Chapter 27: Went Fishing.
"Pain is such a strange feeling, of course it’s the same for joy, sadness, and even pleasure... When I was alive, I felt most of those things, especially the first and last. The older kids at the orphanage were so creative with their methods. But I should give credit where it’s due, the guidance councilor, what was her name? ... I seem to have forgotten, strange, I don’t forget much".
Damien leaned back on the wooden chair.
"How peculiar".
The cold breeze raged, but was unable to break through the thin ancient piece of cloth used to make the tents, Damien also found those peculiar, but try as he might, he couldn’t understand the logic behind their inner workings.
"Hmm, Damien. Is that you". Yuri’s voice was weak, her body numb as she remained sprawled on the soft animal skin bed.
Hearing her finally speak, Damien sat up straight and loomed in.
"Yuri, you’re awake".
Her pale patched lips rose slightly, then she spoke again.
"Were you talking to yourself? You should really stop doing that, it’s kinda weird".
Damien chuckled before relaxing his tense muscles, if the usual uptight Yuri could crack a joke, then that means she was certainly out of danger.
"Stay here, I will go get Seris".
Damien turned to leave, but just as he took his first step, Yuri’s frail voice drifted across the quiet room, bringing him to an immediate halt.
"Don’t bother, her ability can’t help with exhaustion. I just need time to rest".
Damien agreed without complaint, Seris often visited over the last few days, but Yuri’s condition didn’t really improve.
"How long have I been asleep, my back is killing me".
Damien forced a smile.
"About four days now".
"Four days". She repeated, before once more closing her eyes.
Damien wasn’t sure what to do, he would have gotten help and then found an excuse to leave, but now he couldn’t in good conscience leave a weak defenseless lady on her own.
"This is why I don’t like leaving my comfort zone... now I have got to make sacrifices and whatnot".
Sensing his discomfort, Yuri suddenly opened her eyes again.
"If you want to leave, you can go".
Damien shrugged ambiguously.
"I’m already here. I might as well stay a few more hours... unless there’s something you want me to get you?"
Yuri turned towards him, her black tranquil eyes meeting his without a word.
"Now that you ask, there is something that comes to mind".
Damien raised a brow.
... ...
The cold was relentless. People around the camp claimed it would ease within the next couple of days, but Damien wasn’t buying it. The Frozen Wastelands stretched as far as the eye could see, buried beneath an endless blanket of snow. Based on the name alone, the place had clearly been frozen for centuries... perhaps even longer.
KRACK!
Damien’s one-handed axe bit into the ice, carving away a large chunk. His breathing had long since turned ragged, and part of his frost-covered eyebrow snapped off, falling into the snow.
"Who the hell craves fish that has been frozen in ice since before the ice age... Did this world even have an ice age?".
KRACK!
The ice finally cracked beneath his feet. Damien tossed the axe aside and reached into the hole with his bare hands, ripping out heavy chunks of ice before throwing them onto the steadily growing pile.
Damien let out a heavy sigh of relief the moment he spotted a fish trapped inside the ice. Its body was completely frozen, embedded just beneath the surface. Reclaiming his axe, he hacked away at the surrounding ice until the fish finally broke free.
It was still frozen solid, but that didn’t matter. Damien tossed it into his little black bag before turning his attention back to the hole.
"Alright, one more".
Damien left the frozen lake just as the sun was beginning to set. He couldn’t help but feel a little proud of himself. Inside his little black bag were three fully grown fish. They were still frozen solid, but sooner or later, they would thaw out.
The camp was just as busy as always, with work being delegated to each group or individual, like the people currently clearing out the snow with shovels.
As Damien walked through the camp, people instinctively moved out of his way. They kept their distance, casting wary glances in his direction as hushed whispers passed between them.
"That’s the undead guy!".
"Yeah, I heard...".
Damien ignored the ignorant rants, he was more focused on remembering something he had forgotten.
"Julie, or was it May... what was her name exactly, I was eleven at the time, how could I possibly forget my very first... could the trauma have blocked the memories?".
Damien sighed helplessly. He decided it was best to give up. The memory would eventually return on its own, whenever it chose to.
Damien’s steps faltered as he nearly collided with a red haired figure.
"Oh, hey Claire".
Claire was carrying a load of supplies for the smithy, so turning back wasn’t really an option. Damien walked up beside her instead and matched her pace.
"Hi Damien, are you on fishing duty?". She says, her eyes darting to the black bag.
He shook his head helplessly.
"No, Yuri has woken up, apparently she worked up an appetite after sleeping for four days".
"I have been doing manual labour for the last four days and I haven’t even felt famished once, of course I’m already dead, but still".
Claire didn’t know how to respond. Damien sounded as though he was complaining, yet there wasn’t the slightest hint of displeasure in his voice. More importantly, he had stayed by Yuri’s side for most of the time she was unconscious. Claire didn’t care what the others said about Damien anymore. He had already earned her trust.
"How about we trade, these are the last of the suppliers, you can help me take them to the smithy, while I help you prepare the fish for Yuri".
Damien fell silent for a moment. His old bow was gone, and he still needed another one, along with enough arrows to make it worthwhile. The next battle wasn’t a matter of if, but when.
"Let’s do it."