There is a lot about me you don't know -Tales of Arcadia ENG

30-Real Deal

TRACK 30

Do we, do we know

When we fly

When we, when we go

Do we die?

Sweet berries ready for two

Ghosts are no different than you

(Question!- System of a down)

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Danger or safety? Staying or leaving?

If he had been following his self-preservation instincts, the question would have been extremely easy to answer. It would have been only a "retreat slowly without attracting attention and fuzzing leave". Faster than ever, too. Which... would have brought a longer walk, a larger amount of wandering around without those things near him, and a much stronger amount of tension rising because hell, those things were over the barrier, and hurray, more time wasted.

Still, it would have kept him out of their field. And -by walking until exhaustion took root, probably almost making him fall on his face- to reach the Orange River if he walked towards three o'clock.

But. There was a but. An enormous one, too, that was shown by the cathedral-looking limestones in front of him. That but, yes. It reminded him that they were in there to search for Dalai in the first place, not to ignore the danger.

Nobody could tell him that he wasn't in that kind of place. He could have used one of those sprouts as a den. Maybe the bigger one that was almost in the middle.

It was a hidden spot. It was protected by the creatures flying all around it like hell was breathing on their wings. Plus, it was big enough to make unknown -or worse, known- unwanted people lose themselves inside it. Much more than Camelot's castle... And that was saying a lot.

To be able to walk in it, someone had to know where they wanted to go. And how the floor plan moved.

It was perfect to disappear in it. Had he been in Dalai's shoes, he would have picked it without even thinking twice.

So, no, Douxie couldn't leave. Even if it seemed a very stupid, very dangerous choice.

No matter the idea of finding the red insects at his heels, no matter the loud buzzing sound that they emitted, no matter the idea of being assaulted and finding himself fully surrounded by them, no matter even the possibility of just getting so lost to never get out of there... he had to check. Even just a little.

He had to see if the Keeper was there... And tell him that Merlin needed his help. That they needed his help. He would have prostrated himself to his feet, even, to convince him.

'Or, in case he isn't there, there is still the option to search for drinkable water...' his mind whispered. He agreed with the thought, in a one-hundred-percent way.

He still forced himself to ignore the second thought, tough. All in the hope of not getting too disappointed if neither of them were there.

Taking a deep breath, he stilled himself, filled his being with determination and something akin to adrenaline, and then restarted walking.

As he did so, his mind instantly wandered towards Archie, asking himself if he was okay. And then the sensation enlarged, making him ask if everyone was alright.

It wasn't the first time that he questioned himself with that same query, but the amount of worry it brought him was always the same, every kind of internal reassurance being deleted by the unknown.