Odyssey Of Survival

Silence filled the room as Alice stared at Nate, her eyes wide with realization. Memories of what had just happened flooded back into her mind—the way her body had burned with an unfamiliar heat, the way she had lost control, and the way she had… kissed Nate.

Her breath hitched. What the hell did I just do?

Her heart pounded violently against her chest. She didn't even have an excuse—she knew what had happened, and though she had been under the influence of something, it didn't erase the fact that she had done it.

She swallowed hard, unable to meet Nate's eyes. Her fingers dug into the fabric of her clothes as she tried to calm her nerves, but before she could say anything, Nate spoke first.

"Alice," his voice was low, careful, like he was choosing his words wisely. "I should tell you something."

Alice stiffened.

"When you were unconscious, I…" He hesitated briefly, running a hand through his hair before continuing. "I kissed you."

The words lingered between them like a heavy weight pressing against her chest. Alice felt her fingers twitch.

"I'm sorry," Nate added sincerely. "I know I shouldn't have, but it just… happened."

Alice didn't react immediately. She didn't even look at him. Instead, she stood up slowly, her movements rigid, and without a single word, she turned toward the door.

Nate blinked. "Alice?"

She didn't respond. Her hand reached for the doorknob, twisted it, and she walked out, leaving him sitting there, staring at the empty space where she had been.

Nate exhaled, rubbing his forehead. He had expected some sort of reaction, maybe a sharp retort, a punch to the arm, or even an argument. But instead, she had just… left.

He sighed. Maybe she needs time.

Instead of going after her, he decided to let her process it on her own. He laid back on the bed, letting exhaustion take over. For the first time in days, he allowed himself to rest.

---

Elsewhere, Outside the Cave

The air outside was cool, and the dim light of the moon cast eerie shadows against the cave walls. Further away from where most of the group was resting, three figures stood in a secluded part of the area, voices hushed.

Claire stood in front of Axel and Jason, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. Whatever she was telling them, her voice was barely above a whisper, but the effect it had on the two men was clear.

Jason's jaw tightened, his fingers twitching at his sides. His usual easygoing smirk was gone, replaced by a tense, conflicted expression. Axel, on the other hand, had a blank face, but there was a glint in his eyes that showed he was processing every word Claire said.

After she finished speaking, silence stretched between them. Then, Jason scoffed, shaking his head.@@novelbin@@

"This is crazy," he muttered under his breath. "You're fucking crazy."

Claire only smiled—a slow, eerie smile that sent a shiver down Jason's spine. "Three days," she reminded them. "If you can't go through with it, then quit now."

Axel and Jason didn't say anything. Claire tilted her head slightly before turning around and walking away, her steps light but deliberate.

Jason ran a hand down his face, muttering curses under his breath. He turned to Axel, his face grim. "We can't fucking do this, man."

Axel's expression darkened. "Don't start this shit now, Jace." Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire

Jason stepped closer, his voice firm. "I mean it, man. This is too much. I don't give a fuck what we've done before—this is on another level."

Axel's patience snapped. He grabbed Jason's collar, yanking him forward. "You better not ruin this for me, Jace."

Jason slapped Axel's hand away. "For you? Are you hearing yourself? What the fuck do you even get out of this?"

Axel's face twisted with irritation. "Are you serious? After everything? You wanna back out now?"

Jason glared at him, his fists clenched. "Yeah, I fucking do."

That was the last straw. Axel grabbed Jason's collar again, but this time, he lifted him clean off the ground before slamming him against a nearby tree. Jason grunted as the rough bark scraped against his back, but Axel wasn't done yet.

His voice was low, laced with murderous intent. "When she was giving us free pussy for the past four days, didn't you say you'd comply with anything she told us to do?"

Jason's teeth clenched, and he shoved Axel back with force. Axel stumbled, skidding across the ground, barely regaining his balance in time.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. They just stood there, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a blade.

Jason exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Fuck this."

Axel's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You better think twice before pulling out now, Jace."

A sudden gust of wind swept through the trees, rustling the leaves with an eerie whisper. The air around Jason shifted as his eyes turned a ghostly white, his pupils vanishing as if swallowed by the power surging through him. The temperature in the area dropped slightly, and the wind patterns changed, spiraling unnaturally around him. The sudden shift sent a chill down Axel's spine.

Axel took an involuntary step back before gritting his teeth. His face twisted in disbelief. "You wanna oppose me now?" he spat, his voice laced with anger.

Jason's glowing eyes locked onto Axel's, unwavering. "I'll do whatever it takes to make sure your plan doesn't succeed," he declared. His voice carried a weight that hadn't been there before—like a man who had finally decided where he stood.

Axel's nostrils flared. "You're fucking kidding me, right?"

Jason's expression didn't waver. "After everything he has done for you?" His voice trembled with emotion. "He risked his life for you, Axel! He took hits for you! He had your back every fucking time! And this—" He gestured around them, his fingers curling into fists. "This is what you wanna do with that loyalty?"

Axel didn't immediately respond. His fists were clenched tightly, his jaw ticking with frustration. His muscles were tense, but he didn't make a move toward Jason. He just stood there, staring, as if debating something internally.

Then, unexpectedly, he turned away.

"You have until tomorrow morning to pick a side," Axel muttered coldly over his shoulder.

Jason's fingers twitched, but he didn't move. He watched as Axel walked away without looking back, his shoulders stiff and his posture radiating irritation.

Jason exhaled sharply, the glow in his eyes fading. The wind that had shifted around him settled back into its natural rhythm. His head was spinning.

He had made his decision.

But he had no idea what the consequences of that choice would be.

---

By the time Nate woke up, the night had already settled in, blanketing the camp in darkness. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, feeling a little more rested than before. It had been a while since he had gotten decent sleep, but there was no time to dwell on that now.

There was something important he needed to do.

He had heard about Ray—their only blacksmith, the man who had been working endlessly to forge weapons strong enough to be useful. If there was anyone who could make something out of the crystals he had gathered, it was him.

Nate quickly packed the crystals he and Alice had harvested, stuffing them into two heavy bags. They weren't exactly light, but with his strength, carrying them wasn't much of a problem. With the bags slung over his shoulders, he stepped out of his room and made his way deeper into the cave.

The further he walked, the quieter it became. Most of the survivors were already asleep, resting after another long day on this strange world. But Nate's destination was far from silent.

As he walked, the faint sound of metal clashing against metal echoed through the tunnels. The rhythmic hammering grew louder with every step, and soon, he caught the faint scent of burning metal mixed with the musk of the cave.

After what felt like an eternity of walking, he finally arrived at his destination.

What he saw surprised him.

The survivors had transformed the far end of the cave into a fully functioning blacksmithing station. Large openings had been carved into the rock walls, allowing air to flow through and giving space for the smoke to escape. The forge blazed, casting flickering shadows against the walls as molten metal sizzled under the relentless pounding of a hammer.

Ray was in the middle of his work, his muscular arms flexing as he brought his hammer down on a glowing piece of Niyx. Sweat dripped down his forehead, but he didn't stop. He was entirely focused, his movements precise and practiced.

Two young men stood near him, working on separate projects—his apprentices, no doubt.

Nate's eyes drifted downward. Scattered across the ground were countless failed weapons—blades that had cracked, spearheads that had bent, and arrowheads that had shattered upon impact. It was clear that Ray had been struggling with something.

The only weapons that seemed to have been successfully made were basic ones—swords, spears, and daggers without any kind of magical properties. They were strong, but Ray was aiming for something more.

He wanted to forge weapons with attributes.

Nate took a step closer. Before he could say anything, Ray suddenly paused mid-swing. His head turned toward Nate, his sharp eyes locking onto him instantly.

Of course, he recognized him. Everyone in the camp knew Nate by now. He was one of the most respected—if not the most respected—survivors among them.

Ray straightened, placing his hammer down before stepping forward to greet him.

Nate didn't waste time. He set the heavy bags down on the nearest surface. "I found something that might help," he said simply.

Ray's eyes immediately dropped to the bags. Without hesitation, he reached into one of them and pulled out a crystal.

The moment his fingers closed around it, his entire expression changed.

His breath hitched. His eyes widened, gleaming with recognition. He turned the crystal in his hand, observing it closely as if he had just discovered a long-lost treasure.

Then, suddenly, his face lit up with excitement.

"This is it," he breathed, his voice filled with awe. "This is the missing piece!"

Without warning, he turned to Nate and clapped him on the shoulder—a gesture that was meant to be friendly but carried enough force to make Nate's body jolt slightly.

"You beautiful bastard!" Ray grinned, his face practically glowing with excitement.

Before Nate could say anything, Ray grabbed the bags, slinging them over his shoulder like they weighed nothing. He wasted no time diving back into his work, his focus entirely consumed by the possibilities that had just opened up before him.

Nate stood there for a moment, watching as Ray inspected the crystals, already beginning to test them against the molten metal. He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't even realize Nate was still there.

Nate shook his head with a small chuckle.

At least someone's having a good night.

Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Ray to his newfound obsession.

****

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