16 The Forest of Emptiness

[Mortis' POV]

"Hush!" said Mikhail as he tried hunting and looking for supplies.

"You know what you are doing, right?"

"Not exactly,"

'That's reassuring,'

Mikhail replied as we swept the forest, we kept our feet soft to avoid any unnecessary fight. Moreover, we didn't have any idea on how the monsters reacted in this area, but we had a fair knowledge which we acquired through the rumors and stories brewed in past.

"There's nothing…"

He said with a saddened yet calm face.

"Guess, we'll just have to survive with fruits and flowers.."

It isn't any of an issue, as we were already prepared for that, but we were concerned about the surroundings. It seemed fine…I guess.

"There aren't any dead or live animals. Which is a good sign. Maybe we can live in peace or rest for at least one more night."

Mikhail said as judged and glanced his milieu.

I didn't doubt him as my own instincts were telling me that we were fine for now at least. But still we made another check and then headed towards the base camp which sat somewhere in the middle of the forest. Maria and Avon both were waiting for us and it felt wrong to keep them waiting. Also, I didn't want Maria to get worried about me.

'Rustle~~'

The grass swayed a little bit.

My initial assumption was that wind made it do that but then I realized that it was indeed untrue as I heard some footsteps approaching.

I panicked and took a firm grip on my hand, Mikhail on the other hand seemed serene about everything.

He was signing songs and whistling which made me a anxious.

'Did they found us already?'

I looked at my spear and then glanced towards the voice which approached to us. In a panic-struck moment I lifted my spear and threw straight towards the voice which now echoed.

I was well aware that it would just be a normal person, but the thought of getting found had taken over me. I started to regret as soon as the spear left my hold.

It went inside the grass….. 'Thud…..It struck something, but I was conclusive that it wasn't anything living.

"That's some nice way of showing gratitude, huh?"

The same voice which was echoing was now more clear, but rather than being foreign it now sounded familiar.

The spear was thrown back at me and through the grasses, I saw two figures walking.

"Krial? Buzz?" I asked as I rubbed my eyes.

'It is them'

They were not related to me nor did I know them for long, but a sense of contentment flowed in and out of me. I was seeing smudgy images as I had tiny drops of tears gathering in my lower eyelid.

"Tears? Wasn't really expecting them….but.." Buzz came towards me with an expression was both a mixture of surprise and joy. He hugged me and looked towards Krial asking him to join, but as usual, he refused.

"Its good to see you."

"You too."

He looked over towards Krial who stood with a deadman's look.

"Yes? Mr. No-emotions…"

Buzz asked Krial as it looked like he had something to say.

"I had told you to keep quiet…that was a close call," Krial scolded Buzz which looked antithetic, mostly because he never actually talked….yet he was actually scolding someone.

I looked at them and concluded that my spear had been really close, which was a glad that it missed.

"Okay, I understand….but I rather yeet for an explanation…"

Mikhail with a confused reaction which was understandable as he had never met them and they jus popped out of nowhere. I decided to tell him everything as we made our way towards the base camp.

We reached the camp safely but empty-handed. It was rather disappointing to me as I had gotten every single person here in this situation. Without any doubt this was all my fault and no one else's.

Be it about me being a Darkel or not….I don't care about that. I had just made seven people's life….a living hell.

Maria was amused to see them both here and jumped towards them. She hugged Krial and surprisingly enough Krial did the same.

'He can do that?'

Was my initial thought as I saw that, but then I thought maybe they had been childhood friends.

"Thank god! You guys are okay…"

They both nodded and then took a seat on the ground. I followed them and Mikhail too, placing his sword beside him. I did the same, but I rather threw it away.

I did that, because it was one of Ishi's rules…. 'No weapons near the dinner.'

We hadn't been successful in finding any food, but Maria had. She had found some fruits, which she thought were edible.

"You can eat these?"

"Yes, I assure you that they aren't poisonous."

Avon answered with a barren face, with neither a smile nor a wink. I didn't expect him to joyous, but seeing him like that. I cussed myself.

"So, you got them into this mess too, huh?"

Avon said with a straight yet sharp tone. It was meant to derange and of course it did.

I stood their with a stern reaction. I had nothing to say nor had anything to counter that.

What was I supposed to say…it was all meant to be this way?

This was fate?

This was all my mistake and mine alone. I lifted my head to reply…..or more like apologize.

"That wasn't rude, right?"

Maria spoke up, she had seen through me. She had always been there for me. I don't know why she cared about me, but the thing which made her different was that she just helped me for no reason.

Always.

And I believe she will in future too.

Why I always wonder.

I looked at her with a grateful face. She took a notice of me and then picked a fruit and gave her iconic smile while throwing it towards me.

"Yep, it isn't his fault nor is anyone's fault here. So…." Mikhail spoke up with a ascertained face. His eyes met Avon which pretty much screamed. 'Never say that again.'

Avon looked away and started mumbling something as he sat with fruit in his hand.

I looked at Mikhail and suddenly our gazes met, he didn't change his expressions. He continued eating the fruit he got from Maria.

He took a bite, the crunching sound was so clean that I could hear his every munch. It was dead silent in the circle. No one had any idea what to say.

I was struggling to whether or not apologize or just sit quiet without moving a muscle. I tried burying my head down again but then that felt like a wrong move.

I once again looked at Mikhail.

"And you…"

He said as he took another bite and looked at me fiercely.

"You don't go on recruiting any more soldiers in your suicide squad, understand?"

'What?'

I was confused and in my mind I was trying to figure out what he said, but regardless of that I nodded and just went with the flow.

"So…..the guy who pulled you out?" Mikhail asked us.

"Chin!"

Buzz replied with a huffing voice.

"Chin?"

Mikhail reacted with a bemused reaction as he took his hand closer to his face and rubbed his chin.

He looked at Avon for an explanation…. "It's a name,"

Avon replied to Mikhail's lost face to which Mikhail responded with a nod as he realized it too. Maria who sat next to Avon, kept her palm over her forehead as she saw Mikhail's reactions and actions.

She chuckled a bit, but then returned to her normal face quickly. I kept watching everyone with same apologetic face. I was lost and I couldn't help but feel like I was on loss…

'I am so pathetic,'

"To think he would follow you out here too…..he surely hates you a lot."

Mikhail commented on Chin's actions. They were rare and also so revengeful, I had no idea of what had happened to him or with him to hold such a grudge against me….or was it only against me.

"No, he doesn't hate Mortis. It's just….that he hates every Darkel…."

Buzz answered swiftly with his legs crossed he was definitely getting ready to explain everything now…

[War Council's lounge]

"Sir Knight!!"

Chin called Edwin who mounted on his horse.

Edwin was ready to leave for the extraction of the Darkel. He was all ready and geared up with his equipment, with a large sword. Even bigger than Chin himself. It was all ready hard to look at surroundings with that gigantic sword but Edwin was so used to it, that it was like the sword was a part of his body.

Edwin looked behind with an irritated look, "What is it?"

"Sir Knight, I know where they are at.."

Chin said as he panted his knees bent and head down.

"Where?"

"The Forest of Emptiness."

Edwin grinned, his eyes were filled with determination, but was called out by another guard.

"Sir," The guard came running towards him and handed him a scroll with writing scribbled over it.

He read everything with a stern face and looked at his left side, "Nikola, it seems I need to be somewhere else. Do the job for me.."

On his left stood a guy with a sharp yet thin sword in his hand. The Second-in-command, Nikola Germ.