Northern's words hung heavy in their hearts as they silently proceeded forward. Despite the harshness they conveyed, no one had decided to leave the group and head toward where there were fewer monsters.
Northern had delivered his point with that deliberate wickedness of words, hoping that they'd at least choose to save themselves.
But no one seed broken enough to turn back. Or could it be that their respect and followership toward the Lieutenant was of greater fear than the fear of death?
If that was the case, he didn't think the source of their stubbornness was of a frivolous origin.
Perhaps the Lieutenant just held a more paralyzing fear that, as long as he was standing there, they'd rather die than give up.
'...or is it admiration? Huh? No way? You can't admire soone to the point of dying to please them,' Northern refuted in his head.
He truly didn't understand the bunch; he felt like he had lost touch of sothing.
Sothing like... he had once been like that. But grabbing onto the mory felt so difficult. It was like that entire part of him was obscured by a thick, stubborn darkness.
'The more I get stronger, the more I feel like I am losing myself. I can barely even rember my old self before coming to this world or that I once lived.'
The feeling once more beca vivid to Northern.
He sighed and focused forward. All of them were walking side by side. Ryan and the Paragon seed to be talking about sothing in front.
Alystren and Shin flanked the right side, walking with each other. The group of three walked toward the left side, behind Ryan and Dante.
Jeci and Lynus silently walked behind Northern. And he had dismissed Night Terror and Black Mamba for both of them to get enough rest and be ready for when things got dreary.
Northern walked closer to Shin and looked at Alystren.
"Please, can I have a mont with my father?"
"Of course." Alystren tapped Shin's shoulders and stepped back while Northern took his place, walking next to Shin.
Both of them were silent for a few monts, until Shin's voice hesitantly rolled out. "Soooo..."
"Congratulations on becoming a Savant."
Shin smiled shortly, his eyes focused on that barren crimson plain in front of him.
"I am still far behind, compared to you..."
Northern squinted his eyes.
"You don't need to compare yourself to . Honestly, I am not comfortable with it."
Shin, for the first ti since they started walking together, looked at him, his eyes a bit dilated.
"Things did happen that we never expected they would. And I kind of got stronger than anyone planned. But it changes nothing-you and mom raised with so much love. While you guys overprotected , which was harmful when I found myself in the dark continent alone, it is because of your love and upbringing that I am still able to maintain this level of sanity and morality."
Northern allowed a pale smile.
"Anybody else would have just gone mad, I guess."
Shin did feel a bit relieved at his son's words. But no, he didn't think he could allow himself to be that relieved yet.
They needed to find Eisha, and together with his wife, they would finally assess and know what had happened to their son. And also bear the pain of failing as parents.
He wasn't confident of doing it alone. But if it was with Eisha, he was sure they would be able to burrow into Northern and make him open himself emotionally to them.
Which was why he needed to find Eisha as soon as possible.
Shin gritted his teeth and clenched his fist tightly.
Northern glanced at his hands and focused to the front. After a few seconds, he asked.
"The elf, what about him?"
Shin's hands relaxed as he heard the question, he retorted, his breath calming.
"When the rift exploded and swallowed , I woke up with the lady and the guy who introduced themselves as Jeci and Lynus, but he was nowhere around. He would be sowhere around..."
"No."
Shin took a look at his son's cold and calculating eyes as he added.
"I suspect that he didn't even enter the rift with us. He probably used the rift to mask his essence flow so he'd be temporarily undetectable."
'It's a good thing I moved mother as fast as I could,' he thought.
"Still, being able to summon a rift. I don't understand what is going on anymore," Shin expressed.
Northern suddenly paused, his brows twitching.
"Is sothing wrong, Northern?"
He turned his face to his father, his face stale for a bit, then a smile broke out and his words ca out with strange warmth.
"I have found mother and Silver, and secured both of them."
Shin's eyes widened slowly as those words settled into his mind. As his eyes widened, tears settled at the base of his lids, waiting to stream down.
However, Northern's next statent killed it.
"But now is not the ti to be happy about it."
Shin's brows ca together. "What do you an?"
Northern looked straight into his father's eyes; the formal warmth in his words had been frozen, like it never existed.
"The only reason I told you this is so that you can be motivated to survive what is coming for us. You must live to see your wife no matter what. I might not have the ti to protect you or anyone, so be sure not to die. Well, I trust you won't, knowing that your wife and child are
waiting for you."
"What? What do you an?" Shin was confused.
Northern faced the front and bent down, touching the ground.
"Everyone stop." His voice rang out, halting everyone in their tracks.
Only when Dante stopped did he suddenly frown. Before he could say anything, his reflex kicked in, leaping him powerfully far behind, such that he covered over a hundred ters in
one leap.
Everyone was shocked as they saw the Lieutenant, the strongest among them, suddenly beco a blur over their heads and now standing so far away from them.
With a dark expression, they all turned to Northern who was still crouched and touching the
ground.
Northern exhaled shakily and looked at them with a very tired smile.
"Looks like we're finally going to et a Behemoth. A Devilish one at that."
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