Chapter 98: Fleshwither
After a bit of deliberation, Klaus drew a deep breath and slowly — carefully — began to lower himself down. Though he strained to smother the rising panic, his body betrayed him, trembling with every movement. Guiding his limbs with painstaking precision, he crept down from the ridge, silently begging not to be heard, sensed, or noticed by any unnatural means.
Fortunately, the monster remained unaware of his presence.
Upon reaching the ground, Klaus backed away, eyes locked on the ridge. Turning around felt like inviting death. Invisible needles pricked at his spine with every hesitant step. Forcing himself forward, the young man slipped into the shadows and moved as quietly as possible toward the place he’d last seen his companions.
A few minutes later, he returned to the group’s location. Morgan was already awake, her expression taut with unease, mirroring Seraphim and Adrian, who stood alert, clearly awaiting his return.
"Hey, it’s me," Klaus announced his arrival and at the same time, stepped out of the darkness.
The group lifted their heads at his approach, only to avert their gazes a moment later. Their expressions were grim, shadows cast across weary faces.
There was nothing Klaus could say to break the tension. So instead, he turned to Adrian and asked:
"Have you explained the situation to them?"
Adrian nodded.
"Yeah, I’ve already filled the girls in on the Nightmare Carapaces. Though... I didn’t expect you to stay behind. Did you see anything else?"
Klaus exhaled slowly, feeling more depressed than when he first arrived in this forsaken world. Then, with a somber expression, he explained: