The gray fog drifted endlessly.
Zack stood unmovingly at the edge of the Forgotten Forest, his wooden cane pressed firmly into the ground.
His eyes were fixed on the fog, as they always were.
"Why not just end it all?"
The persuasive voice of his corruptive double echoed in his ears.
That was a good question. Why didn't he end it. His parents were dead. He was trapped in a concealed island with remotely no way out.
And mostly he was left with nothing to loose.
So why not just end it.
Zack's grip on the cane tightened slightly as he repeated the question in his mind.
The double who was standing just a few inches away from him, noticed and smiled.
"Still resisting?" it said. "After everything you've done? After everything you've lost?"
The fog pulsed faintly.
"You could end it today, it would be quick and painless."
Zack's gaze remained fixed at the gray fog.
Three words instantly came out of his mouth.
"You....must...Survive"
He remembered that these three words were the words that his mother had muttered at her death bed when he robbed her of her life.
Despite everything that had happened those words were her dying wish.
For Zack to survive.
So despite all the pain that Zack experienced, he couldn't afford the easy way out.
For his life wasn't merely his own but someone's else dying wish.
His corruptive double stared at him for a moment, before repeating his words in puzzlement.
"You..must..survive "
After a few moments of thinking, the evil twin suddenly shook its head.
"l still don't get it."
It's gaze landed on Zack curiously as it said.
"You always say those words like it's supposed to mean something. Why?"
Zack gave a casual glance at his corruptive double.
He had heard this speech countless times.
Every single day.
The double never varied its words too much, but the intent was always the same.
It would begin each morning with its tormenting remarks, trying to make Zack recall his painful past.
And after that when he reaches the edge of the forest it would offer him the choice of solace (death) which he would always refuse.
After that it would return to its tormenting and haunting tactics.
Why it did it—he didn't know.
But Zack knew one thing with certainty:
His double wanted him dead.
And for some reason unknown it didn't seem to be capable of bringing him that death directly, otherwise he would have already died a long time ago. Infact other than tormenting him mentally the double wasn't capable of harming him nor leaving him in harm's way, unless that harm was caused by Zack's suicidal action.
At least that was what Zack speculated.
"…Tch."
A faint sound escaped Zack's throat something between a scoff and a breath.
The corruptive double raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Was that a response? I'm honored."
Zack's focus returned to the gray fog.
He first gazed upwards to see the position of the sun and sighed.
"Its almost time "
With that he turned away.
The double clicked its tongue in disappointment.
"Tch. Predictable."
Zack limped down the familiar path along the mountain's base. His movements were precise, habitual, as though they had been carved into his bones.
The corruptive double followed, already knowing where he was headed.
Before long, the eastern side of the mountain came into view.
This place was hidden from most of the island, shielded by jagged stone formations and broken terrain. It was the safest place Zack knew. Aside from his shack.
As he reached the broken terrain, Zack's attention was drawn up the mountains.
High above, he saw massive shadows moving.
Two giants faced each other on a wide stone plateau.
Each giant stood nearly twenty meters tall, their bodies carved from dense gray stone and reinforced with glowing mineral veins. Cracks ran along their forms, leaking dull crimson and azure light.
These two where the guardians of the mountain, as Zack liked to call them.
They stood guard and protected the mountain from any trespassers.
Aside from that the two giants constantly dueled against each other every.
The moment Zack settled against a rock outcrop, the giants clashed.
The impact shook the mountain and the island itself.
Stone fists collided, releasing shockwaves that shattered boulders and sent dust roaring through the air. One giant wielded a broken stone pillar as a weapon, swinging it with brutal force. The other answered with raw strength, tearing chunks from the mountainside and hurling them like missiles.
Zack watched intently.
Their battle had no beginning and no end.
They fought every day.
Neither ever won and neither ever died.
For Zack, it was the closest thing to entertainment he got here.
He even suspected that if it wasn't because of this sight and the detestable company of the corruptive double. He would have gone crazy a long time ago.
The corruptive double stood behind him, arms crossed.
"You always come here," it said. "When the skeleton starts its patrol."
As if summoned by the words, a distant clack… clack… echoed across the land.
The mysterious skeleton had begun moving.
Zack's gaze flicked briefly toward the sound, then returned to the giants.
The skeleton was unlike any other creature on the island. It had this bizarre aura that could affect any living creature that came into close contact with it.
Zack had learned long ago not to be seen by it.
The double chuckled softly.
"You hide and you watch. You survive another day."
It leaned closer.
"But tell me, Zack… how long do you think you can keep this up?"
Zack said nothing, and only continued to watch the show between the giants.
The double upon seeing his reaction knew when to give up. So it remained silent.
It took a seat near Zack as it also started to observe the clash of titans.
For a long time the two stared in silence.
Then when dawn eventually arrived, Zack decided to head back to his shack before darkness enveloped the island, stirring the terrifying beings of the night.
Zack who had long grown accustomed to the island, knew which safe route to use to avoid stumbling to an island creature.
And after a few turns in the island, he eventually reached his poorly makeshift wooden shack.
This shack, which he had build under the use of limited resources, was the only thing that shielded him from the horrors of the night.
Due to the use of the countless runes of concealment he had inscribed on the shack the horrors of the night payed no mind to his cover house.
As the approached the shack, Zack who was wearing a nonchalant look suddenly frowned at this moment.
This was because his nose had suddenly caught the sent a nauseating smell.
And the smell was farmiliar to Zack himself.
This smell was the a nauseating smell of blood.