2

                                  II


Mikota clutched his wooden saber, panting heavily as he tried not to lurch over - his knees were quivering too hard again-

How is he…still going-

"Hey, hey, hey - don't let up now!"

Ried called out from ahead, walking up to him casually - black saber twirling in his hand. The weapon he'd been having nightmares about, ever since they’d started training.

It's no use…I can't …

Mikota fell to his knees, pinning his own wooden saber plunging alongside him. Every muscle throbbed and stung as he sucked and heaved the air from his lungs - the cold biting into his neck, as sweat railed down his face from all sides-

"Up, Mikota - Don't be a wuss!"

“For the last time - what's a wuss?!”

The rough, garnet earth seemed to pound back and forth with his blood.

Is the world swimming?"

Sucking his breath in, he reeled his gaze higher, catching Ried's free hand clamping up and down, gesturing beckoningly.

One.

Mikota squeezed his handle, hoisting himself off the ground and ripping his sword out from below. Fanning out his free hand, he swiveled his blade once. Ried's footsteps…he could hear them changing…they'd begun scraping just now, which meant-

Ried lunged, figure flurrying as he shot his blade into him; arm flinching out, Mikota whacked off the swordsman’s chest-stab-

CLANG!

Ried spun back into the air, landing back where he was, sword leaning by his waist as he grinned thinly.

"Hey…that was pretty good…You'll bag a chick in no time…! "

That agai- okay, don't bother countering. Two-oooo!?

Ried was…gone-

“That was a joke, Mikky-”

Mikota snapped his gaze above, arms tensing as he pulled on his sword again-

I can’t move it?!

“Girls out here are scary as hell, man”

Ried’s face sat in front of him, grinning evilly - the swordsman crouching on the flat of Mikota’s blade, his own sword buried in the ground.

My blade is…

Pinned from above and below. It was already over.

“Me - 13, Mikky - 0. I was getting my hopes up too"

"...Again!? I watched you the WHOLE Time!"

"Hm-hm! Finally reached your limit, did you?"

"... genuinely - what did you train for? Ried t-that was- that was insane! I couldn't even feel you landing on my sword this time, let alone see you coming from above! What creature could possibly justify your…Insanity!?"

Ried squinted, tilting his head-

“So you're a wimp now? At least you're talking big…that's progress - baby steps it is"

"What? No-tchh…look…I'm sorry…I just…lost control of-"

"What the hell are you apologising for? Get me off your sword"

"I can't…I'm not…strong enough to-"

“Mikota, you gotta cut that shit out now, alright? It's been just a little over two weeks, but you feel the difference, don't you?"

Ried was right. Mikota was living everyday so thoroughly now, it still felt so surreal, like his very first day here. His stamina, his strength, his ability to heal…it was magic. Never in all his life had he ever felt so alive and present - so powerful, his body moving as quickly or as delicately as he wanted to in the flick of a whim. It was so…amazing…all the time.

"I kinda felt that one…Heck, I think you might be forcing me on the defensive one of the days"

Not happening, Ried

"I think…I need a…"

"What's that?…your breathing's completely scattered already. Alright, I guess. We'll call it off for today"

Ried snickered, notching his sword forward, before swiftly sheathing it like Mikota had seen countless times now.

“Damn. I'm kinda hungry again. You?"

"...Yeah…I could have another bite"

Earth pounding to his knees as he keeled over, Mikota shook his head.

It was Ried who pressed those words in his head - the ones that forced him to face everything up until leaving the cottage. And what was perhaps stranger, was that all of it seemed like a distant dream - he couldn't even remember how he spent his days before.

Maybe it was because he was living so fully, or that he felt happier than ever - he still wasn't sure. But that same Ried was sitting on the ground right next to him, more casual than Mikota ever could be.

I"ve gotta leave thinking back too much…I'm here right now…right here

Brushing his palm against his torso, Mikota smoothened out the creases of his drenched white shirt. He exhaled sharply, as the frigid damp cloth bit his skin. For a moment, it stayed a sinking stone: sharp cold, twinging and sinking further in; Mikota sat still, clenching his fists lightly as he waited with it.

Right above his stomach where the cloth pressed, the chill was fanning out - rippling out its sinews as it sank into his bosom. Every moment closer…deeper. Until the waves of it shored against something that wouldn't give - wouldn’t change no matter how they frothed and crashed against it.

It's here…

The deepest waves of bitter cold threw away, lashed into puddles by that presence deep with…and surging to burrow again - cyclically lashing and flailing against the bedrock thing that refused to give, dwindling closer and closer into mute, formless things with every fall; the presence had begun beating stronger now, furthering up towards his skin - ebbing away the pangs of cold…the waves were slackening now, scattering sparse against the warmth that pulsed back in his body - against that indomitable thrumming beneath his flesh.

All throughout his body it was coursing at every moment - burning his fatigue, filling his strength again and again, no matter how hurt or tired he got. Even now, he felt the burn of his muscles already fading away - it had gotten faster as the days went by.

Dragon blood…it really has changed everything

"...Phew, okay! Well, Mikota, that was pretty good compared to yesterday…so. You're probably wondering why I called you so early today right?"

"Hmm? Uh…yeah, yeah - usually you don't wake up so early…why?"

Spreading his hands behind, Ried jutted his chin at the forest.

"I’ve been on leave for a bit, and my vacation’s finally up. Going back down to the Guild again today - another adventure awaits!”

"...Ried...you're leaving?"

Ried flashed a sneer, winking-

"Don’t slack off while I’m gone, alright?"

Then it's just me and Saridus then…

“So you won't be here at all? How long until you'll come back?"

"What, lonely already? Relax, Mikky - I know mom doesn’t come out much, but you can get to know all of the rocks in the garden while you're not practicing, right? Plus, you’ve been learning to read and write as well, so…"

"...I am, but-"

"Then you'll be fiiine! But seriously, how do you sit down and study without being tortured or something? It's crazy…I mean, I would never in a million years. Hey, all the more pressure to get out there, am I right?"

Grinning lightly, Mikota ran his hand to the grass - the cool rivulets brushing slick off his skin.

"...Learning to read and write allows you to learn more about the world quickly, Ried - you’ve done it as well, right-"

Expression of Aggressive Denial!!

"Hot damn, Mikky…you’re that kind of weirdo, huh? Guess mom finally has company…"

Eyebrows arching, Mikota sighed.

“…I don’t know what sort of impression I had before, but now that I think of it, I really can’t imagine you studying”

“Oii! What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“Nothing, nothing…by the way - who are the ‘other guys’?’"

Ried sneered, cracking his neck-

"Girls. They're my party members - 5 of us, including me. We all string along for quests"

"You need help for monster subjugation? I can’t believe you'd struggle against anything."

“Right…? Tch….guess it did start that way…but somewhere along the way…they just kinda came…heh. It’s pretty stupid…being reliable. People start piling crap on you, and make you feel like a jerk when you refuse them, you know?”

…No, not really

Ried stared at him expectantly…before sighing, finally looking up-

“Well, anyway - there's all kinds of missions from the guild - even the ‘hahaha! let's go pick flowers in the Sun!’ types, and out there...well. You’re lucky if it’s just monsters you run into…in this world…things get real spicy-”

Unsheathing his blade Ried turned his obsidian blade, turning it in the light as he stroked it’s blade-

“What I’m saying, Mikky, it’s a big world, with all kinds of things - close your eyes, and thing of the weirdest thing you can, and you’ll find out there…for every legend and scary story, there’s something or someone out there who is very, very real…”

“...spicy? Like, condiments? Oh, I see - you’re comparing the uniqueness of a situation to the surprise we feel while eating a striking flav…what?"

“You and your over-analyzing blabbering - don’t ruin the mood, dude!

“Heh…”

Taking this much for granted…how complex is the humour of people out there?!

Clearing his throat, the 16 year old looked back into the forest, crossing his legs.

“...Anyway, like I was saying - it's important to have a good idea about a lot of things. That goes twice, when you’re the leader of a party - although I have a cheat code of course!"

“I see…so you're the leader of your party? What's its name?"

Brushing off his pants, Ried lurched over, lithely inverting into a squat, face screwing in annoyance as it turned to his mud-wet boots.

“...gawd-dammit - these fricking soles…”

"...Ried?"

"...Mhm?"

"You're a party leader?"

"Mhmm…yeah, yeah. I am. My party, Orion's Tread 's ranked at A - remember that thing I told you, right? About the guild systems and stuff?"

"Yeah. Ranks start at G and end at S, roughly gauging your reliability and the level of quest you can complete…but hang on - didn’t you say you're ranked S?"

"I am. I ranked S in the AAE 4 years back - when I was around your age, I think."

AAE…Oh, right - the Adventuring Association Exam every December…

Mikota blinked, a clump of earth flying past him as Ried flung the last bit of dirt off his boots. Exhaling definitively, he raised to his full height.

"Well, then - I'll be off now"

Mikota staggered, curling inwardly as Ried ‘patted’ his back on his stroll into the forest - his jaw still rattled with that…one of those few moments when Ried's true strength showed through - how much did he even hold back in the first place? And now…was he starting to draw that back?

…then again, with you, could be anything

"...Ried…when are you-"

“Mikota…"

"...what?"

Spinning back, Ried craned his neck to the side, one eyes shut playfully as he swiftly sheathed his blade - sneering, as he notched a finger at Mikota-

"You better leave here badass, alright?...Catch you later."

~

"If you don't get off the bed in the next 5 seconds, you will explode"

Mikota yawned, rubbing his eyes as he tried to rouse himself.

It came away in flies, the beams of noon light - beige rods billowing away into ardent flecks as they poured through the slit of the ajar shutter, gently drenching the room in aurate pools.

"And why would that be, Saridus?"

“Divine intuition of a superior being. Also, I would really appreciate you shifting just a tad bit so I can see your wonderful crayon…amalgamation in all its glory"

Shifting away from the headboard, Mikota flipped over sluggishly, slumping over by the foot of his bed.

"Yeah, I know I should"ve been better at drawing by now. It's already been half a month, and I still can't draw a tree without making it look a needle with green clouds stuffed on top"

"Now, now - at least you're past making red and yellow bark now, aren't you? Besides, like I"ve already told you - having literally anything new to look at is nothing short of a fine pleasure for I, Saridus, to welcome with supple joy!"

"...thanks, Saridus"

Every time he talked to Saridus, it felt so strangely…natural. Perhaps it was because Saridus talked with his own voice, or that every time they spoke face to face, it was his own image, except unlike him, self assured, relaxed and always smirking just a little.

"Of course. Didn’t think I'd see that look on your face so soon"

"What’s the look on my face?"

"Half assed lip twinging - something close to a mage's face, as their thoughts gather and concoct another heinous rendezvous for nothing more than a quench of personal curiosity"

That bad?

"Well, I am thinking a bit. "

"Are we breaking up dialogue to build suspense? Spit it out, Mik"

"I don't …I just…don't know what to do. Don't feel like doing writing practice, or learning something new. Ried said he won't be back for a while, so maybe that’s why I…"

"Please - if you actually look forward to Casual Bongo Drums opening his mouth, you seriously need a hobby."

"You really don't like him one bit, do you?"

"That- gah! I’ve used up my monthly swears! That intellect-impotent prude is the most rude prick in- he covered my mirror for three goddamn years because our dear Ms. Evaine told him not to tick off the near-omniscient, effortlessly divine demon! Are you kidding me? I mean, you try sitting in the dark for a day and then we'll talk!"

"Okay, okay! Though…I think it's more because Ms. Evaine's just cautious in general, and since Ried doesn’t really get magic very well, he takes her words pretty seriously"

"That…sounds pretty reasonable actually. Still in Bongo status though, if you ask me-"


"I understand your point, and concur with you sympathetically.”

“Literal Accountant Response! It only took a thousand years to hear that spoken out loud…okay! Brainstorm - what awaits Mikota and Saridus on this fine noon?”

“Well…I'm still not sure what to do right now. I'm officially out of ideas. Don't really feel like drawing or writing-"

“Just drawing, you mean."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing - nope, nuh-uh! Well, have you considered going outside maybe? Taking a walk in the forest?"

"In the forest? No way - they're monsters there, remember?"

Flashing him a thumbs-up, Saridus sneered evily-

"Not in the morning, there aren't! I know it’s an empty crowd here 24/7, but we might find some weird fellows out there. I’m hoping for a sundry exploding imps!"

"Wait, what!? How come you know? What’s an imp?"

“No idea. Let’s go?”

"Yes! Wait, but how’d we move move around? I still don’t know the path yet, and you’ve never left here…”

Looking around cautiously, Saridus leaned in through the mirror, covering his mouth-

“Evaine placed little mirrored slits to the shortest path - they light up when you shine a lantern at them. What, did you really imagine Mr. Trash-Sense-of-Direction actually knew his way about the forest? Please. That idiot could walk up ten flights of stairs up and be genuinely confused that he wasn't on the ground floor"

Mikota laughed, sitting up as he stretched his hands up, before springing off his bed (something he realised he preferred, rather than slowly putting one foot at a time and standing up - maybe because he was just more now restless than usual).

"I don't think he's that bad, Saridus. But what you're saying is…there’s no risk in going out after all right now?"

"Pretty much. Probably. Okay, there isn't - but you can't leave the Dragon's body too far behind, alright? Any further than the foot of the mountain, and you might just become a bit too softhearted. Literally"

"I don't think it would really affect my heart, Saridus, but yes. I"ve got to be careful I don't go too far…say, if you know about the forest path…have you been outside after all?"

"Ahh…well, sometimes when Evaine wants to have a little peek of the outside world, she opens up the mirrors on the path for me, but otherwise, not really. I really miss looking outside"

Ms. Evaine…I haven't seen her even once since then…

"What? Curious about her again? I'm telling you - she's been fumbling around with cube-thingy since forever.”

"You sure you don't know what "cube thingy" is?"

"Unfortunately, no. Eh, not like anything she messes with is ever interesting anyway. More importantly…Mikota…"

The demon dropped his smile, eyes finally setting in Mikota’s.

"Well…I don't know why she's been so lenient about this - considering she's a mage and all, but…I think she's kept around a shorthand for extending my habitats, which is to say…"

Mikota smiled, glancing at the mirror.

"New viewing angles?"

"...yeah, yeah. Exactly. There's a way I can see the outside world after all - however, can I readily assure you of a fact? I can be of much service if you-"

"Saridus…I’m not going without you, even if I can…but unless you have a way that I can without Ms. Evaine finding out…it's too risky…"

"H-huh?"

"What's wrong?"

Saridus sighed wearily, the mirror glinting as Mikota's image in the mirror shifted, walking closer to the pane that separated their worlds. Exhaling softly, Mikota walked up to the mirror, meeting Saridus's impression of him. He'd placed his palm on the glass, eyes downcast

…me

"All this time...and here I had a grand speech prepared of exploring the world together"

Mikota sighed nasally, pulling in his lip as he gazed between his friend’s eyes

"I'd be far more worried if I didn't have you with me all the time…I know I'm…being selfish about that, but if I really could keep you with me…then I'd take that chance - I'd never be afraid to be free…"

Saridus looked up, meeting his eyes.

…do you…also...?

"How…how far do you want to go?"

"The whole world. I want to see all the things we talked about - the seas, the marshes, the deserts - I want to see those volcanoes and icebergs with my own eyes…the both of us to see all the things that you know about, for real…I don't know what's happened to me all of a sudden, but I have to take this chance to see…everything! I want to start with getting my way around the mountain first, and when I can leave the Dragon's vicinity, I'll become an adventurer-"

“Slow your roll, Mik…gosh…Finally…and you're sure about all that?"

"I am…so what do I need to bring you?"

"...All I need is another reflective surface to extend my viewing angles…if you can find something like that you can take with you…then we're set"

~

Mikota breathed deeply, lightly giddy.

Verdant aromas lapped the noon air, settling deep within his lungs in thick, mashed sinews cool and crisp - the chill of new zeal soaked in every breath of air he took in, resuming his saunter through the forest.

…I thought I'd be more skittish about this, but…now that I'm here, I can't stop smiling for some reason…I"ve finally left the tower!

It was difficult not to look too far from the trees he had to - the ones with thin, black strips all around their barks. He'd never seen the forest in the day, after all.

Even from the corner of his eye, he could make out the bowels of the place - the beige-maroon Sundry of leaves and twigs, that gave away in slackened clucks as his feet fell into them, and the trees - hundreds and thousands of trees raking through the air in every direction, each of their corrugated bodies easily wider than Mikota was tall; maybe even taller than Ried. Darker than the garnet of the mountain earth, black against the sallow skies.

Were there dryads - shy spirits of the trees - cooped up in the hollow knots in some of them? Saridus had mentioned the chances were extremely low, but there were a million trees here….maybe one of them really did.

Mikota chuckled, wiping his brow as he peered ahead searching for a black band amid the myriad of gnarled pillars before him. A moment later, the next black band showed itself, up ahead to his right.

He could stay over a bit longer here, maybe. Check it out.

No, no - I can't get lost on my first day of this…Later, then. I’ve gotta ask Saridus which trees are more likely for them…

Mikota furthered towards the black band-

What kind of trees would they prefer? Is it like…the softness of the bark or…can they feel it in the first place?

Palming the marked tree at last, he struck the rock he had clenched in his left fist against it, walking around as he dragged the stone around the bark, carving a ringed pit over the dark metal band - a precautionary measure he devised just in case he wanted to turn back at any point. This way, he could hopefully avoid following the wrong tree and end up further outside the forest.

Well, maybe it's for the best that dryads are rare…I'll probably be hunted down for desecration-

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIGGHHH!! GET-AWAY! GET-AWAY! GET-AWAY FROM ME YOU FILTHY CREATURE- GET-OFF!!"

IT'S A DRYAD NOO-!!

Crushing himself against the nearest tree, Mikota clenched his teeth and fists, curling up into a ball. Maybe, just maybe it would give him mercy and-

"GET-OUT OF MY FACE! AAUGGH! YOU DISGUSTIN-AAAAUUGHHH!"

Mikota perked his head up, quickly sprung to his feet as his sense leaned into the screams - they weren't coming to him. It was rippling from ahead.

No, no…that's someone - they need help! From…just behind that tree

Lithely drawing his wooden saber, he charged forward, pressing against the tree as he slowly manoeuvred around it, edging closer to the screams.

One…Two…Three

Mikota lunged around the bark, finding a blurring tussle unfolding on the forestbed - a flailing umbrella, and a long, writhing, many limbed tube that yowled and screeched, trying to tear in through its fabric.

Mikota struck the thing.

The saber cracked against its hide, rebounding back with a crunch.

Tough!

Mikota slid his legs apart as the thrust pushed him back, feet scraping back at the earth as he slackened back to stance - the thing arcing its spine as it spat out a rattling scream, before flashing out its limbs and shooting towards him. Mikota swerved right, smashing his blade into its body as it hurtled past, sending it further back into the forest. The monster shrieked sharply, crashing into the earth, and squirming around, before throwing its maw at Mikota.

Just teeth…no eyes

Yanking back its maw, the thing scurried further into the forest, howling all the while.

It's not dead…it's gonna be back

"W-what the hell was that? Oh my god…I actually did it…"

Mikota glanced back at the umbrella - which now at a steadier gaze was rather strange - entirely made out of sort of golden metal, like Saridus' mirror. It lay still, rolled sideways, completely silent.

That scream definitely came from here…

"Uhh…so it's okay now-"

"W-who are you?"

That voice…light, like Evaine's - a girl.

"I'm uh…just a…guy…"

"Yeah, I can tell - why are you here?"

"Never mind me, are you okay?"

"Of course I'm fine! Why wouldn't I be? It's the others I'm worried about"

Others? Oh no…that thing got away

"Then let's find them - Quickly…Can I help-"

"Tiron N'modea"

The umbrella shifted, side-spoked shell shivering as it creaked and clicked - suddenly collapsing in a blur of torsioning metallic viscera, as the whole thing buckled thinner and thinner…into a bronze staff; he found fingers clamped at the middle of it clenched white, that moved the rod aside, pinning the thing into the earth.

"W-woah! T-that was…am-azing! How- how did you…what was…? That was…"

The girl pulled herself up, brushing loose dark strands away from her face as her sepia cloak hood fell down - her hair was like nothing he'd seen before - shoulder length, running sheerly down in flat trips above her forehead, two braided cords hanging on either side of her thin face…stripped black and pink?

"Amazing? I heard you the first time, buddy. Phew…okay, okay - we should move now…b-but’s it’s not like I want you to come with me or anything, okay?!"

~

She wanted him to come.

Mikota quietly walked beside the girl, fingering the locket around his neck. Saridus had to know where they were going as a last resort. True, the girl seemed to be a lot more confident now, which was relieving - at first, they had turned around quite often after just a few steps in any direction; either way, his skittishness had been thoroughly replenished, having abandoned the forest path he had followed so carefully up until meeting her.

Saridus, I'm really counting on you this time

“So…how exactly are we tracking your companions?"

"I have my ways, w-which I will keep to myself, if you don't mind."

…this girl’s holding back a lot, huh?

"Ahh…well, I'd like to know, just in case - we can't go too far, else we'll lose our way"

"You know the way from where we first met, right?"

"Uh, yes, if from where I found you is what you mean"

"Then we'll be fine"

"I see…so-"

"Talk later. I'm listening"

"...uh..right. Sorry"

She's likely an adventurer, given her cloak, how she seemed prepared for that monster, and the fact that she has teammates - that alone proves that she's split up with them for some reason, but usually operates alongside them. Moreover, that monster couldn't have been from the forest - it was too easy - plus, it's still day - no, noon. So they’ve split up to hunt that monster, but things went south?

Mikota looked up listlessly. And flinched. The pallor sky had already burned away into light mauve, darker hues seething from all corners above.
This is turning bad…

How long had they been walking? Night was coming, and so was everything that it brought.

"Up ahead"

The girl's voice finally cut through the silence again, as she pointed ahead. Mikota peered into the darkness, able to make out the shapes as his eyes adjusted to the haze of distance - it was some 100 meters ahead, but he was certain. Bodies. He could hear something now too - a faint disjointed sort of vocalisation.

Mikota stopped, holding out his hand in front of the girl

"What’re you doing!? Let me through!"

"Wait. I think I can hear something…and see people ahead"

The girl spun her head around, squinting at him - lip twisting anxiously as she stared for a moment.

"...you can?"

"You’ve obviously been tracking their positions by some sort of sound that I can't hear, which means you don't know what kind of position they really are in. I see people ahead, and I'm hearing something I'm not quite sure what to make of. Stay here, and keep your umbrella open just in case. This might be an ambush"

"What-are-you saying? An ambush? Look, I need to check-"

"I can't allow you to go without knowing what's there. I'll call you if it's safe, or tell you to run. If I can, I'll try carrying them with me"

The girl looked back up ahead, straining her eyes for a moment, before huffing in exasperation.

"I don't know what you're going on about…I can't see or hear anything from here"

I know you're scared…but you really can't ?

Mikota gently placed his hand on her shoulder, bending his neck to her height.

"As it stands, they are as much my priority as they are yours. I will not let harm come to them - please trust me. Stay here until I know it's safe"

The girl stared at him, her eyes slowly beginning to shake in glistening veneers.

Mikota held his gaze.

I promise you, I will bring them back…all you have to do is trust me right now

Her eyes had welled up till the brim. The girl sniffed, quickly wiping away at them - a cracked, heavy breath slipping from her lips.

"T-then hurry"

Mikota gave her a firm nod, and drew his blade again, picking up his pace as he sauntered cautiously ahead.

They're bodies alright. One is lying down…and the other is hunched over. What's going on? And that sound…

Mikota stopped, leaning in as he tried to map it to something - anything that he could remember. It was a sort of broken up, slurred voice that seemed rather…

Crying!

So either the monster wasn't here just yet, or it had done its deed and fled.

They might be injured

The girl - which Mikota could see now - hunched over was crying. Either out of fear, or…

Mikota picked up his pace again, clutching his saber as he sprinted quickly towards the group.

"Excuse me? I think I can- Oh God."

His feet slackened, stilling beside the body lying on the forestbed. His eyes fell over the body from its head - a short haired girl. His gaze trailed lower, and widened.

No…

Below the waist, everything else was…red. Naked, bloody viscera spilling from her gashed, hollow pelvis - blood pooling around, drenching everything. Red. Torn apart. Into pieces.

I can't…

Mikota's throat crushed into itself, no air slipping in, and none leaving out. And roiling, gouging - cutting from within the precipice of himself - the pit. The void. Tearing back into him - wrenching away all he was.

…can't…breathe…no…

His legs gave away.

Mikota landed on his knees with a soft thud, landing with a wet crunch in the blood drenched foliage below. The crying girl choked over her tears, spinning towards him.

You promised…you promised her…you lied. LIAR!

"W-who a-are you?"

GET UP! USELESS! GET. UP! FIX HER!

But what can I…I…wait…I can-

Teeth clenching, Mikota pinned his saber in the earth, pushing himself up - legs shivering, nigh limp as he rose-

I can…

He looked to his side, finding the girl again. One eye lay exposed, downcast - red and puffed from incessant tears - the rest of her face shrouded in blonde, dishevelled hair, and the hood of her cloak.

She's an adventurer.

Clamilly sheathing his saber, he steadied the girl in his hands, lifting her face to meet his gaze-

"I-I…will put her back together again. All you need to do is give me your weapon, and tell your teammate to wait for a bit - that I saw something and I'm scouting ahead. Give an excuse for th-"

“S-she's…the monster…she’s lost too much blood…I-I couldn't…"

The girl squeezed her eye shut, trembling as she gazed at her bloody hands.
…It’s the other girl’s blood

"You did everything you could, a-alright? You need to let your other friend know it's alright so I can help her. Can you do that for me?"

The girl didn't meet his eyes. He didn’t want her to.

“S-she's …she's g-gone-"

YOU'RE WASTING TIME!

Mikota bit his lip, trembling as he rolled out his palm, locking his fingers together-

You gotta do it quickly, Mikky - a light chop beside their nape

He struck the girl by the neck, catching her as she crumpled into his lap.

You’re going to be okay, I promise…now, your weapon -

Propping her against a tree, he searched her cloak - leaves, a notebook, and cold, metallic thing - her weapon.

Mikota dragged it out from her cloak pocket - cold chains, one link after another, before finally yanking out a knife cobbled into it at the end.

Yes!

Shifting over to the girl, he held out his hand, placing the knife over his wrist.

You have to work…you have to…

Mikota brought down the knife against his skin, slashing across it shallowly. Pain fractured from under his palm, stinging across the blood red slit that welled from under his cut. Immediately scooting to the torn up body of the girl lying down, he turned over his arm, hovering it over her hollowed out pelvis.

One second passed.

Two.

A third second had passed.

…My blood isn't flowing!?

Turning his arm back, he checked the blood red slit. Brown slit.

It's already coagulated…then how am I going to…no, no- I can!

He placed his knife against his arm again, lower than the first cut, bringing it down swiftly - grinding his teeth, as a sharper sting frayed out from the fresh well of blood.

Quickly laying his arm over the girl's wound, he pressed below the slit, squeezing his arm - the sting grated deeper, veining into his flesh; Mikota cried out, tears burning into his eyes.

And the first drop fell.

Then another.

Mikota gasped, as the pain wrecking through his arm subsided again.

All I need to do…is keep going-

A sizzle. Mikota's tear-blearly gaze snapped to the girl's torso. Something was moving. Exclaiming softly, he hurriedly wiped his eyes, looking closer.

The bloody sinews slid back into the gashes they lay spit out from, effervescence crackling through the gore as all the brown, bloated flesh spilling out congealed, deep red hues coursing back into them as they snaked into knots, slipping around and filling the gaps in her thighs-

Her body…it's putting itself back together…it's working…she needs more…

Mikota placed the knife against his arm, lower still-

And she will have more…as much as it takes-

And brought it down. He turned his arm over. It stung. He squeezed out the blood. It stung more.

One drop. Two.

The girl's body sizzled louder, bubbles erupting from the stagnant pools of blood as all her leg’s viscera finally retracted entirely, arranging into orderly folds as slick, tender skin began to pour in from every gaping rim.

It's faster!

Mikota clenched his eyes shut, waiting with the pain from the last cut.

It's not going away…doesn't matter

Peeling his eyes open, he clutched the knife again, hands trembling.

Just a little more…all she needs is a little more.

He was getting sloppy. Cutting too deep. Shaking worse with every cut.

Please god…I'm begging you…let me bring her back…I beg you

Wiping the sweat off against his shirt, he tightened his fingers firmly on the knife with a drier palm. It still shook.

If things keep up…this should be the last one

He brought down the knife one more time, and shrieked. The knife fell away from his hand, skittering into the bloody foliage below. Tears railed down his face, every pore in his arm being lashed in a splintering burn - torn apart and gutted from inside and out.

Head hitting the ground, Mikota curled up, clutching his arm to his chest, biting every scream of agony that pressed against his throat. He wanted it to stop - he couldn't take it anymore.

His other hand drifted to the locket around his neck, fingering it feebly.

“Sarid-"

‘Mikota, listen to me very carefully - take the leaves from the girl's robes, and put it on your arm. Do it right now"

Panting, Mikota reached out towards the other girl, pulling himself forward, closer to her tree. Then yanking at her cloak, he slid his fingers through her pocket, feeling out for the fuzzy texture of the leaves.

…here?

His hands brushed past something soft and thick. The leaves. Clutching his fingers around them, he ripped them out, desperately slapping them against his arm.

Immediately, cool blossomed over his arm, soothing the crackling burn. Quickly snatching another leaf, he pressed over another cut. One more. Two. Three. A fourth one. Five. All the pain. Gone.

Incredible…how does it even work? I need to keep it like this, I think…need some sort of string…my saber's handle should do the trick

Drawing out his saber, he picked at the knot, undoing the leather wraps around the handle, then setting aside his sword, he wrapped the leather strips around the leaf peppered arm, wounding it around tightly, and knotting it at the end of his arm.

Hmm…this should do, right?

He flexed the arm, fanning out its fingers and rolling around the wrist. It would do.

"Okay, okay - I can move again…"

Pushing himself off the forest bed, he brushed off dead twigs and dry leaves from himself, walking towards the unconscious girl. Her body. It was whole again. But she remained dead still.

"I…failed? No…no…this can 't be happening…S-saridus…is there…is there any way I can check if she's alive?"

'Sure, but would you mind looking up for a bit?"

"What? No! I need to know-"

"Look up, Mikota"

"Oh, what is it?"

Mikota flung his gaze up - gasping sharply. The mauve had burned away nearly entirely…twilight. How had it taken so long? Now-

"Ohh…no…"

"How about that, eh? Had your fun? Enjoyed being a hero? Yay. Now we can all die together, you joining the wonderfully idiotic triad we have here"

"I need to-"

"ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE GIRL RIGHT NOW?"

"YES WE ARE!"

"You…are unbelievable"

"How can you remain so calm!? She's d-dead, Saridus! Dead! I tried to save her, and now her body is whole but she…s-she…"

"How can I be so calm? I'll tell you, Mikota. Because I’ve seen the same thing happen again, and again, and again, and again, and again and again, and so many times, that now…I just see the comedy of it. You haven't seen shit, not even one bit of the atrocities committed by humans, and every other race in the last ten thousand years, oh no. What you see before you is nothing short of graceful for an end. Every second of every day, more horrific things happen in every corner of the world. And moreover, when you're a demon…let's just say that all of that is just a part of being born and kept in a world you don't belong in"

'Saridus, please-"

"Coming to the girl, you don 't even need me to tell you this - you’ve already deduced she's impaired in some shape or form to begin with, clearly unfit to be an adventurer by herself - why else would she be paired up with leaf girl over there? What did she die for today? Some petty conviction like revenge? Wanderlust? Whatever it is, I'm sure she was more than prepared to meet her very likely demise"

"..I-I'm begging you-"

"What do you say, Mikota? You’ve seen death for the very first time. You'll see a lot of it, the more you press onward to the beyond. All over the world, eh…? Were you really prepared? Or…was it because you promised your dream to a demon, so it didn't matter? What did you think would happen? We could’ve explored all the world quite well, Mikota, from a mirror and a bed, don't you think?"

“S-Saridus…I'm b-begging you-"

"What!? What are you begging me for, Mikota?"

"I-I can give you my answer, w-while we wait for the end…just let f-find me out…the g-girl…I need to know"

"...quell your crying. I'll let you take a pulse"

"A p-pulse?"

"Put the first two fingers to the left of your thumb together - yes, right hand"

"L-like this?"

"Yes. Look at your arm now. Can you see the final crease that separates your palm from your arm?"

"Uh…the…uh…the crease…"

'Mikota: calm down…look carefully. You can see it, can you?"

"Uh…yes, yes! I see it now…okay"

"Good. You're going to place the joined fingers right over that exact location of her hand - it doesn't matter which. Ready? Okay - go for it"

Mikota sniffed, wiping away the last of his tears - then scooting over to the girl lying on the forestbed, he delicately picked out her arm and pressed his fingers just behind the last crease.

"...what am I- oh wait…I think I feel…

Thrumming. Steady, patient thrumming.

"It's …it's her blood! It's flowing! Ohh…oh my god…i-it's flowing!"

"Yay, the idiot didn’t die. Only at the cost of nearly killing yourself in several different ways at once - and let's not forget about our glorious send off: getting ripped apart by monsters later! I'm still waiting for your answer"

Sighing heavily, he fell back beside "leaf girl", setting his back against the gnarled bark.

“So…you lost the value of life, somewhere along the way?"

"You're asking me that?"

"Yeah. It's for my answer"

'Maybe. I don't know if I had it to begin with"

"In that case, I'll give it back to you. Or help you find it for the first time…because I need it too. I meant every word I said, Saridus. If anything, it just proves to me that I have to get much stronger. And smarter, I guess - didn't exactly make the best choices"

"Yes, yes you do, Mikota"

“So. You think you can hide us for a bit? I might be able to get the girls the tower"

"...you are the worst - so just to be clear, you didn’t believe me even for a second?"

"Of course not. You do love good theater, after all. I was just scared for the girl, and…not keeping the promises I made"

"...you are the most scumbag scumbag I have ever met…"

Mikota scoffed softly, smiling.

"I would say "you too", but you're only my best friend. Nothing more, and nothing less."

"...uh…a-ahem…so - well then, our ‘show’ is over. We getting back, or what?"

"Yeah, yeah"

Mikota slowly stretched out his legs as he stood up, reaching out to pick up the lying girl. And collapsing face first on the ground.

"Well, folks. Looks like anemia's finally caught up my fellow suicidal protagonist, and my screen is CONVENIENTLY BLACKED OUT BY THE GROUND…pfff…Mikota Frost. That was one hell of a ride"