I searched but all I could find were solo missions to the forest of death which, at the moment, nobody seemed to be taking.

Itching to take them, I reluctantly dragged myself away from the notice board, and along with the teacher; we headed off to the hoard as my heart began paining again.

Ruefully smiling at the teacher who discreetly infused a little warforce into me, I broke into a sprint; the teacher keeping pace with me easily. Exhilarated, I ran until the burning stitches in my side and chest began too much to bear, but the Hoard was right ahead, and so I ignored the pain and ran inside before I collapsed in a heap.

Within a moment, the teacher was by me, and looking at me severely; he infused a lot more warforce than before.

Gasping in loud breaths, I struggled to a cross-legged position, and grinned at the teacher, who frowned as he said, “That was reckless.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, not feeling sorry at all.

Letting out a snort at my insincere apology, the teacher decided to let it pass, and I painfully got to my feet.

Thinking back, pain has been a constant accompaniment in my life from as far back as I can remember till now.

First it was Harold, then it was the training, followed by the battles where I almost lost my life with the heart wound, and the hellish training that followed when I awoke to reach iron rank.

“Pain has really taken a liking to me,” I thought ruefully.

Guessing what I was thinking, the teacher gruffly said, “It’s fine. Go rest. Tomorrow might be a long day, and I’ll infuse the warforce personally for you tomorrow.”

Touched, I nodded.

Then I turned to go back, only to be tackled in a hug by a soft figure.

Holding onto her tightly, I felt my heart banish the pain, and fill with happiness.

“Sia…” I murmured.

“Mm,” she replied.

“Sia…” I whispered in a lower voice.

“Mm,” she replied once again.

“Si-I-cho-king,” I gasped out.

Hastily disengaging from the hug, she quickly checked me over with concern in her eyes, until I swept out a badge and held it in front of her triumphantly!

Taking the badge, she inspected it; only to let out a yelp of excitement as she said, “You’re an adventurer now?”

Posing with the victory sign, I said proudly, “Not just any adventurer but a D rank adventurer!”

“Ohhh, how many ranks are there?” Sia asked with wide eyes.

Coughing, I held up all 5 fingers of my hand.

“So, you’re 2nd from the top?” She asked with wider eyes.

Coughing harder, I squeezed out, “from the…. Bottom….”.

Peals of laughter rang out as Sia reached out and rubbed my head.

Enjoying the feeling, a suspicion that perhaps I was a pet in my previous life struck me. I mean, I loved food, and it seemed like I loved being petted on the head too!

Suddenly remembering about the potion, I hurriedly filled her in on everything that had happened regarding the warforce infusion potion as we walked into the dining hall.

Mid stride, I was grabbed and pulled to face her, as she cried out, “You have a solution?”

Taken aback, I was about to respond when she threw herself in my arms and began crying while saying, “That’s good, that’s good. At least now you don’t have to worry about not being able to reach safety if that baling thing happens to you again.”

A surge of warmth filling me; I hugged her tightly and patted her back, all the while thinking about how blessed I was.

We spent a long time like that until her sobs subsided and she shyly moved apart, and then she froze as she stared beyond me.

Turning, I too froze as beefy brawny men and women looked on at us with tears in their eyes, and murmurs of “Ah, youth… so nostalgic, achoo!”

Turning as red as Sia was, I grabbed her and ran to the dining hall where we were soon joined by the mercenary troop who were still wiping their eyes.

We looked down at our plates the entire time, as red as the tomatoes we were eating, while the mercenary troop joked around at our expense.

Then my brother, who had been grinning the whole time, spoke to me, “Faust, I heard that you might be going to the Forest of Death tomorrow or day after, So I was thinking whether Sir Leonidas should follow you or not. What’s your choice?”

Firmly, I looked at him and said, “No! I will go as an adventurer and not involve anybody else.”

At that moment, I felt a sharp pain in my side, and looking, I saw Sia readying her finger for another poke as she glared at me.

“Why didn’t you tell me about going to the forest of death?” She hissed.

“I didn’t have time…” I said, weakly.

“I’m coming with you,” she said resolutely.

Shaking my head, I smiled and said, “I need to do this alone.”

“Why do you have to do it alone?” my brother interjected questioningly.

“I won’t be alone, alone. I’ll be in a party with other adventurers, and as for why I want to do it without you all…. Well, there will be times when I am alone… and this problem seems to be with me for the next few years. So, I need to get used to working with it. Besides, I have two warforce infusion potions that I still haven’t used.” I said, as diplomatically as possible.

Frowning, my brother said, “I understand…. and….”

Waiting for him to finish, I prepared my counter argument, only for him to say, “Can you name the warforce infusion potion as something else?”

Putong

I almost fell and grabbing the edge of the table, I nodded slowly, “Ye-yes. I can.”

Looking around for suggestions, Sia spoke up after some thought and said, “What about the potion of thorns?”

“Ooh, I like that,” I said, as everyone else also murmured agreement.

So it was decided.

I was going to the forest of death one way or the other, and I would have the potion of thorns as support.

The next day, after planning out a hundred different ways on how to reach the forest of death, should Duncan refuse me in his party; I reached the adventurer's guild, only to stop stupefied.

Because Duncan, Dunkirk, and two other people who I didn't recognize were standing there, obviously waiting for me, as their faces lit up when I approached.

Stepping forward, Duncan held out his hand as he chuckled, “Thought you’d never come.”

Grinning, I clasped his hand, and said, “If I had known, I would have reached earlier.”

Smiling back, Duncan said, “I’ll fill you in on the way there. For now, let’s set off.”

Nodding in assent, I joined the group and curiously asked, “Why did you decide on me in the end?”

Grinning from ear to ear, Duncan said, “No other choice.”

Putong

I nearly fell as I missed a step, and then turning to Duncan, I raised my eyebrows at him; Only for him to keep grinning at me.

Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to the road to our destination.

The Forest of Death.