She had a smile on her face. An eerie one. There was no better word for it. It was off. Off-putting.
Lilt was entranced. It was the return of their Hope. Hope! Hope!! Lilt's expression beamed.
"Hahahaha, what kind of humiliating farce am I waking up to?" She laughed, she was amused by the whole situation, by their ridiculousness, by everything.
She looked at Lilt. Smack! "Maybe that'll bring you back to normal?"
She walked up to the Warrior. "Hey, what are you-" Smack! They rubbed the side of their face. Stunned.
She walked up to the Healer, who seemed to know what was coming, but did not attempt to evade. Smack!
She walked up to the Ranger. They retreated further into the corner, as if whatever entity that was approaching her would bring Death, the End of the World, it would crush realities themselves- Smack!
"You guys are so stupid, you know that? Now, you guys ready? To do some Hunting? That's what you guys are supposed to be, right? Hunters?" She taunted them. Everyone other than her seemed to struggle to comprehend what was happening, as if maxims, axioms that their foundations were laid upon, were being upended right before their very eyes. "Oh, come on, you guys really are spineless, huh? Lilt. Come with me. We have some Hunting to do." Suna did not hesitate. She walked to the exit of the room. Lilt ran to catch up with her. Their Hope.
None of the feelings and thoughts of the people there went away. No, they were simply dwarfed. By a darkness, one that easily overshadowed even their greatest desires and fears, and grief and anger. It consumed it all. So the Hunters… were left with little, in the face of such darkness. They stood there. Motionlessly. Trying to wrap their heads around what had just occurred.
"Beryl! Beryl!! Come out!! Where are you!!" Suna's yells echoed through the tunnels. Soon, a crumbling noise. Then footsteps.
Beryl approached Suna, from the darkness of the corridor. "You… You…" The look in her eyes was vastly different than before. "You…" She couldn't believe it."
"What? Is something on my face?"
"You… How? How…?"
Suna chuckled. "Heh, what are you even talking about? Come on. Let's go get your stupid weapon or whatever. I need your guys' help with the stupid thing outside."
Lilt and Beryl realized. This person… wasn't the same. Something was different about her. She… She could get them out. Of this miserable hellhole. From the clutches of Death. Their Hope in her strengthened.
"So it's… beyond this wall?"
"Yeah. It's a pain messing with dirt without a conduit."
Suna didn't really understand. "But, I saw someone manipulate an entire arena of stone…"
"Huh? Well, for starters, that person's probably a lot stronger than me, if what you're saying is true. But also, cut and treated stone is an entirely different story compared to natural dirt, especially dirt tied directly to a forest, like this. It's hard to describe. It's a waste of time." Beryl dismissively shrugged. "It'll take a while for me to excavate this. But it won't take forever. It's not impossible."
Suna thought of something. "Can't Lilt help somehow? Like, with water, or something?"
Lilt perked up. Beryl went into thought. "Hm, Lilt, how much experience do you have with dirt, or excavation?"
Lilt pursed their lips. "Mmm, I, I never really messed around with dirt or earth before. I always focused solely on Water."
"That's okay. Suna's right. You can help me by breaking down the soil a bit. But not too much water, we can't risk collapsing the tunnel. Just the outer surface."
Beryl chanted and started clawing at the moistened dirt wall, with her bare hands. The dirt seemed to cleave when her nails came into contact. Of course, it was a slow endeavor, but Suna didn't mind.
She thought about what she remembered, what had occurred. She was, first and foremost, surprised to see that she was still alive. One of those hunters… She was also beginning to get a really good feel for that thing outside, what it was capable of. What I saw… It was very interesting, seeing how it affected Lilt and the Hunters. But once you knew what was up, it really wasn't that scary.
One small tunnel later, the three came across a stash of weapons. Beryl picked hers out from the bunch, and they returned to the wider corridors.
"So. What now?" Beryl looked at Suna. So did Lilt.
"First…" Suna turned towards Beryl. "I get it now. I understand why you were being so annoying." Suna turned her gaze to the side.
Beryl also struggled to make eye contact with the girl. But she did. "You… You're not normal. You're able to get us out of here." Beryl look at the floor. "I didn't think it was possible. But, but you're proving me wrong." Beryl inched closer, catching Suna's attention. "I, I will help. I'll help you fight that thing."
Suna gauged Beryl's resolve. "Good. First, I oughta tell you guys what it's all about, right? Let's formulate a plan."
Lilt felt that Suna was being more cooperative than they were used to seeing from her. Maybe her failure made her rethink her rash approach from earlier? But as Suna described in detail her conclusions about the thing outside, it started to click for Lilt. It… was laughably simple. It really went to show. That not knowing about something makes it infinitely more terrifying.
Beryl and Lilt, confidence on their faces, followed Suna to the tunnel's exit. Suna emerged, alone, whilst the other two stayed in the opening of the tunnel. While Suna knew some things, she didn't know others. Such as, the real appearance of the Thing. It was up to them to uncover this, to look past the fear and uncover its real body. The two were apprehensive, but they weren't afraid. They looked at each other, and they looked outside. With resolve. With determination.
It didn't take long. Suna once again submit herself to joy. Her joy. Her glee. She was so happpppppy. To kill this Thing.
It wasn't showing itself yet. Suna's joy died down.
Lilt felt pangs, of deeply concealed worry and anxiety, of distrust, of fear. But they focused on Suna. On their Hope. That Hope ballooned, it grew, it became more steadfast than any emotion Lilt had felt in their entire lives. They prepared themselves. For anything.
Then, Beryl felt it. Death. Death. Death. She wanted to die. She had had enough. She lost all of her companions, which she had known ever since they were all kids. She didn't know what she'd do now. What purpose was there, when everything had been taken from her. Images, of demented, distorted people, whose joints creaked, who tirelessly wandered and meandered, who cast their terrifying gazes towards her whenever she had emitted the slightest of noises. Those gazes, their distortedness wasn't terrifying. It was that she could see her Friends in those gazes. They were still there. But they weren't acting right. These memories, these feelings, flooded Beryl. Why not just quit here? I'm tired. Let's give up. I've had enough. There's no point anymore. Why keep going? Let's stop.
But there was a little something else underneath the deluge of Death. It was a little Pride. She didn't want to be the one person of the three to cause everything to go wrong. She didn't want to be responsible for the Deaths of these people, people not herself. A small part of her, wanted to avenge her Friends. She was getting sick, irritated, absolutely tired of this Thing's antics. She had had enough. She looked forward. With resolve.
The three gauged each other's gazes. They were satisfied. With their own, and with each other's. "This is where the fun starts, I guess."
It appeared. It wasn't far. They didn't even see it materialize, or appear. It was just there, as if it always had been. None of the three paid attention to it.
"Empric Fantalla!!"
Water surged, covering the land.
"Lilt, Where is it!"
"It's, it's not here!"
"Tch. Follow me!"
The three grouped together, and departed. They ran around for a good bit, covering the forest with Lilt's water. But that water only seemed to collide with trees and the occasional stone. It did not seem to touch anything else other than that.
"Wait, I've got something for this.
Emball Tsoon'Roeppa."
Beryl's hands went to the ground, her large warhammer by her side. She bent down, and put her her ear to the ground, as well. Lilt dispelled their water.
Silence. The two waited for Beryl to give a sign.
Death. Death… Death! DEATH!!
"It's approaching." Suna spoke up. Beryl continued concentrating.
It's here, It's Here!!
She smiled. Suna made an eerie smile, one that only grew wider the closer Death got. Lilt saw it. And shivered.
Suna was getting more and more riled up. Lilt wondered if it was the Thing acting on her again. But they saw. It wasn't. She was simply anticipating its arrival.
"hehehe… Hahahaha, HehehaHAHAHAHA"
Suna erupted into laughter. She just found it funny. She drew her knife. She turned around, inhumanly. And she saw It. It, something which couldn't possibly exist. Something her mind had long shoved into the deepest, tightest, most secure lockboxes within its recesses. She saw Her. And she walked by her.
Her Smile grew, it widened. Hehehe. She played with her knife. Her knife, which was going to feast on yet another Life. Hehehe. The Thing thrust its long arm. She deflected it, a sharp reverberation of metal putting the other two on edge. All they saw… was Nothing. What was Suna fighting?
Suna continued walking. It thrust more of its sharp, thin, hard arms at her. She dodged, she parried. It was like a literal stroll. A happy one.
The world shifted, her mind melted, pain erupted throughout every part of her body. Fake, Fake! Fake!! Hahahahah!!! It was all tricks. This thing wasn't scary.
She got close to it. And she plunged her knife into its small, small body.
It didn't even emit a shriek, or make a noise. It simply stopped, and crumpled.
Lilt and Beryl saw a weird… Thing. It was like a sort of sea urchin, except its spikes were all dark curved blades, that had some weird sort of flexibility to them. It's body had been pierced by Suna's knife. It lay, dead, on the ground. It looked… otherworldly.
"Hey. How much do you think this thing will fetch us? Hahahah!" Suna chortled.
Lilt and Beryl were both stunned. She… She did it. She really killed that thing… Hah, Hah! Hahahah!! Beryl laughed. She was so happy, to see this Thing get what it deserved. She laughed, happy that her Friends were avenged, that they'd know Peace. She smiled.
Lilt was still on edge, simply by how little they knew of the events that just took place, but it was hard not to feel uplifted when surrounded by two laughing people. People who were both, genuinely laughing. "Hehe…" Lilt giggled. They did it. They had survived.
–
It was unfortunate. The Hunters that were in that cave did not get any better. They were taken to Cognitive specialists, who excelled in the Human mind and spells regarding it. Lilt reflected on it all, accompanied by Suna and Beryl and a handful of Diamond Hunters that had come to assist. It really was laughably simple. The Thing amplified their emotions. That was it. And what it looked like? It was an amalgamation of their Fears. And, they figured that it had the ability to create illusions, thus being able to keep the Hunters trapped in the woods, and probably create the explosive sound, as well. Lilt thought back. On their Mind, on Suna's Mind, on Beryl's Mind, and those other scary Hunters' Minds. There was one glaring conclusion. Suna's Mind… was Sharp. It was the real deal. Lilt remembered, vividly, the way Suna acted when the hysteria had reached its peak. That scenario, was the most terrifying one Lilt had ever been in, no, ever even envisioned. Yet Suna rose through that horrid air, that disgusting atmosphere, and commanded all of their attention. As if it was all just normal to her. As if it was nothing. Lilt reflected on that moment for a long time. They saw her. How bright she shined.
Suna looked at Beryl. Then she looked at Lilt. "So… Are you feeling alright?" She wore a look of concern, her head slightly tilted. Her face wasn't far from Lilt's.
"Oh, yeah! I'm, uh, alright!" Lilt looked down after their outburst.
Suna laid her head on their shoulder. "Is it… alright…?"
Lilt's body tensed. They tried not to shake. "It's… alright."
Suna laid there. And she relaxed.
–
"Well. I guess this is where we part ways." Beryl didn't make eye contact with either Suna or Lilt.
"Wait. At least spend one night with us."
"H-Huh? Night? You want me to sleep with you!? Are you crazy!?"
"Huh?" Suna tilted her head. She looked at Lilt.
Lilt rolled their eyes. "She, she doesn't mean it. She's trying to say, um, that you should, um…" Lilt twiddled their pointer fingers.
Beryl looked. Waiting for them to say it.
"uh, Suna, why don't you say it…"
"Hm? But I did? Beryl, spend the night with us."
Lilt tilted their head back, letting out some sort of exhale. "Look, Beryl, she's saying, that you should, you know… you should Hunt with us…" Their voice was quiet.
Beryl looked at the two. Two people whom she had both come to respect. She looked at them. How bright they seemed. She looked at herself. How… dark, and little, and gross and tainted she seemed. She smiled. In self-deprecation.
"Haha, thanks for the offer you two, but I'll go my own way. I don't want to get in the way of your Loving, haha!"
"Wha-No, we're not! We're not lovers!!"
Suna walked up to Beryl, who was in the middle of turning around. She grabbed her hand.
"Beryl, I… I'm sorry. For threatening you before. Do you…" Suna looked up. Her gaze was ginger, the words hard to say for her. She looked… vulnerable. "Do you, forgive me?"
Beryl, confronted directly with a nearly tearing Suna, didn't know what to say or do. She let out a laugh. "Haha, you're… you're um…" She looked. At Suna. "...I do. I'm, um… Lilt. I'm sorry for spitting at you. And I'm sorry for insulting you, Suna. Um. Thank you, Suna. I thought I would die there."
Beryl didn't know what to say, so she just said what she felt. Suna smiled. And shook her hand. "Hehe. I'm, um, Suna. Sorry we got off on the wrong foot."
Lilt was stunned. Was this the same person? Was the Suna they knew capable of such a polite and well-put reconciliation? Well, they knew she was a pretty considerate person. But where was the awkwardness, the 'My way or the Highway' attitude? Maybe… Maybe she changed. Lilt pondered.
So Beryl was dragged to Lilt's room. She was simply entertaining the persistent girl, but nothing could have prepared her for this.
She lay. On one side of the bed. Lilt was on the other side, and Suna was in the middle.
"See! It fits all of us!" Lilt facepalmed. Beryl squirmed. Suna… seemed so happy. She seemed so… innocent. She was pure. Untainted, unlike me, Beryl thought to herself.
Lilt was rather uncomfortable, but seeing Suna so happy… They put up with a little bit of her shenanigans. And the truth was, all three were exhausted. This was their first real break from the whole ordeal. They all just wanted to rest. To awake, and find themselves in a new world, one free from such terrifying Things. So the three, two of them reluctantly, fell asleep.
Beryl woke up. This isn't right. This isn't what I deserve. Not after what I've done. She got up. She gathered her belongings. And she left the room.
She cried. I'm… I'm not normal. Not anymore. I'm tainted. I'm broken. I can't go on. A deluge of emotions swarmed her, attacked her. Her tears fell, hard to see in the dark streets. She found an alleyway, one not graced by anyone, and she sat down, and cried. She had wanted to cry this whole time, she had wanted to do this the whole time. But two Bright people were stopping her. They were feeding her a terrible lie. That she could somehow keep going on. That she would be accepted, and not be shunned, like the Monster she was.
She got out a dagger. She looked at it. She was hurting. She didn't want to do this. But she had to. She simply couldn't go on. Not after what she had been through. It wasn't possible, it wasn't okay. She wasn't okay. She was breaking, she was dying.
She brought the dagger closer. Closer. Closer. She emitted pained cries, which she tried to stifle, desperate not to attract anyone's attention. Closer. She could almost feel its blade-
An impact. She was stunned. The dagger was kicked away from her hand.
"Wha-What are you doing!" She yelled at her assailant. It was a familiar short girl.
"No. What are you doing?" Suna looked at her. Her eyes weren't cold. They were crying. Seeing Suna sad… made her sadder.
"Don't, Don't look at me! I'm not, I'm not Normal, I'm blemished, I'm tainted! I should just Die!!"
Suna dropped down, and hugged her.
"The Fuc- Stop! Stop that!!" Beryl tried to push her off, and when she continued clinging, she hit her, her small, frail body, her small head. But she wouldn't move.
"No, No! No!!" Suna struggled, she clung. She wouldn't let such punches deter her anymore. She was determined.
Suna kept clinging. And Beryl didn't have much fight in her. So, she just cried. Beryl cried, and Suna kept hugging her.
It was a while, before the sound of cries subsided.
"Sniffle. Sniffle. So, So, what are you, even doing here…?" Beryl's voice trembled and quivered. It was very soft.
"You woke me up when you left. So I followed you." Suna kept hugging her.
"Hah, Creep. Stalker."
Suna kept hugging her. Suna's own voice, shaking and pained, escaped her throat. "you… you're not… tainted… you're not… abnormal. you're not a Monster…"
These words. Beryl did not want to hear these words. Because they only brought her more pain.
"That's not true! You don't know what I've been through, You don't know the Things I've done!"
"NO!!" Suna's voice erupted. Beryl had never heard Suna yell like this. "No! You're not, you're not…!! You…" Suna shook. Her voice shook. "...You don't know… what I've done… and the Things I've been through…"
Suna kept hugging a shaking Beryl. There were a lot of emotions between the two of them. It was hard to speak normally.
"Beryl." Suna tilted and raised her head. Her face was right in front of Beryl's. "If… if you're a monster… and you're not worthy of living… then I'm a monster… and I'm not worthy of living… I can't. I can't let that be true. I… I refuse!" Suna was so Bright. "I refuse to let that be true! I refuse to, to be judged, to be sentenced like this, when, when ALL I've done, EVER, is just try and LIVE! That's All I've Ever Done!!" Suna was grappling not just with Beryl. She was fighting something else too. "I Refuse!! I don't Want that! I Refuse!!" She dug her head back into Beryl's chest. Her words rung out in Beryl's mind.
"But, b-but, I-..."
"NO! I refuse!!"
"..."
Beryl was overwhelmed. By this Girl. By her Brightness. Her Brightness, which, well… seemed to come from a similar place as her. Was I… just making excuses…? Because I didn't want to suffer this pain? Hah… pathetic… I'm pathetic…
Beryl was beset by self-deprecation. But. She also felt something else. Hope. Hope in this Girl. That her words were true. That she shouldn't feel bad or responsible, because all she had tried to do was Live. Was trying to Live… so Bad? Did she really deserve to die? Did she really Deserve a life of Solitude, of Exile, of Self-Loathing and Misery? Did Beryl, did Suna, really deserve that? One of them staunchly refused. The other… was beginning to do the same.
Beryl hugged Suna. "Oh, Suna… I'm sorry… for hitting you… I'm sorry…" Beryl's tears came back. She shivered. But Suna only strengthened her embrace. As if to comfort her. As if to ease the Pain of the tears. The two hugged. In Silence, broken only by the sound of Beryl's stifled cries.
The two returned to the room. Lilt was fast asleep. They giggled. "So oblivious, haha." And the two went back to the bed. And they embraced. For in each other… they found a bit of themselves. They found a bit of comfort. Of Reassurance. That in this other person… is the Reason I should keep living. And the two fought, Together. The Demons of Pain, of Self-Loathing, of Misery, of Doubt, of Death. Together… they were Stronger.