Chapter 43: Dagger

She then put my arm around her shoulder and helped me walk back into the chamber. We walked toward Yang again, and when he saw me he exhaled like this was harder for him. "You know, your relentlessness is really starting to annoy me." I removed my arm from around May's shoulder and ungracefully held my weight up long enough to walk closer and stand in front of him. 

At this point, I didn't care what I said to him, let alone have full control of what I said from how exhausted I was. "You know what? Too bad! That's who I am! Is that what you wanted to hear?! I am a goddamn idiot who doesn't care how hard I push myself to set out my selfish ambitions! I am a dumbass who would take the time to memorize every single obstacle in those holes on the off chance I get thrown down the same one again! Who does that?! I'm the type of guy who sleeps in armor with a sword in my hand because I'm terrified of being vulnerable! I am irrefutable, relentless, and stubborn! No matter how many times you throw me off of this mountain, I will climb right back up until I die! I refuse to fail because I'd feel worthless if I did! So give me the dagger or else I'll make you watch as I slowly kill myself!" 

The dragon was silent for a moment and didn't move as he looked at me. "Well, will you look at that? You answered correctly." I was about to yell again when I realized what he said. "Wait, what?" Yang answered me with a stoic demeanor. "The reason I ask those who seek the dagger who they are is because this kind of weapon is only ever useful if in the hands of someone who would let go of their pride and express their weaknesses. I blessed the dagger myself in order to keep it out of the hands of cocky warriors who would use it irresponsibly. So congratulations."

I was taken aback by actually getting his question right and didn't know what to say. 'I wasn't trying to answer his question that time! I was just ranting because of how pissed I was! I didn't mean to get it right!' I thought in a state of confused panic. Suddenly, a light appeared in front of me along with a golden blade.

The dagger's hilt was shining gold and was inside a sheath that was just as yellow as the twisted hilt that held a golden tassel tied to the end of it. Designs lined the edges of the sheath, and I took it from the air in front of me. It stopped glowing when I touched it, but it was so shiny that it might as well still have been. 

I looked at it for a second, impressed with its beauty before confusion returned to me. "Wait a second, if this is the dagger of extraction then what's that?" I pointed to the top of the tallest pile of treasure where the dagger with the teal gem rested. Yang turned to see where I was pointing and smiled a little. "That would be a regular dagger. You thought that was the dagger of extraction? Why on Earth would I keep it unsheathed? Do you know how embarrassing that would be if I just stepped on it one day and killed over?" 

I shook my head a little and slid the dagger into my belt. "Never mind." Yang insisted on continuing the conversation. "Hey it's a good thing you didn't decide to steal it or you'd be running away with the wrong sword! Hahaha!" I sighed. "I get it! I'm an idiot! Let it go already!" Yang continued to giggle as May came to help me stay on my feet again. She spoke to him as she held my arm around her shoulder. "Thanks for everything, Yang! Now, we have places to be and more tests to pass! Oh um, would you mind-?"

Yang raised his claw before she could finish her sentence. "Way ahead of you." Gold magic then came from his palm and surrounded us. In the next second, we disappeared from inside the chamber and reappeared at the bottom of the mountain by the stairs. I was so relieved that I didn't have to walk all the way down those stupid stairs, yet was too tired to celebrate. 

May's excitement only rose as she started to walk away from the temple with me hanging over her. "Yay! We did it!! Let's go find Saniel!" I was kind of surprised at how positive she was as she dragged a man twice her size on her back through a dangerous wasteland at night, but at the same time, I wasn't. This girl could break every bone in her body and still be smiling. I almost admired that quality, but I was more focused on how unstoppable she was.

She climbed an entire mountain with a bone sticking out of her leg just so she could help me. She also most likely saved my life by convincing Yang to give me some water. And now as she carried me barefoot I was stumped as to why she would do all that for me. That got me thinking about what she said before when she saw my memories.

After a while, we were back to where we were before when we first landed in the valley, and I was both relieved and annoyed to see Saniel waiting there for us. "Saniel!" May shouted with joy and captured his attention. He raised his head from where he was resting it and we approached him slowly. As May stopped beside Saniel my eyes narrowed up at him. "Have fun?" He smirked in response and May helped me climb onto his back.

I was too tired to sit up so May pulled me onto my stomach to lay in front of her like a ragdoll and I couldn't care less. Every part of my body hurt and at the same time, I couldn't feel my legs. May then secured a good place to sit and turned to Saniel. "Let's get out of here! Could you land somewhere near water so we can settle in for the night?" Saniel nodded and took us up into the sky. We flew above the mountains and through the starlight of the dark sky that lost its red hue as we flew further away from the valley. 

I lay there motionless until he landed again an hour later, and May looked around at the scenery. The trees stood still in the forest as the small glow of pixies illuminated the water of the running stream we were beside. Saniel lay down on the soft grass as May turned to me. "Do you think you can get up?" I didn't move as I responded. "No." May then attempted to slide me carefully off of Saniel's spine. "Okay, I don't know if I-" She pushed me too far, and wasn't able to finish speaking before I fell to the ground taking her with me. "Ah!"

I landed on my back and she landed on top of me. "Oof!" I didn't mind flopping around like a dummy, but I was surprised by how close May's face was to mine after she landed on me. Once she raised her head and saw how close I was, her face turned pink and she quickly hopped off of me. "I'm so sorry!"