I: Guilt [Introduction]

The sun had started to slowly go down as the Dark Forest got thinner – it was clear that there was no way that he could make it to his home, where he hadn't been for ages, before it gets dark, so it certainly was a better idea to start a small camp as soon as the forest ends – any child knew that being in the Dark Forest during night was practically a suicide.

After walking for another half an hour, he had finally reached the Northern plains. He started to quickly make a camp – he was no stranger to outings since he had been an explorer for quite a while, so making a small bonfire and setting up a tent wasn't anything hard, but… what is that? Is it someone coming this way? Indeed, making a camp - it certainly looked like it would be challenge for the slender young man that was approaching, oh, so slowly.

Didn't this person know that it was dangerous to enter the Dark Forest during the night? Although he wanted to say he didn't give a damn for the stranger, he also noticed that the younger man wasn't carrying anything – just how the hell did he intended to survive? To make a camp? Does he even know how to make one? Truthfully, that person looked way too fragile compared to himself – he knew quite well that he was quite the mountain of muscles.

...he shouldn't just abandon that stranger, should he? It wouldn’t be nice thing to do, not in the Dark Forest that was known to have various demons lurking during the night, no, not only then, always. The Dark Forest wasn’t a place for a lone traveller. Did he sound like a hypocrite? No, not really – he was a force to be reckoned with, the demons of the Forest would be too scared, and that was no mere arrogance.

As he looked at the freshly made and yet still unlit bonfire, he decided.

- Hey, traveller! - he called out; the other had a curious look on his face. - It's dangerous to go through the forest during the night, so way don't you join me for now? - He made a point to sound friendly and approachable, kind and hospitable, that he really didn’t mind sharing his fire with anyone. And truly - the stranger seemed to think about the offer as if still not being sure if it was a good idea, but after a moment he nodded and made his way towards the camp.

- Well, why don't you sit down? - another offer. The man pointed at a spot across himself, and, as soon as the stranger sat, he thought about what to say so that the awkward feeling that lingered in the air would disappear.

He coughed to make the youger man pay attention to him. - You know, I have always wanted to say that I was stronger than anyone else my age – at least, that was what my teacher had always said, that was what my parents had always said, and the same goes for my friends, schoolmates and even neighbours. I have always thought that I was somewhat special, - the man started to tell as he looked up to the night sky. For a moment everything was silent, the man not being sure why he said that and if he should continue.

- But, I guess, that's not what I was supposed to start with, - he laughed as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head and his gaze landed upon the slander, leaner, and somewhat feminine looking younger man that sat across him, with the flaming bonfire between them. - I'm Peleex of The Lone Red Mountain in the Northern plains, - he introduced himself as he started anew all the while carefully observing the other man who had a gentle expression on his face.

The feminine man – or was he not a man? Maybe he was still just a boy, it was rather hard to tell in the firelight, - sat there quietly as if re-thinking every word that Peleex had said. Although Peleex had prided himself in his calm-headedness, he felt somewhat nervous while waiting for the other man to finally say something – strangely enough, the younger male hadn't said anything during their still short time together, not even a sound. A part of Peleex actually started to think that the other man didn't get the implication that he, too, should introduce himself (Or, perhaps, he couldn’t speak?), so Peleex just decided on staring on him.

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- Oh? - the pretty-boy finally let out a sound, - please, call me the Collector, as that is what I do. -

So there was no name? Or his name was, oh, so important that he deemed Peleex to be unworthy of knowing it? A noble brat that thinks that he's good and strong enough to travel on his own trought the Dark Forest? An arrogant brat with a death wish, nothing more, Peleex sneered.

There was no doubt that the younger male in front of him must have been quite rich – this 'Collector' was wearing clothes far too good to be just a commoner.

- So, please, continue with your story, - the Collector said with a weirdly cold, but gentle smile. Distant, if he had to find the best word to describe it. Peleex even wondered, how a smile like that was actually made, just what the toung man was feeling?

- Well, yes, - Peleex steeled himself to continue, - so everyone around me considered me to be a prodigy of swordsmanship, and, to tell you the truth, I really thought they were right. So, when I turned fourteen, I left my home, the little no-name town that was built on the Lone Red Mountain, to become an explorer. You know what that is, right? That’s the dream of every kid, after all. And, you know, I was doing quite a good job, within a week after I was registered as an explorer in the Guild of Never-resting Souls that, as you should already know, is far more better then the Guild of Wanderers, albeit less popular than the later – and this isn’t just my pride speaking -, well, within a week I ranked up twice and became a rank 5 explorer, which, as the nice receptionist that I had a crush on during that time said, was the record of their branch, so, of course, I felt quite proud of myself since, as you know, I was a swordsmanship prodigy who managed to rank up twice during a single week. - Peleex had a wide grin on his face – for some reason it felt so right, so good to tell the story of his life to the Collector who just quietly listened with occasional nods and didn't complain that Peleex talked too much about himself; furthermore, he somehow felt that this young man wanted to listen to whatever he said.

Peleex had stopped his story for a bit to think further about what he should include in it. - Anyway, during that time I got some friends that I trusted, I travelled with them a lot, we fought together, we explored, and it was generally a great time. Fel was our precious wolf-kin magician, she was specialized in wind and fire spells, and she’s three years older than me, to tell you the truth, I had a crush on her – she was really beautiful. Another of my friends was Grey, who was a swordsman like me, but his swordsmanship was a defensive one, while I prefered offence way more, so we had our balance. Grey was a calm guy with a great, rather dark sense of humour, but, I guess, he was my best friend, and I doubt that I will find a friend who's better than him. Ah, I miss him a lot, - Peleex sighed, - but, well, things happen. Anyway, we were a four-person party, so... who's left? - Of course, it was just a question so that Peleex could take some breath while telling his story. - Righ, our rogue – the elven girl Secina who also doubled as our scout. She had a terrible personality, but a great body, so... I had a bit of a crush on her. After travelling together for three years, we conquered our first rank three dungeon. -

Here Peleex made a pause to make the Collector understand that this was a turning point, an important event – a rand three dungeon was something special, after all.

- So, of course, we were finally promoted to rank three, now we were considered to be quite the experienced explorers, so a lot of people started to talk about us. We were famous, since there wasn't too many third or higher rank parties, so, well, I took pride in that. I felt like together we could do whatever we wanted, that we were unstoppable, but, eh, I guess I was wrong, - the man sighed. Remembering what came next always made him feel miserable, so he need gather some courage before continuing.

Peleex laid down on the ground and quietly looked at the nigh sky; it was a beautiful nigh – he was able to see the countless stars, the moons, Quilet and Treibali - both were full, and that was a rare event. Some said that the full moons meant changes, some said that it was a bad omen, but, nonetheless, it was only once in five years when they both were full.

So it was a special night.

And Peleex felt that this was probably the only night when he would ever even consider of sharing about his time as an explorer, to share his experiences with his precious friends... and maybe it was even better that he had decided to tell this to a complete stranger that he happened to meet while travelling back from the capital to the nameless town that he was born in.

A glance aside.

It seemed like the perfect moment to take out some wine from his luggage. - Want some? - he immediately offered to the Collector, who at some point had taken out a fan with a floral pattern. - I made it myself, and I'm quite good at making wine, if I do say so myself, - he proudly declared.

- Mhm, - the Collector nodded, and Peleex gave him a bottle.