I couldn't see two feet in front of me.
I guess that was to be expected, it was called The Veiled Woods for a reason. The reason being the veil of fog that hung over the forest at all times. It made sense that Arin would be hiding out here, it would be hard for anyone to track him here.
Thankfully we had Yuna, who insisted that she knew how to navigate any forest.
"We're lost," Yuna announced and I had to stop myself from facepalming. I had forgotten that Yuna was an idiot.
"May I lead the way now?" Sasaki asked "I had to come through here once when I first left Izuna"
"Why didn't you say that when we got here?" I asked and Sasaki laughed.
"I thought it was cute how excited Yuna was to lead us" Sasaki flirted and Yuna smiled at Sasaki.
"Oh Sasaki...not in a million years" she replied with a small smile and Sasaki shrugged.
"Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying," Sasaki defended and I felt a sense of dread coming on.
"There's a time and place for this people, Sasaki lead the way," Loki ordered and Sasaki nodded before walking ahead.
"This way, we can ask for directions at the harbor," he said as we followed after him, trying not to lose him in the fog. I decided to pull out my dagger and Yuna looked at me.
"Danger?" she asked and I nodded.
"Oh yeah, the most dangerous monster of all," I replied and she looked worried.
"What is it?" she asked, clearly terrified.
"Boredom," I replied and she began to pout at me.
"That was mean," she pouted and I laughed at her.
We continued to walk and I couldn't get over the sense of dread I was feeling, I could tell that Sasaki was a little jumpy too. He must have noticed it as well.
Loki and Christa were too focused on being in love to pay attention, seriously could those two just get married already, and Yuna was being as dumb as usual so she was gonna be no help. Also, I'm pretty sure she's mad at me, probably over that joke I played on her. Whatever it was still funny, but now I had nobody to talk to.
Instead, I focused on listening. The rustling leaves, the wind, the chirping birds, Yuna's screams of terror. Wait what was that last one.
Yuna shrieked as something sprung out of the treeline and grabbed her.
"Yuna!" I shouted and tried to reach for her hand but she was pulled away before I could reach her.
"Yuna!" Christa yelled as she started to run after her, after we lost sight of her she screamed as well, and then it was just Me, Loki, and Sasaki.
"What the hell is going on?" I asked and Sasaki shook his head.
"I have no idea, this didn't happen when I first came through here," Sasaki explained before what looked like a hand grabbed his ankle and he was dragged away.
"Jun stay where I can see you," Loki ordered and I nodded.
"Yeah okay," I replied before another strange hand grabbed Loki "Loki!"
I tried to grab his hand but I was too late, he was gone. I had lost all of them, I had lost everybody again.
Suddenly my body felt weak and I collapsed, the darkness closing in around me.
____________________
"And stay out you worthless little shit!" my mother yelled as she tossed me out of our home and into the streets.
"You can come back when you're good for something!" my father yelled from inside the house, probably still drunk.
And just like that, I was on my own, at the time I didn't quite get it. I was only six years old after all, what the hell did I know right.
Instead of leaving like they wanted I curled up by the steps, this had happened before but they always let me back in after a while.
Not this time though, the door never opened back up that night. I waited for another day, the door still didn't open. One more day, just one more day.
The door never opened.
On the fourth day I finally gave up, I got on my feet and started to walk away. Maybe if I begged someone would be willing to give me some food. I doubted it though, people weren't that kind, even at six years old I knew that much. People only spoke to other people for one reason, they wanted something in return for that time spent talking to you.
Nobody would want to help some worthless street urchin but I figured I'd give it a shot.
"Go bother somebody else you little shit!"
"Nobody cares about your problems!"
"I don't have anything worthless enough to give to something like you!"
"You're not worth my time!"
"Get away you disgusting little shit!"
"Just go away!"
Those were just a few responses I got used to hearing, I expected it sure but it still stung. I was out of options. I had no water, no food, no shelter, I had nothing. I wouldn't last long like this, and people weren't kind enough to give things away.
So instead I took them away.
"Hey get back here" the vendor shouted as I ran away with my prize. Two loaves of bread, some water, and 3 apples. it wasn't a lot, but it was enough.
Once I had lost the vendor I slipped into an alleyway and jumped down into my hideout, it was a fairly large room that was an extension of the city sewer system. It smelled like death but nobody else knew about it so it was fine. It's not like I had another option.
I began to eat, scarfing everything down in about 2 minutes. I still felt hungry but I couldn't be greedy, they'd catch me if I went twice in the same day.
Usually, I was better at not getting caught, I must have been off my game today. Whatever though, everything was fine.
That's what I told myself at least.
____________________
I awoke with a start, why was I remembering that now of all times. I looked around at my surroundings, I appeared to be in some sort of hut. My eyes suddenly widened and I shot up.
What happened to the others? Were they okay? Where were they? Were they here too? Did those things take me here or was I saved by someone else? If it's the latter did he save the others too?
These questions rang through my mind until I heard coughing. I turned to the open door to see a large man in silver steel paladin armor walk in, he had sandy blonde hair and brown eyes and looked to be about the same height as Sasaki.
"Oh good, you're awake," the man said as he sat down on the chair next to the bed. "are you okay?"
"Where are my friends?" I asked and the man frowned.
"If they were taken by the things I saved you from I think I know where they are," the knight said and I smiled a bit.
"Do you think they're okay?" I asked and he nodded.
"Yeah but not for long, I'll go get them, please wait here," the knight said and I stood up and put on my jacket.
"No I'm coming with you," I said and the knight stood up.
"Please stay here where it's safe," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder which I slapped away.
"I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not. I was never asking," I told him and he sighed.
"Just stay close, and keep your weapons drawn at all times," he said and I nodded, drawing my two daggers and following the paladin out the door and into the forest.
"So what's your name?" I asked and he didn't look at me.
"Can't say," he replied and I scoffed.
"Well Mr. Can't Say I'm Jun," I greeted sarcastically and the paladin groaned at my antics, I on the other hand took a bit of pride in my ability to piss him off.
"Anyways, your friends were taken by a group I refer to as the "Others" they're a small tribal group of people that live here, they use a form of magic to make trees attack and kidnap people," the paladin explained and I nodded.
"Why do they kidnap people?" I asked and the paladin sighed.
"Because they're cannibals," he said and I froze up for a second before regaining my composure. If that was true it means that the others were in danger if I didn't save them.
"Well then come on, let's pick up the pace!" I urged and the paladin sighed before jogging ahead of me.
After a while, we came across a small camp and the paladin signaled for me to stop.
"This is their camp?" I asked and the paladin nodded.
"Yeah, it is" he whispered and drew his sword and shield.
"A frontal assault huh?" I asked and he sighed.
"I'm not exactly built for stealth," he said referring to his heavy armor and weapons.
"Fair enough," I replied as we rushed into the other camp.
"It's the paladin again!" one of the Others yelled as a few archers took shots, the paladin pulled me behind him and put up his shield, blocking the arrows from hitting us. After the barrage ended I jumped out from behind him and used one of my spells.
"Sokudo!" I yelled and I quickly sped up to the Others and skillfully killed them while the paladin slammed his shield into one of them and stabbed another with his greatsword.
We continued to run through the camp until we came across a cage. And I quickly noticed my friends were among the people captive inside of it.
"Hey, guys!" I yelled, getting their attention.
"Jun? I was wondering where the hell you were," Loki greeted as he stood up, I quickly knelt by the lock and began to pick it.
It was pretty easy all things considered and suddenly the lock was opened.
"Thanks for the save," Sasaki said as he stretched and suddenly the paladin showed up and tossed everyone their weapons.
"Let's move," he said as he led us through the camp again and back to his hut.
After we got back he closed the door and we all sat down, trying to catch our breath. Exhausted by the events that just occurred.
"Hey Jun, how did you not get caught like us?" Christa asked and I gestured to the paladin, "He saved me, I was unconscious when it happened though"
"I see," Loki said and he stood up and walked over to the paladin, offering him a handshake "thank you very much for your help"
"Prince Loki!?" the paladin shouted as he fell back and I immediately knew who this guy was. Loki's hood was up so that means he recognized him by voice alone, he would have had to have been familiar with the voice of the second prince.
"So my hunch was right," I stated and the paladin looked at me.
"What hunch!" he yelled and I stepped back.
"we've been looking for you for some time," Loki said as he offered the man a hand up "it's great to meet you, Arin"
"Shut up!" Arin yelled as he slapped Loki's hand away. "I won't let you take me"
Arin then grabbed his sword and tried to strike Loki but Sasaki stepped in the way.
"You will not harm my master," Sasaki stated as Christa prepared a spell.
"binden," she said and suddenly Arin was tied up in a strange magical rope. He tried to struggle free but it was useless.
"Relax Arin," I said "We're not here to take you"
"Then why are you here?" he asked, finally calming down a bit as Loki stood back up.
"We're here to ask for your help," Loki said as he showed Arin his wanted poster.
"So you wanna hide out with me?" Arin asked in disgust.
"No, I was falsely accused of killing my mother and father and need your help to clear my name, in return I'll help you clear your name," Loki offered and Arin's eyes widened.
"How did you know?" he asked and Loki laughed.
"Just a gut feeling," he replied.
"Find someone else," Arin said and Loki shook his head.
"There is no one else," he replied as the ropes around Arin disappeared. "So you have two options, you can either stay here and waste your life hiding from the consequences of a crime you didn't even commit. Or you can come with us and reclaim the throne while also, in turn, proving your innocence and getting your old life back"
Arin stared at the prince for a moment before Loki continued.
"The best option feels pretty obvious to me but hey, I'll leave that up to you," Loki said and I knew he had him.
The prince was a damn good negotiator, he was gonna be great in politics.
"Alright Loki, I'm in, you lead I'll follow," Arin said and Loki smiled.
"We're glad to have you onboard, Arin Lockhart" Loki replied "we'll rest up here and leave tomorrow, is that alright with everyone"
"I only have the one bed," Arin pointed out and Sasaki laughed
"Dude I'm just happy to not be sleeping in the snow anymore," he said and I chuckled at his joke.
I laid back on the floor, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in before rolling over and seeing Yuna staring at me.
"Yuna?" I asked, looking around. I must have been trying to sleep for longer than I thought because everyone other than us was already asleep.
"I never thanked you for rescuing us," Yuna said and I smiled slightly.
"Yeah yeah whatever" I replied and she frowned.
"I'm serious, you know they would've eaten us right?" she asked and I nodded. "so thanks"
She suddenly kissed me on the forehead and went to bed, and at that moment two thoughts were running through my head.
One, she was totally into me.
Two, I was totally into her.
...I'm not sleeping tonight.