Haunted by the Past

Bathed in the ethereal glow of the moon, Anna and Jack walked in a tense silence. The swamp encounter still clung to them, a chilling reminder of the precarious situation they faced. Before rejoining the others, Jack felt an overwhelming urge to express his gratitude to Anna. He stopped abruptly, his voice heavy with sincerity as he spoke.

"Anna, I never got the chance to thank you back there. Thank you for coming after me."

Anna, her heart still pounding from the near-death experience, offered a small, hesitant smile. "It sounds like you're not used to needing rescuing," she said, trying to lighten the mood with a touch of playful sarcasm.

Jack chuckled, a hollow sound that betrayed the turmoil within him. "Well, not exactly," he admitted. "But as a human, I didn't have many close calls. My mom, she was always there to pull me through, no matter what."

There was a raw vulnerability in his voice, a hint of loss that resonated with Anna. Sensing his pain, she decided to inquire further, hoping to offer some form of comfort.

"May I ask...?" she began gently, her voice barely a whisper.

"Cancer," Jack replied, his gaze fixed on the distant treeline. "She passed away shortly before I ended up here."

A wave of sadness washed over Anna. "I'm so sorry to hear that," she said softly.

Jack shrugged, a gesture that spoke volumes of his apathy. "It's okay. Life's been pretty dull ever since. School, sports, everything just lost its meaning."

Touched by his openness and the raw emotions he exposed, Anna felt a connection forming between them. She decided to reciprocate his honesty, hoping to forge a deeper understanding.

"You know," she began, her voice filled with a newfound vulnerability, "I lost my family and loved ones at a young age too."

Jack turned to her, his surprise evident. "How did that happen?"

Anna raised her eyes to the vast expanse of the night sky, the imposing moon a silent witness to the tragedy she was about to share. Taking a deep breath, she began to recount the harrowing tale.

"Long ago," she began, her voice filled with a tremor of emotion, "a hero arrived in our world, not unlike yourself. He looked and behaved similarly, and possessed an extraordinary intellect."

"Another human?" Jack asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Yes," Anna confirmed. "At first, my people were overjoyed. We called him the Chosen One, and he pledged to fight for our protection. He accomplished many things, teaching us valuable skills and leading us to numerous victories. Protea and all our people felt immense pride in him. But things took an unexpected turn."

"What went wrong?" Jack inquired, leaning in to listen more intently.

"When peace finally settled upon our world," Anna continued, her voice heavy with regret, "the Chosen One lost track of time. He yearned to return home, but the reality that awaited him was far from what he had imagined. He discovered that his father, who had remained behind, had spent years searching for him. When his efforts proved futile, he took his own life, consumed by despair. The Chosen One, blinded by grief, blamed our people for this tragedy. We were utterly bewildered, not comprehending the source of his anger."

"That's awful," Jack murmured, his voice filled with empathy.

"And it gets worse," Anna revealed, her voice dropping to a low whisper. "Evil grew in the chosen one, and Mother Nature saw the evil in him. He failed to address it, allowing the darkness to fester. Consumed by rage and grief, he concocted a forbidden and potent potion. This vile mixture combined Cordyceps fungus, the Crown of Thorns, and other unknown ingredients. The resulting concoction drove a significant portion of my people, including some of my own family, into a state of utter madness, turned them into the creatures you faced with Remy today."

Realization dawned on Jack's face. He looked at Anna, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. "Those creatures... they were once your people?"

Anna nodded solemnly. "Yes. That's why the others looked at you with such fear and suspicion."

Anna met his gaze, her voice filled with a newfound determination. "They may be afraid now," she reassured him, "but if you can stop the Chosen One and restore peace, you can go back to your world."

"I don't know how convincing my words will be, but I'll try my best," Jack declared, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"That's what we all need," Anna replied, a flicker of hope rekindled within her.

Spotting Iris and Remy huddled around a crackling fire in the distance, Anna pointed towards them. "Our people are camped over there. Let's get some rest tonight. We have a long journey tomorrow."