Pyrrha took the lead, her posture steady and confident. I didn't question her decision it was the logical choice. As for me, I trudged along behind her, my shoulders tense and my mind racing. I should’ve felt relieved, even grateful, to have someone like Pyrrha by my side. But instead, I was consumed by a gnawing disappointment in myself.
She tried to make conversation a few times, but I couldn’t muster more than a nod or a grunt in response. Eventually, she stopped trying and focused entirely on scanning the area for threats. The silence between us grew heavy, filled only by the sound of our boots crunching through the forest undergrowth.
As we trekked deeper into the woods, we came across a cave entrance. Its jagged maw stretched downward into darkness, the path within twisting and turning out of sight. Pyrrha suggested we move on it was too risky to navigate an uncertain path. I agreed, and we pressed further into the forest.
During our hike, Pyrrha mentioned reading about the ruins of an old temple somewhere in the northern part of the forest.
"It might contain artifacts relics of some kind that shouldn’t just be scattered around in the wild," she explained.
It wasn’t much of a lead, but it was the only point of reference we had, so we adjusted our course.
The forest wasn’t quiet. Grimm appeared occasionally, emerging from the shadows like dark phantoms. Pyrrha dispatched them with a skill that was as effortless as it was awe-inspiring. My admiration for her grew with each encounter, but so did my frustration. I was barely a participant in these fights, an observer at best.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Finally, we stumbled upon a clearing. In its center were the remnants of crumbling walls, and beyond them, the ruins of the temple we had been seeking. What was left of it looked pitiful—eroded stones and broken pillars scattered haphazardly. Doubt crept into my mind.
"Could we really find anything useful here?" I muttered under my breath.
Still, since we’d come this far, it was worth taking a look.
As we approached, movement caught my eye. From behind a large stone stepped a Grimm unlike any I’d seen before. It was small, humanoid in shape, with stubby claws and tiny, horn-like protrusions on its head. In its hand, it clutched a crude mace, its surface jagged and uneven.
The creature seemed nervous, its head twitching as it glanced around. Was it lost? Separated from its group? Or perhaps it had wandered here on purpose? Pyrrha instinctively readied her weapon, but I raised a hand to stop her.
"This one’s mine," I said firmly.
She hesitated, her gaze flicking between me and the Grimm. For a moment, I thought she would protest, but instead, she gave me a serious nod and sheathed her weapon.
This was my chance. My opportunity to prove I wasn’t just dead weight. I gripped my sword tightly and unsheathed my shield, stepping forward to face the Grimm.
The creature noticed me and froze, its glowing eyes narrowing. My heart pounded, but I forced myself to take a deep breath. Stay calm. Focus.
The Grimm growled low in its throat, then lunged. I braced myself, my sword and shield raised.
It was time to prove to myself and to Pyrrha that I could do this.