12 Hope

Urhkk. Everything hurts...

I laid on the ground in pain. I blanked out. I slowly started feeling my body again, and boy did that hurt. I carefully opened my eyes, so that they wouldn't be exposed to light too fast. I looked around and everything looked blurry at first.

The frameless colors finally took shape and it looked like I was now at the foot of the mountain range we were crossing over.

Are the others still up there? Could they hear me if I screamed and gave it my everything? How long have I been laying here for?

My mind was a huge mess. Questions and worries started to slowly blanket the surface of my mind. But as fast as the thoughts came up, they also left again. I had regained focus. I knew that it would be of no use to just panic. I need to get a grasp on my situation.

...

I walked around for a bit, while staying in sight of the mountain range, so I wouldn't get lost in the forest. This place was beautiful, but also lonely. There was not a single person to be found. I love nature, I really do. But as someone that lives in a city, I do grow lonely when there aren't any people around.

I didn't know how long it would take me to get back to a village or to find some travelling merchants, so I decided it would be best for me to set up camp somewhere. I searched the rocks for some kind of nook or cave I could sleep in. It took me a while, but I found a cave that looks good. Although it seems that this cave is deeper than I hoped for. I decided to stay at the entry and maybe go for a quick exploration after I started a fire.

As I was about to go gather some wood, a voice echoed through the cave.

"Who is there?"

The voice sounded deep, and powerful, yet warm and gentle. Was it a male or a female voice? I couldn't really tell because of the echo.

"Hello." I replied.

"Who are you?" "Or rather, what are you?" The voice changed slightly as the second question was asked. It wasn't as deep anymore. Was it afraid?

"I'm just a child. I got lost while travelling with my parents." How to catch a predator 101.

"Just a child? Hahahah, you won't fool me!" The voice got deeper again, as if it tried to sound menacing.

"No, really. I'm just a child."

The voice didn't reply. Suddenly I heard footsteps. They were coming closer.

I was curious to see who would come out. Suddenly a dark figure appeared. At first I thought that the figure was still standing in the cave, but that was not the case, the figure looked like a pitch-black, two-legged horned beast.

Its appearance was quite scary, even to me. But that immediately disappeared after it opened its mouth.

"Oh, wow you really are just a child!"

"I told you so..."

"But why, why am I feeling such an ominous aura coming from you?"

"Forget about that for now, I'm just a child that wants to get back to his parents right now. Not more, not less."

The creature knew that it wouldn't get any more information unless it made the first step.

"I'm Sylvia. What's your name?" She said.

"Sylvia? Well that really doesn't fit the bill."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sylvia felt offended.

"Forget it. I'm Arthur Leywin. You can call me Art though."

"Nice to meet you Art. Why don't you join me inside the cave for now? I might be able to help you."

There was no real reason for me to refuse. I wanted to rest here anyway, so I might as well make a new friend. The reason I didn't have my guard up the entire time while conversing with Sylvia was because I felt no hostility towards me at all. Even with her monstrous appearance, Sylvia emitted a gentle and compassionate aura.

The cave she took me too looked quite cozy. Even though we were underground, colourful lights shined from the untouched crystals that filled the cave. There were also different plants and fruits, as well as a small pond. This place was an ecosystem on its own.

Sylvia offered me some fruits which I happily accepted. I told her the story of how the bandits ambushed our party whilst she was attentively listening.

...

"... and so I fell down. I'm not even really sure myself how I survived that." It was the truth, although I figured it must have something to do with the system.

"It was probably that power I felt when I first saw you, that saved you from your fall."

"Power?"

"Child, please don't take me for a fool." She saw something? Did she see the same thing Lady Selner saw?

"Are you afraid of me?" I asked challengingly.

"No, especially because you don't have access to your power yet."

She knew. But how? What was she? I smirked. I didn't realise it at first, but when I scanned Sylvia I noticed some things. First, she was a lot stronger than it seems. She was trying to conceal her powerful aura, but I could still sense it leaking through. Second, she was injured. A deep wound on her lower abdomen. She tried to hide it from me, but I noticed it.

"Now that you know about my story, how about you tell me yours?"

"Maybe at a later time. You need to get some rest first."

And before I could count to ten, I was already in a deep slumber.

[The next morning]

"I see someone slept well." Sylvia was standing beside me, with plenty of fruits in her arms.

"Yea, I was tired, but I had a nightmare about my parents." I dreamt that my parents and the Twin Horns had fallen to the bandits.

"I'm sure it was just a dream. As for your situation. I might have an idea." Sylvia now carried a big smile on her face. Why was she so excited?

"I might be able to help you, you know?" Her smile grew larger, to an almost devious level.

"What do you want in return?" I knew I wouldn't get out of this without doing something for her.

"You know Xyrus is quite far away, and the forest we're in right now stretches out for hundreds and hundreds of miles. It would take you quite some time to get there. I guess around 2-3 months. But if I were to create a portal, that brings you to the borders of the elven kingdom. It would shorten quite a bit."

"You can create portals? Can you create one right now?"

"Dear, it will take some time I'm afraid. This portal takes quite some energy, and my current condition doesn't make it better. But I'm willing to help you out, if you keep me company."

"I see...Wait! Is that really all that you want from me?"

"Yes, you see I've grown quite lonely here, and sharing company with you would be really entertaining."

One month. It will take an entire month. I can't waste time while waiting on the portal. I will train my mana manipulation. Maybe Sylvia knows something that could help me as well...