Haruto didn't turn around.
Not immediately.
The fire had leaned.
Once could be ignored.
Twice was harder.
But turning felt wrong.
Like agreeing there was something to see.
So instead—
he picked up another piece of dry brush.
Added it.
The flame rose slightly.
Nothing happened.
Belial watched.
Haruto sat.
The fire stayed normal.
A minute passed.
Then another.
The warmth remained.
Haruto quietly asked—
"…do warm places disappear?"
Belial looked at the fire.
"…eventually."
Haruto nodded.
"…good."
Belial looked over.
Haruto shrugged.
"…I don't want permanent consequences from lighting a campfire."
Belial looked back at the flame.
Then quietly—
"…usually people don't either."
Haruto noticed that word.
Usually.
He didn't ask.
The fire cracked softly.
A spark rose.
Then another.
Then another.
Haruto watched them.
Too many.
Not enough to be impossible.
Enough to feel unusual.
He looked upward.
The sky stayed empty.
Then—
he frowned.
The sparks weren't rising.
Not exactly.
They drifted upward.
Then curved.
Very slightly.
Toward the dark.
Like they were being pulled.
Haruto stared.
Belial noticed.
Didn't look.
Just asked—
"…what?"
Haruto kept watching.
"…nothing."
Belial looked at him.
Haruto looked away.
Too late.
Belial noticed.
Its ears lowered.
Slowly.
It looked up.
The sparks returned to normal.
Silence.
Belial looked back at the fire.
Didn't speak.
Haruto noticed that too.
After a while—
Haruto stood.
Belial immediately looked up.
"…what?"
Haruto stretched.
"…I'm checking something."
Belial stared.
Haruto walked away from the fire.
One step.
Two.
Three.
The warmth remained.
He kept walking.
Ten.
Twenty.
Eventually—
cold.
Normal.
He stopped.
Turned.
The fire looked small now.
Belial sat beside it.
The warmth should stay there.
Normal.
Haruto looked around.
Empty.
Then—
he took another step away.
And stopped.
The warmth returned.
His expression changed.
He turned.
The fire hadn't moved.
Still far.
Still small.
But the warmth came back.
Not strong.
Just enough.
Haruto stood quietly.
Then took another step.
Warmer.
Another.
Warmer.
His eyes narrowed.
That wasn't right.
He looked back.
The fire became smaller.
But the warmth increased.
Haruto stopped.
Belial stood.
Its voice carried across the distance.
"…Haruto."
Haruto looked.
Belial wasn't looking at him.
It was looking behind him.
Haruto froze.
Belial stayed very still.
Then said quietly—
"…walk back."
Haruto didn't move.
Belial repeated—
"…walk back."
Haruto looked behind himself.
Nothing.
Just dark.
Just desert.
Just—
warm.
Too warm.
His expression stayed calm.
He turned.
Started walking back.
Normal pace.
Belial kept watching.
Haruto approached.
The warmth became normal again.
When he reached the fire—
Belial sat down immediately.
Haruto sat too.
Neither spoke.
After a while—
Haruto asked—
"…what?"
Belial stayed quiet.
Long enough.
Then—
"…you brought some back."
Haruto frowned.
"…what?"
Belial looked at the flame.
"…the warmth."
Haruto stared.
Belial continued.
"…it stayed around you."
Silence.
Haruto looked at his hands.
Nothing unusual.
Belial looked away.
"…that doesn't usually happen."
Haruto looked at the fire.
Then quietly asked—
"…is that bad?"
Belial thought.
Long enough.
Then—
"…I don't know."
That answer felt real.
Haruto looked into the flame.
Thought.
Then—
he reached forward.
And covered the fire.
Not with his hand.
With sand.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
The flame weakened.
Smaller.
Smaller.
Gone.
Dark.
Cold.
Silence.
Haruto sat back.
Belial looked at the smoke.
Then looked around.
Nothing happened.
Haruto nodded.
"…okay."
Belial didn't answer.
A minute passed.
Two.
Then—
Haruto frowned.
Looked down.
His sleeve.
Warm.
He touched it.
Normal.
No.
Warm.
Like he'd been standing near fire.
He slowly looked at Belial.
Belial had already noticed.
Its ears lowered.
Neither spoke.
Haruto quietly asked—
"…Belial."
Belial looked away.
Haruto looked at his sleeve.
Then asked—
"…if warmth stays…"
A pause.
"…can someone follow it?"
Belial didn't answer.
The darkness around them remained silent.
Cold.
Empty.
Except—
for a faint warmth
that still hadn't left Haruto.