The forest feels quieter now. The wind barely moves the leaves, and the sickly-sweet scent that hung in the air before is fading. I glance back at the corpse behind me, the blood beginning to soak into the ground. My chest tightens at the sight, but I force myself to focus on Hayle.
She's still kneeling, her arms wrapped around her knees, staring at the dirt like she's seeing something else entirely. Her silver hair catches the light, reflecting a faint glow despite the filth clinging to it. I can't help but notice how hollow her eyes look—like whatever used to live there was snuffed out long ago.
"Hayle," I start, trying to keep my voice gentle, "we should move. I don't know how many more of those guys are out there."
She doesn't respond right away, still rocking back and forth slightly. I kneel down in front of her, keeping my movements slow. "Hey... I know you're scared. I get it. But if we stay here, we're both sitting ducks and I don't know how many more caved in head I can do."
She lifts her gaze just enough to meet mine, and I see her hands trembling. "Do you even know where to go?" she whispers, almost like she's asking herself.
"No. But standing around isn't going to help us." I sigh and look around. "You got any idea where we are? Or where we can go?"
Hayle's eyes dart around like she's searching for a memory that won't come. Eventually, she swallows hard and nods. "There's a village... south of here. They don't like outsiders, but they might not notice us if we're careful."
"Well that's better than nothing." I nod. "Can you walk?"
She hesitates before trying to stand, wobbling on shaky legs. Without thinking, I reach out to steady her. The moment my hand touches her shoulder, she flinches but doesn't pull away. I can feel how cold she is, like the life's been sucked right out of her.
"Sorry," I mutter, letting go as she regains her balance.
She gives a weak nod. "It's... fine."
We start moving, keeping low and quiet. I'm hyper-aware of every noise, every shift in the trees. I don't know if there's more of those guys nearby, but I can't afford to be reckless. I keep my hand near the hilt of my sword, just in case.
After a while, Hayle breaks the silence. "Why... did you save me?"
The question catches me off guard, and I don't have a good answer. "I couldn't just leave you like that," I say finally. "No one deserves to be treated like that I suppose."
She doesn't respond, but I catch the faintest hint of surprise in her expression. Like that wasn't what she expected to hear. Almost like she would have never imagined me saying that.
As we move through the dense forest, I notice her steps getting slower, and she occasionally glances back, almost like she's expecting someone to be following us. The paranoia makes me more anxious, too, but I try not to let it show.
Finally, she speaks again, her voice barely audible. "If... if you're real... if this isn't another illusion... you're going to regret helping me."
I give her a sidelong glance. "What makes you say that?"
Her lips press into a thin line, and I can see her knuckles turning white as she clenches her hands together. "Because everything around me... always falls apart."
I want to say something to reassure her, but I can't pretend I understand. Not when I'm barely keeping my own mind together. All I know is that we're both broken in our own ways, and somehow, just existing in this place makes that worse.
We keep moving, the forest gradually thinning out as the scent of smoke reaches my nose. A village, just like she said. Small, built into the base of a steep hillside. Makeshift houses with thatched roofs and crude wooden fences. A few people mill about, and I can feel their eyes on us even from this distance.
"Stay behind me," I whisper, and she nods. I keep my head down as we approach, trying not to look like I'm spoiling for a fight. As much as I hate it, I'm ready to draw my sword at the slightest provocation.
As we reach the edge of the village, an older man steps forward, leaning on a walking stick. His eyes narrow as he takes in my armor and Hayle's disheveled appearance.
"You two don't belong here," he says bluntly.
"Just passing through," I reply, trying to keep my tone respectful. "We won't cause any trouble."
He snorts. "That's what they all say. Who are you?"
"Luceras," I answer. "And this is Hayle."
His gaze shifts to her, and I notice his eyes soften just a little. "Elf blood, huh? Guess you've seen your fair share of hell." He sighs. "Fine. Don't make me regret letting you stay."
I nod, giving him a slight bow. "Thank you."
The man grumbles and waves us off, but I catch the hint of curiosity in his expression. As we move deeper into the village, I can't help but feel like we're being watched from every angle. Hayle keeps her eyes fixed on the ground, shoulders hunched as if trying to make herself invisible.
I don't know if this place will be safe, but it's better than wandering aimlessly in the forest. For now, all I can do is watch over her and figure out my own place in this twisted world.