The Overworld - The Last Shadowshifter

Chapter 5

I gave a little gasp as his strong arms held me, one wrapped around my waist and patting my back; the other, stroking my hair soothingly. I always thought he wasn't capable of showing kindness or even affection. Hunter inhaled, "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have been so ignorant. I didn't know that..."

I gave him an acknowledging smile and leaned in, hugging him back while blushing. "It's fine," I reassured. Somehow, I couldn't feel any heat. Frowning, I wondered if it was just because of all the things that had been happening lately.

Suddenly, a low growl came from Hunter's chest, his whole body stiffening as if he just froze in ice. His hands clenched into fists, his breathing heavy. As soon as the whole thing had just happened, Hunter's breathing slowed and he exhaled little by little.

Hunter hesitated, pulling back. "Are you sure?"

I nodded, placing my hands in my lap. "Completely," I responded. I felt better from the "training" we had a few minutes ago.

"You just sort of have to get used to it," Hunter said, referring to killing the Undeads. I nodded, feeling cold and empty inside again. At least I didn't see the Undeads' faces as I ended their lives - again, if you think about it.

"You sure you want to keep training?" Hunter asked. I nodded. "I know it's hard. You're just... so pure. You can't see another person suffering... You can't kill someone. Sometimes you really have to be ruthless."

I nodded again, showing my understanding of his words. I knew that, of course. Ruthlessness. Something Hunter was very good at.

"You want to go back now?" Hunter asked.

"Sure," I replied, standing up and gathering my belongings. Hunter took one last, sweeping look of the clearing, as if trying to permanently remember it forever. The first clearing I ever killed an Undead.

To be honest, it felt good, wicked, even, to kill those Undeads for the first time. Through my whole life, it's been me that had to take the suffering, watch as others writhed in pain before transforming into an Undead. Me, who lost my only family.

I shook the painful thoughts away and focused on the brighter ones instead.

Will Hunter be our saviour? Maybe someday we will break out of these walls that confined us and trapped us inside for so many decades, find out what the outer world is really like.

We walked in silence for the rest of the way until a horrible thought struck me. "Hunter!" I blurted out. "The guards! How are we going to get back inside?"

Hunter glanced back from his unbroken strides and replied, "Easy. We climb back up the wall like before."

"But, everyone's going to be awake and they're going to see us!" I moaned.

"What are you..." Hunter muttered. "An amateur?"

I glared at him. "Bloody yeah," I replied sarcastically, staring daggers into his eyes.

Hunter sighed and ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated at my difficult attitude. I guess I did irritate him, but I was just trying to make us not look too suspicious. Hunter finally said, exhaling slowly, "We're going to climb the wall. It's not that late yet."

"Fine," I huffed, taking my swords out.

The Imperial stared at me incredulously. "You're going to use your swords just to get you over the wall?" he asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"That's not very effective," Hunter frowned. "There's actually crevices in your wall. It's quite old, so it'll be easy to get a grip and scale up the wall."