Dune sat alone, staring at the uneven ground beneath him. The cave was quiet except for the soft murmurs of Nely and Enren talking nearby. Their voices faded in and out, laughter slipping through the air like whispers of something Dune couldn't bring himself to understand.
It wasn't like Dune was actually paying attention, at least, that's what he told himself. But certain words stuck out to him anyway.
Dune exhaled through his nose. He had no reason to care about this conversation. It wasn't relevant. It wasn't important. It was just useless chatter that served no purpose other than to pass the time.
And yet, his fingers tapped idly against his knee. Something was off.
Nely wasn't the type to just talk like this. To open up so easily. Dune had seen the way she acted around strangers before. Sure, she was warm, annoyingly so, but she still had a sense of caution. She wasn't this comfortable.
But she sounded different now. Her voice blended strangely with Enren's, like it was overlapping, almost like— Dune frowned and stood up.
Nely seeing this, turned toward him, blinking as if pulled from a dream. "What's up?"
Dune sighed, glancing back at her. "I'm going to look around. I'll be back soon."
Nely hesitated, then shrugged. "Yeah, alright."
Dune stepped out into the night.
The air was colder than before, pressing against his skin. He walked a short distance from the cave, glancing back once before letting his feet carry him forward.
Should I just leave her?
The thought came without emotion. No hesitation. Just something logical.
Why is this so hard?
He sighed. His breath misted in the air. He had to find Ned and Atlas. Wasn't that more important?
We just survived Jake and Nate. Didn't she get how this worked already? You can't trust anyone here.
He clenched his fists. Why won't she understand? His thoughts shifted back to Enren. His smile. His voice. His story. That guy is lying.
Dune ran a hand down his face. Most importantly, what is his real ability?
He spent the next few minutes checking the surroundings, scanning the area for anything unusual. But there was nothing. No hidden threats. No movement in the trees. Nothing to suggest immediate danger.
Still, the unease didn't leave him.
When he returned, Enren was drinking water, laughing softly. "You can even make water from your own Neba? That's insane… It really tastes like water too." He laughed again, taking another sip.
Dune barely looked at him. Instead, his gaze flicked to Nely.
Something about her felt… different.
"Hey," he said. "Can we talk? Alone?"
Nely hesitated for a moment, glancing toward Enren.
Before she could answer, Enren stood, stretching. "I'll take a walk."
Dune waited until he was gone before turning back to her. "What's up?" she asked, crossing her arms.
Dune didn't waste time. "We almost died against Jake and Nate, and now you trust someone completely new like it's nothing. Don't you realize that he's obviously lying?"
Nely rolled her eyes. "Why are you like this, Dune? Not everyone is evil. Not everyone is like those two." She huffed. "Some people are different."
Dune studied her. It hadn't even been a day. Yet she was sure about Enren. Like she had known him forever. Like she trusted him completely. His stomach twisted.
He frowned, taking a step closer. His voice dropped.
Then he froze, confused…
"Were your eyes always blue?"
Nely blinked. "What?"
Dune's expression didn't change. "Your eyes. Were they always blue?"
She made a face, confused. "Yeah? I guess?"
Guess? Dune's brows pulled together. "Guess? What do you mean 'guess'?"
Nely shifted slightly, her fingers tightening around her sleeves. "I mean… I don't really pay attention to stuff like that. Why does it matter?"
Dune didn't answer. Why can't i remember it?
His pulse was steady, but something was rising in his chest. Something wasn't right.
This didn't feel real. Before he could ask more, footsteps returned.
Enren stepped into the cave, brushing off his sleeves. "So? Did you two talk?" Nely spoke before Dune could.
"Yeah."
Dune's jaw tightened. He exhaled slowly, turning away. He had his answer. He was right. Something was wrong. Still, he said nothing. He walked toward the mouth of the cave, passing Enren as he did. But then, without warning, he moved.
Steel flashed in the dim light. The blade of his sword pressed against Enren's neck, just enough to cut the skin. A thin line of red appeared. The cave fell silent.
Dune's voice was calm. "Why aren't you healing your wounds with Neba?"
Enren didn't flinch. He didn't jerk back or react in shock. He just turned his head slightly, glancing at Dune with a single eye.
"Dune!" Nely's voice broke through the tension.
Dune pressed the blade harder. Just a little more. And then, suddenly, something hit him.
A force slammed into his chest, knocking him backward. He caught himself quickly, regaining his balance as his eyes snapped up.
Nely stood between them, a sword in her hand.
Dune's mind blanked for a second.?
Nely's expression was cold. "I want you to leave."
Dune stared at her. "What?"
"I said leave."
Her grip on the sword was tight. There was something in her voice. Something that didn't match the look on her face. Dune took a step forward, but she spoke again.
"I wish you never got your memories back," she said. "Why are you like this? Why can't you trust me? If you can't even after everything that happened, then just go."
Silence stretched between them. Dune looked between her and Enren. He didn't move.
"Leave, Dune," Nely repeated. "Go back. You need to find someone, don't you? Go. Go far away from here."
Dune exhaled. Then he turned and walked out of the cave.
Dune took a few slow steps forward before breaking into a run. Nely was trying to tell me something. Something is wrong.
Not just with him, Nely, and Enren, but with this place itself. He dashed between trees, not knowing where to go.
But suddenly, he stopped.
Six figures stood before him, six different Zetens, positioned around black tent as if they had been expecting someone. His breath hitched as he scanned them. They were wearing same silver attires, chatting casually amongst themselves, but something about their stance felt deliberate.
*who are they? Is Enren with them? Are they guarding this area to keep us from escaping?*
If that was the case, then what was their goal? If they wanted to overpower us, they easily could have. So why go to such lengths to plan and wait?
At that moment, the flap of a nearby tent rustled, and someone stepped out. One of the men standing guard exhaled heavily, nodding as he swapped places with him. The exhausted man collapsed onto a nearby seat, eyes dull, body slumped.
Dune narrowed his eyes. The new guy looked lifeless, drained. *Neba... he was using it. But for what?* He turned his attention to the tent. Six remained outside while one was inside.
*I need to know what's in there... but how am I supposed to get inside?*
Meanwhile, back in the cave, Enren moved toward Nely with eerie calm. She stood frozen, her body locked in place. Gently, he reached for her neck and injected more Neba into her body. A cold smirk tugged at his lips.
"It's honestly amazing," he mused. "That guy, Dune... his instincts are sharp. But you, you're just a gullible little girl. You walked right into our trap."
His fingers lingered on her skin as he whispered, "It's good, though. I really wanted your ability. It'll be much more useful in my hands."
Nely trembled as her body began to change. One of her eyes glowed icy blue, just like Enren's. Her hair slowly shortened, shifting as if molding itself into something new.
Back outside, the six Zetens kept watch, their eyes scanning the surroundings. The air had grown heavier; the forest was getting darker.
A rustling in the bushes caught their attention. One of them stepped forward, muscles tense.
A sudden impact.
His body crashed into a tree with bone-shattering force. The remaining Zetens instantly reacted, charging toward the disturbance.
Dune moved.
He sprinted through the forest, weaving through the shadows as one of them shouted, "Don't lose him!"
He pushed off the ground, launching himself high into the trees. Below, three of them rushed past his position, followed closely by two more.
But the sixth never came.
"Damn it, where's the sixth one?"
Dune's breath caught as something crawled onto his shoulder. A small insect, its eyes glowing an eerie green.
"Got you."
The impact was immediate. Dune was yanked from the tree, crashing to the ground as the sixth Zeten landed hard, pinning him against the earth.
"He's here! Come, now!"
Dune gritted his teeth as the others closed in.
Dune then smiled, i see…
*None of you… none of you have movement speed abilities.* A grin spread across his face.
And then, he moved.
In an instant, he was gone, rushing straight between them with blistering speed. One of the Zetens' eyes widened in realization.
"Wait! He's—"
But it was too late.
Dune activated Nebasteps and vanished, a blur tearing through the night. The wind roared in his ears as he left them behind, his body already approaching the tent before they could even react.
Inside, the air was thick with power. A glowing yellow circle pulsed on the ground, its energy swirling unnaturally. A man knelt before it, hands placed firmly within the circle, his breathing shallow.
"I still have some left," the man muttered, thinking his companion entered in the tent. "It's too early to switch—"
His voice faltered. A chill crawled up his spine. Slowly, he turned his head. Dune stood behind him. Before the man could react, a blade flashed.
His skull split open, brains spilling to the floor in a grotesque heap. His body collapsed instantly.
Dune exhaled, stepping closer to the glowing circle. The energy thrummed beneath his fingertips as he touched it. A rush of sensation flooded through him.
In the cave, Enren, who had been consuming Nely's Neba, jerked upright. "No... Impossible. You—!"
Dune grinned.
*So that's how it is.* He didn't know exactly how Enren's ability worked, but he had found its source. Lifting his sword, he infused it with Neba and swung down with all his might.
The impact shattered the glowing circle, obliterating the tent in a violent explosion. The force sent Dune flying backward, slamming into the ground. Enren was thrown as well, feeling intense pain in his chest, as his grip on Nely broke.
Nely gasped, collapsing on the ground and coughing violently.
Dune forced himself to his feet. Around him, six Zetens regrouped, their eyes burning with fury.
He took a fight stance, chuckling as he glanced around.
"Come."