Sleeping is one of the best way to mend and soothe the mind after a day of hard work. Not only that, but a proper sleep can also give a nice boost to productivity and efficiency. Charon takes this activity more seriously than training. It is quite apparent when you take a look at his sleeping position.
One person was lucky enough to witness the sight.
Eva has never been more confused in her life. Thinking internally, trying to find a shred of reason, 'How is that sleeping position even possible???? No, this must be a part of his training. It must be. It has to be. Legs just don't fold that way.... right?'
As if trying to answer Eva's question, Charon's sleeping position would evolve and become more sophisticated.
'I have to stop this madness now,' Eva convinced herself.
She quickly calls his master out, hoping to wake him up. "Master Charon, the 2 suns have risen."
As she said that, a miracle would happen, unfolding right before her eyes...both literally and figuratively. Charon, the secluded master of the forest, would adopt a normal sleeping position.
And not long after, Charon would wake up.
"Ah, good morning Eva. How was your night." Charon greets, while stretching his legs. His legs felt more sore than usual today.
(Author disclaimer : you may skip the great wall of text below)
Although still quite shook about what she had just seen, Eva would reply,
"It was tolerable. I made a makeshift bed for myself with the materials I found around the cave before I went to sleep. I also added a few essentials for myself...., I guess the flooring was quite annoying, so I sanded it with this seemingly unbreakable rock I conveniently found in this cave. The floor was quite smooth, although still lacking. So I decided to weave a soft carpet made of grasses and leaves I gathered outside. To top it all off, I made sure to sanitize my area properly with hand made solutions, using ingredients I gathered in the forest. I did encounter a pretty scary looking big reptilian while gathering the materials. But thankfully it never noticed I was there. Other than that, it was quite uneventful."
"..."
'Ok, that was quite long, and oddly specific. Is she trying to flex or something? Also, I'm pretty sure half of what she said is not even possible.' Charon thought after listening to Eva's blabbering.
He then decides to see what she'd done for herself with his own eyes.
Tilting his head to the left had somehow invoked a great deal of envy in Charon's heart.
So he positions his head back to its original angle, where he would see the place he had prepared himself with his own sweat and tears. That somehow made it worse.
In an attempt to distract himself from his sad reality, he would say to Eva, "Ah, is that so. It's about time we start training, don't you think?"
"Agreed." Eva calmly states. She wanted to add a bit more on what she had done the night before, but it's not the right time for it.
With that said, Charon invites Eva outside, more specifically to the river that is nearby.
~
Ah, the beauty of nature.
It is unparalleled. The cold stream of water, coursing through the forest, serving as a lifeline to many creatures that are residing in its proximity.
The body of water courses across the plantation, dividing it into two sections.
On one end of it were 2 humans. Both looking a bit tensed.
Now picking up a much more serious tone, Charon would ask, "Why do you fight."
It would only be responded to by the voice of the forest. The sound of leaves rustling, the sound of its inhabitants, but unfortunately, no response came from the person the question was directed to.
Eva is currently trying to put together her words and her intentions precisely. She has a feeling that this question is very important. Giving out a generic response that doesn't come from her heart would only cause her harm.
After a long period of silence, Eva would be the one to break it, saying, "To bring back order and stability."
"....." Charon would say nothing, but intently listen to everything she has to say.
Eva then adds, "I don't know if you're aware of the current state of Terra, but it's pretty chaotic right now.
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
The voice of the forest overrides the conversation once again. Eva is currently contemplating something important.
Eventually she would come to a decision.
Reluctantly, she reveals, "I'm the heir of the Elysian throne. Be it by sheer luck or fate, his majesty bore no son. So inheriting the throne should be no problem."
"Most people would be elated if they were in my position. But I saw the responsibilities it carries."
"At first, it seemed bearable. But as the days went by, Terra had become progressively worse. The cause of it is crystal clear, it is greed." Eva briefly pauses, before continuing,
"Greed. It can make a man commit unforgivable sins. A greedy man is the carnation of the devil itself. They won't care if their actions cause harm to others, as long as they benefit from it." After taking a deep breath, she would add
"Don't be mistaken, greed has always been commonplace in the history of humanity. Every human, to an extent, possesses greed. But it's never been this bad, this destructive."
"Inevitably, the damage is transferred over Elysian."
"Our honest and hardworking people, influenced by the devils with their empty promise of wealth and happiness, would resort to criminal activities. The crime rate of Elysian had never been this high.", says Eva whilst throwing a pebble at the river, creating a small ripple in the water.
As if manipulated by magic, the ripple spreads ever so slowly.
"Our governor, following the footsteps of the devil, would create policies that would only benefit them and in return, making the life of the Elysians harder."
The small ripple that was spreading ever so slightly had become bigger and now possesses more rings.
"The king. Turning a blind eye to all the misdeeds, because he'd lost his authority. Only able to watch as his own people crumble."
The big ripple would then grow into its largest size, possessing the most number of rings, before...
"There was so much to fix, but nothing to work with. Nothing to rely on."
Completely disappearing.
"The weight of responsibility which was previously bearable, became something I could never possibly imagine lifting."
"However, some people just forget to see it. They forget the weight they have to bear for the rest of their life. And yet, they would be so desperate to claim the throne for themselves. They only see the benefit it comes with."
"My family I loved with all my heart, the governors I had put all my faith into, and the people I was tasked to protect..... They all turned their back on me. Trying to claim the throne for themselves."
"The king can only watch as the order falls apart. He is powerless."
"And I, against all odds, too am powerless. I just.... want to grow stronger so that I can return the order. Be it by force or not." These are Eva's lament, and more than that, her motivation.
She never thought that she would share her struggle with anyone. But she couldn't hold it in anymore. It was too much of a burden for a single woman.
At the end of it however, she felt a sense of clarity she had never experienced before. A burning sensation that just won't let up.
And as if knowing this, Charon would comment, "Never forget what you're feeling right now. Burn this memory inside your mind. It will be of great help in your journey, Eva."
"Thank you, Charon." says Eva gratefully
The pressure she has been dealing with has lessened thanks to Charon. Her spirit is the sharpest it has ever been.
With that out of the way, the grind can finally begin.
-
"Hey Eva, before we start with the training I need to see how you fight. How about a friendly spar?" Charon suggests.
Eva with no hesitation accepts the suggestion, "Sure, what are we using? Any particular rules?"
"No specific weapon, just hit me with all you have," Charon says daringly.
And then would immediately say, "The spar begins n-"
The sudden announcement didn't startle Eva however, she was quick to respond and had thrown a right jab before Charon could finish his sentence.
The jab however was quickly intercepted, and as if provoking Eva he would say, "Now."
In response, Eva retracts her hand and quickly throws another lightning jab with her left arm.
This time Charon would fail to react. Or what it seemed like.
Just before the jab reaches Charon's chin, it would be retracted and instead followed by a kick.
It was a feint.
This time, Charon would simply tilt his body slightly, barely dodging the kick.
This leaves Eva wide open, which is an opportunity Charon wouldn't miss.
This time Charon will be the one attacking.
Before having the chance to regain her posture, Charon would deliver a blow to Eva's extended leg with his fist.
This causes her to lose balance and fall. But just before Charon could follow it up with the ending blow, Eva instantly responds by launching a small ball of beam from her hand at Charon.
This took Charon by surprise, and it managed to lightly graze his cheeks.
He was able to dodge it barely. The trajectory of the ball landed it directly on a nearby tree, exploding on impact.
'Huh, neat trick. I don't feel a bit of mana in that. The casting is instantaneous too, I should be careful.' Charon diligently taking a mental note
Eva's assault wouldn't end there however. After regaining balance, she would create a big space between her whilst firing more of the mysterious ball of beams toward him.
The velocity of the ball is quite fast. Comparable to a bullet.
Already seeing this technique before, Charon is able to put out an appropriate response and dodge accordingly.
However she had successfully created a large gap.
'What will you do now?' Eva ponders while planning her next set of moves
In Charon's mind, he is contemplating whether he should start employing magics to level the battlefield, but ultimately decided against it.
He instead pushes on.
With a smile, Charon would warn Eva saying, "Give it all you got if you don't want to lose."
The next exchange will probably be the last. With this in mind, they would give it their all.
*Swish* Three balls are now launching towards Charon.
Predicting the trajectory of the balls, Charon would jump, going over them while covering a huge distance.
However, he is now mid air and briefly vulnerable to incoming attacks.
Not wanting to miss this opportunity , Eva would focus and use her entire energy reserve to throw 5 condensed balls of beam. Not only that, these condensed beams possessed superior speed than the regular variant.
'This is it' Eva thought
In retaliation, Charon would throw a big swing in the air, creating a huge gust of wind. This disrupts the trajectory of the balls, while also lunging Charon forward.
He then would find himself just above Eva, and swiftly deliver a kick on the head before going over her.
Eva couldn't respond in time, so all she could do was brace for the impact.
As she felt the impact of his feet on her head, her vision and her consciousness would give out.
...
The winner of the spar is,
Charon.
~
~
~
"Hey you."
"You're finally awake." The voice sounds oddly familiar, it's as if a nord had spoken them.
Wait, what's a nord? Isn't this clearly Charon's?
As I fully open my eye, I could see the worries plaguing Charon's face disappear, replaced by that of relief
"Hey. Sorry for earlier. I didn't mean to hit you that hard." says Charon apologetically.
Seeing Eva blacking out after the kick, invoked an incredible amount of guilt in Charon's heart.
It reminded him of the previous life he had led.
"No, I'm just that weak." Eva laments. To think she would go out in two hits..... She feels conflicted.
Prior to meeting this man, Eva had gone throughout the continent to acquire various experiences and skills. She had undergone numerous training under renowned masters.
'Was it all for nothing?'
During all this, she had to leave Elysian for a long period of time. She was practically forced to, due to political pressure. Nonetheless, she tried making the best out of her situation.
“No, you did well.” Charon reassures her.
“Most wouldn’t have lasted a single exchange against me, even at my current state. You held out pretty long didn't you?" Charon comments, still replaying the battle they just had in his head
"Anyways, from the spar we just had, I've identified several problems with the way you're fighting."
"We'll start working on them tomorrow, for now let's get back to the cave so we can rest. I'll hunt something while we're on the way."
Charon is feeling a bit peckish, perhaps a deer or two will satiate his hunger.
"As you wish" Eva complies with no problem.
With that said, they would be on their way.
~
Unbeknownst to them however, a huge monster is spying, waiting for the perfect chance to strike.
"Hgrrrrr.." the monster lets out silently.
As if a prank pulled by fate, the monster currently hiding in the bush could only be a subspecies
of deer. Or perhaps, it's evolution. Standing at 16 ft tall, the monster possesses thick furs that cover its entire body that function as its armor. It's also walking upright with only two of its legs.
Other than that, it only has one single albeit very large eye. Just what kind of power and mystery does this monster possess?