Capítulo 6: The last warrior
Removing her cloak, which covered her body except for her legs, she revealed her feminine figure. She carried several bags containing necessary items like medications, a water skin, and other essentials.
"It's so dark in here," she exclaimed, pulling a candlestick from her bag. She took out two pebbles and struck them against the candle, sparking a light that illuminated their surroundings.
"How do you see in this darkness?" she asked. Dan remained silent, simply staring at her. "Oh, my bad," she quickly added.
With the light taken care of, she sat on the bed Dan had constructed during the day. "I'm hungry," she said like a child.
Dan remembered the bread he had stored for the next day and offered it to her. She accepted it and broke it in half.
"Haa man, I haven't eaten in days," she exclaimed. Hearing those words, Dan knew he had entered another mess, but what's the deal? It's better than staying in this village alone.
As she munched on her bread, she asked, "You have a name, right? What is it?"
Dan swallowed the bread in his mouth and replied, "Daniel, but you can call me Dan."
After finishing her bread, she relaxed on the bed. "You know, I once had a friend like you," she said.
"Like me?" Dan tilted his head.
"Yeah, but the difference was he—" She collapsed on the bed, startling Dan. Curious, Dan went to check on her—he wondered if the bread contained poison. Before Dan could approach her, he heard her snoring.
Dan sighed as he realized she had fallen asleep. Gently, he covered her with a blanket before climbing into his own bed.
Unlike before, he felt comfortable, as though someone or something was hovering above him, keeping him warm and safe. An image of Ana flashed in his mind, bringing a sense of peace as he gently drifted off to sleep.
The following day, Dan woke up feeling energized and sharp; he had never had such a peaceful and comfortable sleep in days.
Sitting upright on his bed, the first thing he noticed was the young lady's absence. The thought of her leaving him behind was logical, yet disheartening for Dan to accept. He hurriedly slammed the door open and looked up and down as if he could see.
"What's wrong with you this morning, kid?" Her voice rang in Dan's ears.
She was sitting on the floor with one leg over the other, meditating.
"Get ready, we'll be leaving soon," she said, brushing the dust from her clothes. She then entered the hut to prepare.
Dan stood there, puzzled by her sudden absence. One moment she had vanished, and the next, she reappeared. He gulped, feeling a wave of unease, before steeling himself and getting ready.
Minutes later, both of them were ready to embark on their journey. Dan washed up and was handed new clothes as his former ones were soaked with sweat and blood.
"You ready?" asked the lady.
"Yes, ma'am," Dan said, casting a final, solemn gaze over the remnants of the village. "Sis, watch over me," he whispered, his determination echoing in the winds, "I will survive, no matter what."
***
Hours had passed since the two departed from the fallen village, Tufesti. They had covered at least twenty kilometers on foot, their current location deep within a thick forest.
Noticing Dan couldn't keep up with her pace, she decided to take a break. He was a kid, after all, she thought. The huge trees served as chairs to rest and provided shelter from the heavy sunlight.
"I have a lot of questions for you, Dan," she broke the silence.
"First, how can you perceive people's existence even without having your sight?"
Dan stayed quiet for some time before answering, "I can see Ryo."
"Wow, that's quite something. Were you born that way?"
"No, I lost my eyesight some days ago," Dan said, touching his milky eyes as he recalled past events.
"That must be hard. But sensing Ryo and distinguishing it are two different things. How do you do it?" she asked, curiosity in her voice.
"Colors," Dan replied. "They're like patterns moving from one place to another."
They fell silent, enjoying the cool breeze from the trees and plants.
"I have a question for you, ma'am…"
The woman was shocked but had open ears.
"You haven't told me your name. What's your name?" Dan asked.
"So that's your question… I'm sorry, but I can't remember my name. It's been quite some time since I heard it. If you insist, you can call me Valeria," she said with a grin. "Now, right back at you. What's your dream?" she asked. Dan stayed quiet, touching his eyes.
Looking at Dan's face, she felt pity. She let out a sigh. "Very well, follow me!" she said, standing up and walking away. Dan followed her.
After taking some steps away from their previous location, they spotted a huge animal with a massive build, long claws on both hands and feet, claws almost the size of a normal human arm. The animal had thick brown fur.
Whispering under her breath, Valeria asked, "Dan, what can you see?"
Dan tilted his head in confusion. It wasn't that he couldn't sense the animal, but he wondered what kind of question that was.
"I can't see," Dan answered.
"I know," Valeria replied, a wide grin spreading across her face. "I see dinner." She picked up a stone with her right hand and hurled it at the huge monster. The stone flew with incredible speed, causing a gust of air. It impaled the monster, exiting the other side. Howling in pain, the monster fell lifelessly to the ground.
"Awesome!" Dan exclaimed. In all his life, he had never witnessed such a feat.
Valeria dragged the lifeless monster toward their resting place. She pulled a knife from her bag and began skinning the creature, removing its fur.
"I've never seen ryo used in that form," Dan said, sitting on the ground and watching Valeria handle the meat.
"You have sharp eyes indeed—wait, you can't see," Valeria laughed. "As you saw, it was ryo. If you travel around the world, you'll find many ways different people use it. It can help, and it can also kill." She ended with a stoic tone.
"My mother was a researcher. She wrote hundreds of books about ryo," Dan said.
"Your mom? What's her name?" Valeria asked.
"I was told not to reveal her name," Dan replied.
"Hmm… She must be important then." Valeria finished preparing the meat. She pierced it with a long stick and placed it over the firewood. She spread the fur on a tree branch to dry the blood. "This will sell heavily in the nearby town," she smiled and used pebble stones to light the fire to roast the meat.
As the meat cooked, she opened her bag, took out some spices, and gently sprinkled them on the meat. "There, now we wait," she said, sitting beside Dan.
"I've been waiting to ask you this question, Dan…" Valeria called his attention. "How did you know I was a woman?" she asked.
"Ryo flow," Dan answered, explaining further, "Days ago, I realized that the ryo flow in men and women is different. For women, the center is at the abdomen," Dan gestured, "while for men, the center is at the chest."
Although his explanation had some basis, it was still a bit haphazard, given that he only realized it the night he saw the group of adventurers.
"I never thought of that at all," Valeria said.
Both of them remained silent until the meat was done. Valeria used her knife to cut the meat, giving a piece to Dan. He opened his hands to receive it but got burnt. Valeria pierced the meat with another stick and handed it to Dan.
"Delicious!" Dan thought.
"You don't have to cry about it," Valeria said. Dan touched his eyes and felt tears. He didn't know why he was crying, but he felt happy to be alive.
"Now it's my turn…" Valeria cut out her own share of the meat. "Thanks for the food…" She munched on it.
After eating, they decided to continue their journey. According to Valeria, just another hour of walking would bring them to a small village. But now, Valeria was fast asleep.
Looking at the woman snoring and turning, Dan wondered if this was a habit. Who goes to sleep immediately after eating?
Dan looked up at the sky and noticed it was getting late. He covered her with a piece of cloth and lay on the floor.
Today's experience had taught him something. Initially, he planned to leave Valeria after reaching a major city or village, but now, seeing what she was capable of, he realized staying with her would be greatly advantageous. After hours of thinking, Dan concluded something.
"Where am I?" Valeria said, stretching as she woke up. Seeing Dan kneeling on the ground facing her, her memories returned. "Oh, Dan, what's with that look on your face?" she asked, lazily, the effect of sleep still in her tone.
"I want you to teach me ryo, Master!" Dan said with conviction.
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