My Kitsune System-Chapter 58

He raised his hand to pat the young demigod, but then stopped. Finally, he slowly placed his hand on Nate’s head and patted it.

"It’s fine, I am here now," Dan said as he slowly patted the young demigod’s head, trying to soothe him.

They had stayed like that for a while. With Nate within Dan’s embrace, it had not taken long before Nate fell asleep. He snuggled into Dan’s arms like a child that he was.

Dan took him and sat in the corner of the camp with him, away from all the noise that was being made by the other demigods of the camp.

A cool breeze blew within the camp, it also brought with it other demigods. Slowly, the demigods started to increase within the camp. Most came in bloodied, amongst them was a silver-haired demigod. Her body seemed to be stained with guts. Parts of her silver hair were drenched with blood.

Her expression was cold, her hands dripped with blood. She took slow strides within the camp. She went to a part of the camp that had been turned into a bath. She began taking off her heavy armour before she had even reached the bath.

After a while, she came out of the bath. She was dressed in a robe. Her hair was now soaked and dripping with water as she walked towards the campfire.

She sat in front of it, her hands outstretched towards it. Slowly, a faint feeling began rising within Dan’s heart as he watched her. Seeing her sad made his heart kind of uneasy.

Laying Nate well at a corner. He walked up towards her. He sat beside her, she tilted her head to watch him sit beside him.

Her expression remained the same, not saying anything to him, but she kept on watching the flames dancing around.

He just stared at her and said nothing to her. But she spared him no gaze. Until finally, she sighed.

"I don’t want to talk," she said without turning to look at him.

"Okay," he said casually and turned his gaze toward the flames. He watched them as they danced around. Ever flicking within the darkness.

They both just stared at the flames without saying anything. Finally, she turned to look at Dan. He kept staring at the flames without saying anything to her.

"I don’t know why? I know we just met, but then I was worried about you, that’s why I came." Dan said as he kept staring at the flames.

Sigrid said no words to him. Her eyes were still hollow, they looked almost completely white.

"I just wanted to be sure you were fine. Because I have never seen you this fazed before."

"But you still don’t want me around. I will go," Dan said as he turned to look at her.

Sigrid said nothing, but her eyes remained hollow as she turned back to face the flames again.

"Okay," Dan said as he stood up, leaving her alone and in her own space. He went back to meet sleeping Nate.

But it didn’t take long for him to notice that Sigrid had risen from the flicking flames and was heading towards him.

She came and sat beside him. Her eyes rested on Nate, who was lying beside Dan.

"I never knew you were good with kids."

A shy smile broke through Dan’s face.

"I don’t think I am. Just trying to learn, I guess."

Her face turned kind as she kept staring down at Nate.

"You know, every time I see him, my heart breaks and I am reminded how cruel the world is. Having wronged no one, but being gifted an ability that kills you slowly. To be thrown into battle in hopes that you find a treasure or a cure for your illness. Yeah, the world is cruel." She said as she pulled something from under the robe.

It was a tiny jar that seemed to hold some liquid contents. She then took a gulp of it.

She squinted her eyes, her breath became thicker as she exhaled. She then stretched her hands toward Dan, handing him the jar.

"No, I am good," he said as he tried to turn her down.

"You know, sometimes a bit of liquor doesn’t hurt," she said as she took another swig of the jar’s content.

"Sometimes numbing the feeling and the pain is good. It beats having to stay with the thoughts. Knowing you couldn’t do anything. And it beats regret, too. Just not knowing what happened is great."

Dan now tried to lock eyes, but her eyes were all over the place.

"Tell me what happened."

A smile was on her face as she took another swig of the drink. Laughter erupted from her.

And then she stopped. As Dan looked within her eyes, he could see the tears being held at bay. But then her face still had a smile on it.

As he saw this, it was as though a knife was being pushed through his heart. One that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t pull it out.

Sigrid stood up to walk, but she was swaying from side to side. And stumbled to the ground. But before she could fall down, Dan had already rushed toward her and caught her.

She was laughing at herself for falling. And then she turned to see who had caught her.

"Oh, you caught me," she laughed again as she tried taking another swig from the jar.

"Dan, you caught me." She laughed again. Her eyes were now locked onto his eyes.

Her hands stretched and cupped his face.

"Dan, Dann?"

"Yes?"

"I want you to promise me something."

"And what is that?" Dan asked really confused as he watched her smile and look him in the eyes.

"Promise me you won’t die. Promise that no matter what goes on in this place, you will find a way to survive. Do you promise?"

Dan was now really confused.

"Where is that coming from?"

"Just promise me"

"But that’s a hard thing to promise, you know. When both the demigods and demons want me dead. And monsters have just joined the list."

"Do you promise?"

A smile cracked on his face as he watched her this way.

"Yes, I promise."

Dan said as he took her and lay her down beside Nate as he watched them go to sleep.

His gaze turned to watch the middle of the camp where the fire flickered, and how the demigods started gathering around as if forming a circle. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

But a bit away from the people, a huge demigod sat alone in the corner. No matter how dark Dan could see clearly and could make out Baozhai’s features clearly.

Dan got up and walked up to him. Dan took a seat beside him, and they both watched the demigods try to act normal.

"I never got to say thank you for saving me," Dan said.

"Well, that’s nothing. We need as many fighters as we can get if we are to leave here alive," came the reply.

No words were said again, but they both just stared into the fire and the darkness. Dan began flicking stones as he stared around.

He watched as the demigods ate their enemies. His stomach started turning, something wanted to leave his stomach. But Dan held it down. A dark expression began growing on his face.

Baozhai noticed the growing dark expression.

"What is it?"

At first, Dan said nothing but kept quiet.

"Why do we eat these creatures? Aren’t we scared that they aren’t edible, or poisonous?"

"Well, that’s a risk we are willing to take. Because if we don’t, we have nothing to eat then. And the creatures here are really not much different from the animals on Earth."

Dan’s gaze turned to look at Baozhai.

"What do you mean it’s no different from the animals on Earth?"

"Well, they have been mutated, so to speak."

"Mutated?"

"Yes, mutated. Due to the killing stone, its aura and magic have changed the creatures around and turned them into killing machines. And the longer they are closer to it, the more powerful the creature becomes."

Is that how powerful she is that even in imprisonment, she still has the power to change things around?

"So, how would we be able to contain the killing stone?"

"Don’t worry about that, but when the time comes, you will be given instructions on what to do."

As they spoke, another being started walking towards them. His slim features slowly walked towards. He came and sat beside Baozhai. He gave Dan a cold stare before whispering into the ears of Baozhai.

Baozhai then nodded, his gaze turned to Dan.

"We are reaching the end of our journey here. I won’t say I trust you well enough, but I won’t say I am scared of you either. But I would need your help against a common enemy."

"We would like you to take care of Nate, and if possible, to make sure that the Nogitsune doesn’t get its hand on the stone."

Hearing Nate’s name, Dan nodded, agreeing with Baozhai.

"But we haven’t found the location of the killing stone yet."

"That is no longer a problem as Renjiro has found it and will lead us to it tomorrow. So, go get some rest as we have a lot of work to do tomorrow."

Dan nodded one more time before he got up and left. He went to where Sigrid and Nate lay. Holding onto Soul Reaper, Dan tried to get some sleep.

We have a big day tomorrow. I finally get to meet the one who orchestrated all this.