The new people had already started settling in. They apparently showed up while I’d been training with Zathis, and Marie and Tom found things for them to do. They had apparently been calling out while wandering around the illusion, which had greatly amused Marie, who ultimately helped them out when they yelled something about Lauren. Three new people… and Lauren convinced them to join? That’s got to be the strangest part of all this. The archer, Amy, doesn’t talk much, but she’s apparently quite good with her bow and woodworking, and immediately fell in with Tom and Lynn and their bow making project. The barbarian-looking guy with the warhammer, Seth, was thrilled to find that we had plenty of meat prepared, and I think he’ll make a sound addition to the front lines. The final one, Loreian, appears to be a sort of finesse fighter, but there’s… something strange about her. I don’t know what exactly, but the moment I saw her, I felt a spark. Not anything romantic, but like… familiarity? I’ve never seen- I mean, I don’t remember ever seeing her before. She could have been my best friend 5 days ago and I wouldn’t know. I make a point to remember to talk to her when there’s some time. I decide not to bother them too much now because they’re either utterly exhausted or involved in their own projects. Besides, I think Dean and Rav are just arriving back from their expedition.

I hear them approaching before I see them, and I’m excited to note the sound of three people walking, meaning they were successful in at least finding one person to join. I go to greet them at the entrance, when Marie’s scream cuts the silence, and the smile I had at their return is entirely wiped away by their cargo. They fucking found Nate! How do I explain this away? I don’t have a good lie ready! This is really bad, I’ll have to deflect. Thank god Lauren isn’t here.

I open my mouth to say something, but Rav must have seen my expression change from happiness to horror.

“I’m so sorry, my friend. We failed to find him in time. We failed him. He was so close to home, but he couldn’t...” He chokes and cuts off. The tears streaming down his face make my heart ache.

Dean has a look more of cold fury than sadness. “They killed him, Anthony. Those monsters in human skin, FUCKING KILLED... the best of us all. No, I can’t wait around and let this… atrocity go unanswered. I’m going after them. Take him, bury him, I can’t… I’ll be back.” He turns to leave after handing Nate’s bloody corpse to Rav.

“Dean.” Rav begins quietly. “Stay. Do not force me to bury two friends in one day.”

Dean turns back, distressed. “But-” He stops at Rav’s raised hand.

“Tomorrow, after the night is done, we will go. The three of us. Yes?” His words are measured and careful, barely holding back the tide of emotion.

“Please stay, at least through the night,” I agree “but who is this you’re talking about? Who did this?”

The new, shield bearing man replies in their stead. “I believe I can take over for my emotionally compromised comrades. You see, we were attempting to get rid of some bandits that have been damaging the reputations of any legitimate attempts at organizing the masses through their wayward actions. We stumbled across many instances of their handiwork, but it seems… this one was of great personal significance to your group.”

“He was our leader,” Dean clarifies, “he banded us together in the worst of times, and kept us together through the rest. He led us through hell and back. Most of all, he was… a friend, to all of us.”

The man only nods. Rav carries Nate’s body back outside, and he and Dean start to dig. Marie joins them outside, standing with them and talking quietly. I go and tell Lynn and Tom, who had been too distracted by the sounds of the forge and their planning with Amy to notice what had transpired. Lynn turns away at the news, shuddering and hiding her expression. Tom looks shaken to his core, mumbles something inaudible, and also heads outside. Amy looks bewildered, and I give her a small smile and shake my head, giving her a short explanation. She nods in understanding and excuses herself, leaving me alone with Lynn.

“Are you alright?” Something’s off about her. She’s shuddering, but… not like she’s sobbing. She doesn’t answer for a moment, but wipes her eyes before reagaining control of herself.

“Totally fine.” She replies with a small smile. A small smile that looks… suppressed. Like it wants to be a much larger one.

“You… didn’t care much for Nate, did you.”

She maintains her tight smile, looking at me with eyes that speak volumes about how much of an underestimation I had made.

The smile breaks a moment later. “You were not the only one to notice his… effects. But you? You could resist them. Not that he asked you to do anything truly awful, but you… for some reason… had the choice. I… didn’t.” She tried to take a deep breath, but choked part of the way through. “So… when he asked for things that… I didn’t want to give I-... I couldn’t say no. I didn’t want to say no, even while my mind screamed at me to stop him.” She sniffs loudly, clearing her eyes of more genuine tears before finishing. “I think… you’re probably wondering why. Why I’m telling you. It’s not like it matters anymore, he’s dead, and what would you care? But you did care. Enough to stop him. I’m telling you because of what he truly was, and because... you knew that better than anyone, didn’t you? You and Lauren? …Hah, he’s dead, and it wasn’t even me that got him.”

“Wai-”

“No, don’t. I can’t… possibly thank you enough. I’m not alone in knowing he was a monster, and he’s dead now; that’s what matters. Thank you.”

Her arms wrap around me, squeezing tightly. “Thank you thank you thank you…” she whispers, before releasing me and walking quietly away.