A Deal

She didn't like being in the same area as him,considering how she just treated him a couple of days before and recently,he just saved her.She felt awkward.

"Um,thank you but I will be going now..."

She said while walking to a path with dense leaves.

"WAIT!"

He shouted.

Before a moving vine was about to drag her,he pulled her by the shoulder and she landed hard on the ground.

"Are you hurt?I'm sorry but you have to know that this place is home to magical creatures.If you are not careful enough you may agitate them."

She looked at him with a dead expression.

"Thank you...again."Saying thanks twice to a same person,now that's a first.

"You—you don't have to force yourself.If you want to say thank you,you should say that to the spirits!"

"Is that how you found out about that...vine?"She asked as she looked at where the moving vine is.

"Yes,and how I also came to rescue you!Without them I would also be in trouble myself."

He surprised himself that he was holding a conversation unplanned and unscripted,nevertheless he was glad he was able to do so.

"Oh."

So this person is spiritually attuned and probably gifted,she thought.She may had misjudged his character at first but that was really on him,stalking her and all.If spirits are actively guiding him and even go so far to tell him someone is in trouble,it's saying something about his character.

Also,he didn't show any signs of bitter attitude towards her considering that she rejected him.

While she was lost in her thoughts,anxiety welled inside him,a feeling of excitement and nervousness at the same time.It was silent between them and he felt awkward in a bad way that he wanted to opt out,but he can't just leave her.

After agonizing internally for a moment,he coughed."A—Amallis."He offered his hand.

Her train of thought has broken.

"Huh?"

"I'm Amallis."

He said still holding up his hand.He's starting to regret his actions.

"Oh."

She paused."Hi?"I guess,she thought.She felt awkward.She rarely has social interactions except for transactions to the point she sometimes forget to properly do so.

Meanwhile,Amallis was internally panicking,thinking she was going off script."Isn't she supposed to say her name and say:nice to meet you?",he thought.

He was hoping that the silence between them can be filled but his attempt to do so failed and she looked confused and more lost than him.Human socialization is surprisingly harder than spirits.

"Um,I just thought that it's unusual that we've seen each other for some time and we still don't know each other's name...or that's just probably me."

He let out an awkward chuckle."No need to say your name if you don't want to."

"Sae."

She answered.

Amallis felt accomplished.

"Nice to meet you,Sae!"He said with a smile as he offered his hand.

Sae stared at his outstretched hand.

"Am I to shake his hand?",she thought.

She reached out but before she was to shake his hand,he withdrew it.

"Uh—"He said before he quickly took her hand and shook it.

"Sorry,I thought you don't want to shake hands."

He awkwardly chuckled again before stepping aside and turning his back away.

She can faintly hear what he said.

"Look,my first hand shake!"

She raised her brow.Amallis turned around and saw her staring.He explained,saying that he was talking to the spirits.

"By the way Sae,the spirits said that we are surrounded by creatures but don't worry they know a safe path."He went into an opening which is pitch dark.He turned to her."Are you coming?"

She lost her gear and she already agitated 2 creatures and almost died once.Looks like she had to tag along for a while and if he's spiritually attuned...he can lead her to the concentrated crystal.

Amallis entered a few feet in.He looked back at Sae,still standing on the entrance.

"Are—are you afraid of the dark?"

He asked.

To have someone assume that she's afraid of the dark feels like a sting to her,a massive downgrade.

"I'm sorry but I don't see well in the dark."

She said through gritted teeth.

He just realized that unlike her he can technically see through the dark.He was embarrassed and apologized to her.

"If that's the case then..."

He breathed in then out,seconds later his white tattoos started to glow blue.

Just how many surprises this man has in store for her?She slowly entered the opening and both of them traversed through the dark.

Their footsteps echo through the cavern alongside water dripping somewhere.Amallis' tattoos light the area as close to the range of a torch's flame.Although,Sae has limited spiritual prowess and mana threshold,she can still sense mana leaking through his tattoos.If this goes for long,he will deplete his mana and it will be an inconvenience.

She thought back to what Liam said,that she should stay away from him.He isn't malicious,in fact he's the opposite of it.Whatever the reason why she should stay away from him,it isn't because of malicious intentions.Does it somehow relate...to his spiritual abilities?

"Sae,is there something wrong?"He asked.

She didn't realize she has been staring seriously at him.She broke eye contact.

"It's nothing."

"No worries.I'm...used to it."

Silence.

"Should I elaborate?"He asked.

"No need to."

She answered.

Amallis let out a sigh of relief,a big one.For once,he didn't have to explain...anything.However,it does leave him one problem,how do you start a conversation in their situation?The silence is agonizing.

"I—its cold in here,isn't it?"Small talk is always a good conversation starter,right?

"And yet you act fine despite your clothing,huh."

She said.

"I—it's because...",the spirits whispered in his ear.

"I don't want to inconvenience you."He said while saying thanks to the spirits internally.

She remained silent.

"Um..."He breathed in,ready to talk but instead he muttered.

"Nevermind."

He has to endure the silence until then.

"Are you trying to befriend me?"

She already assessed that he is no threat,therefore asking straightforward questions won't impose any risk but possible information.

"Well...maybe—"

He trailed away.

"Could you tell me why you are here?Is it related to helping your community?"

She needs to confirm something.

"The spirits told me that there is something here that can help."

That confirms it,she thought.They are after the same thing.

"I came here for research."She lied.

"Oh!"

His eyes lit up with curiousity but he held himself.

"And I accidentally woke an earth golem and losed all my gear."

She can play nice as long as it benefits her and Amallis is an easy target.

"That's unfortunate."Amallis has a tiny smile on his face.He felt warm inside.So this is how it feels like to talk to someone without being wary of him.

"Dear spirits,it's happening!"

He happily thought.His tiny smile growing wider and his eyes ever so twinkling under the bluish soft glow of his tattoos...this she can see.She looked away.

"Sorry for what's to come...Amallis."

She thought.

They reached the end of the dark cavern.The place has more vegetation than the rest of the grotto with a waterfall coming out of the ceiling as a large stream snakes past the moss floor.Orange mana fireflies are aimlessly floating but more seem to surround a crystal etched on a wall,illuminating a soft yellowish light.

Sae can hear the hum of the pure mana inside of the crystal.Amallis hopped down and hurried to its direction.Sae also hopped down but she sprinted with an explosive potion on hand and threw it on Amallis.

Amallis was thrown on a lime pillar then landed on the stream.He was bewildered as he coughed the water out.He saw Sae sprinting past him and straight to where the crystal is.Then he understood but now's not to time with dwell with feelings.

He got up and sprinted and knocked her to her shoulder.Sae tumbled but she held on to a boulder before she will get thrown any further.She brought out another explosive and aimed at Amallis' feet,he leaped behind to avoid it.Seeing this and the pillar behind him,she hurled her last potion and it hit the pillar,collapsing on his direction.

She quickly headed to where the crystal is and started to climb.Just then a huge gust of wind came out of nowhere and it almost made her lose her grip.She didn't bother to check where the wind came and continued on her ascend.

Before she was to reach the crystal,someone stepped on her shoulder which made her fall.She saw Amallis looking back at her with a cold stare,his tattoos glowing.

She landed hard on the moss floor while Amallis took out the crystal.There was something oddly familiar with it.He was about to take a closer look and the grotto started to shake.Boulders falling off the ceiling.The spirits whispered to him,that the grotto was about to collapse and showed him a way out.Instead of escaping,he looked back.

He asked the wind,his tattoos started to glow.

Her back was aching but she had to get out before the place collapsed,she frantically looked around her surroundings but for some reason the wind keeps pushing and pulling her,in the corner of her eye she can see a yellow light.

Amallis was holding the crystal up hoping she can see it and she did.The wind told him she's coming.He went out then asked the earth,his tattoos glowing again.

She was about to escape but she slipped like the earth pulled her back then dirt and debris collapsed on her lower body.She tried to crawl her way out but it was too heavy.

Amallis stepped in front of her,making her crane her neck to look up at him.The sun was about to still set and yet it was dark because they were deep in the forest,but there was still enough light to see his expression.He was smiling.

He offered his hand to her.Is he joking?That she can't be sure.She was to take his hand but he swiped it away before she can touch it.He was still smiling but a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"I'm speechless."

He knelt down."But I have to say,you fooled me there."He said,still with a smile.He got up,his smile slowly dropping,his blue eyes no longer warm.

"Never again."

He held the crystal high up in the air—

"NO—WAIT!"

He stopped and looked at her.

It felt weird hearing her own voice sound like that but...

"Please,don't smash it..."She sounded desperate.She hates it.

He knelt again to look closely at her,her purple eyes were a bit glossy,a far cry from the emotionless ones he had seen.

"I'll give it to you."

"Huh?"She really can't tell if he was serious.

"But you have to help us,starting tonight",his smile was back,"I think you already know what I mean."

"But if you decide to play dirty again.I won't go easy on you...Sae."He said her name with pressure.

"So we have a deal?"

He grinned like a kid who received a toy only to drop into a confident smirk after.

Sae looked at the ground and sighed heavily.

"Deal."