Looking back, the little demon's eyes were staring at me once again. That same beautiful pattern of red twisting through dull yellow. There was a difference in her gaze this time though. Although there was still suspicion and wariness… the hate was gone.
"What is it?" I asked.
"..."
Her mouth opened slightly, like she wanted to say something, but quickly closed it.
I lingered there for a minute waiting, then turned around and walked over to the Captain's corpse.
Looking over the armor, I realized there was actually an issue: I had no idea how to dismantle it properly. As for equipping it myself, I worried that would prove even more challenging.
In fact, recalling how much the armor slowed those guards down, I was even starting to have second thoughts.
'Maybe I should just take a few pieces.' I thought, glancing at the arm and shin guards.
'The top of the chest armor is damaged anyway from when the beast bit the Captain's head off.' Feeling better having come to a decision, I started working on removing the armor. I didn't feel comfortable with my back to the demon girl, so I kneeled in a manner in which I could still see her with my peripheral vision.
She was touching the part of her chest I had just healed with a dazed expression on her face.
A few minutes later, I had managed to strip the Captain of his armor. Beneath his chest armor was a small pouch of coins tied to a rope that had probably been suspended from his neck. Inside the pouch, I counted thirteen black coins. It seemed to be the same material as the blade of my new dagger.
'It's some sort of rare metal.' I thought, 'If it qualifies to become currency.'
The rope was torn, but I managed to tie a new knot and placed it over my head to hang from my neck. I thought about replacing my shorts with his pants, but it was still quite hot. I didn't fancy sweating more than necessary.
'Come to think of it, I'm just barely starting to get thirsty. I wonder why?'
The Captain's shirt however, was quickly pulled over my head. It was a wondrous texture similar to that of silk back on Earth, but much more durable. I had given it a few good tugs and it barely stretched. Its strength was obvious.
'No system messages though. That's odd.' I figured I would have been spammed with them as I held the various pieces of clothing and armor.
With that in mind, I looked over at the chest armor, which was covered in blood. I silently thanked it for its service in protecting my new shirt.
'Inspect'
[Darkheart Family Chest Armor - Damaged.]
'Hmm, so it does have a name at least.'
The name of the armor really didn't matter to me, but I was curious about the defense. I grabbed an armguard next, using the straps to secure it in place on my forearm.
Ding!
[You have obtained - Darkheart Family Armguard.]
'Ah, so I have to wear it! That makes sense actually.' I only had to hold a weapon to obtain it, but I had to wear armor.
By the time I was done donning the other armguard, both legguards, and swapping out my boots for the Captain's, the Sun had changed color once again. I had moved away from the Captain's dead body, now standing closer to the river, looking downstream and across the sea. The Sun looked to be about ready to set. It was glowing an eerie hue of purple, yet the light of the world only seemed a bit less bright rather than dyed in its likeness.
Soft footsteps sounded from behind me.
I turned to see the demon girl now on her feet. She was approaching cautiously, studying me.
She stopped a few steps away and stood there pondering for a moment, before speaking, "Are you really human? What's your name?"
Staring back at her, I replied, "Yes, I'm human… My name is Abel." I paused, "Your name… It's Shal'Ir?"
She gawked at me for a moment, then laughed. This time her laugh was sweet. A proper laugh for a girl her age.
"You overheard that dead human, did you? No, my name is not Shal'Ir." She looked solemnly beyond me at the purple Sun, and continued, "Shal'Ir is the name of my race."
Shifting her gaze back at me, she raised an eyebrow, "How can you not know that though? Were you born under a rock?"
I didn't quite know how to answer that one. I just smiled awkwardly and replied, "Actually, you're not far from the truth… It was on one, actually."
In reality it was a bunch of rocks, but she didn't need to know that.
"Humans can't use Mana… Abel. Why can you?"
'Damn. Thought so.'
I considered how to explain something I didn't even know the answer to. Eventually, I said, "I'm not sure… Like I said, I was born on a rock. When I came across you last time… It was my first time using it."
She sighed, then lifted her hand and opened the sheet of paper that contained the Spell.
"This is my mother's final gift to me… You see, we were a poor family. Even back when we lived in our own country. This Spell was the only one we had. I used to love watching my mother use it any time my father came home injured." She started to tear up as she spoke, but her face suddenly turned grim.
"That was before the Decimation."
"Five years… For five years, my mother and I were kept as slaves of the Darkheart family. We were trophies. Being kept alive only to let our Mana mature so it could be harvested later…" The last part of her narrative was spoken through gritted teeth.
'Harvested?' I wondered to myself, feeling disgusted by where this story was going.
She looked back at me, anger flared in her eyes.
"My mother… She… Two days ago…"
She didn't need to say more. I understood.
I held up my hand, and slowly shook my head.
"Don't say it."
Pieces of the puzzle were quickly falling into place.
I took a deep breath. Nothing I said would be the right words for the fractured heart of the girl in front of me. No longer a demon, I decided.
"What's your name?" I asked, instead.
Her anger subsided and she stared at me, peering deep into my eyes as if trying to look at my very soul.
"If I tell you… You could die."
I stumbled back, "W-What? Die? Why?"
She shrugged, "You really were born on a rock, weren't you. All the things you should know, you don't."
"You're a strange human, Abel."
She paused in contemplation, then continued:
"It's because you can speak Shal'Iri."
Noticing my confusion, she relented, "If I speak my Shal'Iri name to a human who can understand me, it binds us. A mark of our bond will be visible in your eyes. Both of our races disdain the practice to the point anyone seen with the mark will be hunted to the edges of Dal'Nar and back."
I slowly nodded in understanding.
"So, what should I call you then?"
She frowned, "The Darkhearts gave me a human name, but they can keep that wretched thing. I don't want it."
"..." She paused.
"If you want, you can make something up yourself."
'A name?' I thought to myself, 'Does she want to travel together?'
With that in mind, I asked.
"Are you… Do you want to travel together?"
She looked startled, but thought about something and looked at me with conviction.
"I do… need to repay you…"
"You-"
Her gaze fell to the ground and she finished in a low voice, "And I'd rather be your slave than theirs…"
"..." I could hear her sorrow when she spoke those last words.
From her size I guessed she couldn't be more than thirteen. I couldn't help but think of my younger sister back on Earth.
"Girls your age shouldn't be ta…"
Her head snapped up and she looked at me with a weird expression.
"My age?" She cut me off.
"Why are you talking like you're older than me?"
It was my turn to wear a weird expression.
'Come to think of it, how old is this body?'
I was twenty years old when I died back on Earth, but I have no idea how old I am now. I hadn't even thought about it since I seemed about the same height as I remembered.
I rubbed the back of my head, "How old do I look?"
"Sixteen?"
'Guess I'll go with that then.'
I nodded, "Well, that would make me-"
"No. I'm sixteen as well." She shook her head.
I looked at her with suspicion.
"But you look like-"
"A little girl? Don't compare me with you humans." She frowned.
"So, you're going to stay that size?"
"I just told you-" She started, but looking at my sincere curiosity, she softened her tone, "I'm not a human."
"My body just grows slower."
'So that's how it is.'
"I see."
A minute passed in silence.
"Nira." I finally said.
"...?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Your name."
She thought for a moment, then nodded in satisfaction. She seemed to like it.
"We'll travel together, Nira." I smiled, "But you'll be my companion, not my slave."
'And it'll be nice to have someone who knows this world around.' I added to myself.
"You really are a strange human." She looked at me with a serious expression.
"Companions… Okay then. But, if we come across any other humans, it'll be better for both of us if you treat me like your slave."
I nodded, "Alright."
"Just don't regret it later." She turned around and mumbled so quietly I almost didn't catch it.
Taking a deep breath, I felt like a great weight had been lifted from my chest.
Looking around, my thoughts focused on the near-future.
"So uh, Nira?"
"Hmm?"
"What are nights like… around here?" I phrased my question carefully.
She turned her head and looked over at the purple Sun, "Well… This is Arkos territory, you know?"
I didn't like where this was going.
"We still have a lot of time before the Shadow at least. We'll just need to pick an Ek." She pointed over at one of the titanic black-trunked trees, then up towards the crown.
'Shadow? Ek?' I looked up at where she was pointing.
"So… we'll be safe up there?"
She smiled slightly and shook her head, "You really know nothing."
I chuckled. "Born on a rock."
"Well… we'll be safer, at least." She looked over at the corpse of the Paruven Tiblafel, then continued, "Seeing as you can kill one of those, we'll be fine… Probably."
章 7: 7
Looking back, the little demon's eyes were staring at me once again. That same beautiful pattern of red twisting through dull yellow. There was a difference in her gaze this time though. Although there was still suspicion and wariness… the hate was gone.
"What is it?" I asked.
"..."
Her mouth opened slightly, like she wanted to say something, but quickly closed it.
I lingered there for a minute waiting, then turned around and walked over to the Captain's corpse.
Looking over the armor, I realized there was actually an issue: I had no idea how to dismantle it properly. As for equipping it myself, I worried that would prove even more challenging.
In fact, recalling how much the armor slowed those guards down, I was even starting to have second thoughts.
'Maybe I should just take a few pieces.' I thought, glancing at the arm and shin guards.
'The top of the chest armor is damaged anyway from when the beast bit the Captain's head off.' Feeling better having come to a decision, I started working on removing the armor. I didn't feel comfortable with my back to the demon girl, so I kneeled in a manner in which I could still see her with my peripheral vision.
She was touching the part of her chest I had just healed with a dazed expression on her face.
A few minutes later, I had managed to strip the Captain of his armor. Beneath his chest armor was a small pouch of coins tied to a rope that had probably been suspended from his neck. Inside the pouch, I counted thirteen black coins. It seemed to be the same material as the blade of my new dagger.
'It's some sort of rare metal.' I thought, 'If it qualifies to become currency.'
The rope was torn, but I managed to tie a new knot and placed it over my head to hang from my neck. I thought about replacing my shorts with his pants, but it was still quite hot. I didn't fancy sweating more than necessary.
'Come to think of it, I'm just barely starting to get thirsty. I wonder why?'
The Captain's shirt however, was quickly pulled over my head. It was a wondrous texture similar to that of silk back on Earth, but much more durable. I had given it a few good tugs and it barely stretched. Its strength was obvious.
'No system messages though. That's odd.' I figured I would have been spammed with them as I held the various pieces of clothing and armor.
With that in mind, I looked over at the chest armor, which was covered in blood. I silently thanked it for its service in protecting my new shirt.
'Inspect'
[Darkheart Family Chest Armor - Damaged.]
'Hmm, so it does have a name at least.'
The name of the armor really didn't matter to me, but I was curious about the defense. I grabbed an armguard next, using the straps to secure it in place on my forearm.
Ding!
[You have obtained - Darkheart Family Armguard.]
'Ah, so I have to wear it! That makes sense actually.' I only had to hold a weapon to obtain it, but I had to wear armor.
By the time I was done donning the other armguard, both legguards, and swapping out my boots for the Captain's, the Sun had changed color once again. I had moved away from the Captain's dead body, now standing closer to the river, looking downstream and across the sea. The Sun looked to be about ready to set. It was glowing an eerie hue of purple, yet the light of the world only seemed a bit less bright rather than dyed in its likeness.
Soft footsteps sounded from behind me.
I turned to see the demon girl now on her feet. She was approaching cautiously, studying me.
She stopped a few steps away and stood there pondering for a moment, before speaking, "Are you really human? What's your name?"
Staring back at her, I replied, "Yes, I'm human… My name is Abel." I paused, "Your name… It's Shal'Ir?"
She gawked at me for a moment, then laughed. This time her laugh was sweet. A proper laugh for a girl her age.
"You overheard that dead human, did you? No, my name is not Shal'Ir." She looked solemnly beyond me at the purple Sun, and continued, "Shal'Ir is the name of my race."
Shifting her gaze back at me, she raised an eyebrow, "How can you not know that though? Were you born under a rock?"
I didn't quite know how to answer that one. I just smiled awkwardly and replied, "Actually, you're not far from the truth… It was on one, actually."
In reality it was a bunch of rocks, but she didn't need to know that.
"Humans can't use Mana… Abel. Why can you?"
'Damn. Thought so.'
I considered how to explain something I didn't even know the answer to. Eventually, I said, "I'm not sure… Like I said, I was born on a rock. When I came across you last time… It was my first time using it."
She sighed, then lifted her hand and opened the sheet of paper that contained the Spell.
"This is my mother's final gift to me… You see, we were a poor family. Even back when we lived in our own country. This Spell was the only one we had. I used to love watching my mother use it any time my father came home injured." She started to tear up as she spoke, but her face suddenly turned grim.
"That was before the Decimation."
"Five years… For five years, my mother and I were kept as slaves of the Darkheart family. We were trophies. Being kept alive only to let our Mana mature so it could be harvested later…" The last part of her narrative was spoken through gritted teeth.
'Harvested?' I wondered to myself, feeling disgusted by where this story was going.
She looked back at me, anger flared in her eyes.
"My mother… She… Two days ago…"
She didn't need to say more. I understood.
I held up my hand, and slowly shook my head.
"Don't say it."
Pieces of the puzzle were quickly falling into place.
I took a deep breath. Nothing I said would be the right words for the fractured heart of the girl in front of me. No longer a demon, I decided.
"What's your name?" I asked, instead.
Her anger subsided and she stared at me, peering deep into my eyes as if trying to look at my very soul.
"If I tell you… You could die."
I stumbled back, "W-What? Die? Why?"
She shrugged, "You really were born on a rock, weren't you. All the things you should know, you don't."
"You're a strange human, Abel."
She paused in contemplation, then continued:
"It's because you can speak Shal'Iri."
Noticing my confusion, she relented, "If I speak my Shal'Iri name to a human who can understand me, it binds us. A mark of our bond will be visible in your eyes. Both of our races disdain the practice to the point anyone seen with the mark will be hunted to the edges of Dal'Nar and back."
I slowly nodded in understanding.
"So, what should I call you then?"
She frowned, "The Darkhearts gave me a human name, but they can keep that wretched thing. I don't want it."
"..." She paused.
"If you want, you can make something up yourself."
'A name?' I thought to myself, 'Does she want to travel together?'
With that in mind, I asked.
"Are you… Do you want to travel together?"
She looked startled, but thought about something and looked at me with conviction.
"I do… need to repay you…"
"You-"
Her gaze fell to the ground and she finished in a low voice, "And I'd rather be your slave than theirs…"
"..." I could hear her sorrow when she spoke those last words.
From her size I guessed she couldn't be more than thirteen. I couldn't help but think of my younger sister back on Earth.
"Girls your age shouldn't be ta…"
Her head snapped up and she looked at me with a weird expression.
"My age?" She cut me off.
"Why are you talking like you're older than me?"
It was my turn to wear a weird expression.
'Come to think of it, how old is this body?'
I was twenty years old when I died back on Earth, but I have no idea how old I am now. I hadn't even thought about it since I seemed about the same height as I remembered.
I rubbed the back of my head, "How old do I look?"
"Sixteen?"
'Guess I'll go with that then.'
I nodded, "Well, that would make me-"
"No. I'm sixteen as well." She shook her head.
I looked at her with suspicion.
"But you look like-"
"A little girl? Don't compare me with you humans." She frowned.
"So, you're going to stay that size?"
"I just told you-" She started, but looking at my sincere curiosity, she softened her tone, "I'm not a human."
"My body just grows slower."
'So that's how it is.'
"I see."
A minute passed in silence.
"Nira." I finally said.
"...?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Your name."
She thought for a moment, then nodded in satisfaction. She seemed to like it.
"We'll travel together, Nira." I smiled, "But you'll be my companion, not my slave."
'And it'll be nice to have someone who knows this world around.' I added to myself.
"You really are a strange human." She looked at me with a serious expression.
"Companions… Okay then. But, if we come across any other humans, it'll be better for both of us if you treat me like your slave."
I nodded, "Alright."
"Just don't regret it later." She turned around and mumbled so quietly I almost didn't catch it.
Taking a deep breath, I felt like a great weight had been lifted from my chest.
Looking around, my thoughts focused on the near-future.
"So uh, Nira?"
"Hmm?"
"What are nights like… around here?" I phrased my question carefully.
She turned her head and looked over at the purple Sun, "Well… This is Arkos territory, you know?"
I didn't like where this was going.
"We still have a lot of time before the Shadow at least. We'll just need to pick an Ek." She pointed over at one of the titanic black-trunked trees, then up towards the crown.
'Shadow? Ek?' I looked up at where she was pointing.
"So… we'll be safe up there?"
She smiled slightly and shook her head, "You really know nothing."
I chuckled. "Born on a rock."
"Well… we'll be safer, at least." She looked over at the corpse of the Paruven Tiblafel, then continued, "Seeing as you can kill one of those, we'll be fine… Probably."
I froze.
"Uhh… What if that… wasn't me?"
Her smile stiffened.
"Then it's going to be a long night."