The moon was at its highest point and close to the cave where Hiro was. The same woman was still standing watch, looking serious and deep in thought, remembering what happened when she went to inform the village chief about the human who was able to pass the barriers without any problems.
Female voice:
'Chief, I have to report a huma...!'
Male voice:
'First, don't shout in the room.'
'Take a seat and calmly tell me what happened.'
Female voice:
'It's about a human who was able to find the beginning of the river.'
'He even passed the barriers without any problem.'
Male voice:
'According to what you're telling me, someone broke through the barriers and.... Is that being a human?'
Female voice:
'That's right. I've been watching him from the time he found the source of the river until he reached the edge of the first barrier. And, from what I could see, it's someone normal, in other words, an ordinary human.'
Male voice:
'Tell me, what's the problem?'
With a confused face, the woman looked at the village chief, who remained seated.
'Oh yeah?'
Female voice:
'What's the problem?'
Male voice:
'I'll ask you again: what is the problem? From what I hear, he's an ordinary human. While it's interesting that he got through the barrier without any trouble, he's still someone who poses no danger to the village.'
Female voice:
'Why...!'
Male voice:
'Do you still hate humans, Liora?'
Liora:
'No! That's just...'
Male voice:
'You're still young, Liora. Relax. If you're so worried about that human...'
Liora:
'Worry me?'
Male voice:
'It is decided. To prevent the human from causing trouble, you will keep an eye on him and help him if necessary.'
Liora:
'Watching him I understand, but helping him? Why?'
Male voice:
'Since he is a human, his chances of surviving in our territory are low. This will also help you learn more about them and what they are like.'
'You are tasked to keep an eye on the human and help him if necessary, do you agree?'
Liora accepted the mission given to her by the village chief, albeit with an annoyed and displeased expression. She kept an eye on Hiro without taking her eyes off him. As the days passed, she saw that he couldn't get any food, so she helped him by leaving him some fish without him noticing, while keeping her distance. Unnoticed, a week passed in which she watched him and helped him anonymously.
Liora:
'In a way, this is getting boring. I wonder, how did he get to this place? And even more curious, how has he managed to survive in this great valley?'
'It's been a whole week already and this human still hasn't managed to catch anything, but he has managed to find fruits he can eat.'
'What bothers me the most is that he uses my artifacts and the cave as if they were his own, but I can't claim anything! Damn you!'
Liora grumbled to herself as Hiro organized the artifacts, thinking about which ones might be useful to defend himself in case something happened.
Hiro (shudders):
'I feel like someone is talking about me, why would that be?'
'No! I must concentrate on organising these artefacts.'
'First, the metal bars. Although they appear to be made of gold, they are a bit heavy for me. I would have to carry them in some other way to make them useful. Another problem is that they have no edge. Discarded.'
'Next... Is it going to be a helmet? Wait a minute... Are you serious? It's a helmet! Although it's not as heavy as the gold bars, it's somewhat light. What's most striking are the horns, each in a different colour.'
'On closer inspection, they are crystals. The first horn has a red colour and the second is purple. Will they be of any use or are they just for decoration?'
'They seem to be the most decent of all the artifacts and the one that might protect me from a few blows to the head.'
Thinking:
'Decided, I'll use it.'
He rummaged through the artefacts for quite a while and found nothing else he could use, until he exhausted himself looking for some fruits to eat. He sat in front of the desk, immersed in his memories, remembering that he hasn't eaten meat for two days, and the fish no longer magically appear. Since he found the fruits, he has only eaten fruits, as he hasn't been able to catch any fish.
Hiro:
'The sun is already setting. I will come out of the cave to see.'
...
'Ha... even a sunset is beautiful, even if it's not in my world.'
'This world creates a sea of doubt in me. How did I get here? Why am I in this world? What is my purpose?'
...
'But I must not be sad. Whether it is my path or not, I will have to move on. In the end, that's what I have left, isn't it?'
'It's time for me to get in. It's getting dark in the cave.'
Once inside, he tried to remember his list. He wondered if he should look for more food or something for protection. He decided on food, as nothing ensured that fruits would always be available. He looked at the artifacts again.
Hiro:
'There must be something to catch those fish... a net or something similar.'
'Not this... not this either...'
Searching...
'I found it! This can really be of great help in catching those damn fish at once.'
Having found what he was looking for, he set everything up for the next day, as it was evening and it had been a tiring day for Hiro, who was on and off. He prepared to sleep and regain energy, as the next day would also be hard. From outside, Liora, who was watching from a tree, started yawning and prepared to sleep as well.