4. Fated Encounter

Yakun

After we finally escaped from an unknown entity who harmed Hecor, we're now gone into a place under that dark tunnel. As we decided to part ways, we've finally found a shelter. But then, another unknown entity crosses our way.

"He's weird" Mihu mumbled as she look at me with frustration.

I quickly step backward, an said "Let's go"

"WAIT! WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM!?" he quickly went down upstairs, pertaining to Hecor, whose probably unconscious now on my back. This is bad. "... DON'T WORRY! I'M NOT HURTING ANYONE, LOOK I'M HURTING MYSELF" he continued, by that, he showed us his slitted leg, awfully bleeding, flesh almost visible for its deepness.

Mihu covered her mouth as she closed her eyes. This is literally her weakness, irony for a nursing student like her.

I take a look at him again, the boy entity.

Is he committing a non-suicidal injury? Not a form of suicide, but might be their coping mechanism of something. I badly wanted to know. Yes, I'm studying human behavior, but it's still so perplexing. He might be cutting to numb their pain or to actually feel pain, or pleasure, either way, it's both alarming.

He later let us inside his treehouse. And based on how it looks, it is almost empty. Aside from the weird stuffs I cannot describe, a bed and a kitchen table is the only thing I can see.

Hecor is now laying on his bed, finally getting treated. Thankfully, he's getting better now. But it's still not enough for us to trust this boy. For this could be just a form of manipulation. After a long moment of silence, he spoke as he stand in front of us.

"I'm Lucas. I know it's prohibited for us to reveal our identity, but I wanted to make friends with you" he said. Looking into our eyes with sincerity."... you're all the first living to step in here" he added, he reached for two cups of tea on a table behind him.

"But.... what are you?" Mihu asks, Lucas hands us the tea. Mihu and I accept it, but we didn't take a single sip.

"I also used to live before just like all of you. And we're aware of that. I am now just a dead person who successfully regain life after so many years. Some were regaining its life easily on their own, some still struggling, some were not, they are the ones who just ended up shattering into fragments, and had no existence at all" he explained, he's now starting to treat his wound by wrapping a bandage around his severely teared-up leg.

"That's... unbelievable" Mihu uttered in amusement.

Lucas sat at the edge of his bed where Hecor's laying down and said "I am an A-DEVELOPED type of half-live in this Deeper Ground. Meaning, I am now able to be independent and live on my own like a fully alive human. Meanwhile, the lower developed and undeveloped type has to stay there, as some of them are indeed violent and unable to undesratand anything at all." He pointed outside the window, as we saw a small building standing from afar, which made me part my lips in disbelief."... apart from half-lives, there are also living souls wandering around here. They are the ones who are more capable of living." Okay? That sounds realistic yet so unbelievable at the same time. I don't know what to react. And I still can't understand.

"I have so many questions I wanted to ask. But... may I ask first why you're hurting yourself?" I ask calmly.

But then, just when he is about to answer, a lace on his neck suddenly beeps."Dr. Abreo's might be looking out for me now. May I leave you here for a minute?"

We both nodded in hesitance.

Doctor?

• • •

Conan

It is dark, rocky ground tossing against our feet. The silence is ranging the whole place. Still, Nari and I proceed to walk by. But then, at this point, we knew, it's not just the two of us around.

Something behind our back is screaming with some dark atmosphere. Like someone has been watching us, following us until they got their chance to attack. Nari and I gaze at each other, probably a sign that we need to face them out soon as possible. Or else, we'll be eventually dead by behind.

We've decided to prepare for a fight just in case. Nari grabbed and locks her gun, and I, who have nothing as a weapon just prepared my physical strength to fight,

And just when we turn around,

A three headless body blasted away and fell over us.

"****" both of us uttered as we just lost our senses, with its blood excessively splashes into our faces.

Behind them was a woman. Standing fiercely. Probably in her 40's. Her appearance is completely like us, humans.

She groaned and said, "Another livings" she called us livings. And what is she?

Nari and I both gaze at her as we didn't move.

The woman spoke again as she stares at the three headless bodies, "They are from the higher ground. Invades our ground after you invaded them. Chased you after you killed their master." She told, looking at the dead bodies and switched to us. Is the higher ground she's referring to was the dark tunnel?

I saw Nari being undecided if she would point her a gun."... what did you come here for? Are you with her?" the woman asked. And we didn't know who's she referring to. I quickly wipe the blood off my face as it started to stink.

"Her?" Nari whispered in her furrowed brows, wiping her face by her shirt.

The woman responds right away, stepping closer to us. With her katana resting on her shoulder."The girl in a brown cloak" she spoke, she stopped walking when she finally face us.

I realized that she is right, and good thing that she knows her, I quickly respond and said "Yes! We're running after our friend who was captured by her"

She nods, "Follow me, I'll bring you to her. I'll let her fix the mess she did." she told, walking past to us."... that rebellious girl" she mumbled, rolling her eyes as she walks ahead of us.

We followed her as we walk down a dark and strange area. Letting our feet be guided by her. But in the middle of that, I decided to spoke to her again after a long silence,

"May I ask some questions... about this place?" I asked, trembling.

"Since I'm not sure if you all gonna end up going back to your living place, I'll let you know some things" she stated without looking back to us."...call me Dr. Abreo, the right hand of the doctor who created this ground to be his patients' home and shelter" she added. From that moment, two children appeared on our way, wearing a hospital gown, playing around.

"Patients?" Nari asked with extreme confusion, watching the kids who's seemingly enjoying.

"You'll know" Dr. Abreo casually answered, and we continue to walk. Nari and I gaze with each other again, questioning our decision.

• • •

Third Person

A young woman, holding a basket of aids. She takes off her cloak as she entered the room, revealing her long dark hair and choppy bangs, tiny lips, and small gray eyes. Unexpressive face, half decaying like dead flesh. She sat beside him, Joas, still on his unconsciousness, laying on a bed. The soft fabric gently touches his wounded arms, carefully treated by her, being held inside a room made of pure stone. It is a warm night. Torches' flames provide enough light to illuminate their spot, undistinctive voices outside the room.

The door opened up as another young woman showed up in a doorway, wearing a hospital gown, she watches her cure him for while. And decided to speak, "What will you do the moment he wakes up?"

She didn't answer, continued treating him instead.

She rinses the fabric with clean water once again, started rubbing it lightly into his swollen arms. But then, her fingers accidentally touched his wound hardly as she never expect. Making him suddenly afflicted in pain, gaining his consciousness. He let out a heavy groan. Delivering the young woman into unnecessary alertness. As she draw out a knife from her chest and unhesitatingly pointed it under the young man's chin as she waits for him to be fully awake.

Slowly, he let his eyes open, as his sight was firstly greeted by a young woman facing him- treating his wound while pointing a knife at him.

He stares at her innocently, as he tries to analyze what happened.

Later realizes, he moved carelessly, as he pull his body back from her, lifted his right hand as he took a grip of the knife on her hand, hardly, clutching her hand as he never let his glaring eyes off from her. The young woman holds her knife tightly as she can, preventing him not to steal it at any cost.

"Pana, calm down!" the girl in the doorway scolded as she come near, pulling Pana's shoulder.

From that moment, Pana aggressively snatches her hand from his grip, violently pushing him into the wall.

She immediately stands up.

Joas inhales sharply before he spoke,

"Can I offer you something?" he said, staring intently at the two young women standing in front of him.

"What..." the other girl spoke. Pana remained on her feet, waiting on what he's going to say.

"Do you wanna suicide?" Joas asked in his serious tone.

That when he didn't expect, from that moment, the unknown entity, Pana, started roaring wild as she unleash her monstrous side. Leaving a long deep groan as she attacks him in a blink of an eye.

• • •

Conan

"Are we... back in the 17th century? Or dark ages?" I ask as we entered in a huge corridor. It only has a second floor but has numerous doors across every hallway. It kinda looks like a hotel, but it's dim enough to give a lively ambiance around, since the only light that provides the whole building was just torches and old lamps. The walls are made of bricks and stones, wooden doors, windows were huge and made of glass.

"Welcome to the home of half-lives" she welcomed, as she continue to walk ahead of us.

Half-lives? Eh?

I travel my eyes around even more, as I realized, all of them are mysteriously wearing a hospital gown. Although... this building is way too far from being a hospital.

All of a sudden, a quiet surrounding got alarmed by a scream coming from a certain room, a girl's voice, screaming " DR. ABREO! DR. ABREO! HELP ME!"

• • •

Joas

"Do you wanna... suicide?" I ask. Never expected the girl named Pana to get violent by that. Her gaze sharpened, let out a roaring growl, and moves in a flash.

She run and took a leap on me, takes me down, weighs me on the ground under her body, as she bends over and grabbed my neck, tempting to munch it, hungrily, she continues to growl.

I used my both hands as I ****** her by her waist, pushing her violently out of me. But she's too forceful than mine, my arms and back are still trembling in pain. Still, I'm digging up my whole strength not to get bitten.

I don't know what kind of freak she is, but I'm certain, she has a weakness.

But then, the moment her mouth touches my neck, I got my chance to roll down and turn her under me, freeing my body again, and punch her hard on her stomach without a second thought. I let out a strong kick, blasted her body up into the wall, she stumbled on the floor. I'm not letting her move again as I quickly stood up, heavily panting.

Then again, unexpectedly, she throws out the knife mid-air towards me. Too late avoid. Impressively leaving a deep cut into my left cheek. Bleeds. Instantly.

She didn't even think a second. She immediately attacked me. Once again. As she slams the wooden chair into the wall, quickly detaching it as easy as that, I immediately step back the moment she's about to thump me with its sharp point, she's literally growling wilder. I gulped a couple of times.