Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The blinding light lost its glow.

The sky was gray. It was a different shade of gray that ranged from dull to dark.

Previously, the orb sucked the life out of the sky and now there are rainclouds. They smell hot. The landscape also transformed. The mountains were on the opposite side of our bearings and the flat plains and fields were replaced with scorched rolling hills. There were also no signs of the Boreas Greyrat's mansion or any neighboring houses only huts and tents and what appeared to be leftover equipment of armor broken shields, swords, and bows. The ground was devoid of any grass and what was left of it was dirt, dust, and footprints. I could swear I could see whitish-yellowish chunks of bone sticking up from the ground. Sauros and I scanned each other and patted ourselves.

I searched and there were no wounds. Were we completely unharmed by the blast?

I had to check.

"You see anything?" I said with my backside facing towards him asking if it was perhaps missing in action.

He instead pushed me aside. "Sir, get that thing away from me and pipe down your nerves! We are in one piece."

"So, was that not a combat spell then?"

"I think not. It appears we have moved-" his eyes darted everywhere as a whizzing sound was heard in the air. "Duck Down Boy!"

We grabbed each other again and I covered my ears. Explosions sounded off like they were coming from the other side of the hill. Was that a rocket? That's impossible there can't be rockets or missiles here. They don't even have working toilets.

"Did that thing transport us, or teleport us here?" When I searched the magical archives, I found nothing about teleportation magic. How did someone learn to use something that doesn't exist? Was that thing just someone's experiment or are they using it to mess with us?

Sauros nodded. "There have been uses of teleportation spells in past however it has been mostly used by those such as those demons to cheat their way to victory and to slaughter those like us. That why we humans forbid its use as well as many of the other races."

Good Lord, that does sound bad. That's as good as any reason for why they wouldn't write the spell down. I wonder if the demons who teleported years ago did it on purpose to advance and tried to drag me in with them? "You seem to know a lot about it. Do you know if this has been used recently before or-..."

"Now's not the place for a lesson. You must find the others. Whoever cast this must have a nefarious scheme in mind and we can't let our guard down."

"You got it." I saluted to him. "...Although, to be sure we all got teleported somewhere in this world, right? Not say any other worlds?"

"Yes in this world. Where else in blazes would they be?"

"Nothing...Nothing..." So now to find out where exactly is here?

I scrambled ahead uphill to where all those tyrannical sounds came from. The land was devoid of any houses and signs of light, but I did catch some dancing shadows in the far-off peak of a close mountain. As we got closer I realized those shadows were shaped like humanoids. There, there," I said placing my finger towards it. "There are two groups of people standing over those two hills. We can ask them about where your children are."

When we headed towards it those two small groups of people ended up multiplying into thousands. Two sides each in armor carrying heavy artillery with their own separate color matching uniforms flags, and shields to match their province.

"These mountain ranges and these dead lands." said Sauros inspecting the area. "This must be still part of the central continent near the strife zone. Are those two kingdoms at war from the dragon king kingdoms or is it one of the Great Magic Nations?" he contemplated as he twisted his goatee. "Augh this is just as I feared. Have other nations broken their vows to enlist their citizens nationwide to employ in battle?"

"You tell me!" I said hysterically shaking his arm. Do we really have to analyze the situation when we are this close to combat?

My question was easily answered.

Before I had time to speak another word there was a burning sensation and part of my skin turned pinkish and some hair was singed. I looked behind me and right where I was standing was a nasty fiery crater. I thought it was impossible. How did I survive such an impact? Then I remembered something on my finger.

The ring…it saved me.

It blocked the flaming ball of burning death with only the heat from the blast catching up to me.

It seems I wasn't totally immune to the damage. This little round piece of metal must have its limits. Roxy says it wards off the magic of a caster and its effects she didn't say to what level. They must be throwing saint-level and above spells out here. And the ring had no chance up against that powerful giant teleportation blast. Then again, we never figured out who the caster was or if there was a caster at all controlling that orb.

"We are way too close in range," I yelled. "I almost became a Meat Skewer! We have to get out of here Master Sauros!" I pushed my hand up against his side and shoved him with all my might.

He wouldn't budge.

"Just MOVE OLD MAN!" I yelled inside my head.

"I can see them."

"What!?" I turned my head up in shock to see him smiling

"I can see my daughter-in-law's dress and my son. He's with her. All we have to do is reach over this battlefield and grab them over to safety."

There were so many warriors clashing with each other that I could only make out a spec of gold that glittered underneath a faceless being from afar. "Could it actually be them?"I thought. "What if his desperation is making him turn mad?"

"Are you sure?" He grazed his eyes at me and twisted his fist like he was going to use them to snap my throat for doubting him. "Okay, okay but they can handle themselves to dash out of there. There's no need to risk the chance of getting aimed at."

"But I must. It was my mistake not getting rid of that monstrous contraption when it was brought to my attention. And it is my fault for leaving my own flesh and blood behind during the initial casting. Sorry my friend, but I'm going in after them."

"What?! Are you expecting to charge into battle alone and unarmed? That's Suicide!"

"Haha, You believe I intend to get myself killed?" he said full-heartedly stripping off his jacket. "Foolish one, I plan on rescuing them and succeeding. It's been a long while since I tasted battle. I hope I still got it in me."

And like that Sauros stepping into the ring. The guy next to him was laser-focused on the two opponents he was already fighting. He didn't see Sauros lurking behind him. The old man hurdled his foot at the soldier and got him in an exposed spot in his armor between the back of the breastplate and the legs. In a stunning peak of precision that would outdo Paul's work.

While he was stunned on the ground Sauros went ahead and took the man's weapon. A halberd with a tip long and pointed to almost be its own short sword. The soldier tried to react. Sauros then butted him with the head of their own shield.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

It's like he knew where all their weak points were. One by one people tried to attack him and Sauros twirled around with the halberd and slice them in their most vulnerable parts before they could rethink their decision.

And instead of running away more of them came back with a vengeance in hoards.

"Sir, you have to get out now. There are too many after you. You're OUTnumbered." He didn't even glance in my direction.

"Sir Sauros you can't. SAUROS!" I screamed in until my lungs gave out.

He remained headstrong like a bull as he paraded into the chaotic battle. He knocked the armed soldier next to him in a headlock giving him enough time to take his weapon away from him.

The opposing side saw him do it. They used their mana to manipulate the ground in the surrounding area. Destroying the flat terrain like a role-playing game and turning it into a swirling mudslide. While others were getting pulled in like a black hole of quicksand. And Sauros began to trudge it as if he was walking through a kiddie pool.

The strong elder man was swept in the madness of battle of swords slashing and clinging and sliding against each other and arrows balls of dirt and fire flying across every which way. Sauros presence was disappearing into the bloody crowds.

The only remnants of his belongings being the pendant he was wearing on his neck. I instinctively picked it up.

"Being bada&% is only going get you so far." I thought.

I yanked Roxy's relic from my ring finger and pursed after Sauros carrying in between my fingers.

"Wait! Take this, take this with YOU!"

My feet failed me. I stumbled and tripped upon the moist ground into a pile of mud still stretching my arm out to pass him the ring. Arrows flew over me. Fire sailed.

The last I saw of that courageous old man was his boot marching through the small circle near the top of my finger.

After that, I had no choice but to flee.

I didn't cease my retreat until I looked back and could no longer see the haunting silhouettes of the two nations slaughtering each other.

Remnants of war, however, we're still present. There were desolate wastes of past battles spanning for miles the smoke the arrows shields battleaxes and all assortments of weapons were all ripped into the ground all in countless pieces.

I was in isolation with only the whistling of the brutal wind to keep me company.

I heard about these sides of the mountains. The plains had been in a drought for years. Almost as if the land was cursed.

Unless you wanted to use this place to test nuclear warheads, buying real estate here would be utterly useless. Although the land hadn't evolved into a desert yet, It still resembled a grey grassy plain.

I was covered from head to toe with dry grass and dirt. Those archers and mages must've mistaken me for part of the landscape so they didn't bother to aim at me. Either that or they were awful shots like those cannon fodder minions in every shonen anime ever.

I desperately wanted to take a bath to at least get all this off my skin.

Ahh, there's a Boulder over there. I can scrape some of this mud chunk off of my arm.

I pressed my arm to its slick surface. A few seconds later there came a tingling sensation.

Something touched my hand.

I jumped.

I jumped harder than I did watching that one scene of that one mockbuster shark movie.

I saw a shadow creep from the rocks in the distance. There is someone alive out here. And they are rather short. The armies must have missed them. I trudged closer.

"Whose there?" I made the best defensive stance I could muster. Bending one knee and pressing two hands forward.

A small pale hand two times smaller than my own came back to where I previously planted mine.

Huh, Is it a child? That seems very out of place. What are they doing wandering all alone out here?

"teacher?" said a small pair of eyes drifting behind the rocks.

My heart began to slow itself down upon hearing that. "You know it heh," I chuckled.

The red is what sold it. I had no doubts about who it could be.

"Come out of there little mad dog it's okay. I promise," I said luring her towards me.

She crept up to me. "I heard loud banging..and...and I thought I didn't make it. I thought I was dead, but I cut myself when I fell onto the rock and-and the air. The air smells like dead things. I was...I was standing right next to my mother and father. I-I w-what's happening?" she pulled my shirt into her face as if she was using it as her own personal washcloth or tissue. "I was standing right next to them and I-I-"

"Shush shh, Miss Eris I'm here," I whispered as I embraced her and rubbed her back to calm her down.

"I don't want you," she cried banging her fist against me. "I want mama and papa and grandfather. Where are they? Where's Rudeus?"

"We all got hit with teleportation spell and it scattered us to various dots on the map like someone was throwing random people on a dartboard. Lucky for us that brain-dead orb only teleported us a few kilometers away from each other so now we don't have to travel alone."

"But if you arrived close to here then Rudeus, Grandfather, Papa, Mama, and Ghislaine must be close too, right?"

"They-they Uhh...might be. We could look for them on the way there. There's no use in getting lost aimlessly searching. C'mon let's go before it gets dark."

I went for her shoulder to push her forward.

"Hey! I don't want your dirty sweaty hands touching me," she whined pulling my forearm away from her. "Uckk, wipe them off first!"

I complied only to get us to move faster. I scraped my knuckles and the back of my hand against the rock as I had with my dirt-caked elbow. "They're happy now."

She tilted her head. "Hmm, What's that?"

"Huh, what is what?"

She spied something shiny glittering out of my fist. "That, In your hand! That's grandfathers isn't it?"

Crap! I forgot I was carrying the pendant. I tried putting my hand behind my back, but she pulled it out again.

"I saw you before that big white explosion. You were holding onto him. Did he disappear with you? You better tell me the truth or else." She pumped her hand against her fist. Very convincing words to get me to talk.

"Yes okay. I can't lie to you. Your Grandfather and I did come together. But he also ran away from me once we got here. He thought he saw your parents."

"My parents are with him TOO!?"

Gah! why did let that slip. "Please ignore that last sentence. I don't know if that's true. And I don't know where he is right now."

"I knew IT! Hnngghh," she tugged on my arm. "We have to back. We have to go back and find them!"

"Miss Eris, We can't. Giant armies are fighting out there with sharp swords and powerful combat spells. I barely escaped. If your grandfather also escaped, he'll be heading in the same direction we are. AWAY from them."

"Coward!" she screamed and stamped my foot.

"Ow," I said hoping my other foot to level out the hurt. "Ackk. Miss Mad Dog I'm going to excuse that if only you tell me how exactly we're supposed to go about this. We have no weapons and no means of defending ourselves. Our best bet for survival would be to travel away from this place and maybe get some back up from the Fittoa region."

According to Sauros, we are still on the central continent, or the big island place I saw on the map. Over one of those mountain ranges, that's our best bet to leading us to the Fittoa region and Asura kingdom. We'll travel along the sides of the mountains for the sake of visibility. The longer we stay out in the open the more peril we'll be in. Being on this side of the land will be futile. There are no signs of shelter or even life.

For a moment she looked as if she was at a loss as to what to say when she quickly regained the confidence in her brow. "There must be something somewhere that can prove they ended up over here," she said scouring the ground with on her fingers and her shoes. "You said that there was a battle over that hill, right? They could've dropped something like grandfather. I saw a bunch of stuff scattered everywhere when I first arrived. I created my own stash out of the things I found. You can borrow one to fight with."

She pushed. Hidden under a medium-sized rock were the saddest looking pile of swords, daggers, and shields I had ever seen.

The shields, if I can even call them that, we're more akin to rotting pieces of wood. The ones that were still in one piece were had a bunch of objects sticking out of them or something funky growing on top of them.

Most of the daggers and swords contained splotches of rust on them. While some were broken off of their hilts and others were shattered pieces of metal lying scattered upon the ground.

My guess is that these aren't from the battle I had just witnessed.

Explains why there are no bodies nearby. The only leftovers are these garbage weapons that were abandoned by time with people who didn't have the budget to make shields out of material better than wood. Seriously, who thought that would be effective.

I picked up the most stable weapon I could find in the batch. A long sword. The center of it was twisted and scraped, but the tip was still sharp. "It's better than nothing," I shrugged and placed it near my side. "When all else fails, I can stun my opponent with tetanus."

The demon girl's favorite was no surprise. A long sword, now reduced to a short sword due to the missing top half. Along its sides were chipped which extra jagged points that could drag along the skin instead of slicing it straight through. This made the overall package as lightweight and deadly as its new owner.

"See? now we're both prepared. You can lead the way and I can watch your back."

"Are you serious? Look, remember the kidnapping? With the giant group of men chasing you. Remember how helpless you felt?"

"That was different. I have a weapon this time and Ghislaine has been training me. I can defend them."

"A dagger won't do &%*. There are HUNDREDS of people out there Miss Eris, there could be thousands. It's a high-risk danger zone over there. The people there are not going to give you directions to your mommy and daddy. They are going to Kill US!" I said pretending to slice my head off with my finger.

"I DON'T CARE!" she screamed. "You're a LIAR! I'm not moving until we go back." She jumped. The psychopath was now sticking her blade at me.

Is this all a game to her?

"Young lady, I'm not asking for your permission. Now, Put it down ." I said asking her nicely lowering my hands. The naughty little girl shook her head.

And her feet scooted away from me as I came closer. I swung my legs under her and tripped her. I sat on top of her and pushed her forearms to pin her down. From her hand, I could see heat generate. And from the corner of my eye, I could see her mouthing something.

A spell?

My skin boiled and I retracted one of my arms. Now with one of her arms free Eris swung her jagged piece of metal at me. I moved in time to avoid a strike, but the tip got caught in my cloak and created a gaping hole in my sleeve.

Like a wrestler, I pushed half my body weight against her leaning up to her torso to render her upper appendages useless. Her fingers and wrist sprawled and wriggled like helpless worms trapped in a bird's beak.

She rotated all sorts of directions to try and break free. Her head pounded against my chest. I felt a small prick."

"Eeyowch!" Right above my nipped was a small red spot. And smeared all on Eris's face was the was caked muddy residue from my clothes.

Did she just...-BITE me?

She DIdNoT just BiteMe

"That's Enough! Why are you doing this? I'm trying to help you!" I squished my hands together against her lips to suppress her mouth.

Unholy high-pitched squeals came out of her trachea that phased through my hand. She dug her heels in the ground beneath and continued kicking.

"Admit defeat, Miss Eris! I'll keep you here all day if I have to because you-...Huh,...what is that?" my voice grew quiet.

There was rumbling. The ground was vibrating. I could see the pebbles dancing near my feet. There was a jingle from metal pieces making a hypnotic noise. And the terrifying repetitive pitter patter of clopping.

Meanwhile, the girl was still grunting underneath me.

"Shush, quiet," I said overlapping her mouth with my mitts.

"You hear that?" I whispered to her.

"Mmmmhmmm,-nmmhnm."

"Get down," I said huddling my cloak over her with both of us crouching down beneath it.

"Is that galloping?" Eris gasped with her face now free from my hand.

"I think so..."

Did a soldier ride all the way over here? What could they possibly want with us?

I got off of the girl and I peeked over the rock. Through the mist, I could definitely make out horse-shaped legs and a rider with some special headgear sitting on top of it. Facing our direction,

Shoot! They already know that we're out here, and there's nowhere else to hide and we aren't fast enough to outrun them.

The only option left now is negotiation. There only seem to be a few of them at the most maybe they're reasonable.

In an echoing voice, I bellowed. "Spare us please, we are NOT your enemy. We were put out here by accident and got lost. We mean you no harm."

Something on top of its head flicked. Ears? The thing then turned to its side. The profile showed the nose was taking up his entire face.

Oh &%^& it isn't human.

No wonder there weren't any legs dangling from the horse either. I figured he was just height-challenged.

"Ahh, I think it saw us!"

Eris was shaking, "what, what is it?"

I bet it's the Horse monster it's like the one I saw Paul fight when I was stalking him out the window only this one is much larger. Are these species native here, what's it doing? It could have been living near Roa and got transported like the rest of us had.

I hope this thing's not nurturing any aggressive feelings towards one of our own annihilating their kind because I don't think it's going to wait five minutes for me to lay out a trap for it. Can I have Eris use a combat spell on it? Ughh no, at her rank shooting sparks of fire at it is only going to make it angry.

"It seems we've attracted a horse-shaped beast. I told you there were more things lurking out here. This is the exact reason we needed to leave!"

"Alright, I believe you. So what do we do Teacher? Are we going to die?"

"Don't say those kinds of things. Look, I have a plan. You're going to have to listen to me very closely, okay?" she slowly nodded. "Save your manna for another foe. Grab any weapons you can from your little stockpile and brace yourself. Ghislaine taught you North God style, right?"

"yess?" she answered.

"You're going to combine that with the Sword God style while I combine that with Water God style."

"Your plan is to use all three styles at once?"

"No, my plan is for the two of us to take two. You know be flexible. Long-distance attacks with the defensive ones combined with Sword King's powerful strikes."

"You said that you were a beginner in those styles."

"Yeah, well guess it's time for me to graduate then!" I yelled charging at it.

It took notice of me and swung down. It nearly missed my head by a margin. His arms are apparently slower than the lower half of his body either that or the spiky mace it's carrying is heavy even for him. I'll be sure to take note of that. The best way to take this right now is to get him from the opposite end while he's in the middle of a swing.

"This thing can't understand us right?" I yelled to Eris. It will ruin my whole strategy if it can tell what our words are when we relay them to each other.

"How should I know?" she replied behind a rock, "hit the stupid thing already before it kills us!"

"I'm asking because I need you to circle to its behind and snag it from the back while it's making eye contact with me. Okay?" God, I can see its ear flicking back and forth. Sh*% Can it understand us?

"Be quiet okay," I yelled in a loud whispering voice.

Eris nodded and stepped close to the ground. The beast's devilish eyes still locked on my weapon. My mind was too focused on Eris that I could see a giant heap of metal hovering over my head closing in on me. There's no time left to dodge. There's only one thing to do in this kind of situation.

I raised my blade.

My pull toward the Water god style didn't come from the techniques. It came from what my instincts tell me to do. With the default being to block people and fend for dear life. As well as a bit of a push and training from Paul.

"Block. Block. Block. And counterattack," I ducked under the rock and it slid as it put its hoof upon it and fell back. I managed to strike its hoof from the side left the sword in there and took out another blade from the stash and stabbed it again. From the side and Eris came from the back to jab it in one of its hind knees.

"Score. Awesome backhand technique girl. Now I hit 'em again only try to aim that sword upward!"

She threw it as high as she could, but it was off-kilter and it missed slightly it cut close to its artery but not deep enough. Eris still had the extra sword left in her other hand.

The monsters snarled and pulled the sharp object from its neck. Its eyes and face we're now deadlocked. On Eris. I pounced on its long hairy tail and pulled to get the beast's attention.

"Move!" I howled. The horse grunted and turned to the side. He made his tail whip me off and it tossed me a few meters away from him. Now that I was out of its way it continued marching forward.

It was now too late. The monster now completely focused on Eris initiated its downward attack. I saw one of the spikes scrape up against her shoulder.

"Noooo!" I yelled as I got up and ran towards her. The monstrous beast cocked its ugly head around at me circling it. It parried me and our weapons clashed. Now it was a duel of strength of who would get the blow. His brawn outpowered mine, but I could feel the injured Eris pressing up against me to bring it more in my favor.

I thought of the only thing I could do to turn the tables. I turned my sword to the side until at a perpendicular stance with my opponents. And I place my hand at the most full curved end of the sword and used both of my arms to push as I walked forward. The sword was still cutting through my skin, but I managed to bite through the pain. It was working. The monster's weapon was now being pointed at an upward angle twords its body. I was mere centimeters away from getting the creature to gouge itself in the chest. Its ears turned downward and I could see a hint of nervousness in its eyes.

Now was the perfect time. I gave a verbal signal to Eris about the opportunity attack. She upchucked her sword like a volleyball player serving at lightning speed. The swing and slash of her blade were so fast I couldn't even see or hear it happen only the damage that was done afterward. It whined and galloped away with it leaving a trail of red flesh and liquid behind.

"I think we scared it off." Yeah, score one for team us!

I then heard a shrill cry from Eris's mouth as she tumbled to the ground. I heeded it and went to find a deep jab in the center of her shoulder that went down to her arm. She helplessly kept patting to make the pain go away.

"It stings the stinging won't go away. It hurts. Ahh, where's Rudy?"

"Breath, breath and hold it still," I said lowering her arm. "Rudeus isn't here so you're going to have to do it yourself."

"I don't remember how to do it." she whimpered.

"Then we'll say the words together. On the count of three 1..2...and-"

I rehearsed the first few verses. The young girl then followed and finished it off by herself.

The wounds disappeared instantly. Where the cut was is now replaced with a red line across her shoulder. Good thing the spell managed to reach me too. Besides my bleeding hand, that horse thing made a nasty gash in my underarm when I fell onto rough gravel.

We didn't have a lot of time to recover. I was anxious to find shelter or any place we could hide. After all, if there was one monster chasing us there's bound to be more after it or some giant velociraptor or demonic abominations hunting it. The last time I checked horses are herbivores so if a killer cow is on the loose I don't want to be anywhere near it.

The noble girl was slowing down I could see her bending forward and crossing her arms. "Miss Eris, I know you are tired. We got to pick up the pace though before that thing comes back or those armies catch up to us."

"My chest hurts."

"Your chest, where?" I alarmingly took a knee and vibrated her shoulders. "Is it bleeding, did you break a rib? Has your wound gotten infected!?"

"It's sore right here!" she patted her upper body with her right hand.

"Let me see," I said raising my sausage-shaped fingers towards it.

"No," she said yanking herself away from me. "I don't like how you stare at moms. I'm not letting you do that to me."

"Lady Boreas Greyrat chooses to expose herself. What can I do if she dresses like that? Calm down kid, I'm not going to do anything vulgar. I just want to see if you are hurt." I unbuttoned her blouse from the top one button at a time.

"No," she screeched crossing her arms over it keeping me from getting by.

"Stop struggling Miss Eris. Don't you want to be healed!?" I shouted in a stern tone.

She kept squirming and pushing me away. "Get off me!" Eris yelled using to of her hands with one of mine I nudged them away with my elbow and leaned forward to get a better look. I could feel in between my thumbs there was definitely something soft and lumpy growing.

Man, she's got some cleavage in there. B cups already. The last time I checked she was flatter than a plank. Fortunately, that was the only change.

"There's nothing wrong," I said getting up breathing a sigh of relief. "Your breasts are growing, that's all. It's normal for girls your age. And based on your lineage I don't think it's going to end for a while." I could tell she wasn't too excited with that last statement because of her high-pitched murmuring constant hugging of that area.

She should consider herself lucky. It's much better to be a girl with boobs than a guy with them. Speaking of which mine are chaffing real bad. Is this result of all this walking? It feels like I've walked over 30 kilometers today. That's got to be more than I've walked in my entire lifetime. Could those mountains be any further?

We kept on until my legs were about to collapse. By then I could see a couple of hideouts that made their marks among the terrain. This used cave looked very promising.

There were footprints set out all over the cave and some traces of crumbs buried underneath the gravel. This must be where some soldiers set up camp before they advanced toward their enemy.

I set up patterns for us to build a barricade of our entrance and provide invisibility and protection, fortress style. All I had to do was draw my stone spell I used back in my kidnapping days.

To provide warmth Eris shot fire out of her hand and I gathered some dry grass I found outside with a couple of sticks to add to it and we were golden.

"It's going to be a while before everything goes back to normal. If only there was some way to call out certain people for help," I thought. Are letters the only system of messaging? What about a magic object that acts like an email or phone or long-range telekinesis? I was planning to have a reunion with Roxy before this huge mess happened, I could really use her knowledge on the effects of spells to get us out of this conundrum.

I also wish we had some meat to cook over the fire all we could do now was stare silently at it until our exhaustion would overtake our fears. Eris had the blanket over her head like a cloak was starring into space eyes wide open displaying a slight twitch at the same time. Almost as if she was forcing herself to stay up.

"You think it's about time to go to bed, Miss Eris?"

"I'm not tired," she grumbled under the blanket.

"You want me to sing a lullaby for you then?"

"You sing?"

"No," I assured her. "I can hum though. Ya like Jazz?"

She shook her head.

"I bet you're just saying that to be a contrarian. Do you even know what Jazz is?"

There was no response.

"Rudy liked Jazz. When we were alone with the staff sometimes we experimented with the instruments. Jazz is just the music equivalent of 'do whatever you want. There are a lot of swings to it y'know and the rhythm can stay consistent or change on a flip of a dime." I took some loose twigs and messed around with the rocks and the cave wall. There was a sliding scraping sound unpleasant for the ears.

Eris only watched it in dead silence. I could tell that she was cringing on the inside so I stopped.

After some time passed she did eventually speak up again, "Did everyone get hit by that scary light?"

Oh, so she's worried about that eh? "Not everyone," I answered. "Otherwise those armies I saw overhead would be spread out all over the map. I think we were the only ones affected by the blast." That's what I want to say. I have no proof of it though.

"You think my older brothers made it out, okay?" she said throwing a small pebble to the flames.

"You have brothers?" Your parents failed to mention that to me.

"Uh-huh. Two of them, but mom said she had to give them away."

"She gave them up?" It sounds like a sensitive subject. I shouldn't go poking details into it. "I'm sure if they were far away enough, they would be fine. And if they act anything like you, I don't think anyone would want to mess with them. Hehe." I then quit laughing when I saw that she wasn't taking the joke.

"Were you umm, close... to them?"

She shrugged.

"That's okay. I have siblings too. I'm in the middle. The third out of four. We didn't talk much either, haha. Even as we speak I'm much more worried about Aisha, Norn, and Rudues's well-being than theirs. Not that I would want anything to happen to them, of course."

"You have a family?"

"Well Duh. What do you think I'm am? Some being that was just born out of the sky?"

"Are they all Tutors like you?"

"Hardly, There's Daichi. He's the oldest and graduated early. He also works full-time and is a few steps away from taking charge of a major company near where used to I live and he uses his wealth to support his ever-growing family. Then there's my sister Keiko. She's a bonafide career woman that's always a busy body. She travels to different nations and all over the country. She has a couple of kids of her own too. The youngest Arata said he's engaged and is busy fulfilling his dream by starting up a business on his own…And then," I paused, "there's Ryuji..., neither impressive nor married and currently out of a job." I sighed.

"It's really a coin toss for that guy. Somedays he feels like trying to accomplish something great and other days he just tries to not make the world worse by existing."

"Wait, You said you only had 3 siblings. Is the last one adopted?"

"It's not, Ryuji,…it's my name. You were asking for it earlier, weren't you?"

"Rugy?" she said pressing a finger to her lips. "That just sounds a lot like Rudy."

"Yeah, if you say it wrong. There's supposed to be an ee sound in the middle of the RR and the oo."

"Does it mean anything?" she asked.

"Names can have lots of meanings depending on what part of the name you take from. The beginning part of my name Ryu means dragon while the second part refers to governing/ruler or it can mean child or brother."

Eris stared at me wide-eyed. "Your name means dragon ruler?"

"Weren't you listening? That's only one interpretation, and names aren't meant to be taken literally." Heaven knows how many dragons would be flying around Japan if that were true.

She yawned and turned over to lay down sideways to prepare to go to sleep. "I don't get why you tried to keep it a secret from me. Your name's not that humiliating."

"It isn't. It's just that whenever people say it out loud it makes me think about home and my family, and most days I just want to move on from it."

When I moved in and all my siblings moved out, only my parents would really call me that. I spent most of my time online full of the usernames I'd make up on the interwebs. Like SlasheroVer9000, l0litap0wer, and Nanasi-san. "Wow, they all sound really dumb. Like how did I come up with some of these?" I thought chuckling to myself. "Then again some of the titles people receive here are all pretty over the top. Although I sincerely doubt a serious person would ever use the title Dragon Lord unironically. It sounds like an edgy chunnibuyo persona."

"What do Paul and the others call you then?"

"The Greyrats? They called me Watashi for a while because it's what I would say whenever they asked me to do something for them. They started calling me Ryuji once I got the language down. Then later I saw how people in this land receive all those weird titles before their names, and told them I wanted to have one eventually. I grew attached to the idea of being called something like god-style swordmaster, Saint-level water mage. I mean, don't you think titles are cooler, dear noble mistress?"

"Only if I get to choose what to call me. You still want me to call you Teacher then?"

I sunk my cheek to the side of my arm. "Well, I don't mind it."

Teacher huh...

"Y'know, Miss Eris. I always expected I would work independently. I never really saw myself as a teacher before this. It just sort of happened...Did I do okay?"

"Umm, I don't know maybe...You could have done worse I suppose"

Hehe, that's just the kind of answer I expected from her. "Aww, Would it kill you to give me a compliment little miss princess?"

"Compliment yourself Shitzo-sama," she smirked as closed her eyes. She laid in place for a while in an attempt to sleep which to cycle of her squirming impatiently for the next five minutes before she gave and opened her eyes again.

"You having fun there missy?"

"Ughh I can't fall asleep. The ground is too hard and poky."

Oh, typical Eris. She cracks me up sometimes. If she wants a response to that, I've got quite the answer for her.

"It'll be easier to sleep on the ground over time, you'll see. It took me a while to get used to sleeping in a bed frame instead of a tatami mat on the floor, but the ones in your house have definitely changed my mind. Who knows after a few days you might think cave bedding is the most comfortable thing in the world."

"It's not just the floor...I can't stop thinking about mother and father ."

Hmph. That one's harder to answer. Should I just leave it alone altogether?

"Can you tell me a story so I stop thinking about them?"

"What? But I-I don't have any right now."

"What about that story you made about the lonely magical girl. You didn't tell me what the real ending was. You can finish it for me now."

The real ending...the one I intended to be there. It was just a simple happy ending where she finally got accepted by everyone then got married to the guy with the secret identity after finally confessing himself to her.

Eris herself had a similar idea only hers was a lot more sexually charged. For a story I based on myself and my friends, the ending was rather mundane. But like my life, I never intended it to be super interesting just satisfying.

I could've given her the real conclusion but my gut feeling told me that this wasn't what she needed to hear. Instead, I said to her.

"This may surprise you, but there was no real ending. Because if you think about it, stories don't really have endings. Like, let's say she gets what she wants and gets acceptance from all those people. Then what is she going to do? Her life is still going to keep going after that, and if she messes up those people can go right back to disliking her again. And there's always a chance she can mess up so bad that the villain succeeds and destroys everyone, but her. But even after losing everyone your life can still continue."

"But why would she keep fighting then to get everyone to like her if she lost everything?"

"Maybe that's just what she thought the people would've expected from her, and that's what keeps her going. Or maybe. The expectations came from herself. She's the one who chose to become a benevolent world-saving hero after all."

"But that doesn't make any sense. I don't get it."

"It's just that things... you can't always expect them to work out the way you want them to. You have to adapt sometimes."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Gahh, Grown-up stuff." I sighed giving up. "You might get it when you're older."

"I don't like it. Your being really pretend shoes right now."

"Pretentious?"

"Y-yeah that," she stammered back.

"I'm being pretentious hmmm. Do you not like that," I teased. "Is trying to sound smart a crime now? Hehe. Guilty as charged."

"Ughh, this is just making me tired," she whined rubbing her hand underneath her eyelids.

"Good, then I did my job." I smiled.

The fire was dimming down. I took the coat Zenith made me from my back and laid it on top of the little red-headed girl. I stayed awake until my eyes couldn't stay open. Darkness came around me once more.

--

I woke up.

and I opened my eyes.

The grungy cave was no longer there. I was in what appeared to be a white empty space. The absence of sound and substance was unnerving.

Am I alone here?

"Miss Eris? Are you here please come back? MISS ERIS!"

My face was itchy. I went to scratch it. I felt something poking me. "Ow!" The scruffy stubble on my face, it regrew? But it hasn't done that in years. "And when did I change into my sweatpants and track jacket?" I thought as I looked down.

I then exchanged my view to the scenery again. This place is an empty void with just me in it and a shallow pool of water.

The unfamiliarity of where I was made my mind unravel itself.

Where am I…have I died? Did the cave crush us in our sleep? Or did I die when that truck first hit me? Is this heaven or hell? Nirvana? Or was I in a coma this entire time? Was anything I experienced up until this point real? Those last days with Roxy where she convinced me to overcome my fears. My friendship with the Greyrats. Me getting a job on my own. Eris the girl I have been putting my all into who was right beside me. All abruptly ended as the sick fantasy I created did.

I expected as much.

It was claustrophobic even with so much empty space. I curled up into a ball. I felt like the white nothingness around me was crushing me and my mind was quickly reverting to the mental state before I died. How hopeless and broken my life was. How much I had to fight against wanting to disappear. And in the end that feeling won.

It made sense that my brain would create that world as one huge distraction seconds away before dying. I mean being magically teleported to a generic fantasyland filled with cute girls that's something any otaku like me would come up with.

Before I got hit by that truck I begged for a restart to my old life to go back and fix my mistakes with my schooling, my familial and romantic relationships.

I also considered the idea of scrapping my life altogether. Escaping to somewhere completely removed from my reality and being reborn somewhere as someone so different than me I wouldn't even feel my past mistakes or regrets. Y'know...like those epic heroes in those kinds of stories.

So then why would I make something that would cause me so much pain? Why wouldn't I create something blissful in the final moments before my death?

Did I come up with that place as a way to punish myself? One where I'm liked yet get rejected or abandoned by every girl I meet. Staying with a welcoming family that doesn't know what to think or what to do with me. Regaining the motivation to learn again only to have everyone else so ahead of me. A place where all my wildest dreams were there, but always out of reach.

That place was all a twisted version of my own reality.

Part of me believes I imagined myself as mundane as I was in my old life so I could continue my life at the bottom. Then I would always have the illusion of success for every baby step I took. You can't gain more regrets as a low life. When you mess up it's as if nothing changed.

Or it could also be

I was too scared to come face to face with the problems in my own life. And I was too scared to screw it up again in a new one.

I wanted to have resolve and be the hero. And instead, I got neither.

But still...

I didn't want it to end.

Am I fading into the nothingness now or is it my mind?

I couldn't tell you how long I waited there until I saw a sign that I wasn't alone.

A man without a face appeared before me with no clothes and white skin. Not as in a pale skin tone but a pure white mosaic. He walked in my direction and tapped me on the shoulder.

The pressure of his bone-white finger left an impression inside my shoulder.

He touched me. How could he touch me? Aren't I dead? What is this place? Who is he? Is any of this real? Am I dreaming?

"You are quite correct my dear friend. This is a dream," it stated eerily like an esper reading my mind. "Don't get me wrong. The world you were in before was real. The place you are in now can only be visited in dreams. I am a traveler of such places."

So...I am hallucinating this place?

"Oh my, Conceiving an entire reality from your mind. What hubris," he teased, "not even the mightiest of Mages of the Six-faced World have that kind of power. Haha."

I thought it was a statue talking to me until I saw a wide toothy smile grow across his face.

"What's this? Still, confused? Your body is back in that hovel sleeping more soundly than a hibernating dragon. What you are right now isn't your real body. It's your soul that has manifested itself into your consciousness."

So I went one step above lucid dreaming and created an astral projection of myself. One that can touch and feel.

I take it that cooky statue is some kind of spirit too. One that can warp between another's dreams. I imagined spirits to be more abstract like his. I looked at my hand. I don't think I could distinguish this from the real thing.

"Do souls always resemble a person's current body?" I asked.

"It doesn't have to. A soul is just a reflection of one's being or one's character you could say," he replied.

"It is..." Then what does this say about me?

And what about him? If he's a soul that doesn't resemble anyone that means either he hasn't been born, he's concealing himself with Magic, or...

"Are you, by chance, a god?"

"Oh, you've heard of me. The recognition makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. Yes, I am Hitogami the human god."

"My friend, Roxy, said something about a human god in one of her letters. She didn't mention your name though. You know for a human god, humans don't really talk about you."

"Oh you're tearing me in half," he whined in an unnatural pitch pulling at the sides of his face. "And to think I graced the presence of a fellow human to help them with their arduous journey as they suffer in the paths of war and tribulation. I can see into the future you know, or destiny or fate as some people call it. You'll need me for what's coming."

"Sorry, not really the religious type. I'm not going to put all my trust in some self-proclaimed god. And why do you care what happens to me anyway? Why are you invading my dreams?"

"I don't have to have a particular motive for following around those I do. Let's just say who you are and the way you carry yourself is interesting to me," he said with a thin wiry voice and his smile only growing wider. Man, this guy gives me the creeps.

"You must be a very lowly 'god' if you have the time to stalk me for entertainment."

"Oh ho ho, you're so funny. No, that's not all I'll be doing. I'm going to be your personal guide for you as well, and I believe your next course of action should be to head towards the fighting grounds from whence you came."

I rolled my eyes to the back of my head. "Oh yeah, give me one reason why I should follow orders from you?"

"You don't have to. I'm merely giving you the advice. You can choose whether or not to follow it." he shrugged then gave an uncomfortable pause and turned his head behind his shoulder. Is he expecting me to answer him back?

"The girl," the entity said, "She is stubborn,...and her desire to go back and find her parents is very strong. She values it more than her own well-being."

"And how would you know that?" I asked.

"I don't know. I am merely repeating what you know, hehe" he laughed. "The battle will be done by the time you go back to visit. That is my suggestion if you wish to continue your journey."

"Look, Hi Togami or whatever the f your name is. I don't care who you think you are, but we are not going back there and That's Final!"

"Is that so? You might want to hurry then and wake up. The girl is running off to find her parents as we speak," he said as his thin outline disappeared into the white ether.

My whole being was getting sucked up into some dark sinking hole. "Eris...Eris," I shrieked until the black ooze suffocated me.

"Miss Eris!" I jolted awake. I was in the attire I went to sleep with and when I went to rub my eyes my face was mostly soft again. "Phew, that was one hell of a nightmare. Sorry, if I awoke you Miss Eris...miss eris?"

There was no response.

I looked beside me. The scenery deep dark dank cave and in the middle of the floor was the leftover firewood and my coat lying all by itself in the center of the floor.

No, she really did take off. That Hitogami person wasn't lying. Then that must mean she's heading straight towards the WAR ZONE!

I bustled out of the cave in such a hurry I didn't notice that I cut a corner of my pants or scraped my knee trying to pass the layers of rocks we built outside of it. I was only out a few hours she couldn't have gone that far. I breathed frantically and saw the cold dust-like fog make wispy smoke from my breath. The valley was flat as long as I can keep the dust from my line of sight I should be able to make her out using what limited eyesight I have.
It was my surprise to find her going to the side away from the land of the bloodbaths. Once she saw me she made a run for it. I cut her off in the front until I could get in range.

I grappled her by the wrist.

"What do you think you're doing young lady? Are you trying to get yourself killed? You have to stay with me. Your grandfather told me to get his family as far away as I could."

"Then why aren't mother and father here? Our butlers are supposed to protect everyone in our family!"

"That's what I'm doing. We will send more people to go after them once we get to your residence."

"NO!" she tried pulling back and yanking her hand away, "I want to see them now! *sniff* They might still be okay. I have to help them," she repeated with fire and desperation written in her eyes. "I don't want to leave and never see them again."

I softened my grip around her hand and embraced her body with my arm. "There's never any reasoning with you is there, Miss Eris…"

"You're going the wrong way," I informed her. "I came from the East you are going South. Follow me, and I'll show you to your parents."

Maybe she'd end up in a better place if I hadn't stopped her. With any luck she would've gotten to an ocean by herself, That's got to be safer than where we are both headed.

I kept my ears out for more sounds of heaps of metal clashes against each other or the whooshing of arrows or crackling noises of fire.

There weren't any.

The hill was no longer moving and the only fires there were all reduced to pillars of smoke. It did seem that there were people there, but none of them were standing. They all laid stationary on the ground or were placed in crooked positions like trees being held up by sticks after a windstorm.

From this, I had come to the conclusion that either the armies moved the battle to another terrain or one side lost.

We both moved up close enough to see their faces. The victims on the battlefield were mostly human as far as I could tell with some elves thrown into the mix. Some were wearing heavy-plated armor while others had scaly chain-like armor. Some didn't seem to wear any they were covered in mage outfits. Some of them looked more decayed than others I couldn't tell whether they were first in line or leftovers from some previous war.

"I'm grateful I'm mostly witnessing the aftermath of what took place here," I pondered to myself, "Because I am terrified to know how this random eyeball found its way under my shoe."

There was a whole lot of ground to cover. I told Eris she could split up with me to inspect the east and west side of the area. As long as she stayed in a place where I could keep an eye on her.

I tried to avoid the fact that I was walking on a mass grave without any burials and cremations to look out for just Hilda's dress. I was begging that it wouldn't be amongst all this.

There's a possibility the soldiers could've captured her family or they could be holding them hostage. I know next to nothing about this side of the continent's political system except that there's a nation that researches Magic and that's where Roxy's school recommendation came from. I only hoped that these people were as humane as she was.

Alas, my pessimism won this round.

After almost an hour of searching, I saw Phillip toppled on top of his wife. He didn't appear to be breathing for that would be impossible for him. He had about five arrows protruding out of his body. Three lodged in his face almost to making a circle around his eyes. Then another in his side and another in his left pectoral he was also slashed 1/4 way through the throat.

And that was nothing compared to what they did to Hilda.

Her beautiful mother's face was now unrecognizable. Hilda was charred black from first-degree burns from her chest to her neck I could see skin feeling and nose falling off and teeth crumbling to bits. I covered it up with one of the loose materials on her dress before Eris could see it.

Sauros' body was nowhere to be found near the scene. Either he never made it to them, or he was captured by the enemy. He was charging at the battlefield I doubt he would flee and abandon his family even if they were dead by the time he got there.

I whistled over to Eris who was bowing to every soldier she came in contact with hoping someone she knew was buried underneath all that armor.

She ran over to meet me. I could see her breathing cease and her heart stop inside of her.

Two of the people closest to her lie wasted on the ground.

The little daughter went for the mother's cloth I placed upon her.

"D-don't touch that Miss Eris!" I spouted.

She looked at me and slowly retracted her hand.

Her knee trembled to the ground like someone laid several bricks on top of her.

Her body bent over and clawed at the blood-soaked dirt with her bare hands.

"Do SOMETHING!"

Her cry sounded inhuman it was more akin to a scrying monkey lashing out at the sky. It made my hair stand up on the back of my neck.

"There's one thing we could try," I said.

I gathered the scattered remains in one place and snapped the ends of the arrows off of her father. I remember learning from a video game somewhere that ripping a weapon out of the wound causes more damage to the inside than the initial stabbing so I left those parts in.

I went ahead and drew a circle in the soil overlapping their cold still bodies. The one with the intricate symbols I performed in front of Roxy years ago. Eris went ahead and said the incantation with it. She was struggling spitting back against the words.

Once the spell began the dirt lit up and its surroundings to the point where it was lighter than the sky itself. I had to scan the field to see if anyone noticed such an obvious beacon. Luckily, the only people with their eyes open couldn't use them.

Her father's face's cuts began to shrink and turned a new shade of white. The cuts on his hand only had pink streaks left and the wound began to close with a noticeable impression on his body just stains of red blotted all over his clothes. There was a black bit of Hilda's chin I could see from under that began to turn more human-colored like she just had a bad sunburn.

Their bodies were magically sewn back together from parts we could see of them. Yet there were no signs of life.

No moving, no breathing, no pulses.

Nothing.

The only way to save them would be to use a healing spell near god-level and that would dabble more into necromancy than healing. We can patch up as many skin and blood vessels as we want, but it's not going to do anything to a heart that's stopped beating.

The grass sprouting around them entangled their bodies almost as if they were becoming part of the earth.

No," Eris panted scrambling to tear off the green blades feeding boarding into them dragging down their lifeless flesh." Agh, They aren't waking up! Teacher please, can you do anything else?"

I shook my head. "This is a saint-ranked healing spell it's the highest I can go and I needed special help to do it the first time from my tutor. I'm really sorry Miss Eris. There's nothing we can do."

Whatever hope she had was now absent from her face.

It is so surreal. It was only a moment when they were laughing and smiling when I told them about Eris's crush on Rudy and we were making fake wedding plans. How they congratulated their daughter improvement on her dancing lessons. Waiting forever for Hilda to get ready...How Eris's father would hide behind Sauros to avoid confrontation when the combat spells the children shot hit the roofs of their houses.

Even thinking about the things I wasn't crazy about them gave me sparks of fondness for these guys. Although Eris's father was a very polite man and loyal to his family, unlike his cousin, he was very passive. Almost too passive at times to both his wife, daughter, and father, but all he wanted was peace in their family and household.

And Lady Hilda, the real example of an ojou-sama. She could've easily been just a trophy wife to the Boreas Greyrat's or a slutty golddigger. However, went above and beyond doing management herself around the house and doing her best to set up a future for her child.

Although her mother was tough on Rudy, and I harbored a disagreement or two on how Phillip and Sauros treated their servants. They were still good people.

Now they aren't in here anymore. It's like they've been replaced with mangled-up dolls or mannequins now.

"What about grandfather is he dead too?" the little girl croaked, "Like Mother and Father."

"Your grandfather was a great man, he tried his best to make it all the way to save your parents."

Even at the expense of his own life.

Like I said before there's a possibility they could've captured him instead or they could be holding him hostage. Or tortured, or eaten, or disintegrated into ashes beyond recognition.

"We can't stay here forever looking for him. There's a chance the armies might come back. And..." I looked down, "I can't imagine your grandfather wanting to live believing his actions caused both his children's and grandchildren's deaths."

Eris didn't move. She was paralyzed by all the horrors around her. Now that her mind has been cleared it's trying to absorb all the shock of everything being taken away from her.

"This is so unfair," I thought. "I have to blame something for their slaughter." I wanted to pin my hatred on both sides. Surely one of them must have killed my Greyrat masters. But why would a specific side go after them in this far-off place?

What most likely answer is that they were teleported and trapped here with nowhere to hide from the crossfire. The progress of battle doesn't stop for a few innocent bystanders. That's not how war works. All there is to kill anyone that isn't on your side or wait for them to give up.

That being said war here is vastly different from war in my old world. When entire nations are at war with each other, it would be broadcasted all over the news and send people into a panic. It's weird to think that Sauros or the people of Roa village wouldn't know about a battle that was taking place a few mountain ranges away from them. Maybe they just didn't get the message from the kingdom.

We grabbed some rations and cantinas from a few of the fallen soldiers that happened to be carrying some on their packs. We grabbed the knapsacks as well and emptied their weapons to stuff as much food as we could in them. I know they won't need it where they are going, yet it pains me to have to steal from the dead.

As we walked away from the grave-less Cemetery she stopped me. "What do I do now?" she asked.

"I'm still taking you back home…maybe one of the maids could take care of you. IF-If not, Zenith and Paul could. You are part of their family after all. Or Ghislaine, you like Ghislaine don't you?"

"I want Mother, Father, and Grandfather back," she said bawling and leaning up against my waist. I clutched her in my arms and whispered

"Me too." And put her on my back to walk. Her legs were shaking like a leaf. I just need to get her away from this place.

She's right though. None of this feels real. Maybe that's why I still have the resolve to keep going. In the hopes that this nightmare will all be over soon. That once we reach the checkpoint we'll be able to restart.

She didn't say a word as we walked back to the cave. It was as if she became lifeless herself. Like the fires that had turned to smoke in the battlefield the fire in her own eyes had gone out.

"Miss Eris please talk to me," I said shaking the arm she was holding onto me with. The girl didn't even attempt to look up at me. "It's pretty foggy out here. Maybe, We should uhh… play a game. You can use your hands to blow off some fireballs. You can take a few rounds at me and I'll try to dodge them."

"Pew," I said winking and pointing a finger gun at her with one hand. Her head still faced down.

"C'mon, Miss Eris!" I shook her begging to get some kind of reaction from her.

I then heard a soft whimpering coming from below me. Like a puppy that had been let in the rain. "I don -.*sniff* I don't want to…*sniff*." She said wiping her nose and pulling her hand away from me.

"I know? You could pretend I'm a pig and ride on top of me again," I said using my thumb to stick my nose up. "And give me commands and call me all sorts of humiliating names."

"stop it..." she said shaking with tears streaming down her face. I stopped myself and frowned.

I know this whole thing is sad. Heck, I'm still shaken up by it. And this sense of guilt for not being able to do anything is killing me.

Eris... She has to feel astronomically worse than me. Not even offerings of sadism are working.

I just want to cheer her up. Distracting myself always helped me handle pain easier.

We set up camp early for the night. This time It was more out in the open so we doubled checked the area. Thankfully, there weren't any signs of life for miles. I figured if we lay down amongst the dirt we would blend into it from far away. Also, I was tired too. She gave up on walking so I was dragging her along with one arm.

"I'm proud of you for making it this far," I said to her. "This isn't the same cave, but I think we covered enough distance for today. We can rest here."

I passed out on the floor next to a pile of sticks that I had no motivation to burn.

Eris followed and crawled up to me.

"Can I lay on top of you?" she asked.

That's the first thing the girl has said to me in a while.

"Why? Is it because I'm cushier than the jagged floor?"

She whispered softly. "I want something to hold onto."

I wasn't expecting a such sincere answer from that. "Well, if it'll make you sleep better, Miss Eris. I don't see why not. Ohmf!"

Without a word, she nuzzled her face right up against my chest and clung onto the crevices of my shirt with her fingers. She was soft and her tears are hot and wet.

This is actually quite…comforting. I can't really explain why. It's like her snuggling against me it makes all my fears of war and famine melt away like we are the two people in the world. My face began to heat up again.

"M-miss Eris, I..."

"Just call me Eris..." she yawned. "Night, Rugy." The small red-headed girl whispered as she leaned against me and closed her eyes.

I held her close then turned my coat backward so it would hug both of us. Its full colors also made decent camouflage to keep us out of the eye of danger, give us warmth.

Being huddled up like this. It brings me back.

Me and my childhood friend. We would hide under a tall table together and cover it in blankets while watching movies during a thunderstorm. We made it a contest to stay up as late as we could and then the next day our parents would find us passed out on top of each other. Things were a lot simpler back then...

After some time passed. I opened my eyes again to the horrible sound of groaning growling noises.

Oh no, did we not conceal ourselves well enough? Are we about to be captured or killed?

Then a gurgling came. The threat I was hearing was directly under my nose.

It was the soft purring growls of that pampered dog.

She was snoring up a storm centimeters away from my face.

While we were both sleeping, she somehow went from resting on my belly scooting her way to up my neck and face. Any closer and we'd be sleeping cheek to cheek.

I wonder if she's doing any of this on purpose.

(--)

Moving on to the next day, the young lady was in a better traveling mood. We kept going kilo by the kilo to reach that area we traveled earlier and we made it upon the steady valley that we came from. Not much had changed since we went there last. I could see the cave in the corner again. There was a bit of a difference since our unique rock formation wasn't there anymore. However, there was still that welcoming aura about it when I saw the few twigs we burned etched upon the ground.

The brave young girl was keeping steady. She said a few more words than yesterday, and her legs were able to carry her. In the end, she even complained to me that her feet were hurting from walking. I call that progress.

Eris was exhausted and was half asleep by the time we reached our destination. She placed her head on the bag she was carrying and leaned up against the wall.

I dropped my bag as it plopped onto the ground. I pressed my fingers against the walls. I missed it before, but they were made out of some red clay-like stone. It was muddy enough to leave impressions and the grounds seem to have a similar composition as well.

Hmm, this gives me an idea.

A few moments later Eris came. "What are you doing patting the walls like that?" she said as if she were sleepwalking, "we slept in the cave the other night it's not going to fall on top of us." Eris wiped some of the sleepy drool off her chin and pinched her face to keep herself awake.

"I thought...We should do something to commemorate your parents. They have done a lot for us. I believe we owe them as much don't you think."

Her eyelids were now steadily crawling themselves awake and she mumbled, "But..b-but how do we-?"

I saved her the grace of blubbering incoherently and continued for her, "I was thinking a funeral. Make something of their likeness and maybe say a few prayers and give them gifts. Just do anything to show our appreciation of them when they were here with us. If you're not afraid of getting your hands dirty, the clay is pretty moldable. You can add something to this for me."

I got halfway through creating the outline on Phillip's face when it occurred to me.

I never paid my respects to my own parents, did I?

How could I forget? That's the reason my siblings got so upset with me. Hey, maybe I could hit two birds with one stone and make it up to both of them. I'm sure Miss Boreas Greyrat won't mind if I draw them.

Hopefully, I can remember what my old folks look like.

Making my own start-up manga and sculpting the faces on those figures were the only times I practiced drawing humans. I didn't have a real-life reference either so I ended up exaggerating their proportions. They all had small noses and mouths and big eyes angular heads a large pointy mustache on Sauros. It wasn't too distracting on the Eris family, but it seemed a little out of place to have those wide eyes on my parents' old faces.

"Who are they?" she asked. She was still in the middle of patting down a clay heart sculpture.

"They're my parents."

"You lost your parents too?"

I nodded.

"How did they die?"

"I-…I don't know," I said stopping myself and looking somberly to the side.

It could've been anything, heart attack perhaps, overdose on their meds. I never really asked.

"Oooh, I'm sorry," she whispered. I guess she's assuming they disappeared or something by the way I said that.

"So what are we going to do with the pictures of them?"

"It's for a memorial service. I'm not yet familiar with how you perform funerals rites in your lands, but this is what we do in my country," or what I've seen on TV at least. "We put a picture up of the deceased and put a bunch of flowers by it like you would a shrine. Usually, there are pillars by it too and you put them at the very top."

We could use those rocks as pillars and use the shriveled-up pieces of grass in place of incense. And Eris can draw flowers next to their heads. We can skip everything having to do with the body there's no way I'm taking Eris back there again.

It didn't take long to set it all up.

"Next we can do this." I slapped my hands together and Eris replicated the same motion.

"What are we doing now?"

"Praying. There's usually praying involved in funerals. Some people pray to wish luck so the dead can transition peacefully to the afterlife. Others address to the departed so they have a good next life in the cycle of reincarnation."

I did the latter and recited a few sutras to the portraits of the deceased. They were the ones They made me memorize as a child long before I lost my faith.

Even none religious guys like me can respect the belief itself.

I tolerate Buddhism more than other religions because unlike these people's pantheon of deities Gautama Buddha wasn't a divine being at first. He was an ordinary person who wanted to find meaning in his life. He took his own path away from his family and kingdom. Then he focused on developing his inner self and overcoming his own mortal foils.

I have an appreciation for religions focusing on redemption instead of cosmic beings that control our lives.

On the downside, it teaches that it takes lifetimes to learn those lessons. That's why they believe everyone has to go through a never-ending cycle of reincarnation. It sounds like it's really impossible to reach the standard it wants us to achieve. On top of that, they ask you to give up your identity and your love for individual people. I think taking out all the enjoyment in life is too high of a price to ask for if that's what forgiveness costs.

I wonder how that weird guy in my dream impacts the people in this world. Does everyone believe he's real? I don't know how I'd take knowing if one of the gods in my old world were real.

In a sense maybe it wouldn't be all that bad. The existence of a cosmic entity would prove that death isn't the end. And hey, I'll still take the idea of the afterlife over nothingness. I would rather be reincarnated into a sandworm than live with the despair of never seeing people like Roxy, Ghislaine, or the Greyrats again or being stuck with my regrets through the end of time.

"Say, Eris you have human gods that you pray to don't you?" I asked her.

"I guess..." Eris was almost finished drawing a barrage of flowers next to the portraits and placing a pillar of small rocks next to it.

"You ever hear of one called Hitogami?" she shook her head. That's peculiar people outside of her race seem to know more about it than she does.

"Is there anything else you are supposed to do?"

"Well, some people bring the deceased gifts as a sort of thanks to them and to show their appreciation of when they were alive. But we don't really have to-" without letting me finish my sentence Eris went to reach for her head and began pulling something out of her hair.

"Mother. Here-Here's the headband that you gave me. You can have it back." she curled up and gently placed a homemade band beside her face.

Next, she grabbed our rations bag and began anxiously dumping our precious food on the floor. "Papa always liked setting up dinner with everyone you can have one of these, Father, so you won't get hungry. And…and," she began huffing and panting, "And Grandfather, I don't have anything to give grandfather!"

"You are your grandfather's gift. He would want more than anything for you to get home and be happy."

She wailed covering her eyes and plunged her face into me. "But, *sniff* he gave me so many so many things…*sniff*"

Oh no, geez I have to do something. Crying mess Eris is almost as bad as creepily silent Eris.

I patted myself to see if I could find anything to soothe her.

Aha, here it is.

"Umm Miss Eris. This isn't really a gift but…" I pulled out something smooth and rounded and placed it into her hand, "You should be the one to give this back to him."

"His pendant," she gasped she closed her eyes and clasped the stone in her hands, and kept it there.

"You are not going to put it under the shrine?"

She shook her head profusely.

"Still holding out for him, huh?" I asked. She nodded back. "I see…"

Her grandfather's legacy is going to be ruined by this event. Sauros Boreas Greyrat was the one that owned the property where the disaster started and he knew about the presence of the orb. If he isn't blamed for conjuring up the whole catastrophe, he'll be blamed for not doing enough to prevent it.

"Why didn't I try harder to convince him?" I mentally anguished pounding a fist to my head. If I had only done more Eris would still have her dear grandfather. Now he'll be taken away even if he does survive.

The belligerent child paid no mind to my outburst. Instead, she had something to ask of me. "What about you? What are you going to give your parents as gifts."

"Oh, I'm not in a position to give things out. I need everything I have on me." My clothes, my glasses, the few bits of coins, and leftover stocks of food. I have to make up for the ones Eris has left on the ground. All necessary for survival.

She eyed something at the corner of my hand. "What about this?" she said grasping my finger with the ring.

"I can't give this to them," I said twisting it away. "This is a from a friend. She gave it to help me and it's saved my life multiple times in the past few days. How about we focus on your parents again." She was skeptical, but she dropped the subject.

"Ahem," I cleared my throat. "Well, I think we can bring the ceremony to a close. I'll give us some departing words and we can be done."

Now for the eulogy. I stood in front of the double portraits. I closed my eyes and held onto Eris's hand. "Here goes nothing," I thought.

"Sir Sauros, Lady Hilda and Master Phillip. Thank you for the opportunity you've given me to teach your child and meet her and her wonderful family. It has been an honor. And...your daughter is also grateful for what you've done. You have raised her and provided her with support when she needed it most. And it's going to be tough to replace that without you here. But, I'll make sure that Miss Eris,... that she'll be in good hands. I'll see to that she gets the kind of future you planned for her because I know..."

I swallowed hard "...you loved her."

...

There was a soft squeak.

I opened my eyes

It looked like Eris was hiccuping the way her body would jolt suddenly. Her face was contorted trying to press her lips and the corners of her eye into her nose. With her skin blending in with the color of her hair.

Then...a countdown timer hit.

Her face exploded. Hands tried to patch up the damage while all the water leaked through.

I went to gently rub her shoulder. "it's okay eris...your okay.." I whispered.

The girl pushed me and sheltered her entire face away.

She scooted away and circled up into a ball. And began moaning and wailing again gnashing her teeth and kicking her feet violently like she was fighting an invisible enemy. Screaming words that were incomprehensible to me.

The intensity of the sadness and grief. I had never seen that on anyone. This was more of a reaction than when she first saw her parents lying cold and dead in the mud. There was a rawness to it.

It's like she's accepted that she can't see them again. And she's trying to hold it all in but all it does is hurt.

Is this how everyone feels about their parents dying?

Her outburst went on for minutes on end. I kept finding myself glancing back to the pictures of my parents then back at her.

As I stared at the intense grief, she had for her parents, I got a burning in my eye and tenseness in my cheeks. I was...crying?

"No, quit crying!" she screamed as she kicked me. Stubbing me in the toe, "You're making me cry more. It sting...ss...s.."

Her breakdown did eventually have an end to it. There was still that quiver in her voice, but you know what she did when she finally calmed down?

She embraced me and patted me on the back. To comfort ME. Her glassy eyes looked up to me and she said.

"I think, Your parents miss you Too!...but it's *sniff* okay, you'll be okay."

"Uh-huh..." my lips babbled out as I stood there motionless.

"I'm glad I found you," she said leaning up against me and clinging onto my cloak's threads like ropes keeping her at bay from a cliffside. "Will you stay with me when we get back? I'm scared to stay there. I don't want to be alone."

"Of course, I will." It would be cruel to leave a child without a guardian figure. Although, something felt off in the way she asked that question.

We wrapped up and sat down to watch the crackling fire embers float into the air without saying another word to each other.

My eyes stayed shut the entire time yet no slumber came to them.

I kept thinking about the funeral.

And how I regretted doing it.

It doesn't make sense to me.

It was my idea. And it allowed Miss Eris to make peace with herself. And who wouldn't appreciate a memorial service dedicated to them?

So why then, do I have the sudden urge to take it all back?

I could only think of one thing that would cause this disturbing feeling.

A disturbing feeling that something inside of me was fundamentally broken.

And It was the fact that...

When I was crying.

I wasn't crying because of my parents' deaths. I was crying because I couldn't cry over them.

(--)

We both decided to postpone our journey for a second day. We still had some recovering to do.

"It couldn't hurt to stay one more night," I said.

I tried to sleep.

It physically hurts to think about them.

I get migraines.

The cure? I guess the first step would be to make peace with my past.

I have unfinished business with them after all. There were no proper goodbyes when they left.

When the sleeping dog got tired enough I scooted my way to my parent's portrait.

I then clasped my hands over my head and bowed my head.

"Hello, mom & dad, it's your son...the one that didn't bother to show up to your funeral...I'm reeeaallyyy sorry about that. I don't really have an excuse for it so I hope you can just forgive me."

I said squinted my eyes together. And waited.

...

...

This wasn't making me feel better like I had hoped.

I must be doing this wrong.

Why am I in a prayer position?

They're not deities and here I am randomly confessing my sins to them.

What am I supposed to do or say? I haven't carried a conversation with them for so long. Hmmm, what were the things I used to talk about with them?

I only have glimpses inside my memories of what mom and dad were like.

My mom was soft-spoken compared to a lot of my family members, but she was gentle and kind. She was one of the few people that always supported me at all points in my life no matter what. Whether I was a straight-A student or bratty whiny a&* adult she was always there for me. When I came home from school that day those kids took those awful pictures of me my mom told me exactly what I wanted to hear. That everyone was wrong, but me for treating me that way and I didn't have to go back to school if I didn't want to. Sure, she was an enabler I probably would've been better off if she made me attend school, but what mother wants to see their child suffer? My dad, on the other hand, disagreed with her at first.

Oh yeah, my dad...

Father from what I can recall was a hardworking man. He wanted all of us to succeed as any other parent would, but he was rather forgiving compared to a lot of them. Maybe that was because he had problems of his own. Over the years he turned to alcohol. I didn't ask what he was trying to drown out because I didn't think it was really my place. Or that was the justification I gave myself. I might have just not cared.

I was kind of content at first with the thought of living with them. It's normal for adults in our culture to take care of our elders. I said I would keep up on my studies by using my computer within the confines of my room and they would help make my food and pay for all my living expenses. Eventually, I got sick of being around them. They bothered me and I quit talking to them. It only took a few years for that to happen. Ever since then, I treated them like they were no longer my supportive parents, but my personal servants. And it's too late to say I'm sorry to them.

No, I've been around real servants. I treated them less than servants.

They were background props in my life that filled space.

(--)

As soon as I got a wink. I woke up before daybreak to an ominous thundering sound outside. The paranoia kicked in. I feared if we went out then the people would find us or chase us down whoever they were. They could be soldiers marching to their next battle, they could be bloodthirsty monsters, or it could be a strong wind. The weather made it impossible to make out anything with that smoke-like fog hanging over the area.

I decided it was best to spend several more days in the cave.

The same cave with the same camp set up, the same adorable wild dog girl, and the same-looking portraits of our deceased parents.

During the day we would go through more of our food supply especially the ones that were overripe that we needed to get rid of quickly.

When we weren't eating, sleeping, or finding new corners of our mud hole to go to the restroom in, we'd interact with each other to occupy our minds and keep each other's sanity from going all cabin fever and space madness.

I told Eris some embarrassing stories about Rudeus that I wouldn't get away with if he were here. I mentioned one that happened a few years ago. How he shot himself up into a tree accidentally by trying to point his hand down while casting an intermediate water spell. He said he wanted to see if it would make him fly after I had talked all about the fascinating subject of self-propelled jetpacks the previous day. And Boy, he was really stuck in those branches. All his shirts and pants were basically ruined. Paul said the only solution was cutting the damn thing down. Shame, It was one of Zenith's favorites too.

In return, Eris gave me some real zingers too. She talked about incidents that happened to her parents before she was born. Like one time, There was a particular plot conducted by some maniacal mastermind living in their house. They convinced the staff to spread lies about the Boreas Greyrats being this world's version of were-people, I guess? They put costumes on her parents while they were asleep and invited townspeople to watch them outside their window. The story got around had some rare illusion magic to erase their furry features during the day and convince the town that were part beast race. Apparently, it caused quite the controversy since they own so many of their kind. They asked questions like how many affairs Sir Sauros had with his maids. And if he was secretly importing illegal immigrants from another land to out-populate the humans in Roa. And once they proved the accusations to be false the family tried to shut the whole thing under the rug. They still don't know who the culprit is. Eris said she only knows any of this because she overheard the maids talking amongst themselves. Wouldn't be surprised if the perpetrator was that same bodyguard that enjoys selling children or one of the family members themselves. Or the little devil made the whole thing up.

We also played Hanetsuki out of twigs and sticks and bounced them to each other and across the room. And we tried to play Shogi with rocks I made little marks on, Most of the rules went over Eris's head so we didn't get far.

A couple of times when we were playing she would quit mid-game to go near the wall and begin sobbing. She would just sit there grinning the whole time occasionally calling me out for cheating.
Eris was about to win once too and BAM Waterfalls.

I would give her space and turn in the other direction when that happens. She wouldn't let me get near her anyway.

After we got bored of games and stories we practiced our casting and sword techniques.

We basically did anything we could to make the days less agonizingly long.

Still, the days were nothing compared to the nights. Because that's when I truly felt alone.

Every night I would try to sleep holding Eris. I squeezed her tight. I was hoping to get the comfort that I got the first night I spent with her like this. And a small piece of me had the silly idea that if I kept doing it, the empathy she had for her family would rub off on me. What a stupid thing to think.

I ended up staying awake most of the time. Both my mind and my heart were aching with a giant sinking ship crashing at the bottom of my stomach.

One night, I decided to let go again and stare at the portraits of my parents once more.

"I can cry over girls leaving me. But I can't cry over my own parents..." I thought.

Why?

It's not that I'm denying it. I've known they've been dead for several years. And it's not like I wanted them to die or anything.

But shouldn't you feel more remorse over your family dying?

I knew them my entire life. I saw them every day. My room was right next to theirs. I'm the one who should have been the most upset. I don't even know how they died. What kind of person doesn't know how their own parents died?

Maybe I should offer something up to them like she did.

Let's see, outside of some leftover crumbs hidden inside my pockets, I have…Roxy's underwear and the figure I was going to give her in case we ever met up again. The figure that's is in three pieces now.

"You wouldn't want these would you?" I asked holding the items up to the pictures of them. "That's what I thought. Why would you want things from your son…the lolicon..."

I studied my collection. All the things I keep the closest to me. Really tells me where my priorities are.

"Just having sex and surviving. Is that all I care about?" I asked myself. "Am I really that shallow? Can I even feel any real human emotions like grief and stuff?"

Is it like equivalent exchange? Is it because I have an excess of one I have to have so little of the other?

I've lusted over almost every woman I've come in contact with here.

Even now after seeing all that death and destruction.

I have "weird" dreams about Eris…I know some of them are despicable and wrong. But like that annoying god, I can't shut these fantasies out. They just keep coming.

and I like them sometimes...

and that's-

That's the worst part.

I shouldn't be harboring any of these feelings for her…but…

I do

...and they're getting stronger.

I'm scared. I know these kinds of feelings aren't new. I couldn't explain it but I felt weirdly envious of Rudeus and Slyphiey's relationship despite being the one to pair them up. And I believed Roxy was a minor. That didn't stop me from wanting to sneak into her room and watch her masturbate.

And fantasies are one thing. Being physically right next to her. All the time. In this type of crushing situation.

What if I do something I'll regret?

I swore to myself I never wanted to see that face Lillia gave me again. And for a second...I thought I saw it on Eris.

I tugged at the sides of my head.

"No, no," I screamed internally trying to parade those feelings away.

I'm overreacting.

I'm just giving her emotional support. I'm the only support she has now. She just lost her parents. She needs my help.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Is there?

Suddenly, things came to my mind. Things that I had thought I had blocked out for years. There was a particular day I was feeling especially down. There was no concrete reason for it. It's just that when you are unemployed and not doing anything other than taking and dropping hobbies as they come and go. Some days are going to feel worse than others. That day I was scrolling past posts of my elder brother Daichi and his family. I came in with the mindset to comment anonymously to make fun of him. I went searching through his family with him with his wife and kid standing next to statues and other landmarks. Some boring normie &^%& like that.

Then I stumbled upon some pictures with just his daughter. Close up. All dressed up posing and smiling in front of the camera.

Instantly, I was enamored with the petite delicate figure at the centerpiece. The innocence in her eyes filled the wonder she had for the world. It made me want to feel the same way.

A sense of bliss passed over me for a small moment.

I couldn't explain it. Something about her drew me in and In no time I was addicted. I asked him to send more and more pictures of his kid. At first, he complied with showing off his pride and joy as he showed all kinds of situations to me. Her participating in the track team, wearing a kimono at a festival, going out to eat desserts with her father, etc.

I grew numb to them after a while as they stopped giving me the happiness that I got initially. I slipped back into watching regular porn to get those sensations back. However, I never got the same high I got from receiving that first picture of her. I contemplated for weeks why I felt that way. Was it because we were blood-related? Because it was so long since I had seen an IRL 3D girl that young? Somewhere, somehow I came to the conclusion that I needed a more provocative picture of her so I could feel something again.

So I made the grave mistake of requesting the impermissible item from my brother.

One response was sent to me. It came from an unlabeled email on my desktop. From that alone, I already knew I would regret opening it up and reading it. In Daichi's message, it said he never wanted to see or hear from me again and that he cut off all his contact information. That he was ashamed to have me as his brother and I was lucky he didn't have the authorities called on me.

I deleted the message.

Shortly after, I continued to find more compromising positions of girls whether it was from hentai, eroge, or the few irl ones I could find on specific websites.

I don't know what I was thinking. Why did I ever believe that was okay? Having my own pictures exposed like that in public at a young age. That was one of the reasons I never wanted to leave the house in the first place.

God!

Why am I even thinking about this?

I'm trying to mourn my parents.

"... And Eris's parents," I thought switching my eyes over to them. "She…really needs them right now. They are the ones that should have made it out alive. Not me. What would they think of me doing this to their own daughter?"

She isn't old enough to know what she's doing or stop me if I do something serious.

I can't let things escalate any further!

A small gasp came from afar echoing on the other side of the cave.

She caught me staying up.

The maiden asked what I was doing. I made this excuse that I was preparing more fire warding circles like the ones outside the cave to scare our enemies away by convincing them that a dragon occupies the nest.

Eris wanted to lay on top of me again. She said she needed it to sleep. She nestled on my front and scrunched up her fingers around my shirt.

I looked at Eris then I saw all those faces of our parents leering their sharp eyes at me.

That sinking ship was crashing into my gut like the Musashi.

I wanted to push her right off.

I waited until she was nodding off then I carefully picked her up to the side so I could slide the rest of me under her. I took off my shirt and made a pillow out of it and rested it under her head. I peeked from a small opening in the cave. No one was out and the only footprints I saw were already half covered up in dust. I crawled from that claustrophobic place and sat out in the open.

There were no stars out. Just a giant celestial body that had a dim shine through the smog. I could still see the corpses spread about the plains.

At that moment I felt less human than all the massacring demons in the legends passed down.
(--)

I couldn't remember the dream I had that night. It was probably for the best. I awoke to the sensation of something trying to pull off my skin.

Take a wild guess what it was.

Eris was plunging her hand into me and tugging on the body hair near my navel.

"Ahhh, owowow. I'm up okay. I'm up. Don't pull so hard. I don't want any hairless patches there."

She dropped my shirt on my head. "Well, I don't want your smelly gross clothes on me when I sleep."

Ironic that you want to sleep on the person that owns them then.

I put my shirt back on. The imprint her hand made on my abdomen was still there sunken in and red. Do I have edema? When's the last time I drank water? Whatever, this shouldn't be a problem.

With her mana, we can still produce as much water as we want. Now if only we could apply the same for food.

I counted what we had in our bags and there was about 20% of our stolen rations. Only the stale pieces of bread were left we had already eaten all of the easily perishable food in the time I thought this journey would end.

Man, this has taken way longer than I anticipated. We shouldn't have made so many stops. I should've carried Eris more instead of walking along to her pace. We just have to move faster now and I have to be more careful with how I splice this out over the next week or so.

I ate half of one of those dry biscuits for breakfast so that I would have two rations leftover today for lunch and for dinner. Eris as usual ate all I gave her earlier on the road. Our skin both had a grayish tint to it due to the constant dust and smoke. I could see Eris's eyes were sunken in and turning red from irritation.

After a few days, or sometime around then, the constant overcast weather makes it hard to distinguish, we finally reached one of the mountainsides. All of a sudden we were able to breathe better and I could see patches of non-decaying grass near the top.

The color green. Something I dearly missed from trespassing this horrid landscape. The Asura/Fittoa region really is the land of prosperity and fertility.

Fluffy Grass?! Now That. That will make excellent bedding.

I didn't have any worries camping outside this time due to the side of the mountain coming in at an angle. It would be difficult for someone far away to see us at this particular spot.

After getting set up I opened the rations bag and pulled out the rolls. "Guess what Eris I got two extras," I said tossing them to her. "You should eat up."

She took the biscuit then hesitated right as she was about to put it in her mouth "Did you get some?"

"Yep! You go right on ahead," I assured her.

Her face didn't look too happy with my request. "But you haven't put anything in for a while. C'mon, you should eat too." She crawled on top of me and tried to put it up to my face, but I resisted it and squished my lips up to my nose. This irritated her and she flattened one onto my face which made crumbs fall all over.

"Can you quit that?" I said grabbing her fist. "You told me before that I eat too much and you need the food way more than I do. Look, If I'm going to be stuck with you, might as well try harder to look better for you, right?...Unless of course,...you like seeing this all day." I said waggling my eyebrows at her.

I expected her to be repulsed by that comment, but she seemed more confused than anything. She gradually inserted the bun into her mouth.

I could taste every bite.

Truth is, I have been starving for days. My size won't change no matter what I do, and I'm hoping she doesn't know that. I just can't stand the thought of another Greyrat member dying by my hand. If being obese forever is what it takes to save this young girl's life, then maybe it will be worth it.

She continued chewing on the biscuit making weird faces. "Bleh, Why does this one have a weird texture? It's crunchy."

"I grabbed them from two different people on the opposing armies. I pulled several out of each of their bags," if I remember the one from a few days ago the bites I had were much grainier than the others and it also tasted better. I thought it was my imagination, but it seems that Eris has confirmed my thoughts.

"Now I know why those dry buns tasted familiar. One of those kingdoms must've grown rice fields and incorporated it into their dough."

The only thing the Asura kingdom seems to grow is wheat and barley. It gets stale after a while. They should do more trading.

"So you like this, Huh?" She inspected it some more crinkling her fingers against the outer crust and sniffing the inside. "Father said you weren't from the Fittoa region or the Asura Kingdom. Are you from here?" she said nibbling on the rice cake.

"You mean the Eastern Side on the central continent island. Pfft, don't you think I'd be more of an expert on the land if I was? I just happen to grow up in a place where they put a lot of rice in their dishes because of all the wetlands. It makes it easy to grow. It isn't anywhere on the world map so don't ask me to point where I think it is..."

It only took me a second to tell she wasn't paying attention. Her head was wandering off into spaces in-between spaces.

"what are you thinking about there?"

"An entire country with everyone who looks and talks like you. And you all talk about figures and write with sticks. And-and, you pick all of the tiny grainy parts out of these rolls just so you can suck them out and eat them."

"Haha! You are not too far off." I laughed.

"I bet you'd like some of the food though. Rice can be made into smooth and soft mochi. It's like a squishy little cake. It's perfect for those who have a sweet tooth. And, You like spicy? We got dishes like curry with warm bubbly sauce with huge chunks of meat and vegetables, and ramen is always a simple go-to that can be good if you season it right with some salt, herbs, spices."

I could hear both of our internal organs cheering at my speech.

"*Growl* Ahh anything sounds good when you say like that." She slumped on her side and stuff her face with the other half. "*chew* You got me in the mood *gulp* to try anything right now."

"Mhmm, I'll tell you what. You gather the ingredients and I'll cook you some when we get back, deal?"

"Deal."

"Night Eris."

"Night."

(--)

The hunger wasn't the end of it.

My problems surged a few days later.

I began to get that queasy life-draining sick to my stomach feeling I hadn't gotten in years. Not the emotional kind. It's the one that left me bedridden with only Zenith's tea to consolidate me. I haven't experienced it at all since I left for my tutoring job. I almost chalked it all up to be some strange allergy I got from the Greyrat's house. Perhaps it was all the wheat flying in the air that was growing over there or their livestock. But here I am, in the middle of a desolate wasteland developing the symptoms.

The aching isn't as terrible...yet…but it's coming in fast. I haven't been eating so I know now that it's not coming from the food.

This illness, coupled with starvation. Soon I won't able to walk or stand. This isn't good. How am I going to get Eris home?

The best plan I have right now is to make my own home remedy. Whatever I can find to keep me stable and my food down should work. Sucks that there aren't a lot of options to choose from.

I began to put random things inside me bits of the dry grass tree branches with a few dusty leaves on them and shriveled up bushes. Most of the bushes have thorns so I stopped going after them. I can't tell you how many bristles got stuck in my teeth and the roof of my mouth.

I was trying to see if there was any natural herb that could cure it automatically. From what I recall it was a spice in Zenith's tea that worked wonders for me. I really wish she told me what it was so I wouldn't be in this predicament and

also, water to go with it...

Water would be good. Gotta ask Eris for it.

I could spam that and the healing spell. Now if only the grass had any real nutrition.

I think the mad dog noticed me eating all the random s/%& off the ground and she tried to do it. I made the excuse that it was a survivalist thing and she translated it as chucking dirt in her mouth so she could become battle-ready.

As the days pass it's becoming increasingly harder to hide my sickness from her.

I hunch over when I'm walking. And I keep sleeping in a prone position to keep the stomach pain at bay.

The only good news I had to give her was that we were close. Only a few kilometers off from touching the base of the mountain.

I also tried to keep my distance when we walked together. The last I want in this world is for Eris to get it too. There was even more greenery growing near the ends of the mountains. The land must be more fertile. They have real plants here. We are getting close to our destination I can feel it. None of it looked edible still.

I was beyond dizzy barely knowing what foot to step in front of the other. I collapsed onto the ground and tried using my arms to crawl. We are so close we are almost there.

I was a pillbug with my appendages sprawling out of control as I tried to get up. My movements only triggered coughing fits and some dry heaving. It caught the young girl's attention and made her run back to get me.

"Teacher, Teacher!" she yelled pushing me back and forth. "What's wrong? Are you choking? Did something get you?"

"No. I need more rest hehe *cough* I'm not as spry as you are. You go on ahead. I'll watch you from here."

"But we just took a break...Do you want to set up camp? I can wait until you feel good again."

"No, *gag* it's more important you keep going. I didn't want to tell you this. But I'm *cough* very sick Eris *cough* *cough*. I felt it several days ago and time has only worsened my symptoms. Now my legs won't let me stand. I won't *cough* be able to move much further like this. I'm afraid. But don't let me stop you."

"You can't. Your sick, Why?...You Idiot! I told you to eat more! Why didn't you listen to me? I could've helped. Why did you keep this away from me?"

"Its not the only *cough* the only thing I kept away from you."

"What?"

"You know that book I wrote? *cough* *wheeze* I did write a cheesy ending where after the girl defeats the bad guy the mysterious follower that helps her confesses his love. Then she says that she knew it all along and then they hug and kiss each other and then they get married and then they buy a nice cottage with a nice smelling garden and they have like a ton of kids and grandkids and- *cough* *cough* *cough*..."

"I don't care about some stupid story! You need to Get Up! Mmmnnpff." She began tugging on my arm until she realized how heavy I was and dropped it.

"Look kid, I know I'm not the best at explaining things, but what I am trying to say that *cough* *cough* is I really Really wanted your parents to be okay. I didn't think they would and-... I thought it'd be better if we both *heave* accepted the worse. But you can't get stuck thinking like that and- Just think normie thoughts. You'll make it home just fine. I promise."

"I want you to come With me." Her frown only widened behind her hands. "This is my fault. If I hadn't forced you to go back to see mother and father. Then you wouldn't..."

"ERIS, I FORBID YOU!" I shouted. "Don't blame yourself for this!"

She crumbled up under the weight of my voice and began sobbing.

I then saw the small girl then close her eyes put her hand up to me and start muttering some words. I stopped her. "No Eris, I've tried this before. Healing and detoxification won't work. Save your energy."

"But-but I have to fix you. *sniff* You told me giving up makes things worse, not better." She cupped her small hands into her face.

I gently stroked the side of her cheek. "I'm not giving up. I'm saving you."

"..don't- *sniff* don't leave me..."

I can't leave her distraught like this and feeling abandoned. She has to look forward to something. Anything.

"Hey look at me. I need *cough* something from you. And You have to do this for me alright? I need tea."

"Huh?...what is tea got to do with-"

"There was a special tea the family made for me whenever I got sick. I think the ingredients grow over by the wheat fields of Roa and Buena village *cough*. Paul and Zenith might have some in their house too. You can get it from them *gag*."

"Over...the hill?"

"Yeah, Just over the hill. Keep going. Take shelter if you need to. And take the food with you too. My stomach is too upset to eat them."

"Okay," light came on her face again as she wiped the rivers off off her red cheeks. "I will come back. You'll see. It'll be quick and I'll bring people to help us."

"I know you will *cough*. Now Go Get 'Em! Eris-chan FOR THE WIN!" I said bumping my fist against her shoulder then pumping it in the air.

I watched her footsteps become one with the dusty fog. The only noises besides my old friend the wind were the clinking of pebbles toddling and tumbling as her feet climbed upward.

...

That oughta keep her going in the right direction.

And create a time window so I can make a break for it.

Get up you worthless body. You have to get out of her line of sight. I have to spare her the image of my rotting corpse. If she sees that, It'll break her.

I used my fist to pull myself closer to the base of the mountain crawling WWI soldier style. I saw a group of rocks leaning against each other.

I dug myself in and tossed the group of rocks over myself. Until I essentially buried my body alive creating a mini grave burial site for myself.

I left a small crack near the top so some oxygen will leak in.

I wanted the smallest amount of hope that I would survive. That the fever will magically go away so I can break free and go with her.

It was a miracle that I even had a second chance in the first place. But I did a little better than last time. I had a job and friends. At least I think a couple of people will miss me.

I'm sorry Zenith for not being able to live as long you wanted me to. I'm sorry Roxy for never getting you those answers you wanted. I'm sorry Rudeus for being unable to find you.

And...I'm sorry Eris

For leavening you behind.

(--)

I had lost track of whether I was conscious or not.

On whether it would matter if I died awake or asleep.

I would just let time tick away as the temperature of my head went up.

For who knows how long a man laid dead on the mountainside.

With desires for life gone astray only given to those outside himself.

As the ancient ones say this is how one reaches Nirvana.

Obtaining enlightenment above all things.

But also As the Buddha says what brings us back to life is our own suffering.

The man learned this the hard way after being stepped on by an over 150 kilogram something forcefully in the gut in his already aching vessel.

He yelped in pain.

I couldn't help it. I needed to sprout my hands out of the dirt like a zombie to comfort that area.

It seems I have attracted unneeded attention. I can feel something is standing right below my groin.

There are several more. I can hear different pitches talking.

The mumbling voices made my heart pound.

"Those... dggfc his feet Huh n. I know it!"

"They fel hbbbdxvnkuumove them over. Bugghg boulders mmmnmove."

They are planning on digging me out?

"Go away!" I croaked.

The rocks moved over.

The dim light filtered through and blinded me.

Next thing I knew I was floating.

No,...wait. Something's picking me up. Their thick and very firm arm is under my neck while the other one is beneath my butt.

Am I hallucinating or am I being carried bridal style by someone? By the laws of the six-faced world if Sauros is the one doing this I'm going to have so many choice words for that man.

All of a sudden something soft tickled my face and made me sneeze. I opened my eyes.

"Ahhh! A white snake!" I shuddered. Brushing the fiend out of my face.

"Your right he is in very poor condition."

The snake pulled away. A dark-skinned, white-fur, cat-faced angel smiled down at me.

Ghislaine ex machina to the rescue,...again?

Heh, when Eris said she went to find help she ain't kidding.

My savior went ahead and laid me onto some bedding they made of dry grass. Hey, it's like sitting on top of hay!

Eris was standing directly over me "Yess! His eyes are Opened and He's Moving!" the little girl clapped. Giddily bouncing up and down. "Now get the stuff I told you to. I know how to take care of him from here."

She bowed and respectfully put her arm across her chest. "I will make haste with your commands young mistress." She says then sprung up on her legs so high it's like she flew up into the air.

Meanwhile, I was left with a child as my CNA. Eris used pieces of her skirt and sleeve to wipe off the dirt all over my face, glasses, arms, and legs. Then she dowsed me with water. I couldn't tell if she was trying to clean me or make me stay awake. Over the thirtieth splash, it almost felt like she was trying to drown me.

Through my watery eyes. I saw Ghislaine sprinting over and squatting down to her prodigy's level.

"Here are the spices and herbs you requested. Do you know which one will aid him in his recovery?"

"Stuff them all in Ghislaine! One of them has to work!"

A brawny leaf-covered fist hurtled towards my face. I jolted my neck away from the incoming pain that would awaken.

"No..*cough* no *cough* *cough* that'll..make... it..worse."

"No, it won't! Trust us Ryuji."

How can you say that? You don't know how to tie your own dress by yourself let alone practice medicine.

The cat woman spread all the plants in between her fingers and asked, "Are any of these familiar to you?" I glanced at all of them it was hard to tell any of them apart.

"How about if we do this." the mischievous child plucked one and stuck it all the way up my nostril. Then they continued to stuff up each of the plants into my nose one by one.

"This one…*cough* it definitely smells like Zenith's tea."

Ghislaine put it in my mouth and moved the corner of my jaw to help me chew. The weed had the same bitter taste as those powdered pill capsules when you bite into them too hard.

I spat some of it out. "Uck, what is this?"

"It's Sokasu Grass. Some patches of it grow here although I have not seen many attempts to consume it," Ghislaine said.

I can see why. As long as it gets rid of the poison that's been plaguing me, I'll stomach it for now. Zenith must have put a lot of other ingredients in her tea to drown out this garbage.

It took a while for the grass to pass through my digestive system. My excrements this time came from both ends were more saturated than ever before with the magic buildup inside my body. I could see my saliva practically brimming from with the sparkling mana. I told both young ladies about my progress after my colons little adventure.

"Eww," Eris squirmed before she began to whisper to Ghislaine. "Good thing we didn't give him any of this to him yet."

"Give me wha-? Wwhat's happening?" I asked while gathering up some pillowy leaves and grass to rest my head upon

They put their fingers over my eyes and my mouth.

"Shhh, Shhh get some rest."

I fell asleep so effortlessly I don't remember when it happened. The moment I woke up felt weighed down by something. The big titty kitty and bratty princess were both still standing over me.

"Pile another one on top of him," Eris yelled. Ghislaine grinned and proceeded to dump the rest of the basket of fruit on me.

"Are you guys trying to drown me with fruit now?"

"Hehe Yes! Now eat, you vermin!" She said kicking something citrusy round and orange into my face.

"Now that's the Eris I've come to know." I chomped on the delectable fruit they picked. There were fireworks in my mouth that traveled all over my body. This sensation either means heartburn or my satisfaction stat is now going way up.

As I continued eating, the furry hero began to give a report on the Fittoa region.

"I'm telling you. It got to everyone. The town of Roa is mostly abandoned there are only a few stragglers here and there. They are likely returning from where they had been sent."

"Any word from Paul or Zenith Greyrat?" I asked.

Ghislaine shook her head. "None so far. However, I have yet to thoroughly explore their village."

"What about Rudeus?" Eris said pleading her eyes at her. "He got caught up in the blast with us. He could be somewhere near here."

"I have seen no signs of him," she answered. We both looked down disappointed.

"Us neither," I responded. The kid has skills, but can he really make the journey we did all alone with his short legs and limited survival instincts?

Dammit. That monstrous teleportation spell has taken away a daughter's grandfather and parents. It has no right to take the life of an innocent child too.

"We should go searching for Rudy later then. By the way, how did you find us Ghislaine? Did you track our scent then across an entire nation?"

She shook her head. "I appeared near the mountains I was leading a trail to the Boreas Greyrat residence when my ears detected your voices echoing across the canyon, and I traced it to Eris. The mistress then lead me to you."

So I wasn't too off. She just located us through sounds instead of smell.

She's got a couple more scars on her face from the last time I saw her. And the sword saint doesn't look like she's washed off her blade recently either. I wonder what she had to fight to get here.

"Two times in a row Ghislaine, you saved my a%& What's your secret to always finding me in the nick of time?"

"I'm only performing my duties. Fate must be guiding me to you when you need it most."

Fate...

That word. That creepy smile. That empty place.

The timing of all of this. Could this have been all foreseen?

Gahh, that's what he wants me to think.

This is all a coincidence. We were all by each other when the teleportation spell activated. We were bound to run into each other if we all got transported within range.

The faces of the rocks were getting brighter. "I can see daybreak breaching through the cliff. Should we make our march upward?" Ghislaine asked.

"Lead the way."

(--)

The path we tread upward wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting. The high air pressure can get annoying on your ears and lungs, but it's a tiny little hike compared to what we've been through these last what, days, weeks? It couldn't have been over a month,...could it?

My legs started to give out near the top so I needed to be dragged over the peak. Going downhill, however, I did that all by myself. It was so steep I could've barreled through or slid all the way down if there weren't so many trees and bushes in the way.

I can now see how Ghislaine was able to round up all that food so fast. It was practically day and night on the other side.

There was a small grotto near the bottom. We were able to refill on water and food and stock up. Ghislaine suggested we rest so we wouldn't fumble our steps. In the dark. We don't have super special Neko Night vision after all.

We set up for camp. The feline warrior volunteered to guard us while we got some rest. Unfortunately for me, even after I listened to the relaxing murmurs of the creek flowing through the oasis I didn't get a wink in.

Like a few nights before I let Eris climb on top of me for 5 minutes until she was fast asleep. I then headed along the river to get water. I was thirsty and wanted to wash off the sticky pulp of the plants that were caked in dirt. Ghislaine said she would be in charge of the night watch. I didn't expect her to be looking out near the same body of water.

I saw her sitting out on the cliffside near the center of the grotto shaded by an assortment of fruit-bearing trees. Most of the clouds had dissipated here and she was shrouded in mist and bathed in the moonlight. It reflected off her fur and contrasted with her skin tone and made her light up in the darkened night.

Her ear flinched as I stepped in the mud. "You're up?"

"Yeah," I said, "just passing by for some water. You guys forgot to give me some with my meal earlier today."

"Those plants you ate were full of water and nutrients. Eating three or four should've been enough to restore your health from that fatal state you were in."

"But why did you make me eat that entire basket then? I never even told her I was starving."

"I could see the hunger in your eyes." As she said that her own eye turned cold. It made my heart stop for a beat then she continued. "Also, the little one commanded me to gather up everything we could get in the area for you. I think you underestimate her observant nature."

"Yeah, she's a smart kid hehe." I chuckled. Ghislaine's eyes were still narrowed.

"I know what it feels like to be on the brink of starvation. All your strength gets replaced by weakness. It's a kind of torture I would never wish upon anyone even my enemies. Sauros…saved me from that fate."

Despite some of their prejudices the Greyrat's have a rather open mind when it comes to refugees, don't they?

She turned her head toward the moon and sighed. "One of his last commands he gave to me was to look out for her. So Thank you for watching after master Eris."

"No problem hehe, would've done it any day of the week. Someone has to look out for her..." I glanced awkwardly over to the side, "So, Has Eris told you about her parents?"

Her ears on her head turned sideways and pointed down. "Yes," she said sorrowfully. "Once you two reach town I'm going to go back and search for her grandfather. I have to know if he's alive."

I could see her hand curling up like her hair as a unit was standing on the edge and the nails sort of appeared more like claws as her tight grip made her muscle and veins pop out of her hand.

"Wait!" I said grabbing onto it. "We don't even know where he is, and what if he is dead? Then what are you going to do?"

As I said that the hair on her tail stood up and her pupils dilated. "Then I'm going to hunt down and wreak vengeance on those people who murdered him!"

I could hear her hands scraping across a rock she rested her hand on at the word 'murdered'.

"Ghislaine…you can't. You can't take on an entire army by yourself. Are you crazy?" I said now holding onto her heavy biceps. "Snap out of it!" I shouted.

I splashed a puddle of water onto her. She flicked her ear and the fur that she had spiked up on end. Her one pupil narrowed at me. I felt a solid rope get me from the back I realized it was her tail and I collapsed face-first into the water.

I wiped my damp face and stared back at her. "I didn't know you were capable of getting embarrassed," I thought. Makes me wonder how she reacts in the rain.

Her mostly humanoid shape and civilized demeanor may distract me from it, but she really is part beast.

I saw the Greyrat's throw buckets on their beast race servants multiple times like as if they were trying to train dogs and cats.

Those drops of water glistening reflecting off the moon making her skin shiny it's like she's wearing thousands of glowing blue beads on top of her fur. It's mesmerizing.

Oh. great. Now I have to snap out of it.

I dunked my head under the water and climbed out of the shallow pool. I got a palm tree-shaped branch from one of the low-hanging trees and started fanning it her way. The catgirl made a deep purr-like growl as I paraded the leaves close to her face.

"What? I'm drying you off," I protested.

"Oh..." she said trying to return to her usual composed nature. I could tell she was still being a bit sheepish though. Her tail was curling up into a circle and her ears were flipped back.

I'll give her this. She's better at hiding her emotions than most people, but we all crack from time to time.

I wonder...if she really isn't all human, maybe she'd understand me if I ask this.

"Ghislaine…Have you ever lost loved ones?"

Her response, as expected, was calm and dignified. "Yes. Choosing the lifestyle I have, makes losing close companions inevitable. There have also been many people who have lost their allies by my hand."

"Ouch, that's rough. I can't imagine what that must be like to go through this as many times as you have. You're very strong."

She thanked me with sincerity. And I tried again to steer the conversation.

"B-but surely you must miss them or cry over them, right? Because if you can't grieve over someone close to you... Does that mean you never actually loved them? Or there's something is wrong with you?"

"I don't believe tears someone sheds weighs one's level of compassion. In our tribe when one of our own or the ones close to us we chose to focus more on honoring each of their memories."

Sounds like even her kind does something. All I've been trying to do is bury my memories. Even when I do think about them all my thoughts keep circling back to me.

I suppose all I can do is try my best.

"Can I borrow that dagger you have on you?" I asked.

"What for?" she said cautiously handing it over.

"I'm freestyling a momentum for my parents and the Boreas Greyrats," I grabbed a wide stick and some bark from a tree and began to chip away and carve out a shape of a human. "These aren't going to be of the same quality as the ones I made with Rudy. But what can I do without him?"

We hung out a little longer under the hazy moon. Ghislaine told me that she would separate from us once we got over the mountain. She wanted to continue her search for Sauros and the rest of the Greyrats.

"Before you go your own way, would you mind taking Eris home yourself? I don't want her to grow too attached to me."

"You want to keep her away. Is it to avoid the possibility of her experiencing more loss?"

"Yeah, it's sort of that. But It's for something else too. I can't really explain because you'd probably shred me to bits for it."

"You can tell me."

"Well, it's just that I can't tell when I'm going too far. Sometimes I think I'm not when I am. Then I don't know how the other person feels. I can barely understand my own emotions. Like is it her? Is it me or this place? Or whatever the hell is going on? I just-..." I took a deep breath and sighed. "I don't get why I can't control certain feelings."

"What...I don-...I don't understand?" she looked baffled like I was speaking Japanese to her.

Well, Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus as they say. I can only expect so much intrapersonal therapy from a giant cat lady.

It's amazing that she did try to listen to me though.

I smiled at her.

"Hehe Nevermind, I'm sure you don't want to hear my incoherent rambling all night about this sentimental bull*#$%. I will say this though. One feeling I don't have doubts about is that I know I can trust you," I said looking at her squarely in her feline eye. I could see her eye dilate for a moment. "That's why I need you to keep her safe for me."

Wow, I impressed myself on that line. I could totally see a visual novel creator stealing that text from me.

"Very well, I will take her back. However, I have one favor to ask of you."

I looked up at her with anticipation.

"Tell me. What is division?" she asked. "I was wondering when I was slicing up the fruits the mistress was saying I should cut 2/3rds and 1/4th of a melon. You were teaching her the week the disaster happened. I never got a chance to ask you how it works."

I burst out laughing. "Haha, fractions. FRACTIONS?! You want to talk about fractions at a time like this? C'mere, I'll show it much simpler than it sounds." And I continued a long study session.

As I went to bed that night I positioned myself in between some shady trees with just enough lighting to see the stars and moon from above. And then I finally drifted my eyes away peacefully.

The next thing I knew there was a banging against my arm. "Hey,...why...do you...take forever...to...get...up...we are almost there." I heard a voice shouting at me jumping pitch from note to note. I saw a foot lunge at me with every syllable.

"I'm up," I moaned in agony. "Now can you please, Get Off!"

"Allow me," Ghislaine decided to go out of her way to pick me up by my ankle. I then was forced to do a handstand while I was still in the middle of trying to awaken myself.

"Master Eris is right. If we move our tails and take minimal rest stops, we can make it to shelter before nightfall." Ghislaine gestured to the brown spots in the wide-open green field they must be the town she was talking about.

"Then we better be off then," I said.

"Goody, I'll lead the way," Eris said waving her hand in front of me while I resisted following her.

"Oh yeah... about that, I was going to tell you," I said nervously rubbing my neck. "You should really have Ghislaine take you home."

Her lip and eyebrows curved down. "You're not coming with us?"

"I have some errands and tasks I still need to run."

"Urrghh. Tasks, errands? You were whining about coming back home this whole time."

"Well, you see Ghislaine," I said winking to her, "She recently received word from Paul and his family. They needed me back to umm... stock up supplies in case of another crisis like this one. You see, I'll be going the long way while you two can take the shortcut to your mansion."

"But you just started walking again," she complained.

"And now I can run. See, I ate like over 20 pieces of fruit today. I have enough strength and energy now to sprint across the entire continent and back again!" I started marching in place to further my point.

"Fine."

"So you agree?"

"Uh Huh. Since your not going to protect me as my loyal butler. Then I'm going to have to protect the both of us. Haha." She slipped her hand into my pocket Ghislaine's dagger out and ran with it.

"Hey, I was borrowing that dagger. Come back with that young lady," I chased after her, "I told you already. I can make it back on my own.

"Prove it! Haha, you have to move your legs faster than that if you want to catch up, you slow Fatty!" she said waggling the pointy dagger at me before springing away.

"Ahh Eris, you-you Wild Dog! You're holding it at the opposite end you're going to stab your hand! Hah, hah..." I said while choking on my breaths. My engine is running low.

As I was trying to reach Eris Ghislaine crept up under my legs until I got hoisted on top of her back. "You lied to us. You aren't at full strength yet. Now, let's catch up to her."

"This is sweet. But isn't it demeaning for me to ride you like an Ani-Maahhlll," I stumbled as she then transitioned onto two feet and I clasped my arms around her clavicle and legs around her thighs to ride piggyback style?

"Keep your legs up unless you want your feet to drag against the boulders and plant life." I did as she said and squatted them closer to me my body trapping harder to her rippling deltoids which contrasted with the silky fur and hair near her head.

God she's so ripped. She could suplex and drop kick me right now if she wanted. Perhaps this'll all work out in our favor. As long she's watching me then maybe we don't have to be separated. She can keep me in check, just like the system I had with Paul. I can wait until we both get home to say goodbye.

"Paul..." I thought for a moment, "really hope he and the girls are doing okay."

The landscaped transformed as we went along the path to the village. There were small wildlife animals scurrying around and weeds, wonderful weeds that would have never grown in that barren wasteland we came from.

The town we entered was quiet. It wasn't abandoned, but only a few people were walking about. Some crept into their houses when we went nearby.

Are they surprised to see a large man being carried by a cat woman being herded by a feisty child? It can't be that strange for this world. There was a tension however I could feel it crawl through my skin like a finger sliding across a stringed instrument to get to the highest pitch. Something, somewhere about this place was off.

Me and Eris headed towards one of the buildings. We were hoping it was a shop to refill on our rations since we once again were on low supply.

There were no stocks or supplies we could see. All the shelves were empty and on the walls, there was a line of names with some pictures next to them. I could smell the ink coming off of it.

"What the Hell?" I said tearing off one of the pieces of paper from the board. "THAT'S ME!"

Why is this here?

"There's one for you too Eris," I said handing it to her, "And your parents and Sauros, and that butler guy that I worked with,... there's actually a lot of workers in your household here. Do you see yours Ghislaine?"

She turned her ears to the side and shook her head. "I visited this place not too long ago. They said these are for the people in the area that went missing after the blast. There are places like this as well in other villages too all with the same list. People are gathering search parties to go after them. I was assisting them in the cause."

"That explains why these are so fresh," I said looking at the black that bled all over my fingers. "All the Greyrat's and Boreas Greyrats. They are on here...All except him..."

Bonus: (Some cursed doodles I made of MC and me not being able to draw anime characters or anybody from the show for that matter.)