Chapter 28 - Blood on the Brain

Elena had won herself a brand new item, a helmet in the shape of a wolf's head. Before trying it on, she noticed that it would cover half of her face along with her head and neck. The helmet still had eyes and a nose, which struck her as unusual, but she didn't think much of it. She assumed it would adjust to her body shape like all the other gear she had seen. She was right but not in the way she had expected. Instead of expanding to accommodate her, it tightened around her face, causing her vision to be engulfed in a reddish hue. Simultaneously, her sense of smell sharpened to an astonishing degree. Panic washed over her as she desperately clawed at the helmet, but it clung stubbornly, refusing to yield.

"Elena, are you all right?" Trev's voice broke through her distress, his concerned gaze fixed upon her frantic actions.

"I can't remove the helmet," replied Elena, her voice laced with apprehension.

"I want blood," a rough voice resonated within Elena's mind, sending shivers down her spine.

Startled, Elena looked around, trying to locate the source of the eerie voice.

"Did you hear that?" she asked Trev, her voice filled with unease.

"I want blood."

"Hear what?" Trev's confusion mirrored his ignorance of the unfolding events.

"Somehow, the helmet is speaking. It demands blood, and it seems I cannot take it off until I satiate its cravings," Elena explained, her words tinged with trepidation.

"Shall we hunt down some creatures, then?" inquired Trev, his eyes flickering with a combination of curiosity and support.

Emilee and Mari, having noticed Elena's distress, paused and turned back to join the conversation. The daylight still lingered, offering them an opportunity to engage in a hunt before darkness fell.

"You two go ahead. Trev and I will quickly kill some goblins," Elena suggested with a smile.

"Okay, see you soon!" Emilee beamed, turning back to rejoin Mari as they continued along the main road.

Elena and Trev veered off onto a side street, their eyes scanning for potential prey. Elena's vision was unusually bright, bathed in a red hue that prevented her from discerning colours. Nevertheless, her ability to see and navigate remained sharp. Soon enough, she spotted a few goblins, highlighted in Elena's vision.

"I want blood," the voice echoed persistently.

"I'm working on it," Elena muttered under her breath.

As they got closer, goblins charged toward Elena with relentless determination, but she met their menacing presence with a gleaming blade. Each swing of her weapon brought down another goblin, and an uncanny phenomenon unfolded. Instead of blood splattering haphazardly, it was drawn inexorably toward the wolf helmet's nose, vanishing within its depths.

"More!" the voice urged, growing increasingly demanding.

Faster and faster Elena continued to slay goblins as her mask spurred her on.

"More, More, More. MORE!"

~~~~

Trev watched in awe as Elena single-handedly dispatched the goblins. It seemed she had it well under control, he didn't need to intervene. Each time she struck down a goblin, its blood funnelled into the nose of the wolf helmet. With each kill, he noticed her blade starting to glow a deep shade of red. The more goblins she defeated, the brighter her blade became, until it appeared to be on fire with a crimson glow. Finally, as she slew the last goblin, the helmet visually loosened, and she swiftly ripped it off her head.

"Wow, it's dark," commented Elena, her voice filled with slight uneasiness.

"What just happened?" inquired Trev, his curiosity mirroring his bewilderment.

"The helmet desired blood, and I obliged," Elena responded nonchalantly, as if it were a commonplace occurrence.

Elena's blade still glowed with a bloody fire that was slowly dissipating. Suddenly she noticed the fire and gasped, her eyes widening in surprise. Trev observed the transformation of her expression, from shock to a mischievous grin, followed by her infectious laughter. He couldn't help but smile at her laughter, as something about it was cute.

"Shall we head back to the rest stop?" Trev suggested, his voice laced with warmth.

"Yes, let's go before it gets too dark," agreed Elena.

As they walked back alone through the deserted streets, darkness began to envelop them. Elena grew increasingly nervous and moved closer to Trev. Almost consumed by her nerves, she grabbed onto Trev's arm, holding onto him for support. If she was scared of the dark, he didn't mind her seeking comfort in his presence. He was fine with the darkness, and if it gave her solace, he was more than happy to oblige. As they approached the rest stop, Elena released her grip, returning to her composed and collected demeanour.

Once inside the rest stop, something intriguing caught Trev's attention. Text materialised in his HUD, displaying the words:

[Welcome to the River Rest Stop - Safe Zone]

It was his first visit to the rest stop since reaching level four, and curiosity compelled him to step back outside.

[The Wild - Urban Zone - Level 1 to 5 - No PVP]

With a noise of mild intrigue, he stepped back into the rest stop. That function must have come with the mapping ability. He would have to ask Mari tomorrow what system unlocked at level five.

While Elena retreated to their room, Trev took on the responsibility of selling their hard-earned spoils in the market. Numerous vendors had set up shop, if you planned to be a merchant in this world, now was the time to begin. He approached a vendor, offering the bear claws for sale, eventually settling on a price of five silver. Though it may have been a conservative estimate of their true value, he was content with the transaction, grateful that anyone was buying them at all. The remaining monster drops and rare items were sold to the robotic vendor, adding ten more silver to their burgeoning wealth. With their newfound fortune, they could secure accommodation for the long term.

Trev, who was in desperate need of new clothes, decided it was time to go clothes shopping. With their funds in a comfortable state, he ventured to the clothes scavenger vendor and treated himself to a new outfit, casual yet functional. The vendor had a plethora of options in his size, each piece priced at a mere silver, which resulted in him spending three silver on a t-shirt, jeans, and running shoes. He didn't need a jacket as his security guard jacket was quite comfortable. Their earnings from selling drops, minus his shopping, left them twelve silver richer.

As Trev made his way back to their room, he unexpectedly crossed paths with Emilee and Mari, who emerged from room one hundred. So, Mari was the one who had moved into room one hundred before them. But more importantly, had Emilee moved in with her?