"Okay fine, so where are we now?" I rolled my eyes. This man was utterly helpless.
"Oh, we're deeper in the forest behind a waterfall," he smiled while answering me. It was just like I thought.
"How do you leave without getting wet?" No matter how I looked at it, the water was like an impenetrable wall blocking any and everything, crashing to the smooth rocks below with exceptional force.
"Oh, there's a passage at the other end that I used to enter and leave," He said. Having all the answers I wanted I went back to my now dry clothes, I dropped the blanket to the floor and started pulling on my clothes.
"I-I-I-Indigo, what the hell!?" I glanced back, seeing his face flush for the umpteenth time this evening as he shielded his eyes. His reaction puzzled me. It was the first time someone showed such common courtesy to me, I was used to being sent lustful gazes and eyes that scanned my body with no shame. Was this what people called a gentleman? A few prostitutes had spoken of a few existences who were courteous, though I wrote it off as their own fantasies. Wishing for more than they could have in that hellhole.
"Alphar, you're a weird one," I smiled lightly, continuing to pull on my clothes.
"Huh, how so?" I didn't answer his question. After finishing putting on my clothes, I sat back down.
"I'm done," He didn't reply, uncovering his eyes and redirecting them towards me. "Where's the passage?" He got up and led me to a small corridor leading to the outside world.
"Thank you for treating me, I'll be on my way now," I dropped those words and got ready to walk around the enormous lake outside the waterfall.
"Wait!" He yelled to me, I turned raising my brow. He blushed again, putting down the hand he rose to reach towards me. "Um... I don't know your situation, but it seems like you're running? I see guards patrolling the forest all day, so it might be dangerous for you to leave,"
I raised my brown even further and clenched my teeth. I knew this would happen, but I never expected them to act so fast. "What are you implying?"
"Well, I think you should stay here for a while it's quite hidden from outsiders and fairly deep in the forest and you can treat your wounds before you go." He grinned, I could never understand people who always smiled did they not tire of it?
I tapped my chin in contemplation. It wasn't an awful idea, I could stay and wait for things to simmer down and when it did, I would head to Falcosia. This would also be a suitable environment to train more. I sighed in resignation, "Okay, thank you Alphar" I outstretched my hand to him. He looked down in confusion and glanced back up at me questioningly.
"To our peaceful coexistence," I threw him a soft smile, his sunny eyes instantly brightened, he grabbed my hand in both of his with a surprising crushing force as an angelic smile pulled at the corner of his lips his milky white canine peeking through his plump lips. How could someone have such a pure and jubilant smile in such a twisted world? Was this merely a mask, a way to hide his wickedness? I nodded, reaching an adequate conclusion. This was the only explanation.
Over the next couple of days, I waited for my wounds to heal while Alphar hunted for our food. I tried contacting Al constantly, but I was never replied to. I discovered a way to heal faster by coagulating the blood of my wounds to speed up the healing process and stop bleeding while I lazed around bored the entire day having nothing to do. Three weeks later, my wounds healed.
I breathed in deeply, standing outside the waterfall, taking in the cold woody aroma unique to the forest. Cool wind brushed against my cheek, sweeping my hair along with it. I tucked the stray strands of hair behind my ear. The moonlight danced on the lake's surface that churned with the waterfall's gushing water. I stared into the distance, emotions streaking across my eyes.
"I'm gonna start my training today," I said to Alphar who was standing beside me not uttering a word.
"It's night," I smiled bitterly at his reply. Noticing I would not reply, he continued, "Do you need help?" I felt his soft gaze on me, but I didn't return his glance. I knelt, flicking the freezing lake water with my fingers.
"No, I'll be fine at most, you can be my sparring partner," I stared at the moon's reflection in the clear lake as I replied to him. Alphar knelt beside me, following my line of sight to stare at the reflection. Silence fell between us for a few minutes as we both stared at the moon, or rather the mirroring of it.
"Do you like the moon?" his voice was low and husky, unlike his usual bright voice. I moved my eyes from the lake and trailed it to the sky, I released a soft sigh before standing up and dusting my skirt off.
"Why won't you reply to me? Why are you so down? You can talk to me," He placed a hand on my shoulder, turning me around.
"I.... just don't want to talk right now?" I replied, flinging his hand from my shoulder.
"Why is that?"
"You ask too many questions,"
"Can't you be a little nicer, we've lived together for a while no-"
I cut him off "Correction we've coexisted with one another, I'm grateful for all your help these few weeks, however, we are hardly on friendly enough terms to share our life story and I think you of all people who won't tell me your real name nor tell me who you are should understand,"
"But I-"
"No buts, I don't blame you for it. Just don't expect me to spill my guts to you or trust you because I don't and you shouldn't trust me either. Trust is hardly a thing earned over a couple weeks,"
"I just wanted to know what was bothering you," he defended
"And I'm trying to tell you what's bothering me is personal and not something I will share," he lowered his head, dejected. Finishing my speech, I walked to the damp waterfall ledge. I plopped to the ground cross-legged, closing my eyes in meditation. Tonight I planned on trying to absorb the mana stones, I pulled them from my pocket holding them in my hands as I sunk into my mana core.
'Indigo, you will not mourn?' Al's voice rang for the first time in ages, still holding that endless indifference.