The road ahead

For the first half an hour neither of them said a word. The road was terrible, full of batches, sharp rocks on the side of the road, and also there is the fact that the sun, obscured by the smoke, cast an eerie, reddish hue over everything, making it feel like they were walking through the ashes of a dying world. Raven was still processing what had happened, deep down she believed it was her fault, but at the same time, she blamed those bastards who had started the fire. Fighting over stuff was one thing, wanting to burn everything to the ground was an entirely different matter. 

They continued down the dusty road, their footsteps heavy with exhaustion. The landscape around them was desolate, the occasional scorched tree standing like a skeletal reminder of the terrible place they were in right now. Raven's legs ached, her body screaming for rest, but she forced herself to keep moving. Stopping meant being left vulnerable, and she couldn't afford that, not now.

'This is the worst hangover I had in my entire life' She thought with a dumb smile on her face. 

"What's so funny?" Asked Fuwa with curiosity. 

"Nothing, me being dumb, that's all"

As they got farther and farther away from the mess that used to be the Black Port, the sun began to hit them with all its might. They didn't have any water on them, since this wasn't planned. Originally Raven thought about stealing horses or forcing someone to bring them to the Dungeon City on a cart, but that didn't matter anymore. 

"Why do you even want to go to that cursed city? Don't you even know how dangerous that shitty place is?"

Fuwa looked at Raven, she knew she was just trying to pass the time talking about something, about anything. 

"Oh you probably won't like this or won't believe it" She said looking up to the sky.

"Try me" Said Raven smiling faintly at her. 

"I was summoned from a distant place" Said Fuwa casually just stating facts. 

Like many other poor souls, she arrived in this world some months ago, she had been well treated, but she had a purpose to fulfill. The silence of her companion told her many things, at the beginning, she thought the cat girl didn't believe in her, but when she looked at her, Raven looked annoyed. 

"I'm telling you the truth!" Hurried Fuwa. 

"Oh I believe you" Said Raven unironically "And that's the problem, why it's me the one who always has to cross paths with the summoned jerks?"

"Hey! Who are you calling a jerk!" Said Fuwa then she paused "Wait... others?" 

"Uuuuh yes? There are many like you" Answered Raven still annoyed. 

"Wait what?" Fuwa stopped in her tracks. 

"What what?" Asked the bandit looking at her. 

"They told me I am the one! The chosen one! I'm supposed to gather allies and get stronger in the dungeon city and then defeat the dark lord!" 

Raven walked in front of her.

"Oooooh I'm the dark lord! Strike me with your fist!" Said pretending to be cowering in fear "Wake up princess, many so-called heroes are wandering over yonder" 

The wake-up call falls upon Fuwa as if a bucket of cold water drops on top of her. The cat reflected on her expression and she imagined that something like that must have happened to the enuch Ito. 

"Does it even matter tho?" Raven said sighting "It's not like you don't have some cheat skill or something oh all mighty chosen one"

"What's the point of summoning me then!" 

"Woah, how the hell I'm supposed to know that?" Raven shrugged "Not like it was my fault or something like that, but hey if it makes you feel better, I'm happy that you are here"

"For real?"

"Yeah, at least I'm not dying alone in this place"

"Youu..!!!" 

"I'm joking!" Said Raven jumping a few steps behind feeling to get struck for real.

"And what about you then!? If that place is so terrible why are you there!?" Fuwa pointed a finger toward Raven.

For a moment the bandit stayed quiet, since she had arrived in the city none had asked it, like asked for real. Looking at the girl near her she smiled. 

"I just want to get stronger and get revenge on a guy who beat me up, he was a hero like you" Raven said poking her tongue out "And maybe catching some clues about my father".

"Beat you? Wait, what was that about your dad?" 

"Maybe someday I will tell you, but first you have to prove your worth" 

Then Raven began walking again, after messing around with her she felt a little better, it had been not that much time since she came to this part of the world, but since then her life had been spinning out of control, today felt like the cherry on top of everything, still, even if her life had been in terrible danger just moments ago, just remembering the smile on the Undine face made her bones shiver with fear. Today was just an ear pull, she was too weak. Fuwa followed and ended up catching up with her. 

"You don't seem like a bad person" Said Fuwa near her. 

"Oh you don't even know" Smiled Raven while she kept walking. 

Before they could keep talking, Fuwa ran in front of Raven who suddenly stopped, something was coming their way from one of the sides, and fast. The martial artist took a defensive position, Raven was surprised, it seemed that, unlike that useless Ito, at least Fuwa got some training. Well, she was level 2 as well after all. Still away, a dust cloud was moving fast toward them... there was something, an object moving fast. 

As the dust cloud grew closer, Raven squinted, trying to make out what was barreling toward them. The shape was unmistakable... a massive boar, tusks gleaming even through the haze. Its thick, matted fur was streaked with dirt, and its bloodshot eyes shone with an aggressive determination. Despite its size and speed, it wasn't anything they couldn't handle.

Fuwa tensed, her eyes narrowing "It's huge"

Raven, however, was grinning ear to ear "Oh, come on. It's just a boar." Her hand instinctively moved to her dagger, but her expression was far from concerned. In fact, her eyes lit up with something like excitement "Looks like dinner just delivered itself"

Fuwa shot her a look of disbelief "You're seriously thinking about food right now?"

Raven shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eye "Why not? Have you ever had boar jerky? It's good. Real good"

The boar let out a guttural snort, lowering its head as it charged toward them, kicking up even more dust. Despite the ominous approach, Raven remained unfazed. Fuwa cracked her knuckles, and as the boar monster was approaching she punched it, punched it hard, hard enough to make it do some backflips forcing it to fall to the ground and roll a little before it ended up kicking the bucket just like that. Since this wasn't the dungeon it wouldn't notify if they got experience or something, neither the name or name of the monsters... but things like this thrived everywhere, they were nothing special. 

"And you were worried about what?" Asked Raven mocking Fuwa "Damn you shattered the tusks! They would have been good coin!" 

"Wait what? The monsters at the island were way stronger than this..." Fuwa was still surprised. 

"Yeah... I'm gonna save some for Thorsen too~" Raven said happily taking out her knife. 

The road was long, but at least Raven wasn't all alone this time.