Episode 21

1

Caim woke up.

Well, that wasn't exactly the right word. He had just come back, but he remembered enough of what had happened to affirm that. Those tentacles had pierced through him and, as usual, he had simply lost consciousness.

He hadn't been sleeping, so he couldn't say he had woken up.

Losing and regaining consciousness didn't even serve as rest. He was still alive, his wounds screaming this fact so he wouldn't forget. His whole body ached, even though Victoria must have pulled his chestnuts out of the fire. Again.

Yes, there she was, floating in his blurry vision.

Caim shook his head, clearing away the last remnants of lethargy from his unconsciousness.

"How do you feel?"

"Like a dozen horses had trampled over me," he responded. His voice sounded strange, as if he had been unconscious for hours. Without drinking, without speaking. And so it sounded weak and excessively harsh.

"It must have been something like that. You nearly died. I know where we are, but you should be more careful. I bet you did something stupid without thinking of the consequences."

Caim grimaced. How was it possible that she had realized, if neither of the two had been present during his brief but intense battle against the Skeleton Knight? Those two knew him well. Too well.

So, he wouldn't lie to them. First of all, he didn't like lying to them, he didn't want to. But even if he was willing to try, it would be useless.

They could read him like an open book. It was good that they had gotten close enough to him to do that, but it could be a bit inconvenient at times.

He didn't want to worry them... But what was wrong with a merciful lie or two sometimes to not overly worry them?

"I won the fight, but I'm sorry. It's true that maybe I could have found a less risky way."

He hadn't seen it at the time, and perhaps he would have paid with his life while trying to find it, but he couldn't deny that possibility existed.

"I'm glad you didn't even try to lie," said Yonah. "That's not all. It's neither good nor bad, but your horns have grown."

Caim looked up. They hadn't grown big enough for him to see them out of the corner of his eye, but there was no doubt they had increased in size. Considerably.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Now he wouldn't be able to hide his horns with a hat.

They would destroy anything he tried to put on his head to cover them. He had had to do it several times in the past. It hadn't amused him, but he had swallowed his pride to get through the area quickly and, above all, not cause more problems than strictly necessary to Yonah and Victoria.

Well, he wouldn't have to do it inside the Tower. He would cross that bridge when he came to it. It could be postponed for... days, weeks, who knows how long.

Besides...

"I'm not proud of them, but I'm not ashamed either."

"Yeah, that's why I say it's neither good nor bad. I hope."

"I hope?"

"Well, it's a change caused by this place, somehow... No matter how I look at it, I can't convince myself it's nothing. You know perfectly well how dangerous this Tower is."

Caim nodded.

The three of them wished the Tower was their salvation, but it clearly had no intention of making it easy. He had lost count of how many times he had been on the verge of death in such a short time. Even though it was everything he hoped for, even though it contained all the secrets and answers one could expect, if he wasn't careful, the Tower could crush him at any moment.

So he understood their concern perfectly.

Even if he didn't share it.

"It's true. But… What's done is done. There's nothing we can do now." That was the best he could offer.

"That's not exactly reassuring."

Caim got up a bit too quickly, getting dizzy. Yonah lunged forward to lend a hand, but it wasn't necessary, he stood firm.

He always did, despite what life threw at him.

"Who does it reassure? Let's get moving. One way or another, the sooner we get out of this place, the better."

That was something the three of them should be able to agree on, and so they did. They got moving right away.

2

Caim brandished the weapon, decapitating the cyclops with its own mace. Were there more efficient and less risky ways to kill that monster? Yes. Did it feel good to crush the monster with its own weapon, demonstrating his superiority so clearly? Hell yes.

"I think that was the last one," he said.

"Seems so," Yonah replied.

Caim took a deep breath. He didn't sheathe his weapons, but he didn't look around for enemies either. He simply examined his companions. Their physical condition, judging how much longer they could continue fighting and whether they should. Maybe he could continue. Maybe he could.

If they were too cautious, they would end up tripping over their own feet and dying painfully.

But, for now, nothing was wrong.

"Let's rest, okay? We'll set up camp right here. I'll take the first watch."

"You've beaten me to it," said Yonah, clicking her tongue.

"I knew it the moment I saw the look on your face. But for now, you suck it up, I win."

Caim took the device from his jacket, still breathing heavily. He would be very grateful if something like this really existed. He felt too tired to slowly set up a camp, piece by piece, even with the help of the two. He just had to activate it, place it on the ground, and that was that.

He watched his companions go into their respective tents. Caim sat down with a sigh. He had volunteered to stand guard himself, and it was indeed a good decision. Deep down he knew it was for the best to lose consciousness. Because when he truly relaxed, stretched out on the sheets, closing his eyes...

Almost all the time he wished to never wake up, for tomorrow to never come.

Life was a war he was losing.

Episode 21: FIN