Unexpected Encounter

"Mira! Hold up!"

She didn't reply. I, Yusof Harim and Mira are running into the forest we just came out of. Broken trees, wheel tracks and scattered pieces of wood created a terrifying looking pathway leading deeper into the forest.

We are back in, to assist Luno who is holding off against the troll alone.

"Slow down!"

I called her again, still receiving no response. This went on for a while until she suddenly stopped.

Shortly after she did, I closed the distance between us and stopped running.

"What is it?"

"Shh.. do you hear that?"

I couldn't have a look at her face so I don't know what she's thinking. Although, when someone suddenly stops like this it never means anything good.

I observe my surroundings in search of any possible abnormalities that would cause Mira to suddenly stop like this.

"Something is coming our way."

Where? I couldn't see anything or detect any sort of Magic Flow. I wonder if she really did detect anything or is she just messing with me.

However I found myself to be mistaken.

The earth trembled, branches swayed and my eyes intensified as I stared at what is causing it in horror.

A huge entity entered our sight. It hasn't noticed us but we can see it.

Yes.

The troll is approaching us.

Which means..

If it's here then that means......

.....No. I don't want to believe it.

I glanced at Mira. Her expression turned into one of disbelief. It seems she is thinking the same thing as me.

"No... It can't be."

She said in a near inaudible voice.

"HAAAARGH."

The troll spotted us. It screamed and surveyed its surroundings, possibly looking for what I assume to be trees to throw.

However he didn't find any because all of them are too far from his standing position.

It started to run in our direction at an alarming speed.

We have to run! I can't fight it! I turned to Mira and called her again.

"Mira! Mira! We have to run!"

Her eyes widened and her breathing was unstable. A tear fell down her eye as she was locked in place, unable to move.

"MIRA!"

I screamed, shoving her aside. Causing her to fall on the ground to our right. This prompted her to snap out.

"Yusof! What are you doing!"

"Finally you snapped out of it!"

I wanted to apologize there but I didn't have the time. The troll is too close to us.

I wasted no time, I turned to my right which is the place I shoved Mira at and crouched down.

I lifted her up under my right arm and picked up the staff she dropped due to me shoving her with my left hand.

"Hey! What are you doing! Kyaa!"

"I'm sorry but we have no time!"

She screamed in reaction, which is normal considering what I'm doing but since the troll is too close to us we don't have any time to argue about this.

Mira was light, so it didn't cause much of a problem.

Carrying Mira, I ran into the midst of the trees. The troll, unable to immediately catch up due to it being too big, stopped and turned its body towards us.

I glanced behind, it was moving its body around, confused about where its targets went.

Our size turned out to be an advantage. We were running under the cover of the trees making it easier for us to move undetected.

At least that's what I thought at first.

Shortly after it lost sight of us, he started breaking trees leading to our direction. He found us.

"How did it find us? Aren't we covered by the trees?"

I spoke in frustration and confusion. Under my arm, Mira, who gave up struggling to be let free just a moment ago, explained.

"Trolls can find people not only by eyesight, but by Magic Flow Detection. This acts something like a second sense for them to search enemies, just behind vision."

So it's chasing us because we're magic? Wait.. I don't have that.

So it's because of Mira?

"So it's chasing us because of you? I should drop you off here!"

"If you do that I'll die."

She said without showing a hint of concern. She knows I won't do it.

Well played.

*BREAK* *BREAK* *BREAK*

The troll is breaking trees to chase us. I looked behind to check how far it was.

It was catching up and face.

This is bad! I'm not fast enough!

Mira began moving her body, more accurately, her arms as if she's reaching something.

"Give me my staff Yusof, I'll slow it down."

"Here."

I moved my arms behind my back so that Mira could take the staff from my hand.

She grabbed\her staff. She aimed the head of the staff towards the troll that is knocking down trees chasing us and began focusing.

Her arms and hands glowed blue veins that flowed into the staff.

My back felt a little cold, it was as if I was very close to ice.

I glanced behind and saw Mira conjuring 2 ice shards from the head of her staff.

"Ice Form: Water Bind"

She said that and shot the two shards from her staff.

The shards hit the troll. One on each of its legs, causing it to be stunned from the pain and scream.

"HAAAAAAAARGH"

The shards hit on its legs didn't stop there. Water flowed out of the shards, slowly reducing their size from the size that initially struck the legs of the troll.

The water kept flowing until it completely engulfed both of the legs of the troll. However the ice shard hadn't completely vanished, in other words, the water kept flowing.

The excess water flowing out of its leg seemingly is flowing towards each other on the opposite leg.

The water heading for each other eventually conjoined, resulting in a water bind that prevented the trolls' movements.

I saw this with my own eyes while running which made me gasp from amazement.

Amazing.

This is the third time I thought while looking at their abilities today.

"EYES ON THE ROAD!"

*PAH*

Mira screamed as she used her vacant right hand to slap my face that was glancing behind.

I turned to the back to the front from this act of violence and screamed at Mira.

"What did you do that for?"

"Watch where you're going stupid! You'll trip and fall!"

"But I didn't, don't underestimate my greatness!"

"What greatness is in someone who shoves a little girl, suppresses her and carries her away?"

"Don't describe it like that! You make me sound like a kidnapper!"

"You're taking me away by force, I'd say that fits the criteria!"

"I'M NOT! I saved you from that troll!"

"Tell that to the judge in the high court!"

We banter as the distance between us and the troll increases.

____________

We have gotten deeper into the forest, we couldn't see the troll which meant we had lost it, for now at least.

Right now we're hiding behind a huge rock that we encountered, much to our convenience. I already put Mira down, she is currently sticking head out of the rocks to check if the troll is following us.

Mira came back into hiding with me and spoke.

"The coast is clear."

"We can get some rest."

I replied letting out a relieved breath, Mira also nodded in agreement.

"While we're here, we should formulate some sort of plan to kill it."

"We should, it's giving us too much trouble."

I nodded. Mira suddenly lowered her head and spoke in a sullen tone.

"..Luno."

I sat there in silence. Luno said she'd fight the troll to prevent it from following us. But when we were running back to help her, the troll appeared before us.

It could mean..

No.. I don't believe that.

She must've survived, maybe she hid.

I refuse to believe Luno is dead.

I tried to console Mira, and try to give hope that she survived.

"Hey, I believe Luno is still okay. The troll just slipped past her, that's all."

"Luno never lets any enemies get away."

She replied in a shaking voice.

That reply made me silent.

I don't know what to say to that. I tried to comfort her and just ended up making her hurt more.

What do I even know about losing someone I care about?

Yusuke.

Do you feel like how she's feeling right now?

I don't know.

I can't relate to anyone.

If you were here, you would know what to say to her.

I'm hopeless.

This crushing feeling in my heart, I really want to comfort her. But I don't know how.

I then thought of something.

I slowly and hesitantly stretched my hand towards her head. She is still looking down so she doesn't know.

Then.

I placed my hand on her head.

And gave her a head pat.

Mira's head jolted up, she was already teary eyed. Her sullen face became a surprised one as her cheeks turned red.

"W-w-w-what are you doing!"

She spoke to me in a flustered manner. It's actually cute.

"I.. I thought this might cheer you up."

I thought of it that way from of my own experiences.

When I was a kid, whenever I made a mistake, my mother would always pat my head and say 'it's okay, I'm not mad' to try to cheer me up.

I absolutely don't know what to do to cheer her up, so I just did what I knew would cheer me up.

Maybe this isn't the best situation though.

.....

Well.

What's done is done.

"I-I'm sorry."

I apologized and tried to remove my hand, but she prevented it by holding my wrist with her hand.

"Huh?"

"It's been a long time… since someone did this to me. Please.."

She said in a near inaudible voice in an embarrassed tone. She didn't make eye contact with me and her face is still red.

I saw her cute reaction and made a small laugh.

"A-are you making fun of me?"

She looked at me and yelled in a more embarrassed tone than before.

I simply laughed and smiled back.

"Hahaha. No no. I think you're very cute."

She broke eye contact and her face is redder than ever.

"... Stupid Yusof.."

What an adorable girl.

I continued to gently pat her head.

Looks like my method worked.

That's a relief.

After a while. She regained herself, her expression and speech went back to normal.

"Now.. let's discuss the plan."

I released my hand from her head and paid attention to what she had to say.

"While you were doing.. ahem.. that... I made a plan."

She said still with a red face, I smiled in response and replied.

"What is it?"

She began to explain.

"You know about the Magic Flow Detection, which is the second sense they use to find enemies right?"

I simply nodded in response.

"Well.. I figure we can do this. I want you to distract the troll, make it focus on you. While it's distracted. I'll shoot its eyes with my Ice Magic, piercing its eyeballs. After it is blinded, it will chase after the person with the most dense Magic Flow."

I listened to everything she said, giving my full attention.

However I have one problem with the plan.

"Why am I the bait!"

I strongly objected. She looked at me with a straight face.

"Well.. Can you snipe its eyes?"

"............... No."

"I thought so"

I looked away in defeat after she said that.

Guess I'm bait this time around.

Why is God cruel to me?

I recovered myself and asked her again.

"So after the troll is blinded, it will chase after you? Since I don't even know if I have any of this Magic Flow."

Mira paused for a moment. Then she continued like it's normal.

"It'll chase who has the most dense Flow. I can't bet who it is."

"Well it's definitely not me. Then, when it's chasing you, what do I do?"

"Attack it. You can swing that sword right? Make it so it can't walk anymore."

So that's our battle strategy. It's far for full proof but it's the best we have right now.

I stood up and stretched. Mira also stood up and beat off the dirt stuck on her rope.

"Alright. Let's do this."

I said as I extended my hand made into a fist to her for a fist bump.

She looked confused for a second. However she seemed to understand what I am doing so she also did the same as I did and extended her hand.

"You sure are confident for bait."

"Attracting danger while evading it is one of my best traits after all."

I replied in confidence as our fists met. Executing the perfect fist bump.

It's true though. I could barely fight any of the beasts I fought in this world but I sure can jump away from their attacks.

I unsheathed my sword. Preparing for the battle we are about to fight. However, Mira is still staring intently at my face. I smiled and asked her.

"What's wrong?"

She looked away and answered in a shy tone.

"Yusof...Be careful.. Don't die.."

What's this? 

"Oh? You care for me now? Hahaha!"

"I-I just don't want to handle those 2 people back at the cart by myself."

She became flustered from my joking words and replied to me while flapping her arms. It was an adorable sight.

I laughed seeing her reaction. I looked at her face and made the most comforting smile I could.

"Don't worry, I don't have the slightest intention of dying."

"Do you promise?" Mira stared at me with eager eyes with me as she said that. She made a worried expression. An expression of a worried daughter that is about to set off her father who is going on a long trip. 

She is making a face where there is only one right answer.

I kneeled down to her level, held her shoulders and stared back at her eyes.

"Yes.. I promise."

I extended my pink finger, as a mark of solidifying the promise.

Her worried face became calm, as she also extended her pinky to complete the pinky promise.

She smiled at me as our pinky fingers intertwined. I stood up and both of us started to walk out of the cover of the rock, ready to execute our plan.

"Well then, Mira. Let's go."

"Yes!"

____________

Earlier.

"HAAAAARGH"

"Oh!"

*CRASH*

Luno was barely able to dodge the tree that was tossed at her.

Luno quickly ran behind a tree to hide herself from the view of the troll. She tried to breathe as quietly as possible so she could rest longer.

When is finally able to control the volume of her breaths, Luno examined herself.

-Ah... This is not good

She thought. Luno is still in one piece, which is a miracle in it itself. She is barely able to move from the accumulated fatigue and hasn't landed a single hit on the troll.

She peeked at the troll, trying to see what it would do next.

"HAAAAAAARGH"

The troll fell over. Its legs still had blood flowing out of it, the injury hadn't gotten better. If anything it got worse from all the crashing and running.

-I can't imagine how much harder it would be if Yusof didn't injure its legs.

Luno thought. This was the perfect chance to attack, but she was tired herself, even standing up became difficult.

However, looking at the troll that isn't moving is the most ideal situation for Luno because her goal is to intercept it.

Defeating it would be great and that's what she's truly aiming for, but the accumulated fatigue from overusing her Magic and from sprinting non-stop is taking a toll on her.

For a while, there was no interaction between Luno and the troll. Which gave her enough time to recover.

She stabilized her breathing and her legs have regained strength. She stuck her head out her hiding spot to see the troll and saw that it also recovered a portion of its strength.

Luno gripped her sword on her left hand and started to formulate a strategy.

-Normally, I'd rush towards the troll but that didn't work. It also defends itself by throwing trees.

She lifted her left hand and stared at her palm.

-Maybe I'll try to constrain it using Earth. No- I have to leave enough mana to defend myself, I don't know if it'll do anything else besides throwing trees.

She continued to observe the troll. Although it regained strength, it still struggled to stand up. It took 3 attempts to be able to stand up properly.

"HAAAAAAARGH"

It roared, finally succeeding to stand up and suppress the pain from its legs. Luno was prepared to execute her strategy but something unpredictable happened.

It didn't decide to search for Luno, it was walking towards Mira and Yusof's directions. In other words, towards the exit of the forest.

-What?

She raised her eyebrows, the troll is moving away from her which wasn't her intention at all.

-Didn't it detect my Magic Flow? How isn't it coming at me?

She thought in confusion. Indeed, she had been purposely leaking her Magic Flow so the troll would lock its attention on her.

Luno stood up and moved away from her hiding spot. She deliberately did so to attract its attention but the troll kept moving.

Her face became troubled. She knew that trolls are unintelligent and would always make predictable decisions. However this one was beyond her.

-Why isn't it noticing me?

Luno knew that trolls would primarily target those in its vision but when she hid, the troll didn't have anything to target thus relying on it's secondary sense for searching enemies.

Magic Flow Detection.

She is unsure of how it works but according to experience if she leaks out Magic Flow the trolls will notice her. However right now, the troll is ignoring her when she is in both plain sight and leaking out Magic Flow.

Luno has no idea of what is happening, her knowledge about the trolls is thrown out the window.

-I have to stop it before it gets to them.

She didn't waste time, the troll's footsteps are huge, if she didn't start to chase it now, she would lose the troll.