We were on our way back into the forest at the beginning of all this, looking for a root vegetable called terraqilin. With Kotori and Geoff by my side, I felt reassured and safe. With family back at the village, I felt obligated to find lots to help out. A purpose is all that is needed to ignite a spark in someone’s life, and at the moment I felt a purpose.

“Mr. Rabbit, I’m so glad you’re okay. I’ve never felt so tense in my life seeing you limp on the ground after that wolf attacked us,” Kotori whispered.

“I’m really proud of you, Kotori. You knew how to do everything even without my help.”

“You know, after you passed out, Kojirou ended up killing that wolf. We all hate the wolves that constantly harass our village. So many people have been killed because of these wolves…” Kotori bit her lip, in self frustration.

“Now now… Kotori, let’s lighten the mood. I know you can understand me Mr. Rabbit, but I can’t understand you. My name’s Geoff. I was born and raised in this village. That village is family to me, and we’re glad to have you.”

Born and raised in that village, he certainly fit that physique. Years of manual labour built him like a bull, but his face shows nothing but happiness, if not simplicity.

“What exactly does terraqilin even look like anyways?” I questioned Kotori.

“Ah right… You never actually had a chance to look at it in its natural form. I think I might still have a little bit left.”

Kotori reached for her fanny pack and pulled out a small root no larger than her pinky.

It was a root vegetable that somewhat resembles a ginseng root except curves ran down the entirety of the plant like a keris knife.

“It’s called terraqilin because it resembles the Kirin, a dragon in folklore. The way it curves over and over again. Ah… and also its properties when you eat it.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“When eaten raw, it is capable of completely nullifying any pain you feel. However, too much of it, and all your senses will go numb until it is out of your body.”

“The jelly you had earlier, it used a very little amount of terraqilin, barely grated inside.”

“Wait… if terraqilin is capable of removing all pain in my body, why didn’t you give me any that time earlier?”

“If I fed you that terraqilin, you would have passed out from the numbing effects alone.”

“Wow Kotori you sure know a lot about this. Has Aunt Komina been teaching you this as of late?”

“You know this Geoff. I wanted to help Kotoba as much as I could after her parents passed. I asked Aunt Komina to teach me everything about the different brews.”

“You really are something else, Kotori.” Geoff smiled.

How interesting. This will be a useful sedative for future surgeries.

“How do we find this root?” I asked.

“I thought you had an acute sense of smell that could detect terraqilin,” Kotori joked. “Anywho, there is some truth to that. Take a smell of this root.”

Kotori waved the root in front of my nose peeking out of the wicker basket. The smell was metallic almost like iron and pungent at the same time.

“They tend to grow in well shaded areas in the moist soil. The lush forests near our village is a perfect place for the terraqilin,” Kotori explained.

“Often times, they grow near other plants such as the snowflower.”

“Alright keep an eye out for them, Kotori. I’ll know once I see one.”

Kotori nodded.

… Half a day passed, and yet Kotori, Geoff and I had no luck. We decided to have a small meal, kindly packed by Geoff as Kotori had forgotten, or expected us to be back by mid day. Clearing some of the dirt and foliage from the ground, we took a seat onto the forest floor.

“It ain’t much, but it’ll get us through the day,” Geoff said, as he grabbed a couple rice cake like squares from his knapsack, The rice cakes were wrapped in a dark green leaf similar to a banana leaf.

Geoff unwrapped one and passed it to Kotori, The inside was lined with some dark brown filing, likely some fermented fruits and meats I think.

“So, Kotori, earlier I remember you were talking about Insignias. What is that?”

“Insignias… ah, I remember now. When we were talking about terraqilin back in the village. See Insignias are an innate energy that exists in all of us. The greatest of heroes in our world all have extraordinary Insignia energies, with their own Ascended Insignias as well,” Kotori said, after taking a bite out of the cake.

“Kotori, you’re talking gibberish to me right now.”

“Think about it like this… Everyone has an innate energy in their body, an Insignia. It doesn’t usually do anything for most people but some people are able to tap into that energy. This gives them the ability to do amazing things, almost like superpowers. Some people’s Insignia allows them to cast magic spells, some are able to enhance their own bodies, and some even make you better at cooking. When you are able to access a power like this, it’s called an Awakened Insignia. When you master said Awakened Insignia, then it’s considered to be an Ascended Insignia.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“That’s amazing. Kotori… do you have an Insignia?”

“I wish I could show you, but I don’t have the slightest of control to my Insignia. Heck, no one in the village does. I guess we’re just not special people.”

“Ah, you must be talking about Insignias Kotori? Mr. Rabbit, don’t dwell in those stories. They are just that. Stories,” Geoff interjected, having finished half his rice cake.

Kotori ripped a chunk of the rice cake and gestured me to open my mouth.

“Umm… Kotori does that rice cake have any meat in it. It would probably be a bad idea if I ate any meat.”

“No, this is made with pickled vegetables and rice. We don’t really have the luxury of eating much meat anymore even if we wanted to.”

“Ah…” I took a nibble off Kotori’s finger.”

“This is really good!” I exclaimed.

“Um Kotori, I don’t think you should be feeding that to the rabbit. I’m pretty sure rabbits don't eat grains.”

Kotori eyes widened and immediately retracted her hand from feeding me another bite.

“I’m sorry… Kotori’s eyes watered, realizing her mistake.

“I’m sure it’s not a big deal, please don’t be worried!” I quickly comforted.

“Uuuu…” Kotori continued to pout.

“Ah, Kotori never was the self forgiving type you know, Mr. Rabbit. She could care less about herself but when she has the responsibility to take care of someone else, she could never forgive anything bar perfection,” Geoff commented.

Kotori blushed as Geoff gave Kotori a headpat.

“Do you really think that Geoff?”

“Yeah. You’re one of a kind.”

Kotori smiled with her eyes closed, as the sunlight radiated her face, making me feel the urge to smile in response as well.

One of a kind.

“Alright gang, let’s finish up our little lunch break, and continue finding those terraqilin,” Geoff commanded.

Kotori nods, putting away half her rice cake into the fanny pack, which will surely get all sticky and gross, and gestured me to go back into the wicker basket. I slowly limped my way back into the basket, careful not to upset my leg again.

And away we go!

…

“Hey, Kotori, that patch of wet soil looks promising!” Geoff pointed.

Kotori turned around, and nodded. I peeked out of my wicker basket, and noticed the area too. It was very moist and reeked of rotting plant matter, but also a faint smell of what Kotori showed me earlier.

“Kotori, I think we’re onto something,” I reaffirmed Kotori.

Geoff began digging with his gloved hands into the mushy soil, unearthing many different bugs and plants along the way.

“Aha there’s one!” Geoff exclaimed as he pulled out a thin looking root covered in thick soil. Using his less dirty hand, he carefully brushed away the soil, revealing a curvaceous looking root in the palm of his hand.

“That’s one down,” Geoff said happily, as she handed it to Kotori to put into her wicker basket.

“Any more in there?” Kotori asked.

“Doesn’t look like it. Let’s head deeper into the forest,” Geoff recommended.

“I don’t know Kotori… I have a bad feeling about this,” I interjected.

“Don’t worry Mr. Rabbit, we both will be here incase something goes wrong,” Kotori reassured.

… and yet another half a day passed, and we wouldn’t find any more than 5 roots. It was time to head back.

“Well, that’s a day’s of work I suppose,” Geoff said hesitantly wiping the sweat off his forehead with his hands soiled in dirt, making it worse.

“Even if we wanted to get more, it’s too late in the day now,” Kotori supported.

“Let’s go then, friends!” Geoff happily said. “Umm…”

“You do know the way back right?” Kotori quickly asked.

“I thought you were keeping track!” Geoff said.

We truly were idiots, realizing we went deeper into the forest without keeping track of where we were.

Kotori sighed, “Yes I do know the way, but what if I didn’t? We would be stranded out here with no way home!”

Geoff rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled embarrassingly.

“Never was one for directions.... Haha..”

“Follow me…” Kotori said, disappointed at Geoff.

“You know something Mr. Rabbit, you really are a lucky little fellow meeting Kotori. She’s the most motherly little girl I know. She really lifts the hopes of everyone in the village,” Geoff complimented.

Kotori’s face reddened slightly as she lowered her head.

“Aw shucks, didn’t mean to embarrass you like that!” Geoff quickly realized.

“It’s… it’s fine,” Kotori murmured.

“Kotori… how old are you exactly?” I asked out of curiosity.

“Mr. Rabbit… haven’t you ever heard the phrase ‘Don’t ask a lady her age’,” Kotori answered. “Geoff’s 20 though by the way.”

I stared at her with a very dumbfounded face, a bit amused by her response.

“Yeah, I’m 20. The little ones always think of me as a big brother, and you know what, I’ll play that role any day,” Geoff said cheerfully.

“You guys get along well,” I commented.

“Thanks,” Kotori answered.

The day soon grew closer and closer to night, as the light started to dim, even through the little crevices of the thick forest. Kotori accordingly pulled out an oil lamp and set it ablaze while continuing along the way back to the village.

“It’s rather calming at night time like this, isn’t it Mr. Rabbit.” Geoff commented. “When things were better we would often spend the night out camping and watching the stars, foraging for berries and wild mushrooms. Nowadays, the forest is so overgrown and full of dying plant matter. No more berries or mushrooms, just the smell of musk and rot. It’s not natural,” Geoff commented.

Awooo…

“Sorry what was that Kotori?” I asked.

“I didn’t say anything,” Kotori quickly answered.

Awooo…

“Are you guys hearing this too?” I quickly asked.

Geoff and Kotori both look at me in confusion.

Please help me…

“I’m definitely hearing something. It’s coming this way!” I pointed in a direction seemingly cut off by the growth of bushes and trees.

Geoff quickly used a hatchet to cut open a way, and we ran towards the sound I supposedly heard.

A wolf lay in the rotting ground, with lucious black fur, but blood seeped on the ground where he laid. An ominous scene of nature as a majestic beast lied pitifully in wait of its demise.

Kotori gasped out of shock realizing the wolf was on the verge of death.

Multiple bite marks and lacerations, missing flesh all over. The wolf desperately gasped for breath, clearly in a lot of pain.

It hurts everywhere. Help…

“Kotori. It’s time to save another life.”