Chapter 7: The Third Time
[Regression Activated.]
[Player has returned to designated checkpoint.]
He was hit by the familiar sense of vertigo.
[Checkpoint has been restored to the last stable moment prior to death.]
He was back again... standing at the treeline and gazing at the campsite in front of him.
This time, he didn’t step forward...
He took off running, the treeline resolving in the evening light.
Bertram’s voice was already calling out somewhere behind him. "Who’s there? Come out where we can see you"
But Lucas turned the other way and bolted before his own brain could finish processing his thoughts.
Branches tore at his arms. His heart was hammering against his ribs but he didn’t stop
He didn’t look back once...
Half her body was missing...
His face was bitten off...
’I don’t want to die.’
The memories flashed in his mind, playing like something still happening.
Callum’s ruined face, Iris standing there with something dripping off her that used to be part of her, the wet final weight of his own legs no longer existing beneath him.
Two rounds of dying. Two rounds of going through mind shattering pain...
He ran until his legs gave out, collapsing against the base of a tree with his chest heaving, and only then did the shaking really start.
"Blergh— Urggh" he emptied his stomach. Not like he had much left in it to begin with...
’They’re going to die again.’
The thought arrived clean, cutting through the panic. Bertram. Callum. Iris...
They were going to die again, this exact night, unless he did something.
’Not my problem’ he choked. He had let the cowardice slip...
’I only knew them for a few hours anyway,’ he reasoned.
Except, that wasn’t true...
They didn’t know him right now. But he knew them...
He’d sat at their twice now. Got to know them.
He even bonded with them to a degree.
And now that thought... having to leave them there knowing what was coming sat so wrong in his chest that it’s almost clawing away at his conscience...
He gritted his teeth...
If he didn’t, they’d die not knowing it was coming. At least if he went back, they’d have a chance they hadn’t had the last time.
Lucas bit his lip. Hard enough to make it bleed, made himself breathe until he was calm enough to think.
"Okay. Okay. If I’m going to die eventually, let it at least mean something." He finally mumbled to himself.
He got up. He turned around. He walked back toward the campsite.
***
"Who’s there?"
"It’s Lucas," he called before Bertram’s hand even finished drifting toward his blade.
"I was separated from my group during the drop. I come in peace."
He didn’t sit down slowly this time. He didn’t let the fire’s warmth pull the tension out of his shoulders. He kept his eyes on the treeline, on every shadow, while the introductions flew right through him.
When he was asked about his ability again, he answered Ignition in four words and didn’t elaborate, because he knew they were running out of time.
"That’s it?" Iris asked. Same question, same gaze, though this time there was a tinge of impatience in it.
He was moving too fast, skipping the rhythm she expected. Like the speed at which he answered offended her...
"That’s it." Lucas answered.
He dragged a hand through his hair, forced himself to meet all three sets of eyes at once. Inhaled, exhaled.
Then he spoke. "I know this sounds insane. But something’s coming for this camp tonight. Something terrifying. I need you to trust me for about the next hour." The way he spoke, no urgency, no rush. As if he was trying to gain control over the atmosphere.
Silence...
Bertram’s hand actually did go to his blade this time...
"That’s a hell of a thing to say to strangers," he said slowly.
"I know...I know how it sounds." Lucas’s voice cracked, just slightly, with everything he was fighting to keep down. "I can’t prove it. I just need you to believe me long enough for us to survive"
Iris studied him — the same assessment Lucas recognized.
"Are you sure? Something’s actually coming?"
Lucas nodded. "Yeah."
Something in her posture shifted, then she sighed.
"Bertram."
"I hear ya," he said, removing his hand from the hilt.
"What do you need," Iris said, turning fully toward Lucas now, bow already coming off her shoulder.
Relief hit him so hard his knees nearly buckled.
"We need to draw it somewhere open. Somewhere we can actually see it coming instead of it picking us off one at a time in the dark."
"Draw what, exactly," Callum said, voice tight.
"I don’t know. But I know it’s fast, it’s quiet, and it doesn’t leave marks that explain how it killed something." Lucas swallowed hard. "And I know it goes for whoever’s alone first."
Bertram’s jaw tightened as he glanced at Iris, knowing where was going...
A pause. Then she looked at him. "What do you need us to do?"
***
Thirty minutes later, they stood. The fire was out, the place was quiet...
Bertram stood near the treeline, eyes scanning the terrain despite the darkness.
Nothing... he hadn’t seen anything.
The place was quiet...
Callum yawned. "What are we doing again?"
Iris turned to Lucas, eyes narrowing.
"You said something was coming. It’s been quiet for half an hour."
"I know, just...gimme a sec." He ran his hand through his hair in frustration.
What was happening? Why hasn’t it happened yet?
Did he perhaps do anything to change it?
’No.’ Even he knew it wouldn’t have been that easy...
He looked up, his head resting on the tree he was leaning on.
He stared at the sky — vast and moonless. Only a few stars peeking through the canopy of trees.
His eyes widened...
’Wait...’ If the beast was a land creature, they would have spotted it by now.
For the past half hour, the place had been still. Eeriely still.
And whatever killed him the last time was fast. Very fast...
And there weren’t any lakes nearby so the possibility of it being a water creature was ruled out.
Which only left one possibility...
"Iris. Do me a favor and aim for that tree." He said finally, pointing at the tree above her.
"What?"
"Trust me."
She hesitated for a moment before complying. Drawing her arrow and letting it fly.
**WHOOSH**
**THWACK**
Silence...
Lucas pressed his lips together. "Again. That way..." He pointed at another tree.
**WHOOSH**
**THWACK**
Silence...
Lucas clicked his tongue. "Again—"
"What are you even doing?"
"Just....trust me, alright?"
She stared long and hard this time. Her gaze alone was enough to tell him that she was suspecting him at this point.
But she didn’t say a word.
She let the arrow fly again...
**WHOOSH**
**THWACK**
And for a moment, silence...
Iris snapped her head towards him... "Fuck! What are you even—"
[Ding!]
Her words died in her throat.
Iris stared at the floating window for a moment before her eyes widened.
[Warning: Avallion Class entity detected.]
[Objective: Slay the beast.]
[Survival probability: 38%]
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