CHAPTER 9 part 1: Worth Protecting

Luke told us that he sold the old wagon we were using before together with some hide and pelt to rent a horse-drawn wagon that seemed just as old, it was a big relief since Luke won’t have to pull the wagon to LouwenDale. I did feel bad for Luke when he was pulling the wagon, we offered our help countless times but he refused each time. 

After preparing for our journey, we immediately left towards the Kingdom of LouwenDale. 

***

This might be the first time I see the outside of the little world I was born into. 

As we left the small village inside the Archean Grove, I opened my eyes wider, head slightly poked out from inside the horse-drawn wagon, unable to take in what I was seeing, captivated by the scenery. 

Snow visibly melts away as the winter season slowly fades. Dead trees scatter over the frozen wasteland, the birds’ chirps reverberated around the landscape, a running river at the distance where a herd of deers was cautiously having their fill. 

It is known that Spring is the season for new beginnings, a season to grow, a season to forget about the painful past and a season to let go and start again. 

I thought about the advice, the mysterious ashen shadow left behind. I need to get strong as fast as I can, I don’t know when he will show up again and train me but I need to get better at controlling Mana & its attributes. I need to learn how to utilize Mana Armor, I need to be able to control the shadows and bend them to my will. 

[If I want to avenge my father and village, I better work harder!]

As I went deeper into my thoughts, I unconsciously summoned the dagger I got for my birthday, tearing the fabric of space, a dimensional rift came into view as the wand and dagger revealed themselves to me. I grabbed the dagger and held it into my arms. 

For some reason, the dagger reacted to the dimensional rift whenever I summon the wand so I came up with a theory that I could store them together and confirmed it immediately. 

Rage filled my heart as I remember the words that were said to me, remembering that I was cursed into reliving the experiences the man in white had in life. I convinced myself to live a life of revenge, remembering the robed man that left me the grimoire, binding me to a life of hardship and tragedy. 

It was Yuna who somehow managed to notice the growing darkness in my heart. She stood and sat beside me. Her usual demeanor now presents in her, her bright smile radiating.

Me being distracted, jumped as Yuna’s shoulder touched mine, wasn’t sure what grazed my skin, hitting the roof of the wagon.

“Owa!” 

Thud

“Ughhh…” I groaned

“Sura, what were you even thinking that you wouldn’t notice Yuna sitting beside you?” Luke who was outside guiding the horses knew that Yuna sat down next to me.

“AHA… my bad…”

“Sura, you’re such a scatterbrain Hehe~” Yuna giggled by my side

I can feel the blood rushing to my cheeks as it got hotter, embarrassed from the girlish yelp I just let out and hitting my head on the roof. I sat up straight trying to look composed and calmly listened to Yuna’s cheerful story as we continued on our journey, pretending nothing happened.

For some reason, Yuna thought that being told how the Kingdom of LouwenDale’s name came to be would cheer me up, which surprisingly did. Yuna grinned childishly, crossing her arms, her chin held high until Luke teased her, saying it was him who told her the story, making her jump up in embarrassment, but sitting down nearly as fast, unable to think of anything to say back to her adopted father. 

The Kingdom of LouwenDale was named after its first queen, Queen Louwena Dalelior I. It was believed that she had an unrivaled beauty among the women of her time, stronger and braver than men, her knowledge of the magical arts far surpasses anyone who lived at the time. 

It was hypothesized that she was the first Arcane Sorcerer that came to be, before the one that led the demon army. 

She was later known as the mother of Education, founding the Manasophy Academy, recruiting veteran mages all over the world, and teaching her subjects about everything she had known. Because of her contributions and achievements, her people decided to call the kingdom after Queen Louwena Dalelior I.

***

“Sura, Yu-chan! We’ll stop by that river and let the horses rest, for the time being, let’s eat lunch I’m starving.”

“Hai~” both Yuna and I answered

I helped gather firewood and ignited it with magic, and surrounding it with rocks and pebbles, creating a campfire. Yuna helped by fishing for food from the close river, she used her earth magic to launch the fish who can survive the cold icy waters and grab the flying fish out of the air. 

“Sooo cooldd~” 

“I’m glad you’re the one who’s fishing for food and not me HAHA” I teased, laughing at her drenched clothes

“Oh yeah!” 

[oh no…]

With control and precision, she was able to soak me in water avoiding the campfire.

[MYYY GOD THAT’S COLD!] 

“HAHAHA~ cold isn’t it?” she laughed as I jumped from the shock of how cold the water was. 

“Ughh… how can you even stand that?” I asked while heating myself with fire magic.

“Secret~”

Luke on the other hand left to look for winter rabbits, hunting them using his bare hands. Luke surveyed the area, locating 2 rabbits, he swiftly caught the rabbits using only his speed, he snapped their necks, quickly killing them. 

When he returned, both Yuna and I already made an earthen table, 3 chairs, and plates for all of us, all plates were made out of clay, molded by magic. Luke and Yuna proudly presented their catch of the day. Funny enough, Yuna didn’t know how to cook and she burnt one of her catches, pouting about it, me and Luke laughed at her before giving her half of our share.

“R-really~?” she asked, her eyes looking at both Luke and me

“Yeah kiddo HAHA”

“You don’t wanna?”

“I want it! *munch* Che…nks”

“Already eating on it huh? HAHA” I laughed

***

I again found myself lost in my thoughts as we ate lunch.

[*sigh* what was I even sulking for… Griffin wasn’t even my real father. He was just someone who looks like my father… 

What am I thinking… he acted more like a father to me than Akihito ever was, they’re so different from each other that it’s stupid to compare the two. Griffin was always there while Akihito couldn’t even be there for my mother when I was born nor was he there when Misaki died, he was a doctor but he was always busy with someone else that sometimes he neglected his own family but… whenever he came home, no matter how exhausted he was, he would always try and catch up with whatever was going on with Misaki and my life, and for that, I respected them both…

Griffin wasn’t always there in our house because of his duty as a guard and as the right-hand man of Luke but… when he heard that I got defeated, he offered to tutor me, he didn’t know anything about magic, but he taught me what he knew… every day, since the day I was defeated he would always invite me to that small cabin near the Archean Grove, everyday… thanks to him I was able to survive those two Lygnicans… thanks to him I learned to think more during combat… thanks to him… I… sur…vived…]

“Sura, why are you crying? Hey…” Luke rests his hand on my shoulder.

“Sura, are you ok?” Yuna asked just noticing, little fish crumbs on her cheeks. 

Without realizing it, streams of tears fall from my dried eyes

“Ah… snow… yeah snowflakes got onto my eyes hahaha” I explained, unable to think of a much better excuse.

“I don’t think even dust would make you tear up like that…” Yuna whispered.

***

We didn’t do much but travel, rest, eat lunch, travel some more, eat dinner and rest again for the following days. 

I tried to clear my mind and focused more on being alert to danger. It is never easy to not think about someone you just lost and focus on other things however, some people try to distract themselves from the harsh reality that is life with their hobbies, jobs, school, friends, etc. I was never the type to quickly move on but right now I decided to try, using love like when I was on earth pursuing love as a distraction to my anxiety and depression, even though we’re not blood-related, to me both Luke and Yuna are worth protecting, remembering the warning from a dream.

***