Laila gradually opened her eyes as the fog of unconsciousness dissipated. Once wide awake, she noticed the smooth texture of a wooden beam and stared at it. The rich aroma of the earthy soil filled the room. She jolted her body to an upright position, her eyes darting all around the unfamiliar place. The log cabin was simple, with a distinctive, rustic charm. The only sign of life were the wooden tables and chairs, with the candles on top still unlit and emitting a waxy smell.
When Laila steered her attention downwards, she was sitting upright on a floor-bed, the rustling of feathers from the pillow and the soft sound of the blanket shifting beneath her. Laila did not know what kind of material was used to create these things, so she just shrugged it off.
"What the… Wasn't I in the freezing cold just moments ago? Did someone bring me here?" She mumbled, tracing her fingers along the smooth blanket. In the corner of her eyes, she spotted another bed just like hers and occupied all the same.
"Isaac!" Laila yelled, hurriedly rising from her bed and kneeling next to her slumbering brother. The teenager had a peaceful look on his face, a very stark contrast to his puffy eyes and seemingly permanent scowl as he roamed through the cold. His whole body expanded and contracted every few seconds. Laila hadn't seen her brother so relaxed in a while. She couldn't help but place a hand on his shoulder, a hint of a smile creeping forward.
"Awfully comfortable for a bunch of wandering pups." A stern voice abruptly spoke from behind Laila. She changed from feeling comfortable to being on guard in the blink of an eye. In a flash, Laila had already grabbed her rapier from the Inventory and moved her body swiftly enough to direct her weapon towards the chest of a cloaked figure. The mysterious figure was taken aback by this small one's agility. In less than a second, she pulled her weapon from the air with a silent grace, not a hint of hesitation in her movements.
"You seem somewhat experienced if you're this jumpy," the man chuckled. He slowly raised his arm and delicately lowered the rapier with the tip of his finger.
"I assume you're the guy that brought us here?" Laila coldly replied, glaring at the man.
"Is this how you treat your savior? With hostility?"
"Wouldn't you do the same if you were in my shoes? Being stranded in the middle of nowhere on the brink of death and suddenly waking up in a warm log cabin with a stranger?"
"…Good point," he shrugged as he stepped back. "If I wished to cause you harm, you two would have already perished in the depths of South Osmen's snow-covered wilderness."
South Osmen? If Laila recalls correctly, South Osmen is west of the Ashia continent! How the hell did Solgen transport them that far away? Has she been holding back the extent of her powers this whole time?
Laila wore an anxious appearance as she walked around the log cabin, her eyebrows knit together. The log cabin was not overly large, since it was only around thirty feet. There were only two rooms in the dwelling, namely a bathroom and a bedroom. Laila was aware of this because both doors were open.
"Hey, little girl. If you don't mind, how about releasing that magic of yours?" The tall figure dryly noted. The man was trapped within a ring of ten swords, their edges glimmering dangerously close. Laila set up her magic while simultaneously drawing her weapon. It was why the man made a remark earlier about her reflexes. Whoever trained this girl has to be an experienced fighter.
Laila gave the man a suspicious, narrowed-eyed look before reluctantly letting go of her magical powers. There was a sudden, bright burst of light, and the swords that had been surrounding the man were gone in an instant.
"Good. Now, have a seat. I have a few things I want to ask you two."
He tilted his head at the dining table that was in the kitchen. There were no walls here that could separate the rooms other than the bathroom and bedroom. The kitchen, living room, and dining room were all connected by an open floor plan. The log cabin was so cramped, she could almost feel the stuffiness of the air. A family of two could find just enough space to move freely and comfortably in this kind of place.
After carefully examining their predicament and scouring the area for any traps and exits, Laila finally settled into the chair at the dining table. She watched as the cloaked man gingerly took the chair across from hers, his long cloak sweeping the floor. Both individuals stared each other down. Laila hadn't noticed it before, but his eyes were the only discerning features that weren't covered. He had eyes of a deep purple, like a lilac in full bloom, and the sun made them twinkle like the meadows of the countryside. Those eyes reminded her of Solgen, Airon, and Volken…
"…Why are you tearing up?" The stranger asked, leaning forward a bit. She waved him off, gently wiping away the tears that had fallen onto her cheeks.
"It's n-nothing. I was just thinking about something," Laila replied. She held back yet more tears as she attempted to recall the comforting aroma of her mother's home cooking or the feeling of sinking into the cushions of her couch back at home. That only seemed to have made things worse as both lines of thinking led back to losing something she treasured, which would be her home on Earth, and her mother.
"How did you breach the barrier?" The man interrupted her thoughts. Laila raised her head and locked eyes with him.
"Barrier? I know nothing about this barrier, but we were probably able to breach it because of someone's magic," Laila answered.
"Someone's magic, you say? That is only possible if they are of a higher rank. Only a person who possesses a massive amount of mana and skill would be able to pass through."
"Then I guess this 'someone' who helped us is just that strong," Laila sneered, leaning back in her chair. That action only displeased the homeowner even more.
"I-"
"Let me say this first," Laila interjected. "I know you're an Apithien. Those lavender eyes of yours were a dead giveaway. Your hand is also snow-white. From my knowledge, only one group of people has those distinct features."
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Silence soon befell the room as both parties continued to observe each other. All this time, these two were prying for information while also not revealing too much of themselves. They had no inkling of trust in each other. They were skeptical individuals by nature, and this odd situation only fueled that skepticism further. The silence went on for a couple of minutes before one of them sighed deeply.
"You have a bright mind for someone so young," he said with a laugh. Since his identity was already blown, the man found no need to continue wearing this get-up. Slowly, the man reached for his mask and gently removed it.
Laila inadvertently let out a sharp gasp at the sight. Behind the mask, the face was marred by deep, raised scars that could be felt as well as seen. One ran down his right eye while the next was a small one on his left cheek. The last one was located on the far edge of his mouth and stopped at the collarbone. Even with the scars, the man was still naturally handsome. He had slicked-back hair that stretched to his clavicle, and his nose was so sharp it could split diamonds. Laila hadn't realized that she had been staring for a while until the man cleared his throat.
"Ahem… Is my face that unsightly?" He raised an eyebrow, placing the mask on the table. Laila shook her head quickly and apologized.
"N-No… I was just surprised that you actually revealed your face! Usually people would rather keep the mask on," she quickly added.
"Really now…"
"A-Anyways! Why did you save us?" Laila shouted, wanting to change the subject.
"To extract information out of you. It's nigh impossible to enter South Osmen without internal help or a deep understanding of our barrier. You two are anomalies on our land, and I have to deduce whether you are harmless or a threat to our well-being."
Laila peered through squinted eyes at the man, her thoughts churning. Our? This man isn't the only person around these parts then. There aren't any windows here, so I can't tell where we are exactly.
"You're on the outskirts of Frigiod, one of many settlements. This right here is a shelter for any Apithien to bunker down and rest. I can't be bringing in strangers whose intentions are unknown and risk the lives of my people," the man disclosed, rising out of his chair. He navigated his way to the corner of the kitchen and was met with the sight of a large pot hanging from a shining metal pole. Under that pot was firewood recently used as ashes were strewn.
"So, this is about trust, huh?" Laila said, watching the man inspecting the pot's interior.
"That much is obvious, yes," he snorted. Laila sat still for a moment, pondering deeply what to say next. She'll have to tell him something that would one-hundred percent convince him fully to let them inside Frigiod. Laila had no intentions of being tossed outside like trash and freezing to death. She also had to think about her brother's safety. What would be the best course of action to solidify her chances of being trustful, if not somewhat?
"…"
A wandering piece of information soon caught her attention. Laila remembered Volken was the self-proclaimed leader of the Apithiens, taking over Solgen's position after her imprisonment. She could use Volkens' reputation and standing to gain the Apithiens trust. Not only that, but she also still has 'that' up her sleeve. She'll only have to reveal a bit of information to tickle this man's curiosity like an itch that will never go away.
"Have you heard about the battle between Solgen and Volken in the Ashia Continent, stranger?" Laila teased. The stranger abruptly halted his movements, turning his lanky frame towards her. His eyebrows were drawn together and his eyes were filled with a sense of wonder. The man's lips were curved downward as he frowned deeply.
"Care to elaborate further?" He probed. "How do you know of our esteemed leaders, Sir Solgac and Sir Volken? What is your relationship with them?"
"What's our relationship with them, you ask? It's quite simple, really." Laila stood up from her chair and walked over to the tall man. She had to crane her neck upwards just to see his face in proximity. Laila was getting sick and tired of talking to these giant-like species that are the Apithiens.
"I'm the protégé of Solgen, while Isaac is the protégé of Volken!" Laila announced, puffing her chest confidently. Though she was pulling up a front, deep down she hoped that her acting was as convincing as humanely possible. Laila silently prayed that the man could not hear her heart racing as she tried to deceive him.
"You two are the disciples of our esteemed leaders? The leaders who are the most powerful in our history? The ones who are known to accept little to no disciples, especially Sir Solgen herself?"
"Er… Yes? Is it that hard to believe?" Laila opened one of her eyes to see his reaction. Instead of a frown, the man was now staring blank-faced at Laila. She had no idea if he trusted, let alone believed, any of her words. There was no reaction to the news she had just uttered out loud. Because of that, Laila tried to hammer it in by speaking further.
"If it's legitimacy you're worried about, then I'll have you know something that only you guys would have knowledge of!" She clasped her fingers together. "Volken's magic is that he uses golems from whatever material is in the area. He also has a disciple named Airon, and he's able to see into the future for half a second. Only people close to Volken would know of this information, right?"
The man's skeptical gaze didn't waver, and Laila could feel the sweat gathering on her forehead.
The stranger was absorbed in his thoughts, pondering the girls words. The information she spewed just now is true. Only us Apithiens know of Sir Volken's magic. If not us, then only a select few outside of us would know. In fact, I have now just remembered what Volken had told me before. He had mentioned that he was interested in a pair of siblings, in which they were called humans. They had a skin color similar to our neighbors, the Bellagros warriors, and these two fit the description. Is this girl really telling the truth? If so, then the Elders will have to meet them...
"…Alright little girl," the stranger announced, walking past Laila and grabbing the mask from the table. "I'll believe your story for now. What you told me so far has somewhat convinced me."
Laila felt the tension that had been building up on her shoulders slowly begin to dissipate after hearing the confirmation. If things went south, she would have no choice but to threaten him. What came after, she did not know.
"While I may believe you, for now, I might not say the same for the Elders. I must inform them of what just happened. You two will come along, of course."
The stranger was now standing in front of the doorway, donning the mask on his face. "Go wake your brother up. We will leave once you two are ready."
"No need for that. I was awake this whole time," said a voice coming from the living room. We both turned our heads to witness Isaac rise from his makeshift bed, the sound of his yawn echoing through the room.
"Man! I slept like a baby! Sleeping on the floor occasionally isn't so bad!" He yawned again, strutting toward the masked man. Isaac stopped right in front of him and held out his hand.
"You're that guy from before, right? I just wanna say thanks for saving us. Without you, we would've been goners!"
"Hmph." With a grunt, the man took Isaacs's hand and shook it, nodding his head.
While this was happening, Laila's eyes were set on her brother. Why does he seem so… calm? I thought he would sulk after what we went through… I see no discomfort or sadness emanating from him. What's going on in that head of his?
"What's the matter, sister? Why are you frowning at me?" Isaac asked with an arched eyebrow.
"… It's nothing." Laila turned her attention to the man. "We're ready to go. Lead the way… uh..."
"Taligen. You may call me Taligen," he assured, twirling his body around. When the door opened, a wave of frigid winter air flooded into the log cabin. Though it was just for a second, Isaac and I were already shuddering from the drop in temperature.
"Do you have anything warm we could use?" Isaac shouted from the extreme winds.
"No. Get used to the cold while you're here," Taligen cautioned as he stepped outside of the cabin. Isaac and Laila both exchanged glances.
"Us Floridians are not used to this damn cold!" Isaac complained to his sister.
"Yep…" Laila agreed. Not wanting to lose Taligen in the thick, gray mist, both siblings hurried outside the log cabin, the door slamming shut behind them, leaving the cozy warmth of the refuge and venturing back into the desolate and icy Forest of Snow.