Then, a loud thud reverberated through the air, and when Abell opened his eyes, his mother, Keeko, was standing in front of him. The Malignant was pinned against a tree, motionless.
"Abell," Keeko quietly muttered with a smile on her face. "WHAT WAS THAT? ARE YOU TRYING TO GET YOURSELF HURT, THAT PLAN WAS UTTERLY RECKLESS." She exclaimed with a most furious expression. "I've told you, always pay attention to your surroundings and your enemies. You know your sword has a limited duration, but you still don't pay attention to it." Shaking her head while her arms folded, she continued to scold him.
Abell wasn't paying attention to her. He was too relieved the battle was over. He couldn't help but smile, pride swelling in his chest. But she wasn't done.
"Are you even listening, young man?" she demanded, her tone sharp.
Hugo, still watching from the side, clapped slowly, impressed. "Amazing. No wonder you've kept him hidden," he said, his voice filled with admiration.
Before Keeko could respond, the village elder approached, his voice full of gratitude. "Thanks to you both, we're safe. Tonight, we feast in your honor!"
Keeko smiled, glancing at her son with pride. "Always happy to help," she replied, her voice softening as she turned to the elder.
As the elder rambled on, Abell used the moment to slip away, hoping to escape his mother's wrath.
"Where are you going sir?" A silent voice said.
Abell froze, hoping it was not his mother when he turned around it was the mysterious man named Hugo.
"What's it to you, old man? I'm just looking for a place to relax," Abell muttered, trying to brush him off.
"Haha, you've got guts! No one talks to me like that at the capital. Don't you know who I am?"
"Uhh not really am I supposed to know." Abell said looking in confusion.
Hugo grinned wider, his eyes sparkling. "Nah, it's fine. Your mom's kept you in the dark about her past. I'll come talk to you later during the feast, I have an interesting proposal for you."
"Yeah, whatever. I'll find you later," Abell waved, already walking away, clearly uninterested.
"WHERE IS THAT BOY? I WASN'T FINISHED!" Keeko's voice boomed across the market, making him flinch.
Seeing his chance, Abell sprinted off toward the hillside, determined to escape his mother's scolding. No one should be there, he thought, eager to find some peace.
Upon his arrival, he sat down on a rock overlooking the town, lost in depths of his mind.
"Still not good enough. How much longer before I can get better? Genevieve was handling high-level Malignants at my age."
"How much longer will I stay in this town? I can barely stand it anymore."
The quiet was interrupted by footsteps approaching. Abell didn't need to turn; he already knew who it was.
Astrid came into view, her steps slow, as she noticed him deep in thought.
"Um, Abell, are you okay?" she asked softly.
He quickly straightened, startled. "Yeah, just resting after that battle."
Astrid gave him a knowing look. "Your mother asked me to find you. She wants to patch up your wounds."
"Right," Abell muttered, rolling his eyes. "I forgot you're still trying to become a doctor."
"Yeah, well, it's good practice. You get hurt often enough to make a career out of it," she teased.
Abell's eyebrow twitched. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, stop it. You know exactly what I mean. Come here."
In moments, Astrid had wrapped his wounds, the bandages tight and secure.
As the sun began to set, they both knew the feast was about to begin.
After finishing, Astrid hesitated, her gaze lingering on him.
"What? Something on my face?" Abell asked, slightly uncomfortable.
"No, I just wanted to thank you for everything," she said quietly. "You act like you're okay with being the town's delinquent, but I can see how you really feel."
Abell blushed, looking away. "I don't know what you're talking about, did you hit your head ."
Astrid smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Did I finally strike a nerve?" she teased. "C'mon, let's go, 'Hero.' The feast's about to start."