Beware the darkness

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Steve was strengthening his sword on the anvil with the help of previously found enchanted books. He was thinking about the upcoming fight with that unknown. How many times had he made him lose consciousness… 6 times? Definitely not less. Every time Steve went out somewhere, whether it was the surface or the mine, the upper world or the lower, the unknown was always chasing him. Every time I watched him on duty, and then attacked, from which the guy constantly lost consciousness. He was getting tired of it. Why is he doing this? Does he want to help him? Why? It's time to find out. After the last attack by an unknown person, which happened when Steve was picking sweet berries in the forest, his cup of patience was overflowing: "Next time I will fight back," he looked at his reflection in the blade of the sword, "I will no longer allow you to defuse me so easily." However, everything turned out not to be as easy as It was planned. The stranger was moving too fast, which made Steve almost always unable to even open his inventory. And he would wake up again in the same place where he had fallen asleep. However, one day he was lucky. Steve took the shield in one hand, holding it out in front of him, and the sword in the other hand, looking at the stranger standing near the trees. He tilted his head, as if not understanding what the guy was up to.

"I'm not going to let you knock me out anymore!"  Steve shouted.

There was a thirst for revenge burning inside him and, it would seem, nothing could reduce it. However, what happened next quickly took away any hope of salvation from the guy. At the end of his words, the stranger straightened his head again after a few seconds, after which, for the first time in all his time, emotions appeared on his hitherto always indifferent face. He smiled broadly maliciously and frowned, clearly accepting Steve's challenge, after which a non-cerite enchanted sword appeared in his hand. If after the first reaction, the guy only got goosebumps, and then from impatience, and his resolute attitude did not decrease, then after seeing the strongest sword, his confidence was shaken. Meanwhile, the stranger slowly moved towards his aggressor, and then at one point rushed at him at all speeds. The guy only had time to think "what the hell?" in his head, followed by a blow to the shield, so powerful that it instantly crumbled. Steve himself leaned to the left from the damage, taking a step back. As a result, he only had an enchanted iron sword in his hands. The stranger's eyes burned brightly with a white light (it even seemed as if a barely noticeable smoke was leaving him), inspiring fear, making the guy regret his idea: "It would be better if I just gave him the opportunity to do with me whatever he wants! I don't want to die! It hurts!" At that moment, the stranger swung his sword and hit the guy from above. Fortunately, he saw this and blocked the blow, exposing the sword, however… As soon as the weapons touched, Steve's blade broke in half: "How?! With one blow????" He stared in horror at the hilt with protruding fragments, which had once been his sword, and then turned a frightened look at the stranger. There was still a wide, not kind grin on his face. At that moment, he swung and made a lightning lunge. Steve could only accept the fact of his death and just shut his eyes. However, I didn't feel any pain. Then he opened his eyes a little and saw that the stranger's sword stopped right at his neck, pressing the blade to the side. The stranger's wide smile changed to a more restrained and calm one, and his gaze became condescending. Then the sword disappeared from his hand, after which he abruptly pressed his palm against Steve's face. At the same moment, he felt severe pain, as if from an electric shock, after which he lost consciousness. Apparently, it was a kind of revenge for such insolence.

The guy woke up at night, surrounded by red torches. He sat up slowly, feeling weak, rubbed his forehead, and then looked around. There was darkness all around, partially dispelled by the flickering of red torches in the area. Unfortunately, his head was buzzing too much to think about anything, so he just got up and mindlessly walked along a path of single red torches kindly put up by someone. He felt so bad that he didn't care about the fact that it was dangerously dark around, especially sometimes. The only thing Steve wanted right now was to just lie down and rest. But the next morning, when he felt better, he remembered what had happened and went out again to confirm the fact of what had happened. However, he did not find any red torches. However, the shield and sword were missing. Does this mean that everything that happened was not a dream? Definitely: "I probably shouldn't have turned on my aggression. I should have realized that there was no point in fighting with him. He is very strong and clearly not a human being, judging by his speed and, in general, by the fact that he, damn, constantly makes me lose consciousness," Steve thought, sitting by the cliff, admiring the flower meadow below, turning into the forest, "Or maybe ... it's worth trying to make friends with him? Well, what do I lose? Except for consciousness, huh." That's what he decided to do. Fortunately, a new meeting took place soon. Then Steve was sitting and cooking breakfast, when far away in the morning forest, still dim from the dense foliage, he saw bright white eyes that beckoned to his gaze. The guy decided to keep calm and friendly at all costs, which is why he did not jump up in fright or look at him with hostility. For the place of this, Steve cautiously approached about ten steps to the forest, then stopped and said, looking at the stranger:

— Hi, — silence, — I know our meeting last time didn't end in the best way, so... I thought since we are the only survivors in this world, it's not good for us to fight with you, — it was hard for him to find words because of the excitement, - In general... I wanted to say that... if If you want to join me for breakfast," Steve pointed with his thumb behind his back, "I have enough food, so we both have enough."

After that, he turned around and walked back to the house, sincerely hoping that he would not fall down again and lose consciousness. Surprisingly, Steve calmly walked to the campfire and sat down next to it again. But even more surprising is that the stranger also came up to the fire and sat down on another log so that now they were both sitting sideways. "Seriously?! Did he refuse??? Didn't attack me, didn't hurt me, didn't knock me out?!": Steve wondered inside himself, outwardly keeping a calm face.

— You know, I... would like to apologize. I shouldn't have tried to hurt you. I'm just frankly tired of losing consciousness every time I see you. It's kind of very unpleasant, you know?  He looked at the stranger.

However, he just stared at Steve in silence, and continued to stare: "Why are you silent… Maybe... oh! Maybe the food will make you talk?" Next, he suggested going to a table under the roof and eating beetroot soup. And then the stranger did not say a word and did not refuse. While Steve ate everything very quickly, the person sitting across from him looked at the guy at the beginning, and then looked down into his bowl. Neatly sliced pieces of beetroot, carrots and greens floated in the reddish water. In general, it looked very appetizing. The stranger took a spoon, carefully scooped up some broth and ate it. After that, he put down the cutlery. Steve, chewing, asked:

— Didn't you like it?  He inclined his head.

The person sitting opposite looked at him with an indifferent look.

—I'm sorry," the guy shrugged, "I don't have anything else. Since everything and everything has disappeared, I have no meat or fish. Only vegetables and quite a few stocks, which I have already spent everything. But I'm frying vegetables so that there's a variety," he pointed to two bowls with ordinary and grilled vegetables on the fire, "Take it, don't be shy,— he smiled.

There was a silence during which Steve looked at the guest. Or rather, I looked at his white eyes, no longer so bright, because of the morning light. The stranger's face expressed calmness and some peace. For some reason, the guy knew that he wasn't looking at him.

— Listen, can you talk?  Steve suddenly gave out, after which the guest's face frowned slightly, and he clearly shifted his gaze to the speaker, "What? Sorry. You just don't say anything and don't answer anything. So I thought maybe you were... well... dumb," he shrugged.

After that, the guy began to finish his soup, sincerely hoping not to anger his guest: "And who pulled my tongue. I'm going to piss him off again and lose consciousness. Eh... if only without this..." Nevertheless, nothing happened. The stranger sat motionless, and remained sitting, while Steve finished his soup. He looked from under his brows at the person sitting opposite and asked:

— Aren't you going to finish eating? — the stranger shook his head and pushed the plate towards the guy, — Okay, then I'll eat, if you don't mind. I've been feeling very hungry lately.

After these words, the first one looked at Steve, who was eating with great appetite, and then slightly tilted his head to the left.

— "... How long ago...?"

— Hmm? — the guy looked at the stranger who suddenly spoke in surprise, stopping chewing.

— How long ago… Do you feel hungry? — He stared at him intently.

— M ... about after our last meeting, or rather the fight. But I think it's because of the stress. I used to eat a lot because of stress too. Although I was pretty tired, Steve mused, —Why?

The guy looked at the stranger again and, after a few seconds, just like him, slightly tilted his head, but in the opposite direction, and then in the same direction as him. So they looked at each other for a while, until the second one returned to his usual position, slightly closing his eyes. He seemed to be thinking. Steve also returned to his usual position, after which he began to eat again, and when he had finished everything, the stranger suddenly left the table and moved towards the forest. The guy also hurriedly left and managed to shout goodbye: "He spoke to me. That's great! I hope we will meet again in the future and I will learn more about you."