Legendary Shelter Survival Guide

"How did you know? Wait, Bill told you, right?" Barney asked, skepticism lacing his voice.

"We haven't met yet. He won't come out of my shadow," Lucas replied with a small smile, glancing down at the darkness beneath him.

A moment later, a fast-moving, shadowy figure emerged, drawing everyone's attention to the boy who stepped out.

"Are you okay, Bill?" John rushed over to him, and for the first time, Bill allowed someone to touch him.

"W-Who the hell are you?!" Bill shouted, his face pale, his eyes darting around as if seeing something terrifying.

"NO… S-STOP, AAAGGGHHHH!!!" Suddenly, he collapsed to his knees, clutching his head in agony.

"What did you do?!" John demanded, turning to Lucas.

"I did nothing," Lucas replied, his gaze fixed on Bill. "I'm as confused as you all are. Aunt Ella, can you try healing him?"

Ella nodded and quickly moved to help, her hands glowing with healing energy as she worked on Bill, who continued to scream in pain for another agonizing minute.

While everyone focused on Bill, John kept his eyes on Lucas. Their gazes locked, and John, filled with concern, approached Lucas quietly.

"Did you really not do anything?" John asked, searching Lucas's eyes for any hint of deception.

"I swear, I didn't. He was in my shadow since I arrived."

"That makes sense, but it's the first time something like this has happened."

"By the way… who is that?" Lucas asked, nodding toward a man tending to Bill with evident worry.

"Lucas… that's Phil."

"Who?" Lucas frowned, no memory surfacing.

"You know… the farmer," John replied, his voice tinged with skepticism.

Lucas paused, his gaze sweeping over the shelter. It felt oddly nostalgic, yet different. "Come with me," John said abruptly, leading Lucas to the back of the shelter.

Lucas cast one last glance at Bill before following.

When they reached a secluded corner, John stopped and turned to Lucas, his face serious. "It's only been ten minutes since you came back, but I've noticed something. How long were you in there?"

John's eyes bore into him, his concern evident.

Lucas took a deep breath, hesitating for a moment. He contemplated lying, but a thought stopped him. Why should he lie?

'If my memory serves me right, Uncle John is the most trusted person in this whole shelter,' Lucas reminded himself.

"Your silence isn't helping, Lucas. I can see it in your eyes," John pressed, his brow furrowed in worry.

Lucas chuckled awkwardly, looking at his hand. "Sending a wind shot at me won't do anything, Uncle John. I'll tell you."

John's eyebrow twitched, but he remained silent, sensing the seriousness in Lucas's voice.

"But first, you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone, not until I'm ready…" Lucas's tone was grave, and John, recognizing the weight of the moment, nodded solemnly.

Lucas sighed deeply, the tension easing slightly. "It's been 15 years since I've been in the quest world," he revealed, his voice carrying the burden of those years.

John's face registered disbelief. "I'm sorry, what?"

Lucas saw the raw emotion in John's face, a rare sight that underscored the gravity of his words.

"Fifteen years… that's a long time, Lucas. Long enough to change someone completely."

Lucas smiled sadly, unable to respond, the weight of his experiences too heavy to put into words.

"I went there to learn everything I could so that our territory could thrive. But along the way, things changed. I made connections, friends… that I had to leave behind just moments ago. I don't think I'll ever see them again," Lucas admitted, his voice tinged with sorrow.

John was stunned, struggling to process what Lucas was saying. "I'm not well right now, Uncle John. I need to leave for a hunt quickly." A tear escaped Lucas's eye, betraying the turmoil within him.

John, still reeling from the shock, felt the mana around his palm dissipate completely.

"Lucas…" Without another word, John stepped forward and embraced Lucas tightly.

"I don't fully understand what's going on, but I can see it in your eyes. You're carrying a deep sadness, the kind one feels when they lose someone dear," John said, pulling back to see Lucas fighting to control his emotions.

"I don't think I'll ever see them again, Uncle John. I don't even know if they were real or not," Lucas confessed, his voice breaking. "No, even if they aren't real, I'll make them real. I'll bring them here, even if I have to destroy whatever brought us to this place."

"Lucas… I can feel your pain, even though I don't know why. It's overwhelming," John said, his face pale, the emotional weight pressing down on him.

A tear trickled down John's face, and Lucas, alarmed, noticed the absence of the handcuff that had bound his emotions.

"This will only get worse. I don't want anyone to see me like this. I need to blow off some steam,"
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Lucas said, knowing that John wasn't fully hearing him, lost in the shared flood of emotions.

With a powerful jump, Lucas cracked the ground beneath him and vaulted over the shelter's boundary, disappearing into the wilderness, leaving John alone.

"John, what happened?!" Ella came running moments later, finding John on the ground, his expression pained.

"Ella, listen to me… Lucas isn't okay right now. Tell everyone to stay away from him until he's ready."

"But what happened?!" Ella's concern was palpable. Seeing her usually strong husband in tears was alarming.

"This isn't me, Ella. I'm not crying—Lucas is. I don't know how to explain it, but he's broken, and his emotions are too intense. Please, just tell everyone to keep their distance."

THUM THUM THUM

Lucas ran with astonishing speed, the wind howling around him as he tore through the landscape. Bushes scattered, rocks flew, and trees trembled in his wake. His teeth were clenched tight—he needed something to help blow off the steam building inside him.

The chaos had increased in amount since his emotions were in turmoil with the mark being an endless supply of it.