Alden was too exhausted to dodge the bear's assault, so he decided to just meet it head-on. His sword was nearby but he wouldn't have swung it in time.
He liked his limbs, but he also liked living as well.
"Dai-"
Alden started to shout but was cut off when a large beast leaped out of the shadows. It went straight for the bear's throat with its jaws and slammed its paw against the bear's head at the same time.
It was Geri, Alden soon realized, he had opted for the last-minute save.
"That was close, looks like he finally came back." Alden sighed in relief as he went to start the fire again.
Geri didn't bother to eat much from the bear, it was not to his taste. He also did not want to eat Alden's kills either, it was a good thing he had hunted his fill before.
Alden sat back against a tree and held his sword close. Soon after, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. He trusted Daiyu to make Geri protect him, even if they didn't like each other.
When morning came, Alden felt a soft tapping on his face. He was still tired but the smell of the animal corpses around them was starting to get pungent.
"Good morning, Huginn."
CAW! Huginn happily flapped her wings in response.
"…Geri."
"…" Geri didn't even turn his head.
Daiyu was watching the sunrise when Alden walked up next to her. She collected herself before turning and greeting him.
"All I knew was that hill, for an eternity…I saw the first people settle and make what would become your village. You were all I ever knew of people. I can't help being a little anxious about where we are going."
"You and me both. I only recall being amazed by the mining town, it'll be interesting with my more modern memories. But I do wonder…do gods sleep?"
Daiyu was surprised by Alden's question but gave a small laugh. It wasn't something she thought he would ever ask.
"Of course not, what are we? Human?"
Daiyu brushed it off and shortly returned to the campsite, leaving Alden to think on his own.
"…all those years, and beyond. Have you been awake and alone for that long? We've always shunned and feared the cursed tree too. No, I guess it doesn't matter anymore. I'm the only one left."
Before they left, there was one last thing to do. Alden took a roll of cloth from the sack he had scrounged from the village. He carefully ripped it up and wrapped it over his right eye.
"Normal humans don't have red eyes in both of my sets of memories. They may mistake me for being part demon, …although my skill does say that."
"You won't be able to use its full capabilities if it's covered."
Daiyu frowned as if she were a little peeved at Alden for covering her eye.
"Sometimes, it's too much information. It's too disorienting, I'll have to cover one at a time unless I gain more abilities for my eye."
"Just watch yourself, I don't know if I'll be able to find another like you."
"That makes me a little happy to hear, and I trust you to warn me of danger nearby. I think I can try to get Huginn in too."
Alden chuckled as he brushed off Daiyu's concerns, she was most definitely long-lived but also quite naive of the world as well.
With that, Alden got on Geri's back and there were off. When they got to a certain area, Alden got off Geri and prepared to walk the rest of the way.
"Geri, watch the outskirts of the city for any dangerous animals or monsters. Defeat them if you can. I'll send Huginn to get you when we're ready to leave."
Without a sound, Geri turned and went off into the woods. There shouldn't have been any sorts of dangers here, but this was the frontier and anything could happen.
"Hmm, the town's walls look intact. I guess they didn't attack this place yet." Alden breathed a sigh of relief as the town came into view.
Stonevalley was a mining town near a ravine that had appeared when an earthquake happened some decades ago. From this town, many villages like Alden's had sprung up and it was also their lifeline to the rest of the kingdom.
"Hello there! And who are you supposed to be!?"
One of the two guards nudged the other and they both walked up to Alden with an incredulous look on their faces.
This young man had walked up to the town looking roughed up and smelling of blood. He appeared to be missing an eye and a bird that was an omen of death was on his shoulder.
"My name is Alden, and I come from the village near the hills that border the edge of Greishir. I have grave news, I am the only survivor after Greishir forces wiped out my village!"
"Greishir forces!? That would be an act of war, are you sure it was them?"
The guard was taken aback in disbelief, their kingdom of Malvri had an uneasy relationship with the kingdom of Greishir. A surprise invasion would most likely mean all their deaths since the Malvri forces would need time to arrive.
"Oh, and don't worry about Huginn here. She's my partner, she won't bite. Unless someone tries anything of course."
"Of course… that thing better not be relieving itself all over town!"
CAAWW!
"You need to speak to the mayor! But first, fix yourself up! Lord knows you need to wash up! We'll get you an escort, we don't know if this is a Greishir ploy!"
Alden nodded in agreement and was finally allowed inside. One of the guards went with him and spoke to a colleague inside who was given the duty of following Alden.
"These traces… interesting, I didn't think I'd discover an Apostle was here! Which god are you working for!?"
A mysterious cloaked figure had just arrived at the site where Alden and Daiyu were hours ago. He noted the carnage and dead beasts all strewn about everywhere.
"My lord must be informed of this immediately, oh well I'll just send you in my place. A deal is a deal after all hahaha."
The cloaked figure laughed as dark magic started to flow from him and into the various corpses in the area.
"Go on, devastate them! Flush out the Apostle if you can!"