After breakfast, Acki couldn’t help but be curious.

“Hey, Ian,” he asked, “so what now? We’ve eaten, so what’s next?”

Ian stood up and stretched, her arms folding over her chest. “We pack up. You need to get stronger, kid.”

Acki frowned. “You do realize all my stuff is still back at my house, right?”

Ian gave him a reassuring look. “Don’t worry about it. I grabbed your stuff while I was writing the note for the village chief. It’s right behind that tree.”

Acki blinked. “Well, alright, whatever you say, ma’am.”

Ian threw a backpack at him. “Here, kid. Put this on.”

Acki caught the bag, adjusting it on his back. “Alright, but one question—where are we going? If you packed all this, it must be a long trip.”

“We’re heading out of your village,” Ian said as she started to walk. “I thought we could find some mountains, or a more secluded place for your training.”

Acki’s mind raced as he processed the words. Leaving the village? His heart skipped a beat. I’ve never been outside before. I can’t wait to see the world.

“Mountains?” Acki asked, sounding more hesitant. “You do realize I’m only nine, right? I can’t be traveling like that.”

“It’s fine, kid,” Ian said casually. “I’ll figure something out. Now stop the chitchat and let’s get moving.”

Acki grinned, his voice full of confidence. “YES, MA’AM!”

Ian shot him a glare. “And stop calling me ma’am.”

“YES, MISS.”

“That’s not any better,” she groaned.

Their voices slowly faded as they left the village, heading toward the unknown. Acki was in awe of the world outside the walls of his home. There were massive trees that seemed to touch the sky, mountains capped with snow, and open skies stretched endlessly. He couldn’t believe how beautiful the world was, and it filled him with a sense of wonder.

As they entered a dense forest, the trees towered above them, their tops hidden by the clouds.

“Woah,” Acki said, his voice a mix of excitement and nervousness. “This place is so cool… but also kind of scary.”

Ian nodded. “Yeah, you think so, kid? The world has much more to offer. Get stronger, and you’ll see it all one day.”

“I will give it my best, Teach,” Acki said, puffing out his chest with determination.

“Teach?” Ian smirked. “Alright, I like that better.”

Acki grinned with pride, but his exhaustion was beginning to show. “How much longer? I’m so tired… I just want to sleep in a bed.”

Ian shot him a sideways glance, looking a bit annoyed. “We’re almost there, quit your whining.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Acki groaned. “BUT TEACHHHH!” His voice echoed through the forest.

Suddenly, the sounds of movement broke the silence. A group of nine goblins emerged from behind the trees, brandishing swords and shields. Acki’s eyes widened in shock.

“Teach!” Acki shouted, stepping back and raising his guard. “What do we do? There are nine of them! Goblins are dangerous!”

Ian didn’t seem fazed at all. “Just sit down and watch, kid.”

“But there are nine of them! Goblins are known to be vicious!” Acki was genuinely worried now.

Ian raised an eyebrow. “How weak do you think I am? It’s only nine goblins.”

In a blur of motion, Ian jumped into the air, her voice steady as she recited a spell in an ancient language.

“Laghouf deva HOUNOF!” she chanted, her tone commanding.

The moment she finished, the air around her crackled. In an instant, dark swords materialized around her, and with a single swipe, she cut down all nine goblins in a flash. Their bodies hit the ground with sickening thuds, blood splattering everywhere.

Ian stood tall, a fierce yet graceful expression on her face. “What do you think, kid? Pretty impressive, right?”

Acki stood frozen, his mouth agape. His eyes were wide with disbelief. “Teach, you gotta teach me how to summon swords like that! They looked so cool!”

Ian laughed, but her expression quickly turned serious. “No.”

Acki, still in awe, asked hesitantly, “Uh, okay… maybe another time?”

Without another word, Ian started walking again. Acki hurried to catch up as they continued their journey. The day was drawing to a close, and soon they reached the edge of the forest.

As the trees parted, a breathtaking view revealed itself—a vast, serene blue lake, surrounded by lush green grass. The moonlight reflected off the water’s surface, creating a peaceful and almost magical atmosphere.

“Wow, Teach! This place is so beautiful! Is this where we’ll live?” Acki exclaimed, his voice full of excitement.

Ian nodded, looking pleased. “Yup.”

Acki beamed, his voice full of admiration. “You’re the best, Teach!”

As they walked farther, they found the perfect spot to set up camp, next to a large tree, far from the forest’s edge.

“Hey, Teach,” Acki said, “do you think we could set up camp by that tree?”

Ian shrugged. “Sure, as long as we’re not too close to the forest.”

“YES!” Acki cheered.

They set up camp, laying down sleeping bags and gathering other necessities for a simple camp setup. As the fire crackled and the night grew colder, Acki’s stomach grumbled.

“Hey, Teach,” he asked, “I’m starving. Do you think you could make something for dinner?”

Ian gave him a lazy smile. “Yeah, just let me start a fire first.”

Acki gave her a thumbs-up. “Okay, sounds good!”

Ian quickly gathered some wood and set the fire. “Alright, kid, sit close to the fire. I’ll be back soon with something to eat.”

Acki nodded. “Clear as day, Teach!”

As she walked away to find food, Acki’s mind wandered. Maybe she can be trusted? She’s been so kind to me, taking care of me like this… but then again, she appeared out of nowhere saying she was summoned by my mom’s sorrow. That’s… weird. I should ask her about it soon. And wow, that spell she cast, it looked so powerful. She spoke a different language, too…

Before he could dwell too much longer, a rustling sound interrupted his thoughts. Ian returned, holding four rabbits in her hands.

“Teach, you scared me! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” Acki exclaimed, jumping back in surprise.

Ian grinned mischievously. “Hah, you brat, I didn’t sneak up on you.”

“Yes you did!”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did!”

“Alright, maybe a little.”

They both laughed, the tension lifting. Ian started preparing the rabbits over the fire. As the meat cooked, Acki couldn’t help but reflect on everything that had happened since meeting Ian.

“Hey, Teach,” he said quietly, “thank you. For everything. I trust you now.”

Ian’s expression softened for a moment. “It’s fine. I wouldn’t have helped you if your mom hadn’t summoned me.”

Acki’s face fell a little. “Hey! Why kill the moment like that? You’re so mean!”

Ian chuckled. “Hah, sorry, kid. Here, eat up.”

She handed him a plate of the cooked rabbit meat. Acki smiled and dug in. “Wow, Teach, this is even better than the deer.”

“Really?” Ian raised an eyebrow. “Maybe I should cook this more often.”

“Definitely!” Acki grinned.

They finished their meal, their laughter filling the air as they cleaned up.

“Alright, kiddo,” Ian said as the fire burned low, “time for bed. You’ve got training tomorrow.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Acki said with a mock salute, his exhaustion creeping in.

Ian groaned. “It’s ‘Teach,’ not ‘ma’am.’ Get some sleep.”

Acki snickered. “Yes, Teach!”

They settled down next to the fire, drifting into sleep, ready to face whatever challenges tomorrow would bring.