Suspicions

"Sir Oliver!"

Encountering Oliver directly at the entrance to the first tower power supply facility proved to be an unexpected stroke of luck. While he exuded a composed demeanor, a glance over his shoulder revealed a team equally exhausted and stunned, mirroring my bewilderment at the inexplicable turn of events.

It appeared that the unsettling occurrence we faced on the shore had also affected Oliver and his team.

Nevertheless, we can unravel the mystery once we regain our composure.

"We can't linger here! Remaining in this place will only ensnare us further!" Mandy now awakened to the fear creeping within, gritted his teeth as he urgently conveyed his realization.

"Calm down." Oliver retorted as he looked at Ariana and approached her.

Ignoring Mandy, he fixed his gaze on Ariana, who seemed somewhat disoriented. Despite resembling a typical Horror scenario, her movements betrayed an entirely different nature.

"How about we take shelter inside first, sir?" I calmly proposed, "I can provide you with a comprehensive account of what unfolded on our end. Everyone could use some rest."

Oliver nodded with a blank expression.

"Let's do that."

…

"What did you say?"

Amidst the haunting gazes of those Horrors, I was the sole individual capable of maintaining composure. This enabled me to guide the group to this location, as the Horrors, inexplicably, ceased their pursuit and let us be.

However, one specific detail made me comprehend why Ariana had become this way.

"Those Horrors… they were looking at her."

Initially, I believed their collective gaze was fixed on us, especially considering Ariana was right beside me. Yet, even the ones near the others at that moment were blatantly ignored.

Instead, their peculiar attention was focused on a singular spot where Ariana had been positioned.

Creepily looking at her.

And with that, the explanation ended on my side.

"The Horrors materialized on the shorelines without us noticing, lingering in the same spot without giving chase. That, however, isn't the primary concern. Their numbers are substantial, unlike the solitary Horrors we're familiar with..."

Oliver let out a sigh as he said, "We've also experienced the same thing on the other side but the eyes of those creatures… as if they were trying to find somebody. Though we make a run for it right after, I'm pretty sure their eyes are moving probably to confirm something."

Upon hearing this unsettling revelation, I furrowed my brows and swiftly retrieved a dagger from my side, gently guiding Ariana's hand into mine.

"Hey—!"

Slash—!

With precise precision, I cut Ariana's palm, eliciting widened eyes from the others. However, my focus remained fixed on her face, which was gradually returning to life.

"It's time to go back, ma'am."

Ariana felt a throbbing pain, clutching her head before glancing around. "What happened?" she inquired, confusion etched across her face.

"I've read this during my time in the academy. Facing Horrors can produce low to medium attacks of fear to its opponents which is why it's natural to form a group to hunt a single Horror, but you are different. Those creatures tried to attack you mentally."

Ariana, her visage worn and fatigued, registered shock before nodding once. She clarified, "I don't recall anything beyond the moment I realized they were dead Horrors, but my body seems to be functioning normally."

Huh, strange.

Typically, under the assault of mental skills, especially Horror attack skills, the victim would be incapacitated, and unable to move. However, Ariana defied this norm. Despite the attack, she retained the ability to move her body and remained conscious.

'What the hell is going on here?'

Hold on, could it be because they were already dead Horrors? If that's the case, how could they still evoke fear in Ariana?

'No, that's strange.'

If that's the case, then we should have been paralyzed like she was, considering the sheer numbers. Those Horrors emit an aura, and yet, they are neither alive nor hostile...

At least, not now.

That's even more weirder.

'I'm confused as hell.'

It's as if they possess a mind of their own, being manipulated by some unseen force. Their synchronized movements and strategic approach suggest a level of intelligence beyond what we've encountered before.

'In any case, we're going to get annihilated if we don't do something about this.'

I'll leave these thoughts aside for now and focus on the matter at hand. 

"Oliver, what should we do from now on?" Ariana, after a long pause, asked the leader of this expedition. 

Anticipation hung in the air as everyone awaited, confident that he must have a contingency plan for when things inevitably went awry. The notion that he hadn't prepared a plan seemed improbable, given his position as the commander of this area – a role that wouldn't be entrusted without meticulous preparation for contingencies.

It appeared that Oliver swiftly gathered his thoughts and adeptly adjusted to the unfolding situation.

"Ariana, you and your team, man the towers while we search for survivors," Oliver instructed. He paused, emitting a dry laugh. "Those creatures outside... I'm telling you now, they aren't normal. If they make a move, just shout. I have someone with keen ears."

Oliver departed with his squad, leaving the remaining individuals to form a protective circle around Ariana, who was also in the process of regaining her composure.

She was on the verge of posing a question and organizing the group when suddenly, I called for everyone's attention. I intended to ensure that everyone within our squad heard the message.

"Ma'am Ariana, I want to request something."

…

The power supply resembled a fortress, comprised of three towers surrounded by cobblestone walls with a mix of rough and smooth edges. A lengthy and challenging bridge interconnected the three towers.

"What in the hell... How long has it been in this state?" Ariana inquired, peering through the top of the tower with me after assigning her squad to man the other two towers.

Though it is unsure why she is letting me come with her.

After careful consideration, I responded, "If we calculate the run we made up to here, it's been approximately an hour, ma'am. Adding a bit more, maybe half an hour."

"That long?" Ariana questioned, continuing, "If that's the case, why are these towers surrounded by these monsters, and yet, we're not dead?"

I followed her gaze, but in a situation where various types of Horrors were motionless, fixated on us, there wasn't much to survey.

"Please ensure you cover yourself adequately," I emphasized with a sigh, noting that the robe she wore was not properly covering her face.

Then, I continued, "I don't know. Trust me, I'm as clueless as you are, but I do have a few suspicions that I shared with you earlier."

"Though it is far-fetched, we should consider options we can think of right now. But if they started to move…"

"No, they won't make a move," I confidently replied, observing the Horrors fixedly staring back at us. "Our enemy right now is not only confident but also cunning. They can wait for our supplies to dwindle, and we'll perish one by one without them losing any of their own."

Ariana furrowed her eyebrows, "Okay, I will listen to your words for now. Then, you guard this tower with Mandy."

Following her command, Ariana exited the tower I was in and went on to inspect the other members of the team.

Then a few hours passed…

Reports flooded in, and unfortunately, no survivors were discovered. Despite thorough investigations revealing traces of blood, not a single corpse— not even a finger or two— was uncovered within these power supply towers.

"Heightened your spiritual sense…"

Assured that the Horrors wouldn't launch an attack, I found some leisure time to delve into studying the technique Ariana had imparted to me.

While my attention was primarily on the situation at hand, given the predictability of the Horrors and my extraordinary proficiency, Ariana chose to place her trust in me, even though both of us harbored uncertainties.

But what were my suspicions exactly?

In this peculiar sequence of events since our arrival, I've come to the conclusion that these Horrors are either inherently intelligent or manipulated by a single entity.

The notion of the Horrors being inherently intelligent was somewhat believable, considering there were a few— or perhaps many— Horrors known for their cunning nature. This might explain why humans could form contracts and negotiate with these entities. There's even a theory that supports this hypothesis.

On the other hand, the latter is something that only crazy people could think of.

Throughout the entire history of Horrors, there hasn't been a single documented case of one Horror being able to control another, even in scenarios involving hundreds of them.

But if that's the case, there are two reasons why would that be.

It's plausible that Horrors possess some form of 'controlling' power, or they could operate within their own society, adhering to a hierarchy akin to the military structure where they follow directives from higher-ups.

This time, the second reason is implausible hence I liked to stick with the first reason, as for why, only because Ariana had given me the clue for it.

'Dead Horrors.'

If Ariana's account of those Horrors is accurate, it could spell trouble, especially if those monsters decide to launch an attack.

The looming threat of imminent obliteration lingered as the horde of Horrors surrounded us, yet not a single movement was detected after their encirclement.

With each passing moment, my suspicions of an entity orchestrating the actions of these creatures grew more apparent. Furthermore, the calculated strategy of inducing fear, corralling us into a confined space and patiently waiting for our provisions to deplete revealed a meticulous and strategic approach.

It's straightforward but it had to be executed properly, less they wanted to disrupt their plans.

What's their plan exactly? Well, I don't know but it will lead us to the question 'Why aren't they attacking us?'

If I can figure out more about these suspicions of mine, I could probably think of ways to use this and exploit something from it.

Besides, I've made plans for myself.

"Well, that took long."

At this point, I had to momentarily cease my contemplation, as I found myself overly immersed in the subject. Strangely, for some reason, the intensity of the situation managed to elicit a slight sense of excitement within me.

'The mysteries just keep building up…'

It just put a smile on my lips.

Is it bad that I'm thinking this very differently?

Then, I continued guarding this side of the tower while giving signals to the other people at the other towers.

After a few more hours, we finally decided to rest and changed shifts with Oliver's squad.

But something happened right at the moment we came back.