Chapter 256: The Cursed Gift
byLuke followed Evangeline as they left that stretch of forest behind. They climbed back up through the ruins and made their way toward the city. Her hideout was farther than he expected. Instead of heading deeper into the Wild Zone toward the capital, they had to circle back toward the Safe Zone and then skirt its walls, continuing forward without ever stepping inside. Even as he trailed her, he never let his guard down. Every step could still be leading him into a trap.
“You really did make a mess back in the Safe Zone,” she remarked.
They had stopped for a moment atop the shell of a crumbling building, gazing down at the Safe Zone. From there, Luke could see the glow of torches cutting through the dark, soldiers still combing the streets as if refusing to give up the hunt. Wooden watchtowers loomed, their silhouettes broken by the figures of guards scanning for any trace of him.
“And what was it like?” he asked. “Conquering Bastion.”
The wind tugged at their clothes as they leapt down from the structure and broke into a run, weaving through shattered stone, collapsed walls, and the occasional beast wandering the ruins.
“It took almost a year,” she said, not even pausing to think. “Maybe a little less, maybe more. I don’t keep track of dates. But it was before the second wave of newcomers arrived. Imagine this place without a Safe Zone, nothing but Wild Zone, wall to wall. A nightmare. Now imagine discovering that once night fell, the Midnight Wardens appeared out of nowhere. Chaos. And on top of that, surviving at level one, alone. That was my reality when I first got here.”
Her voice dipped lower. “And the few humans you might stumble across? The kind who’d rob you, kill you, or worse. So, I had to depend on myself. For a long time.”
She gave a faint smile. “I only had my shadow to trust.”
“My thief class gave me a head start here,” Evangeline added, with just enough pride to color her tone. “Stealth, tracking, moving without a sound. I could climb a tree, grab fruit, and be gone before a pack of raptors showed up. At night, I was already holed up somewhere safe before the Wardens emerged.”
“Sounds brutal, handling all that on your own. Coming from a normal life and being dropped into this,” Luke said quietly.
“I was used to it,” she replied, her voice casual, though the words carried weight. “I’m an orphan. Since I was twelve, I lived on the streets. Honestly, it wasn’t much different from this place.”
Luke kept his eyes forward, but his fists clenched at his sides.
“Running from predators, kidnappers, abusers, that was my day-to-day. Stealing food, outrunning cops. And orphanages?” She snorted. “Worse than the streets, depending on who ran them. So, I chose the streets.”
Luke thought of his own life. If he hadn’t been taken in by the Baumanns after his mother disappeared in the tutorial, he would have ended up in one of those orphanages too.
“As for surviving here,” she continued, “after a few months in the wild, I ran into a group of survivors led by a soldier. His name was Marshall. He brought order to the chaos.”
She glanced at him briefly. “He didn’t come here alone. He had fellow veterans, their kids, also military, wives, even elders. They all landed in this tutorial together. So I joined them. And that’s when I met Bartholomew. And Kruger.”
The Safe Zone was shrinking behind them now, and in the distance ahead Luke could already make out the outline of the towering wall.
“After some time, we discovered a statue that gave us a quest. It stood before a fortress. That’s when we learned there was a way out of this nightmare: activate three mechanisms, then reach the portal inside the castle. The first mechanism was right there, inside that fortress by the statue.”
She paused for a moment, watching the empty street stretch out before them.
“The rest you already know. Fifty of the strongest walked into that fortress and faced the mission event inside. Only four of us came out alive, me, Bartholomew, Kruger, and Marshall. That’s when the Safe Zone was born, after the first mechanism was activated.”
They kept running through the ruins. By the time dawn crept in, the bells rang in the distance, and they saw the Midnight Wardens retreating into their dens.
“How much farther?” Luke asked.
“Almost there,” Evangeline replied. “For now, it’s just going to be the two of us at my hideout.”
Luke stopped in his tracks. “What do you mean?”
“Allison and a few others from Haven are on a special mission. Something that’ll help us get out of here. Not many know the details, keeps Bartholomew from sniffing it out.”
He stared at her in silence, his gaze heavy, unblinking.
She raised her brows, suddenly uncomfortable. “What? Gonna just keep glaring at me like that?”
“In that case, I’m out.” He turned his back.
“Wait, what? Where are you going?”
“Leaving.”
“Hey!” She rushed after him, frustration sharpening her voice. “You’re really walking away?”
Luke turned, his expression like stone. “Yes. You lied to me. If a partnership starts with lies, I’d rather work alone.”
Her eyes widened, just for a second, before the sarcasm returned like a mask. “I didn’t lie. I said I’d take you to meet them. I just didn’t say when.”
“Oh, right. Not lying, just omitting every important part. And letting me walk into an empty burrow.”
“They’ll all be there once their mission’s done. Meanwhile, I’ve been babysitting the Safe Zone, keeping an eye on you, ready to drag you out if you got yourself caught. Instead of enjoying my hideout, I had to shadow you. You should be grateful.”
“I don’t owe gratitude for something I never agreed to.” He gave her one last look before turning away. “When they actually get back, I’ll swing by.”
Evangeline sighed. “I told you my tragic backstory. You could at least give me some credit.”
“I grew up with a family of lawyers. We’ve seen every kind of con artist there is. It’s always the same trick, spin a sad tale, earn sympathy, then go for the con. I’m not falling for it. Goodbye.” He jogged off without looking back.
She darted ahead and blocked his path. “The idea wasn’t mine. Take it up with Princess Allison when she comes back. And for the record, it’s your fault things had to be rushed, the order was to kidnap you if necessary.”
“Princess?” Luke frowned.
“Sort of. She’s heir to one of those families that run the world,” Evangeline said with a shrug.
“Right. Forgot about that little detail. The word ‘princess’ just… reminded me of someone,” he muttered, resuming his stride.
This novel’s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
“You’re really leaving?” she called after him.
“I am.” He shrugged and kept walking.
“I bet you’re just nervous about seeing them again,” she teased, the sarcasm curling back into her voice.
“You’re wrong.”
“Oh no, I can see it. You’re nervous.”
“Think whatever you want.” He vaulted over the ledge of a crumbling house and dropped into the street below.
She followed, keeping pace at his side. “Or maybe you’re nervous about seeing Allison again?” she asked, her tone sly, almost sing-song.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Luke said flatly, striding forward without slowing.
“Hm… looks like I was right,” she said, examining her nails with exaggerated boredom. “You know, this sort of thing doesn’t happen by accident. You met her out there in the frozen desert, outside the walls, just the two of you stranded for days, any minute one of you could’ve died. Then you ended up here, where trusting anyone is a gamble. Feelings happen. Especially for a virgin boy like you.”
Luke narrowed his eyes. “Did she tell you how we got here, or did you pry around until you figured it out?”
Evangeline met his stare. “You really don’t believe I’m working with Haven?”
“I do believe it. But honestly, I’m not in the mood to be interrogated or forced to prove myself to anyone. I’m not going to beg for friendship or jump through hoops to show I’m trustworthy. I just want to get the mission done and get out of this place. When they come back, then I’ll talk to Allison.”
She let out a long sigh. “You really are an idiot.” Evangeline pointed toward a well tucked away between the ruins. “That’s the entrance to my hideout. Now stop brooding, Snow White. We need to sit down and plan. They’ll be here in a day or two at most, and we have to decide our moves before we trigger the second mechanism. Because that means facing Bartholomew.”
She strode to the well, flipped open the hatch covering it, and started down.
“We’ve been walking past your hideout this whole time?” Luke asked.




0 Comments