Chapter 64

Suspicion

Valiant continued to scream, his voice piercing the silent night like a blade. Adom, standing a few feet away, rolled his eyes in exasperation, his usually composed face twisted in annoyance. The moonlight cast shadows over the clearing.

"Valiant," Adom tried initially, his voice calm yet firm, hoping to break through the noise. Unsuccessful, he called out again, louder and with a hint of impatience, "Valiant!"

But the mouse beastkin seemed lost in his own world of terror, his eyes squeezed shut, mouth agape in a relentless scream. Zara, meanwhile, rubbed her temples, her expression one of confusion and irritation. She attempted to communicate with Adom, her mouth moving silently, words drowned out by Valiant's relentless cries.

The absurdity of the situation seemed to peak as Valiant, oblivious to the world around him, continued his one-beastkin performance. Adom, with a resigned sigh, glanced at Zara, who looked back with a shrug, her eyes wide and questioning. The sorcerer’s mouth twitched into a reluctant smile, finding an odd sense of humor in their predicament.

In an attempt to restore some semblance of peace, or perhaps just to regain her sanity, Zara stepped behind Valiant. With a swift, precise movement born of sheer annoyance, she thumped him squarely on the back. The effect was instantaneous; Valiant’s scream cut off as if someone had hit the mute button on the world's most annoying alarm.

Valiant's eyes flew open, wide and uncomprehending, scanning the surroundings in a daze. The realization dawned slowly, the absence of Mephistopheles like a balm to his terror-stricken psyche. A tentative, almost sheepish "Oh" escaped his lips, breaking the silence that had reclaimed the space. "I’m not dead," he muttered, an anticlimactic epiphany after his prolonged vocal performance.

Valiant cleared his throat awkwardly, addressing the tense atmosphere with a defensive, "What? I thought I was about to die. Cut me some slack, will you?" His attempt was met with mixed reactions.

Zara, however, was in no mood for excuses. She strode towards Adom, her frustration boiling over. "What the fuck was that?!" she demanded, her eyes flashing with anger and confusion.

Adom, maintaining his composure, replied, "I was just as surprised as you." His calm demeanor contrasted starkly with the intensity of the moment.

Zara's voice sharpened, her patience thinning. "What do you mean you were just as surprised, 'Adom'? Didn’t that creature come for you?" Her suspicion was palpable, her use of his name pointed and questioning.

Adom sighed, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "Look, I am sorry you had to experience this, something I wish even I hadn't. But I didn’t summon it. It followed us and wanted to talk to me," he explained.

Zara's anger escalated, her voice rising. "Why?!" The question hung heavily in the air, her frustration growing with Adom's continued calmness.

Adom met her gaze, his expression firm yet apologetic. "I can't tell you that, but just know that you are not in danger," he stated, hoping to alleviate her fears while guarding his own secrets.

Zara fell silent, her rage simmering in her eyes, which Adom met with a steadfast refusal to divulge more.

Valiant, sensing the tension between the two, interjected, trying to bridge the gap. "Look, little brother, I know we’re not supposed to pry, but after what just happened, it's hard to just move on. You at least owe us some explanation about what that creature was. I’ve never seen anything like it. And should we worry about it in the future?" His voice carried genuine concern, cutting through the tension.

Adom, perceiving the turmoil of emotions in his allies, realized they deserved at least a partial explanation. If the truth meant they could no longer work together, then he was prepared to face that outcome. He sighed deeply, capturing Valiant and Zara’s attention with the gravity of his gaze, and finally revealed, "He is a demon."

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The air thickened with silence following Adom’s declaration, a heavy pause as Zara and Valiant exchanged bewildered looks. Breaking the stillness, Valiant, with a pragmatic tone, suggested, "Alright, let's get the fuck out of here."

Zara, however, turned to Adom, pressing for more. "That was a demon? How? And why would one follow you?"

Valiant continued, trying to steer the conversation away from dangerous waters. "Zara, the boy has his own secrets. Let's not pry, yeah? There’s a demon involved in this; a demon! I don’t wanna fuck around and find out what could happen. Let's go."

Zara remained silent, her gaze locked on Adom, seeking the answers that her mind raced to find. Adom, caught in the intensity of her stare, conceded to a sliver of truth mixed with evasion. "Well, apparently, they still exist, at least this one. And I do not know how he is still alive," he lied, his voice steady, masking the turbulence of his thoughts.

"As to why it followed me, I will not tell you," Adom continued, meeting Zara's intense gaze with a resolute firmness, signaling a boundary he was unwilling to cross. His words, though partial, were meant to placate their immediate curiosity while preserving the layers of secrets he carried.

Valiant's exasperation bubbled over as he addressed Adom, "Ooookay, that's more than enough knowledge, thank you Rey, or Adom, whatever your name is, for the valuable info. Good luck on your future endeavors. I’m leaving. I’m not dying before I even become a knight."

Zara hesitated, prompting Valiant to push further, "Zara, last chance, let's go back!"

She responded with a simple plea, "Wait," drawing Valiant's incredulity to the surface.

"Wait? You’re telling me to wait?" His voice rose in disbelief. "You fucking puked out of fear of that thing, a demon! A fucking demon! Have you not heard about them when you were a kid? And you wanna still get involved with that guy? Or even know something? What exactly are you gonna do if he even tells you the truth, hmm? Join him for some epic quest for whatever the fuck he seeks? The guy speaks with demons for fuck's sake, am I the only smart person here?"

Valiant’s frustration was palpable as he continued, "This is beyond us, Zara, and we have our own problems. Let's leave before we have to encounter a demon again."

Adom, agreeing Valiant, spoke to Zara, "He has a point. Nothing good would come out of knowing my secrets. Why do you insist?"

After a tense pause, Zara's voice broke the silence, revealing her vulnerability, "I-I feel like I almost died today."

Valiant, unable to contain his exasperation, retorted, "Uh, excuse me, maybe that's because you almost did fucking die?!" His words, though harsh, underscored the reality of their encounter.

Zara, disregarding Valiant’s interjection, pressed on, her revelation shocking even Adom. "This... demon... he has the same kind of 'aura' as you." Her statement hung heavily in the air, marking a profound connection in her mind.

Adom, puzzled and concerned, probed further, "What do you mean by that?"

Zara continued, tracing back to a traumatic chapter of her past. "When I was a kid, my hometown was attacked by some sorcerer terrorists, and among them, there was someone with the same aura as you and now that demon," she explained, her gaze fixed on Adom with an intensity born of repressed pain and suspicion.

Valiant, who grew increasingly agitated and aware of the escalating tension, mumbled hysterically, "Haha, she's ignoring me, she’s freaking ignoring me..."

Adom sensed the potential for conflict, and prepared for a countermeasure, his eyes never leaving Zara. "What are you insinuating exactly, Zara?"

Valiant, sensing the danger, cautiously approached Zara, attempting to defuse the situation. "Zara... easy, don't do what I think you're gonna do. Let's be smart about this, okay?"

Adom, maintaining his calm but firm stance, suggested, "Again. You should listen to him. There is no need for a conflict. We could all go our separate ways and forget about each other."

Zara, her pain and resolve merging into a potent mix, shared her haunting memory. "That day, my parents died in the fire. They said it was just an accident, no terrorists, just systems malfunctioning. But I saw them, right before my father managed to get me out. I saw the masked men who had started the 'accident.' And in the middle, there was one who stood out, with an aura I will never forget, an aura a bit like yours, and even more resembling that demon's."

As Zara's hands began to glow with the burgeoning energy of a spell, Valiant's pleas grew more desperate. "Zara, please don't do this..." Yet, his words seemed to vanish into the thickening tension, ignored once more.

Zara, focused and unwavering, spoke to Adom through her growing determination. "They had black masks and white robes, an-"

This description triggered a stark realization in Adom. He had heard it before, in his previous life, connected to an event eerily similar to Zara's narrative. It was the tragic incident during the Katian festival, the same event where his own parents had perished. A lady, a survivor of that calamity, had insisted she saw people clad in black masks and white robes before the disaster unfolded. At the time, her claims were dismissed due to her severe brain damage and the lack of corroboration from other survivors. But now, Zara's words mirrored that long-dismissed testimony, linking their seemingly isolated tragedies.

Adom's reaction did not escape Zara's notice. "Looks like you know something, eh?" she pressed, the glow in her hands intensifying, signaling the nearing culmination of her spell.

Valiant, in a last-ditch effort to prevent the imminent clash, interjected, "Zara, Rey, listen to me."

Just then, a subtle yet distinct crack resounded from a nearby tree, slicing through the heavy air. Valiant, ever alert, seized upon the sound, declaring, "We're not alone."