Ethereal Life, Chapter 33: The Lore's Arrival, Nai's Eccentricity

Night came. There were footsteps coming from all directions. However, strangely, no one was talking.

The cart was soon moved forward once again.

Tears started to fall from the young man's eyes uncontrollably. Hopeless, he seems to know that the ones outside are no longer the people he used to know.

The lore.

It was the story used to scare the children of the village into sleepless nights. He didn't expect it to be true until now.

Father, mother, brother... I hope to see you again.

Raelgar is the eldest son of the family. Hardworking and a caring big brother.

Would usually work from morning to afternoon in the forest. To cut down trees or hunt for food.

He would also work for others, such as repairing roof leaks, refilling river water, and such, to earn himself a living.

All in preparation to find himself a good wife in this disastrous place.

He wonders if he can even escape in this situation.

Time passed slowly, if he ever wanted to answer nature's call. He can only go outside during the day and then return to the jar.

Raelgar, feeling numbed all along the journey, suddenly noticed something along the way.

This is that creek.

It was daytime; he left the jar and was suddenly hit by the thing mentioned by the past crew of the caravan.

"Oh right, to know if you're near the destination of the caravan. You will see a creek."

Is what he had heard about them. Don't tell me. This has to do with the one they're going to trade miracle water with.

Just the thought of that made him feel cold all over, even though he was sweating all over from the jar's accumulated heat.

What have they been trading all along?

Despair filled his eyes, as he couldn't help but think of the people in his village who were saved because of that water.

However, this place is strange. Their village is cursed, and the cure might have come from this place where the lore lived.

They had invited them instead.

And here he was still having many thoughts about how to live in this place.

Pity; no one will know about what he theorized.

Raelgar looked around him and above. Same fog that hasn't left their sight for many weeks already.

The man in the other jar peeked at him before closing the lid back. He means not to go out.

Raelgar didn't know what to say. It's been weeks since they last let out their voice in the wind.

Afraid that they might attract those from lore.

Silent, after he had his fill and took a cold bath in the creek. He changed his clothes and entered another jar to rest.

Time is coming fast.

Night came, and he shivered from the cold. Raelgar opened his eyes to see some smoke that was emitting coldness seeping into his jar.

So cold.

He mumbled in his heart.

At the same time, the cart was moving again.

...

Three long figures stood silently at the front of Browny's shelter, the underground land dragon.

After a while, they left after waiting so long for the hole inside it.

...

Back to Nai's present time.

Currently, Nai was feeling trepidation that some unwanted guest might have come to give him horror tonight.

And his trembling heart guessed it right. There are footsteps around the shelter, moving around as though on a pilgrimage.

He didn't dare to breathe too loudly or move, afraid of touching any objects that might produce sounds.

Suddenly, there was silence outside.

Bang!  Bang!  Bang!

Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! What the heck!

Nai almost got a heart attack from that surprise banging on his door just now. He almost lost control and screamed in fear.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Crack...

"..." Oh no! 

Hearing those cracking sounds made him feel as though something broke in his sinking heart.

The door won't last long. Nai knows that this world was strange to begin with. There are strange powers around, picturesque scenery every morning, and starry nights.

Not to mention Browny's appearance as well as Garut, who can see the future via dream.

He always felt that he was lucky during all these years. It was as though he was given a time-limited protection invisible to the naked eyes.

Now that luck has expired, It's time to experience what the world truly is.

Nai suppressed the fear in his heart as he took hold of his axe and spear by the side. It doesn't matter if he made a sound.

In any case, they already did.

There are things that Nai learned from his past world.

That is, to turn fear into anger. Anger will power his courage to move forward without looking back.

just like now.

The banging stopped.

But there's movement on his rooftop, as if someone was climbing, became apparent in his ears.

And that's where he met those creepy-looking smiling faces.

The scary thing was that the face was someone he knew.

Argar.

Garut told him about him back then. And was also the one he felt had bad intentions for him.

I didn't expect him to come here. Wait, is it really him?

Nai forced himself to think straight amidst his tight nerves racking fear. He gripped his weapons as he stood up, ready to fight.

Since he had no way out, I can only adapt!

The two eyes stared at each other.

At this moment, something seems to explode inside him that he can't understand. Nai suddenly felt all the tension in him vanish.

It was as though he had given up.

He suddenly laughed, "Hahahahahahaha."

This laughter wasn't that of despair or hopelessness. Instead, it was a genuine laugh of happiness and joy.

Lifting both hands to his head, he said, "I see, I see."

Nai suddenly understood what was going on. It's more like he was guessing it. And he dare to believe it.

Fear is nothing but an instinctive reaction to the body. But his mind tried to control that by using anger in his heart.

In his confusion, he suddenly felt all his conflicting emotions vanish.

No fear, no anger. Instead, what remained was joy.

"Strange, why do I feel so happy?" A crazed look replaced his laughing face.

Bang!

The door flew towards the side, broken from an impact that looked like it had been rammed.

At the same time, a bulky figure that looked like a small giant dashed through the door before sending it flying to the side.

Before, the giant face could be seen from the dust and fog that were entering the shelter.

Nai has already leaned forward with his whole body, which was nearly touching the ground going for a dash.

Stomp!!

He didn't care anymore; all he wanted now was to let loose.

Kicking the wall and the floor, Nai dashed in front of the monster in front of him. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins and into his mind.

Unlimited strength courses through his body to his feet and hands.

Ah, is this me?

Looking at the eyes that were reflecting his crazed expression on the giant's bulging big eyes

That creepy smile seems to want to make him laugh.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahshahahahahaha.

Laughter filled his mind and heart.

Spurt~

His spear pierced through the monster's eyes to its brain. With the momentum he was holding, he used the giant's body to land his feet and swung his axe at its neck.

His muscles bulge; nothing can beat the feeling of chopping something he was having fun with.

Spurt~ Spurt~

Although he felt resistance, it was nothing in front of his but decorated wood in his hand. A bloodless head flew up along with his spear.

He jumped and caught it in his hand before landing on the floor.

Bang!

The giant was thrown forward against the walls before it broke and flew forward outside by a few meters.

Ptuh~ 

Nai had a mocking expression on his face as he laughed. The feeling he felt from piercing and chopping that giant just now seems to get him addicting.

"Unbelievable, why do I feel happy?" He asked himself calmly, his expression changing faster than flipping books.

His laughter just stopped abruptly because of that. His mind is calm, but his thinking is indifferent.

"It was as though a different me had been awakened." Could this be another personality?"

"Nope, it's not just one. Maybe two." One is the crazy me, and the other is the rational now.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

A noise came above him. Nai didn't need to know that it was that Argar face who was banging on his mirror roof.

Frowning, he shouted, feeling irritated, "SHUT UP!".

He walked out of the room coldly, swiping his spear away, and the head embedded in it flew out in an arc.

There was nothing inside the head, neither flesh nor blood.

Instead, a black-like substance dripped out and started crawling on its lying body.

"An undying thing?" Harrumphing, Nai took out the water bag on his waist and opened it up.

"Let's see if you resist this 'cure'."

The water has been poured. The moment its drops hit the black substance, there seemed to be a scream ringing in his ears.

As the fog stopped churning, the breeze stopped blowing, and the figures around the shelter seemed to stand rooted to the ground.

Nai's smile suddenly stretched near his ears. As he suddenly laughed, "Hahahahahahahahaha."

Happiness came too suddenly.

"Found it."