First Adventure: Road to Friendship - Part 4

“Get inside, girls,” Kairi told both Ryu and Yumeo as she led them into the cavern she had inspected a few minutes earlier. The fire she had started earlier was still burning, which made the interior visible. “It’s a bit small, but it’ll do fine for the night. Be sure to watch your step. Falling on that floor isn’t pretty…”

Yumeo acted like she didn’t know what the mage was talking about.

“It’s a bit dark,” Ryu mentioned as she looked inside. “There’s nothing lurking inside, right?”

“I’ve checked it out just now. It’s safe,” Kairi replied, looking around the area to check if nobody had followed them.

“Umu…” Ryu nodded, before slowly making her way inside.

“What about the wagon?” Yumeo asked, suddenly finding a flaw in the mage’s plan to hide in the cave. “Wouldn’t everyone understand that we’d be hiding in this place after seeing the wagon?”

Kairi gave the blue-haired girl a confident smile. “Don’t worry about that. I’ve got a nice trick for that problem. Watch this.”

The silver-haired mage waved her hand in a pattern and pointed her index finger towards the sky. It didn’t take long for a pale light to form around her finger as the air in the area became heavier. “In this place and in this hour. In order to make this location my base, please take my power!” Finishing the incantation, the light around Kairi’s finger disappeared, only to envelop the entire area in a blinding light.

“Wow, what’s this?” Yumeo inquired, closing her eyes as a result of the sudden explosion of light. The girl felt the sudden pressure of magic being casted weighing her down.

“I’ve just casted an illusionary spell. It really comes in handy at times like this,” Kairi noted, lowering her hand and catching her breath. “One of my friends back at the guild taught me how to use these kinds of spells.”

“Illusionary magic?” Yumeo wondered, her eyes wide in admiration. “So, nobody else can see the cave now?”

Kairi found the reaction of the blue-haired girl quite cute. Had the girl never seen this kind of magic before? “Basically, there’s a small barrier surrounding this place now. From a distance, you can’t see the cave anymore. It’ll look like there are just more trees and bushes over here. Once you get close enough and move through the barrier though, you’ll be able to see what’s inside.”

“That’s cool! So, we’re invisible right now?” Yumeo cheered happily, quickly turning towards Kairi. “The outside can’t hear us either?”

Kairi shook her head. “Nope, we’re completely separated from the outside world now. Nobody will be able to see or hear us as long as they don’t enter the space. What’s great is that I’ll notice it when someone enters through the barrier. The downside to spells like these is that they drain a lot of mana. I can’t believe that Caitlin is able to cast these kinds of spells like nothing…”

“Won’t it tire you out to cast this spell for long periods of time though? It looks like the spell takes a lot out of you,” Yumeo asked as she noticed the sweat drops forming on the mage’s forehead.

“As long as I don’t move around much and drink a mana potion in a few hours, I’ll be fine. Anyways, let’s enter the cave. Ryu must be waiting for us.”

To enter the cave was to become engulfed in chilling blackness with only a small source of light in the middle of the area. The noise of stepping on the loose scattered rocks echoed off the dense stone walls. Even though the place was really cramped for the three of them, Kairi still believed this to be a good place to lay low. The rock would hide them from rain and they wouldn’t have to worry about being attacked from behind. There was only one entrance after all.

A certain blonde was sitting in front of the campfire, enjoying the heat that was being emitted from the flames. She frowned as soon as she noticed the other girls. “Mou, why did it take you so long to get here? Don’t get me wrong. It’s not like I was scared or anything, I just found it a bit strange.”

Yumeo walked up to the tiny girl. “Kairi just casted a magic spell to hide us from the rest of the world. You should have seen it!”

“Umu, really?”

Kairi smiled, noticing the innocent expression on the girl’s face. “Don’t worry, I’ll show you another spell.” She drew a circle made out of runes on the cavern floor and gathered some mana in her hand, before pushing her hand through the circle.

“What!?”

“Did her hand just go through the floor?”

Ignoring her flabbergasted companions, the mage pulled her hand out of the circle, dragging a small foxlike creature, made out of water, out with it. The little critter, her trusty familiar, stretched out its little limbs before dashing out of the cave.

“How did you do that?” Ryu asked in complete disbelief.

Feeling happy with the flawless summoning of her familiar, Kairi turned to the little girl. “Hmm, how do I explain this? I just focused some mana in my hand, pictured my familiar in my mind and then let the mana I had gathered in my hand burst within the magic circle. I don’t really have a better way to explain it.”

Yumeo scratched the back of her head. “You make it sound so simple…”

“It did take me a few years to master this kind of magic. It wasn’t easy, I’ll tell you,” Kairi said, remembering the times her magic exploded in her face.

“So, why did you summon that cute foxy?” Yumeo asked, looking outside to see where the fox went.

Kairi was surprised by the lack of knowledge about familiars of the girls. Didn’t they have any magic where they came from? Well, sure, she only managed to learn magic because of her meeting with an elf when she was little, but most humans at least had some basic knowledge of magic and familiars. “I share a very special connection with my familiar. Although it can’t move very far from me, 100 meters at the most, I can freely control its movement and even see what it sees. It’s perfect for scouting and surveilling.”

“Wow, that’s cool,” Yumeo noted, although she had a sad look in her eyes. “Too bad I’m a manaless. I’d sure like to be able to cast magic like this.”

“You’re a manaless?” Kairi asked.

The blue-haired girl continued. “Yeah, it runs in the family. That’s why we’ve decided to focus on our swords. I’m not a sword master by any means, but I’m sure I’ll be able to match most knights.”

“Although your personality is completely different from hers, you kind of remind me of my friend,” Kairi mused as she thought of her friend with flaming hair. “It would be nice if you could meet her at some point. I think it would do her good to talk to you.”

“Is she a mercenary as well?” Yumeo asked.

Kairi nodded. “Yeah, and just like you, she’s not able to use magic. I think she has trouble dealing with it.”

“Well, I’ll be glad to help. Just give me a holler when she’s up to it!” Yumeo exclaimed, smiling.

Kairi returned the smile. “Thanks. Anyways, let’s eat.”

It turned dark before they knew it. The flame in the middle of the cave was probably the only light in the entire forest. Without the barrier surrounding the area, Kairi was sure that they’d stick out like a sore thumb and all kinds of creatures would be coming to check them out.

With the sun down, the temperature plummeted as well. The heat from the campfire seemed to be sucked into the frigid air before ever reaching the cold hands of the girls. As they sat in a circle around the fire, Kairi could see Ryu shaking slightly, holding her arms around her legs, probably hoping to keep any more heat from escaping her small body. She added more wood as the fire seemed to die a little.

The girls had been silent for a while now. It was likely that they were tired, since especially Ryu didn’t seem used to traveling like this. It could also be that they were scared of being all alone in a dark forest. Kairi wondered if she should try to cheer the girls up. She was about to speak up when Yumeo stood up.

“What’s wrong?”

Yumeo stretched her arms before rubbing her behind. “My whole body is sore because of this rocky floor. I’m going to take a small stroll outside.”

Knowing that the barrier was up and that her familiar was keeping watch outside, Kairi nodded. “Be sure to stay close. My magic won’t reach further than 100 meters.”

“Sure thing,” Yumeo said, walking out of the rocky opening.

“Kairi?”

The silver-haired girl was surprised to hear her name being called out by the timid girl next to her. This was the first time the girl had initiated a conversation. When Kairi turned to the voice, she noticed a face filled with uncertainty looking her way. “What’s wrong, Ryu?”

The girl hesitated a long time before she finally made up her mind. “What is it like to be a mercenary?”

Kairi wasn’t expecting a question like that from the girl. “That’s a difficult question to answer. Hmm, I guess I see it as my job. I make a living by going on missions, some fun and some dangerous, slaying monsters and helping people in need, while I’m becoming stronger at the same time.”

The girl seemed a bit taken back by Kairi’s indifferent way of talking about it. “Isn’t it dangerous?”

Kairi’s eyes dropped as she answered the girl next to her. “It can be very dangerous. I’ve been part of DragonHeart for a little bit of time now and I’ve already seen many people get hurt.”

This made Ryu gasp. “T-then why did you decide to become one?”

Kairi responded without thinking. “I guess because I followed my heart.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’m sure that you have dreams too, right Ryu?” the young mercenary asked.

“Umu…” Ryu only made that sound, a slight blush forming on her cheeks. It seemed like the girl didn’t want to talk about it.

Kairi looked towards the burning flames in front of her, a vacant expression on her face. “Before joining the guild, I was like a stray dog. I had lost both of my parents and my hometown. The only thing I had left was my magic. Having nothing left to live for, I was walking from town to town, learning new techniques and becoming stronger along the way. It was the only thing on my mind. I had no goals and I had no dreams. I was all alone, fighting by myself and fighting for myself. It was a time filled with loneliness.”

The only thing Kairi heard was the girl next to her holding her breath. The silver-haired girl didn’t want to look her way, afraid that her emotions would get the better of her. That’s why she usually refrained from talking about sad things.

“That’s when I met Ryuji, a mercenary working in DragonHeart. He found me after I had messed with the wrong people. Without his help…I would have most probably died. He saved me and told me: The feeling of being all alone, the feeling of being unneeded in the world, the feeling of not minding whether you live or die. I won’t let anyone feel that way.”

A sad smile appeared on Kairi’s face as she continued. “Somehow, that sparked something within me. I wanted to become someone like him, someone who could look forward and help others in need. That way, I’d be able to put my magical talent to good use.”

The young mercenary then turned her vision towards the girl next to her, showing the girl an expression filled with a mixture between grief and happiness. “I want to become someone people can rely on.”

It took Ryu a few seconds to think of something to say. “Umu, you’re strong.”

A bit taken aback, Kairi shook her head. “Strong? Not by a long shot. I’m constantly being a burden to my friends. I talk high and mighty all the time, but when it comes down to it, I’m still a newbie who makes plenty of mistakes. This is actually my first solo mission.”

“Solo mission?” Ryu asked, slightly tilting her head.

Seeing how interested the girl seemed to be, Kairi continued. “There are two kinds of missions. There are missions where teams of mercenaries are chosen to go and solo missions where only one mercenary is chosen.”

Ryu was lost in thought for a little while. “Doesn’t that mean that solo missions are more dangerous?”

Kairi nodded. “That’s right. If you mess up during a solo mission, it could spell your end.”

Ryu gave Kairi a worried look. “Doesn’t that mean that there’s nobody to help you if something goes wrong. Doesn’t that worry you? Why couldn’t they always send at least two mercenaries on missions?”

Kairi gave the girl next to her a slight smile. “Mercenaries are very expensive, Ryu. Since we have to put our lives on the line for our work, the guild asks for a lot of money in return. Your parents are apparently pretty wealthy and even they’ve hired only one mercenary. But don’t worry, I’ll protect you with everything I have. I’ve been chosen by the master because she believes I’m the best choice for this job.”

“That’s not why I…” Ryu didn’t finish her sentence as she looked away from the girl. “Anyways, I think I’m going to lie down for a little bit. I’m kind of tired.”

“Don’t worry, you can even sleep if you want,” Kairi told the girl who lied down on a blanket. It couldn’t be very comfortable, but at least it was better than to lie on the rocky floor.

The small girl shook her head. “If you’re not able to sleep, I won’t either.”

Stubborn girl. Kairi sighed as she stood up. “Yumeo’s been out for a while now. I’m going to take a look outside. I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Umu…”

Hearing the reply of the tired girl, Kairi made her way out of the cavern. A smile appeared on her face as soon as she noticed the dark-blue sky. A great number of stars was glinting like silver pin pricks, luminous and bright. It made for a marvelous sight. “So pretty!”

To her right, she noticed the form of Yumeo, sitting on top of a giant rock. The girl was looking at the stars with a pretty long tree branch on her lap. “There you are, Yumeo. What a gorgeous sight, isn’t it?”

Yumeo looked Kairi’s way and smiled. “It sure is.”

“You’ve been out here for some time now. It’s pretty cold, so let’s head back to the cave.”

“Well, sorry about that. I just hate wasting time, so I thought I’d get some training in,” Yumeo pouted, throwing up a small stone and catching it again. “I was hoping that we’d encounter all kinds of people during the trip, but so far we’ve met only one person!”

The blue-haired girl jumped off the rock and landed just in front of Kairi. Seeing this young woman up close made the young mage stagger. The blue-haired girl was too beautiful, rivalling her elven friend in looks. Her naughty but sweet-looking face and her sexy figure were simply the perfect combination of a devil and an angel.

“Ryu’s gone off to sleep, I’m guessing?”

Kairi nodded. “She went to lie down, but I figure that she’s fallen asleep by now. She looked really tired. She must feel really safe with you around if she’s able to sleep in a place like this.”

Yumeo shook her head. “Not at all. I actually think you’re a big part of the reason as well. Did you see how she was looking at you when you attacked me earlier and when you summoned that fox? She was totally impressed with your powers. I guess she feels safe with you around.”

“Is that so? I sure hope so,” Kairi replied, looking back to the cave. “Anyways, what were you doing out here? I’m guessing you tried improving your form?”

“Good observation, I guess the branch gave it away?” Yumeo grinned, before turning serious. “When you almost drove your magical sword through my back earlier, I realized just how weak I really am. It’s fine and dandy that I can swing a sword around, but it’s not enough if I want to protect what’s important to me.”

“What’s important to you…?”

Yumeo sat down on the soft grass and petted the area next to her, signaling Kairi to come over. “I’ve known Ryu for a long time now. Her parents are quite rich and they’ve raised Ryu as their little princess. She always got everything she wanted and that resulted in Ryu becoming rather spoiled.”

Kairi remembered that Ryu reminded her of a little princess when first seeing her as well.

Yumeo sighed before she continued. “There were some people who were bothered by her attitude and some of our peers started to bully Ryu because of it. It resulted in Ryu building a wall around herself in order to cope with the bullying. She acted like the bullying didn’t bother her, but I knew better. I could see it was hurting her. Even so, I didn’t have the guts to talk to her, afraid that it would ruin my other friendships.”

Kairi frowned after hearing this.

“At some point, there were some boys that actually starting getting violent with her. That’s when I stepped in. I knocked some sense into the brats and I’ve been friends with Ryu ever since,” Yumeo buried her head into her arms. “I should have been with her from the start.”

“You were still young, it’s okay. What’s important is that you’re here for her now, right?” Kairi said with a big smile adorning her face. “Just the fact that you’re thinking about this so hard is enough proof of your kindness. I mean, you’re even coming with her on this dangerous journey. I’m sure that your cheerful nature saved her many times already.”

Yumeo looked up, her cheeks becoming a bit rosy. “Haha, you have a way with words Kairi. I love your positive way of thinking. I probably would have fallen for you if my heart wasn’t already stolen by someone else.”

She stood up and clenched her fist. “But you’re right. I want to be there for her now, even if it means training and honing my sword skills every single day. I’ll always be there for her. I’ll cheer her up when she’s sad and I’ll protect her from bullies and bad guys.”

Kairi was impressed with Yumeo’s strength of will. As she was about to make a comment about it, her body received a small shock. It could mean only one thing. Someone with a lot of mana had entered the barrier. Right after this realization, she received another shock, although this one was much weaker than the first one.

“Yumeo, run back to the cave and get Ryu. We’re leaving right away.”

“L-leaving? What happened?” Yumeo asked, surprised by the sudden order.

“At least two people have just entered the barrier. I’m not sure whether or not they’re after us, but at least one of them looks to be a mage. I don’t want to take any risks, so get Ryu and make sure the wagon is ready for departure,” Kairi said as she grabbed one of the mana potions in her pouch and started drinking it.

“I’m on it! I’ll see you soon!” Yumeo cried out as she ran towards the grotto.