(Time-Stilled World, 98 Kilometers from Forest Entry, Leo and Bob, Day 7)
Two days had passed since they left Patricia behind.
And in those two days, Leo and Bob covered more ground as a duo than they ever did as a trio.
This increase in pace could be attributed to the fact that there was no idle chatter slowing them down anymore.
There were no frequent toilet breaks, nor excessive rest periods, as the duo kept moving with a ruthless momentum, cutting through the terrain with an almost machine-like efficiency that suited them both.
They didn't share more than five sentences across the last forty-eight hours.
No talking at all, however still, they understood each other clearly, as they communicated through glances and blinks alone.
For 48 hours, they avoided talking about their decision to leave Patricia behind, however, the tension still lingered in the air.
The brutal coldness with which they had abandoned a teammate made it clear as to what kind of individuals they really were, and the pretense of camaraderie had shattered.
Now, both Bob and Leo knew that the other could easily stab them in the back if presented with the opportunity, which was why they grew even more wary of one another.
Ofcourse, they never addressed this directly, however, the tension remained in the silence between footfalls and in the occasional periods of rest where they were forced to tolerate each other's presence in close proximity.
However, today, as they camped near a shallow ditch that was surrounded by mossy roots and half-collapsed tree trunks, Bob finally decided to open up about his decision to abandon Patricia.
"I see her everywhere now." Bob spoke without preamble.
Leo didn't look up, but his wrist paused for a moment from the food he was eating, as he put it back down into the packet and waited for Bob to say more.
"Every shadow I catch between the trees. Every whisper behind the wind." Bob continued, voice low and distant, his glass of water untouched in his hand. "It's like she's a ghost… and she's haunting me."
Leo glanced over. Their eyes met. But he said nothing, as Bob chuckled bitterly.
"I don't regret the decision we made. I don't think we had a choice. But this fucking world doesn't let you forget, does it?"
His voice frayed at the edges, like the thoughts had been festering in his mind for hours and had finally forced their way out.
As Leo gave him a small nod.
"It's happening to me as well," he said, lying through his teeth. "But what can you do about it? It was the right call to make."
That was all he said.
However, unlike Bob, he didn't mean it.
Because for Leo, the last two days hadn't been torment, but had rather been recovery.
He was finally growing more accustomed to his new environment, as the brutal silence no longer clawed at his mind, and the lack of colors did not weigh in on him as heavily as they did when he first arrived.
If anything, the last two days had been the most peaceful he had ever felt since entering this world, as slowly but surely he felt like he was growing more accustomed to this gloom.
Unlike Bob, he suffered from no guilt trips. No hallucinations. No disembodied voices whispering from the dark.
As for him, Patricia was gone, and that was that.
If anything, his head had felt clearer than ever.
He wasn't at peace.
But he wasn't suffering either.
Of course, if given the chance, he would never choose to stay in this world forever. But as far as survival went, he'd adapted just fine.
Bob, on the other hand, looked like he hadn't slept in days.
His eyes were bloodshot, ringed in red, and his movements had taken on a twitchy, uneven rhythm— like his own limbs didn't trust him anymore.
He walked like a man holding himself together out of sheer pride, trying to pretend everything was fine, but Leo saw straight through it.
*Exhale*
Leo let out a slow breath through his nose and turned back to his food, not interested in playing the therapist.
When suddenly, a sound interrupted his meal once again.
*Crunch*
He heard a footstep come from nearby, as his hand froze over his packet.
Then again—
*Crunch*
*Crunch*
As this time, he went up in an instant.
Bob too, rose immediately, fingers curling around the hilt of his tall knife, as he prepared for action.
Without a word, the two men dropped into formation, backs against each other, weapons drawn, muscles coiled tight, as the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder… heavier… closer.
Until finally, three figures emerged from the gloom— vague outlines at first, but then unmistakable:
Raiden, Cipher and Karl.
Alive, armed and equally stunned to see them.
Nobody spoke at first.
Not even a greeting.
Just five men, standing in silence—staring at one another with a mix of disbelief and tension, as if unsure whether to lower their weapons or raise them higher.
Then Leo spoke first, voice calm but edged with steel.
"Raiden… what was the name of the bistro we first met in?"
Raiden's frown deepened, but his reply came without hesitation.
"Venom Lily Bistro."
A beat passed.
Then Raiden asked in return, eyes narrowing.
"What was the table number we sat at last?"
Leo didn't blink. "Thirty-three."
As both men slowly lowered their weapons, seemingly assured that the other one was real and not a nymph.
"Where's Patricia?" Cipher asked at that moment, his voice low and unreadable as he searched all around the duo for signs of Patricia.
For a second, Leo didn't answer.
He looked at Bob.
And Bob looked back.
It was a silent exchange—brief but loaded—as if both were weighing what version of the truth to share, and how much of it they could afford to tell.
A breath passed between them.
Then Leo stepped forward, his expression unreadable, voice steady and fluid as he spoke confidently.
"She broke the rules of the forest," he began. "Lit a fire when we stopped to rest. It only lasted a few seconds, but that was enough. The forest marked her from that point on."
He let the sentence hang just long enough to let it settle.
"We didn't realize it immediately, but a few hours later, the attacks started. First a single spider, then dozens. Then thousands. All of them aimed solely at her. Not a single one came for us."
He exhaled slowly.
"We fought with everything we had. Protected her through wave after wave. But it was never going to be enough. She was wounded. Panicked. Slipping."
Bob spoke next, his voice low and blunt. "We stayed until she took her last breath, but there was nothing more we could have done to save her—"
Raiden's brow tensed.
Cipher said nothing.
While Karl's jaw slackened, his mouth slightly ajar, as if the news short-circuited his ability to speak.
Then—
After a long pause, Raiden finally nodded once, solemn and curt.
"She broke the rules of the forest and paid for the consequences of her actions. You guys did as much as you could, it's unfortunate….. but it is what it is."
And with that, no more was said.