The Homeseeker: Elemental Adventurer LitRPG [Isekai] (Series Complete!)

The space before them was darkness except for the silhouette of the Mind of Madness drifting their way. Zalan could hear his heartbeat in his ears. He grabbed Rep by the shoulders.

"Did it see us? Do you think it saw us? Maybe it's just drifting around randomly, right?" Zalan asked in a panic.

"There is not much else to see out here. The fire has likely drawn it right to us," Rep said gravely. "We have to leave our campsite and hide ourselves."

"Hide where?" Zalan asked urgently. "It's just a bunch of plains!"

"I do not know, but we can not remain here," Rep said quickly, dragging Zalan away from the fire and their camp.

The Mind of Madness floated silently, its blank face making it difficult to tell if it was drifting aimlessly or hunting them deliberately. It was huge, easily the size of a semi truck. Its eyes felt like a white abyss whenever Zalan looked over his shoulder to see how much distance they had. The white abyss that could emit pure darkness.

The Mind of Madness was catching up quickly.

Zalan tripped and fell to the ground. Without hesitation, Rep pulled him back to his feet. Zalan realized that Rep wasn't lighting the way for them with his Elemental Fire. He was trying to leave the camp as the only source of light to attract the oncoming monster. The further they rushed away, the more they tripped and fell. Each time one stumbled, the other assisted them. They tried to remain quiet, but couldn't help but heave in exhaustion at the speed they ran.

In his rush and panic, Zalan fell to the ground hard, and he could feel the fresh cuts running lightly down his knees. Urgently, he returned to his run and didn't let up his pace, turning around to glance once more at the giant floating creature. It was motionless, staring over the campfire. Rep and Zalan both stopped to see what it would do. They both hoped silently that it would turn away, disinterested in the empty spot. Suddenly, Rep and Zalan both recoiled in fear.

The Mind of Madness let out black beams from its eyes, directed at the campsite. It snuffed out the flame and left the night in total darkness.

Zalan breathed lightly, trying to make out the monster's shape in total darkness and see what happened next. Rep had his hands over his mouth, trying to block the sound of his breathing. They waited tensely for any sign of movement. They could see absolutely nothing. Zalan felt that they could be overwhelmed at any given second.

To their dismay, two white eyes appeared, pivoting in their direction. The Mind of Madness had turned their way. Its two soulless eyes floated ominously, the only sources of light in the night air. Without a sound, it began creeping toward them.

"God help us," Rep gasped fearfully.

Blindly, he flailed his arm out and slapped Zalan's chest, grabbing his tunic and pulling him into a run. Zalan matched his speed, tripping and stumbling as they tried to make their escape. Zalan didn't want to turn his head to check for the monster anymore. He felt its ever-growing presence floating behind. The air felt like it was heavy with malevolence. It turned his blood to ice.

Their run grew more and more frantic the longer it went on. It was agonizing. The feeling of dread grew, and neither wanted to confirm it was still following. But they could feel it. They could sense the stars above them being blotted out by the floating head looming over them. Its uncanny shape was unmistakable. Zalan didn't have to turn around.

The Mind of Madness was directly above them.

Rep turned his head up and gasped in terror.

"I never should have brought you here, Zalan," Rep said remorsefully.

Zalan had heard Rep say that same sentence before, but he picked up something different about it this time. Perhaps it was something with his tone, but Zalan knew that Rep meant something more than just being brought on the path to the city of Nightall. Zalan had always been the one to insist on going somewhere, yet Rep would always be the one to express regret.

And in that same moment, Zalan considered he would never learn the truth. The Mind of Madness could suck the life out of him in a moment.

With all his might, Rep shoved Zalan away from him and dove the other way. Zalan fell far away, tumbling blindly to the ground. At the same time, the Mind of Madness let out its beam of darkness at where they were running a moment ago. Both Rep and Zalan took the slightest glancing blow from the blast of darkness. But it was more than enough.

Zalan fell into a deep void of his mind, tumbling in an immediate chasm of loneliness. The realm he was running in no longer existed. It was only him and endless vertigo. He felt nothing but the sensations that he was in pain and he was alone. The Mind of Madness had caught him and he was going through the full effect of its power. His heart dropped, experiencing the pain of loss, over and over.

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His mindscape was like an ocean, sending giant waves of darkness at him to suffocate any inkling of rational ideas. The pain was immense. And usually with utter pain, there is still a hint of a location in the human mind that things could get better over time. But under the influence of the Mind of Madness, Zalan felt like any good was impossible. There was nothing but endless loss. His worst fear was realized on loop in repetition. There was no coming up for air when he was trapped in his mind, just endless drifting, sinking down into despair.

He wasn't even sure he was still conscious. He had no more will to live. Some dredge of his mind knew that he was curled up in a ball and twitching. But the physical side of him no longer mattered. The Mind of Madness sucked away any hint of purpose in his life. He would lie on the floor and wait for the end. The only escape from the pain he was given was death. It couldn't come soon enough for him.

Zalan felt time passing by him, but nothing changed in his physical movement. The sun had risen and he lay with no plans to ever recover. The realm felt like it was rumbling and he was being dragged away from his spot on the floor. He ignored all sensations. He had no care for anything going on outside.

Zalan's heart began quickening oddly. It continued to increase in speed until he suddenly felt somewhat serene. There was an optimism growing in his heart. He wanted to open his eyes, but couldn't find the means to do so. He hadn't realized they were closed. A distant figure was showing up in his mind. For a brief second, the figure formed itself into the shape of his mother reaching out to him with a smile. She nodded at him with an encouraging face. He wanted to reach out and touch her hand, but instead Zalan's eyes suddenly flung open.

He looked around and saw two people standing above him. Neither were looking at him. It was Rep and a pale woman who he didn't recognize. He was lying in a bed in a small home. Zalan sat in one room and the other room had a drape over the entrance. Zalan tried to sit up, but realized his entire body was sore from being curled up tightly into a tense ball of anxiety. He winced in pain. Rep turned when he saw movement from Zalan.

"You live! Thank God! Can you speak, Zalan?" Rep asked.

Zalan opened his mouth, but had to give it a few tries before he was able to speak again. His tongue had forgotten the right movements for a moment.

"Yeah. Where are we?" Zalan asked.

"You are in Nightfall," the woman replied.

Zalan looked at her, not expecting her answer. He turned his head back to Rep for an explanation.

"This is Penelope. She saved our lives," Rep introduced her.

Penelope nodded to present herself, offering a slight smile. She was an adult woman, about twice the age of Rep and Zalan. She carried herself with respect and looked upon her guests like she was ready to serve at a moment's notice.

"Oh. Thanks," Zalan said, still not certain exactly how he felt.

He looked at his hand and realized he was gripping tightly to something glowing. By the way it shined, it seemed like an Artifact. It was a cyan blue and shaped like a teardrop. He looked it over, his confusion compounding. He raised it to Penelope and Rep, his movement being a question in itself.

"That is called the Essence of Soul. It is an Artifact that brings good memories to the one holding it. All of us in Nightfall need to carry one at all times in case we are struck by the Mind of Madness. It can bring you back from some of its depressing attacks, depending on the intensity. You should count yourselves blessed that the Mind of Madness found you at night. It must have hit you and lost interest when you stopped moving in the darkness. If it could see you easier in daylight, it would have struck you with so much power that there would be no way you could survive," Penelope explained.

"I would feel more blessed if it didn't find us at all," Zalan mumbled.

Penelope held her hand out and Zalan returned the Artifact to its owner. When he let go of it, he suddenly felt a little colder and distant. Like he didn't want to talk with anyone anymore. The Artifact had been improving his mood. It was no wonder it could help someone attacked by the psychological monster.

"Well then, what did you see?" Penelope asked.

"What?" Zalan asked.

"You had a very difficult time coming out of the trance. You are not in a great state of mind. I was certain that you would die and I was wasting my Artifact on you, but your friend assured me you could return," Penelope said. "The Mind of Madness has a way of looping some of your worst thoughts imaginable. In Nightfall, we often discuss our fears to more easily overcome them."

"N… No, I don't want to," Zalan said, feeling vulnerable and exposed.

"Very well," Penelope shrugged, dropping the issue immediately.

Zalan sat up carefully, stretching his aching muscles as he looked at Rep. Rep seemed immensely relieved at seeing Zalan being awake. But Zalan wasn't ready to share pleasantries or joy with his friend as his memories returned to him. He had a burning question.

"I heard something from you before we were hit," Zalan said to Rep. "You told me 'I never should have brought you here.' I remember you saying that same thing when we were at the Storm Elemental in the Lost City of Xagon. And some other time, I think when we were at sea."

Rep cast his eyes downward in shame. Penelope looked between the two of them, then cleared her throat politely.

"I will be in the other room if you need me," she excused herself.

Rep looked up to Zalan as soon as Penelope exited. He sighed, biting lightly at the inside of his lip.

"Is there something going on I should know?" Zalan asked.

"I never wanted to tell you. I was hoping we would send you home before the subject ever came to a point that it could no longer be avoided."

"I'm hoping that's changed now," Zalan said.

"Indeed. The Mind of Madness struck me, as well. It showed me too much that I did not want to see. Penelope said it may be wise to share this fear. And you have decided to ask me about the same subject on your own terms. It makes me feel it would be foolish to hold it as a secret any longer," Rep said.

"What secret?" Zalan leaned forward in the bed. "What's going on?"

"I think it is time to tell you… I was the one who brought you into this realm," Rep said remorsefully.