“Come on, get a move on!” Phisola said loudly as Eric dragged his feet behind her.

“Don’t you think we’re being reckless here?”

“There’s blood waiting for us! Come on!”

“Why are you yelling? Why are you attracting unnecessary attention? What if something ambushes us?”

“I’m yelling because a certain someone is dragging me down! By the way, aren’t you awfully slow for someone who doesn’t have much time? I thought we needed to hurry, yet here you are, dragging your feet like a baby.”

“Don’t you think we should be a little bit cautious?” He looked at her as if he was guilty of something, “You said there are some terrifying creatures living down here. So why not take it slow and steady?”

Turning around, Phisola walked back to him and got in his face: “Are you fucking deaf? I’ve just said that you don’t have time!”

“Sure, but it’s not like I’ll die tomorrow! I don’t have a hundred years, but that doesn’t mean we need to rush! And aren’t you scaring our prey with your yelling?”

“So you’re all talk, huh?”

Eric shrugged so deeply it looked like he tucked his head in: “I never bragged about anything! And I’m not a fighter, I’m a diplomat! So yeah, damn right I’m all talk! That’s literally how I make my living, through talking with other people!”

She bonked him lightly with the long club in her hand: “Stop being a smartass, you know I hate that! We went through this before!”

“Look, I understand you have a point to make, and I get it, ok? I realize that I’ve been complaining about something and that now, when I got what I wanted, I’m getting cold feet. I get that! But if I can recognize that and accept that I’m looking like a fool right now, can’t you recognize that we can’t rush forward just to prove a point?”

“It’s not about you being a fool, that can be forgiven. Hell, that was obvious from our very first encounter, where you prioritized staring at my tits to staying alive. But do you recognize that you’re a liar and a damn hypocrite?”

“For what?”

“For making a whole drama about how you only have a decade or two when clearly you can afford some time to be cautious.”

“But isn’t that just common sense? I do have a decade or two before I become more trouble than I’m worth. Ok, maybe even three. And while we should get blood as soon as possible, what good will it do if we die rushing it? We don’t even have to die, just getting hurt is enough! How will we collect any blood if you get hurt? That would only make it even harder to get out of here.”

“Why can’t you admit that you’re worried about yourself?”

“I do! Fuck yeah, I’m worried about myself! I’m terrified! I’m horrified of what’s waiting for us in these halls!”

Phisola dropped her threatening posture, giving him a kind look. Still, Eric couldn’t help but think that kindness in her eyes looked kind of out of place.

“Then why do you insist on doing this if you’re so fearful?”

“Because I don’t see any other way! You’re right when you say I’m a coward. I will admit that I never saw myself as one, not until I got here. But I’m not a fighter! I’m not some courageous hero! I did everything I could to avoid fighting my whole life! But if we keep doing things at our regular pace, I’ll never get out of here! And what will happen when I become too old to be of any use and become nothing but a burden to you? Everything you’ve shown and told me leads to one conclusion only: you’ll discard me like a sack of garbage! And then what? In other words, if it continues like this, I’ll have no choice but to face the dangers of this place sooner or later. And I’d rather do it now, while I still have some strength, than later when I become so weak that I won’t be able to walk in a straight line.”

“You think I’ll discard you once you become useless to me?”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The honest stare she gave him made him pause before answering.

“… yes. You’re all kinds of things, but you’re also a no-nonsense person. Coldly rational. Sure, you have your irrational fits of rage, but I think you’re very rational at heart. I believe that, while you do have emotions, you also know how to suppress them when necessary. You have no reason to suppress them while arguing with me or when I’m getting on your nerves, but when it comes to getting rid of unnecessary burden … I think you can do that just fine.”

“… you really think so?” She kept staring him in the eye, a hint of disappointment showing in her voice.

“… yes, I do. I am so certain of it that I’m willing to put my life on the line to avoid it. Even if my chances are slim in these dark halls, they are still better than none.”

She stared at him for a while, but he stood his ground. He did his best not to avert his eyes away or look uncertain, utilizing his diplomatic experience to the fullest.

Eventually, the corner of her mouth slipped, forming a half smile, and her eyes turned from serious to amused.

“That’s good. That’s good reasoning. Yeah, you’re right. Why would I keep you around if you’re useless?”

“And that’s why I want to help you with this. I don’t know how to fight, but I can help you carry more. And if that increases my chances of getting out of here even slightly, then it’s all good.”

“Good,” she nodded her head, looking very satisfied, “I thought that you were just bitching about how slow I am and expecting me to do everything, but you’ve explained it nicely.”

“I said right away that I’m willing to help.”

“Of course you would! Even the most basic-bitch manipulator would say that! But that doesn’t mean they’ll see it through.”

“So … you thought I was just pretending so you’d work harder?”

“That’s right. So I decided to test you a little bit.”

“I … I see …”

Phisola started walking again, and Eric followed.

“But you are making some valid points, as rare as those can be. It’s obvious you can’t fight, but you can carry the carcasses for me. The only problem is that you expect the game to be plentiful here.”

“Not really. I understand we can’t fill our bags completely, but it will save time if you don’t have to go back and forth. I bet you spend more time walking these halls than actually hunting.”

“That’s true.”

“So, when you catch a prey, you don’t have to go back right away with me by your side. Also, the carcasses you carry won’t distract you during a fight.”

That made Phisola laugh: “Do you really think I get into fights?”

“I know I did, when a pack of dinos came at me. I barely got out alive.”

That made her laugh even more: “Ah yes, why doesn’t it surprise me? But no, I don’t get into fights. It’s all decided instantly. You’ll see it for yourself.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Although, I may let some of them pass me by so you could hone your skills.”

“What?” Eric’s eyes opened wide in surprise.

“Don’t worry, it won’t be anything you can’t handle. You should have a few fights …” she let out an amused chuckle, “… a few fights every day just to get into it.”

“I mean … I guess … no, I don’t think I have the necessary tools! I could take a lone dino if I had a proper spear, but there’s no way I’ll get it with just a knife!”

“Improvise.”

“How? Can you show me some tricks?”

“Learn them on your own. Look, fighting skills aren’t something you can just learn. It’s not something you can read about or have someone show you. The moment a beast lunges at you, your instincts will take over, and you’ll forget everything you learned. You have to awaken your dormant instincts and hone them. And even though you’re a coward, I know you have it in you. It’s just that you’ve been raised the wrong way.”

“Because no one thought I’d find myself in a beast-filled cave before!”

“And yet here you are, trapped with the beasts you can’t reason with. You know, I don’t know how pussyfied the society you grew up in is, and I don’t really care, but survival skills should be a bare minimum of what a parent is supposed to teach a child. The same goes for basic fighting skills. I’m not expecting you to be proficient with weapons, but some basic knowledge of fighting dynamics and emotional control should be taught to everyone.”

“It’s not pussification, it’s just that survival is guaranteed in our world. Well, in my society.”

“Really? There’s no crime? There’s no burglary, theft, or rape?”

“There … yeah, those things do happen, but they’re rarely fatal. Someone points a knife at you, you give them your valuables, and they walk away. People aren’t doing that because they like hurting others, they are doing it to survive.”

“But you just said that survival is guaranteed.”

“No, I … it’s more of a metaphor. Thieves won’t starve if they don’t steal. They just want to have normal lives like everybody else.”

“Then why don’t they find a master who will take care of them? Surely, someone always needs an extra pair of hands.”

“No, it’s … it’s not that simple in my world. It’s much more complicated than that.”

“Aha, I see. Indeed, if you have no arguments to explain something logically, then it does become too complicated to explain.”

“We don’t have masters back home. At least not how you understand them. And most hard labor is done by machines, so there isn’t much need for unskilled labor. You need education to find a proper job, and you need money to get an education.”

“Oh, I see. It’s Vrza’s kolo, designed to keep people in perpetual limbo.”

“Umm … not necessarily, but that may be the end result. Not for most people, though. Most people find a way out of that bind. But it is something that can happen.”

Phisola stopped walking for a moment, turning to face him.

“You know, for creatures who refuse to accept they’re demons, you certainly love leaving people directionless and suffering.”