Akira stood up, his body acting before his mind could second-guess the decision.

  In a show of surrender, he raised his hands, palms open, hoping to seem less threatening. The subtle rustle of leaves accompanied his movement as he stepped out from the cover of the dense foliage, his silver eyes fixed on the man by the fire.

  The stranger reacted instantly, his hand darting toward the spear without hesitation. In one fluid motion, he was on his feet, the weapon pointed directly at Akira. The firelight danced across the sharp, primitive tip of the spear, its edge glinting menacingly.

  “Stop right there!” The man barked, his voice rough, like gravel grinding against stone. His stance was solid, his eyes narrowing as they studied Akira from head to toe.

  Akira froze mid-step, keeping his hands raised. “Wait! I’m like you, see! I’m not a threat!”

  The tension between the two of them was so thick you could almost see it.

  The man’s gaze fell upon the sharp stone on Akira’s waist. “Take it out slowly and throw it to the side.”

  Akira hesitated for a fraction of a second, his instincts warring between compliance and self-preservation. The sharp stone at his waist was his only weapon, crude as it was, but if he wanted to make progress he had to sacrifice it.

  Slowly, he reached for the stone, careful to avoid any sudden movements. He took it out from his ‘belt' and with deliberate care, he tossed it to the side, where it landed in the grass with a muted thud.

  “Good, now turn around, keep your hands up and start slowly walking towards me.” The man’s voice had a strong sense of authority.

  Akira started walking towards the man while facing away from him, he wanted to glance back, but he knew that meant losing any trust he had built up in this initial meeting.

  Though the thought of getting stabbed in the back, quite literally, also didn’t seem pleasant.

  “How did you get here?” The man barked out.

  “I don’t know. I just- I woke up in a cave a few days ago, and some voice said something about a Selection Trial.”

  Silence stood in the air for what felt like an eternity. “You can turn around.”

  Akira slowly turned around, his body still tense, hands hovering slightly above his head. He caught the glint of the firelight reflecting off the spear’s tip, but the man’s grip on it had relaxed slightly.

  The stranger’s sharp eyes studied him closely, but there was no immediate threat in his posture now.

  He turned around and sat next to the fire, impaling the spear in the ground next to himself. “Come, sit, you’ll freeze to death out there.” His eyes turned to Akira’s shoulder. “I doubt you’ll make it much longer if you keep that untreated.”

  After a brief pause, Akira slowly lowered his hands, his muscles aching from tension.

  He took a step toward the fire, careful not to make any sudden movements that might trigger another defensive reaction.

  As he sat down, he winced, feeling the weight of exhaustion and the dull throb in his shoulder.

  The warmth from the fire was pleasant and comforting, but it did little to ease the exhaustion that had been building for hours.

  Akira swallowed dryly, trying to keep his voice steady despite the barrage of questions flooding his mind. “So, you... Do you remember anything from before… here?”

  The man shook his head, his expression grim. “Not a damn thing. I woke up in a cave, much like you, and the first thing I heard was that voice too. Told me the same thing about the ‘Selection Trial’. I’ve been here ever since, trying to figure out what it means, trying to survive... but it’s all a damn mystery.”

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  Akira’s gaze drifted to the fire, the crackling flames offering little comfort as the man’s words sunk in. The feeling of isolation hit him harder than ever, the realization that he wasn’t alone in this strange world, yet still no closer to understanding what was happening.

  “I’m Akira, by the way.”

  The man’s eyes softened for a brief moment. “Call me Ekhis.”

  “So, Ekhis, do you have any idea what this ‘Selection Trial’ is?” Akira asked, his voice quieter now, the weight of the unknown settling deeper into his bones.

  The man’s face darkened. “Not really, but I know of a way to get out of here. In fact, we're only a few hours away from the Mist Gate, it's an exit from this 'Selection Trial'.”

  Akira’s pulse quickened at the mention of ‘Mist Gate’. He leaned forward, his attention fixed on Ekhis. “The Mist Gate?” His voice was a mix of disbelief and hope. “You’re saying there’s a way out of here? Why haven’t you left until now then?”

  Ekhis let out a long, weary sigh, his face shadowed by the flickering flames before fixing Akira with a hard, tired gaze.

  “I tried, many months ago.” He said simply, the weight of his words carrying an undertone of frustration. “I’ve seen it, been close, but it’s not as simple as walking up to it. The Mist Gate is protected by a dangerous monster, something that makes most monsters here look like small fry in comparison.” His voice grew harsher. “That’s why I’ve been waiting. I believe I have a solution on how to get past it, but I needed another person to put the plan in motion.”

  “How do you plan on getting past-” Akira tried to speak but was cut off.

  “I’ll explain the plan when we get closer, for now, let’s tend to your wound. You need rest and a weapon too.” The man said, it wasn’t a suggestion, but an order.

  Akira gingerly removed the shredded remains of his tunic from his wound, it was ugly, raw, and still not properly cleaned, the flesh around it swollen and bruised. Luckily, there was no pus or any signs of infection.

  Ekhis’s sharp eyes immediately flicked to it, his brow furrowing. “Stay still.” He said gruffly, pulling a small pouch from his side.

  He unwrapped it to reveal several leaves, their edges serrated and dark green in color. The scent was bitter, and Akira watched as the man crushed the leaves between his rough palms, releasing their juice.

  “Do you know how to use that?” Akira asked, his voice hoarse.

  Ekhis gave a brief nod. “I’ve learned to make do with what’s around me. This should stop any infection from building up and dull the pain. It’s not going to magically cure you, but it’ll keep you going for now.”

  The stranger moved swiftly, gently pressing the crushed leaves against Akira’s wound.

  A sharp sting ran through Akira’s arm, but he clenched his jaw and didn’t make a sound. His eyes flicked back to the fire, the flames flickering in the night air.

  "That should help for now." Ekhis muttered, then sat back, pulling his spear closer to him, his eyes scanning the surrounding darkness. “Tomorrow at first light I’ll make you a spear like mine and we’ll set off to the Mist Gate. For now, rest, I slept all day, so I can keep watch.”

  Akira nodded, grateful for the man's effort, though his mind was still racing. The idea of the Mist Gate, a potential way out of this nightmare, was a small beacon of hope in the sea of uncertainty.

  He could finally let his guard down and rest a little.

  The boy lay on the ground and tried to find a comfortable position to sleep in, which proved difficult. Finally, he ended up sitting with his knees to his chest and his arms wrapped around them, like he sat at the river. Something about this position made him more comfortable and safe.

  With that, he was able to rest his eyes.

  …

  Akira blinked, trying to adjust his eyes to the soft morning light filtering through the cave. The fire had died out not too long ago, leaving faint traces of ash and white smoke behind. He rubbed his eyes, blinking hard to rid himself of the lingering grogginess.

  Ekhis was gone.

  Pushing himself to his feet, Akira glanced around the shelter to see everything was missing. He also took a peek at his wound which was now feeling and looking much better.

  He slowly made his way out of the shelter, his senses sharp despite his exhaustion. The jungle had already begun to stir with life, the low hum of insects and distant bird calls filling the air.

  The ground beneath his feet was still damp from the night’s coolness, and Akira’s footsteps were careful as he navigated the uneven terrain. His mind was racing with thoughts of the Mist Gate, the dangerous monster guarding it, and what Ekhis's plan was.

  It didn't take long before he spotted Ekhis.

  The man was crouched by a fallen tree, his back to Akira as he worked with steady precision. The sharp sound of wood being hacked echoed through the dense jungle, and Akira could see that Ekhis was crafting something from the materials around him, pieces of wood and stone. The spear.

  Akira approached slowly, making sure his presence was known before he got too close. Ekhis didn’t turn around at first, too focused on the task at hand. He was using a jagged stone to chip away at the thick branch in front of him, shaping it into a weapon.