“Incline pt 2.”

As Maelis predicted, slime began emerging from the hill, springing into the air.

I unsheathe my sword, slashing through the slimes as they come.

“They’re classic slimes, so they shouldn’t be dangerous.”

Emrys says, ducking behind Dain to avoid the bits of gel being flung through the air.

“Yeah, but they sure are annoying.”

Maelis adds.

The gelatinous beings bounce along the hill, gel glistening in the sun.

Some are deep blue, holding flowers and debris in their gel mass, and others are light green, with ores and gems.

“If you don’t hit the core on the first slash, they’ll just multiply.”

Dain says to Jorvain, who is happily swinging his ginormous sword through the field, flinging gel everywhere.

It clings to his face and hair.

“Well, we don’t really need to kill them; it’ll just make more cores, which’ll add to the slime field.”

He says with a smile on his face, smearing the gel off the side of his cheek.

“G-good point, your greatness! But could you please swing your sword a little less erratically? “

Emrys stutters, grimacing at the gel she pulls out of her hair and off her sleeves.

“Can we gather the cores? To try to reverse the field? I don’t want a King slime to manifest.”

I say quietly.

“Well, we could try, but things like that take multiple parties to do.”

Maelis says, looking down along the hill.

“This hill's too far gone anyway.”

Dain adds.

I stop walking, sheathe my sword, drop to my knees, and reach through the grass.

“What are you doing?”

Emrys asks with furrowed brows.

“If we can help it even a little bit, we have to try. You said so yourself; these things can get dangerous.”

I say with furrowed brows, reaching through the grass and grabbing a core.

A crystal-like manifestation of ardor, every living being has one, even humans.

Each one I see, I grab, until they’re piling up in my arms.

The rest of them watch, but I don’t stop; I don’t lift my head; I grab more until they’re spilling out of my arms—

“Hey, let me help.”

Jorvain says with a gentle smile, putting his sword on his back. He kneels and begins searching for cores.

“There’s only so much you can hold with one arm, Jorvain; let me help.”

Maelis offers. Dropping their staff.

I look up at both of them, my eyes glossing.

“Thank—

“Let me help too then.”

Emrys says, reaching down to grab a core.

“This is ridiculous.”

Dain states.

“You don’t have to help. None of you do.”

I reply, looking away.

“Well, I want to; I think it’s a good idea.”

Jorvain says with a smile.

“Me too.”

Maelis agrees

“If it…means something to Roba, why not?”

Emrys says, somewhat reluctantly, but sincerely.

“We can’t just carry them the whole journey; we need a bag or something.”

Dain says with a huff.

Emrys stands up, holding up her nightgown.

“It won’t fit much, but if we use this to carry them and tie it, we can take some.”

She says with a sigh

“Fine, but he’s carrying it,”

Dain says, referring to me.

“Gladly.”

I state. Standing to my feet, my arms overflowing with cores.

Suddenly—a slime jumps out at me—

But Dain splits it in two with his axe just as it reaches me.

I stumble back, dropping my cores; my heart skips a beat.

He bends down with a sigh, gathering the cores.

“I’ll make sure the slimes don’t attack you. Get up; we don’t have time to waste.”

He says as he reaches out his hand.

I hesitate before grabbing hold of it and letting him help me to my feet.

“Thank you...”

I mutter, my eyes pricking with tears.

“Thank you all.”

I repeat, beginning to sob.

***

Eventually, we filled the makeshift bag made from Emrys's nightgown with as many cores as it could carry. And like promised, I carried it.

I rubbed my eyes and sniffled, a bit embarrassed I cried. We went on in slience.

“Do you think Agenes is eating apples up in heaven?”

Jorvain asks out of the blue.

“I hope so. “

Emrys says with a small smile.

“Doubt it works like that.”

Dain replies

“What? Why not!”

Jorvain argues.

“I just mean I doubt the Agenes that’s in heaven is the Agnes we knew in this world; what if she’s not even a horse anymore?”

He explains.

“Oh…that’s a good point!”

Jorvain exclaims, seeming pleased with the idea.

“We reached the bottom of the hill!”

Emrys celebrates with a twirl. As our feet leave the hill and come onto level ground.

“Finally.”

Maelis huffs with exhaustion, stumbling forward.

“We’re not out of the woods yet; by the looks of it, we’re about to enter them. Look ahead.”

Dain says, pointing ahead.

Before us is a vast forest, lush with trees; the path continues.

“We’re just getting even closer to the village! This is great! “

Jorvain exclaims with a small jump, pumping his fist.

***

“I don’t feel great.”

Maelis states, practically on the verge of collapsing.

We’ve entered the forest, following the path. Sunlight filters through the leaves. A gentle breeze rushes through the trees, rustling the leaves. Birds chirp, the sound mixing with the sound of water rushing through rocks in a nearby river.

“I’m sure we’re getting closer. Do you think you’ll make it? “

Jorvain asks gently, helping Maelis stand.

“Yeah, I can push through...”

They huff, wobbling with their staff supporting their weight.

“Come on.”

Dain says with a sigh, walking over to Maelis and holding out his arms.

They pause, looking up at him

“I’m fine, I can make it!”

Maelis barks, trying to straighten up and find their stance.

“You can hardly stand.”

He says, lifting them over his shoulder with a grunt.

Maelis pouts but doesn’t bother to fight.

“Maelis always gets to be carried; how come they can’t walk like the rest of us?”

Emrys whines, huffing with exhaustion

“Alright, up you go.”

Dain says, sweeping Emrys off her feet, holding her with his free arm.

“D-Dain!”

She exclaims

“You don’t need to... aren’t you tired too?”

“I’m fine; worry about yourself.”

He says bluntly, carrying on. It’s hard to tell how true it is with that helmet on his head.

“Man, Dain’s amazing! Isn’t he?”

Jorvain says with a proud smile.

“The best.”

Maelis says monotonously, but I can tell they really mean it.

“Thank you, Dain.”

Emrys says with an exhausted sigh.

We carry on, cutting through trees, crossing rivers, and jumping over logs.

Somehow Jorvain joined the pile of bodies on Dain’s shoulder, swinging a tiny twig in his hand back and forth.

“Look, Maelis, I’ve got a staff just like you! “

They stare back at him, silent and unimpressed.

I keep walking; I didn’t ask for a lift, and Dain didn’t offer to give me one. But I’m not on the verge of collapsing or anything; four people would just be overkill anyway.

I lower my head, fixating on pebbles along the path, when suddenly—

I feel something tap my head. And when I look up, my eyes land on Jorvain’s, green like emeralds, with an almost ethereal glow. He taps my head with the twig in his hand, smiling at me, ear to ear like a child.

The sun itself seems to beam in response. It’s silly, but I feel my heart skip a beat, and I’m sure my face looks like how Emrys does when she looks at him.

I smile back.

I guess I get why he has that effect on her. There’s just something about Jorvain; he’s special.

I wish I were too.

I wish I were like Jorvain.

A leaf flutters onto his nose, which makes him chuckle and kick his feet with glee.

And suddenly I think maybe I’m being a bit dramatic; Jorvain is a bit odd.

“I love this world!”

He proclaims, full of joy.

“You’re so odd.”

Maelis says, shaking their head in disbelief.

Emrys burst out laughing at the interaction, and soon we’re all laughing, for whatever reason. Maybe the exhaustion has finally gotten to us, but I think I even hear Dain laugh a bit.

***

Correction, the exhaustion has definitely gotten to us.

With everyone back on their feet this time, Maelis and Emrys drag Dain along the path by his arm. Jorvain waves his arm through the air, cheering them on

“He—

“Ho!”

Maelis and Emrys shout in response to him

“He—

“Ho!”

They repeat, more passionately than before.

I hold back my laughter, holding Dain’s axe over my shoulder, his helmet, and the slime cores in my arm.

“That’s the spirit!”

Jorvain exclaims with a laugh.

The setting sun shines down on us as we leave the shade of the forest’s trees.

And in the distance, there it is—

“T-the village!”

Emrys cries with joy, dropping Dain’s arm.

She rushes down the path.

“H-hey! Wait up!”

Maelis shouts after her, leaving Dain on the path; they rush after Emrys.

Jorvain barks with laughter. And Dain just grunts from behind his armor, not moving a muscle.

“Well, Roba, looks like we made it.”

He says with a smile.

“Finally.”

End.