The night at the bar wore on as usual.
Rudeus stuck to his food, while I nursed my drink and chatted with Sara about tomorrow's training.
Just the usual stuff, but it was what kept me grounded in the end.
[Do you think this will work?]
'To make me feel better? Maybe.'
[Sometimes I think about everything you achieved, about the...]
"Daiki."
A voice cut through the voice in my head, Ayam.
It was Sara. She held a tankard in one hand, eyeing me with curiosity.
"Yeah, Sara?" I set down my mug and looked at her closely.
"Have you thought about it?" Sara asked.
"Oh, the training, you mean?" I said. "Yeah, it's a good idea. Mostly because you know sitting still isn't really my thing."
She nodded and returned to her drink.
I suppose it was inevitable at this point. Her energy, her attitude at times, her personality, even her talent... she shared so much of it with Eris, and that didn't put me at ease in the slightest. Well, not that there was much I could do about it.
"Hey, brother," Rudeus said, finishing up his bean stew. "What are you two talking about?"
"About doing some training. She's going to shoot arrows at me and I have to dodge them," I replied. "Though I'll try to catch them before they fly past."
"Ah, right." Rudeus smiled, already used to my antics. "Never change, brother."
"I never will," I smiled back. "Now, finish that plate... It's spicy, isn't it?"
"Yeah!" Rudeus exclaimed. "But it's really good!"
"Your face was flushed a moment ago," I noted.
He just kept eating.
Right then, the tavern door swung open and three men walked in.
And then I recognized him.
It was Soldat Heckler.
"Hey!" Soldat shouted. He was drunk and slammed his hand down on our table.
Apparently, he hadn't had enough back in the cave.
"...Can we help you with something?" Suzanne asked, her voice suddenly cold.
I just watched and sipped my beer.
"Listen, I was exhausted back in the cave, alright? Then I thought I should come settle this with you guys." Soldat's eyes weren't focusing, and his voice rasped. "I guess I was wrong back then. Sorry about that. I didn't understand what was happening, you know?"
Soldat frowned and pointed a finger at Timothy.
"I don't like your face, old man! You smile too damn much! It's pathetic! Letting someone younger than you defend you and then doing nothing? I hate that shit. I know that kid is more competent than all of you! Fine! But you should have done something too!"
"Uh... yeah, I guess you're right. Actually, Suzanne always tells me the same thing. I'll keep it in mind," Timothy replied.
"Yeah! Do that! Keep it in mind!" Nodding with satisfaction, Soldat turned toward me.
"Obsidian!"
"Yeah?" was all I could answer.
"Timothy is one thing, but you? You're insufferable, kid." Soldat started bombarding me with insults. "What the hell is up with that look? Why are you so obsessed with looking like you don't care?"
[Who does he think he is...?]
'Let him vent.'
And he continued.
"Where's your smile? You're fucking creepy! I mean, is that your normal face? Smile a little, kid! Quit acting so high and mighty, alright?"
He kept going.
"You think you're the most important little kid in the whole world or what? Huh!?"
As he went on, his voice kept rising, drowning out every other conversation in the bar.
"What's going on? Are they gonna fight?"
"Haha! Hit him, kid!"
"Shut up, you idiots!" Soldat shouted, silencing the crowd. "Now listen, Obsidian. You're nothing but a..."
"Come on, Sol. Stop it already." One of his friends grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back.
"Fuck off! This brat thinks no one in the world can touch him! I don't know what the hell is wrong with you, Obsidian, but you're fucking depressing! Why do you let me say all this to you!? Do you think the rules don't apply to you or something? I've had enough of your shit! You make me sick!"
I don't know when exactly it happened, but I had released my bloodlust.
"H-huh? Sol?" one of his companions said.
I stood up and walked toward Soldat.
"I know you've had a lot to drink." I looked him dead in the eye. "But I don't care. If you want to challenge a Saint-ranked swordsman, I'll be waiting outside."
He didn't say anything, so I continued.
"If you plan on ruining the moment with my friends again," I lowered my gaze, "I'll reconsider the terms, and I won't care what you choose."
I noticed him freeze when he heard 'Saint'.
"Shit. I'm sorry, he's had too much... Let's go, Sol!" one of his companions said, grabbing his arm.
My bloodlust was enough to sober him up. Maybe I should have ignored him. The only way to deal with a drunk is to dominate them or ignore them. I chose the former. No matter how drunk you are, heavy bloodlust affects the senses.
And just like that, his companions dragged their leader away.
[Hey, Daiki... Your bloodlust.]
Shit.
That's right.
I sighed and calmed myself down.
"Phew..." I blew out a weak breath. "I still don't control it very well."
I murmured, noticing how everyone else was looking at me with a mix of awe and fear.
"Brother..." Rudeus said. "What did you just do?"
"Ah..." I sighed again. "I released my bloodlust."
"But..." Rudeus started. "Yours is very different from the one Eris or Ruijerd released. It's like... emptiness? I don't know how to explain it exactly."
"Rudeus," I looked at him. "What do you mean by empty?"
"Yeah, I mean," he put a hand to his chin. "I felt fear of what I didn't know, you get it? It wasn't like 'something is going to attack me.' It was more like... 'I don't know what's there, and that's terrifying.'"
"Fear of the unknown... Maybe that's it. Everyone has a different bloodlust, right?"
"Yeah, Ruijerd said something like that."
"Anyway, that guy is the worst," Sara murmured.
All I could do was nod.
...
Sara: That Same Night
I was seething with rage as I headed back to my room. I tossed my bow and arrows onto the table, stripped off my clothes, and threw myself onto the bed.
"That guy is the absolute worst!"
Soldat had no clue how hard Timothy tried for all of us. That smile was his weapon. Suzanne had told me that ages ago. What right did that asshole have to insult him?
And the worst part was when he went off on Daiki. What was he thinking? Daiki is an impressive swordsman. Soldat didn't even know who he was messing with.
Sure, Daiki could be intimidating. That empty look he always wore, that expression like he didn't care about anything. But when he released his bloodlust...
I had never felt anything like that. It was different from any other. It wasn't aggressive or violent. It was empty. Like staring into an abyss that stared back at you. I felt fear of something I couldn't see or understand.
And yet, he held back. He didn't kill Soldat, though he clearly could have. He simply shut him up and let his friends drag him away.
I realized I'd been thinking about him a lot lately. About how he treated me with respect, regardless of the fact that I was just a simple archer.
Lately, when I looked at him, I felt something strange. I didn't know how to deal with it.
But at the end of the day... it was nothing. Just admiration for a strong teammate. That was all.
"I don't like Daiki. Not one bit."
With that fact established, I let myself drift off into the world of dreams.
...
The next day, Daiki stood in front of me, and I had my bow ready.
I was afraid of what might happen. Although I didn't doubt his skills, a lingering unease remained as my fingers gripped the string.
Thwip.
The arrow flew out and...
"Not bad," he said, holding the arrow in his hand. "Now, is that the only one?"
I sighed and fired many more than usual.
What was I doing, and why did I care so much about his approval?
But Daiki just moved and caught them one by one, until he kicked a shot aimed at his knees, knocking the arrow to the ground.
"Ah," I sighed, watching how he treated my arrows like it was all a game.
I kept shooting until my hands grabbed at thin air. No more arrows in my quiver.
"You have a lot of talent. However..." Daiki noted, leaving the last few arrows on the ground. "Your effort is being held back by a bow that can't keep up with your strength and accuracy, understand? Sometime, I'll take you to buy a better one."
Did I hear that right? Daiki wanted to take me to buy a better bow?
I couldn't believe what was happening, but I couldn't answer too quickly either.
I crouched down and started gathering the arrows.
"Hmm... sounds good to me," I said, trying to sound indifferent, though my face said otherwise. And damn it, Daiki smiled at me. I knew that meant he had noticed.
"Well, see you," Daiki said. "I gotta see what my brother's doing, plus I want to make progress on a job regarding something new I'm inventing."
And he left, leaving me alone while I picked up the arrows and placed them in my quiver.
What is up with him? I don't know, but I like being with him... No, I mean, with him I feel I could improve.
I put away the last arrow and stared at the path where he had gone.
"I don't like Daiki. Not at all."
...Then why was I still smiling?
.
.
.
Daiki Greyrat: Some Time Later
Several months had passed since then. It was now winter.
In the Northern Territories, winter was harsh.
Given that this place was only slightly north of the Asura Kingdom, it was hard to believe the weather could be this punishing.
For me, winter was just an excuse to train morning and night. I wore clothes so light they would have frozen a normal person to death, all while I perfected my technique.
My body kept growing.
I had recently surpassed my brother Rudeus in height. Until recently, I only reached his nose, but now I reached his chin. Even so, he continued exercising, praying, and fulfilling his work as an adventurer.
By "praying," I mean that every day he took out his relic and stared at it for a good while. Well, if that made him feel better about himself, I couldn't stop him.
[Rudy is very weird.]
'Yeah,' I smiled slightly at the voice in my head, Ayam. 'But I am too, don't you think?'
[Yes. I still don't know who this Darian person is, but he is very interesting. Given that, when you can, try to look for information.]
'But he doesn't exist anymore. He was just another variant of time. I don't think...'
[And I think it will be something important. We don't agree on that.]
'Alright, Ayam, alright.'
[Now... Are you going to buy the sword, or are you just going to stand there at the exit?]
She was right.
I had left so early mainly to buy a sword because the one I had was wearing out. I needed a pair that could not only withstand use but were also a bit more special. At least a little.
I left my brother sleeping in his room and headed toward the market. I didn't know what he was going to do today, but as usual, he had started taking on quests on his own.
Anyway, I was now standing in front of a smithy that, according to the locals, was quite well-known and held excellent status. At least it did under the former owner. The heirs hadn't been doing a good job lately.
I pushed the door open and entered.
Inside, there were a few people browsing daggers and other interesting weapons.
I approached the counter.
"Good morning," I said. "I'd like to buy a sword, and please, spare no expense."
"Oh, good morning, Obsidian" he greeted me with a smile. "Of course, wait here a moment."
The man went behind a curtain. Minutes later, he brought out several swords.
"There is a large repertoire here," the blacksmith continued. "There are rare ores from Asura or even Begaritt, so feel free to examine them all."
"Thank you very much. I'll see if any interest me."
Unsheathing the first one, I noticed it was light, but the edge didn't convince me.
The second had good weight, but it was too large. That didn't fit my style.
The third and fourth simply weren't worth it.
Basically, none of them convinced me.
That was until I saw one above all the others, hanging on the right wall.
"What about that one?" I pointed.
The man turned around and stood there for a long moment.
Then he looked at me again.
"I'm sorry, but that one isn't for sale."
"But everything has a price," I said.
"Yes, but it isn't anymore... Not since..." His voice broke, something I didn't expect from an older man. "Not since my father went looking for ores in a cave. He didn't return, and I haven't had the time or resources to go find him."
I thought about it for a moment.
What could I do?
Would he sell me that sword if I helped him recover even just something of his father's? I know it sounds horrible, but often it is preferable to have something. Perhaps a special belonging to provide closure rather than living with the unease that he might be alive but suffering.
So, seizing that idea, I decided to speak.
"How about I go to that cave you mentioned?" I asked, trying to sound as gentle as possible so he wouldn't think I was being insensitive.
He looked at me for a few seconds before answering as if he had never been asked that question.
"What would you seek to gain by that?" the blacksmith asked.
"Look, that is a special sword, isn't it? And not just because of the rare materials it possesses, but also because it has sentimental value. So, I propose this: I will go to that cave to see what happened to your father and bring you news. In exchange, you will sell me the sword."
"Hmm. You know what kind of place that cave is, right? Snow accumulates inside, and it is almost impossible to enter unless you constantly use magic," he warned.
"That is why," I extended my hand, releasing a small gust of hot wind. "I am qualified for the task."
"Ah, so what they said about 'Obsidian' was true..." the blacksmith said. "Voiceless magic... that is..."
"So?" I interrupted with a question to make him decide faster.
"Fine, I accept the deal. However, you must bring something equivalent back, okay?" he concluded.
"Agreed," I said, then added one more thing. "If you later reject the deal despite me bringing something back, I will keep whatever I found. Is that clear?"
He simply nodded and indicated where the cave was located.
I adjusted the swords and left the smithy.
...
According to what he had told me, it was a few hours south of the city, but it looked easy to find despite being buried in snow.
In the end, I found it in three hours. As he had mentioned, there was no way to enter.
I placed my hand on the snow and cast Heat Hand.
The snow melted instantly, opening a path to the cave entrance.
[This place is pitiful...]
I used fire to light the way and continued descending.
From the outside, it looked like a small cave, but inside it was immense. I could swear something could be heard in the depths. Low, hungry growls echoed as if they had been waiting for fresh meat for a long time.
'It is pitiful, Ayam, but we must find something fast.'
[Do you really think there's anything down here? I don't know, but it looks like that person was devoured.]
'Yes, I believe so. Besides, they deserve to know the truth. They can't spend their whole lives not knowing what happened to him, don't you think?' I replied.
[I... I suppose so, although thinking about that is still hard for me. About others, you know? I can sympathize with you, but with other people, I almost never do. I don't know why.]
'You've been with me for two lives. It's normal,' I answered her.
[Let's keep going, in that case.]
...
I don't know how many hours passed.
I had descended so far that my perception of time eventually vanished.
Even so, Ayam always reminded me of the hour, so I couldn't say I was truly lost in that sense.
"Huh?"
Something brushed against my foot. It didn't feel hard like a rock, but soft and heavy. I brought the fire closer to see better, and then I understood. It was the body of the blacksmith's father.
Near his hand lay a necklace with a heart, and in the other, he still gripped a sword broken in half. To one side was a small wooden box with some minerals, and by his feet, a bag with a few silver coins.
He was missing part of his torso.
"I see. He was attacked by a... huh?"
Turning around, I noticed three winter drakes, identical to the ones from the other day, looking at me with more than evident hunger.
What were they doing in this cave?
Apparently, they had survived and escaped afterward.
I drew my sword and pointed it at them, hoping they would understand the warning, but I only managed to make them more nervous.
One lunged toward my flank.
I raised the sword to intercept it and sliced it in two.
Its body fell beside me like a rag doll.
I shook the blade and lunged at the remaining two.
It was all over in a matter of seconds.
In the next blink, I was already cleaning my sword with a cloth.
I sighed, gathered all the belongings, and left the cave.
...
It was almost evening when I returned to the smithy.
Opening the door, I approached the counter and placed all the things I had found.
"Obsidian... it's you..." Then he looked at the objects, and his expression changed completely. He brought a hand to his chest. "So... that was what happened..."
"I'm sorry, but..." I decided not to mention the state his body was in. It wasn't possible to retrieve it, and it was best to leave that cave as his tomb. "That is all I could find. Is it enough?"
He wiped his tears with his sleeve and nodded.
"Yes... thank you very much, Obsidian." He took the sword hanging on the wall. "This sword is my father's great work. He never managed to sell it because he couldn't find the right buyer... and I want to sell it to you, in his honor."
"Are you sure? I didn't think it was that special. You can keep it..."
"No, please," he interrupted me, extending his hand. "Accept it."
I looked at him for a few seconds, then lowered my gaze to the sword.
It would be a significant purchase. Having a weapon like this would save me from worrying for a long time. Even so, I didn't feel entirely comfortable acquiring something so special to him. No... those kinds of thoughts were more typical of Hikari.
If I buy it, I can give it a worthy place, I thought. Much better than leaving it hanging, gathering dust.
It wasn't cheap, not at all, but I accepted it anyway.
I left the smithy while examining my new sword: black with an extraordinary edge. The weight was perfect, and the balance of the blade felt natural in my hand.
I smiled faintly.
I had made a good purchase.
"Brother!" a voice called me from behind. "Where were you?"
"Ah, I went on a mission..." I showed him the newly acquired sword. "I got it there. And you? Where were you?"
"You can't imagine what happened today," he said with a tired smile. "I took a snow-clearing mission. I thought it would be something simple. You know, use the shovel and that's it. But I ended up melting the entire plaza with the magic device. The person in charge was left with his jaw on the floor."
"The entire plaza?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.
"But the weirdest part was after. A girl fell and had a frozen foot. I healed her, and when she said she didn't have money, I simply left. But then... she asked for my name and ran off with her friends. I thought she was rude, but... I think they were speaking well of me."
"Sometimes that is enough to start a legend," I commented, patting him on the shoulder.
"You think?" Rudeus shrugged, although I noticed he was less tense than usual. "They only asked for my name."
"And that is already more than most achieve here," I replied.
"I suppose you're right, brother," Rudeus concluded.
And so, we continued walking to the guild.
...
Upon entering, we saw Timothy, Suzanne, and Patrice. Their expressions were unusual. Timothy didn't have his usual smile, and Suzanne looked especially dejected.
I assumed they had just returned from a mission and that the others had already left. Even so, they almost always celebrated after completing them, so it was evident that something was not right.
"Hey, guys... did something happen?" I asked, feeling the need to break the silence.
"Oh... it's Daiki and Rudeus..."
"Suzanne, what happened?" I insisted.
"...It's about Mimir and Sara," she replied after a brief silence.
"What happened to them...?"
"They're dead."
...
They were dead?
I knew that being an adventurer meant death was a constant, but that didn't make me feel any better. On the contrary, I wished I could have been of more help.
"I'm very sorry, Suzanne." I lowered my head, processing what I had just heard.
However, another part of me suspected she had said it without knowing the exact circumstances, as if she hoped that were the case so she wouldn't have to dwell on it. Did I blame her for that? No, but often people assume the worst to avoid false hope.
"No," said Timothy. "Leaving Mimir aside, Sara is not dead yet. We only got separated from her during the battle. We didn't see her corpse... so, if we search a little more, we could..."
"Enough," Suzanne interrupted him. "You couldn't see anything in that forest, much less in the middle of that blizzard. It is better to assume she is dead."
"But..."
"I said enough! If we had stayed looking for her, we would be dead too. We knew it, and that's why we obeyed your orders."
Suzanne was shouting at him while Timothy held his head in his hands. He had given the order to retreat... and now he seemed to be paying the weight of that decision.
"Timothy, don't carry all the guilt," said Patrice. "We could have disobeyed at that moment, but we chose to return. We are all equally responsible."
"Exactly," agreed Suzanne. "We are here with you. You don't have to take it all on alone."
So they weren't sure of Sara's status?
"Where did you get separated?" I asked.
"To the west, in the Forest of Judgment. Visibility was so bad because of the blizzard that somehow we ended up inside it. The moment we tried to leave, a herd of snow buffaloes attacked us."
The Forest of Judgment. It was half a day's journey away.
"In that case, I have to go," I said.
The others looked at each other, but they didn't stop me either.
Rudeus, for his part, understood my message and decided to follow me.
We weren't going to let Sara die.
[It's your moment to redeem yourself a little, don't you think?]
But this time I didn't say anything to her.
Why?
She was completely right.