The fortress had crumbled into nothing but dust and shattered stone. Yeon-ah and Juna stood on the edge of the ruins, their bodies weary from the intense battle and the emotional toll that followed. The air around them was still thick with the remnants of the fortress's energy, but it was fading—slowly being swallowed by the endless expanse of the desolate world around them.
Yeon-ah's mind raced with the memory of the fortress and the challenges they had just overcome, but her thoughts kept drifting back to her mentor—the woman who had been with her since the beginning, guiding her through this forsaken world. She wasn't just an ally; she was someone who had taught Yeon-ah everything about survival. And now, despite the distance that sometimes hung between them, she was still out there.
"Do you think she's okay?" Juna asked, her voice hesitant. She was clearly thinking the same thing, her eyes darting toward the horizon where the silhouette of the mountains loomed.
Yeon-ah's jaw clenched. "She's fine," she said, her tone more forceful than she intended. "She always is."
It wasn't that Yeon-ah doubted her mentor's strength. The woman—who still hadn't revealed her name—was a force of nature. But there was something about the way she had walked away before the fortress's destruction, as if she was holding back some part of herself. Yeon-ah had noticed it, but she didn't push.
"She didn't come back to check on us," Juna said softly. "Why do you think that is?"
Yeon-ah stared out into the distance, her mind turning over that very question. Why didn't she come back? The woman always stayed close by, always kept an eye on them from the shadows. But this time, after the fight with the fortress, she was nowhere to be seen.
"She's probably scouting ahead," Yeon-ah said finally, not wanting to admit the uneasy feeling creeping up on her. "Making sure the area's safe."
Juna nodded, but her expression was still clouded with uncertainty. "She's strong, isn't she? The way she fights… it's like nothing I've ever seen."
"She is," Yeon-ah agreed, her voice quiet. "She's… different."
They both fell into silence again as they made their way down the broken path, the weight of the recent battle still hanging over them. As they walked, Yeon-ah found herself thinking back to the first time she met the woman who would become her mentor.
Flashback: The First Encounter
It was months ago, maybe longer, though time had a way of blurring in this apocalyptic wasteland. Yeon-ah had been alone, scavenging for supplies in the ruins of a once-bustling city. She had thought she was alone, that no one else could survive in the harsh, unforgiving world. But then, out of the shadows, she appeared.
At first, Yeon-ah had been wary. The woman didn't speak much—if at all—and she was always on edge, her hand never far from the hilt of her sword. But there was something about the way she moved, the way she watched over Yeon-ah, that made it clear she wasn't just some random survivor.
The woman had saved her life that day. When a pack of scavengers had cornered Yeon-ah, ready to tear her apart for the meager supplies she had gathered, the woman had appeared, swift and deadly, cutting them down with practiced precision. After that, she didn't leave.
They didn't talk much in those early days. Yeon-ah had wanted to ask her name, but something about the woman's demeanor kept her from prying. She didn't need to know. What mattered was that they were surviving together.
Present
Yeon-ah shook herself from the memory, her eyes narrowing as they neared a small outcropping of rocks that would provide shelter for the night. The sun was setting, casting a fiery glow across the desolate landscape, and the cold would soon set in.
"We'll stop here," Yeon-ah said, her voice firm. "Get some rest before we move on."
Juna didn't argue, her body visibly sagging with exhaustion as she sank down onto a flat rock. "Do you think we'll see her again soon?" she asked quietly, still thinking of the mysterious woman.
Yeon-ah hesitated, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "She'll find us when she's ready."
But as they settled in for the night, a strange feeling gnawed at Yeon-ah. There was something about the woman—about the way she had been acting lately—that didn't sit right with her. The woman was always distant, always cold, but there had been moments when Yeon-ah had caught a glimpse of something more. Something hidden beneath the surface.
Maybe it was time to stop waiting for answers and start asking questions.