77 Veil 13

"Why don't you take a guess at what you have done?" the black-haired guy gave Lia a glare. He didn't want to look at her. If it wasn't for her none of this would've happened.

"What happened?" Lia still hoped the possibility she thought of wouldn't be true, however, the guy pushed her back ungently and said,

"You should learn to listen to others because of you- I told you we should be 5!"

His words were harsh but his voice was calmly trying to control the rioting emotions.

"Was there something that has-"

"Yes," he cut Lia off, throwing her one last angry and disdaining look before he walked away.

"Wait!" Lia knew he was angry and she messed up. If they had stuck together then the others didn't need to die.

Lia could guess that it had something to do with either everyone works together and is able to leave the cave or only one, in this case maybe 2 because the black-haired guy seemed to be strong enough to escape whatever was there to cause that bloody massacre vivid on his blue robe.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"It's too late," he didn't even want to hear her apology. He just wanted to be far away from her. He couldn't deal with selfish people like her nor did he want to have anything to do with her.

It was obvious that Lia should retreat now and leave him alone but the information to get to Rag was more important.

"Then can you please tell how to get to-"

"I owe you no favour, it's you," with that he disappeared and Lia was left alone in the wide nothingness.

She regretted, she could've just patiently waited and gone along with everyone but the thought of having to endure those people and endure their words and attitudes wasn't appealing to her.

Of course, killing someone, being the reason why they died was never a good thing, but Lia's hands were already stained with too much blood, so there was no way she could wash herself clean at this point anymore.

The only thing Lia could do now was to head to one of the cities and ask for directions. But that also meant she had to go through the white veil and possibly meet this area's Lord. The Lord here seemed to be even more brutal than the other one.

Those 4 people had gotten a token for whatever reason and were teleported to a game that killed three of them. It would be best if Lia could avoid the Lord, soldiers or any game. She had enough of them.

However, counting on the chance to meet anyone outside the city again was like waiting for rain to come in the desert. The possibility for it was almost zero. Only a wonder could bring forth such tremendous luck.

The first time Lia, Xavi and Lily walked through the white veil was definitely pure luck for them to avoid any soldier and straight head to the city. She couldn't count on that happening again.

Now, Lia ran out of options. The back of the black-haired guy was gradually getting farther away. She could try to catch up to him but nothing but silence would await her. Yet it was still the best option she had.

Making up her mind, she rushed across the ground as light as a feather until she was about an arm's reach away from him. His walking speed was normal and he didn't seem to be in a hurry.

As she was about to tap on his shoulders she decided otherwise and just silently trailed behind him. She noticed he was aware of her presence by the slight tensed up body movement of his. He wanted to turn around but immediately stopped himself.

He ignored her and carried on with his silent walk determined not to acknowledge her existence. Lia didn't make it hard for him and kept a bit of distance while following him. She knew her boundaries. If she walked like this then it only looked like they were walking the same way.

The night was almost about to end and make way for the morning. The whole night was taken up by trying to escape one game after another. Even though it turned out to be successful, the price it costed them wasn't low.

The cities were now right in front of them, the white veils pouring out and surrounding the abandoned-looking places were like a huge cloud wall, letting nothing through and keeping everything out. Just like how the Veil was.

Lia thought if he was to enter one of the veils, she wouldn't hesitate taking his hand and not letting go. He gave off the feeling that he knew how to avoid the Lord and any pitfalls. Yet, against Lia's expectations, he didn't enter any of the veils but walked around the cities, evading each of them and continuing on the path of grassy green.

Lia was stunned but didn't question it. She could only guess that the place he was from wasn't here and even if it might be a roundabout way than cutting through the cities as a shortcut, this way it was easier to avoid the Lord and get to his destination.

Lia examined the black-haired guy. His height wasn't tall but he had a slender back and broad shoulders. The way he carried himself had an air of elegance but also vigilance.

After they passed the cities, a wide area with nothing but nature awaited them. The countless shimmering veils in the air blurred their sights and Lia fixated her stare on him. Step after step they marched through the land, ever so quiet, ever so lonely and ever so peaceful.

It felt like they were in harmony until the black-haired guy suddenly turned around and looked at Lia, "Have you had enough yet?"

Lia tilted her head before giving him a warm smile, "I'm really sorry and feel apologetic for what I have done."

The guy continued to stare at her with a blank face but his stare condemned her for those words that dared to make it out of her mouth.

"Is that all?"

"I really mean it."

"Are you sure? You don't look like it."

"I can't do anything about my face."

"You should know what I mean. Please leave now, or do you want to cause more troubles?" he was ready to walk away again but saw that Lia had no intention to leave him alone.

"I just need to go to Rag."

"Rag?" for a second he stood there quiet and just examined her. An eternity passed before he opened his mouth again.

"What do you want there?"

"I have to meet some people to reunite," Lia didn't want to tell him that she was looking for one of the hidden families and it wasn't untrue that she wanted to reunite with Xavi and Lily.

The guy gave her another glance over and remained quiet before walking away. Lia caught up to him, "So, would you mind telling me where it is?"

Seeing that he didn't answer, Lia walked beside him and the things she wanted to tell him, finally reached his ears,

"It's indeed my fault. I should have listened to you and not recklessly endangered everyone. However, the responsibility of everyone's life is on themselves. I did a fair voting. Of course, if they knew what was going to happen, they would have never made the decision but-"

"Enough. Just be quiet," the guy strode forwards without looking at Lia.

He even almost covered his ears not to listen to her sprouting that nonsense. Yet what she said wasn't wrong. Everyone was responsible for their own lives. Putting that responsibility on someone else to take care of was irresponsible.

If those three had acted more level-headed and calmed themselves, then their lives didn't need to be sacrificed like that. However, he couldn't blame them either. Those three just barely avoided another game and then were pulled into a game that could've been avoided. So, their reactions were understandable.

What irked him more was the fact she seemed sincere but at the same time not. As if she has seen death in the face and led him to a dance from where she never came back, instead she shrouded herself with his grin and looked upon the death's of others with a sad lingering smile.

Just like a person who mourned and regretted but never raising their hand to change something. This was the type of person she came over as in his eyes.

Her aloof indifference, her calmness, her potential to change her own emotions with a wave of the hand was everything that couldn't have been attached to a person since birth. It couldn't be taught either. He knew that those were something only experience, the kind that no one wanted to go through, brought forth.

He had no idea what made her to the person she was now but it didn't excuse her wrongdoings.

"I know that nothing I say can sway you, I know…" her quiet voice was carried by the wind and was like a soft whisper caressing his face. The seemingly choked back emotions behind it almost destroyed the perception he had of her.

Almost. He slightly turned to look at her and briefly witnessed the moment her head was faced towards the sky, the hair strands twirling around her face and the unreadable expression in her eyes. Was it melancholy? Nostalgia? Or something completely different?

Either way, he was slightly startled and felt uncomfortable. He wanted to be far away from her. She made him feel strange and he didn't like it. Something about her was off to him.

"I told you to stay quiet," he tore his gaze off her and proceeded to make his way towards a distant city that came into vision.

"Stay quiet and I'll bring you to Rag. Hopefully, I'll never have to see you again then."

With these words, Lia trailed a distance behind him again and stared at the gradually bright sky. Some of the stars vanished and some of them became translucent, merging with the yellow and light blue tint the morning brought.

A sense of foreboding overcame her. She had done something wrong and it would take amounts of efforts and repenting for it to be made good again. If anything could ever be forgiven with a simple sorry.