19 A boy's conversation

When we finally got to GreyHill woods, I noticed that the ground beneath us had changed. It went from the smooth and somewhat flat surface To a more bumpy and uphill one, it felt like we were going up a rollercoaster to say the least. There were some trees in the Cascadia plains, but now there were plenty. Almost all the trees were covering the sky, so it looked really beautiful from underneath. When we arrived here, the clouds scattered and it turned sunny.

Wasn't it spring this season? I've honestly lost track of the time since I turned Eleven. The weather seemed like something for spring but it felt cold like the winter. I'd probably say we're in the middle of spring. It must be due to our location, But I didn't really mind.

Lilith fell asleep after petting my hair for sometime, I didn't even notice as I just relaxed in her lap.

I only noticed when she slammed her fist into the side of my head, which forced me to move from my comfy space to survive.

What the hell is up with this girl when she's sleeping?

Looking at the front of the carriage, I saw that Derrick was driving the carriage. Edward was also up there, but I noticed that he kept shifting his head. He must be keeping an eye on this road.

Looking to the back of the carriage, I can see the Cascadia plains from this hill we were going up, it looked like that area was wide spread as it stretched miles. I could somewhat see a small dot which I presumed would've been Grasshorn.

"Look who's awake, had a good nap there? Haha! Course you didn't, I heard that smack from up here! Haha" Derrick laughed.

Edward chuckled as well, well I guess it's nice to have these two laughing at something.

"Yeah, it was a fine nap. Um, how far are we in this forest?" I moved to the front bench, moving my stuff out of the way so I can talk to them more intimately.

"We've been here for just about two hours." Edward spoke.

"You talk?" I jokingly said.

"Yes…" Edward awkwardly said. Seems like he warmed up to me.

"I see…say, when you fought those wolves yesterday, what were you using?"

"What do you mean? My two swords?" He seemed confused, maybe I didn't word it right.

"I mean…what sword style were you using?"

"Ah…I believe your father calls it useless, but it is called Wind king style."

"Ah, isn't there where you improvise moves and such? I remember seeing you throw your sword at one of the wolves."

"Yes, but it's more than that." He held hand up as he was talking, flicking it around. I guess that's a habit of his. "It's about knowing your surroundings and using it to your own advantage.

Being able to take your opponents by surprise by doing the unpredictable. I mean, would you have thrown your sword at a wolf?" He finished with that question.

Good question too. I mean I wouldn't expect someone to throw a sword at me, unless they kept doing it. But I mean still, that's a pretty unpredictable move if you ask me.

And he is asking me.

"Yeah I guess you're right about that." I answered.

"Look Haha, Edward is warming up to you! The man is being social for the first time in his life HaHA!" Derrick patted his back.

"Ha. ha." It was almost like he laughed like a robot.

There was a somewhat long pause after that, it seemed like none of us really knew how to start another conversation after that.

I mean what the hell can I say? Would they really enjoy a Eleven year old asking about life and how to find a boy? Actually, wording it that way makes me sound like I'm…

"Say, Kota. That girl, Lilith…what is she to ya?" Derrick asked.

Ah shit, here we go again.

"Uh..she's my first friend." I tried to avoid any unnecessary topics around this with Gerald.

But Derrick saw through it.

"No, let's be real since it's just us boys awake…" Derrick and Edward leaned in closer to me, it was like we were in a huddle.

"What's your type of girl, Kota? You might not be at that age, but I can see you already have a taste. You haven't made any real moves with other girls, you've only talked to Mary and Lilith. And the girls in Grasshorn, you've completely ignored them." Derrick said.

Wait, there were girls in GrassHorn? …Oh wait, the servants at the inn. Now that I'm thinking about it, I didn't even notice them that much.

"Um…" I looked back at Lilith. What type of girl did I like?

Tomboys. Those are a sweet spot for me. Imagine a girl who is very strong and boyish with everyone. And then you get with them and they suddenly show their sweet side to you, that Girly side of them. It's like you've hit the jackpot. What did the people in Japan call that?

Moe gap. Yeah. That's the shit I like.

Short haired girls? Absolutely.

Tsundere? Ehh, Actually? I'm pretty sure I can draw that line if it was a tomboy.

Without noticing until now, I was making a face to both Derrick and Edward, both were smiling as I noticed how deep in thought I was.

"Ahem. Erm…I love Tomboys." I smiled at them.

They both "Ooo"d at that when I answered, Derrick rubbed his chin as Edward gave a Thumbs up.

"Tough girls, huh? Well I'll be damned. That's the same type of girls your dad likes! HAHA! You both got the same damn taste! HaHA! Oh, but Gerald ended up with an obsessive girl, HaHAHA!" Derrick was laughing a fit at that.

Do I really share that much with Gerald? I mean I am his son. But like I'm not…

"Kota, you have a fine taste that would fit in my race…" Edward said, a grin was spreading across his face.

"See, Kota. My taste in Women, hehe. Are short women!" Derrick said that last part louder than the rest to emphasize it.

"Like Mary?" I asked.

"Just like Mary! Bwahaha, it's why I always go to Grasshorn! I do a job for her and it gets us closer! But I know she knows I love her! She tries to avoid me, but it never works!" Derrick loves small girls. In terms of height, not like…you know.

"It doesn't matter the personality or what they did, if they are shorter than me, I'll take it!"

Derrick was a pretty tall man, he was like more than six feet. So I'd say basically anyone else in the world can fall under his grasp. but I feel the shorter you are, the more he loves you.

"Ah, like Kota. My people enjoy muscular and boyish girls. There's many in my race." Edward added his response.

"B-but your so…skinny and…frail…" I slowly said.

Not what I had in mind for tomboys. I mean I don't mind abs or some muscles, but I need something that makes them also girlish.

"Size and body don't matter when you find the one." He added.

Very true.

"Edward has only been with one girl, bwahaha!" Derrick slapped Edward's back, he looked very unamused.

This whole conversation felt like I was hanging out with my friends in my old life. Before they…buried me to save themselves. I started to frown thinking about that

"Kota, is something wrong?" Derrick asked, he must've noticed.

"Ah, it's all good. Just thinking."

"Ahh, I see. Well I've been with multiple women. My time out here has led to villages with beautiful-" Derrick was suddenly hushed by Edward, who was now suddenly onfull alert.

Something was amiss.

What was it? I looked around to see.

Nothing in the front, just trees and the road. I saw a rabbit before it hopped away.

"…Behind.." Edward whispered.

I tried to turn around, but Edward stopped me.

"Don't. Don't make them suspicious.." he put a finger to his mouth.

Them? Who's them?

"Anyways, let's get back to our topic!" Derrick said, he leaned into his bag next to him and pulled out some glass. It was a rectangular piece of glass. Was he looking at himself?

No. The reflection wasn't even pointed at him.

From viewing the reflection of the glass, I could see that there was someone following us from the trees. Just one person, it looked like he was following from foot.

No, I recognize this person. Back at Grasshorn there was a man who was guarding a carriage for his group before offering us to join them.

"It's that guy from Grasshorn. I knew he wasn't a good guy." I whispered. Both Derrick and Edward nodded.

"Can't trust anyone out here, Kota. Haha. Good catch. He must've been eyeing something or someone. Did he have a group?" Derrick asked, pretending to look at his face with the glass.

"Yeah, There were others with him. What do you think they want with us?"

Derrick adjusted his glasses, he was still observing the man that was following us.

"I would probably guess they want to have a look at our gear or…" He tilted the glass so that it was aimed at Lilith. "Maybe he is looking for something to sell."

I tensed up when I realized what he meant.

"Kota, do not worry…we will protect the both of you." Edward was still peering behind, his eyes watching the man's movement.

"It is our job…" Derrick then put down the glass back into his bag.

"Is…selling other people here common?" I asked.

"It is common down in the south, Ozoth is a land where slavery is legal. Though most of the time it's for royalty or hard labor." Derrick then pulled out his hammer.

"Seems like…they are readying up." Edwards quietly said, now not looking at the back.

There was a rustle, footsteps.

Maybe four more people are coming? It came from the back and both left and right side of us.

I started to get cold sweats, I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I haven't been in this sort of situation before.

"Kota, I tested you on this. Just follow your instincts, whatever's a threat to you. Kill it. Before it kills you." Derrick raised his hammer and looked to his left. Edwards then focused on the right. These two were going to handle whoever were on those sides.

Relax, you got two strong dudes with you. There's no way we can lose.

I think I should worry about Lilith, so I turned my head around to look at the back of the carriage. Just so I can check on her also cover our backs

She's still asleep, she laid on the back bench on her side. Ok, she's good.

Wait.

In the far back of the road, there was a cloaked figure holding a staff. They waved their staff around, I couldn't hear what they said until I realized it was too late.

"Uh, There's a ma-"

"Quicksand!" A voice roared through the forest as our carriage suddenly sunk into the ground.

They were doing an incantation and I couldn't hear it from our distance. The back wheels of our carriage sank and I ended up stumbling forwards into the back benches, almost hitting Lilith.

Lilith suddenly awoke from her slumber as we sank.

"Huh? Kota, what's happening?" She sleepily said.

Shit, she can't even fight if she's this drowsy.

I gotta-

The right side of the carriage blew open as a sword ripped through it, a man with a bandana crept through that opening.

"Haha, we been lurking on you, fuckers! That girl and you would make quite a sale!" he said as started reaching for me.

Travis, fucking think! Big bandit man is here! Push him away!

I held my staff immediately at him and imagined air pushing hard, really hard.

I saw my staff immediately react as I felt that same tingle every time I do magic, it surged through my hand and into the staff. The magic crystal lighting.

I used a simple air spell, just to knock this guy back, but since I was using my staff, this shit was amplified.

Whoosh! A blast of air shot the man in the chests as he flew into the air and into the forest, that opening in the carriage now even larger because of it. The carriage recoiled as well, sinking deeper into the quicksand. I saw him slam into one of the trees as he slowly fell, I heard branches crunch and break as I saw him slowly descend down until he was unconscious on the ground.

Derrick jumped out of the carriage, avoiding the quicksand beneath as he clashed with a swordsman. Sparks flew as they both seemed to be equal. The swordsman was smaller than Derrick, but he held his ground. Edward leaped from the carriage and essentially glided to another swordsman, putting the pressure on him as he started using his Fire king style.

Then there was me, holding Lilith as we both motionless in the carriage, still stunned by my massive magic attack.

"Woah.." Lilith was wide awake now, she was clutching her sword handle.

"Yeah…this thing packs a punch.." I let go of her and I stood up, I turned to the back of the carriage and saw the mage user, also gawking.

I should deal with him, mage versus mage. And I might get my ass beat or even killed.

"Lilith, stay here." I hopped over the carriage and the quicksand to face the mage user.

"Kota, wait! Let me fight too!" Lilith said from behind, but I ignored her. Her safety is a concern of mine, I wouldn't want to hit her with my magic or even be hit by her.

I walked towards the mage user, clenching my staff.

"H-hey, are you a silent caster? There's no fucking way!" The man said, his cloak hid most of his face, but I could see that he had a brown beard and some gnarly scar on the visible right side of his face.

Uh, How would I start a battle like this?

Shit, How do other mages fight in this world?

Stop, focus. Just figure it out on the way, let's just focus on this dude and see if Derrick was right about this.

"A kid like you could…could get us a lot of money! I'm taking you back with us!" The cloaked man snarled, he smiled wickedly as he raised his staff. His staff looked somewhat basic, it was a long rod with the end having a red magic crystal on it.

I heard clashing and yells from behind me, Derrick and Edward were fighting the other two. It's just me and this guy. Unless there were others waiting, but I didn't see anyone else amongst the trees.

I raised my staff and held it at the mage.

Cold sweats and shaking, I guess it's time to test myself in this world for real.