Amukelo stood there for a moment, feeling the cool breeze against his bruised skin as the girl finally released him from her embrace. There was a lingering sense of gratitude in her eyes, though a deeper, more guarded emotion flickered behind them—something he couldn't quite place.
Eliss glanced back toward the group of women who had been freed, her voice soft but steady as she said, "They also want to thank you." She waved gently toward the others, who had been standing back, watching Amukelo with wide, shy eyes.
One by one, they began to approach. Each woman offered him a quiet "thank you," their voices trembling with emotion, though some remained hesitant. They bowed respectfully before retreating, their expressions a mixture of relief and lingering fear. It was clear that these women had been through unimaginable horrors, and though they were free, the scars of their captivity would not fade so easily.
Amukelo watched them as they started to walk away, his heart heavy. He hadn't come here intending to save them, but now, seeing their fragile hope restored, he felt something stir deep inside him. A sense of purpose, perhaps. Or maybe it was just the quiet satisfaction of knowing he had made a difference, in someone's life.
As the women moved further away, Eliss remained by his side, her eyes lingering on the retreating figures. After a moment, she turned to Amukelo and asked, "Can I join?" She said as she waved at the bench opposite him.
Amukelo nodded, as he continued eating. And Eliss and Holag joined his table. After a moment of silence, Eliss asked "Where are you heading next?"
"Norton," Amukelo replied, his tone flat and unyielding. "Why do you ask?"
Eliss took a deep breath before answering. "I know you've already done more than enough... but these women need to be escorted back to their homes. They're from different places, and there are not enough soldiers to escort them all."
Amukelo's voice was harsh but not impolite. "So you want me to escort them back to their homes?" Eliss nodded, and after a pause, Amukelo continued. "I'm sorry, but I don't have time for that. I have important things to do, and my mission can't be delayed any longer."
Eliss's face softened, but there was still a resolve in her gaze. "We wanted to ask you for that at the beginning. But the fact that you're heading to Norton makes things a lot easier. Could you protect them while traveling there? I will be going to Norton too, and I could use my healing spells on you whenever I can."
Amukelo considered her words for a moment. His mind raced through the practicalities of his mission and the confrontation with Neclord that awaited him.
"I can't delay my arrival," he finally said, shaking his head. "I have very important things to do, and if you're with them, they'll be fine."
Eliss gave a sad, knowing smile and shook her head. "I'm not. Not alone. I won't be able to protect them. And could you really finish your business in your current state?" Her tone softened as she added, "If I regularly use my healing spells, you should be fully healed before we arrive."
Amukelo considered her words. He was still wounded, even with the potion's effects earlier. His left arm throbbed with a dull ache, and his body was battered from the relentless battle with the priest. If he went after Neclord in this state, the odds of success would be slim, even for someone as determined as him.
"You're right," Amukelo finally admitted, his voice low but firm. "As much as I want to finish this immediately... in my current state, it would be suicide."
Eliss let out a quiet sigh of relief, the tension easing from her shoulders. "Thank you," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "I don't think I could protect them alone." She gave a soft, awkward laugh, but there was something hollow in it—something forced. Amukelo noticed the way her gaze shifted, her laugh strained, and it left him with a strange feeling.
Amukelo's expression softened. He didn't know why, but something about her struck a familiar chord within him—a sense of isolation, of carrying a burden too heavy for one person to bear. He didn't understand her fully, but he felt as though, in some way, he could relate to her struggle.
After what felt like an endless silence, Amukelo finally turned to Holag, breaking the stillness. "So, what are you going to do now?" he asked, his tone casual but curious.
Holag, who had been staring off into the distance, blinked as if jolted back into the present. "I'm gonna get back to my village," he said, his voice sounding more resigned than he probably intended. "I'll train more, try to keep myself involved only in village affairs. I won't challenge strangers anymore."
Amukelo let out a dry chuckle, his lips curling into a sarcastic grin. "Why? You were doing fine," he teased, his tone dripping with mock encouragement.
Holag turned to face Amukelo, his expression a mixture of disbelief and exasperation. His eyes seemed to say, Seriously?
Amukelo leaned back on the bench. His eyes wandered, first to the group of girls they had saved, many of whom were now quietly resting, still trying to process their newfound freedom. Then his gaze shifted to Eliss, who was sitting beside him, her demeanor calm but her mind clearly elsewhere. "I guess it's not that bad after all," he murmured, his voice low, almost to himself.
Eliss, picking up on his quiet reflection, glanced over at him and asked, "Actually, I'm curious... why would you visit this settlement? It was suspicious from a mile away."
Amukelo didn't answer right away. Instead, he threw a glance at Holag, silently inviting him to explain. But Holag, clearly uncomfortable, avoided eye contact and suddenly stood up. "I just remembered... I have something to do," he mumbled awkwardly before quickly walking away, disappearing into the background like he wanted to melt into the shadows.
Both Amukelo and Eliss exchanged puzzled looks as they watched him shuffle off. "What was that about?" Eliss asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement.
Amukelo shook his head slightly, then began to recount the strange series of events that had led them there. "Well," he began, settling into his story, "Holag here thought it would be a great idea to block a bridge and challenge random people who wanted to cross. It so happened I was his victim."
Eliss's lips curled into a small smile, her interest piqued. "Really?"
"Yeah," Amukelo continued, his voice taking on a sarcastic edge. "His amazing skills—" he emphasized the words with an exaggerated tone "—consisted of him rushing at me, missing completely, and then falling into the river. He can't swim, so I had to rescue him." He chuckled, shaking his head. "We got soaked in these freezing conditions, and that's why we ended up here. Desperate for somewhere warm to dry off."
Eliss chuckled softly, covering her mouth as she stifled a louder laugh. "So... basically, it's thanks to him that we were saved?"
Amukelo shrugged, leaning forward on the table, his fingers absentmindedly tracing the grain of the wood. "I guess, in a roundabout way, yeah," he admitted. "Though I doubt that was his plan." His voice softened, and for a moment, the memory of the near-death encounter they had faced made him pause.
The brief silence between them lingered before Amukelo broke it again, this time turning the conversation toward Eliss. He looked at her, his eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to gauge her strength. "By the way," he began, his tone more sincere now, "you're really strong. You're younger than me, yet you were able to hold your ground against that priest. Not many people could do that." His voice softened as he asked, "How did you get so strong?"
Eliss's smile faded as quickly as it had appeared. Her body stiffened slightly, and her gaze drifted away from Amukelo, settling on a distant, blank spot on the table in front of her. The shift in her demeanor was subtle at first—a momentary pause that turned into a much longer silence. Her fingers, which had been resting loosely on the table, curled into her palms as if she were holding onto something deep within herself.
Her eyes, which had been steady and confident moments earlier, now glistened with the faintest trace of tears. She trembled, ever so slightly, as if her past was creeping up on her all over again.
For a long moment, she didn't speak. Amukelo could sense the weight of whatever was on her mind.
Eliss finally took a deep breath, as if she were preparing herself to reveal the reason. She parted her lips, ready to speak, but Amukelo, noticing her struggle, gently reached out, his voice soft and understanding.
"I understand," he said, interrupting her just before she could speak. His tone was calm, almost soothing. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."
The words hung in the air between them, offering a space of quiet understanding. Eliss closed her mouth, her shoulders visibly relaxing as the tension began to ease from her body. She blinked a few times, her eyes focusing back on the present, no longer lost in whatever dark memory had gripped her.
She nodded weakly "Okay," her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you," she said, her words carrying a deep sense of relief.
Amukelo gave her a small, reassuring nod, his expression softening. He didn't press her for more. Amukelo understood that kind of pain, the kind that eats away at you from the inside.