Chapter 13: Escorting II

ARTORIAS LEYWIN'S POV:

After me and Arthur took care of those slave traders and freed the elf girl, we both decided it was best to escort her back home. 

Unlike her, me and Arthur were both augmenters and were very proficient in fighting despite our age. After learning from her that elves weren't completely safe as the mana beasts here are only afraid of adults, I thought it would be best to quickly take her back home, then leave to go find our parents.

Our parents were probably residing at Xyrus, however it would be quite a difficult search. I heard Xyrus was a very big city which meant me and Arthur would literally be lost children trying to find our parents.

I quickly put my thoughts aside for now as I was currently helping Arthur put up our tent. We had taken the slave trader's belongings–its not like they were going to use it– and stored everything we needed in a large backpack before we had left.

We had been walking for a while now with the sun setting and the fog thickening as we began to set up our tent. Me and Arthur had been conversing with the elf girl during our trip and discovered a bit of information about the Kingdom of Elenoir. 

I also found out her name which was called Tessia Eralith.

We pitched the tent underneath the exposed roots of a particularly large tree for the night. Centuries of soil erosion had washed away the earth surrounding the massive trunk, leaving its spreading roots elevated, like archways.

After we finished setting up the tent, we decided to eat. It wasn't anything exquisite, but the dried rations would be sufficient for the journey to the Kingdom of Elenoir.

We distributed our rations equally, sharing it with our new companion, Tessia.

"...Thank you very much." She gave me a slight bow as I gave her some food.

"You know, you don't have to be so polite to us. I am younger than you and I'd feel a lot more comfortable if you aren't so on edge." Arthur spoke, his cheeks full of dried rations.

I nodded at my brother's words, paying only minimal attention to their conversation. After I had eaten my share, I excused myself to go outside the tent.

"I'll keep watch outside." I spoke.

"Alright, Tori. Let me know if you notice anything." He replied.

I nodded then left, climbing up a tree before I sat down. I then began to will my eyes to 'activate'.

Ever since Sylvia had done that, my eyes began to evolve? I wasn't sure, but the previous affects my eyes had given me had now become much more effective. I could clearly see all the different kinds of mana particles that surrounded me. It almost felt as if my eyes were resonating with them, reacting to every minimal movement of my body. It was almost as if I had become a conjurer when I was in this state.

But, apparently that wasn't what made my eyes so 'terrifying' in her words. It was the fact that I could easily adjust and perfect techniques–more like copy to perfection. She somehow deduced this from how I learnt mana rotation so quickly just by observing Arthur. It was also from how I instinctively just do it 'correctly'.

I don't know what Sylvia had given me, as she didn't talk about it too much, just saying that it was something her clan could do and something I was highly likely able to do aswell.

Despite having absolutely no clue what Sylvia had gifted to me, I do know that whatever it was, it was something that would definitely help me in the future.

I quickly deactivated my eyes as I was starting to feel a subtle pain surfacing. It wasn't anything to the eyes, brain or the body. It was more like... 'spiritual' pain if that made sense.

I then took the stone that Sylvia had given me out of my pocket. I just held it in my right hand as I contemplated about life in general. Despite only being in this new world for a few years, I definitely enjoyed it. Meeting everyone here; my mother, father, Art, everyone in Twin Horns and Sylvia. It was a new life that I welcomed.

"Tori, you okay?" I heard my brother's voice which broke me out of my stupor. I turned to see him next to me on the branch.

"Yeah, I'm fine. How's Tessia doing?" I replied before asking about the little elf's wellbeing. Afterall, she had been kidnapped as a child which would have definitely been an extremely traumatic experience.

Arthur smiled lightly before replying, "She's a little shy and reserved. But nevertheless, she is very polite, maybe a little too polite. Makes me think that she had strict parents or something. Other than that, she's taking the whole kidnapping thing quite well."

"Hm, okay." I briefly pondered over his words.

Arthur noticed the stone, covered by a feather, held in my hand before asking, "That's what Sylvia gave to you, right?"

"Yeah... She told us to protect it. However, I'm not exactly sure what it is though."

Arthur just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Me neither. But, if a legendary dragon gave you it, it's probably something extremely important."

"I guess you're right." I replied with a light smile.

We then heard a voice beneath us. "H–hey, guys?" I saw Tessia's head poke out of the tent.

"Is there something wrong?" I heard my brother speak.

"W-well! You see... beasts are more likely to appear if they notice you out here because they will see that you two are kids. Therefore, I propose that for our safety, it would be better for you guys to keep guard inside the tent." At this point, Tessia had covered her face with the tent's opening flap, peeking with only one eye.

Arthur chuckled lightly before teasing the poor girl, "pft~ Tessia, are you scared to sleep by your self in the tent?"

"A-absolutely not! I was just suggesting–for our safety–what the best choice would be!" she insisted leaning out, nearly tumbling out of the tent.

"If that's the case, we can hide up here–in the tree– and continue to be on the lookout. You know... for 'our safety', " he winked.

"Uu..." She hid herself back inside the tent before muttering softly, "...I'm scared to sleep by myself."

"Don't bully the girl too much," I chuckled lightly before continuing, "Arthur, keep her some company. She's been through a lot."

"You're gonna stay out here?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm gonna stay guard outside."

He looked at me with a bit of worry before replying, "Why don't you go rest first? I can keep watch for a few hours, then I'll join you two."

"No, it's fine. I'm not too tired. Plus, it's the duty of the older brother to make sure everyone is safe." I spoke, my lips subtly curving upwards into a smirk.

I saw Arthur's eyes twitch in annoyance before speaking. "You're older than me by a few seconds!"

"Well, that was father's words, not mine." I replied, with maybe a bit of smugness I couldn't suppress.

...

"Tch. Fine. Don't stay up too late." He uttered, before jumping down and entering the tent.

-

It was currently the early pre-dawn hours as I sat on a root that was protruding from the ground. I was currently carving some wood with my knife just to pass time.

As the first sign of dawn surfaced, casting the surroundings in an otherworldly silvery glow, I heard Arthur's voice who had woken up–mixed with a yawn.

"What are you doing." He asked me, trying to rub his dreariness out of his eyes.

"Nothing much. I'm just carving some stuff for fun." 

"Wow, that's pretty impressive." He said, looking at my little wolf sculpture I had carved out of wood.

"It doesn't look too bad," I agreed before continuing, "Is Tessia awake? We should depart soon."

"Nah, not yet. She's currently sleeping like a log," He replied with a bit of amusement.

Arthur then briefly gazed at me before asking, "Did you get any sleep?"

"Yeah, I woke up around an hour ago."

"Liar," Arthur uttered before speaking once again, "I'll go wake up Tessia."

I just helplessly smiled as I watched him go back into the tent.