The Second Survivor (An Ara x Reader Story)

Chapter 2

With Zhu now a permanent presence, I wonder what will happen now...
____________________________________

        "Wake up, boy. The sun is going to make it easier for enemies to spot you," Zhu's now familiar voice said in (y/n)'s head.

        "I have a name you know. You better start using it," (y/n) growled, not too happy to have been awakened from his sleep which was hard to come by. It had been a week since he lost everything, and so far he was coping pretty well. There were the occasional emotional meltdowns and the often fits of anger and melancholy but he was otherwise fine. Surviving was also no proble,  and he'd already gotten used to Zhu's annoying presence.

        "Why should I use your name when you've neglected to talk to me unless you need something?" Zhu inquired.

        "Oh I'm sorry if I don't talk to you that often. Maybe I just don't want to sound like a crazy person. Did you consider the fact that I lost my entire way of life?" (y/n) snapped as he lifted himself from the ground, picking up his bag as he did. The small bag was running low on the various things he'd collected from the ruins of his village, but as long as he had his spear, he would likely survive until he could find help.

        The nearest and likely safest area was a place east of the now nonexistent Fahrmann but (y/n) didn't want to go there. He'd likely be questioned and treated all kinds of ways for simply being the single survivor of a mass murder. "I suppose you're correct, but you can't stay out in this wilderness like this. Someone or something is going to attack you," Zhu said.

        "Zhu, the sun is barely over the horizon. If something was going to attack me, it would have happened already," (y/n) said as he rubbed his eyes squinting as he searched for the path he intended to take that morning.

        "It would be best for you head to a populated area. You aren't going to last out here like this. The land is desolate. You've just been a little lucky to come across the prey you've found so far. I still haven't told you about my high maintenance either," Zhu said.

        (Y/n) couldn't help but let out a slight laugh. "You? High maintenance? What? Are you going to tell me that you actually have to eat?" (y/n) scoffed.

        "In a way, yes. I'd have told you sooner if you hadn't insisted that I stay silent," Zhu said. (Y/n) sighed and began walking towards his unknown destination. He knew that he'd eventually come across nothing but desert at some point, yet he needed to get to someplace where he was sure he wouldn't be recognized.

        "So...what are your maintenance requirements anyway?" he asked Zhu as he pulled wheat grains from his bag. He wasn't really hungry although he had to maintain his stamina and knew better than to wait until later to eat something.

        "Well first of all. I need to be outside of your soul for a minimum of two hours a day. It keeps me from accidentally taking your soul or something like that. It's been a while since I've shared a soul with a human," Zhu said.

        "Sounds weird but continue," (y/n) commented.

        "Secondly, I am not a spirit like the sacred weapon of the Haan family. I am a living breathing millennium fox. I require souls of any kind whether it be human, elf, phoru, or otherwise," Zhu said. (Y/n) stopped in his tracks.

        "Okay, no. I'm not eating souls for you. That's not happening," he said.

        "Who said anything about eating them. All I do is absorb them. You'd have to give me control of yourself for me to do so while I reside in your soul," Zhu explained. Despite that, (y/n) still shuddered.