Chapter 228 - Days DCLXXXIV - DCLXXXV

Two more days, that's how long it took us to finally get the closes safe spot to orcs camp and set up ours. I could feel the tension in the air. Everybody seemed to be excited, and impatient to start the battle, but it was past midday, and if we were to just go, we could find ourselves in the middle of a respawn.

The forces that attacked the city were big. This indicated, that the cave itself has to be huge enough to contain all of them. Way more than a thousand of them. A number that just seemed so ridiculous considering how many people we had. At least a hundred to one, that was their number advantage, jet I felt confident.

And I wasn't the only one.

As I was to sit down and eat, I noticed Nil shadowboxing on the side, looking at the passage, like he was waiting for an enemy to show up. I grabbed a handful of dried fruits and came closer.

- What are you doing?

He stopped for a moment to look at me and smiled.

- A ritual. I started doing this a day before the attack on the camp after we returned - he explained, and immediately went back to it. - Helps me clear my mind. Stay sharp.

- Are you scared?

He stopped again and looked at me.

- I would have to be crazy to not be scared. There are ten of us, and hundreds of them. Something might go wrong in a blink of an eye, and that means somebody might die. Although I'm not scared of death, I don't want to see others die in front of me... again.

After those words, he went back to punching the air.

- How about you? Are you scared at all?

- No. I'm not scared at all. More... excited? 

He laughed.

- Maybe I'm crazy - I continued. - Or maybe I got so used to risking my life, that it stopped bothering me at all. Or... or maybe I'm just looking for it.

- I don't think so - said Alice, as she sneaked on us. - You wouldn't be helping the city so much. This world is just simply taking its toll on you, just like on everybody else. The difference is, that you do the craziest stuff, so it's probably changing you faster. If you asked me three years ago if I would be down to swing a sword in a battle to the death, or ok with killing somebody with my own two hands, I would call you crazy, but look at me now.

- You nervous too? - asked Sanders.

- Of course I am. I'm as nervous as I've been the first time. I hope you really know what you're doing, Peter.

- It'll be fine. I know how it sounds, and all, but I think... I think I could do it even alone.

Nil just laughed out loud.

- Yes, that does sound nuts.

- Are you serious? - she asked.

- Yea.

- That's surprisingly... relieving?

- Just stick to the rest, and you will be fine. I'll do the hard part.

- That sounds like you are underestimating us. We can handle our part - Said Sanders.

- What are you talking about? Who is underestimating who? - asked Will, as he also came closer.

- Peter thinks it will be like the last time. When we were just holding them, and he did the rest.

- Oho! You are to witness our greatness my son - he said, and he put his arms on my shoulders. - We will wipe those orcs, and can just watch and eat popcorn.

- That's what I'm saying! - Nill immediately agreed.

- Ok, ok. Now you got me curious. Maybe I really will just stand and watch. Let you guys do all the work. Yeah... I wouldn't say no to a vacation. 

- We will let you pick the crystals after we are finished - said Will.

We started joking more, and Sander's ritual got ruined. He was quite annoyed but just gave up in the end, as Will started cracking more jokes about him. The rest of us just argued as they kept roasting each other.

Then we ate together, and a bit later I went further to the canyon, alone. To look again for any signs of Ki'rei's presence. I didn't find anything at first, but then a bird flew from one side to another. Or at least the creature looked like a bird to me.

Knowing she really is around brought a smile to my face. I started thinking about how she must be feeling, sleeping alone out there. Eating that terrible gray paste, instead of proper food. I regretted not taking some dried fruits with me. I could leave them here, and she could pick them up and have at least something that tasted good.

- What are you doing here? - I suddenly heard a familiar voice from behind.

I turned around and saw Boris a few meters from me.

- Um... Just taking a walk, I guess...

- A walk? In the canyon?

- Well... we cleared the vicinity, so what's wrong with that? Besides I can take care of myself, even without a weapon.

- If you say so...

He clearly wasn't buying it. I needed to watch out, and not make people too much suspicious of the things I was doing, which was annoying since I really didn't want to keep it all a secret, but there was not really a better choice if I wanted to get to the bottom of our situation.

I needed to at least know where those aliens are hiding. With that, I had way more options than just following their whims.

- Ok. I'll go back if you think...

- No. Keep walking if you want to. Who the hell am I to tell you what you can and can not do?

- I'll go back.

He shrugged his shoulders, and we both returned to the camp. There was nothing more going on, worth mentioning, during that period.

Two days came to an end with 9 695 550 points remaining on my account, and forty-two class points.