|Location: Wasteland, #@%&*!&%|
The moment Nuk emerged from the tent, his expression shattered something deep within me. He looked as if he was on the verge of tears, a rare crack in the fortress of his usual stoicism. Seeing him broken like that, I was at a loss. What words could possibly comfort someone weighed down by such pain? I couldn't even meet his eyes. My gaze darted away just as Hansel rushed to his side, offering quiet support.
As I sat there, trying to process the heavy silence around us, a faint sound caught my attention. It was almost inaudible, a soft whisper carried by the dry, stagnant air. At first, I thought I might be imagining it, but the voice persisted—an elusive murmur, calling to me from somewhere far off. It seemed to come from the cluster of blackened trees that loomed like a dark sentinel on the horizon of this desolate wasteland.
That dense forest had always held a strange allure for me. Looking at it now, I felt an inexplicable pull, as though the shadowy mass was beckoning me to step inside. However at the same time I could feel it, something or someone is watching us.
Shaking what I was feeling just a second ago, I pondered to myself what happened earlier, recalling the scene in my head flashes of a fragmented memory flooding my mind—moments in my memory missing, then only to regain myself with Fred's neck in my hands.
How had I gotten there? How had I lost control? "Why would I even lose control? This doesn't make any sense," I glide my hand across my face as I whisper just enough for others not to hear.
" I was only here to get that map from Nuk." I said, staring at the dense forest in front of me.
I continued to recall the violent urge earlier to break Fred in two still simmered in my thoughts, yet even that memory was incomplete, distorted like a broken hologram. The only vivid sensation that remained was the feel of his neck beneath my grip—warm, pulsating, and alive.
I hesitated, placing my hand gently over my own neck, trying to conjure that sensation again. It was hollow, incomplete—something vital was missing. A craving stirred within me, intangible but persistent. Yet, unlike before, I sensed a growing control inside myself, a strange tolerance toward these feelings. I couldn't identify it precisely, but I knew it was here, lurking beneath the surface.
Clenching my fist over my chest, I tried to ground myself. My eyes drifted to the barren, lifeless terrain surrounding me—blackened trees reaching into the sky like skeletal fingers. Why were the trees charred and dead? What had caused this desolation?
Suddenly a subtle radiation pulsed beneath the ground, a familiar yet alarming sensation reminiscent of the Sertium stones lighting Nuk's lamp. Looking around it seemed I was the only one who felt that, where Nuk and Hansel continued their conversation without being disturbed.
"Sertium? Perhaps this might be something to do with what's happening to SAI? Not that it's causing me any hindrance."
When we entered this wasteland, SAI had been unable to gather geographical data due to sudden interference—likely linked to the radiation emanating from below.
Yet, since exposing myself to these strange forces here, I can feel something in me changing. I couldn't explain it, but I sensed growth—a new level of authority within me or it might just be the forest swallowing my mind.
Why I felt this, I couldn't say. Maybe it was instinct, a gut feeling, but I know something is happening here. With just that in mind without hesitating I turned to SAI.
"SAI, can you scan the area?" I asked, hoping for answers.
[Due to signal interference, data collection will take longer to complete.]
[Do you wish to continue, Host?]
"Yes," I replied without hesitation, but my voice caried a bit of disappointment.
[Progress 0.04%]
[Progress 0.9%]
[Progress 01%]
The data streamed slowly—far slower than what I was used to. Watching the numbers tick upward agonizingly slowly, frustration crept in. I was trapped, sitting here with nothing but time and unanswered questions.
I turned my attention back to Nuk and Hansel, their voices low but serious, their conversation carrying weight I dared not interrupt.
Not long —- Hansel approached me cautiously, as if unsure how to bridge the gap between us. He finally spoke, expressing relief that I was unharmed. His change in demeanor confused me. Once, he had looked at me as if I were a threat, ready to pounce. Now I sensed gratitude beneath his wary eyes.
Was it because of what happened before? The moments I couldn't recall—the blank spaces in my memory? Hansel's newfound openness unsettled me; the gaps in my mind felt like a void I couldn't fill.
But then Nuk turned his gaze on me and asked.
"Where's Dia?" Nuk asked, voice thick with concern.
Hansel hesitated, uncertain how to answer. Nuk's eyes flickered with worry; the tension between them was palpable. I met his eyes and without hesitation I spoke. "She left, not too long ago."
Flashing Dia's figure in my head, where she silently left the group making a very conflicting face. The worried look she mastered and the impatience peaking through it as she left.
Just then, SAI's progress panel reappeared, along with new instructions that sparked a flicker of hope inside me.
[Progress 23%]
[Certain levels of world signal detected.]
[Recommendation: Approach 'signal tower'.]
"Signal tower? What's that?" I asked.
[Upon establishing contact, knowledge stored within the signal tower will be transferred to the host.]
[Information includes geographical data, affective science research, and miscellaneous archives.]
[Additional effects: enhancement of data gathering systems and possible physical augmentation.]
And just like that my curiosity ignited anew. The promise of a signal tower, a source of lost knowledge and answers, sent a thrill coursing through my veins. This was important—crucial, even.
"SAI, where is it located?" I queried eagerly ignoring the strange look Nuk and Hansel is giving me.
[A radius of potential location provided. The signal tower lies to the south, near the center of the wasteland.]
A holographic map materialized before me. It was not detailed like how I was used —-- but it was enough for navigating, it marked my current position and the so-called tower.
That's when I noticed how it lay in the same direction as the whispers from before and the strange feeling something was watching me from that direction.
A stray thought crossed my mind—one that didn't feel out of place for me to ask. What else could I find there? What secrets, what answers awaited me? The mere prospect of new knowledge sent my heart racing. It might even lead me to meet something new.
Unable to contain my urgency, I leapt to my feet and fixed my gaze on Nuk. A smile tugged at my lips.
An idea formed swiftly—a way to lead them toward the tower without arousing suspicion. Nuk had told me not to stray far; with this, I knew he'd follow me willingly. The plan was simple, natural. Nothing seemed out of place.
The thought made me chuckle softly.
I recalled Nuk's question about Dia's whereabouts—perfect bait for the conversation.
"What? Oh, right. You asked about Dia. She left a while ago; she went that way."
Nuk's expression twisted into shock and confusion. Hansel nearly stumbled, narrowing his eyes at me, suspicion flashing across his face.
Their reactions were exactly what I expected. Hansel's look was priceless—part disbelief, part cautious disbelief. Nuk stared at me as if I were a senile old man.
"Zero?" Nuk murmured.
"Come on, let's go catch up to her." My voice was light, almost joyful, though my body thrummed with restless energy. I couldn't calm down until I reached the tower. Their faces still echoed in my mind, making me laugh softly. "Hehe."
They wouldn't suspect anything unusual. My actions were normal, and urgency was justified.
Facing away, I began jogging slowly, the crunch of my footsteps the only sound in the quiet wasteland. Nuk and Hansel remained near the tent, their voices faint behind me.
I thought the journey would be easy, but as I approached the wall of blackened, lifeless trees, a heavy unease settled over me. Unlike the barren entrance to the wasteland, this path pressed down on my spirit like an invisible force pushing me back. Still, I refused to yield.
Stepping into the forest, excitement mingled with caution coursed through me.
Darkness swallowed me whole. The camp's distant lights faded until only an endless blackness remained. Though my eyes adapted to the dark better than most, this time the gloom was different. A subtle haze dimmed my vision, a soft restriction that clouded my senses. I could see, but not as sharply as before.
The path was treacherous. Without accurate maps or terrain data, I stumbled repeatedly—caught off guard by hidden pits and sudden cliffs. Each fall chipped away my confidence, forcing me to slow my pace and tread carefully.
My senses narrowed; I failed to notice the presence behind me until a sudden sound caused me to whirl around, pushing away whatever was there.
A scream shattered the night.
"Ah! Help!"
The voice was sharp, desperate—the unmistakable voice of Dia.
"Dia?" I called, heart pounding fiercely and my mind in disbelief, I was lying to Nuk when I mentioned to follow her, but now it might as well be the truth.
Every rustle of leaves and every broken branch underfoot heightened my senses. The forest seemed to close in, watching, waiting as I rushed inside.
Questions twisted in my mind. What awaited me in this darkness? What secrets did the signal tower hold? And most urgently—is this the world playing a trick on me? Did Dia really go inside the forest?
I pressed onward, driven by hope and dread alike, deeper into the unknown.
••••••••