Chapter 2: A new place

"What kind of a slave are you? You're late." Said Garren as he jumped down from the tree. Landing in front of her.

Since his awakening. Yuna has been coming back to the Grove to bring him food. I guess it's her way of saying thanks for being saved from the troll awhile back.

"So-sorry, I had to run a couple of chores for mother and I'm not your slave!" Yuna replied immediately. Pouting her cheeks.

The boy grabbed the basket from her and sat underneath the tree. Opening the closed basket.

"Bread again huh" He muttered.

"Hey! just be thankful for the meal!" Yuna replied.

Garren sighed deeply, then proceeded to take a bite and chew quietly.

Yuna observed as the silver haired boy silently ate underneath the large tree. She continued to stare until.

"Ehem, could you stop staring at me while I'm eating" Garren spoke after noticing Yuna has been staring at him this whole time.

"Ahh, Umm, sorry!"  

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Two days ago

At first she was shocked to see this young man in front of her. Covered in trolls blood asking where are they? I mean who are they? she thought. He did mention a couple of name's wasn't it Cain and Lucious?

But as far as she can tell, no one in Hansel goes by that name. Adventurers perhaps? Those who would sometimes travel to Hansel to go monster hunting up north.

She did try her best to explain the events prior the troll attack. Coming from Hansel to collect herbs. Who she was and such. Reaching the third floor then entering the room where a stone statue lay. She also mentioned that after he showed up the statue was gone. Maybe the troll just destroyed the statue with its club so she really did not pay much attention to it.

Garren just accepted the fact that indeed this girl knows nothing, so he did not press on the matter further. But he was quite interested on what she mentioned though, a stone statue used to lay on the table but was now gone. He was laying on that table when the troll attacked, so am I the statue the girl has been talking about?

In his memory. After feeling a heavy object land on his chest and upon looking up seeing this huge troll foaming in the mouth. His instincts automatically kicked in. Like a flash he was on his feet and his right fist collided with the troll's chest.

Then as he felt a presence behind him. Turning around he saw this auburn haired girl holding a puny carving knife, which she instantly dropped.

All he could say at that moment was "where are they". Pertaining to the traitors who betrayed him.

He remembered standing in an empty battlefield sold out by his trusted general's, bound by something he could not see and then two blades burst from his chest. He was dying. Before losing consciousness he did remember a woman's familiar voice screaming, was it Nessera? He thought.

He tried his best to get answers from the girl, but all he got was a confused expression from her and a bunch of answer's he could not understand. Hansel? Sifon Grove? What happened exactly he thought. Feeling his chest. The wounds he received were gone, but there's something wrong, he can feel it, about his powers, like some was locked away. The feeling of being incomplete.

On the stone table something caught his eye. Two Iron whips. "Nessera" He muttered.

Garren recognized the weapons he had given to Nessera during her appointment as one of his general's.

Why are they here? What did you do Nessera. In the corner of his mind he did have an idea of what might have happened. Maybe Nessera saved him? He did hear her voice before blacking out, but he was not quite sure of what really happened that day.

Grabbing Nessera's whips he attached them to his waist and together with the girl he exited the tower.

He saw the glade for the first time, a green meadow lush with plants. Colorful flora scattered across the clearing. East of tower was a pond next to a large tree.

Sifon glade huh. This was the first time he had heard of the place.

Disgusted by his appearance. The troll's blood had splattered his face and clothes after all. He approached the pond and began stripping his black upper garments. It was made of a smooth thin fabric but was also very durable.

"Ummm..ehh.." He heard the girl's voice.

"What?.." He said in a cold tone. Looking at her, he observed her cheeks had turned red while she was trying to look away. The girl took out a piece of cloth from her pocket which surprised him.

"Umm, h-here" The girl muttered, while handing the piece of cloth to him. Still trying to look away. She did manage to take a peek earlier. The boy had multiple scars across his back and chest. How could someone so young attain such scars?

"Thanks.." He said in a more softer tone. Receiving the cloth, he proceeded to wash himself. Wetting the cloth then applying it to his face, wiping away the blood. Then continued the same process to his arms and chest. This will do for now he thought.

Garren put his garments back on. Stood up and sighed. What exactly happened here? He said to himself.

"Here, girl.." Handing out the bloodstained wet cloth to the girl who was currently leaning her back against the big tree, staring at the ground.

The girl was not aware that he was done cleaning himself because she trying her best to look away.

"Ah,.. Umm, you keep it, and umm. My name is Yuna. I already told you that! Don't just call me girl!" Yuna surprised by her sudden defiant tone, looked away again. I mean who would want their handkerchief back if it was used to clean troll's blood? She said to herself.

It was almost dark. The sun will begin to set soon.

"Umm, I have to go, do you want to come back to the village with me?" Yuna said. "There's a small inn in town if you have no place to stay" she added.

"No.. I'll stay here" Garren answered without hesitation. On his mind he still needed to figure out his next move. Whatever is going on here, whatever Nessera did. His best move was to avoid revealing himself yet. There might still be enemies after him, sent by those damn traitors to make sure he's dead and something about his power's doesn't feel right. I don't even know how long I was there inside the tower. He thought. If I was indeed that statue, why did I become one and how long had I been turned to one?

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"Is that so.." Said Yuna in a disappointed tone. Lowering her head. "Then I'll come visit you tomorrow! I'll bring you food" She said cheerfully while suddenly raising her head.

What's with this girl? Garren thought. Why is she being nice?

"Do what you like" Garren answered. Waving his left hand. Motioning as if to shoo someone away.

Yuna just smiled. She grabbed her basket that was placed earlier under the tree. She left the remaining bread wrapped in a thin piece of cloth to Garren, then turned back and started to walk towards town. Waving goodbye as she was about to exit the grove.

"I'll come back tomorrow. Ok!" She shouted and in a couple of moments her figure disappeared into the woods.

As it started to turn dark. Garren gathered fallen branches and twigs from nearby trees and placed them on the spot near the pond  and ignited them using [Dark flame].

Resting his back against the tree. He sat there looking at the stars with a stern face like they have the answer all his questions.

On his side he took the bread which were left for him.

The flames burned through the whole night as he slept by the fire.

The next day. He was testing out some of his skills confirming his suspicion that they were not at their maximum potential. Whatever that was done to him seemed to have locked their full strength.

The truth is that Garren's body was still on the process of mending itself. The seal has not been fully removed yet and the attack the troll had done to him just triggered a premature awakening.

He spent his morning testing his skills and catching fishes from the pond to cook on his fire pit.

Catching a couple of medium sized one's. He used small sharpened branches to skewer the fishes, then pitched them near the fire to roast them. Once they were cooked he began to eat.

It was almost noon when her voice.

"Garren! good morning!"

It was Yuna. Still with a cheerful smile on her face. Waving energetically towards him. Honestly he never expected she would come back, but she's here. What's really wrong with this girl? He thought.

When she finally reached the spot where he was seated, she greeted him once again.

"Good morning, have you slept well?" With a teasing tone. Knowing that he does not have proper bed to lay on she hoped Garren regretted his decision not to come back to town with her.

Garen did not respond to her teasing and continued eating the roasted fish.

"I thought you were hungry, so I brought you these." She said cheerfully as she displayed the basket she was holding, then pulled out 3 pieces of bread, 2 small slices of pork and a small jar. To what it seems to be jam.

Garren did not refuse her offer and accepted them without a word. He then he pulled the last piece of fish that was roasting on the pit and handed it to Yuna. which she accepted.

While they ate under the shade. Garren asked about the world to gather information. The names of the continents were still the same, the northern continent was still called Lentis, the southern continent Griris, the western continent Koryn and they were at the eastern continent called Norin.

It seems that Yuna was not aware about any recent wars when he asked her and made him doubt more. How long was I really there? He thought once again. I need to gather more information and this girl can't provide the answers that I seek.

He placed his right hand on his head and started to shake his hair in an annoyed manner.

Yuna just looked at him in confusion.

After they ate Yuna left him and started to gather herbs. He just sat there observing what she was doing.

"Hey!" he shouted. "Are you gonna pay for that?" He added in a cold tone.

Yuna caught by surprised. "W-what? Why should I!?" She shouted back.

"This is now my property!  I live here now! So what you're doing is stealing!" He responded.

"Since when did this place become yours!" Yuna said in a defiant tone. Pouting her cheeks.

"Just now! I announce that I " Garren Zeke Ligier " conquered Sifon glade and hereby the Lord that governs it!" He said with an evil grin.

"Whatever weirdo!" She replied and turned around to continue gathering herbs.

"Oi! hey! Don't ignore me! Just because you gave me food automatically gives you the right to pick weeds on my property!" Garren said. "If you can't pay for those then you will become my slave!" He added.

"Huuummm huummmm" Yuna hummed cheerfully. Ignoring Garren.

As the day ended. Yuna once again said goodbye, and walked towards town with a bag full of herbs from the so called "lord's" property.

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Going back to present

"I didn't mean to stare" She muttered then turned around and walked towards the meadow to once again collect her precious herbs when she heard Garren say with his usual cold voice.

"Yuna, once you're done stealing my stuff I want to go back to town with you today."

She turned around with a confused expression and replied with a smile on her face "Okay!"