"Essairyn." Darren's face hardened. His tone demanded answers to her silence. "Did you tell the Knights that I planned to join the Farinheld mission?"

She looked hesitantly up at Darren, her eye contact swaying as she strove to utter reasonable words. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. She internally yelled at herself. Why can't I say anything? I should just say it casually like it's no big deal. Why am I worrying so much and acting like this? Deep down, she didn't want to admit it. That she was afraid of how he would react. After their last argument, she was worried he would change his mind and stay in Byar'non, leaving her behind. He was the last link she had to Earth, a reminder of her past life, that she actually lived in another world, that this still wasn't a dream. So that she could remember. So that she could retain her memories of everyone. Essairyn felt that if she were the only traveler, she might just forget everything like it were a dream, as if this had been her only reality. Wanting to forget, wanting to remember. Both freedom and confinement from her past. She needed someone with her on this journey. But she denied this within herself because the amnesia was only just beginning.

Darren too, was the same in this balancing game of memories. But it hadn't struck him yet because of Essairyn's almost constant presence since he arrived. Unlike him, she had started alone without anyone to explain to her what happened. In this this moment, however, he could only focus on Essairyn's dubious behavior.

"You..." Realization sparked in his growing eyes. "Didn't suggest to the Knights that I should be in the advanced classes because of the mission, did you?" His tone was accusing yet pleading to be wrong. Her silence confirmed his suspicion. "You did?" His voice softened in vehemence, underlaid with disappointment. "Why..." He shifted his head, furrowing his brows as he struggled to grasp what he most wanted to ask. "Why do you have to decide things for me?" His eyes narrowed indignantly, desperately. He couldn't understand the girl's motive. The power separation between them was clear. Why did she have to forcefully drag him to her level and further make it obvious to everyone that he didn't belong? ...that he didn't belong in this world.

"I'm sorry!" She urgently blurted. The apology and excuses came out easily. "I just thought it would be better if—"

"If I moved up when I wasn't supposed to because I wanted to join a mission I wasn't supposed to?!" Darren's pitch elevated as he stumbled on. "It's great that you can convince the Knights like that, but how about me?" Sarcasm cut his words. "I can't do that. I can't do anything that you do! I'm—!" He briefly paused as he quelled his cursory tirade and clenched his fists. "I'm not like you." His voice dipped into a distinct whisper. "I thought... we had gotten closer. And that I could understand you now. But... I was wrong." He straightened his tense posture and stared at her firmly. "We're too different, Essairyn. ...Maybe it's better that I don't join you after all."

"What're you, confessing?" A random boy wised off with a stifled snicker.

Darren stiffened at the inapt remark and snapped his head toward the wise-ass. "What the f***! Get out of here!" He moved as if to jump kick the boy who then coiled up at the intimidating gesture. "F****ing jackass," he grumbled under his breath. He looked up at the spectating crowd. "What're you all watching?" he barked, waving his hands for them to scram. After they reluctantly began dispersing, he huffed to himself and spun to walk away.

"Wait!" Essairyn rushed over earnestly. "I'm really sorry! It's my fault. I didn't think that it would turn out like this and make you upset. Are you really not going now?"

Darren peered at her from the side, wordless. His steely expression wavered underneath. Despite his insecurities about his own abilities, he still honestly wanted to participate in the mission. He wanted to stay with Essairyn and learn more about this world. He just hated this feeling of losing out. It was just like when he tore his ACL. He could never play basketball the same anymore after the surgery. Soon, everyone was getting ahead of him. He couldn't understand why others recovered just fine, but he was falling behind. It was a minor injury, he would repeatedly tell himself. It's no big deal. He would be back to normal in a few months. But he didn't get recruited into the the college teams he desired. And he didn't want to settle for some no name group.

However, both that and the injury were excuses. He was just too afraid to go after what he wanted. Perhaps, he was never that passionate about basketball he'd tell himself. Where did people get their passion and drive from? He always wondered about that. Maybe, people just did things they were good at because others gave them compliments, and accomplishing something above average made them feel better about themselves. They thought this talent must be their calling. But then, they'd realize how small their talent was in comparison to others. They questioned themselves why they were doing this in the first place, asking if they even enjoyed doing this. They gave up because they would never be able to catch up. And the potential of their talent was lost forever.

Thus, upon realizing that his newfound superhuman abilities were like water in this world, Darren was naturally dispirited. So, he stubbornly turned away, unwilling to admit defeat to Essairyn. Unfortunately, he had met his match in stubbornness. There was no way Essairyn was going to let him leave on this sour note.

"Hold up!" She whirled around in front of Darren with her palm out to stop him. "Don't tell me that you're going to listen to them! So what if I asked the Knights? They were the ones that agreed. And you know how they are, they like putting us through misery!" Darren nearly had to bite the inside of his mouth to restrain a smile or laugh from escaping at her brutally blunt description of the Knights. "And whether or not those words are true—they're not—are up to you!" She finished boldly with a fierce gaze. He sighed. This girl was just too much.

"I don't care," he lifelessly replied and stepped around her.

"Eh!" She swooped right back in front to block him.

"Hey!" He frowned at her and dodged to the left. She shifted to mirror him.

Frustrated, but not wanting to publicly vent as he had just done before, he closed his eyes and contained it. Essairyn stared at him standing still. Just as she wondered if she pushed him too far and was about to ask if he was all right, Darren suddenly unsheathed his sword and knocked her away with a direct blow.

Completely off guard, she was swept a few meters to the side, pulling up grass along the way. Clutching her stomach from the bitter swipe, she staggered up from the uncovered dirt beneath her feet. "Haha, you didn't hold back. Good." Her eyes twinkled ambiguously.

Darren's forehead crinkled with mixed emotions. He didn't expect her to take the brunt of the blow. Based on her typical reaction time and casting speed, she should have blocked it with a barrier. But he had forgotten that they were still wearing the bracelets that limited external magic flow. Shoot. I just wanted to trick her in order to leave so that I could properly think instead of yelling at her again. But now I actually hurt her... But damn, I want to wipe that smirk off her face now. Darren narrowed his eyes at her provocation. This girl had the habit of provoking him at the most unforeseen moments. Exhaling a long breath, he resigned himself up to his fate. Under these conditions, now was as good of a time as ever to spar with Essairyn whose magic was limited. He wanted to test himself, and unexpectedly, he had created the perfect situation for it to occur.

With a steady arc of his sword, Darren readied his stance. Seeing this, Essairyn grinned. Communication could also be delivered wordlessly through the crossing of swords. It was an unspoken challenge between the two of them. Whoever won would win this argument. They would fight themselves out of a fight.

Essairyn accelerated, brandishing her sword as she drew near. The collision of metal against metal resounded piercingly in the spacious forest. Quickly, another crowd formed upon hearing the exchange of blows. The spectators watched as Essairyn quickly got the upper hand, pressuring Darren mostly into defense. Even this isn't enough? He wryly grimaced while defending against a flurry of feather-light strikes. Essairyn flourished her sword like a rapier, maneuvering the unsuitably designed weapon in a variety of techniques that kept Darren on his toes. Well, two can play that game. After dodging a diagonal swing, he readjusted his position and initiated an unusual attack.

"Huh?" Essairyn couldn't help uttering her surprise. Darren defended her next blow with the sheath of his sword while launching a coordinated strike to her vulnerable left arm with the actual weapon. The pain of the stimulated slice forced her to leap back. She clutched her upper arm and let out a laugh. This was proving to more fun than anticipated. As much as she wanted Darren to not give up on the mission, Essairyn fancied the idea of sparring against him. She hadn't gotten a previous chance to witness the other traveler's skills firsthand.

In this new manner, Darren was able to reverse his defensive position to a more favorable offensive one. Essairyn struggled to block the attacks of varying patterns but was quickly getting adjusted with steadily increasing speed. Realizing that her insane adapting abilities would render him in the same position as before, Darren drew out his wild card.

A shock of energy nicked Essairyn's cheek, fleetingly distracting her at the unanticipated appearance of magic. Seizing that chance, Darren swerved the direction of his blade and hooked Essairyn's sword, propelling it out of her slackened grasp with an adroit flip. Doubly startled by the progression of events, Essairyn blankly blinked.

"Puh!" A puff of air burst out of her mouth, almost like a snort rather than a chuckle. With the loss of her sword, she could no longer fight him physically. Although she could employ magic like Darren just now, she didn't resort to something which would have indisputably handed her a win from the very start. For Darren to release tangible magic, he must have studied and independently honed his magic ability since Lachlan informed him of the possibility. Additionally, although still crude in capability, he also surprised her with his dual wielding. These two tactics combined were enough for Essairyn.

"You win."

Chapter Eight -- End.