Chapter 12

While sunbathing like a cat on a windowsill, Shiori stares at me with curiosity, watching how the strange device begins to feed my depleted batteries.

I still don't have the high-voltage cable, forcing me to use the inefficient wireless charging technology of the panel.

Shiori: Dude, I'd ask you what you're doing, but since I'm not going to understand a thing, I limit myself to looking at you in awe.

Hayato: You could say I'm restoring my "magic" powers, Shiori.

Hayato: My equipment is slowly returning to its prime.

Shiori: Oh yeah, you're a light wizard. That fact nearly slipped from my mind! Silly me.

Chuckling, Shiori continues to enjoy herself, reveling in the freshness of the surface.

The scent of the woods carried by the breeze is so tantalizing...

Shiori: Aaah, I can hardly wait to move out of the Maw of the Giant and bolt to Silverleaf!

Shiori: An overly bubbly bath has my name scribbled all over it.

Hayato: Maw of the Giant?

Shiori: Where we're currently at, duh! It's the dumb name the folks around these parts gave to the entrance of Blackflame Peaks.

Shiori: From what I heard, they believe this place looks like a giant opening its mouth.

Shiori: There's an ongoing heated argument whether that so-called giant is about to have a bite or if it's yawning.

Shiori: That's some crazy imagination, huh? I can see nothing but a big hole in an even bigger rock!

Shiori laughs at her remark, prompting me to inspect the opening that leads to the eerie underground complex of the peaks.

Hmph, maybe if you squint... No, it still looks like a regular crack.

Shiori: Welp, it's been a pleasure and all, but I've got places to be and baths to take.

Shiori: Our partnership ends here. Isn't it a shame?

Her sarcastic tone doesn't hint she feels a pang of sadness, further reinforcing that fact by energetically springing to her feet.

Hayato: I suppose so. I'll stay here for a while longer. My batteries still need more charge to become fully functional.

Shiori: Are you sure? Actually, I wouldn't mind if you accompanied me to the town.

Shiori: Despite everything, it was great working side by side with you!

Shiori: It's not often you encounter a decent adventurer with your skills.

Shiori: Besides, I had fun, and that's not something simple to achieve.

Hayato: I'm flattered, but I must decline your offer. A task needs my attention before I'm free to roam the world.

Hayato: I'll surely drop by Silverleaf after I take care of it, though.

Hayato: Climbing from the bottom to the surface has been tiring. I'll certainly appreciate some warm food and rest.

Shiori: Aww, that kind of sucks! I was hoping we'd hang out some more.

Shiori: You're a cool dude, and that's quite a compliment from me!

Hayato: Heh, I'll treat it as such, then.

Getting up from the floor, I approach Shiori, where we bid our respective goodbyes.

She was an unreliable partner, but a partner nonetheless. I must be grateful she took us to the surface safe and sound.

Shiori: Ah, before I forget!

Shiori: They won't be an issue judging by how dependable you are, but the forest is packed with bandits from the Silvercreek Outriders.

Shiori: Watch your gear since those pricks will ambush you without thinking twice.

Hayato: Alright, thank you for the tip. However, they should be more afraid of me than I am of them.

Shiori: Tee-hee, I know, right? They'll be screaming for their lives once they meet you!

With that last playful remark, Shiori gestures me farewell with her hand, sticking to the dirt trail that bends its way toward the lush woods.

Upon disappearing, I summon my virtual companion, aiming to discover the location of my next destination.

Hayato: I require a status update, SARA. Be thorough. I need every bit of information I can use.

SARA: Confirmed. Running a physical exam...

SARA: Exam completed.

SARA: Physical condition optimal, no injuries detected since my reboot.

SARA: Analyzing gear...

SARA: Analysis completed.

SARA: Sunlight is recharging the batteries, though at a slower pace due to the lack of the cable.

SARA: It's an inefficient process. Its retrieval is highly encouraged.

Hayato: That brings me to my next question... Where is it? Can you read its signal?

SARA: Affirmative. The geolocation chip is up and running.

SARA: However, the signal is too weak to be located. The triangulation process requires a more solid connection.

Hayato: Hmmm, could you pull that off with Raven?

SARA: Correct. Launching now.

Taking control of RAID, SARA sends it flying toward the forest, hovering over the treetops as it pins down its placement.

SARA: The signal is growing stronger, pursuing.

I watch the feed of the drone as SARA pilots it, the green valley unfolding before my eyes.

Oddly enough, it looks like a regular forest with nothing out of the ordinary.

Why am I surprised it's like that, however?

Perhaps my experience in the caves altered my perception of the world.

Ironically, it feels amiss if the flora isn't glowing.

After some seconds of flying in a straight line, SARA stumbles upon what looks like an outpost, the people guarding it armed with the same crude weapons from the bandits Shiori and I defeated before.

I'm willing to bet it belongs to the Silvercreek Outriders.

Who else would've built such a rickety base in the middle of the woods?

They must be gatekeeping the bridge, and to do so, they protected it with a shabby palisade.

Surely, the equally run-down shacks are their homes. A life of crime definitely doesn't pay off.

SARA: Lost piece of equipment located. It's stored somewhere in the outpost.

SARA: Accuracy insufficient. Do you want me to approach the camp?

Hayato: No, save yourself the effort, SARA. I'll take it from here.

Hayato: Send Raven back to me so that I can pay these guys a visit.

SARA: Order acknowledged. Retrieving RAID.

In a flash, the rotocopter is back at the Maw of the Giant, where it glues to my backpack, its portable base of operations.

Hayato: How did these outlaws manage to lay their hands on my gear? Do they even know what they have in their power?

Hayato: Of course not, but having the cable in their possession turned them into my target.

Hayato: SARA, chart a route to the bandit campsite.

Hayato: I'm busting their illegal operations and fetching what's left of my equipment in the process.

SARA: Plotting a course from drone aerial imagery...

SARA: Fastest path calculated. Sending coordinates to the tactical display.

With enough charge to work again, SARA portrays my destination with a digital floating pin in my head-up display, mapping out the journey with augmented reality arrows.

Shiori's map was apparently magical, but if she were to witness this display of technology, she'd be bowled over and disbelieve her eyes.

As SARA claimed, anything misunderstood can easily be related to wizardry.