Alain looked at Renald’s face again under the faint sunlight of the early morning. Renald’s black hair was quite long for a boy, reaching the bottom part of his neck. His face was pleasant in the sense that one would get the impression that this boy wouldn’t hurt even hurt a tick. His height was still growing but his lean posture suggested he would reach Alain’s stature in a few years. But unlike Alain who was naturally brown-skinned, Renald’s face was pale, too pale for a boy his age. Some portion of the farming district had safe areas designated for sunbathing for the population. Sunbathing was almost required for non-nectar enhanced humans who would never venture outside. The nutrients the solar giant provided to the body was still very much crucial. Although the sunbathing area required the presence of parents and guardians for children to enter, so Alain understood why Renald had not gone there yet.

Other than his pale skin, he looks just like him. Alain thought before shaking his head. Renald’s striking resemblance to a lost figure from his past continued to distract him ever since they left the hole.

Alain and Renald were both awake. They were eating the ration Renald carried in his supply. Snow the giant white Kashik was also awake but seemed rather tired. Alain looked at the Kashik in worry.

“Will he be able to continue?” Alain asked.

“Yes,” Renald’s face was anxious as well. “But he told me he won’t be able to run like yesterday. We’ll have to walk the rest of the way. His wounds were quite bad, I need to fetch more healing supplies in The Sanctuary before leaving again.” He said.

“Wait, he told you?” Alain said with raised eyebrows.

Renald looked at Snow. “I can communicate with him instinctually ever since we bonded. We don’t speak to each other using human language, but rather with our feelings. I know what he feels the same way he could feel what I’m feeling. If I ask him to do something, it’ll be conveyed through my desire.” He explained.

Alain furrowed his brows. That’s more than I expected what the crystal can do. I need to find a way to find another one, maybe look at old academic records that might contain some information about it, if past humans discovered it already that is. He pondered in his mind.

While they were eating, something rustled near them. Alain and Renald turned their heads quickly looking for the source only to find it came from the young woman. The unconscious woman’s body twitched slightly. It rustled around as if getting ready to wake up from her slumber.

“She’s waking up!” Renald exclaimed as he dropped down his food and walked over to her.

Alain did the same and started to examine her body. Her face visibly strained and crunched, eyes flickering about beneath her eyelids. After what seemed like a genuine struggle to awoke from her long slumber, she opened her eyes. Her eyes darted about, almost panicking. She tried to lift her body to sit but her strength did not allow her to do so.

Like with Renald, Alain also finally managed to get a clear look at her face. Her skin was olive, not as brown as Alain but not what one considers light-skinned. Her brown hair was relatively short but still managed to reach her shoulder. Her eyes were sharp, though not as intimidating as Alain. And despite the regal posture she seemed to forcefully display, Alain could see a feeling of uncertainness about her. Of course, finding yourself in a strange place with strange people after you wake up would alarm anyone.

“I-I’m alive?” The young woman said as she used her arms to support her sitting position.

Alain nodded at her question. “You’re safe. This boy here rescued you from the river.” He said and pointed at Renald.

“Are you okay? Your wounds were really bad…” Renald said in a worried tone.

“Y-yes. Everything still hurts but...I’m alive." She said, almost not believing herself. "How long was I unconscious?” She asked.

"If I only count ever since I retrieved you from the river, it had been two days," Renald answered.

“Who are you? Where did you come from? Why were you floating down the river? And what’s with your wounds?” Alain asked rapidly.

“Alain! She’s still hurt! You’re gonna make her dizzy with those questions!” Renald said angrily.

“I’m…” She paused for a second. “My name is Marika. I am from a place called The Domain. Where is this?” Marika looked around confused as she knew she was out in the wilderness outside.

“My name is Renald.” The boy said and pointed at Alain. “This rude person is Alain. You’re from The Domain? We get some traders from there sometimes, right?” He turned to Alain.

Alain nodded. “Yes. It’s a huge city, or rather one could call it an entire nation. It’s around seven days by foot from here, maybe more if you take it slow. We are from a place called The Sanctuary, I’m sure you know of it, right?” He asked Marika.

“The Sanctuary? Did I travel down the river that far?” Marika said dumbfounded.

“Well here we are as your answer,” Alain said. “You’re extremely lucky to be alive and that I gave you more nectars to recover. What’s with your stab wounds? I know a giant didn’t do that.” Alain said, frowning.

“Alain!” Renald said annoyed at Alain’s straightforward nature.

“I thank you greatly for saving me, Renald and Alain,” Marika interjected while bowing deeply. Alain and Renald just stared at her for a short moment as she expressed her gratitude “And for my wounds, someone betrayed me,” She said as she touched her stomach where the wound that was now recovering is.

Alain and Renald’s eyes went wide with surprise. It wasn’t something far-fetched to them but hearing it happened was still something shocking.

“Someone betrayed you? Who?” Alain asked.

Marika did not reply. Her face contorted with sadness. Small droplets of tears started forming on her eyes. She looked downward in anguish.

Alain knew that expression. It was something all too familiar for him. That feeling that Alain thought Marika was now experiencing still tug him to this day. “Do you want revenge?” Alain said, his voice was slightly shaking. His permanent frown furrowed deeper.

Marika was silent for a few seconds, seemingly deep in thought. But then she shook her head. “No. With this, my purpose is done. I am free now.” She said. Her face showed relief.

“What?” Alain said shocked, completely missing what she was trying to convey. He was utterly surprised to hear that she was willing to let the people that betrayed her to live on peacefully just like that. His mind completely could not comprehend such a mindset.

Marika raised her face and looked up at them. “I am really thankful you two rescued me. With this, I can continue on living my own life. But I must make one more selfish request: can you take me to your settlement?” She said.

The three rode on Snow’s back. Marika had been greatly shocked to see a friendly giant Kashik that obeyed Renald’s orders and allowed them to ride on his back. Even with her heavy wounds, she almost tried to dash away at full speed. It took ten minutes of Alain and Renald calming her down before she had the courage to climbed on Snow’s back.

Alain had tried prying open Marika’s secrets during the course of the journey but she would not budge. She apologized profusely and said she could not reveal any more things other than what she already said before. Marika said she wanted to quickly forget her previous life in The Domain and forge a new one in The Sanctuary. Alain was dumbfounded on how fast she seemed to make such a life-changing decision. If it was Alain, he would take some chance to recover here and go back there for vengeance, but Marika seemed content on just living a new life here.

Snow was still injured so he walked the entire journey while carrying the three. This gave them a chance to have various conversations. Renald told Marika of his family circumstances and despite Alain’s attempts to stop him, how he found the blue crystal. Alain only told the two he was a student in the Giantslayer academy and chronicled his journey to find Renald. While Marika did not talk about her previous life at all, only how excited she was to see The Sanctuary. She did, however, say she had some training as a Giantslayer so she was probably going to become one here as well.

And perhaps due to riding on Snow’s back, most smaller giants ran away at their presence. They had reached the grassland jungle and managed to cross it without any issue whatsoever. Even with Snow walking, they managed to cross the jungle way faster than when Alain tried himself. Thankfully, the secret passage that led to the red light district was situated at a secluded place away from the usual Giantslayer patrols so Snow’s presence here would not raise alarm. The three climbed down Snow and approached the passage.

“What about him?” Alain said, nodding his head towards Snow.

“He’ll find a safe place outside somewhere. Don’t worry, I can find him.” Renald said while rubbing Snow’s fur. The Kashik seemed sad his partner will leave him alone outside.

What? Can they communicate long distances? Alain wondered in his head but Renald did not seem eager to answer so Alain did not pry any further. For now.

Marika looked up and scanned through the building that made up The Sanctuary. Her face showed amazement, but it looked more like the awe one would make when they visited someplace new to them rather than actual amazement of the sight.

“It’s small for you isn’t it? I remember some traders saying how utterly enormous the building that housed The Domain is. They said it stretched as far as the eyes can see, both horizontally and vertically.” Alain said, watching Marika’s reaction.

Renald’s eyes went wide hearing what Alain said. “Is it really that big? I want to go there!” He said with excitement.

“I don’t think you do. Go somewhere else instead. Or stay here,” Marika replied with a grimace.

“What? Why?” Renald asked confused about what she had said.

“I don’t really care to learn about these things but,” Alain scratched his head and frowned. “We have our own problems in The Sanctuary regarding criminals and the underworld. But from what I’ve heard, The Domain has those things as well as a completely hierarchical society with a ruling class of ‘nobles’ as they call themselves and a ‘king’ that rules over everyone. It’s completely different than our meritocratic system governed by publicly-elected high council members.” He explained.

Renald tilted his head. “But what’s wrong with that?”

“The nobles oppress the masses, take their resources, limit social mobility, and even treat their own kind like dirt if their birth circumstance is ‘wrong’, they’re all scum,” Marika said with a deep frown. Her voice was rather passionate as if they specifically had wronged her personally.

Alain noted her odd response in his head. “Renald, this is why I want you to stay as well. Your family situation is bad, but if we move you elsewhere you may still obtain happiness here. There are a lot of terrible places out there, and The Sanctuary is a utopia in comparison, even with our social problems. If you want to achieve your dream of adventuring outside, then take the nectar test and become a Giantslayer,” He said to Renald.

Renald had a deep look on his face, he pondered Alain’s words. “I’ll think about it. I need to find some medical supplies to treat Snow’s injuries and come back here again for now. Can you take me to a place where I can stay for a while?” He asked.

Alain nodded. “Follow me,” He said to both of them.

They ventured through the perpetually dark red-light district after they entered through the secret passage. The place was indeed in a perpetual state of darkness as all the windows and sources of light from the outside world had been completely blocked and the only light in this district came from the nectar-powered colorful lights and shop signs that decorated the streets. It was a sleazy place that nested the criminal underworld with exotic sights and smells before them. However, Alain wore his bone armor and Marika had put on her reptilian scale armor as well and no criminal wanted to mess with Giantslayers, though they wondered why they wore their full gear here. The three were walking rather slowly because Marika was still injured.

“How the hell did you find the secret passage anyway? Why were you here?” Alain asked Renald.

“There was a regular audience member of my theater that lived here. He told me he once found a passage to the outside world when he was young in this district but he wouldn’t tell me where it was. He often invited me to his place after our shows. Unfortunately, he died last year but I kept coming here to find the passage.” Renald said with a melancholic look on his face.

“He was an old man? And he invites you to his place often? You, a kid? That’s…” Alain said.

“He was not that kind of person!” Renald interjected angrily. “He once saw my parents tormenting me after a show and took pity on me. He even once offered to adopt me because he didn’t like any of his children but I refused.” He explained.

“I see. I apologize.” Alain said, realizing he was rude again.

“Alain, help.” Marika suddenly tugged on Alain’s arm.

Alain was surprised and looked around. They were Giantslayers so the people here would not mess with them, but there was no denying that Marika was rather attractive for a young woman. The sleazy men of the red-light district stared at her disgustingly, but they could only watch from afar.

“Don’t worry,” Alain turned to look at Marika. “They won’t mess with us. And if they do, I’m sure you also can take care of yourself since you also had Giantslayer training.” He said

Marika sighed. “I know. I just don’t want to hurt anyone and cause a ruckus. I also don’t want to make a bad first impression to The Sanctuary,” She said.

Alain snickered and continued walking. “I don’t think anyone cares if we hurt the criminals of this district.” He said.

They finally exited the red-light district and entered the main first-floor area and the difference was like night and day. For one, natural sunlight entered the first floor of The Sanctuary as the huge front gate was open and some manmade holes were created to allow light to come in during the day. The afternoon trails were bustling with activities as shops and restaurants were in business. Hundreds of pedestrians walk the streets as they commute to their destinations. Some kids were also playing with their friends on the street. It was a serene sight compared to what Alain had endured during the last two days.

“Welcome to The Sanctuary.” Alain said to Marika.