

Nert studies him, a faint smile tugging at his lips, though it's more sadness than amusement.

"Yeah, figured as much. You're something else, Captain. A force that won't ever be stopped unless you, yourself, choose to stop it."

Zach's face softens, touched but distant.

"There are days, where that force feels more like a burden than strength," he admits quietly.

"Like I'm holding up a weight I can barely carry, but if I let go, we all fall."

"Then maybe one day, Captain, you'll lay that weight down. Not because you're too tired to carry it but because you've found something worth carrying even more."

In the quiet that follows, both men feel a glimmer of something unspoken.

Yzavynne stumbles out of the tent, hair a mess, rubbing her eyes like she's still half-asleep.

Nert smirks, nudging Zach.

"Well, well, look who's decided to join the land of the living. And here I thought you'd sleep through a storm."

Yzavynne squints at Nert, barely registering him.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

She catches sight of Zach, and her eyes light up, her grogginess vanishing in an instant.

"Captain! You're back!"

Zach raises a finger to his lips.

"Shh, Yzavynne. Unless you want to wake the others and get them riled up?"

She freezes, wide-eyed, then puts a finger over her own lips in exaggerated imitation.

"Right, right! Quiet as a mouse!"

Nert can't hold back a chuckle.

"Yeah, quiet as a mouse who just yelled across the whole camp."

Yzavynne glares at him, pretending to shush him instead.

"Nert, maybe you're the noisy one here."

Nert watches her, grinning.

"Careful, Captain, seems like she's got a competitive streak."

Zach shakes his head, smiling.

"Maybe so. Though she could still use a little work on her stealth."

Yzavynne settled onto the log across from Nert.

Tossing her hair back with a sleepy sigh as she took in the flickering campfiree.

Zach, though aware of her presence, kept his gaze focused and distant, maintaining his usual silence.

Nert shot her a sideways glance.

"What's got you up so early? Camp life too thrilling for you?"

She rolled her eyes.

"You mean besides having to listen to your midnight monologues?"

Nert chuckled.

"What can I say, the trees need stories, too. But I'd have thought you'd be knocked out cold after today's grind."

Yzavynne smirked.

"You mean like Kazaks? That guy could sleep through a whole army marching past. Besides, someone's got to keep you from getting too sentimental."

"Sentimental?" Nert snorted.

"Coming from the one who keeps that little charm on her belt for 'good luck?'"

She glanced down at her belt, pretending to adjust the charm.

"Touché. But hey, it works."

Zach looked over briefly, eyes serious as ever, then turned back, letting them banter while he scanned the area.

It was clear he wouldn't jump in, but his quiet presence lent the moment a weight.

Nert nudged her with a grin.

"Careful, Captain might be listening. Wouldn't want him thinking we're all soft-hearted out here."

She glanced over at Zach, then shook her head with a small smile.

"Somehow, I think he already knows."

The shadows danced from the campfire's flickering flames, casting strange shapes across the trees and rocks beyond.

Zach's gaze shifted out into the night, his trained eyes scanning every detail.

But then, his eyes caught something.

A faint outline in the darkness just beyond the fire's reach.

His breath hitched.

There, encircling them, was a gathering of twisted stone figures, each one with a face frozen in an expression of unimaginable horror.

Their mouths were agape, twisted wide in silent screams, eyes hollow but piercingly directed at the three of them around the fire.

Some figures stood still and rigid, others were bent as though struggling to break free, fingers clawing the air.

They formed an unbroken ring, dozens.

No, hundreds of them.

Hauntingly lifelike yet unmistakably stone.

Zach's pulse surged.

He felt a pressure mounting in his head, a sharp, stabbing pain behind his eyes.

His vision began to waver, the statues seeming to pulse and breathe in time with his heartbeat.

His hands instinctively went to his temples, pressing hard.

"Aurgh!" he muttered, clenching his teeth, the pain intense.

Nert glanced over, alarmed.

"Captain? You okay?"

Yzavynne's eyes widened, her sleepiness vanishing.

"Captain?"

But they couldn't see it.

To them, there was only the ordinary darkness beyond the firelight.

But to Zach, it was a crowd of the damned, stone captives bearing witness, their stony faces twisting in anguish – as though they held some cursed knowledge just beyond the grasp of the living.

Zach's breaths grew ragged, each one sharper than the last.

Yzavynne and Nert exchanged a look, caught off guard by the sudden fear overtaking their usually composed captain.

Without a word, they moved closer, Yzavynne kneeling beside him, her hand hovering as if unsure whether to touch his shoulder.

Then, the voices started—low, guttural whispers weaving through his mind like threads from a nightmare:

"We are the forgotten. Shadows of flesh that once held life. Bound to watch... bound to wait..."

The statues' faces in Zach's vision twisted further, their mouths widening as if they were struggling to scream, but no sound escaped.

Their hollow eyes bore into him, a silent judgment that drilled deeper with every heartbeat.

"Soon, you will join us... your fate carved like stone in the dark."

"We are all that remains. He waits... watches... claims..."

Yzavynne leaned closer, her voice shaking.

"Captain? Are you okay?"

But Zach could barely hear her over the voices, each one layering upon the next until they became a maddening chorus, echoing the words of that dark creature, a sinister reminder of the pact it had marked on his soul.

Nert crouched down, concern creasing his face.

"Captain, snap out of it," he said, his voice steady but tense.

Zach clenched his fists, forcing his mind to focus, trying to silence the echoes.

The statues blurred, their faces dissolving into smoke as he willed himself back into the present.

The visions vanished abruptly, the eerie whispers cutting off like a snuffed candle.

Zach blinked, his surroundings snapping back into focus, and his breath hitched.

He touched his face, feeling the cold sheen of sweat running down his brow. It was as if he'd been dragged from one world back into another, each pulse pounding with the aftershock.

Yzavynne and Nert stayed close, staring at him, worry etched in their faces.

Nert broke the silence first, his voice low.

"You okay, Captain? You looked haunted."

Zach took a steadying breath.

"I'm... fine..."

Yzavynne looked at him with doubt in her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

Zach met her gaze, forcing himself to give a small nod.

"Just... tired, that's all..."

They watched him, still unconvinced, but he straightened, regaining his composure bit by bit.

Whatever it was that lurked in the darkness, he knew it wasn't through with him.

Zach's hand drifted to his chest, fingers trembling as he felt his heart pounding beneath.

The cold sweat hadn't stopped, and each breath came shallow.

His pulse thundered in his ears.

But beneath it, faintly, he could still sense the fading echo of that otherworldly voice—a whisper from the void, sinister and hollow, like claws scraping at the edges of his mind.

"What was that?"

Yzavynne and Nert seemed farther away now, as if he were slipping into a place only he could see—a dark, suffocating presence closing in.

The silence of the woods pressed tighter, his own heartbeat and ragged breaths the only sounds breaking it.

He felt as though something—or someone—had reached out from the unknown, brushing against his soul just enough to leave a mark.

Whatever it was, he knew it wasn't a vision to be forgotten.

Zach rose to his feet, dusting himself off as he steadied his breath.

"I'm going to get some sleep."

Nert watched him, brow furrowed, and gave a nod.

"Take it easy, Captain. Try to catch some decent rest. If that's possible."

Yzavynne's gaze softened, worry flashing in her eyes.

"Good night, Captain. We'll keep things quiet."

Without another word, Zach walked away, moving silently past each tent, his gaze focused as he carefully peeked in.

He was searching for something specific—a calm, familiar presence.

Finally, his eyes landed on Ruby, peacefully asleep, her face soft in the moonlight, breaths steady and calm.

As he watched her, a sense of warmth overtook him, a gentle weight pressing down on the unsettling visions that had nearly overwhelmed him.

Her peacefulness was like a balm, easing the tension that lingered in his chest.

For a moment, it was just them—her quiet breath, his watchful eyes, and the calm that replaced the shadows of fear.

Releasing a long, controlled breath, Zach backed out and made his way to his tent.

He settled down, the dark just a little less heavy as Ruby's face lingered in his mind.

His lids grew heavier, and he muttered into the silence, his voice low, barely audible even to himself.

"As long as you're safe. I'll keep going. No matter what it takes."

And with that final thought, the fear of the statues and voices faded, leaving only his exhaustion.

The dark, for now, was quiet, his heartbeat slowly syncing to the memory of Ruby's soft, steady breathing.

Nert broke the silence, stretching his arms and giving a low chuckle.

"You know, it's rare we see the Captain hit the sack first. Guy barely sleeps—guess all those strategies have to come from somewhere, huh?"

Yzavynne gave a small smile.

"Yeah. He's usually the one watching over us while we sleep."

Her gaze drifted to Zach's tent, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

"Tonight, though, he wasn't himself."

Nert nodded, his usual lightheartedness dimmed.

"You felt it too?"

He leaned in a little, lowering his voice.

"There's something off in his head. Our Captain doesn't get rattled, not like that. Makes me wonder what he saw or heard."

Yzavynne wrapped her arms around herself, thoughtful.

"It was unsettling. He's been through things that would break anyone else, and he's always just handled it. But tonight, it felt like he was facing something even he couldn't understand."

Nert's gaze became distant, and he let out a sigh.

"If something like that can shake him, what are we even up against? Makes me question if we're prepared for what's ahead."

Yzavynne looked at him, her expression resolute.

"We're here to support him, Nert. If he's struggling, then we make sure he doesn't face it alone. Whatever comes, we face it together—just like he's done for us."

Nert gave her a small, weary grin.

"You're right, as always. Guess it's our turn to have his back."

He poked at the fire, embers spiraling into the air.

"We'll keep this going. Whatever's haunting him. It's gonna have to get through us first."

The two sat in silence, watching the flames, a silent vow hanging between them as they took up the watch, guarding not just the camp, but their Captain's peace.

Yzavynne yawned widely, her eyes blinking sleepily as she fought to stay awake.

Nert chuckled, a playful grin spreading across his face. "Guess you're more of a Warrior of Sloth than me."

Yzavynne stifled another yawn, her eyelids growing heavy.

"I can't help it, Nert. It's not my fault the campfire's so cozy."

Yzavynne smirked, leaning back on her hands.

"Better than being a Warrior of Exhaustion. You're the one who looks like you could drop at any moment. Are you sure you're not just waiting for the perfect moment to nap, huh?"

Nert raised an eyebrow, pretending to ponder her words.

"Hmm, interesting theory. But I prefer to think of myself as a dedicated guardian. After all, someone has to keep the fire alive and the nightmares at bay."

She rolled her eyes playfully.

"Right. You just want to act tough while secretly plotting your next nap. Admit it, you'll be snoring in no time."

"Not a chance!" Nert shot back, feigning offense.

"I have my reputation to uphold! What would the others think?"

"Probably that you're a master nap-taker," she teased, getting to her feet.

She stretched her arms overhead, her body yearning for rest.

"Alright, I really am heading off now. Can't let my title as the Warrior of Sloth go to waste."

Nert waved her off with a grin.

"Sleep well, Sloth. I'll stay here and keep watch over you all, just like a true guardian."

Yzavynne gave him a soft smile, her eyes finally starting to close.

"Thanks, Nert. Just don't let the Captain's nightmares keep you up too late, okay?"

He nodded, his expression turning sincere.

"I promise. I'll make sure he's alright, too. Sweet dreams, Yzavynne."

As she made her way to her tent, Nert settled back down by the fire, the embers crackling softly.

He glanced at the stars overhead, a bittersweet smile forming.

"Looks like I'm the last man standing," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper in the stillness of the night.

He took a deep breath, allowing the warmth of the flames to wash over him, and settled into the calm night, vigilant yet relaxed.

Kowing that while the world outside might be dangerous, here, in this moment, they were safe together.

"At least I'll get some quiet for a change."