Shit!
The most powerful human Yun had seen had succumbed to the Plague. The same human who had just defeated a Dragon.
The Dragon's Plague might have passed onto him somehow. Like a cold.
Yun turned to see a stunned Miri. Her mouth hung open, eyes fixed on her brother's imposing figure as it marched inland. Yun couldn't imagine what was going through her head right now, but he needed her active, not grieving. She was his best bet at reaching the Falling Sky Temple.
Still, he couldn't risk appearing too eager, because to Miri, he was just a victim of her clan's condemned pursuits trying to survive.
"Lady Miri, what should we do?" asked Yun as he gripped her shoulder.
Miri turned to Yun. Her gaze was empty, like she wasn't really looking at him. Pale moonlight bled through from the outside, and the wind howled as the world awaited the new captain's orders. Her chapped lips quaked and parted as if to speak, but no words came out.
Yun was growing restless as the minutes passed.
Finally, she answered.
"Stay here."
That was all. Miri moved past Yun to exit through the hole in the right wall. She leapt down to the sandy beach and traced her Plagued brother's footsteps.
Yun followed behind and stopped just before the rail.
"Don't do anything stupid."
Miri paused without looking back.
"Mortin left with a map of the island. I'm going to carefully scout their whereabouts and retrieve the map if they're dead. It's a… precious clan heirloom."
"Are you planning on escaping the island somehow?"
Yun would rather not have to convince her to find the Temple. With her brother out of the picture, but now more dangerous than before, there was nobody to stop her from leaving the Lost Sea entirely to settle and rebuild the clan.
Of course, Yun knew that wouldn't work out well. This world was forsaken for a reason. During this time, the Plague and its abominations would have been tearing through kingdoms and empires alike, leaving nothing but ash and ruins.
"…"
Without answering, Miri walked off, the red tails on her head wrap swaying from the salty breeze. Her head hung low, and her usually measured steps were now slightly meandering.
Does that mean I'm alone now?
Miri was not planning on leaving Yun stranded, but it seemed unlikely that she was willing to continue to the Temple. He was also positive that Miri would not allow him to go at it alone. This was the perfect time to sneak away.
Yun retreated to the captain's quarters and found a large pack. He quietly rummaged around the ship and filled the pack with as many supplies as possible. Soon, he was standing in the sand once again. His small frame proved too weak for all the supplies he had found, so he was forced to leave most of it behind.
As he set out to leave, he decided to check on Haska's body. Surely there was something of worth on him.
Yun walked up to the body and heard choking noises.
"Gluk!"
Haska was still alive, drowning in his own blood with a hole in his stomach. Tears streamed down the sides of his face as he endured terrible pain.
Yun knelt beside his twitching body.
"How are you still alive?"
Haska repeatedly muttered something under his breath. It was like some kind of mantra. Yellow wisps of vital essence gathered around his fatal wound — the lowest rank of essence Yun had catalogued.
"… Gate of Kingdom… I plead unto thee, do not fail me now."
The man was clearly on death's doorstep. His eyes were open, but he could not see the young man watching him with both curiosity and pity.
Yun eyed the cutlass on Haska's hips, recalling how heavy the blade was. He reached for his own sleeve, then paused.
"Oh! Wait."
He reached for the side of his supply pack instead, and pulled out a small knife.
"I had said to myself that I would sink that ship with everyone on it. Safe to say things didn't work out that way."
Haska gave no response. His desperate mantra was the only thing capable of leaving his mouth. Yun wasn't even sure he was still looking at a conscious being.
"Guess I'll have to settle for this."
With that, Yun plunged the knife in Haska's throat. He watched intently as a crimson river flowed from Haska's neck, staining the grains of sand below.
Haska never relented on his mantra. Even as his voice grew silent and blood fountained from his mouth, his lips never stopped moving.
Whether he prayed to the gods or to the Aeons Scruffy mentioned, the only ears his pitiful pleas fell on were Yun's.
And so…
[You have killed a yellow-core Mortal, Haska Maliki.]
That was the confirmation. Yun had just killed another human being. Even though the real Haska Maliki was long dead, possibly thousands of years before the Great Break appeared in the real world, it still counted.
It didn't take much out of him. Yun's first kill was surprisingly… easy.
All Yun could feel was pity. Not guilt, grief, or even contempt.
Imagine being this guy: a low-ranking grunt scuttling about in the shadow of the heirs of a dead clan. Hoping you stick under their boots so hard that the Plague misses you, and maybe you'll survive this dying world.
You're then forced into a condemned adventure to redeem the valour of your clan, only to die alone at the hands of a brat you never even registered as a threat.
"Damn shame."
Yun noted that the Curse said "killed" instead of "purged". He also didn't feel any Authority entering his celestial core. It seemed the way for Divines to grow in strength was tied directly to purging the Plague, not just any kills.
The Curse would not reward Yun for slaying any creatures without the Plague… or so he thought.
[You have received a Vestige…]
He smiled.