Chapter 1: Then She Smiles

“Don’t just stand there, shoot!”

The last thing he saw was the sliver of silver light bouncing off the large automatic in his hand. The last thing he heard was the loud thunderous roar of his gun. But why did he fired? What made him pull the trigger?

* * *

The young man grumbled, thinking it must be daylight. Annoyed at the heat bathing his eyelids, he reached a hand to his face and rubbed his eyes open. The first thing he saw was the sky covered with leaves and branches, leaving nothing but fragments of the clouds and the blue horizon seeping through.

Greeted by a small headache and a place he didn’t recognize, the young man was disjointed. Wasn’t he on his way to school? This place didn’t seem like the school’s backyard and most certainly not the old playground. Something must've happened in between.

In an attempt to remember, he sat upright and glanced all over the area.Trees, and more trees. Surrounded by wilderness, the young man stood up from the pile of leaves he’d been using as a makeshift bed.

“Where… am I?” asked Jude, and his question was met with silence.

A sudden breeze whipped him across the face, carrying the refreshing scent of wood and other types of greenery with it. Relishing this smell, Jude took his blazer off and rolled up his sleeves, giving this cool air more passage to his skin.

He hoisted his dirty blazer over his shoulder and collected his thoughts. His bag was nowhere to be found and so was his phone. The last he could remember was the strange glowing portal. After it completely dragged him inside, he lost consciousness; when he woke he found himself in this unknown forest.

“This isn’t some kind of ploy, is it?” Jude said, loud enough for his voice to reverberate.

He had several suspicions brewing in his mind right away. It wasn’t the first time he blacked out and suddenly ended up in enemy territory. Last time it happened, however, he wasn’t alone and he was tasked to eliminate a small terrorist camp.

“And I thought I’m done with this shit,” spat Jude.

He checked his pockets for information, any type of hidden message that will lead to some type of operation. But unlike what his suspicion had told him, there was none.

Then again, what used was a gamer like him for the government now? Team Re:Code was long gone and though he could function in an operation by himself, he hadn’t done any form of advance training aside from his daily cardio.

Nevertheless the information he needed wouldn’t really present itself if he just stood around doing nothing. Sighing in major disappointment, Jude began to walk and inspect his surroundings.

Trees that grew as big as a ten-story building hid the sky, heart-shaped herbs of different colors concealed the ground - it was an exotic place. He followed a slanting trail going upward which led him to an area with many beautiful flowers, as if those flowers were a landmark.

“The bell shape and size is similar to a lily at least.” Intrigued by its mystic appearance and stagnant smell, Jude picked a few and slid them inside his pocket before resuming his walk.

Passing through that sunlit clearing, an amazing sight unfolded in his eyes. Jude found himself standing on a high cliff where the wind was wild and its howl ferocious.

From far away, he saw a humongous tree standing tall like a wall with branches that were thick enough to accommodate several tree houses and leaves that were so big he could use them as a bed sheet.

Jude stared into it, allowing his focus to be stolen then muttered, “Holy hell… Just like those Yggdrasil trees.”

Similar to a legendary tree from the game he was playing, Jude smiled a bit. A forest as beautiful as this should be well known, yet no matter how many times he pondered there was no recollection in his head. He wasn’t the best student in his class, but Jude was confident he had good grades. Good enough to convince himself he was in an entirely different world.

“Nah, it can’t be.” Jude denied the idea with a shake of his head.

Such conclusions needed more verification before he could land his final judgement. Reaching a decision for now, Jude turned around and continued his walk somewhere.

He started to thirst, to crave for water, but he still trudged with his safety in mind. A moment of carelessness and he could trip on the massive roots exposed like traps on the ground.

“Have I even made a progress at all?”

The unchanging scenery made him question himself. Nonetheless he had no other choice.

* * *

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but with his shirt untucked and sweat pouring down his back, Jude concluded he had walked a few good hours already. Where were the cameras when he needed to tap out? He didn’t have the energy and motivation to do this today.

He was stunk. But before the small kindle of light he was holding onto was extinguished, Jude arrived at a small clearing with water in the center.

“Finally,” he murmured a words of thanks, a small appreciation to whichever God or Goddess of Luck that guided him to this clearing.

The area gave him an impression of holiness; there were various flowers, shaped like trumpets, laid on the ground as if they were offerings. Though the flowers reminded him of a regular hibiscus, the sizes certainly were not. Like the trees that surrounded him, the flowers on the ground were at least four times the size he could remember.

But he didn’t give any further damn. Thank the Lord, Jude thought as he went to the water and splashed his head down. He drank as much water as he could, and then some more.

“Huh?”

As Jude dunk his head for the second time, he felt like someone pinched his nape - like a red ant just bit him. He massaged the area with his palm. He felt nothing and the sensation disappeared as soon as he raised his head.

After the explosion of water it was his cheeks this time; both sides ached as if a small insect had bitten him, but he could not see nor feel anything when he reached out to touch his aching skin.

“Hey—”

Jude heard a voice - a female’s voice - wail right behind him, but he didn’t bother to check. Nothing but his hunger playing tricks on his brain, he decided, then delved into the water once more and satisfied his appetite.

“Mhm… pretty good,” he murmured, a contented smile dancing on his lips.

“You, stop what you’re doing right now!”

At the same time Jude heard the same voice wailed out, a pair of hands pulled him away from the body of water.

Jude blinked in his bewilderment. “Eh? What’s up?”

“Didn’t you know? This is sacred water, you’re not supposed to drink it!” The girl explained with a tone saying she wanted to pound the information in his head.

Jude was stunned at the sudden appearance of a beauty, but it was something he predicted beforehand.

Nevertheless for a half-starved and dehydrated guy like himself, there was no difference between sacred and regular drinking water. It looked drinkable and tasted good - that was all that mattered.

However the scowl on the girl’s face told him she would not let an excuse go by.

“I’m sorry… I was so thirsty I just had to…”

The girl jabbed his shoulder. “Thirsty? Just had to? You just violated a spirit’s shrine!”

He wasn’t sure what type of deity it was, but from her reaction alone it must be quite important. No more question left his mouth. To clear the problem and her misunderstanding, Jude knelt and prostrated himself on the ground.

“I’m sorry. Will you please forgive me?”

A time of silence ensued. Seconds later, the girl broke her silence. “Hmph. Guess it can’t be helped.”

“Then?”

“Apologize to the spirit and I’ll let you go.”

Hearing her proud tone made him scratch his head. Whoever talked to strangers like that? But Jude wasn’t really in a position to voice his opinions. So, even though he was embarrassed and confused, Jude did what the girl had instructed.

“Let me apologize Mister or Miss Spirit. I didn’t mean to violate your shrine,” Jude said, using the clearest tone he could muster.

He sensed a reaction from someone invisible, and as if he was forgiven indeed the girl then said, “That’s all they want. The spirits are satisfied. You may stand up.”

Jude frowned, unseen, then loosened his expression as he stood up. Her condescending attitude was starting to piss him off, but he kept that to himself. He stared at the girl, and she looked back. Without averting her stare she shot him a glance that studied him all over.

Jude used that chance to study her profile too. She stood with her foot forward and her arms crossed over small chest. The sight made Jude smile wryly, but it also made him realize how cute she was as well.

Although she appeared innocent at first glance, her hazel eyes that reflected his visage looked sharp. From her reaction from before, he assumed her a person that would not hesitate to hit him twice. Coming out of her grey hood, her long green hair was styled in two ponytails.

She also looked like she was wearing casual clothing, but it was not something he would deem as normal. She wore a loose tunic and with its wrapped belt, a knife sheathed on her waist.

In time the silence between them two grew heavier with each passing second. Before it reached the point of hostility, Jude spoke first, “I haven’t introduced myself yet, but I’m Jude. I know this type of meeting isn’t the best, but still it’s nice to meet you.”

Jude offered his hand while showing a wide smile, hoping that his introduction was enough not to scare her away.

The girl blinked, took a few seconds to ingest what his words meant, then said, “Ah, that’s fine. And I’m sorry if I was a little rough on you.”

She shook his hand. Her hands were soft and small, befitting her petite appearance. She also seemed to be lacking meat on certain areas, but Jude was not the type to judge.

He did come across a certain cult in the internet worshipping those types of chest as “justice.” He found it ridiculous at first, but he quickly became an avid follower.

“Don’t worry, I don’t keep any grudges,” said Jude, smiling.

The girl laughed. “You’re not really in a position to say that, you know?”

Because of the good vibe he got from her, Jude continued their conversation to the next level.

“Umm, I know this might sound ridiculous, coming from a guy you just met out of nowhere and all. But, since I gave out my name, would it be possible to know yours as well?”

Raising an eyebrow, the girl tilted her head. “My name? Is it really that important?”

“Perhaps not. But for me it is.”

She detached her hand from his and pressed it against her chest.

“…Celes. Just call me Celes,” she said with a faint blush.

Like a rather familiar feeling, there was something about her that he couldn’t describe.

Jude smiled as he looked into her eyes. “I see… So, Miss Celes?”

Celes returned a smile. “Just Celes is fine. By the way, what were you doing so deep in our forest? You know that humans aren’t really allowed in these parts unless they have proper arrangement beforehand.”

Her words were spoken softly, but for Jude they contained a different meaning. It was the first time, but being referred to as a human sounded unpleasant in his ears. Musing in silence, he leveled his eyes back to the girl again.

His eyes widened slightly as he saw something a human should not have - a sharp, perpendicular set of ears.

“Elven ears?” Jude muttered and his hand reached up to touch it. But he stopped as quick as he understood; the chance of all this being a prank was exceedingly low. “Sorry…”

“So, will you answer my question or not?” asked the girl.

“Oh, yes. Of course.” So many things vying for attention in his head Jude felt like he would explode any given moment soon. He continued after gathering his wits. “I was on my way to school then all of a sudden; I was dragged inside this weird portal. The next thing I knew, I was in this forest. All by myself. I wandered and looked around, and that’s how I ended up in this clearing.”

There was no reason to lie, so Jude honestly told Celes what happened to him so far. Celes held her chin with one hand and tilted her head, her silence judged the sincerity of his words. After a moment in stillness, she lit up, as if a large exclamation mark appeared above her head.

“So you’re saying… you arrived here without realizing it?”

“That seems to be the case,” Jude answered immediately, since he knew prolonging would only make her feel uncertain.

“You promise you’re not lying?”

“I promise.”

Celes breathed a sigh as soon as he said the word “promise.”

“Alright, I’m headed to the city anyways. You can come along with me,” she decided. “However after that, you’re on your own. Deal?” This time, it was her who reached out her hand with a smile.

Jude accepted the handshake. “Deal. Until we’ve reached the town, I’m in your care, Celes—”

*Groooowl~*

That was certainly his stomach grumbling, Jude thought, then rubbed his tummy in feigned ignorance. He felt the rising heat on his cheeks and he heard a small chuckle at Celes’s direction. All these new emotions stroked his heart in a warm and gentle way. Ever since Cynthia’s death Jude had seen life differently, like he had given up, but in less than a single day those feelings sprouted back up and he felt… relieved.

Embarrassed, Jude scratched his head then the back of his ear. “Well, I haven’t eaten anything for who knows how long. Sorry to bother you, but do you have anything to spare?”

Celes smirked and Jude shrugged with a smile.

“Hehe, fine. Gather some firewood and I’ll make some food.”

“Yes ma’am!”

After getting her to agree Jude left the clearing and gathered some firewood.

* * *

Celes frowned. She needed to be extra careful around this mysterious boy. So while she cooked, Celes watched the boy carved some thin sticks using her knife. She hesitated to let him use her knife in the beginning, but with her trusted spirit by her side, she realized it wasn’t a problem at all.

“What are you going to use those for?” Celes wondered loudly.

The boy gave her a quick glance before answering, “It’s my chopsticks,” then resuming his gaze back to his craft again. “It somewhat functions like a fork and a knife. Let me demonstrate.”

Using his tool, he grabbed a piece of vegetable floating in her boiling pot. Celes could not hide her willingness to know as her eyes glimmered for a moment, but had to stop when the young boy smiled wryly at her.

“I haven’t seen someone eat so nimbly before,” she said.

He snorted. “Oh yeah? It’s not that hard once you get used to it.”

Jerk.

Celes pouted, and using that defenseless moment he slid a flower to her left ear.

“There… Now you look a lot more girlish and genuine.”

His actions left her breathless.

Jerk!

The young maiden couldn’t help but cursed inside. Where did he get the idea to do that? Such insolence! Her hands balled into fists to prevent any more reddish color appearing on her face.

“You know what? You’re really cute—”

On that side of the forest a single laughter erupted, but was then silenced by a loud crunch, like the sound of fist hitting a certain cheekbone.