“Very well. Have it your way then.”

The words carried the same annoyed-yet-threatening tone he had been using, making me flinch.

“...!”

I stood there, frozen in more ways than one, my single eye darting between the burly man and the flickering campfires behind him.

“Anyone who won't identify themselves is a threat.”

‘Oh for fuck’s sake, I CAN’T speak, your paranoid bastard!’

The thought screamed in my mind, but my lips remained stubbornly still.

Once again, I felt a deep urge to scream, to explain, to do anything but stand here like mute idiot.

‘Shit! Shit! Shit!’

“...”

Ah! Fuck!

I was so screwed.

Badump! Badump!

My heart pounded in my chest like crazy.

The tingling sensation on my skin wasn't just from the cold anymore; fear has joined the party.

‘Should I just run away?’

The thought flashed through my mind, but I dismissed it instantly.

Where would I even run to?

Back to the endless white wasteland?

That was a guaranteed death sentence.

At least here, there was a chance. A small, probably stupid chance, but a chance nonetheless.

Gritting my teeth, I took a tentative step forward, entering the circle of firelight.

I stopped a couple meters away from them, close enough to feel the blessed warmth of the fires, but far enough to bolt if things went south.

Simply put, it was what I hoped to be a safe distance.

And then, I slowly raised my hands in the universal sign of “please don't stab me bro”.

“....”

“...”

Swa—

The silence stretched on, broken only by the crackling of the fires and the whisper of wind through the camp.

The burly man’s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized me, his grip on his axe tightening ever so slightly.

“...What?”

His gruff voice held a note of confusion now.

“...”

I remained silent, watching as understanding slowly dawned on his weathered face.

“A child?”

The hostile edge in his tone dropped, replaced by a mix of surprise and… was that concern I was hearing?

Murmurs rippled through the camp. The atmosphere shifted - weapons lowered slightly, but eyes remained wary.

Murmur! Murmur!

“Quiet!”

The burly man raised his free hand, silencing the whispers. His eyes never left me as he took a step forward.

“A child…. No less, alone. How in the world did you make it this far, kid?”

His voice was a weird combo of worry and wariness, like he couldn't decide if I was a threat or someone who needed help.

Okay, good.

He doesn't sound like he is about to introduce me to his axe anymore.

That was some great news.

Of course, I didn't go full party mode. I pondered his question, the absurdity of my situation hitting me anew.

‘How should I answer him?’

Even I wanted to know how I got here.

‘…’

I could only look at him and shake my head. My story was far too complicated to act out in charades, even if I had the energy for it. Which I definitely didn't.

“...?”

The gruff man titled his head, confusion clear on his face. He opened his mouth, probably to interrogate me further, but before he could, a small ruckus broke out in the camp.

I saw a few faces emerge from the shadows, none of which I recognised.

But I could immediately guess who they were…

Hell…

Without the earplugs, Spooky’s voice exploded in my mind, loud and impossible to ignore.

[TRAITORS! TRAITORS? THEY ARE TRAITORS! THEY LEFT US! THEY LEFT US!]

[THEY THEY THEY… WANTED US DEAD!]

[KILL KILL KILL… KILL THEM!]

[@¥¥€dhejs—]

Spooky was going full Karen, it's childish voice screeching slurs and threats that made me wince internally. I tried to focus on the newcomers, pushing Spooky’s tantrum to the background as best as I could.

‘So, these are the ones who left us behind.’

A total of five people, each looking as if they had been through hell and back.

Their faces etched with fatigue, clothes tattered and dirty.

They looked no better than beggars, really.

Still, they were faring somewhat better than me.

“...”

“...”

As I was sizing them up, they seemed to be doing the same to me.

The silence stretched thin, taut with unasked questions and unspoken shock.

“M-mute boy…”

Finally, a woman at the front of the group, limping slightly, broke the silence:

“YOU YOU YOU… HOW?”

Her eyes were wide with disbelief, clearly not expecting to see me standing there, alive and… well, not exactly kicking, but you get the idea.

“We thought you died!”

‘Yup, he did die. I’m not him.’

Of course, I wouldn’t say that even if I could speak. I just stood there, trying my best to look like a traumatized, miraculously surviving kid.

Which, to be fair, wasn't far from the truth.

“How is he alive!?”

“Good heavens!”

The group exchanged astonished whispers, staring at me like I was a ghost.

Again, it wasn't too far off the mark.

Maybe, I was a ghost.

“...”

I squirmed under their scrutiny, acutely aware of the gaping black pit under my makeshift eye patch.

Being completely honest, the woman's statement scared me. Specifically, the way she phrased it made a shiver run down my spine.

They thought the kid died?

Was that their intention in leaving the kid behind?

If yes…

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

Then, wasn’t I royally fucked?

‘Was it wrong to come here?’

Even I knew how absurd the thought was.

What choice did I even have?

None, right?

But fear knows no logic.

The good thing was… before I could make any questionable decisions, like trying to sprint away on my half-frozen legs, an elderly man beside the limping woman spoke up.

‘He looks like a walnut.’

The thought popped into my head unbidden. I wasn't trying to make fun of him, but damn if it wasn't an accurate description. His wrinkled face was creased with worry and… something that looked identical to…

Guilt.

“We were in a rush to get away from our pursuers…”

He began, his voice cracking slightly.

As he launched into the explanation, I found myself hanging onto every word, desperate for any information that could help me understand this mess I had landed in.

“While fleeing, when we realized the kid wasn't with us anymore… we feared the worst. We thought the cold had claimed him… if not, then the bastards chasing us would have done so.”

He paused to sigh, his shoulders sagging as if under an immense weight.

“And it seems like they did the worst possible. They gouged out his Soul Mirror.”

At his words, the group turned to look at me. Their eyes focused on the makeshift eyepatch, a mix of horror and pity in their gazes.

So far, from what I have gathered from the elderly man’s infodump, was that they didn't leave the original poor boy to rot, but he was left behind in some chaos as they tried to flee.

And, I also learned something tragic…

The boy’s muteness was the result of non-functioning vocal cords.

Which meant….

He couldn't produce any vocal sounds - no speech, no whispers, not even a grunt.

‘Shouting for help was as impossible as singing opera.’

All he could manage were reflexive sounds - sneeze, burps, the occasional gulps.

Now, I really felt bad for the kid. What a way to go out, left behind because you couldn't call for help.

….Talk about adding insult to injury.

The gruff man who had initially called me out looked from me to the newcomers and back again, scowling. His expression was a concoct of suspicion and… a high dose of concern.

“Is this true, lad?”

He asked, his tone cautious yet oddly gentle.

“You were with these people before? You got separated while fleeing?”

I nodded slowly, then, in a moment of either brilliance or complete idiocy, I mimed yanking my own eye out.

I wasn't sure if it was the right call or not, but it seemed to be the only thing I could do. And their explanation also explained why I didn't have an eye.

‘Sympathy is the way to go.’

Of course, at my action, the group gasped in horror. They seemed to know what my actions meant, their faces paling in the firelight.

I let my gaze fall to the ground, allowing them to believe that tale. It wasn't entirely a lie, after all. I just… omitted the part about being a body-snatching interdimensional traveler.

And… the part where I was a host to a ghost.

You know… minor details.

“Tsk…”

The limping woman clenched her hands, frustration clear in her voice as she spat out:

“Their greed for a yellow eye… for a Stained Soul Mirror must have kept them going… those relentless bastards!”

“A yellow eye…?! What!? The boy had… a Stained Soul Mirror?”

The gruff man with the axe glanced at me, his eyes sparkling with interest before quickly turning to pity.

It was as if he was seeing me in a completely different light.

“No wonder they chased after you for so long. The lengths some folks would go for power…”

A lanky looking man said, his gaze full of disapproval, to which elderly man showed a bitter smile.

I didn't know why, but I felt their sympathy towards me had increased for some reason. Maybe because of what the limping woman said…

My right eye being or having a… yellow eye? A Soul Mirror? A Stained one?

I didn't know what that meant, but I let it pass for now.

After all, it was all for the best.

The more they pitied me, the better.

“Liora, calm yourself.”

The elderly man placed a weathered hand on the limping woman’s shoulder. His smile was as worn as his face.

Patting the limping woman’s back, the elderly man said with a haggard smile.

“Whatever happened back there… at least the child survived. They let him go, and that's what matters now.”

The woman - Liora - looked like she wanted to say more, but she swallowed her words with a tight nod.

Gurr….

My stomach made a gurgling sound, loud enough to cut through the silence like a damn foghorn.

‘Fuck!’

I felt my face heat up, embarrassment mixing with the constant hunger that had been gnawing at me.

The gruff man gave me a look, his eyes narrowing as he took in my scrawny, half-frozen state. He let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head slightly.

“Let’s leave the matter here for now… Ha!”

He said, his voice gruff but not unkind

Actually…

He seemed tired, the kind of bone-deep exhaustion that comes from carrying too much for too long.

Gulp…

I clenched my fist over my heart, my single eye locked onto his.

I waited for his decision.

‘What would it be?’

Would he let me join them, or would he shoo me away, feeling like I was a burden.

Though I didn't feel like there were many chances of them shooing me away, leaving me to fend for myself. Not from the sympathetic looks they were giving me. But still… Since it was a matter of survival, I couldn't feel at ease until someone verbally welcomed me.

The gruff man’s gaze softened slightly.

“The boy needs food. He’s lucky enough to have made it this far. No point in letting him starve now.”

“Good, let's eat.”

“Of course, of course. The boy's tenacity calls for a hearty meal.”

Others agreed verbally while many simply nodded. One thing was clear by now… The gruff-burly dude was the leader of the camp.

“Be at ease, kid. You are safe with us.”

His lips didn't curve into a smile. Nor was it a very energetic welcome, yet I felt fatigue leaving my body, replaced by a warmth that had nothing to do with the nearby fires.

“We have seen firsthand how vicious people could be in their lust for Soul Mirrors. You won't find that greed here.”

He gestured for me to take a seat by the fire and thrust a bowl of steaming stew into my hands. I accepted it gratefully, the heat thawing my icy fingers.

I was hungry. Very, very hungry. The kind of hunger that makes you forget about manners or appearances.

‘Maybe I’m not completely fucked after all.’

Slurp! Slurp!

“Slow down, lad.”

The gruff man said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Haha, energetic, very energetic.”

While others laughed and praised, I couldn't bring myself to care. This was the first real food I have had since… well, since I ended up in this body.

Fuck ya! Sue me for enjoying it.

“Quit being so paranoid!”

As I slurped down the much-needed meal, I overheard the gruff man mumbling to himself.

“The boy casts a shadow. He can't be a Haunted. Just look at him, shivering like a leaf. If he was really a Haunted, he wouldn't be freezing, would he?”

I froze mid-slurp, my spoon dangling in midair.

‘Who is he talking to? And what does he mean by being a Haunted?’

‘What in the hell are those??’

Before I could ponder it further, a woman with a kind face approached me, carrying a blanket.

Without saying anything, she snugly draped it around my shoulders, making soothing clucking noises in the process.

“You poor dear…”

She murmured, her tone gentle.

“You must be utterly exhausted. Eat more. There's plenty.”

She cast a glance at the burly-gruff dude, who was still grumbling to himself, a solemn look on his face.

“Don't be afraid… ”

She whispered in my ears.

“Kargil, our chief, is usually like that.”

Of course, she didn't elaborate much, if at all. I was left in the dark, my mind spinning with questions I couldn't ask. But from the reactions of others, it didn't seem like anyone else was fazed by this.

This seemed natural to them.

‘Does he also have something like Spooky?’

‘Was I not an unnatural case?’

The questions piled up in my mind, each more confusing than the last. But before I could get lost in my own inner monologues, the kind woman patted my shoulder, asking for the bowl with a gesture.

As I had already eaten, I kindly returned it.

“Was it good?”

I nodded enthusiastically. It wasn't gourmet by any means, but to my starved body, it might as well have been ambrosia.

“Hoho, eat more, then.”

Before I could answer, she refilled my bowl, handling it back to me. I didn't refuse. I was still hungry, after all.

Slurp! Slurp!

“Look at him go, again!”

“Haha!”

Once again, others laughed, some praised. I felt a warmth in my chest that had nothing to do with the food. It had been a long time since I had felt… welcomed.

Even if it wasn't really me they were welcoming.

As I finished my second helping, I let out a satisfied burp.

‘It was great.’

“Do you need more?”

I shook my head. I was full, pleasantly so for the first time since this whole ordeal began.

The kind woman then looked towards the chief, her gaze asking what to do next. Kargil didn't say anything, just nodded.

The kind woman seemed to understand his intentions. She turned towards me, took my hand, and led me to a makeshift tent.

“Rest for now. We will talk more once you are up.”

I nodded, suddenly aware of just how bone-tired I was. Yet I felt paranoid.

‘They won't kill me in my sleep, right?’

I thought, after getting into the comfort of the quilt. Surely, it didn't smell good, but it was warm. Something that mattered way more than the nasty smell.

Before lying down, I fished out the scraps of cloth I had been using as earplugs.

Spooky had been weirdly sulking, its voice a barely audible murmur even without the earplugs.

But I wasn't taking any chances.

Who knew when it might decide to start screaming again?

I stuffed the makeshift earplugs back in, sighing in relief at the muffled silence that followed.

At first, I wanted to stay alert. To see how it goes. But not even five minutes in—

‘Can’t sleep. Not so… fa—’

—and I was fast asleep.

As consciousness slipped away, I couldn't help but wonder what tomorrow would bring in this strange, dangerous world I had found myself in.

But for now, I was warm, full, and relatively safe. And in this frozen hellscape, that was more than I could have hoped for.