Thorne sat in silence, the weight of the day pressing heavily on his shoulders as he leaned against the cold, damp wall of the cave. The girl he had saved earlier lay beside him, curled up and shivering in her sleep. They had stumbled upon this cave after what felt like hours of wandering, both exhausted and desperate for shelter. It wasn't entirely safe—the beasts that had occupied it had been no challenge for him—but at least they had found some refuge.
He exhaled softly, glancing at her.
Earlier, after they had secured the cave, he had helped her clean up at the stream, washing away the blood that had nearly gotten them killed and giving clothes to change.
He blushed at the thought of helping her put the clothes on, she didn't mind either.
The bandage he had made was holding up, though the wound still looked severe. A part of him wondered if she would ever regain full use of her arm. He sighed again. This garden, this sacred place, was far too dangerous for mere maskless.
Perhaps I would have ended up worse off if I hadn't come across that temple.
The events of the past few days playing through his mind. The temple, the serpent, the strange powers granted to him—everything felt surreal. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling of relief that washed over him. If not for his abilities, both he and the girl might have been dead by now.
He frowned, the reality of the garden sinking in.
How many of the other maskless would die here? How many would return home alive and whole, if they returned at all? This place was designed to shape lives, to either elevate or break those who entered. One thing was certain: no one who survived the garden would leave unchanged.
He himself had spent close to a week in this garden of the gods, at some point he had almost given up, he could only imagine what she was feeling now.
As the night wore on, the cave filled with a damp stillness. The sound of distant rustling leaves and the occasional drip of water echoed softly around them. The darkness felt heavy, but to Thorne, it made no difference. His sightless world had always been the same. He leaned against the rough stone wall, tracing the veins of the rock with his fingers, listening to the soft breaths of the girl beside him.
He'd been keeping watch, but his thoughts kept drifting to the strange way fate had thrown them together. This forest, with its twisted trees and hostile beasts, wasn't meant for maskless, yet here they were—survivors. He extended his spiritual senses toward the girl again, tracing the contours of her face. The pain was still fresh in her body, her movements restless.
The girl stirred beside him, a faint whimper escaping her lips. She was trembling, her body frail from the trauma and exhaustion. Thorne debated lighting a fire but hesitated. Would it attract more beasts? The warmth would do her good, but he didn't want to risk their safety any further.
He reached out with his spirituality, extending it toward her face, trying to paint a mental image of her features. Her breathing was uneven, her brow furrowed as if haunted by nightmares. Thorne felt a pang of sympathy. She had been through so much.
Suddenly, she shifted, letting out a small, painful groan as she came to consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open, confusion clouding her gaze as she looked around the cave.
Then, like a wave crashing over her, the memories of what had happened rushed back. She glanced down at her stump, where her hand had once been, and her lips quivered as tears welled up in her eyes.
Thorne remained still, watching her come to terms with her loss. He said nothing, unsure of what words would even help. What could he say to ease the pain of losing a limb, of nearly dying in a place like this?
He knew that whatever words he chose, they would never be enough.
Thorne watched her come to terms with her injury, the painful shock still clear on her face. Her breaths were ragged, but after a few moments, she wiped her eyes with her good hand and sat up.
"Where... am I?" she whispered, her voice hoarse but sharp, like the edge of a blade.
"Cave," Thorne replied quietly, still focused on keeping their surroundings monitored.
"You were bleeding out. I brought you here after the fight."
She glanced at him, her eyes narrowing as if sizing him up. "You're blind, aren't you? And yet it didn't feel like so."
Thorne smirked. "It's complicated. I see things... differently."
Her brow furrowed before she leaned back against the wall, biting her lip. She held up her bandaged arm.
"Guess that was one hell of a day, huh?" She forced a laugh, but it was hollow, edged with bitterness.
"Not every day you lose a hand to a masked beast."
"Could've been worse," Thorne replied evenly. "You're still alive."
She snorted.
"Great consolation prize." A brief silence fell before she spoke again.
"My name's Akira, by the way. Kingdom of Sango."
"Thorne," he replied. "Ogun."
Akira looked around the cave, her eyes flicking to the ring on her hand. She clenched her fist and sighed. "I've already got my material, you know."
She gestured at the ring.
"I was just looking for a way out when those things found me. Would've been fine if I hadn't lost focus." Her tone, though casual, was undercut with frustration.\
He nodded, this was the garden of the gods, a little loss of focus, and not just an arm but a person would lose their life.
Thorne turned his head slightly, his spiritual senses brushing over the woods just beyond the cave's entrance.
"I've already got mine too," he said, patting the ring tucked on his hand.
"Just collecting a few other things on the way."
"Good for you,"
Akira muttered, her fiery spirit burning through her exhaustion.
"Guess I'm not leaving this place as quickly as I hoped."
"You are not planning on following me around are you?", Thorne asked,
"Guess" Akira replied with a grin on her face,
"Where else am I going to get a somewhat perfect man to protect me, if you are going to save me, finish the job"
They fell silent again, the air around them thick with unspoken thoughts. Akira's mind seemed to shift between grief over her injury and the defiance that Thorne could feel radiating off her.
The Kingdom of Sango was known for its fierce warriors, and despite everything, she still had fight in her.
After a while, she turned to him. "What's your plan? Just wandering around till you find an exit?"
"Something like that," Thorne said, adjusting the wrap on his wrist.
"The archways. Find one, and you're out of here."
Akira's mouth twitched into a half-smile.
"Well, I guess I'll stick with you for a bit. At least until I find an archway. Besides, you seem to have a knack for survival."
Thorne chuckled softly.
"Suit yourself. We'll head out at dawn."
As the night deepened, the wind outside howled gently through the trees, but inside the cave, a quiet determination settled between them.
Akira stretched out and closed her eyes, her breathing steadying. Thorne remained still, his senses attuned to the world beyond, feeling the presence of distant creatures, yet confident they were safe for the night.
By the time the first slivers of dawn crept through the cave's entrance, the mood had shifted. The forest outside was quieter, the tension of the previous night melting into the fog that rolled over the ground.
Thorne stood, brushing the dust from his clothes. Akira was already awake, stretching her stiff limbs. "Ready?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of impatience.
Thorne nodded. "Let's move."
Without another word, they stepped out of the cave and into the eerie tranquility of the forest. The trees, still twisted and towering, seemed less menacing in the light of day, though the journey ahead was still uncertain. They moved quietly, Akira adjusting to her new reality while Thorne, guided by his sharpened spiritual senses, led the way toward the second location.