I woke up next to Scylica, on her bed. Her arm wrapped around my neck like a hook as if I was her prize.
I turned towards her snoozing face and lighted up my the tip of my finger with fire magic.
I sway the dim light across her face.
Her anguished face was revealed. Two streaks of darkish lines trailed down from the corner of her eyes. She must've been worried about me.
This is all my fault... She had to fight because I was weak...
I will become a man deserving of her! Starting now!
I slid out of her arm and carefully limped my way to the door, as I do not want to cause any disturbances.
"Ssss..." I held my stomach.
I could still feel the bruise. That damn cowgirl really packed a punch.
*Creek!*
Oh crap! I forgot...
A pale hand suddenly placed itself on my shoulder. It was shivering with heat. A sign of weakness.
"Where are you going in the middle of the night...?" She breathed heavily.
"I just need to use the restroom..."
"I'll come too..."
"W-what? No! I need my privacy."
"It's okay... I'll stay right outside the restroom."
"No, no, just stay here. You don't have to smell the lovely things that I excrete..."
"Oh Jin, you're so silly..." She wraps her arm around my waste, trying to pull me back.
"Ahaha..."
"What are you going to excrete when you haven't eaten anything all day?" She pats Jin's flat stomach.
She pays an unusual amount of attention to me...
"I-Im just going out for a hunt..."
"And not to be with some other woman?"
"What? I would never!"
"Then why did you lie!"
She pulls me back in by force and shuts the door. We stood in the darkness as she hugs me tightly.
"I just wanted to go hunt alone without being a burden to you..."
"Oh... Jin you're so sweet! But know that you'll never be a burden to me. I feel a lot better when you're next to me. So never leave me, okay?"
"Okay..." I held her shivering hand with mine.
"Let's go back to sleep. I'll cook you supper tomorrow and then we can go hunting together."
I followed her back to bed and we slept soundly.
---
A cold morning arose. It was silent as the autumn breeze forbidded insects and birds alike from their usual chirping.
I opened my eyes to a beautiful maiden dressed in a brown and greenish leafy suit, certainly made for camouflage.
She had cooked up supper just like she promised. The porridge steamed away as she prepares another camouflage suit, probably for me.
She notices my wide-open eyes.
"Eat up, we don't have much time." She throws a soft smile to my heart.
Her smile makes me feel bubbly inside...
I quickly got up and ate the warm soup.
Nothing beats the kind of food made with love and effort!
By the time I finished eating, she had also finished my ghillie- the camouflage suit.
"Hurry!" She sounded cute but demanding at the same time.
We stepped outside and she had already laid out our preferable weapons.
I picked up the crossbow and a sword while she carried a traditional bow and two daggers.
She held my hand, and we headed to the left side of the trail in front of our little home, opposite of the Magic Academy.
I decided to ask her a few questions as we made our way through the autumn forest.
"I figured you got these weapons from your dad too?"
"Nope."
"Then who was it?"
"My mom."
"Your mom was a craftsman?"
"Well, she had to be. My dad always brings back rare materials but we had no money, so she decided to take matters into her own hands."
"Why didn't you continue to live with your mom?"
"She left with my dad."
"What?! How could they both leave you?!"
"It's fine, because I have you now!"
"W-wha..." I fell silent.
She sure has her ways with words.
We walked for many hours...
"Are we there yet?" I asked.
She replied, "Almost."
We walked a few more minutes. The orange, red, and yellow leaves flew by us like always.
As we arrived atop a hill, she finally spoke up again.
"Now we're here! This is a special hunting ground that my dad had always taken me when I was a toddler."
"Wow... it's beautiful..."
Atop the the hill, we could see the withering trees below and three rivers that separated the whole forest. And even further in the distance, like multiple mountains of distance, there was a giant tree larger than any creature I have ever saw. It's branches pierced through the heavens, and its gigantic roots could be seen breaking the earth itself.
Seen as some grey blurs, the creatures roaming below were huge oddities that bore tusks the size of a steel wagon. They traveled in herds of five and often protected their young in the middle.
Far to the right, a pack of humongous land-birds rested together. They must be trying to stave of the cold.
Far to the left, where there were no trees at all, a bright blue circle was opened. It emitted a weak magical energy that traveled far and wide.
"I could see a few shadows coming through that light. What are those?" I turned towards Scylica.
"Our prey." She grins.