The Box: Fate
Chapter 19 — Aftermath and the Hunter's Return
The silence that followed the Master's disappearance was heavier than the battle itself The oppressive gravity had vanished but the clearing was now a graveyard of broken trees and shattered earth
Kataki tried to stand his hand gripping a jagged rock for support The power of the Angel of Death had taken a brutal toll on his body It was a power that demanded a price and his current level was not enough to pay it His vision blurred the faces of the other players spinning in a dizzying circle Without a word his knees buckled and he collapsed face-first into the dirt losing consciousness instantly
"Kataki! Akira shouted stumbling toward him
But Akira wasn't in good shape either His armor was cracked and blood seeped from a wound on his shoulder Beside him Kuro was leaning heavily against a tree his breathing shallow and ragged. Murasaki hands were still trembling the purple glow of her magic flickering like a dying candle
Every single player was wounded Axel Hatanaki and Zanaki finally reached the top of the hill their clothes torn and their bodies covered in bruises from their long struggle with the shadow Even they the strongest of the group looked like they were at their limit
None of them moved to take command There was no designated leader among the seventeen They were a collection of powerful individuals all main characters in their own right but now they were simply survivors clinging to the edge of exhaustion
A soft white light began to glow in the center of the clearing again Seinaru the Sacred Hunter materialized from the ether She looked at the broken group with a calm analytical gaze Her white blade was gone but the aura of authority still surrounded her
She walked over to Kataki unconscious body placing a hand near his chest After a moment she looked up at the others
He has overexerted his soul Seinaru said her voice echoing with a melodic strength But he will live Your companion is as stubborn as the power he carries
She stood up and scanned the distant horizon her eyes piercing the dark veil of the forest for miles I have searched the perimeter for leagues in every direction The Architect has truly withdrawn The shadow energy has dissipated from this region There is no immediate danger left in these woods
Zanaki wiped blood from his lip and let out a tired laugh No danger? I think we've had enough danger to last a lifetime lady
Seinaru did not smile This world is a cycle of trials You have survived the first Do not waste the life you have kept
She turned toward the path leading back to the village Return to your inn You need rest and medicine The wounds of the shadow do not heal like normal cuts they fester if left in the dark
The players didn't argue With Axel and Aaron Moses carrying Kataki between them the group began the slow painful trek back down the hill No one spoke The adrenaline had faded leaving only the cold reality of their injuries and the memory of the Master overwhelming power
The walk back to the village felt longer than the journey there The night was still but every rustle of leaves made someone flinch When they finally reached the wooden gates of the village the lanterns were still burning low The villagers were asleep unaware of the cosmic battle that had just taken place above their heads
They reached the inn and pushed through the doors The innkeeper seeing the state of the seventeen travelers—bloodied bruised and carrying an unconscious man—gasped in horror
Get water and bandages Kyoshiki directed calmly his own injuries forgotten for the moment And the strongest medicinal herbs you have
They laid Kataki on a bed in one of the larger rooms One by one the other players slumped into chairs or onto the floor too tired to even climb into their own beds Akira sat by the window staring out at the mountain they had just descended Murasaki sat in the corner quietly tending to a burn on her arm
They were seventeen individuals each with their own pride and their own story. There was no king among them no captain to give orders They were just a group of people bound by a box a game and a shared night of terror
As the first light of dawn began to peek through the inn's windows the players finally succumbed to sleep The village was safe for now and the Master was gone but the weight of the future hung over the room like a physical thing
The game was far from over