A ragged breathing echoed through the room Dein was currently in a minute after he heard the voice. He was genuinely startled earlier when he heard it but he had calmed down after the voice spoke again. It sounded really familiar.
After all… it was Clay.
Dein has no idea why Clay is here or what he's planning. But currently, Dein could hear him breathing as he work to untie the sack where Dein is in.
That posed more questions. Why is this bastard helping him?
Finally, Little by little, the light grew and then he could breathe normally again as the sack opened enough to reveal Dein's monstrous, dark head.
He let out a raspy heavy breath, everything around him was covered in darkness as Clay spoke again.
"A-ah, don't move yet. I'll untie you first"
Soon, the his hand was freed as well and he could move once again. The tape cloth on his mouth and eyes were taken off as well and soon, Dein could finally talk and see.
Albeit he couldn't see much since everything here is covered in darkness with only a few light seeping in from the outside.
Dein let out a raspy breath as he tried to moved, his sight adjusting to the light seeping in as he heard Clay spoke again.
"Ah, it's finally done. You okay Dein?"
Dein blinked, not knowing what to say. What could he even say? Thanks a lot for helping me? He wasn't even sure yet if Clay could be trusted – if he even helped him at all! What if this is part of the ceremony or whatever?
Dein was rattled for a bit but shook his head in indignation.
'Dammit, who cares? He helped me anyways'
Suddenly, in his mind, one person agreed, another was shocked and the last was just giggling. Dein's eyes widened in surprised as he heard the different reactions that resounded in his mind.
'What? You idiots are still there?'
He asked in his mind. Disappointed, for a moment there he thought he's free from this schizophrenic attribute / aspect or whatever. But as it turns out, they're still here.
'Sigh… they should just dissapear already'
For some reason though, none of them spoke despite Dein's words so he focused on Clay instead as he tries to stand.
"I-im fine. I would like to thank you but…" he paused, looking around in this dimly lit room filled with strange stuff. Then he added. "…What are you doing here, Clay?"
The person in front of him, Clay, looked down at the question, scratching the back of his head. He seems shaken by Dein's question as he tries to avoid his eye.
Dein of course, was more confused.
After all he said about doing his job as part of the tribe now he's here saving him? As if he'd believed that.
But his surprise, Clay just let out a heavy breath and answered with a stupefied expression, laughing awkwardly.
"…Huh? What do you mean? I came here to save you of course"
The voice in Dein's head were silent. Meanwhile he spoke nonchalantly, finally leaving the sack he is in as he stood up. He studied his body for a bit, for some reason and for some reason, the ache of his wounds were growing more painful each second. But enough to endure.
"Is that so? Why the sudden change of mind?"
Once again, Clay looked confused but then he answered.
"Ah, well… y'know, back after you saved me earlier, I started to feel really guilty so…"
Dein did not hear the rest as he suddenly flinch at the words. Saved? What the hell is this bastard talking about?
He wanted to voiced his thoughts but then stopped himself. If what Clay said was true then the only reason he's helping him now is because he thought Dein saved him… somehow, somewhere…? He doesn't really know.
Last time he remembered they talked was when he tried to take Clay hostage which… did not go so well.
[Maybe it's that?] A little voice suddenly mentioned in his mind, making Dein flinch. It was the little girl.
'huh? What are you…'
The suggestion bewildered Dein but then he remembered the arrow that had peirce his hand the moment it reached closer to grab Clay's neck. Did he misunderstood that?
Probably… no, hopefully…?
He covered the wound with his left hand that Gi had healed. The pain still lingering on it despite it not bleeding anymore which was weird since the the hole did it left was still there.
Well, maybe he doesn't really stopped bleeding but had just run out of blood to bleed.
'Don't be stupid, there's no way that's the case!'
[But maybe it is?] A grumpy, serious voice chimed in on Dein's private thoughts. What a bunch of bastards. And he even thought he missed them earlier.
Anyway, if Clay really did misunderstood his actions at that time and even thought that he had saved him, then… well, there's nothing he could do about that now than thank his luck.
Still, there's something bothering him.
He nodded then wore a confused look as he stared back at Clay who had just finished speaking as Dein slowly walked towards the crevice where light was seeping in.
"Is that so? how did you know I saved you anyway? Didn't your sister Clara shouted then?"
Yes, she definitely did and Dein remembered it clearly. At that time Clara had shouted to Dein to "get away from him" before an arrow struck his arm. So… did Clay not heard that? It's quite impossible if he didn't since Clara's voice was definitely louder than anything at that time...
Clay's answer came almost instantly.
"Shouted? What are you talking about? No one's allowed to shout at the priestess' presence… well, maybe except Lei"
'I see… so he heard–' "huh?"
Hearing Dein's surprised, Clay made a bewildered expression as well.
"Huh?"
Both of them were stupefied as they stared confused at each other. Not allowed? Did he not fucking hear a single word that came from Clara's mouth that time? Is that even possible?
The short and simpliest answer would be… no. There's no way he couldn't have heard that. So… 'Is this guy lying?'
But looking back on their conversation from ever since he met Clay then his answer would also be no, there's no way Clay would lie about something like that and then save him. That doesn't make sense. Not when he himself is willing to capture Dein for the sake of this tribe that he is now betraying.
Still, Dein couldn't be sure…
In the next moment, he seems to have realized something and then he snapped.
"Wait, why the hell do you even look confused?" And much more than Dein at that!
"Wha…! I mean, you were spouting nonsense so I kinda got confused too?"
What? Ugh, nevermind. Dein thought to himself as he shook his head. Finally he gave a sighed.
"Tsk… anyways' how'd you even get here?"
As Dein asked that, the sound drums and other instruments outside rang louder than before and a shadow of a dancing fire fell on the room they were in through the small crevices.
Meanwhile, Clay answered with a light smile on his strangely cheerful face.
"Ah, I've been here even before the ceremony begun."
Clay's answer only made Dein question more.
"What? You've been here since the beginning? Then why the hell didn't you free me from that sack early on!" He shouted but just as Clay opened his mouth his speak, he waved his hands and looked back.
"Wait wait, scratch that. Can you first explain what is happening and why there's a party going on outside?"
Of course, he knew it wasn't really a party. What's happening outside is probably some kind of 'tribal ritual' or something, but Dein couldn't care less.
Proving his guess and much to his annoyance, Clay uttered. "What do you mean? There's a ritual outside"
Yeah, no shit! He clicked his tongue then sigh.
"I know that but can you please explain why? What does your tribe wants from me anyway?"
Dein could guess but… asking for the truth is much better than guessing. As long as he wasn't going to be sacrificed on that gigantic bonfire then any truth is fine.
To his dismay however, Clay responded, pointing towards the small opening on the wall with a slightly embarrassed look. "Oh, that. Well, you're to be sacrificed to the sacred flame"
Dein could only sigh for the third time. "Haaa… knew it."
Hearing his fate, Dein stole a glance outside through the crevice… a lot of people were gathered outside by now. A hundred? Probably, maybe even more…
The priestess were performing some kind of prayed as the music and the dancing continues. Dein even caught a glimpse of a severed hand burning on the bottom of the bonfire. He felt like throwing up as he remembered whose hand it was.
'Bon…' He thought as someone serious spoke in his mind.
[Hah, it looks like they're also making this his funeral]
Dein ignored the voice as he stared at Clay, whose back was turned away from him. Dein sighed.
[W-wh- what a cruel lot! W-we should get out of here! Yes! Quick, let's run! I- I don't wanna be burned to death!]
Cruel? Yes that might be true but then again, Dein is currently a monster and to those people living here in this tribe, Dein is probably the cruel one for killing their elder.
That said, it still left a bad taste on Dein's mouth. He's about to be sacrificed after all...
...If he doesn't mange to escape that is, which… remains to be seen.
Dein looked down, a dark expression on his already dark face. Meanwhile, Clay continued as Dein watch him with a cold expression.
"…Fire needs to keep burning after all. The same goes for the Sacred Flame, it's needs fuel to burn indefinitely to be able to push the fog so every morning, we take one of the monsters captured and fed them to the fire…"
Dein had guessed as much. He already saw an example of it back when he was still on his cage after all, when the wood like nightmare creature was taken.
So, he knew that much. Just then, a scared sounding voice spoke in his mind. Only, it wasn't the guy but the small, familiar voice of the little girl.
[S-so… so Wood Mister really became a charcoal?]
The question made the corner of Dein's lips twitch as he was pulled from his thoughts. His face lightened a bit as he sighed.
"…so anyway, so is there a reason why the sudden change of schedule today? Isn't it supposed to be done in the morning?"
Dein continued his questioning as Clay slowly turned towards him. Dein can't see his whole body because of the darkness.
He almost felt bad turning Clay into his very own question and answering machine but… well, saying machine is quite a stretch and Clay is willing to help him so what's wrong with that?
Finally, Clay continued with his usual kind sounding tone.
"…Y-yeah, well…" He scratch his cheek with an awkward smile.
"That's because… you set the forest on fire."
Dein stared at him, unable to believe it.
"H-huh? What do you mean…?"
Is being sacrificed his punishment for burning the forest? Really? Can't they just cage him again?
[Tsk! I told you you're gonna get us killed by setting our cage on fire!]
[I-i knew it… we're going to die! We should've have burned–no, we shouldn't have left the cage at all!]
[Are we going to be a charcoal as well?]
The voices erupted in Dein's mind. He only felt irritated. This useless bastards only cares about themselves! Even if they'd stayed there, they were probably still going to be sacrificed anyway!
However, Dein did not retort to them. He has far a lot more problem than to worry about the opinions of some weird voices coming from his head.
So he controlled his anger and asked Clay to explain. And he did.
Clay sighed and leaned back a bit, looking up as he think of the answer.
"Well… according to the priestess the fog doesn't really dissapear or… um, die. It also doesn't leave the forest so when you started the fire. The fog just got… pushed."
Dein listened silently. A growing unease creeping up his spine.
"So the fog just kind of just… migrated to the weakest area in which the light of the Sacred Flame could reach…"
Now, that made sense. The fog was afraid of the fire after all so it couldn't really touch it. Migrating instead somewhere. However, that also means that the balance between the Sacred Flame and the Fog was broken because of the fire Dein had started.
Which means that the fire in the South which moves to West, was forcing the the fog to move towards North and East. The fog there would probably be stronger than before, able to break through the light shone by the Sacred Flame slowly.
Which means that the tribe is being invaded by the fog from the North and East…
[And we're being sacrificed early to strengthen the fire of the Sacred Flame so it could fight back…]
The serious voice in Dein's mind spoke his suspicion as a shiver run down his spine. He sighed, his back covering the small crevice where light seeped in… 'So that's how it is'
The voices in Dein's mind grew quiet as Dein imagined a cold expression on their faces.
The small room filled up with darkness again, blinding them for a second.
And in that second. Dein appeared in front of Clay in a single step. Startling Clay as his eyes widened…
"Wha…?"
He seems to realize what's going to happen as Clay raised his hand, he pointed something towards Dein but it was too late as in the next moment, Dein's sharp fingers plunged deep in his throat.
Ending his life…