October 28

I snapped quickly out of my current state as if waking from a nightmare.

How long was I out?

I guess that it wasn’t long because I felt the wall on my back as I saw Kyoko just staring at my side in shock.

Oh yeah, I was stabbed again, I have quite a knack for this.

“Hey Kyoko, are you okay?” I weakly asked.

She snapped her head up towards me as she started to show her normal concerned face again.

“Idiot, you’re asking if I’m okay? You’re the one that got hurt. It’s more of ‘are you okay’?”

“Don’t worry about me. Of course I’m fine, it doesn’t hurt.” I felt down to feel only skin, just like last time.

“Wait… It doesn’t hurt at all. What the…”

Please tell me that I heal almost instantly now.

I looked down to check my scar.

Nothing. Ehh, ehh, what’s going on here?

“What is this sorcery, Kyo? Am I a mutant now?”

“Well, I was actually shaken a bit after I came back…” Kyoko said looking directly at me, almost serious.

“Wait… came back? You mean that wasn’t you doing the attacking?” I wanted to back up but the brick wall was behind me.

“Yes and no. The After Bringer is an ancient sword that only certain people are able to use but only one person was able to control it and stay in control. He didn’t last long because the holder’s power reduces by half if they try to control it once it’s activated. I had no recollection of what had happened but I knew it was bad once I came to and you were bleeding badly next to me. So I carried you over here. You have been out for five minutes.” She said sullen but also happy that I’m okay.

“If I may be so bold to ask, why have I healed twice now? Do I have healing powers? I think that’s a big question that needs some answering, if you may. Please.” I said with a mix of confusion and happiness hidden on my face as I attempted to keep a semi-poker face.

“Well, whenever someone is born into the world, they are put into a class due to their parents and social status. You must have luckily been considered as being born into this world after I dragged your body from your world over to mine. You were most likely born as an Ushia like me. They normally get powers, in some way. Wait, do you have a tail?” She said now smiling as if happy to see what it was and if I… if I grew a tail?

“Umm… Wait you have one? I kind of want to see it. I don’t believe I have one or at least it hasn’t appeared yet if so.” I said checking but finding no sign of one.

“N… No… you can’t see mine, at least not now.” She was blushing and looking away as if I hit some value or rule of this world.

Every time I talk about some aspect of her, she seems to blush a lot. Am I slowly getting to her?

Ooh, my luck. Beautiful, strong, shiny silver and blond hair, an amazing body, and now a tail.

Should I really be feeling this comfortable with her already? And almost instantly, I shook that thought off.

This is becoming more of a fantasy than a nightmare like I had initially thought.

She continued, “If you haven’t gotten one yet, you should soon. Ooh, I’m excited to see what it’ll be.” She couldn’t stop herself as her face curved into a wider smile.

“Depending on the tail, it shows how compatible two people are…” She stopped, embarrasses at the thought.

“Well I would like to have a wolf tail, which would be pretty cool. I’d like to admit.” I snickered while looking at her, noticing that this conversation isn’t working out as well as she had thought.

“Anyway, back to serious matters, where should we go next? I need to get new clothes, maybe even a mask to hide my face. Do you know a nice place to go for clothes and what nots?”

“Um... let me see. There is this small town not too far from here that has this really good blacksmith. He actually made my armor, Dragon Rainer, there. He could make you a nice armor set if that’s what you’d like.” She said staring off into the space, most likely trying to remember the name or where it is.

We started to head northeast towards a bridge named Telorso Bridge. Weird name. Don’t get it but I don’t really care. It sounds kind of cool to me.

We crossed the bridge, which was more unstable than how it looked from what seemed to be many periods of extreme misuse and abandonment over several years. Planks missing, ropes unattached. It doesn’t seem worth it to walk on but we had to get across.

We slowly made our way across the bridge.

We were talking back and forth about our lives to distract each other. It was mostly her sharing, which to me was fine. Her past, her line of work, her likes and dislikes.

The jacket she wore resembled a mid-tier winter vest with a sweater like shirt underneath. She wore what seemed to be reminiscent of a dress from the Chinese culture. I have no idea why she wore it, maybe she likes the style but I believe it’s for the freedom of movement that it allows.

Some crows started to sound in the nearby trees, almost like they were warning us, but we didn’t heed them.

“It got quite loud all of a sudden, huh? Birds can get quite loud in the night, I guess. It’s actually very peaceful in a weird annoying way. What do you think?” I said looking towards the ground to make sure I didn’t trip. I’ve never been good at the whole forest scene, I fell a lot and pretty badly almost every time.

“I don’t really care for crows because they are supposed to resemble death. Blue Jays are normally my preference but we don’t have any normal birds here, only crows and vultures. It almost brings a tear to your eye, does it not?” I wonder why she’s talking in such a stern tone now. Did I ask the wrong question or does she get like this when she’s on guard?

“Are you okay there, Kyoko? You seem kind of tense all of a sudden. Is there something I should know involving where we are?”

She didn’t turn as she gave her response just moved her head slightly to the left and whispered.

“I feel we are being watched, don’t know why, don’t know by whom, but we are. I believe it is dark Alfertain, elves in your world, because this is normally where they live, they move a lot depending on the season. So, if I talk in a stale tone that means my concentration is at an all-time high. Sorry to make you worry.” She said in her normal soft tone, hushed.

I followed the same pattern by tensing my body to ready myself.

“So, I’m guessing there are normal elves, also where are we headed right now?” I finished as I tripped only slightly on a large root protruding from the ground.

“I have few friends in a village named Astern near here, about two miles due east. They have an amazing blacksmith as well so we can go there for our weapons and armor. He can most likely make you a set of Spirit Armor and get you some clean clothes. It should be…” She was interrupted by a nearby rustling in a tree about seven yards away.

Kyoko quickly grabbed for her sword, aptly named Shadow, with her left hand as she brought her right hand down to hit the button on the left side of her back to deploy her armor. I was only able to put on what was left of the cloak on myself and drew my knife.

I was ready for whatever came my way.

“Who’s there? Come out now or we will strike first. We are both well-armed and protected, so don’t start a battle you won’t be able to finish.” Kyoko said as she took her normal relaxed, defensive stance that I saw from the last battle. Both her blood red eye and emerald like eyes were glaring intensely, almost glowing.

I just stood, blade facing forewords at about mid-chest level and a determined gleam in my eyes. I liked the feel of the blade, it had enough grip so I wouldn’t lose it but wasn’t so taught that I couldn’t flip it around at a moment’s notice.

We heard a deep chuckling from the bush below which then stopped abruptly two seconds later, to restart almost immediately as it had stopped. Not in front of us but in the tree behind us.

“You really think I care about whether if I ‘take a step’ that I’d get hit; did you not just hear me move? Yet you didn’t attack. Why? Did you not expect that I wouldn’t move quickly through space, Miss Warrior? Yeah, I know it’s you, even behind that gas mask. I know.” Kyoko turned to face the enemy.

“Oh shit.” I’m guessing she knows who it is because she immediately dropped her stance and started to casually walk towards the elf that was now in front of us.

“Julac, did you really have to speak in riddles, get down here right now, mister.” She could tell the person was like a family member because she even put away her armor.

“Ha-ha, I made you worry for a second that. That is a first.” He said as he jumped down from the tree to give his hand to Kyoko.

This man had all the makeup of most fantasy stories and games detailing of what an elf should look like. He had pointy ears, slim build, white hair. Additionally, he also had a scar below his left eye, yellow pupils, a rather muscular build, and tattoo of small shrine, all in gold, on his right shoulder.

“So, what are you doing all the way out here? Are you here for Elsa? I can lead you to the village if you want?”

I was not only lost but widely confused at what was happening in front of me. “Whoa whoa, wait… you know this guy. So… he’s a friend, not an enemy, right?”

“Yes, he’s my friend Elsa’s little brother. He is harmless. Well, if you’re on his side, he is.” Kyoko said in a kind manner towards me while giving a friendly glare to Julac.

“Oh-ho ho, thank god. I was not ready to fight; my legs were so tense that they would’ve given out if I had taken one step. Hey, nice to meet you. I’m Denny.”

I extended a hand out to him but he didn’t accept it. I guess it is understandable, I don’t necessarily fall into a race here. Also, I am a stranger but I’m not dangerous. At least, I don’t believe I am. Just unlucky.

“Hey…” Off to the side to Kyoko, “Who is he and why don’t I feel any vibe coming from him?”

“I will explain everything once we get to the village.” She started to turn as she pointed her focus more towards Julac after.

“Shall we start going? The quicker we start going, the better.” Kyoko said to Julac.

He understood and started leading us through a dense path full of broken down trees and smashed roots. I tripped on almost every step.

Damn balance.

…………………

It took the good part of the day to reach the village but once we did, it was worth it.

The valley contained about fifty houses, all small sized but definitely livable, and thirty acres of farm land in the middle of two crystal clear lakes about fifty meters in diameter. The rest of the village was surrounded by trees underneath a now pale orange sky filled with graying clouds.

The sight was almost too much to admire all at once and I understood that fact. I never was able to see much of it while in my world.

There was what seemed to be a manor on top of the lonely hill in the village that had one majestic flowing silver waterfall that branched out to each side, banking into the village into water turbines for power.

I continued to walk in wonder while following Kyo and Julac. He led us to a small inn, where he set us up in separate rooms for the night. The room had a single wooden door connecting the two. No matter how hard I tried to change it, I still felt like an outcast.

There was a rapid tap of three knock on one of the two doors that led to my room.

“Oh god this is it, I’m dead.” I was so wound up that I thought that was the case.

A calming voice came from the door that separated mine and Kyo’s room.

“Denny, are you in there? If so, say something. I don’t want to just barge in to see that you’re out taking a walk or wake you up or anything.” Kyo’s voice sounded concerned. She knows how to read a situation better than I had thought.

“Yeah… Yeah, I’m here. You scared me a bit though. I’m a little jumpy but I’ll be fine. Come on in, the doors unlocked.”

She opened the door and took three steps in.

“How are you doing? I noticed while you were glaring upwards at the landscape that you were still tensed even though you tried to give the impression that you were fine. Are you going to be fine in here alone?” She said as if motherly but as if the only thing she cared about was my well-being.

“I just feel like something is off here, I know you’ve known them for a while, but I just can’t shake this feeling. Sorry for insinuating anything. I think I’m fine…” I took a pause but didn’t continue my sentence.

“Okay, if you ever have another bad vibe, don’t be afraid to knock, all right?” She said smiling; she looked kind of tired herself.

Then I said it.

“Actually, I don’t feel it would be safe for us to be in separate rooms. I know it sounds random, weird, or creepy to you but I feel like it’d be for the best. Can I stay in your room? I’ll be sleeping on the floor, of course.” I realized really quick that it sounded way better in my mind than it did saying it.

Then as if not caring either way, she agreed, keeping the warmth in her smile.

I felt weird being in the same room as a girl but I needed to be there in case something was to happen. I couldn’t shake the feeling throughout the night that someone was going to strike at any minute.

I’m happy she trusts me to not do anything, either she didn’t care or was feeling that something was off herself. It didn’t matter either way; I didn’t want to do anything to upset her. So I kept my guard until passing out later in the waning night.