Chapter 11: Whispers by the Fire
The campfire burned low, casting soft golden light across the clearing. Shadows stretched long across the ground, and the faint hum of crickets filled the silence of the night. The roasted bird they had eaten was gone, leaving only the smell of smoke and charred wood in the air.
Arjun leaned back against a rock, his body tired but his mind restless. His sword rested beside him, the steel faintly reflecting the firelight. Across the camp, Lira stretched out on the grass with her cloak draped over her, already half asleep, her bow within reach.
That left only Seris.
She sat close to the fire, her knees drawn up, her arms wrapped loosely around them. The glow of the flames danced across her pale face, softening her sharp features. Her dark hair spilled over her shoulders like a curtain, and her eyes reflected the firelight like two quiet stars.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Arjun simply watched the fire flicker, his thoughts turning over and over. The system's words about "bond growth" echoed in his head, but he pushed them away. He didn't want to see Seris as just part of some quest.
Finally, he cleared his throat. "Seris… can I ask you something?"
Her head tilted slightly toward him. "You may."
He hesitated. "Why do you stay with me? You could've left anytime. You're strong, probably stronger than me. You don't owe me anything."
Her gaze lingered on the fire before she answered. "Because I chose to."
Arjun frowned. "That doesn't explain much."
Her lips curved faintly, though not quite into a smile. "Do I need to explain everything?"
He opened his mouth, then closed it again. She had a point. But the question still gnawed at him. "I just… don't get it. I'm not strong. I'm not a leader. Half the time I feel like I'm barely surviving. Yet you're still here."
Seris turned her head fully now, meeting his eyes. Her stare was steady, calm, but there was something in it something deeper than her usual coldness. "Because you are not like others I have seen."
Arjun blinked. "What do you mean?"
"You are weak, yes. Fragile. Afraid." Her words were blunt, but her tone carried no cruelty. "But you do not run. You face the fear, even when it shakes you. That… is rare."
Heat rose to Arjun's face. He wasn't sure if that was supposed to be a compliment or not. "So you're saying I'm weak, but stubborn."
A flicker of amusement touched her lips. "Something like that."
Arjun chuckled softly despite himself. The tension in his chest eased a little.
Silence returned for a while. The fire cracked, a log collapsing into glowing embers. Arjun leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Seris… those chains of yours," he said carefully. "They're powerful, but also… strange. What are they, really?"
Her expression shifted, the amusement fading. Her gaze dropped to her wrists, where faint silver marks glowed under the skin. She was quiet for so long that Arjun thought she wouldn't answer.
Finally, she spoke, her voice low. "They are my curse."
Arjun's breath caught. "Curse?"
She nodded slowly. "I was bound long ago. The chains are a seal, forged to contain what I am. To others, they are a weapon. To me, they are a prison."
Arjun stared at her, unsure what to say. He wanted to ask more, but the weight in her voice warned him not to push.
Instead, he said softly, "That sounds… lonely."
Her eyes lifted to his again, and for the first time, he saw something in them a flicker of pain, quickly hidden.
"Yes," she whispered. "It is."
Without thinking, Arjun reached out. His hand brushed her wrist gently, just above the faint glow of the chain marks. Her skin was cool, smooth, and for a moment she didn't pull away.
Seris's eyes widened slightly, her breath catching.
Arjun's heart pounded. "You're not alone now," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what this curse is, or what you've gone through… but as long as I'm here, you won't carry it by yourself."
For a heartbeat, the world seemed to hold still. The crackle of the fire, the murmur of the river, even the distant cries of beasts faded into silence.
Seris's lips parted, as if to speak, but no words came. Instead, she simply looked at him, her usual mask of calm cracking just enough to show the storm underneath.
Then she slowly pulled her wrist away, her face turning back to the fire. "Be careful, Arjun. Promises are heavy. Do not make them lightly."
Arjun swallowed, his chest tight. "I'm serious."
Her eyes flicked to him once more, softer now. "I know."
The silence stretched again, but it was different this time. Warmer. Closer.
Arjun leaned back, exhaling slowly. His cheeks still burned, and his heart refused to slow down. He wanted to say more, to ask more, but he forced himself to stop. Pushing too hard would only make her retreat again.
Instead, he let the quiet linger, letting the unspoken words rest between them like fragile glass.
From across the camp, Lira's voice suddenly cut through the night. "You two done whispering sweet nothings?"
Arjun nearly jumped out of his skin. "W-what?!"
Lira smirked from where she lay, her eyes glinting in the firelight. "I might be resting, but I'm not deaf. Keep your voices down, lovebirds."
Arjun's face turned scarlet. "We're not It's not "
Lira yawned, rolling onto her side. "Relax, kid. I don't care what you do. Just don't wake me unless something's trying to eat us."
Her breathing slowed as she drifted back to sleep, leaving Arjun sputtering.
Beside him, Seris sat perfectly still, her expression unreadable. But Arjun swore he saw the faintest pink touch her cheeks in the firelight.
He cleared his throat awkwardly and settled back against the rock. Neither of them said another word, but the silence now carried a different weight.
Arjun's thoughts swirled as his eyes grew heavy. The system's words about "bond growth" echoed again, but he ignored them. Whatever bond was forming between him and Seris, he didn't want to reduce it to numbers or rewards.
He wanted it to be real.
As sleep finally pulled at him, the last thing he saw was Seris's profile against the fire, her eyes still watching the flames, her chains faintly glowing in the dark.
And for the first time since arriving in this world, Arjun felt that maybe just maybe he had someone who understood his loneliness.