Dark Sky, You Are Not Wrong

Walking out of the forest in silence, Lucius informed them of a potential ambush from Natalia.

Whether it was paranoia or not, it was better to be prepared. They passed the spot where they found the blood, indicating that the city was only 2 hours away. Feeling calmer once they were out of the forest, their range of sight increased.

After walking for ten minutes, they heard a distress call, and a woman was running towards them with three males chasing after her.

Assessing the situation, Lucius instructed the others to prepare. "Help!" the woman screamed in distress. The males continued to chase her, disregarding the trio in front of them.

Kevin took a defensive position, shield out and sword in hand, ready to engage, while Lucius and Lily took their positions behind him.

"Thank you for saving me!" the woman exclaimed, smiling as she passed Kevin and reached out towards Lucius.

Sensing that something was wrong, Lily wanted to interrupt, but she saw Lucius's eyes signalling her to help Kevin. Nodding, she went to stand next to the shield warrior.

''I was in such a panic. I was running for so long, and those beasts never gave up!" the woman said, taking a step closer with a smile.

She was about to hug Lucius when she suddenly felt a sword pierce her brain, shocking her. Her eyes widened registering the pain before she died on the spot, the sword sticking out from her head.

The males were about to engage, but upon witnessing what had happened, they knew they had made a mistake. Enraged, they attacked the trio fiercely, seeking revenge.

Lily and Kevin struggled, with Kevin blocking most of the sword attacks. Fortunately, among the three foes, two wielded swords while the last one used a staff, which he swung like a bat, hitting Kevin along with his companion.

Lucius let the woman slide off him, dropping to the floor with a dull sound. Looking at her, the back of her head with the sword coming out of it, he felt conflicted.

He was unsure if she had been acting and simply did what he thought would be the safest course of action. If she had decided to keep her distance from them, he would have dealt with the enemies while keeping an eye on her.

However, she came too close for their safety, so his reaction was a mix of panic and resolve.

The fight grew fiercer, with wounds accumulating on Kevin's body. "Lucius, snap out of it!" Lily's urgent voice brought him back to his senses. He picked up the sword and rushed to join the others.

Now that it was three against three, they slowly gained the upper hand, though not without sustaining injuries.

Kevin had a deep scar on his torso that tore through his clothes, causing him to bleed as he held onto his shield. Lily, on the other hand, fared better as she had experience with the sword.

She managed to hit a vital point on one of the enemies, causing him to die slowly from his wounds.

Lucius joined Kevin and attacked the staff user. The staff user attempted to block with his weapon but was kicked in the stomach and fell to the ground. He was then wounded with a slash that opened his stomach, causing him to collapse.

Rushing over, Lucius checked on Lily and saw that she was holding up well. He then turned his attention to the last remaining enemy, who was now pleading for mercy.

"Stop!" the guy panicked, his voice filled with desperation. "Please spare me. You will never see me again. This was a mistake. They forced me!" He cried, feeling his life slipping away.

Lucius hesitated for a moment, torn between the desire to show mercy and the need to protect his group.

The man threw his sword on the ground and, wounded, attempted to flee towards the city. In his state of rage and frustration, Lucius continued to chase after him, slashing his back as he ran.

The guy crashed to the ground with a yell of pain, his life hanging by a thread. Lying on the floor, he looked up at Lucius with pleading eyes.

Shaking and holding the sword, Lucius took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. He knew that sparing the man might lead to more trouble, but he also felt conflicted about killing a defeated enemy.

In the end, he made a decision. Pulling the sword back, he hesitated for a moment, his heart heavy with the weight of the situation.

The man, thinking he had a chance to live, managed to utter, "Thank you, I swear I will nev..." before Lucius's sword pierced his heart, ending his life instantly.

Looking at the lifeless body in front of him and then glancing towards the other three in the distance, Lucius began to feel sick.

It was his first time killing a human, and the experience was vastly different from dealing with animals.

The close proximity, feeling the warm blood on his hands, and the metallic taste in his mouth had taken a heavy toll on him.

The sight of the man's pleading eyes and killing him when he no longer posed a threat left an indelible mark on his conscience.

Still pale and shaken, Lucius managed to compose himself and pulled the sword out of the chest, causing blood to gush out.

The rush of adrenaline during the fight had masked the weight of the situation, but now that it was over, the aftermath hit him hard.

"How fragile is life," he muttered to himself as he walked over to Kevin, who had collapsed on the floor, with Lily standing nearby, also bloodied.

Lucius turned his attention to Kevin, who lay unconscious on the ground, his breathing shallow and laboured.

Worried lines etched on his face as he gently checked Kevin's wounds. Lily knelt beside him, as she assessed his condition.

"He fainted, but no vital organs have been injured," Lily said softly, her voice filled with compassion. "He will live; he just needs some rest and time to recover."

Nodding in acknowledgement, they both sat on the ground in silence. Lily gazed at the lifeless bodies before her, her eyes filled with sorrow and solemnity.

She then turned her attention to Kevin, who lay injured nearby and began tending to his wounds with gentle care.

As the darkness began to descend around them, enveloping them in its embrace, Lily's voice broke the heavy silence.

"You know, when I arrived in this place, I was...scared," she confessed, her voice a mere whisper, carrying a deep sense of vulnerability that reached only Lucius's ears.

Hugging her knees close to her chest, she continued, her voice filled with emotion, "And now... I've killed a human."

Her words trailed off, and she looked at Lucius with searching eyes, seeking understanding and solace.

"Was I wrong?" she asked, her inner turmoil evident. Lucius, too, felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him, his heart heavy with the killing, it was the first time for him too. 

He took a moment to consider Lily's question, wanting to offer her comfort and support in this difficult time. "No, Lily," he finally responded, his voice gentle yet resolute.

"You are not wrong. In this harsh and unforgiving world, we often have to make difficult choices to protect ourselves and those we care about," he paused, his gaze meeting hers with empathy. "It's a cruel reality we've been thrust into, and it will only get worse."

"The world itself is wrong, not you or me."

As he rose to his feet, Lucius moved to salvage what he could from the defeated enemies. He carefully retrieved the staff and swords they had wielded, recognizing their potential value.

Additionally, he noticed some clothing and boots that seemed to be in surprisingly good condition, despite the chaos of the battle.

Wasting no time, he swiftly added the items that fit in the inventory, leaving the rest next to them to carry back. 

In a world as unforgiving as this one, every resource was precious, and he knew they couldn't afford to overlook any opportunity to improve their chances of survival.

Taking a deep breath, Lucius looked up at the dark sky above them, with only a few small stars glowing in the distance.

Surprisingly, he felt a sense of peace in this darkness, as if the absence of light had its own unique beauty that even the brightest star couldn't compete with.

Little did he know that in the future, this very moment would become a nostalgic memory etched in his heart,  but would be seen as something naive and a joke. That night, he changed; something moved within him.