22:39

After the creature recovered for a bit, it started leading the ruler and His new companion towards the same destination as the last time, at the Great Leader's command. The ruler also gave the demon a part of His bandages to put them on its limb, maybe to help it with the bleeding. They follow the glowing eyes for a while, but also talk in the meantime to each other.

[CHE5TER]-...So, after this, are we going to your village or not?

[General]-*sigh* I'm hoping so, Seven. But I don't seem to recognise the views at all.

[CHE5TER]-But you said you felt something familiar about it, right? Maybe we are close to one of the roads.

[General]-Even if it was the case, why can't I recognise anything around me? If we were close, then I should've seen a landmark that I knew already.

[CHE5TER]-*sigh* Then maybe we can try again tomorrow on a different direction and see if we find anything about your road? We will simply go around the southeast part of the outside of my cities and maybe we are lucky. If the map truly leads to your village, then the south-east is all we got to explore.

[General]-May the gods have mercy on us then...

Minutes later, the glowing eyes stop again, indicating that they've arrived. It sure is darkness just like the last time. In these past days, maybe all the demons that live in this cave have covered all the empty holes during the nights so that they can protect themselves from the light of the suns. Knowing from the last encounter, CHE5TER will not do a huge hole this time so that it won't bother so much the demon, but it will be a struggle for them to see much from the low light.

And so He does. He takes a small gun and shoots at the ceiling of the cave, forming more holes from different angles in order to somehow bring more light for them, but also not bother the demon much. The sand is a problem for a few seconds as it continues falling and making the holes bigger but they stop not long after, even if the demon had to back down.

Then, CHE5TER begins to search by Himself for the buried body in the sand and rocks that have fallen during the whole covering of the demons, while the boy simply looks around.

[General]-So you tell me that someone has died here?

[CHE5TER]-Yes. My people believe that it was a member of one of the clans of my city and that he had died here, being eaten by the demons.

[General]-Harsh way to die, to be honest...

[CHE5TER]-Oh, it is. Who knows how long this body has stood here alone in the sand while nobody knew about its existence.

Then, minutes after searching for it, CHE5TER finally manages to find the body and get the sand off it for a proper view.

[CHE5TER]-Alright... Here it is. Here is where the ore was.

So, the boy gets closer to observe the dead corpse of the victim, yet it gets pretty perplexed after seeing the clothes of it.

[General]-...Yeaah, that isn't one of your people for sure.

[CHE5TER]-Huh?

[General]-Look at its clothes. Whoever that is, it seems as it belongs to my village. But who would it be...?

[CHE5TER]-Are you sure of it?

[General]-Yes, I am. The clothes match mine as we all wear that when we go out in the wilderness. It even has the seal of my village, look!

[CHE5TER]-...So I did steal the ore in the end. *sigh* What a shame.

[General]-It's alright. You didn't know it. But now you do for sure.

[CHE5TER]-I really thought it is one of my people that has died here a long time ago, but seems like I was wrong...

[General]-A long time ago?

[CHE5TER]-Yes... One of my teammates examined the person's ID card and said that he died at least a hundred years ago.

[General]-Well, I doubt that because these clothes seem pretty much from our times. Maybe the corpse only has around seven or eight years. Did you see if he had the full code written on the card?

[CHE5TER]-Actually, he didn't have any. It was only his blood code and name, as well as a section dedicated to the testament which was empty.

[General]-Oh? Then yeah, I might be right. He is pretty much close to our year since he died. My people don't really want to write their whole code into the ID cards that much, we focus only on what's important. But why did your colleague say it is so old?

[CHE5TER]-He said that it used to be a design for the card from far away in the past and that it has changed a long time ago.

[General]-Oh? Then maybe they are pretty similar to ours. Do you think I can have a look at the card for a bit?

[CHE5TER]-I mean, I brought it with me just in case...

The ruler searches for the ID card of the fallen person from His clothes, looks a bit at it, and then gives it to the boy to analyse it since it is a person from its civilisation. But instead of being sad or angry, something expected when you know that someone from your homeland has died, it rather seems even more confused, or even scared. Even the ruler found it strange the expression this boy gives.

[CHE5TER]-What is it? Do you know who this person is, General?

Yet the boy doesn't respond. It shocked so much this information as if it has a few memories from the past that now it has to battle.

[General]-X4NDER... B-But what happened t--

[CHE5TER]- --So you know this guy?

And again, it doesn't respond. It just stares at the ruler terrified and not knowing what happened to this person.

[General]-...Y-Yes, I know him. L-Let's say it like that.

[CHE5TER]-Was he a friend of yours?

[General]-M-Mhm...

[CHE5TER]-...What happened to him?

[General]-I-I...

Yet it has a hesitation in saying these word from the terror it has in its voice.

[General]-I... don't know.

[CHE5TER]-*sigh* Alright then. I'm sorry for the friend you have lost, General. And for the way he has found his final breaths.

Then, they have a moment of silence for the fallen soul, both of them. Or more like coming from the ruler than the boy since it continues to be lost in its thoughts. CHE5TER rather seems a bit upset to know the truth behind the ore's owner now, but this boy simply continues to have such a terror in its eyes.

[CHE5TER]-...So? Are we heading back to my city and get a rest? We can continue everything tomorrow. After finding someone you have known this way, I doubt you have the powers to continue any further.

[General]-Y-Yes, of course. We can start all over again tomorrow. I-I... have to clear up my mind for a while.

[CHE5TER]-Okay then. Let's get moving so we can arrive soon at the city and have a rest. I have a few things to do anyway while you clear up your mind.

[General]-W-Wait for me outside, please! I will be right behind you!

[CHE5TER]-Alright then. Take your time.

Then, the ruler vanishes as He starts reaching for the outside world alone to prepare everything for their leaving. But the boy remains behind, watching the corpse on its own, then taking the ore back in its arm and looking at it perplexed, before starting to whisper to itself.

[General]-...S-Something is not right here at all. How did all of these get here?

After that, it begins to look around the corpse again, searching for something that stands underneath the dead body, a strange cape that is attached to the clothes and which also has the same symbol of the seal that the boy wears. It detaches it from the clothes, looks at the symbol for a few seconds, and then the outsider starts packing it before finally taking its leave, while also saying its final words.

"...What the hell happened here, dear gods?"