Seven hours passed before Rhea slowly opened her eyes. Sitting upright against the warm tree, she noticed Daichi next to her, unconscious.
Feeling dizzy and disoriented, she rose to her feet and focused her gaze ahead, taking in the grim sight of a pool of blood and gore.
She scanned her surroundings. Trying to assess if anyone was nearby. Taking small steps closer to the bloody scene, her eyes locked onto the blue tusks, which were still visibly hot.
The blood pool steamed around them.
Hm...
What could've done this?
Her confusion and questions piled up, but one thing she knew for sure was that a Haphleon couldn't have done this. At least, not the kind she was used to.
Turning around, she looked at Daichi. His torn clothes were bloodied, and his hands formed loose fists at his abdomen, where two scorched holes marked his shirt.
But beyond what ordinary eyes could see, she perceived his life-fog essence, which had ascended to a higher stage.
The color is now a striking blue, with a clear undertone of purple.
Her breath hitched as she looked at Daichi, who was lying unconscious.
"Elder..."
It reminded her of the elder. Who had the same stage of life-fog when he died.
Wait...
He had sprinter-level life-fog...
She turned. Looking at the pool of blood again.
A shiver ran up her spine.
He...killed it.
That doesn't make any sense...
Bewildered. Rhea was trying to make sense of it all. But then it clicked.
"You've...awakened your path."
"Haven't you..."
"Daichi."
She spoke in a low tone as she turned to look at him.
Looking around. Rhea came to realize her bow wasn't anywhere to be seen.
Sighing, she headed back into the forest. To the place where she last remembered losing consciousness. Hoping her bow would be near where she fell.
Fifteen minutes of walking brought her to a burnt, dismantled area.
The ash on the ground was cold. And tusks were scattered around. Scorched. And covered with dirt, coal from burnt wood, and ash.
Rhea grinned. Looking at the multitude of destruction she caused.
"Told you jackasses that I'd kill you."
"And send half the forest with you, too."
Proud of herself. She made her way across the ashy crater. And retraced her steps.
And ahead. Several trees were torn down. As if a massive bull tore through their base.
Stopping by the first torn-down tree. She looked around. Scanning the ground and kicking away the shriveled leaves.
Her foot kicked something aside. Her bow slid across the ground.
"My bow!!"
"There you are!!"
She ran over to pick it up.
But as she knelt. She sharply looked in the direction she came from. Seeing a small blue dot moving around.
Grabbing her bow. She lunged off the ground. Reaching the trees.
But struggling to keep her pace. Even with natural Vhis enhancements.
Her earlier over-exertion made it hard to move the way she usually does.
Nonetheless. She kept running toward where they had camped.
And as she made her way through the trees. She suddenly stopped. Reaching camp.
Seeing Daichi looking around like a lost hollow-horn.
She sighed. Sitting on the tree branch as she watched him.
"He's okay..."
She murmured quietly to herself.
Daichi was looking around for a good three minutes. Fascinated. And laughing to himself.
And then he spotted her. Sitting up in the tree watching him.
"HEYY HEYY!!"
"RHEAAA!"
He shouted, catching her off guard.
"YOU NEED TO SEE THIS!!"
He shouted again. Hoping she'd hear him.
Rhea sighed. Jumping down from the tree. But as she approached the ground. She could hear a faint hum. Getting louder.
She landed on the ground. As Daichi looked at her.
and unexpectedly.
zzzzzz
FOOSH!
Rhea was flung across the open area.
CRASH!!
Crackle
Crackle
Crackle
She slammed into a tree behind Daichi. Its leaves rustled against each other as it fell.
Boom.
"Rhea!!"
Daichi ran to her Kneeling next to her.
"Are you okay?!"
He asked. Looking around to see who or what attacked.
Rhea looked around also. But she couldn't see another presence.
She looked up at Daichi.
"The hell was that!"
Daichi looked back at her.
But her breath stopped. Seeing his eyes.
"Daichi?..." She said. Looking up at him. "Your eyes..."
"What?"
He answered. Realizing the different lines attached to her body like strings. Each branched off in different directions.
"They're..."
"Fractured..."
Rhea said. Noticing his pupils. They seem to be broken. Shattered even. With some pieces of his fractured pupil reflecting her.
"Fractured?. That doesn't make any sens-" She cuts him off. "Daichi..."
"What are you seeing?"
She asked. Coughing slightly.
"I'm seeing...lines."
"A lot of lines."
"All connected to you."
He looked up again. Squinting his eyes to see if anything would emerge from the forest.
"You attacked me." She stood up. Brushing off her clothes. "How?"
"What?" Daichi paused. "Why would I attack you?"
"Well. No one else is here." She looked at him. "And the last time I checked. You had brown eyes, and they were normal. Not fractured or shattered."
So he got an ability...
Hm...
"What am I supposed to say? I mean. Seeing lines is all I can tell you I'm seeing. But I don't know how I attacked you."
He chimed in, interrupting her train of thought.
"Shhh."
Rhea said.
"What?"
Daichi looked at her, confused.
"SHHH!!!"
She said again. Looking up at the sky. Alerting Daichi, who also looked up.
"An angel?"
He whispered.
"I hope not."
Rhea grabbed him. Pulling him behind the trees as they hid.
Whoosh.
Something flew by above. Rustling the leaves of the tree as Rhea's eyes followed its path.
A moment passed. Where she thought they were safe now.
She looked out into the clearing. Still kneeling. With Daichi next to her.
Then it struck her. She didn't have her bow. She accidentally dropped it when she got flung.
Scanning the ground. She saw it. Near where she was. But still in the opening.
She took a step forward to go get it.
WHOOSH!!.
Something landed right in front of her. A strong gust of wind blew.
She ducked back into the bush. Trying to hide.
She briefly looked over at Daichi. Who was hidden. But staring.
What the hell is that...
He thought to himself. Noticing the creature stood on two legs. Had human like skin and feathers on its forearm coming up to its elbow. And bird-like wings and feet.
That thing looks like...her drawings.
Rhea looked at Daichi. Who's lost in thought. But following his gaze. With her high perception. She noticed a small. purple-ish blue line. Slowly forming toward the humanoid being.
What's...that?
She was curious. Looking back and forth at Daichi. And the creature.
Wait...
His eyes.
Connecting the dots. She realized something.
Shit!!
She lunged at Daichi. grabbing him as they fell. Forcing his eyes closed.
"Rhea!!"
"What the hell are you doing!" Rhea covered his mouth. "SHHHH!!!!"
The creature's head snapped one eighty degrees. Looking at them through the forest.
They froze. Feeling its gaze as Rhea looked at it.
It drew its sword. Standing still as it looked at them both.
"SURRENDER OR BE EXECUTED AT ONCE!"
It Demanded.
Rhea clicked her tongue. Standing with her hands raised.
"We're unarmed."
"No need for violence."
She looked down at Daichi.
"Keep your eyes closed. Or look down. DO NOT look at it."
She ordered him. Walking forward until she's in the opening.
"A human child?"
"To which settlement do you belong, child?"
"And who's the other with you?"
The creature asked. Looking down at Rhea. But it had its sword out still.
"The Greymoore village was my home."
Rhea said as Daichi emerged from the forest, looking down at the ground.
It looked at Daichi, taking note of his strange attire.
"Ah, Greymoore. The recently destroyed village." It paused. "Is this your child, human?"
The creature asked Daichi. But Rhea flinched at how it spoke of Greymoore.
"Yeah. What do you want!"
Daichi said. With his head down.
"You two are the only sentient beings found near the sight of the destruction."
"You'll be brought to Nervaal, and you will be questioned."
"And you WILL give answers."
"Whether by will or by force."
Daichi and Rhea looked at it. A bit relieved that they're going to Nervaal. But Worried about their new issue.
"Tch."
Rhea wasn't too happy about this. She looked at her bow on the ground.
"If you wish to use force against the orders I've come to carry out."
"You'll be met with the wrath of King Avenor of Nervaal."
The creature warned. As it sheethed it's sword. And started walking.
"Follow. Or have your execution be quick and efficient."
Rhea clicked her tongue again. Picking up her bow, she followed it reluctantly. And Daichi had no choice but to do the same.
Walking for several hours. They came across the part of the forest where she killed hundreds of red-tusks in the morning. Which were mostly still there.
They also passed the opening area where the blue-tusk was standing. Which was a small crater.
How could any of us do something like this?
Tch.
Daichi was annoyed. But in awe. Looking at the ruined landscape. But only small areas. And clumps of trees.
And as they followed the creature. It led them to an underground area. A straight path. Lit with torches on the wall. That seems to stretch for miles.
"Go."
The creature said. Looking at them both.
"What!"
Rhea blurted out. Fuming from being ordered around.
"I said go!"
It said again. Ordering them.
Rhea hissed. Turning around as she began walking.
Daichi looked at it for a brief moment.
"Don't look at it!"
Rhea yelled. Annoyed. But doesn't want a whole kingdom on their backs if Daichi made a mistake.
Stupid Harpy.
She thought. Walking ahead as Daichi followed.