Chapter 21: You and Me

"ALNA!!!" I screamed. 

"Calm down Mizuki...you're okay." I turned to see Thalia standing over me. I had to take a few breaths and compose myself.

"Thalia! The skeletons and Alna!" I looked around and noticed we weren't in the marsh but inside the HV. 

"She's sound asleep in the other room. Mateo and her were barely able to bring you in before the skeletons swarmed again. Thankfully, she regained her senses and we were able to carry you in." 

"So we're safe?" I looked around.

"Partially. Mateo used the remainder of his own strength to make a stronger entrance. They are trying to break it but so far failing. Though their attacks are damaging other areas of the HV." Thalia pointed to some areas with holes but none of which were large. I could hear small clicks and clacks around the HV. I presumed those were from skeletons trying to get in. 

"Okay we got some protection...where's Mateo now?" I asked sitting up and feeling intense pain course through my body. Thalia pushed me back to lie down.

"You Mizuki aren't in any condition to move about. I patched you up with some our supplies but you lost a lot of blood and should be honestly still asleep."

"I feel like death." I tried smiling but as I was fully awake now, my body hurt in ways I've never experienced before. I thought of isekai protagonists who got beat down by some large enemy...the stories rarely talk about the pain after.

"Understandable. For now, rest. Don't worry, the skeletons are still a threat but we should be fine. As long as Mateo's hunk of junk keeps running." Thalia pushed me back on the bed lightly and motioned for me to sleep...I didn't need her advice, I passed out without even thinking about it.

The next few days were a blur to me. I can tell you I know I had several visitors at my side. Mateo occasionally checked up on me, usually cursing at how stupid and reckless I was. Thalia would occasionally check on my wounds and sigh in relief, I guess they were bad but not infected. Alna however...I remember her the strongest. She was almost always appearing and sitting next to me. I heard her crying a few times and saying something but the words sounded distant. I think I was in and out of consciousness at least a handful of times.

Finally, I remember waking up one evening, I could see the moonlight outside the HV. Alna was snoring quietly next to me and the others were sleeping as well. We must have still been in the marsh, I could hear scrapes and light bangs outside our vehicle.

"Ugh..." I got up slowly and looked at myself. I didn't look like a hero with light armor anymore, I was more reminiscent of a mummy. My chest was covered in white bandages and so was my arms. My legs were also wrapped in a few areas but not as badly. I checked my head and felt some light wrapping but nothing too bad. 

"Who knew being a hero hurt so much." I whispered to myself. I didn't mean for it to be loud but that spoken phrase was enough to awaken Alna from her sleep. 

"MIZUKI!" despite being out a second ago, she jumped to my side and instantly hugged me. It was a nice warm feeling until the hug became a death grip that made my injuries feel fresh and new.

"Ahhhh Alna let go..." I patted her back and she realized what was happening. 

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry. Those injuries...their my fault." she began to instantly break down into tears. 

"Hey now...if not for you, we'd be dead. Those monsters were coming into the vehicle. Our quest would have ended if you didn't unleash that form on them. So we should all be thanking you." I meant it too. Yes, my injuries were from calming her but had she not done what she did...we'd be in worse wear. 

"I hurt you though...I nearly killed you."

"Silly, I'm the hero...I'm made to take some abuse." 

"I kept hearing your calls...I heard...everything you said to me." Alna's face was in the moonlight but even I could see it turn red. I wasn't a dense anime protagonist. I knew she meant when I confessed my love to her.

"You heard that huh?" I know if I had a mirror my face would be also unbelievably red. 

"Yes..." Alna shuffled her feet and twirled her hair between her fingers.

"I...I meant it..." 

"Really?" Alna looked at me with surprise.

"Yeah...I think I was falling for you since day one as cliché as that sounds. Still, the longer we've been traveling together, the more times we've endured challenges together and just survived together. They all made me realize...I do love you." I looked up and was shocked to see Alna come straight at me and kiss me on the lips. Our lips held close together for a good minute before she pulled away.

"I...I love you too...Mizuki." she smiled and then hugged me.

"I love you Alna..." I whispered in her ear. 

"I love you too Mizuki." she whispered in mine.

"I'd love for you both to stop making every area we go to a new romance vacation that makes me want to heave my small amount of food." we both snapped out of goofy stupor to see Mateo looking at us from near the driver's seat. 

"How long have you been there!?" Alna asked.

"Long enough to hear you go...I love you Mizuki and have him go I love you Alna several times." He made reactions that were like ours...

"I'm glad you two are finally admitting your feelings for one another but I do agree with Mateo...there's a time and place kids." Thalia too apparently was awake and rolling her eyes. 

"You two are mood killers you know that?" I said out loud.

"No...what's killing the mood is that we're still in this damn marsh and still dealing with creatures that don't seem to know what death is." Mateo started up the HV again and I heard it begin to move but I noticed it seemed to have increased speed.

"Are we going faster?" 

"Ahh you noticed! Yeah, so while you were taking a nap, I began to experiment with the chemicals a bit and finally realized the more I keep making something, the closer it becomes to the real genuine article. I think a few more chemical creations will make the HV perfect and similar to my world's versions." Mateo seemed so proud and I won't deny I was proud for him. He was adapting to his power...meanwhile I still had no idea what mine was.

"I wonder how much deeper we need to go to escape the marsh." Alna said, still holding me as if I'd vanish. I patted her on the head and told her I'd be okay, she finally released me and went over to Mateo to ask some questions about the HV.

"Honestly, it can't be much further now. I can see the Professor's summit from here. That means maybe another day at most. The skeletons outside are now in the dozens but they aren't strong enough to break the HV." I didn't respond to Mateo remembering our promise. I was hoping he was right though, we needed to escape this hellish place.

Our journey through the marsh did reach a climax sooner than we'd realized. After our latest stop, Mateo made a device that let him scope out the area ahead. 

"The fog clears up a few yards away. I think this is the exit you three." Mateo said as we started the HV back up and went forward. Sure enough, the windows showed us that outside, the fog was gone. We also saw that once more, the skeletons vanished. We had finally escaped the Dead Man's Marsh. 

"After we stop Slain, we are taking the scenic route back." I said.

"Agree." everyone said unanimously.

We decided to finally exit the HV and look around. This was the summit...the place where we'd find Slain's weakness and a means of entering his domain. Seemed almost too good to be true. 

"Well, good news we're out of the marsh. Bad news, the HV won't be able to go up this...we're back to walking." Mateo sighed and touched his creation one last time. He then made it vanish and sighed heavily. 

"Thank you Mateo, without that machine...we'd all be dead." I patted him on the back. He looked like he wanted to say something but he just said this.

"Welcome..."

My wounds weren't a 100% fixed just yet but thanks to taking it easy for the last several days, I was able to walk without much issue. I did worry if the summit was too large I may struggle a bit, but we decided the best course of action was to make it as high as we could go, rest until I was 100% and then we'd climb. It could take a bit of time but it was better than taking too much of a risk...

Our climb was...pleasant to be honest. When I thought of a mountain, I believed it to be us having to use ropes and gear to climb. However, this mountain had a path and it seemed stable. I did notice that as we climbed, Alna was very clingy. Don't get me wrong, I didn't mind it. Not having a girlfriend before, I wasn't used to being coddled and cared for. This was new and nice. 

"Don't push yourself Mizuki." Alna said as we climbed higher. We had been climbing now for maybe half a day. The summit seemed so far off. 

"I won't. Honestly, I feel okay." I wasn't putting up a brave face either, the pain from the last few days was gone. The only thing I wasn't use to yet was what I was wearing. A salary man suit. Mateo had used Alna's description of what I was wearing when I had gotten here to this world originally and he made an almost exact replica. The only difference was the color, jet black. 

"We have these in my world too. Usually only those with bad news wear them. I know its not armor but don't think I made some generic outfit either. Its harder than armor and I added some resistance to cold and heat." Mateo was right though. Despite this being a mountain I wasn't cold at all. I could tell too the weight was abnormal for a business suit. Heavier but comfortable. Yeah, I wasn't a cool looking isekai protagonist now but I was at least in something familiar. 

"Why does this mountain have the name it does?" I looked at my party wondering if anyone knew. Thalia's face betrayed her silence. I wasn't going to push her to answer if she did know but she sighed and answered. 

"The professor was a hero who came to this world a little around the time i did. His real name was Myles, a strong axe wielding man who screamed hero. I awoke his powers and he gained endurance, he was never exhausted and could apparently fight for hours."

"What happened to him?" Mateo was actually the one to ask. 

"He climbed this mountain and was never heard from again. Why? I don't know. Maybe he found the path to Slain and decided to take it himself. Regardless, he came here, apparently and never made it back." Thalia looked sad. Part of me believed she knew him well. 

"Poor man..." Alna looked and then pointed to me. 

"You aren't allowed to do anything risky. You hear me?  Alna punched my arm. I bowed and said I wouldn't. 

"Gods now you two are even more annoying." Mateo clicked his tongue. 

"Anyways, Myles was a great hero but its why I want to be honest with you all." Thalia stopped moving and we did the same. 

"What's wrong?" I asked. 

" I don't trust Mr. Voice. In my heart and mind, I think he's leading us to our death."