"Did you hear that?" Julian whispered.
"Yeah."
The two of them stood back to back. Julian slowly unsheathed his sword, while Cerat held two daggers up, with an icepick grip.
"Fuck, it's just kids? This'll be easier than I thought."
A single man walked out of the bushes, with a cocky smile. He wore light armor, with a large sword in his hand. There was a bag on him, as well.
"I'm sorry about this, kids. But, I'll have to kill you now."
He dashed at them.
[Cast: Frostbite Chains]
In an instant, chains of ice rose from the ground. The man was stopped in his tracks.
"Eh?-"
One clean swipe. An execution.
The man's head flew into the air, along with the blood, spewing all over the place. Cerat caught it.
"Is everyone gonna be this weak?" Cerat sighed.
"Surviving 7 days is gonna be a breeze with you here."
"Ah! He had some food in his bag!"
"Don't eat it all, fatty..."
. . .
. .
.
Night fell rather quickly.
"This bio looma nescent or whatever is like a natural night light, huh?" Cerat said.
Julian ignored Cerat's comment. "We'll need to start moving soon. To find the exit of this forest."
The two of them lied in the grass, staring at the sky.
"Cerat, where are you from?" Julian asked.
"Why are you trying to get all sentimental with me all of a sudden?"
"I'm just trying to spark of conversation."
"... Dragons like me are nomadic. But I'd say the skies were our home."
"Were?"
"Dragons are a thing of the past. At least on this continent."
"Wait... you know of the demon continent?"
"I'm surprised a human such as yourself knows."
"I'm from Earth."
"Earth? Never heard of it."
"It's... erm... pretty far from here."
Julian scratched his head, rolling to his side on the grass.
"What's it like?"
"It's really advanced. Photography, video games, things you couldn't even imagine."
Cerat listened intently.
"I'm starting to miss it."
"Why'd you leave?" Cerat asked.
"That... I'm still figuring it out. But, I think it was for the better. I was weak back then."
"You still are, though?"
"Yeah. But, you don't understand. Things were so much easier back then. I took it all for granted. Now everything's so scary. Death, all of that. Who the hell would want to die? I can't even use mana or casts. So I only have one choice."
"What is that choice, exactly?"
"To become strong. With my own strength."
"That doesn't make sense. Becoming strong with your own strength?"
"You get what I mean, right?"
"I don't."
Julian sighed.