After I'd lain...

~

"You have to let go of her!!"

Lasory's and my mother's voices echoed together throughout the once again dark tunnel.

The bloodied hand of Myu's and her tear-ridden face was an image in my mind overlapped by the cold, pale hand of Gabriel's and her empty, lifeless face.

I shivered them away - there were things to focus on and this wasn't doing me any good.

Coming across real civilization was a good sign, and had me hoping for some sign of escape coming up soon. There were other small caverns and caves, most collapsed, that had bits of old life there, like this was one big network of life forever ago.

Nothing else was salvageable or recognizable, though, at least not until I came across yet another massive cavern, but this one was illuminated by a large, pearly stone at the center of the ceiling, which took my eyes a fair bit of time to adjust to.

There were fields of real grass, very old and broken down structures, more than faded paths, and a whole slew of monsters. I guess I fit right in with that department, but this was clearly a city at some point, one much nicer to live in than the one I just came from.

I noticed a small hill near the edge, where a humble little memorial sat. It was the only thing that was still recognizable as a structure, while everything else was completely ruined.

A few monsters were noticing me, most hiding as they noticed my horns barely visible from the edge of my hood, but I was being noticed nonetheless and didn't care much for it. There were also a plentiful handful of goblins sleeping or lazing around in these old, decrepit, abandoned buildings, once maybe even homes, centuries ago.

One goblin had on some decent-looking clothes, who noticed me and began to approach. It actually spoke - be it in a language I couldn't understand and a shriveled voice - but it was speaking.

It sensed my anticipation at its approach and laid down its weapon, a crudely made and rusty knife, then held up its hands as it continued forward. I wasn't sure what to think. Was this supposed to be some sort of attempt at a pact or does the goblin want something from me?

Unfortunately, this cave was lit up, and I noticed the glint of another concealed knife from a mile away. Given that my eyes were mostly shadowed by my hood and I was still mostly focused on its face, I was able to keep my gaze from giving away that I knew what the crafty fucker was up to, and as soon as it got close to me, it drew the knife.

In a split second as the goblin swung at me, I was able to put it in a choke hold, just the same as Lasory did to me. Despite being mildly upset that this creature tried to stab me, I was honestly beaming inside at the fact that I managed to break its attack and react quickly like that. Sure I knew it was coming but come on still, I deserve at least a little credit!

This time I had him in a knife hold of my own, the knife being my tail. Normally I don't have it this high though, so even with all the gathering monsters and goblins beginning to surround me, I could only think about the fact that my cloak was very awkwardly lifted behind me to the side and totally ruining my badass vibe right now.

Oh well, that wasn't really the biggest deal.

"I'll kill your little pal here!!" I shouted menacingly, knowing full-well they didn't understand the words but probably got the intent.

The different monsters kept approaching, one of them looking like an undead... thing? riding on a very dark-colored panther-looking animal. Oh the things you find in this wonderful cave.

My threats didn't seem to be working, so I just finished off the goblin with a quick slash across its throat, and as soon as it hit the ground, three more goblins behind me released their arrows that they'd been quietly drawing. Needless to say, I didn't hear them being drawn.

One struck my leg and I barely rolled out of the way of the other two, but after a loud cry of pain, I turned around and threw Caiasiara's knife without thinking about it, somehow making my mark and taking out a goblin. Now feeling the extreme adrenaline flooding in, the arrow in my leg carried not the slightest bit of pain, and I dashed toward the three archers, ripped out the arrow, used it to kill the second, passed by the first and took my knife back, and then killed the third.

I guess this showed the rest that I meant business, because some of them in the back fell away, while the rest came at me at once. From there, it was just a straight up brawl. I'd never taken so many targets on at once, but dear God it was exhilarating.

As I cut down, kicked, and sliced through these monsters, I could only think about how I was finally able to fight through enemies like this.

I'm a fighter now. I can protect myself.

The worst of the crowd saved himself for last: the undead rider.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The key to that one was range. He wasn't able to turn on a dime or get off his mount quickly, so picking up dinky knives and shortswords to throw at him did the trick. Granted it took me more tries than I'd like to admit, and it was quite frankly embarrassing, but when he too hit the ground, I muttered, "first try."

After that I set up the shoddy hammock, rested off my wounds, of course achieving no real sleep and instead spending the time remembering my time in the hammocks in Myu's tree, and then hopped back down, only to realize Vaxen was once again asleep in my pocket the whole time without a care in the world.

I threw him.

Since I was up again, I did some looting and sightseeing before I continued along.

The memorial I spotted earlier caught my interest, so I gave it a look. Not much more than a humble gravestone now covered in vines, it was a dedication to a "Robin - the small-town big witch," who "kept us safe even beyond her years."

Sounds noble... or something... I guess.

I thought about the city in the dark cavern, this one and how it must have been a city of its own, then wondered how many places just like this are all over this cave. How long have they been here?

Beyond that, I'm still no closer to finding a way out than I was when I first got in this cave, so the best I have going for me right now is to find the woman in my visions and get answers from her.

Perhaps I could figure out a way to talk to Caiasiara and get information from him. That and absolutely rail him with my fists for the hell he put me through.

Perhaps I could get a bite to eat, I thought as my stomach grumbled. Fighting takes a lot from me.

Going through what was left of this place, I couldn't find even the slightest morsel to eat or loot, so I wound up having to gut that panther-looking thing and eat that over a shoddy fire.

Not that I'm in any place to have standards but this was pretty bad.

I finished it off with a sip of the alcohol I bought, but this stuff was just straight shit compared to what I had in the bar. Either way I guess I should save it for when I really need it.

With that, I gave Vaxen a few bites, and boy was he not happy with what he got, then moved along.

There were more abandoned caverns and cutouts like this one, though all of them were far far worse off than even the one I was just at.

I passed a small crick, with which I refilled on some much-needed water and washed off my not-so-white-anymore fur overcoat.

While I waited for it to dry, I tried out magic again, realizing that I must be able to do it now that I have a stronger grasp on fighting.

So I reached my hands out, took a deep breath, and pictured that strange orb Lasory made, how its energy felt so connected with me.

I pictured the wind leaving my hands, just the same as in the forest.

When I opened my eyes and let my mind resume, there was nothing there. Everything remained the same.

There was a sinking feeling tied to a deep frustration. Why can't I figure this shit out? I'm such an amazing fighter now and I've done magic before. I should know exactly how this works.

"Uggghh!!" I shouted with clenched fists as I kicked the wall as hard as I could.

Hey buddy, it's a stone wall. And now I can't feel my foot - hey wait, I need that, right?

"UGGGGGHH!!" I angrily threw my still wet coat over my cloak and storming along the cave, with only the echoes of my rage and stomping feet to console me.

~

Hyaru

The outskirts of Khazal

Ellice and I made it to a little town at the edge of a poor, war-ruined country named Khazal. As a place seen always as a dump and wasteland, third world at best, because of the nature of its residents, we've always taken the fall for the squabbles and conflicts of other countries, and been in a constant state of defense since anyone anywhere would jump at the first chance to riddle this place in ash and smoke.

The small town of San-Gren [Sane Gren], coming from humble beginnings as a tiny merchant stop run by retired adventurers, grew itself with time through its gallant leadership and valuable citizens. It was first a home for adventurers, retired and active, to come back to, but later grew as they started families of their own and their children started businesses and such.

While still a small town at its core, its leader, Juniper, won the hearts of its people, and so did his family. Namely his first adopted son, Hyaru.

Boy have I been keeping the family business alive and running.

(I haven't, in case that needed explaining.)

My history runs deep with this place and with my family, but there's a reason I'm a little more than just excited to be staring at the side of my childhood home at the edge of the city at the edge of the country. To be honest, I'm rather queasy. I ran away and abandoned my people, and left behind everything my parents had raised me to be.

Elle noticed, and she gave me a good wack on the back.

"Sucker up and go inside," she scolded. "However things happen is how they happen but you're not getting very far just standing there."

I sighed. "Yeah yeah."

Looking around, I could see hazy outlines, faint ghosts of former versions of myself and the time they all spent here.

A very tiny toddler me in the crack of dawn, swinging a crude wooden sword around as I pictured myself being an adventurer like my dad. Another me, barely a year or two older than the last, learning magic for the first time. Distant echoes of a little me giggling with Riyelle and Ellice as we played and chased each other through the grass like animals, or threw snowballs when the snow left this handmade cottage feeling more like a cozy cabin.

Then there was the one who dove out the window and used his magic to hide on the roof. Through the old window I could see so many versions of myself laying in my mother's lap - or later sitting by her side when I grew too old for her lap - as she read to me or told me stories from when she, too, was an adventurer.

I saw myself learning to cook, crying after a scrape, triumphantly bringing home the reward of my first successful hunt, the many feasts and parties we had and the massive celebrations when I earned my tails.

Those ghosts all faded to dust and warbled, along with the rest of reality, as a tear fell down my cheek in the frigid morning air.

"Awww," Ellice empathized and gave me a warm side hug. I could feel her skin and her hair against my neck, and her heartbeat brought mine back down.

I sniffled. "Sorry I... I didn't realize it would be this hard..."

With a very, very deep breath, I firmly gripped my wife's hand and made my way to the doorstep. I guess someone beat me, though, because the door opened to my absolutely speechless mother, who stumbled forward as a surge of tears seemed to race down her cheek.

"My boy!!" She gasped, her voice breaking into a heart-wrenching screech as she let out into a full-on wail. I didn't even have the time to tell her I was sorry or give her my whole speech before she had me in her arms and the rest of the family came rushing down the stairs.

"I'm home... Mom," I barely mustered out as I, too, began to cry.