The forest of the enchantress

While Alce prepared food for the three of us, I tried to study up on the many flora and fauna of the forest so we weren't taken by surprise. While there were some maps, they wouldn't be of much use after a while as we would be bound to lose our position eventually. However, should we survive long enough, a route would probably improve our odds. I searched the map high and low in an attempt to find a river. There were a total of three rivers that ran through the forest and all of them connected to another river somewhere along the way. Most of the rivers were from the southeast to southwest of the tree. Going directly south would eventually lead to an intersection. Water being a vital resource ment that it would be of top priority to get to. The rivers weren't safe though. Where there is water there are creatures, one of which is known for its lethality. The polymondane. A swift and very dangerous creature of death. It will just have to be a risk we take. Getting to the river would however take time as it is quite far from the tree. Out of the three, Natsuki was the only one who was actually resting for the pain to come. It took nearly an hour of laying there before she stopped tossing and turning and finally fell to her slumber. Never was a tomorrow less certain and yet, she slept peacefully. Almost as if nothing had or will happen. Wishful thinking maybe, but it never hurts to try and keep your spirits up. Even if it is just a comfortable lie. As the pot simmered and boiled the steam filled the area bringing a smell of a slow roasting meat with it. While it was obvious that Natsuki needed the rest, it was evident that she needed food more. When Alce finally announced the food being ready, I shook Nat awake. The sun was turning dim as it lowered across the horizon, and the ensuing danger creeped ever closer.

"Eat up, this could be the last thing you eat for a little while." Alce said, glancing over at Natsuki. "Well, I would never have viewed you as the hospitable type." Nat remarked, fixing her third bowl.

"Hospitable? More like a final meal. Your survival will very much depend on your skills and your ability to cooperate. I'm not holding anything back… I will kill you this time or die trying." Alce replied, sending the air into a tight frenzy.

"Let's just keep the tension for tomorrow and all the days to come." I suggested while getting my second bowl. Natsuki shook her head in agreeance but Alce refused to relax.

We ate for nearly an hour before the pot was empty. While Alce was cleaning up, I sat next to the bookshelf for one final time. "If I didn't know you I'd say you're a bookworm but we both know that couldn't be farther from the truth." Natsuki remarked, slumping down against my side.

"Well, who knows what the next few days might hold. It helps to know what you can eat or drink and how to prepare it." I said while reaching behind me and pulling out a book.

It had a black, leather cover, and had several tears in the cover. On the side the title was woven into its crease. The words read, forbidden secrets of the guilds. Natsuki glanced over at the book in curiosity.

"What is Alce doing with this?" I said without even thinking.

"There are many secrets but the Grandmaster of every guild has one of these. What that book holds is a long forgotten history that the guilds have tried to bury. Its information dates back to the first grandmasters." Natsuki explained.

Curious about what I might find, I flipped to the first page. Immediately I could tell something was off. There were mentionings of several other guilds that I had never heard of. Flipping a few pages ahead, I noticed a bloodstain on several pages. It was a detailed journal of a war that the first grandmaster had recorded in blood. "Before the war was over all the other guilds were either killed or disbanded. The only two surviving guilds are the witches and reapers. Even the demon's guild eventually fell apart." Alce said after noticing the book in my hands.

"And how did the surviving two get through the war?" Natsuki asked, sitting up.

"The witches and Reapers made an alliance that still holds true to this day." Alce replied.

"You know, if the secrets in this book are so secretive then how come you're explaining it to me?" I asked, looking her in the eyes.

"Because there's only two possible outcomes. Either A, you two die to the forest or me. The other outcome is that you beat me and or possibly kill me, either way you'll take the secrets with you as a precaution to my death." Alce explained.

"So you planted this book intentionally for us to find? That really does say something about your own confidence." I remarked. Alce's stare grew more intense before speaking.

"You managed to beat me on your own. Now you have a titan as a weapon and you've already given in to your demon before. Only two people might stand much of a chance against a combination like that." Alce resentfully explained. Natsuki started to heat up and was about to say something but stopped herself before looking at me again.

"Even you can't deny it, it will happen again sooner or later." Alce said, breaking eye contact with me.

"And despite every odd against me, I still am not deterred from the path I've chosen." I said, slamming the old book shut.

"Let me ask you this one more time. Why do you risk everything for her despite barely even knowing her?" Alce asked.

"It's quite simple. I had been dead long before she ever arrived. I had no goals or purpose and life had no meaning to me anymore. The moment I saw her struggle and desperation to survive I instantly knew. Someone finally needed my help. She gave me life, a purpose that I couldn't ignore. That's why I fight for her. She's the one who gave me my life, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure she gets to live hers to its fullest." I declared, causing Alce to look me in the eyes again.

"So there was more to your reason. Even fate wouldn't be able to call that." Alce reaffirmed to herself. The sun had started to set as we remained locked.

"I don't think that staring at each other will improve any odds for the next few days." Natsuki said, slumping back to my side. Alce took a deep breath and closed her eyes before finally walking away. The tension that had filled the air subsided quickly as we parted ways.

"I'm going to be completely honest, I don't trust her one bit." I said, standing up. I quickly made my way up a root and laid atop for morning.

The night slowly grew darker as we laid atop the root, not even a wink passed by me for hours. Despite her earlier rest Natsuki was out cold, yet again wrapped around my side. The stars were blocked out by clouds hovering above. Not even a glimmer shown through the clouds, reaffirming my hope for the morning's rise. The forest slowly seemed to come to life the longer we laid there. Creatures in the distance became more prominent and the ambient glow of the vines became more announced. The river's water flowed smoothly, almost like a soft mellady to back the howling winds. Slowly, I drifted to sleep but never did the feelings of uneasiness leave. As the moon returned to its slumber and the sun woke up on the horizon for yet another day, my eyes reawakened rested but heavy. There was no sign of Alce being awake so I shook Natsuki awake and we embarked for what might be our final tests. We never made a single sound till we were far from the tree, as to not alert Alce of where we were going. The plan was to put as much distance as possible between us and Alce so we wouldn't have any encounters with her. We had been traveling for what could only be guessed to be hours. There was little to no resistance in the route we decided, only a few bushes and vines in the way but nothing too harsh. The peace would soon dissipate as we continued. It had become very obvious that we were being tailed by someone. Upon turning to face the culprit, an unfamiliar face showed itself. Without even speaking, Natsuki transformed.

"Who are you?" I called out. Slowly the culprit stood up and jumped out from the trees. Her hair was reddish and was about shoulder length, in one hand was a one handed ax, and her clothes looked freshly stitched.

"So the rumors were true, Alce really is trying to train a titan." the woman proclaimed, swinging the ax over her shoulder.

"You still haven't answered my question so I'll ask only once more. Who are you?" I yelled, lifting my blade for an attack.

"And then there's the man, the myth, and the legend who not only can wield the titan but beat Alce in a one on one. Little intimidating if I might say. Your manners on the other hand sure could use some training." She said as the ax's pool extended.

"Rosel, leave them be. They aren't to fight either of us till the morning sun of their 7th day." Alce yelled, revealing herself from the trees.

"Really? You're going to let them roam free for 7 days? Man, you have really started to go crazy in the time I've been gone." Rosel said before retracting the ax's pool.

"You've already heard the rumors, he beat me without the titan and now that he has her there's not much I can teach. What I'm doing is having them survive for a few days out in the forest and then I hunt them on the 7th day. The only thing I can do is let them hone their skills and test them as time passes." Alce explained after jumping to the ground.

"Whatever you say." Rosel said, turning to face Alce.

"You were quite smart to leave as early as you did, I was planning to fight you away from the tree but you were already gone." Admitted Alce looking me in the eyes. Slowly the two retreated into the woodline and were gone.

"So there's two now?" Natsuki remarked, changing back from a blade.

"Well, you are a titan and I have beaten Alce before so it only makes sense that she'd get some help." I replied, trying to make sense as to who she was. Alce was a loner long before she ever became a teacher. We pressed on with our eyes open for the two.