The other adventurer is not subtle, making no attempt to conceal their progress. Shrubs have been carelessly trodden down; the remains of slimes and other monsters I don't recognize lay by the wayside. My internal system identifies their bodies, but the words mean nothing. Izumi’s explanations don’t make a lick of sense, either.
They must be traveling on horseback, because something has stepped in the gore and tracked hoofprints instead of shoeprints all over. I can’t help but resent them for it.
The gap between us and the other person only grows. We're forced to make camp for the night. Between the two of us, Izumi and I are able to get a fire started with the tools we've brought along. We sit next to each other, huddling together for warmth as a cold wind blows.
“I could go for some tea right now,” I mumble.
“Oh yeah?” Izumi stands and retrieves a small tin from our rations bag. “How about this”
“You were holding out on me,” I accuse gently.
She opens the tin and we both look at the black and gold leaves as they’re illuminated by firelight. They have a gentle scent.
“Mama gave this to me before we left,” she says. “She said we could probably trade it in Cha for information.”
“Why?”
“I think it’s actually very rare for humans to have tea,” Izumi explains. “Sinensis has most of it delivered to his castle. The demons have a monopoly.”
“So we can’t even drink it?” I sigh. Then again, what cups did we have? What method did we have of boiling what little water we had for our travels? “Let me smell it before you put it away.”
She obliges. I breathe in deeply. I feel warmer already.
"You get some sleep," she says. "I'll take first watch."
As if on cue, chittering noises rise up in a cacophony all around us, warning us that the road isn't safe at night. It's half a dozen small creatures with elongated teeth and sharp claws, clad in shabby clothes and holding small swords in grubby paws. Their yellow eyes glinting in the firelight.
Ratfolk (level 2)
We pick up our weapons, which fortunately haven’t left our sides.
"Don't come any closer!" Izumi yells, shrill, piercing the night with the unmistakable hint of fear. "Ahh, I hate rats!"
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She saved me from the slimes, so now it's my turn to save her, I guess. I grip my axe tightly and hold my shield up as the first vermin lunges at us, undeterred by her shout.
My weapon slices flesh with a disgusting noise. I watch the blood spray out of its arm wound with awe and disgust. The rat chitters in pain but continues its charge. I meet its sword with my shield and parry its blow, but I'm too clumsy about it. The shield falls from my hand with the force of the impact.
I brace for the impact of sharp teeth – but I never feel a thing, because a barrier springs up between me and the disgusting creature, shining with a holy light. No matter how hard it scratches and bites and thrashes, its blows are deflected.
Continue casting Barrier? Y/N
Is this magic? Do I know magic?
I concentrate on the Y and I can feel my energy being slowly sapped from me as the barrier glows and grows larger, extending to protect Izumi, as well.
"Hiyori!" Izumi stares at me. "Since when have you been able to do that?"
"Since just now, I think."
The creatures squeak amongst themselves for a moment before deciding to beat a quick retreat. Izumi cheers, shouting some obscenities after them that I don't care to repeat.
The barrier drops and I fall to one knee, energy spent.
"I'll definitely take first watch now," she says, putting a hand on my shoulder.
I'm too shaken to sleep. I almost excuse myself to call Lavender on the mirror, to ask how I could have such a talent and why it would show itself now, but I've sworn to keep that cursed object a secret. Besides, I don't need a demon to tell me what I can figure out with a little trial and error.
"No. Let me take first watch," I say. "I'm fine."
"Sure." Izumi gives me a skeptical look. "But wake me up as soon as you feel like you have to."
"I promise."
Satisfied, or at least pretending to be, she grabs a blanket from her traveling bag and lays down with it, seemingly unbothered by the grassy bed she's made for herself. Did she have to sleep on her own in the wilderness before being taken in by the tavern? Or is this another case of familiarity with another world giving her the strength she needs to continue on and do what needs to be done?
I'm so far out of my depth, it's unreal. I sigh as I take a real look at the night sky. Unfamiliar constellations and a bright crescent moon watch over me.
I stretch a hand up, as if to reach for them—
And I drop it again, feeling silly.
The night passes slowly, with the sounds of woodland animals and the whispering wind providing enough distraction to keep me from nodding off. Gently, I shake Izumi awake. She's more than happy to take her turn, and we trade places without exchanging a word.
With my head on the ground, I hiccup. Then I sniffle. Bone-tired and too scared to sleep, my breathing is an uneasy staccato that gives way to sobs as strong as the magic that poured out of me earlier.
Izumi's looking over at me. I can see the worry on her face, illuminated by firelight, blurry through tears. "Hiyori?"
"What am I doing?" I ask. "Did I really do magic? Are we really stuck here?"
"Shhh. We'll talk about it in the morning, okay? You need to rest or we'll never get anywhere. We have to catch up to that other adventurer, don't we?"
She scoots closer, lifting my head and putting it in her lap. She strokes my hair like I'm a child – and for a moment, I let myself be one. I've taken so much of this in stride; I deserve a moment to sink into someone's embrace. There's something so gentle about her touch, and something so soothing about the way she hums, I feel as if we've known each other forever. My worries fade.
"Thank you," I mumble.
“Thank you,” she whispers back. “This world is so big, it’s impossible to adventure in it by yourself. But the two of us together? We’ll be able to do anything.