"So, your earliest memory is opening your eyes in this forest?" I asked Larve as she munched on the apple I had given her. With her cheeks full, she resembled a little hamster. She nodded, her gaze fixed on me.
"You have no family, home, or memories?" I pressed, and she shook her head.
"Okay." That raised a lot of red flags. I was deep in a forest teeming with hostile creatures, and this little girl—who had an unusual appearance, no less—was here all alone? How had she gotten here? My instincts screamed that nothing good could come from this situation, but…
"Do you want to come with me?" I sighed, making the decision.
"Can I?" Her voice was meek, filled with hope.
"They say whatever is enough for one is enough for two where I come from. Besides, I was getting bored of traveling alone."
"Really?" Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Yes. Let's go. If you remember anything, tell me."
As we started walking, she fell into step slightly behind me, her silence companionable. To break the quiet, I began to sing.
"Aşkın şarabından bilmeden içtim." (I drank love's wine without knowing.)
"Sevda yolundan bilmeden geçtim." (I passed through love's road without knowing.)
When I glanced back at her, I noticed she was watching me intently, her star-filled eyes wide with interest.
"Aşkın bir alevmiş yar, yar." (Your love is a flame love, love.)
Her voice joined mine, soft at first, like a gentle breeze.
"Bir ateş parçası." (A piece of flame.)
As her confidence grew, her voice rose to match mine.
"Bilmeden gönlümü ateşe verdim." (Unknowingly set my heart to flame.)
Her voice was breathtaking as if I was listening to her with my soul rather than my ears.
"Bir defa sevmek bin defa ölmek demekmiş." (Loving once meant dying a thousand times.)
Despite her quiet tone, it felt like my own voice was being overshadowed by hers.
"Bin kere ölüp hiç ölememekmiş." (It was dying a thousand times and never being able to die.)
I stopped suddenly, sensing a tug behind me.
"What happened?" I asked, turning to her.
"Why did you stop?" She pouted, looking like I had taken away her favorite toy.
"Well, I don’t remember all the words. It was a sad song anyway."
"What's it about?" She tilted her head, curious.
"Love."
"But isn't love something good?"
"Ummm. It is. But my culture saw it as a very strong emotion. So strong, in fact, that when you get caught, it burns you away." I stroked my chin, pondering.
"Don't fly to love, your wings will burn."
"What would you do with wings if not for flying to love?"
"Who needs wings once you arrive at love?"
I chuckled, amused that I could still recall those lines. I used them to flirt back in the day, though the "love" in those poems referred to the Love of the Creator, not romantic love.
"Those are excerpts from three poems, three poets. The later ones respond to the earlier ones."
"I don't understand, but I think I love Poyraz!"
I laughed, ruffling her hair affectionately.
"Thank you."
"Do you know any more songs?"
"Are you sure you want to listen to my crow-like voice?" I teased.
"Yes!" she exclaimed, jumping in excitement.
With an audience like hers, even the grumpiest singers would sing.
"You've fallen right out of the sky. I could swear you're a natural high."
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We sang together, her laughter blending with the melody. Every time I paused to catch my breath, she complained, her enthusiasm infectious. This continued until the sun began to set.
I glanced around, realizing I needed to make plans for the night. Normally, I would climb a tree and spend the night there, hidden in the shadows of my Shadow Melt skill. But I doubted that was a suitable arrangement for a little girl.
I managed to light a fire and gathered bushes and branches to create a makeshift hut for us. After cooking the horned rabbits, we shared the meal alongside the berries I had gathered.
As night fell, I crawled into the hut with her, wrapping her in my coat to shield her from the cold.
"Are you cold?" I asked, concerned.
"No. It’s warm," she replied, snuggling closer.
"Huh. Guess I’m a father now," I thought, listening to her breathing slow as she drifted off to sleep. Life really is strange. From being a student to becoming a supersoldier, then dying and finding myself in this new world… it was a lot to take in.
(Shadow Melt Proficiency Percentage: 97%)
(Night Vision Proficiency Percentage: 98%)
Name Poyraz Karabulut Strength 11 Agility 10 Vitality 11 Mana 1 Charisma 6 Defense 8
Spark: Fallen Soldier’s Armor(Low grade, growing) *Can generate armor around your body.
*Increase all stats by 10 percent.
*Increases defense further by 10.
*Will form armor automatically in danger.
*Gives resistances:
-Darkness 10 %
-Fire 8%
-Curse 5 %
-Instant death 30 %
-Poison 3 % Spark Skills Night Vision E(Passive)
Shadow Melt E (Passive) Personal skills Unarmed Combat Mastery B(Passive)
Sword Mastery B(Passive)
Combat Sense C(Passive)
Iron Will A(Passive) Titles Locked
I noticed that my stats had increased by one in a few areas. Considering I had mostly been walking, eating, and fighting, I guess that wasn’t surprising. Both skills and stats could be improved to make me stronger. Truthfully, I didn’t feel much stronger than when I first arrived, but I hadn’t encountered anything dangerous except when I was outnumbered by cultists. But that didn’t really count, and no, it wasn’t because I was a sore loser.
I sighed, planning to wake up at sunrise. With that thought, I closed my eyes and let the warmth of the fire lull me into a peaceful sleep.