Nearing the base of the illustrious Tower, the group stopped, taking in the spectacle that was the divine structure. Extending like seraphic roots through the streets, the Tower seemed to embed itself into the asphalt.
'Woah, there it is…" Sol said.
"Finally seein' it up close," Yeong-Un added.
The area around the Tower had a sudden decrease in level, seemingly caved in by the presence of the immaculate structure.
They had stopped in front of what looked to be a rundown store that sold sporting gear, having a sign resembling a tennis racket.
"We'll stop here for now," Ma-Ri said.
Bags hung beneath the eyes of the youthful leader, but it was the same for each of them–they were all tied from the arduous, stress-filled expedition.
"I hope they're okay…" Eunji said quietly.
They entered the doors of the sporting store together, which was vast and filled with a variety of items: tents, kayaks, and hunting equipment.
"They'll be fine," Sol said, "...At least I hope so."
The hazel-haired adolescent was slapped on the back playfully by the blue-haired, mesh shirt-wearing friend of his, who walked in front of him.
"Dontcha worry. That fire-head has a talent for survivin'," Yeong-Un said.
"For now, we have to worry about ourselves," Ma-Ri said, "...We have neither the strength nor stamina to stress ourselves over those beyond our reach. All we can do now is put our trust in them."
"Right…" Eunji nodded.
Though her way with words was stoic at best, and abrasive at worst, it was clear that Ma-Ri was concerned with the wellbeing of the three missing members of the group.
–
Ma-Ri sat down on one of the camping chairs on display, exhaling as the others settled into the display tents that were already propped up.
…Don't fall when we're this close, she thought.
"Hey, Ma-Ri."
She looked up to see Yeong-Un standing beside her, extending an item to her. It was a bar wrapped with the design of a mountain range across it: "Climber Energy Bar."
"What's this for?" She asked, looking at it.
"It's for ya'," Yeong-Un clarified.
"--" She looked at it before turning her gaze forward again, "Don't worry about me."
Yeong-Un gritted his sharp teeth, placing the bar in front of the leader's face again, "Hey! Yer' the most tired of us, aintcha?! Yer' the leader, so naturally ya' take priority! So, don't be stubborn and just take it!"
The fiery way that the scar-covered adolescent spoke took the exhausted woman by surprise as she looked up at him with her azure eyes before accepting the bar.
"...Just, try not to be so loud, alright?" She said.
"Err, yeah, my bad," Yeong-Un chuckled.
While she sat on the chair in the dim, unlit store while the others stayed in the propped up tents, she unraveled the energy bar, biting into it and chewing the grainy food slowly.
"--"
Between her fingers, the bar shook. It wasn't the bar that was shaking, but the hand that held it as she sat there quietly with an expression that wished to falter.
Stay strong, Ma-Ri. If you start to show weakness…it's over. You have to be strong. It's all on you now. They need you, she told herself.
It was all a bit too much for a young girl such as herself, just shy of her twenties. Yet, she could feel the burden weighing on her.
Dae-Seong…How did you do it? Losing people…It's the worst. I wish Father was still here…to hold me, to tell me "It'll all be okay"...but, it's past that now. There's no going back, she thought.
It was an unhealthy way she composed herself. Amidst the despair that seemed to center around Gangcheori, she held her head high, opting to shed no tears.
But, it's not as she lacked emotions; the contrary. Inside of her, all of those emotions spiraled, bubbling up and wanting to be released, but she kept them locked up inside of her.
It was a problem she had long before the beginning of Armageddon; Ma-Ri felt little identity for herself. To her, she needs only a duty given to her; a goal, and she will commit to it. Due to this lack of individuality, the need to express herself had never truly occurred to the girl, and when it did, she ruled it as "unnecessary."
–
[Months Prior]
Surrounded by the corpses of Defects, all pierces many times over as blue blood seeped onto the carpet, the young girl stood there silently.
"You've been here all alone, fighting by yourself, haven't you?"
Standing at the doorway was a man with slicked-back, silver hair with eyes that held a similar coldness to her own.
"--"
"What's your name?" He asked.
"--"
After not receiving an answer, he gave his own, "My name is Dae-Seong. I've got a small, but capable group of fellow survivors."
"--"
The young woman was silent, questioning the man's intentions by the sharp, cold look she gave him.
Dae-Seong looked straight at her, "I am not here to save you. You're strong, are you not?"
"--" She seemed surprised by his honesty.
"I need strong people like yourself. I'm looking to save the weak, but I can see that you don't need saving. So, I'd like to request your help instead," Dae-Seong said, extending his hand, "I can put that strength of yours to good use."
To her, this was what she needed to hear: purpose. Simply being 'saved' did nothing for her. However, being given a reason to continue fighting–it was more than she could ask for.
She took the callused hand extended to her, gripping it firmly.
"Ma-Ri. That's my name."
Dae-Seong smiled warmly, "Thank you, Ma-Ri."
At that moment, emotion had expressed itself in a slight parting of her lips as she witnessed that warmness from the man. Just then, she realized, this man was not like her.
–
"...Dae-Seong…Why did you have to leave us? Why…did you have to leave me all alone?" She whispered to herself.
Biting into the last of the bar, she felt just how tired her body was by just how taxing it was to chew the tough, nutrient-filled item.
Sitting in his tent, Sol looked up at the fabric of his temporary place of rest, sighing out as he rolled over, shifting continuously into different spots as he found it difficult to get into any comfortable position.
"...Damn it," he mumbled.
How am I supposed to relax when they're still out there? Come on…Hurry up, Jeong-Hui, he thought.
Eunji felt the same, unable to keep her eyes shut as she sat in her tent with her knees tucked closed to her chest, looking down with somber eyes.
On the other hand, Yeong-Un passed out without fail, not wasting the opportune moment for rest.
"Zzz…" Yeong-Un snored.
While they passed the time, with Ma-Ri still refusing to get rest as she sat on the chair, watching the entrance, a certain noise began to meet each of their ears.
A scratching sound scraped against the roof, sounding as if a sharp object was dragging along its surface.
"--"
"What's that?" Sol muttered, sitting up.
For some inexplicable reason, Ma-Ri felt a dreadful feeling spawn inside of her, prompting her to stand up, heading towards the door.
Yeong-Un crawled halfway out of his tent before being stopped–
"Stay inside your tents," she commanded.
"...Alright, then," Yeong-Un hesitantly accepted.
She headed to the front, looking through the clear door before reaching over to the stand beside her with the intent of moving it over in front of the entrance as a blockade.
But, before she could do that, something crashed through the ceiling harshly.
"--!"
She immediately hid behind the orange kayak suspended on display, peeking past it at what had fallen through the roof.
"Graaah…"
[Reaver Demon | Level 40]
Something of such a level was something she'd prefer not to fight if possible, and definitely not with the others around.
It was lanky, with pitch-black skin that seemed slick with some grimy substance, possessing thin, far-spanning winds, a pair of horns, and a white tongue that unraveled down a couple meters.
The face of a man, the tusks of a boar, and the claws of a tiger; it was a terrifying amalgamation of violence.
"--"
ραпdα nᴏνɐ| сom As it began stomping around slowly, hissing as the black grime that clung to its form dripped down onto the wooden floorboards with an acidic burn, she ducked beneath the kayak for cover.
Luckily, the others in the tents had remained completely silent, which felt like a miracle considering how hot-headed a certain one among the three could be.
…Why did it fall in? Does it know we're in here? She thought.
It began to sniff the air, the flexing of its nostrils being audible as its nictitating eyelids revealed its glazed-over eyes.
Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.
The Reaver Demon was a good portion over two meters, and likely closer to three as it walked around slowly, smelling the air as it left a trail of acidic, black gunk in its wake.
Sitting in the tent, Yeong-Un had his hands near his sheathed blades, watching through the fabric of his closed tent as he could sparingly see the shadow of the lanky demon, slowly prowling through the store.
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