The morning air was quite chilly as the sun had just started to transfer its warmth to the world. It rose from the east, casting its rays onto the world, and the objects in the world would then in turn cast shade onto the ground that they towered over, as if mocking them for being to short that they couldn't even receive the blessing from the sun.

In the waking world, all was quite calm. People that had just risen from their slumber were still quite sluggish as the cold morning air gnawed at their skin, causing them discomfort as they yearned to sleep but the cold made it almost impossible for them to as they moved along in their life.

That was the case for Loganel as he followed Juliana to the Academy's front gate where they were to meet up with the others. Loganel yawned as he dragged his body along. Since he has just recovered from a severe injury and had spent a long time laying in bed, his muscles had not recovered to the state that they were prior to his injury. In addition, because his new armor was heavier than his old one (which couldn't even be considered armor since it was basically a shirt that he viewed as something is better than nothing). Loganel rubbed his eyes and looked at the world with his gaunt eyes as he had done so prior to his injury. For some reason, those days seems to be long in the past despite only being a few days in the past.

Loganel looked over at Juliana, and he realized that she has been peeking over from time to time with a worried look on her face.

"Are you sure you're gonna be alright?" she asked.

"Yeah," Loganel responded with a tired voice.

"..." Juliana frowned as she engaged in a mental conflict with herself on whether or not allowing Loganel to accompany her was a good idea.

"The twenty Silver," Loganel mentioned, causing Juliana to be distracted from her internal turmoil. "I'll pay you back."

"It's fine," Juliana waved it off. "It's for the group as a whole's benefit. You got some nice gear with it so I think it's worth it."

"I..." Loganel opened his mouth to speak but closed it again as he remembered that he wasn't the best at conveying his thoughts.

Soon, the Academy's front gate came into view, and there, many others were awaiting already. The other parties waited for their own members, and once everyone was there, they set off on their hunt for the day. As for Loganel, he could see the three familiar figures standing by the water fountain just inside the school campus and directly facing the front gate.

After seeing Azura, Loganel could finally confirm that her and Juliana had also upgraded their gear, with both of them no longer wearing shabby looking starting armor. They were now equipped more professionally.

"Everyone's here," Tetsuya smiled as he saw Loganel and Juliana approaching. "So, yesterday I accepted a request from the bulletin board. It's from a nearby village and it asks us to take care of a band of orcs that has been raiding the village. Everybody fine with that?"

Tetsuya looked around at everyone and they all expressed their approval. All but Loganel, who stared blankly into the empty space before him. He didn't have any objections, but he also doesn't have any approval. As if a lifeless machine, awaiting orders, he just waited. He could feel that something wasn't right. That something wasn't the same as it was prior to his injury. And when he finally realized what was wrong, the group had already reached the village that has sent out the request. It took them walking about two hours to reach the village, and investigating took the rest of the day since they had to go investigate the site of the raids and villagers' testimony.

"So it looks like there's about twelve of them," Tetsuya concluded that night.

The five of them were using the small cabin that the village elder had provided for them to use as a base. There, they discussed the results of the day's investigation and prepared plans for their future.

"So I think we should be fine," Tetsuya said. "I trust everybody here. That's why I believe we can do this. It won't be easy, but it's doable."

Four out of the five were huddled around the table in the center of the one room cabin. The only one that wasn't at the table was Loganel, who sat on the ground by the window with his sheathed sword in his arms. He looked out at the full moon and basked in its moonlight.

So that is what is wrong... Loganel thought to himself. He's the one making decisions now.

The boy glanced over at the brown haired stranger that has now became the center of their group. He is the core now, the fuel cell that allows the party to function. And Loganel, he's now an expendable. He's easily replaceable and not important.

Loganel sighed as he yawned. He was tired from the long trek they had participated in to reach their destination, and was ready for a long slumber until the son rises tomorrow morning and would need him to rise as well. He didn't want to rise, but society standards forced him to.

"So it's determined that the orcs' den is here," Tetsuya pointed to an area in the forest surrounding the village. "According to the villagers, these orcs built something like a fort here. So everybody must be on their guard. Got it?"

"Got it," Sherriel nodded, and the others did so as well.

"Alright everyone, let's all rest up," Tetsuya concluded the meeting. "We all have a long day before us tomorrow."

With the meeting over, it was now time for bed. Since this cabin was provided to them by Tetsuya asking the village elders for a place to stay the night, it was provided without notice so it lacked beds and other furniture since this cabin has just been recently built and was intended to be a village storage. However, with the nights being quite cold as summer gradually faded away, the five needed to stay warm as they slept. That was why the village elders lent the some blankets to use for the night. But, there was just one problem. There weren't enough for all five of them. There were only four blankets.

"Tetsuya will need one," Azura said, "he's the one that's leading us. If he gets sick then that'll affect our performance. Sherriel will need one since she's our main fire power. Juliana will need one since she's gonna be healing everybody and will require a large amount of Mana to be expended so letting her rest up is the ideal situation."

As she spoke, Azura passed the blankets around, and finally, there were just one but two people left. She looked over at Loganel, and Loganel closed his eyes.

I get it, he thought, you don't have to look at me like that. I know. I wasn't suppose to be here. I wasn't supposed to be here to disrupt your plannings. I'm expendable, so I know...

"I'll pass," Loganel said.

Is that my imagination but did Azura for a split second there appeared quite disappointed? What am I thinking? There's no way. Who would care for me other the Laurina and Redgilus? I'm just imagining things. There's no way they would care. I'm an expendable, someone that could be easily replaced. Just like how I was so easily replaced...

"But you just recovered from an injury," Juliana said.

"It's fine," Loganel forced a half-smile. "You said I just recovered from an injury, so I won't be the most efficient."

Don't cry...

"Plus, I don't know your strategies."

Keep it together. Keep your voice calm. Don't them let them see...

"So I won't know how to work with you guys."

Don't let the tears show...

"So it's best for me to just watch."

Don't...cry...

"Yeah," Loganel said, feeling that he won't be able to maintain that facade for any longer. "I'm not tired yet so I'll go take a walk outside. You guys could go to sleep. I'll be quite when I get back."

After that, he immediately left the vicinity of the cabin and into the woods. He could feel some tears rolling down the side of his cheeks but he didn't bothered with them. Instead, he continued walking until he came upon a small cliff that overlooked a forest. He sat down, and looked up at the gentle moon, whose lights shined on the tears in his eyes.

Yeah...I'm thinking about this way to much. Why did I even think that I was of any value to them in the first place? Isn't this the reason why I offered to stay behind in Ekeletas in the first place? So that is my role...a human shield...Feels kinda bad.

Loganel pulled the collars of his coat closer to his face, and hugged his legs close to his chest so as to preserve valuable body heat. Then, he closed his eyes as he prepared for a slumber.

Would they come for me when they realize that I didn't return when they wake up in the morning? What am I thinking about? Stop lying to yourself Loganel. You're pathetic. They only kept me because of guilt...God I'm pathetic...

And just like that, the boy dozed off in the cold, chilly night with some tears climbing down his cheeks slowly. All around him was silence, and the world lacked any color. The only colors were the gloomy shadows that was casted by the trees. and the cold, silver moonlight that is so comforting but stupidly cold.

***

"He...left," Azura said, she was dazed as to what has happened.

"..." Juliana was silent as she was still surprised by what Loganel had done. Because she was around him the longest, she could tell that something was bothering him. She's never seen him like that before in the past. It was almost as if he was on the verge of tears. This was something that only she could tell.

"He'll probably come back when he's feeling better," Tetsuya said trying to comfort the others as he prepared to lay down and sleep on the ground. "He's probably just not used to everything yet. He did just return from being unconscious for a few days. I think that's a normal reaction."

"You think so?" Juliana asked, as if trying to lie to herself for peace of mind.

"Probably," Tetsuya answered back. "We still have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Everybody rest up."

The rest of them did as Tetsuya suggested. They prepared their sleeping areas on the other side of the cabin from Tetsuya.

"He's kinda scary," Sherriel said as the three girls sat next to each other with their back against the wall.

"Who? Loganel?" Juliana asked.

"Yeah," Sherriel nodded. "He seems so cold and everything...Looking at him I could feel like an aura that is so forbidding and everything. It's like the direct opposite of Tetsuya. Loganel just feels...cold."

"He wasn't like that in the past," Juliana sighed. "He used to be more outgoing. That is until he was eight years old."

"What happened?" Sherriel asked.

Juliana looked at her curious look, and she peeked over at Azura, who was looking the other way but occasionally glancing at her.

"Well," Juliana, sensing that if she didn't tell them the story they wouldn't be able to sleep for the night gave in. "Loganel lost his memory."

"He lost his memory?" Sherriel exclaimed.

"Yeah," Julian recalled the past. "Before that, he used to be super kind and outgoing. But then after he lost his memory, his smiles just looked forced. Initially, he was super easily agitated and everything. We all thought he was going crazy. I overheard him one night when we were sleeping about how he has to find a way to get back. But to where he never said."

"So he was actually cute when he was a child?" Sherriel appeared shocked. "I thought he was like that in the past."

"He only began having that attitude after he was around twelve. You know...three years ago. It was super weird if you think about it. He just slowly became like that. His eyes just slowly became...that um...lifeless look?"

"And then?" Sherriel pressed Juliana for more.

"I think we should go to sleep," Azura suddenly interrupted. "We have a long day tomorrow so we all need to rest up."

"Alright," Sherriel whined.

"If we have time in the future," Juliana said, "and if you would like to listen, we can continue this."

"Great!" Sherriel smiled. "Goodnight everyone."

"Goodnight," the girls heard Tetsuya say.

"You're not asleep" Azura asked.

"No one could just fall asleep immediately you know?" Tetsuya explained. "Now, let's prepare for tomorrow."

Author's Note:

Hello everybody!! Please give me any criticisms or ENCOURAGEMENTS that you would like. I prefer encouragements though, but please point out any flaws in my story telling since that would help me improve. Thank you.

Also, please vote if you've enjoyed. Thanks everyone.