(chapter 13)

The voice said in Arthur's head causing him to stop walking and hide behind the tree in shock. He began to look around before his eyes landed on the corpse in front of him. 'Don't tell me the corpse is...' He thought as horror appeared on his face as he looked at the body. The voice asked as I ignored it still staring at the disfigured body on the ground. 'I swear to god, if it gets up...' I thought as I used the stick I had with me reaching out to poke the body.

The voice told me as I let out a breathe I didn't know I was holding. 'Wait! Don't just trust this unknown voice. No matter how silky smooth and dignified it sounds.' as realization struck upon calming down and listen to the voice. "Who are you?! Are you the one that saved me?!" I asked as I pointed my knife towards the bush. A small rabbit hopped out and away from where it was previously.

"Yes , to your second question. As for the first, you'll find out once you arive at my dwelling." It responded to my questions. "You sound pretty confident that I'll even try to find you." I replied as I stared off in a random direction. "Well... I am the only one that will be able to get you home from this place." It replied as my eyes widened in realization. 'That's right! Home! Rey, Alice and the Twin Horns. My baby sibling! Are they alright? Did they reach Xyrus safely.' I thought while asking myself a bunch of questions. I cleared out my throat awkwardly before speaking out in the open.

"Mister...voice? May I inconvenience you for directions so that you may grace me with your presence?" I asked after clearing my throat. As I spoke the last word I heard the voice chuckle in my head at the way I phrased my sentence. "You catch on quick, Arthur Leywin. Although, it's a bit rude to refer to a lady as " Mister". But your sentiment is their so yes..." She replied back and correcting me on their gender. 'How did she know my--' I spoke in my mind before I got cut off. "I'll show you." She stated before I felt something entering my mind.

As that happened I felt pain inside my head causing me to go on my hands and knees while I held my head. I looked at the ground and saw that the corner of my eyes we're red as images began to appear. Directing me to where this mysterious lady dwells. As I saw the last image my vision began to clear as I let out a sharp breathe while the pain subsided. she instructed as I took her advice and walked to where she was staying.

~an hours later~

'As my body condition gradually improved, leaving me with a few aches here and there by the afternoon, I could help but think... What sort of magic had she used to save me from the fall? How could she have even known we were falling, and why did she only save me? The more I tried to come up with an explanation, the more questions I seem to end up with.' I thought as I made my way through the forest walking on a log path until I heard something. It sounded like water flowing so I decided to climb the huge rock I saw.

'Please let it be what I think it is!' I thought as I made it over the rock being welcomed with a river. "Water!" I shouted as I hoped over the rock landing in the water with a splash."Haha... How pleasantly carefree..." The voice of the lady from earlier said in my head. Thinking she was watch I grabbed my shirt to cover my important parts as I looked around with a blush on my face. "Don't worry, there isn't much to see." she said as I felt an arrow pierce me from her words.

'They are just words, Arthur. A king must remain calm and unfazed....This body is just undeveloped that's all....' I thought as I put on my shirt with my mood dampened. "I apologize for startling you, don't pout." she said to me sincerely as she saw my mood? I don't know how though. I grabbed the battle that I drank out of earlier and poured some water into it from the river. 'Since I fell off the mountain towards the east, I must be near the elves' domain.' I thought staring up while eating the food I got from earlier.

'But I don't see any of the fog that the forest of Elshire is known for. My fears of travelling through the beast glades were quelled by the fact that only small animals seemed to be present. Although, I'm surprised that I haven't seen any manager beasts with how rich this place is with Mana. It's regrettable that I can't stay and absorb some of the mana, but I should hurry.' I thought as I walked further as the sun started to set.

'I need to get back to my parents. With my mother pregnant, the stress of my potential death might endanger the baby inside her. If they're still alive.' I thought seriously continuing my journey to the mystery voice dwelling. As it was almost night I finaly reached the place I saw in the images. "I'm glad you were able to make it here safely." she said to me suddenly. "So...umm...it's nice to...meet you?" I asked the rock as I held a branch that was connected to it in awkward silence.

"As interesting as it would be, I am not a sentient cluster of rocks. You will find me within the crevice." she told me as I looked past the rock in front of me and saw blue light. 'Dad. Mom. I'll be home soon.' I thought as I entered the crevice with a look of determination. As I walked through the cave heading towards the glowing blue light, I heard her voice warning me. "Watch your step." She told me before my foot landed on a loose rock causing me to fall deep into the hole. Sooner or later I hit the ground with a lard thump as I got up slowly from the pain.

'Ugh... A warning that I was gonna drop two stories down would have been nice...' I thought as I stood on my two legs. I looked ahead and what I saw shocked me. I took a step back only to fall on my butt at the sight that was before me. 'Wh-wha... What is that?!' I thought as I saw a stone figure with glowing red eyes sitting down staring at me. "We finally meet, my child." she told me as her head laid on her clenched fist looking down at me. She stood up and made her way towards me, she was so tall her horn were scratching against the rock.

She told me as my was wide open from the shock I felt upon seeing her. She bent down and reached her hand towards me I raised my hand up slightly below my face. I saw something red on her chest before I covered my eye. She held her hand towards me as I grabbed it hesitantly as I stood up. She told me as she pointed towards her right. I looked saw the fruit she was talking about.

"Th-thank you...?" I replied which sound like a question but I walked around looking at which fruit to eat. I went towards a blue circle fruit and grabbed it. 'This looks okay.' I thought as I looked at my reflection as the fruit looked like it was shining. As I looked my expression became sadder as I remember my parents and I eating watermelon together.

Suddenly I felt air behind me causing me to jump and squish the fruit in surprise. "That one taste better." she told me pointing at the poor fruit I squished in surprise. I looked back at her covered in the juice of the fruit. "I-I see..." I replied back as I stared at her.

I sat near her as she stared at the fruits on her fingers while I began to eat another one I picked. I looked at her wondering if I could ask something before I turned my head and opened my mouth. "Ummm... I know you told me you were a lady, but is there a better way I can address you?" I asked as she looked down at me. She replied to my question. "Sylvia... Do you mind if I ask a few questions?" I said to her as I put down the fruit in my lap. "Go ahead, little one. Although I may not be able to answer everything." Sylvia replied as I started asking her questions that were bothering me.

'With my initial fear from Sylvia's appearance slowly fading, I began to ask her all the questions that have been on my mind since waking from the fall. Where was this place? Why was she alone here? Where did she come from? How did she get that wound? And why did she save me?' I thought. "Your first question is easy enough. This place is a narrow zone that rests between the Beast Glades and the Forest of Elshire. No one knows of this place because I've been warding off anyone who comes close, although those cases are rare in the first place. You,Arthur, are the first to enter this domain." She explained while answering my first question.

"You can...uhh...call me Art. My family calls me Art... It's short for Arthur..." I told her avoided eye contact. "Very well. I shall also call you Art. As for your second question, I am here alone simply because I have no one left to be with. I have many enemies that desperatly wish for something that I have. My last battle with my enemies before I was able to escape left me with this wound." she said as she touched her wound before standing up.

she told me as she made her way towards the throne that was in front of me. "Oh, okay... Good night Sylvia." I told her.

'As the fearsome figure clad in dark armour walked away, I couldn't help but think about how lonely she appeared.' I thought as my expression saddened by what I had just thought. she told me as she looked back at me. "S-safe? They're...safe. Thank you, Sylvia." I told her as I begun to cry before I looked up at Sylvia with a smile on my face with the tears running down my face in happiness.