Ren took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but the shivers wouldn't stop. It was like a cold wind sweeping through his body, numbing him from the inside out.
The words describing the Hollow Brand effect echoed in his mind, like whispers from an invisible force gnawing at the corners of his thoughts, pulling him into a darkness from which he could not escape.
A sense of helplessness overwhelmed him, rendering all his efforts meaningless.
He closed his eyes, trying to push away the heavy feeling slowly crushing down on him.
But the harder he tried, the more he felt the change taking hold.
Everything around him suddenly became blurry, less defined than before, as if each step he took was sinking deeper into an endless pit where no light could reach.
It felt like he was becoming a part of that darkness himself, a faint ghost with no way out, swallowed in a haze.
Why me? Ren asked himself, the chill in his heart growing stronger, like an invisible hand squeezing it tight, making every beat heavy and strained.
Those descriptions weren't just about a worm of doubt, they depicted the transformation of the soul, a slow but certain erosion. What was being worn away wasn't through brute force, but subtle corrosion, quiet and relentless, like small waves striking rock, again and again, until it cracked.
And he could feel every part of it, every crack forming, every shred slipping away. He couldn't break free.
Everything before his eyes, his relationships, his decisions, his words, was now covered in a thin mist, a film that veiled reality, making it impossible to see through clearly.
It was like standing in a sea of fog, unable to distinguish what was real and what was false. The words of others suddenly felt unfamiliar, as if they could no longer be trusted.
Familiar faces now seemed like fading shadows, and he couldn't find any anchor in this crumbling world.
Ren looked at the system interface again, but now, the familiar numbers felt foreign. Stats that used to be his closest companions now seemed vague, like they no longer reflected reality.
His HP was still there. VIT remained the same. Yet his own existence felt like it was quietly fading away.
A lump rose in his throat, but he couldn't find the words to name this feeling. He couldn't even understand it.
It was like an emptiness that couldn't be filled, a hollow chasm inside him that nothing could reach.
He couldn't let himself fall into this confusion.
He couldn't.
He knew clearly that if he let the doubt consume him, everything would be lost. Everything he had fought to build would be gone.
He couldn't let the Hollow Brand win.
This wasn't the first time he'd faced danger. But this time, the enemy wasn't a monster or an opponent out there, it was his own fear, his doubts, the ghosts in his mind.
Things that couldn't be seen, couldn't be fought with a sword or brute strength.
Ren exhaled slowly, trying to focus. If he couldn't recognize this change, if he couldn't face it, he would lose everything.
Lose everything he'd built. Lose himself. Lose the things he once believed in. He couldn't let this doubt grow any further. He couldn't let this darkness swallow him.
He couldn't let the Hollow Brand win.
He had to find a way to remove this effect, even if it meant facing the worst this journey had to offer, even if he had to walk into the darkest corners of his soul.
Because he knew, if he didn't, then he would be the one forgotten. A ghost with nothing left to hold on to.
Ren looked at Yuna and Nautilus, trying to hide the rising worry inside him.
"Hey, you two…"
He spoke about the things he was feeling, about the invisible shadow creeping into his mind, but their eyes only reflected confusion.
They looked back at him, puzzled, as if nothing was wrong. Neither of them seemed to feel anything strange. It was as if they weren't affected by the Hollow Brand at all.
Yuna smiled and gently patted his shoulder. "You've been lost for too long, Ren. You're too tense, we'll be outside soon." Her voice was gentle, though tinged with concern, like she was trying to reassure him.
Nautilus also looked at Ren, brows furrowed, his green eyes filled with doubt. "Are you alright? You seem… off, Ren. The three of us are walking together, so why are you the only one feeling like this?"
Ren could only sigh, the worry in his chest growing heavier. Everything was changing, but the change was so subtle that no one else could notice, except him.
Yuna and Nautilus acted normal, chatting like always, but Ren knew deep down that something wasn't right.
It felt like he was standing between two worlds, one where his friends still lived in the present, and one where the shadow of Hollow Brand was slowly pulling him away from that reality.
He felt like a stranger, fading from this world, while the people around him remained unaware.
Why can I see it? Ren asked himself, his gaze drifting toward the mist ahead.
He couldn't explain the feeling. It was as if there was an invisible line separating him from the friends beside him.
A difference he could sense so clearly, yet couldn't put into words. Was it because he was too focused on himself? Or was there some deeper reason why he noticed this from the beginning?
But now wasn't the time to seek those answers. He couldn't let himself get caught in these thoughts forever.
What mattered now was finding a way to dispel the Hollow Brand. He couldn't just stand by as everything slowly shifted toward something dangerous.
He had to act. He had to find a way to resist this effect, even if it meant facing the darkest parts of the journey ahead.
Ren turned back to look at Yuna and Nautilus, trying to stay focused. He couldn't let them see the worry inside him, but he also couldn't ignore the clear signs that were starting to show.
He had to pay attention to their every move, every word, every expression. But at the same time, he couldn't let himself get lost in this uncertainty.
They still needed his guidance, and Ren couldn't allow the shadow of Hollow Brand to obscure that responsibility.
He sighed once more, trying to regain his composure. Now was the time to fight, not only against the enemy outside, but also against himself.
Yet that feeling, the one Ren couldn't explain, still lingered in his mind, making him feel increasingly isolated in his own journey.
"We have to get out of here," Ren said, his voice lowering, eyes steady with resolve. "And we need to get away from whatever's affecting us, not just in this place, but in our minds."
Yuna and Nautilus looked at each other, then back at Ren. They didn't fully understand, but there was a trace of worry in their eyes. Yuna nodded gently. "Alright, Ren. But you have to promise us you won't let it distract you."
Nautilus stood quietly by her side, his eyes fixed on Ren, as if searching for something.
A change. A sign of something only Ren could see.
Ren nodded, though uncertainty still clouded his heart. "I promise."
The three of them continued walking in silence, but the air between them felt different.
A tension hung above each of them, even though none of them said a word. Ren could clearly feel the change in Yuna and Nautilus with every gesture.
At first, it was just subtle details, but as he focused more, the differences became impossible to ignore.
Yuna walked beside Ren, but her pace had slowed, as if something weighed her down more than usual.
She stared ahead with a dreamy gaze, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings.
Her hair fluttered in the wind, but her eyes lacked their usual light, like someone being pulled into a dark dream.
"Yuna, are you alright?" Ren asked, trying to keep his tone gentle, though the concern was evident.
Yuna slowly turned her head, but her gaze seemed to look through him. "Yeah… I'm fine…" she replied, her voice faint, as though even her words were resisting her.
Ren could see the hesitation in her eyes, and in the way she glanced down at the ground before walking on without another word. It felt like she was slowly disconnecting from everything around her.
A breeze passed by, lifting her hair again, but her steps still lacked stability, as if she were walking in a dream. Ren watched her silently, then turned to Nautilus.
The green-haired young man still moved with purpose, but his actions were gradually slowing.
Nautilus's steps began to falter, and at times he had to stop, closing his eyes for a brief moment before continuing, as if exhaustion was gradually consuming him.
"I'm okay, Ren," Nautilus suddenly said, his voice hoarse, like he was struggling against something constricting his chest. "We'll make it out. It's just… we've been walking for too long. Maybe we need to rest."
Ren stared at him, sensing the weariness, but also something else. "Nautilus, are you really okay?" he asked, unable to hide the worry in his eyes.
Nautilus only gave a slight nod, but his eyes no longer shone like before, replaced instead by an indescribable dullness. The shadow of fatigue seemed to be swallowing him.
Ren couldn't help but notice that everything around them had changed. That feeling still smoldered inside him, but when he looked at Yuna and Nautilus, the difference was painfully clear.
They didn't see anything wrong, but Ren knew something was shifting within them, and within this place itself.
"We have to keep moving," Ren said, his voice firmer now, as if speaking more to himself than to them. "Just a little further. Don't stop."
Yuna turned to him, her eyes full of confusion, but she said nothing. A long silence passed before she murmured, "Just a bit more… We'll get out."
Nautilus didn't say anything else. He didn't object, but Ren could sense the confusion in his eyes, a quiet daze that couldn't easily be denied.
It felt like the three of them were being pulled into an invisible undertow, one they couldn't see, and couldn't escape from.
"We have to keep going," Ren insisted, trying to put something in his voice to encourage them, but he realized he was speaking more to himself than anyone else. He was trying to convince himself, more than anything.
Yuna lowered her head slightly, not responding, but Ren could feel something in the distant look in her eyes.
The weariness wasn't just physical, it was an emptiness of the soul. And Nautilus, though he said nothing, followed quietly behind, as if moving forward was no longer a choice, but a silent surrender.