Chapter 16 ...Was The New Beginning

"AGH!! I just can't get it!"

"Huh? What is the problem?"

Shiva sat down next to the small table where Ryujin was sitting. Two steaming cups of tea were standing on the table, waiting to be drank. Shiva pulled his long hair in frustration.

"How am I supposed to create mine own style? Can't you teach me yours?"

Ryujin looked at Shiva for few seconds before sighing. He took his cup of tea and took a sip.

"You see...Back in the day, when I was younger, I taught someone mine style."

Ryujin looked around the surroundings of his dojo, memories of him and his old pupil training. Shiva was listening, interested in old kijin's story.

"I taught him mine all techniques and told all secrets, but there was a catch. A catch that he broke and was banished for it."

"What was it? What was the catch?"

"That catch was that he will never use that style to harm any ogres..."

Shiva looked down confused, this catch was something that Shiva took as something natural. He sees how close community is this village and how one knows a lot about the other. He turned to Ryujin with question lingering in his mind.

"That catch....Was he not an ogre?"

"No..."

Ryujin shook his head while sipping tea.

"He was a human."

Shiva's eyes widen slightly in shock. Ryujin didn't want to train anyone as he saw no ogre worthy enough to teach them. But in the past he taught his style to a human?

"What was so special about him?"

"Well....nothing, to be completely honest. He was a boy left by his people. He had no goal in life, so...I took him in and gave one."

"And that goal was?"

"To learn mine style and in the future teach others."

Shiva nodded and silence fell on the two, Ryujin drinking his tea and Shiva resting after the training. While Ryujin liked this silence, Shiva wanted to know more.

"So..."

Ryujin sighed and turned his head towards Shiva.

"Will you...give me some advises or anything?"

Ryujin chuckled at Shiva's another try to convince him. He placed down his cup and stood up, while turning to Shiva.

"Fine. I will show you some basics. But for now it is time to wake up..."

Ryujin slightly lifted his eyelids, showing his blue dragon eyes. Shiva's own widen as he saw it, and flashes or rather pictures of memories invaded his mind. All full of Ryujin, who was teared apart by the orcs...

"Its time...Wake up!"

"No!"

Shiva sat up quickly, his breath rigid and his eyes wide. He looked around and saw that he was in a tent big enough for him to fit. He then looked down and saw that he was covered by blanket made out of furs. At first he was confused but then memories of previous day and his nightmare came to him.

"The village...Ryujin..."

He lowered his head and his upper hands gripped tightly his long, not so white hair while the lower arms laid on the ground not moving. After few seconds of being only with his thoughts, flaps of the tent moved and Princess walked in with bucket and rag in hand.

Her eyes widen and in seconds were filled with tears. Her hand let go of the bucket not caring for it and spilling it contents, then she jumped to Shiva, hugging him tight.

"You are awake!"

Shiva let go of his head and hugged her back.

"Yeah...I am..."

Princess let go of him and leaned back, smile on her face, happy that Shiva is okay. Shiva then once again looked around, his mind now clearer.

"Where did you get a tent?"

"When people were escaping, some took their belongings. Among those things were few tents where we decided to place our wounded."

"I see...And where are we now?"

"We are near the Lake Siss where lizardmen live."

Shiva's eyes widen as he heard that. Lake Siss is in the center of the Jura Forest and it would take about two days of walk from the Ogre Village, but with so many people traveling it would take longer.

"How long was I...sleeping?"

"For about two days..."

"And how did you find me?"

Princess sat down and told him how it happen.

As they were escaping from the Orc Lord's army, suddenly they heard a loud crash behind them. When Young Master and Guard Captain's son went to check it out they found Shiva unconscious and wounded. He was drained from magicules and the only reason why his regeneration still worked is thanks to his tattoos which disappeared from his lower pair of arms as they were changed to magicules and 'fed' to Shiva by the Great Sage.

"Once we found you one of the girls used her magic and closed more dangerous wounds. Then we took you with us..."

"I see. But....who carried me? Because you know, I am not the smallest kijin."

Princess giggled from Shiva's comment about how big he is and nodded.

"You definitely aren't. Blacksmith's son carried you together with-!"

Just as she was about to say, tent opened once more and inside walked the Ogre Girl. Her eyes stopped at Shiva and they widen.

"...her."

In second she jumped at Shiva, hugging him tight while burying her head into his chest. He smiled slightly and wrapped all four arms around her, bringing her close. Princess's heart ached a little by she smiled nonetheless seeing her best friend being happy. She was worried as Ogre Girl was looking not so good for past few days, but what can you do when your grandfather and man you love are possibly dead?

Princess stood up and began to crawl to the exit.

"I will be going now. If you need any help later, just ask..."

Shiva nodded and thanked as she exited the tent. Now there was only him and Ogre Girl who was hugging him. One of his hand went to her head and began to caress it.

"I am sorry that I didn't bring him with me..."

He could feel how she tensed in his arms. She then went out from the hug and looked at him. She shook her head while wiping tears out from her eyes.

"Don't be. I know that you couldn't do anything about it. I figured out that he didn't left you any chance. He always was like that..."

She smiled fondly when she thought about Ryujin. But then suddenly she slapped Shiva hard, shocking him.

"That was for sleeping for two days and making me and Princess worry!"

"What the he-!"

He was about to argue back but was stopped by a kiss. He was once again shocked at first, but he melted into the kiss. Shiva could feel that she was kissing for the first time but he didn't mind. The amount of warmth and emotions he felt behind this kiss made it the best kiss he ever had. After few seconds she leaned back, breathing heavily.

"And that was for...?"

"That was for making it back alive."

Shiva had a wide smile on his face and nodded.

"I see...But, you are getting bold, huh? Kissing me like that..."

Ogre Girl blushed hard and didn't knew what to say, she could only pout and look to the side.

"I-I am not! It just...it was m-mine first kiss and I didn't want to lose the opportunity now!"

Shiva chuckled, liking the cute face she was making. There are few things that he learned to love in her when he was in the Ogre Village. But there are two that he loves the most, first is her love for dancing and music that he also had in him. And second is despite looking like a wild barbarian woman, she has one of the cutest expressions and personality that he ever saw.

He chuckled once again before kissing her black horn.

"I am just joking. Now, let's go. I want to talk with the Young Master."

Ogre Girl smiled and nodded, she stood up and helped Shiva do the same. They walked out from the tent, Shiva saw the camp around him. There were few tents where wounded slept while others were sitting in groups, talking and still mourning the dead.

Shiva and Ogre Girl walked around the camp, many ogres thanking Shiva for what he did while few didn't want to talk to him because in their opinion, it should be Ryujin surviving not him. Ogre Girl got angry when she heard them whisper that, but Shiva calmed down claiming that he is used to comments like that.

They walked around until they found Ryujin's brother who was calmly sitting under a tree. Shiva stopped few feet away from him, his head hanging low. He wanted to talk with him, but weight of Ryujin's death was still on him. He then felt Ogre Girl's hand wrap around his lower right one, in a way trying to reassure him that it's okay.

He breathed in and out before the two walked up to Ryujin's brother. He already knew there were here, he looked up at them while glancing at them holding hands.

"Yes?"

"I...I wanted to say that-"

"Stop. There is no need."

Shiva's eyes widen, he let go of Ogre Girl's hand and walked up closer to him.

"What do you mean? Your brother is dead and I didn't help him!"

"That might be true...But I know mine brother and I know something already about you. He choose to sacrifice himself for you, our future, to live."

"Your...future?"

"Yes. He saw in you future of this village. I do not know what he meant fully by it, but I believe him. So don't think it was your fault. I am simply happy that mine granddaughter's beloved is alive."

Old ogre smiled while both in front of him blushed, Shiva only slightly while Ogre Girl quite hard.

"Um, yeah about that..."

Old ogre interrupted Shiva once more as he held his hand up.

"Don't worry. You have mine blessing. I will be happy to have such talented kijin in family."

Shiva sighed and facepalmed while Ogre Girl smiled happy that her grandfather has nothing against them begin together.

"Ugh...Never mind. Do you know where young master is?"

"Oh? From what I remember he and Guard Captain's son went to talk with Lizardmen."

Shiva raised eyebrow at this and he crossed his arms.

"Lizardmen? What is he talking with them about? He wants their help in fighting the Orc Lord?"

Ogre Girl was the one to answer him as she talked with the young master before he left.

"No. He said that we are too weak to fight now. He went there to maybe get help with patching up wounded and get some more food as the supplies we got on the road are ending."

"I see. Then how about-"

Suddenly his stomach began to rumble, wanting to eat. Shiva blushed slightly while Ogre Girl chuckled together with her grandfather. Shiva scratched his nape embarrassed.

"Ha ha...Ehm, why won't we eat something while we wait for him to come back? Is there anything left?"

Ogre girl placed finger on her chin in thought, she did it for about two seconds before smiling and nodding.

"Yes! There is almost full pot of stew that I made today morning when everyone was sleeping. But no one eat it..."

Shiva smiled slightly and nodded.

"Good! I can finally eat some of your food!"

Ogre Girl smiled and she began to lead Shiva to where the campfire was. Shiva wanted to say goodbye to her grandfather but as he saw his face, he became concerned. Ryujin's brother looked at Shiva with pity and compassion in his eyes and expression full of pain.

Ogre Girl placed big pot of stew, that she heated up on fire, in front of Shiva and gave him a spoon. Every ogre that was close to them changed their place of sitting and are now gathered on the other side of fire.

Shiva at first was confused but now he knows why...

'It smells like something died in there!'

He looked up at her and saw her smiling cutely while handing him a wooden spoon. Shiva sighed and took the spoon, readying himself for the meal. He breathed in and out, calming himself down as he knew that his special ability's side effect will make it taste good, now almost bland for Shiva EVERYTHING has the same taste for him.

Knowing he has no choice, he quickly took a spoonful and eat it. At first he expected the usual taste everything has but no...It was something else.

Shiva's eyes widen as he swallowed the stew. Some ogres already praying to Veldora for Shiva's peaceful passing. They whispered among themselves.

"See?! Not even Orc Lord could take him down but her cooking could! We can't allow her to waste food!"

Others also cried and watched to see if Shiva will go away peacefully or not. But then something unseen happen, Shiva began to eat this stew. Spoon by spoon he was eating this stew while smiling.

Ogre Girl's food was so disgusting and toxic that even such rare and powerful ability Devourer was not able to fully change it's taste. Each time he took a bite it taste differently. He was so happy that it doesn't have the same bland taste even tho he was slightly worried his made out of steel stomach wouldn't be able to digest it fully.

Shiva finally finished the whole stew just now realizing how hungry he was. Ogre Girl was happy that someone finally ate her food and Shiva's magicules were regenerating. But most importantly, ogres all around declared that Shiva is made out of something unnatural...

"Tasty!"