“You are awake.” Says Kyris, his voice sounds cold and distant.

I glare at the burly man sitting at the end of the cabin. His dirty boots tapping on the floor, his finger scratching the giant scar that cut across his eyes. Seeing that I have no intention to talks to him, he grabs the flask and walks over. His giant stature overshadows me. I barely reach his shoulder when we stand shoulder to shoulder, let alone when I’m lying on the cold ground.

“Here, drink some rum,” He says, he squats on the floor and passes me the flask.

My head is spinning wildly and my body is weak all over. The last thing I want to drink right after waking up from a day-long fever is rum.

“Water?” I ask Kyris.

“The nearest water source is one hour away,” Says Kyris, he put down the flask and sit on the ground next to me. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m alive. I have nothing to complain,” I muttered.

“You almost died,” Says Kyris. He stares at the wall with his stoic face.

I smirk and look at the bleak wall too. The light of the candle throws eerie shadows in the confined cabin. Through the small window, the moonlight illuminates the empty cabin. The sound of the wolves howling breaks the silence between us.

Kyris is right. I almost die. If its not for Galgar who threw himself into my direction and blocked the attack of the giant serpent, it would be me who’s buried six feet underground. It’s a torture to see your friend who fights alongside you sacrificed their lives for you, but it would be a lie to deny that I was glad he did.

“I’m sorry, Kyris. If its not because of me, your brother won’t die,” I apologize bleakly.

“He’s an adult. He’s big enough to make his own decision, and he decides to save you,” Says Kyris without a hint of emotion in his voice.

We’ve been through a lot since a month ago when I saved him from the attack of the golem. Yet, I still couldn’t figure out his emotions. Unlike his twin brother, Galgar, Kyris is a cold and detached man. I couldn’t shake off the memory on that day he buried his brother. He didn’t shed a single tear nor blame me. In fact, he didn’t even say a single word. It was me who cried for hours on his grave.

I watch as he walks to the door and disappears into the misty night. Cold wind gush inside the cabin, filling his space in the room.

I sigh.

Its been a month since I arrived in this foreign land where dragon roamed the land and monsters lurking everywhere. Along with thousands of other players, I was too trapped in this place.

I did not sign up for this.

I shouldn’t sign that document. I should have read thoroughly the thick T&C that day, but no. I skipped the whole thing and simply signed with my name.

I didn’t know how I fall asleep, or when.

All I remember was staring at the bleak ceiling, the sound of the wolves howling, and the memory of Galgar dying playing repeatedly in my mind.

----------------------------------------

When I wake up, the room is empty. My fingers stretch to my forehead. My fever has subsided. The sunlight shines through the crack in the wall. Outside the cabin, the birds sing and chirps, oblivious of the danger lurking in the shadows.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

I prop myself up on one elbow. Still sitting on the ground, I grab the cloak that served as my bed for the past two days and slides into my boots. Next to me is my backpack and the sword I’ve been using since a month ago. I wonder where did Kyris go? He won’t leave me behind, will he? I didn’t see him again since he left last night.

I push the thought out of my head.

He won’t leave me. Not when all we have is each other. This is not the same world where I had lived for twenty-five years alone, surviving on my own. I would be totally fine if I was still back there. The concrete buildings won’t harm me and monsters are just fantasy.

But this place is different.

And Kyris knows it well, too.

I stand up and walk to the door with my cloak protecting me against the chill autumn morning. As the door creaks open, the buzzing sound of the morning cicadas greets me. I step out of the cabin where we had spent the last few days resting. I look around and surveys my surrounding. The warm hues of autumn greet me. I caught a faint sound of leaves rustling and branches breaking. Someone or something is heading this way. Is it Kyris or is it a beast? I grab my sword and prepare myself for a fight.

“Ah, its you. Good morning, Kyris,” I greet him as soon as I see him walking towards the cabin.

“Feeling better?” Kyris asks. He holds a dead rabbit in his hand.

“My fever has subsided. I’m alright now,” I say, putting my sword aside.

“After we eat, we’ll continue heading to Eastdale town,” He says as he walks past me and heads to the side of the cabin.

I trail behind him and watch as he starts a fire and roasts the dead rabbit. No skinning, no cleaning. Just raw dead rabbit on fire. A month ago, I would rather starve myself than eat such barbaric food. But now, even my stomach growled at the smell of burnt furs.

Kyris pass me half of the rabbit, and I pass him back half of my portion. Its only fair. He’s a man twice my size and its his catch I’m eating. I won’t even complain if he refused to share any food with me. Kyris didn’t argue with me and continue eating the meat I return to him.

Honestly, it doesn’t taste good at all. Its stale and chewy, not to mention how unhygienic it is. Still, I finish the whole thing.

“Water,” He says as he passes me the flask he carries around on his waist.

“Water?” I repeat his word. “Did you went to get water early in the morning?”

Kyris didn’t answer me. He continues eating until the last bit of meat left on the bone. The morning continues in a silent and awkward atmosphere. This is how we have been acting around each other since Galgar left us. Its not easy for me. Galgar and I always make ruckus and jokes around when we were not fighting. Now facing Kyris, I feel like I’m turning into a cold and distant person too.

“If you’re done, we’ll leave now,” He says. He stands up and walks into the cabin.

I nod and trails behind him.

With my backpack on my back and my sword in my hand, we continue our journey to Eastdale Town.

As soon as I’m in the trees, I hold dearly to the sword swaying on my hips. Inside the woods, wild beast and monsters roam freely, not to mention the lack of a proper path to follow. Oftentimes, its walking base on hunches and guided by the sun.

I glance quickly over my shoulder as Kyris disappears for a while into the bushes. My face turns red when I realize what business he’s doing. Its very embarrassing, especially for a girl like me. I can never get used to this, relieving myself in the bushes.

Pretending that I didn’t see anything, my pace quickening as I climb the hill overlooking a valley. Luckily during my first week here, I looted a pair of Sprinter Boots that allows me to walk faster without consuming too much stamina. If it weren’t for that dead army, god bless his soul, I would be left behind by Galgar and Kyris back then.

AREA UNLOCKED: WITCH FOREST

I read the hologram screen as a new map unfolds before me. Witch Forest, I read it again and again in my brain. Is there a witch inside the forest? Only time can tells.

The surrounding changes as the trees grow higher and denser. Vines creep on the mossy floor and climb up chasing after the sun. There are no butterflies, insects, or birds in sight. I turn to Kyris who walk beside me, his hand gripping his sword. He must be nervous too, his action betrays his stoic face. Who wouldn’t be anxious? I smile nervously as I try to calm myself.

This is not a virtual world where the player respawn after their character died, nor did they return to their real world. Concealed between a thousand words of terms and conditions that we didn’t bother to read was a bitter truth that most of us couldn’t handle.

A world of survival. An endless cycle of killing.

Without a single word, we braved our heart into the Witch Forest.