Odyssey Of Survival

Nate stared at the piece of bread in front of him, his fingers hovering near it, but he didn't pick it up. He wasn't sure why, but something about eating unfamiliar food in an unfamiliar place made him pause.

The girl noticed his hesitation. Without a word, she picked up the bread herself and took a small bite, chewing casually before holding it out to him again.

"It's safe," she said simply.

Nate eyed her for a moment, then finally took the piece from her hands. He hesitated once more, then bit into it.

The texture was rough and uneven, nothing like the soft, processed bread he was used to back home. This was dense and coarse, the kind of bread that felt like it had been baked over open flames rather than inside an oven. It carried a faint earthy taste, likely made from ground grains or flour mixed with water and left to harden under heat. There was no salt, no sweetness, just a dry, grainy taste that stuck to his tongue. It wasn't terrible, but it definitely wasn't enjoyable either. He chewed slowly, feeling the way the hardened crust scratched against the roof of his mouth before he swallowed.

As he wiped a crumb off his lip, the girl tilted her head slightly, studying him with open curiosity.

"Your clothes are weird," she said out of nowhere.

Nate glanced at his shirt and pants before raising an eyebrow. "Yours are weirder."

She chuckled softly at his response, her green eyes filled with amusement. "What's your name?"

"Nate."

She frowned slightly, as if rolling the name around in her mind. "What a weird name."

Nate smirked but didn't argue.

"I'm Sera," she said, placing a hand lightly on her chest.

Nate gave a small nod as he finished chewing, brushing off the remaining crumbs from his fingers. He leaned back slightly against the pile of cloth behind him and looked at her with mild curiosity. "Apart from bringing me food, what else are you here for?"

Sera toyed absentmindedly with the fabric of his sleeve, her fingers brushing over the unfamiliar material. Then, as if forgetting she wasn't supposed to say it out loud, she blurted, "They sent me here to keep an eye on you."
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Nate blinked, caught off guard by her honesty. He stared at her for a moment before a grin tugged at the corners of his lips, and he had to hold back a chuckle.

"They sent you?" he asked, amusement lacing his voice.

Sera realized what she had just admitted and pressed her lips together, but she didn't deny it.

Of all the people in this settlement, they sent her?

Nate shook his head slightly, but he didn't dismiss the idea entirely. Maybe there was more to her than what met the eye.

His eyes flickered back to her, and suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. "If you're here to keep an eye on me," he said, his voice slightly teasing, "then why were you touching my face earlier?"

Sera didn't even flinch at the question. Instead, she answered honestly. "I was just surprised at how clear your skin is."

Nate raised an eyebrow. "My skin?"

She nodded. "Rumors have been going around that you probably used some sort of trickery to kill Tati and Sebek. People say you don't look like someone who can fight."

Nate smiled at that. If only they knew.

If not for his powers healing his wounds in the past, he'd have been covered in scars by now. His body had seen more battles than most warriors in this place, yet he looked untouched, flawless compared to the rough, battle-worn men here.

Just as he was about to say something, Sera suddenly leaned in slightly, her eyes narrowing as she studied him with a strange expression. Then, out of nowhere, she murmured, "Your smile is more beautiful than most girls'."

Nate froze for a second.

What?

For the first time in a while, he had no immediate comeback. He just stared at her, trying to figure out if she was messing with him or if she actually meant what she said.

Sera, completely unfazed, just kept looking at him with the same curious expression.

Nate stared at Sera with a stunned expression. He had met plenty of people in his life—some arrogant, some reserved, some aggressive—but he had never met anyone as straightforward as her. She spoke whatever came to mind, unfiltered and without hesitation. There was no trace of shyness or restraint in her words.

He leaned back slightly, still watching her with mild amusement. "You don't hold back, do you?"

Sera simply shrugged, a small, playful smirk tugging at her lips.

Shaking his head, Nate decided to change the subject. "Can you tell me more about the beasts that have been troubling your people?"

The shift in conversation caught Sera off guard. She blinked at him, looking genuinely surprised by the question. For a moment, she just stared at him, then realization dawned in her eyes.

"You don't know about them?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

Nate gave a small shake of his head. "Not much."

Sera's green eyes studied him carefully, as if reassessing everything she thought she knew about him. Then she exhaled softly and leaned back slightly, rubbing her thumb against her palm in thought.

"Maybe the rumors are true after all," she muttered.

Nate raised an eyebrow. "What rumors?"

Sera tilted her head slightly. "That you're from the royal families of the big kingdoms. That you've never seen real battle before."

Nate almost laughed at that.

Instead of correcting her, he simply waited for her to explain.

Sera took a deep breath before she began. "At first, everything was normal. The animals hunted, the seasons changed, and life went on as it always had. Then came the explosion."

Nate's brows furrowed. "Explosion?"

She nodded. "Something in the sky. It was green. It exploded and blocked out the sun. The sky turned dark, and the air felt strange. But it didn't harm humans."

Nate listened intently, intrigued. "Then what did it affect?"

Sera glanced toward the entrance of the tent as if making sure no one was eavesdropping, then turned back to him. "The animals."

Nate's fingers subconsciously curled. "The wild ones?"

Sera nodded. "Not just them. Even some domestic ones. At first, we didn't realize what had happened. But then, the animals started changing. They became stronger, faster, more aggressive. Some of them grew bigger than they should have been. Others developed... unnatural abilities."

Nate remained silent, absorbing her words.

A green explosion in the sky?

The way she described it, it almost sounded natural, like some kind of celestial event. But Nate had seen enough in his life to know that things weren't always as they seemed. There was something more to this—he could feel it.

Seeing the thoughtful expression on his face, Sera reached out and lightly tapped his knee. "Don't think too hard about it. No one has been able to figure out its meaning until now."

Nate exhaled slowly, filing away the information for later.

Before he could ask anything else, the tent flap suddenly lifted, and a man stepped inside.

It was the same man who had wanted to kill him the most—Tati's friend.

Nate immediately noticed the way his expression darkened as he took in the scene. His gaze landed on Sera first, narrowing slightly as he saw how close she was sitting to Nate. Then his eyes flickered toward Nate himself, filled with restrained contempt.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then, with a stiff voice, the man finally said, "Ka is awake. He has told us everything."

Nate didn't react, simply waiting for him to continue.

The man's lips pressed into a thin line before he finally added, "Our leader seeks your presence."

Nate let out a small breath, then murmured, "Finally."

He pushed himself to his feet, brushing the remaining bread crumbs off his clothes. His muscles felt well-rested, but his mind was still racing with everything Sera had just told him.

As he stepped toward the tent's entrance, he could feel the man's hostile gaze burning into his back.

But Nate didn't care.

He had bigger things to worry about.