The woman at the forefront narrowed her eyes and focused on Erik with laser-like intensity. "Who are you?" she demanded.
Her taut posture, poised to spring into action, added an unspoken threat to her words. A palpable tension hung heavy in the open air outside the tunnel from which the young man came.
The tunnel's exit was teeming with grim-faced individuals, each armed with makeshift spears aimed directly at Erik.
The hostile gaze of the group felt almost tangible, a stark contrast to the peaceful surroundings but similar to the ominous atmosphere inside the underground ancient city. Erik's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his Flyssa, the familiar texture providing a small measure of comfort in this tense situation.
His eyes, as sharp as a hawk's, scanned his surroundings, taking in the number of potential adversaries and noting the escape routes.
He'd dealt with difficult situations before, but this one felt like walking a tightrope over a shark-infested pool. Erik looked at the woman at the front of the group, her demeanor and presence distinguishing her from the rest.
Her gaze was stern and unwavering, clearly hostile; her grip on her spear was firm but controlled; however, she was rather young, no more than thirty years old.
Her clearly once vibrant locks were now dull and lackluster, lacking the healthy shine that came from proper nourishment. Her face appeared gaunt and slightly sunken, as if she hadn't eaten in a long time or just ate poorly.
Her eyes were tired, and the effects of a lack of energy had dulled their bright luster. The freckles on her nose and cheeks stood out more against her pale skin.
The woman appeared emaciated, her clothing hanging loosely on her frame. The obvious lack of proper nourishment had taken its toll. Despite the signs of hunger etched on her features, the woman's gaze belied her physical state.
Her eyes, though tired, held a glimmer of determination and quiet strength. Her clothes, which were simple and worn, seemed to reflect her own state of deprivation. Earthy tones and faded fabrics clung to her frame, a testament to her tenacity and resourcefulness in the face of adversity.
She looked at Erik with an accusatory glare, as if she held him accountable for something. "If I were you," she said, her voice echoing around them, "I wouldn't be so quick to reach for that weapon."
Her words hung in the air, adding to the already thick tension. It was clear that this was a critical moment, one in which the wrong word or gesture could ignite the simmering tension into a blaze of violence.
However, Erik couldn't help but notice the state of the group in front of him. It wasn't just the woman in a bad state, but even the others. Their clothes were a jumble of different materials, crudely stitched together and frayed.
Their clothing was not just simple; it was rudimentary, a clear indication of their dire living conditions. But it wasn't just their clothes that painted a bleak picture. Their bodies told a similar story.
Due to a clear lack of adequate nutrition, each individual was lean, their bodies honed to sinewy wiriness. Their faces were drawn and gaunt, and their skin stretched thin over prominent cheekbones.
Their eyes, though fierce and determined, were deeply sunken and shadowed, a testament to their harsh existence. Despite their intimidating demeanor, Erik felt a pang of empathy. These people, it was clear, were constantly fighting for survival, their lives a daily battle against the odds.
Starvation was a cruel adversary, and Erik could see that it had already left its imprint on their lives. Erik used the biological supercomputer to analyze the people in front of him.
Except for the woman in front of him, they were all at the NI level. Not as strong as the others, but still powerful, as they were clearly young, yet they were all as strong as the average soldier in New Alexandria. The young man could try to flee if he wanted, but doing so meant killing someone, and he didn't want to do that with people who were clearly starving, with torn clothes and shabby weapons. Moreover, even with Nathaniel's and the Xeridon Anteris's powers, he wasn't sure he could escape the encirclement.
However, there was a limit to how he would tolerate mistreatment. "My name is Erik," he said, trying to sound soothing. He made a conciliatory gesture with his hands, indicating that he had no intention of drawing his weapon.
"What are you doing here?" The woman's voice slashed through the tense silence like a knife. Erik could feel the others' gazes on him as well, their spears still pointing menacingly at his chest.
The awakener noticed the weapons: the spears' shafts were made of sturdy tree branches lashed together with strips of weathered leather and tightly wound twine. The rough-hewn construction spoke of necessity rather than craftsmanship, with each component chosen for its durability and availability.
A sharpened material jutted out from the tips of the spears, carefully fastened with vines and secured by tightly bound sinew; it looked like ore, but Erik knew there were thaids with sturdy bones as strong as metals out there.
Their jagged edges bore the scars of countless battles, evidence of their use in repelling threats and obtaining sustenance in the unforgiving wilderness. The overall length of the spears was impressive, reaching far beyond the average person's reach.
This gave them a significant advantage in their encounters, most likely allowing them to keep adversaries at a distance and strike with precision. He was aware that he needed to tread carefully and speak truthfully but cautiously.
He needed to assuage their fears without giving too much away. "I came from the city," Erik began, his voice steady despite the palpable tension in the air. "I was moving east and ended up inside that cave... I managed to get out, but it wasn't easy..."
His words hung in the air, an admission of guilt but also a plea for understanding. He watched as the woman, presumably their leader, considered his words, her sharp gaze unwavering.
"You were heading east, you said?" She finally asked, her voice a low, warning growl, revealing that she was far from convinced. Erik understood her skepticism; in their world, trust was probably a luxury few could afford to have.
"And you just happened to come across our territory, didn't you? Among all the places you came here, you just decided to take a stroll and awoke a monster that had been dormant for years?" Erik winced at her accusation.
"The monster?" Erik asked with a studying gaze. Then it clicked. "Ah, the humanoid Thaid, you mean?" he said.
"Exactly that," the woman replied with a stern and enraged look.
It wasn't his fault the young man ended there, yet it was clear he awoke to something he shouldn't have. "I didn't mean to. I had no idea what that was. I was just trying to get out, and then I... I must have disturbed it."
"Disturbed it?" The woman echoed, a cruel laugh punctuating her words. "You've done more than just disturb it, Erik. You jolted it awake. It will not sleep again until it has feasted. You've put all of us in danger, and something is telling me this was on purpose... Frantian..."
<Frantian...?> The young man thought, intrigued by her words. "I'm sorry," Erik said solemnly, meeting her piercing gaze. "I had no idea. I assumed that place was deserted. I wouldn't have taken the risk if I had known about the danger inside."
The woman's face hardened even more, the lines of her brow carving a stern mask. "So you're just a fool?" You just walked right into a monster's lair and had no idea?"
"I'm no fool. I fell into a hole and ended up in the underground city. I had no choice but to explore to get out of there. Waking the beast wasn't intentional." Erik began, but the woman cut him off again.
"Save your excuses," she snarled, her words as sharp as daggers. "Actually, I don't believe you came here by chance, as you claimed. I believe you're a soldier. How do you explain being able to get here by navigating through the forest at your age and being this strong while coming from the city? You must have received extensive training..."
<Uh? What does coming from the city have to do with being strong?> The young man reflected. It was obvious that there was more to this situation than he had previously assumed. Their obvious dislike for soldiers made no sense otherwise.
"I don't believe a word you said," the woman growled, her gaze hard and unyielding.
"You look like you came from the city and the military. You can't fool us with your stories." Erik instinctively tightened his grip on his Flyssa as she took a step closer, but she held up a hand. Her other hand, firmly gripping her spear, never wavered.
"We'll take you back to our village," she said, her voice echoing through the open space.
"The people there will decide what to do with you." Erik's heart pounded in his chest as she spoke. He was in a dangerous situation, trapped between a group of hostile people with abnormally high levels and the monster inside the underground city. He had no choice but to comply or be taken prisoner. His gaze never left the woman as he slowly nodded his agreement.
"Fine," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "I'll go with you."
<I should still be able to escape whatever shitty place you put me in…> the awakener thought. <Besides, I'm curious about this village of yours…>
"It's not like you have a choice..." the woman replied with a cold glint while turning the other way and while the villagers approached him with their spears pointed at him. With that, under the watchful and wary eyes of the group, Erik was brought away from the cave exit toward an unknown fate in the hands of these hardened survivors. This situation intrigued him.
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