“Are you feeling cold?” (A)

Walking down the steps of the cabin, Leion was suddenly hit with a difficult to answer question.

One that momentarily made him pause before answering.

“No?” (L)

He was aware of it but couldn’t feel it.

It had been a long, long time since Leion felt the sensation known as cold. Even now, wearing his rather thin robes, he did not feel cold. The once familial feeling had grown so distant Leion struggled to remember what it was like.

In the lands of the Common, he hadn’t had a body to feel cold with while in this body, the feeling of cold just didn’t register. Leion knew what cold was like from his time as a human, he knew what it should feel like, but it was increasingly hard to grasp the longer he went without feeling it.

The situation was akin to this. Setting your hand on fire while wearing fire retardant gel. You can see the flames eating at your hand. You know you should be feeling some pain, some heat, but you feel nothing. You are aware of the fire but cannot feel its effects.

“Miss… are you cold?” (L)

The guest had posed an odd question, but it was likely due to this.

They were at the peak of a mountain for crying out loud. It should be very cold. Leion and his “Master” were made for this environment while the guest was likely not. She just looked like a regular human who wandered up the mountain. The clothes she wore covered her well but did not look like they provided any sort of warmth.

“We can head back inside if you are!” (L)

It was the perfect opportunity to ditch this.

“Hehe, I am one of the last people a kiddo like you should worry about!” (A)

The guest then proceeded to lightly bend her knees… and jump an absurd distance away.

Leion watched in silence.

Regular people couldn’t do that.

“Soooo, what games do you normally play?” (A)

Catching up to the guest, Leion hid the grimace that was making way on his face. While he didn’t care much for being seen as a child—the positive of being taken care of outweighed any negative effects, the constant belittling was starting to grate on his nerves. There was a certain annoying tone adults spoke to children with. And, it seemed the guest was a big fan of using it.

“Well… just the usual I guess?” (L)

Leion didn’t really want to play. It was a choice some may interpret as a dislike of fun, but please don’t misunderstand. Leion liked to have fun. In fact, he was a master in the art of having fun. It just so happened that the fun he enjoyed the most could only be found in dreams. Where the impossible became possible, where the unattainable became attainable, and where the inconceivable became conceivable. Reality was boring. Bound and constrained by many rules.

How could a person possibly enjoy themselves?

Lost in thought, Leion failed to notice the guest lightly chuckling to her.

She tapped her foot on the ground to grab his attention.

“Do you perhaps… want to sleep?” (A)

Momentary surprise flashed on Leion’s face.

‘How could she…’

A quick reassessment occurred in Leion’s mind.

This was the second time she managed to catch him off.

She wasn’t a complete airhead like he’d originally thought.

“Ha…. You’re just like your mom.” (A)

Leion’s ear perked at her dejected sounding words.

He moved closer to the guest.

“Really?” (L)

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

A subtle curiosity had been building up in Leion for a while now. It concerned one singular question he couldn’t really satisfy. Mainly, due to the fact the person capable of satisfying such not being the most forth coming with information.

Who was his “Master”?

As it stood, he didn’t even know her name.

“Yes, yes. You’re the spitting image of her back in the day.” (A)

Gazing intently at the guest whose demeanour fell at the confirmation; Leion asked a silent question.

“Would you like to know how she was back in the day?” (A)

Her voice sounded tired.

Leion nodded enthusiastically.

An evil smile promptly bloomed on the guest’s face before disappearing as fast.

‘Ah, crap’

He might’ve been played.

With a fake cough, the guest turned away from Leion and crouched. She stretched out her hands and cupped the snow lying on the ground.

“I can tell you… if you manage to hit me with one of these!” (A)

A small ball object filled Leion’s vision and, before he knew it, he found himself lying on the ground facing the sky.

This was going to be a pain.

Huff Huff

Tiny, tired breaths rang out on a desolate peak.

Leion collapsed in the snow.

‘Agh! This is so pointless! I can’t touch her!’

It was very frustrating for many reasons.

For every missed throw, Leion would receive a snowball to the back of his head. Anytime he would come close to hitting her, she would pull off an impossible manoeuvre and somehow escape. Leion only had one advantage going for him, and that was his feet wouldn’t sink in the snow. In theory, he should’ve been faster but he still always found himself two steps behind.

Leion started to make himself comfortable on the snow.

He wasn’t winning today so he might as well sleep.

“Hehe, given up already?” (A)

Laughter rang as a body crashed down beside Leion.

“Wasn’t that a treat?” (A)

Leion looked at the body lying next to him.

He could feel his fingers tingling with the desire to pick snow.

“No.” (L)

Nothing about this had been fun.

“No? Then I guess that grin I saw earlier was just in my imagination…” (A)

‘Grin?’

Leion stared at the guest.

There was no way he had been grinning.

She was trying to play him for a fool again.

“Anyway… considering you didn’t manage to hit me, I guess I don’t have to tell you anything?” (A)

Leion buried his face in the snow.

He had completely wasted his time.

“But! Seeing how hard your adorable self tried, I have been convinced to share a thing or two.” (A)

Leion lifted his head and shortly mumbled out a thank you.

It was really nice to be a cute kid.

“Now, where should I begin? Hmm, I guess there would be best…” (A)

The beginnings of a story were narrated to Leion. It told of the whimsical meeting between a majestic hunter and an inexperienced, but equally majestic—according to the guest—girl. A fated meeting of destiny and adventure where two worlds collided. On a chilly night, where death sought everything in its path, an awakening would occur that would forever change the world.

Leion listened with rampant attention. Adsorbing every detail with unusual interest. What felt like a once in life retelling was occurring and he didn’t want to miss it. He listened and listened. He listened about the troubles they faced, he listened about the antics they got up to, and he listened about how they conquered them all.

He listened and listened until… a sudden sound broke his concentration.

It was a voice.

A voice had been calling to him, urging him to go back home.

“Huh? Where are you going?” (A)

Without meaning to, Leion found himself on his feet.

“Can… can you not hear that?” (L)

It was almost like a low growl.

The growl of some kind of animal.

It was then a realization struck Leion. The growl was not happy. Sadly, it arrived a little too late for him to do anything.

The outline of the massive creature was already in view.

He blinked once, then jumped back as his “Master” appeared in front of him.

“Why aren't you home?” (M)

The words wouldn’t come out.

Gazing down at the ground, Leion tried his best to answer back.

An invisible pressure had caused his entire body to freeze.

‘D-Damn it’

This was his third time it was happening to him.

“Never leave home without me, okay?” (M)

The words sounded very causal, but there was a certain coldness to them.

Leion weakly nodded.

“Bai-Bai, I—” (A)

“Yes?” (M)

Her voice was sharp.

“N-Nothing…” (A)

Leion’s “Master” lowered herself to his height. Slowly, but delicately, she started grooming him. Straightening out his clothes and brushing off the snow on him. When done, she wordlessly picked him up and started walking.

‘Geez, what is her problem…’

Looking around to distract himself, Leion noticed something.

He couldn’t see the cabin.

They might’ve wandered a little far.

----------------------------------------

She really adored her.

Gazing at the mother tenderly feeding her child, Aurelia couldn’t help but smile.

Her dear friend had really changed. The once fearsome witch had disappeared. In her place resided an affectionate mother. A mother who gently fixed her child’s clothes, prepared them food, and nuzzled them closely.

It was a welcomed change. At long last her friend had finally found her peace.

A pang of guilt assaulted Aurelia.

She was here to destroy her peace.

“Thank you for the meal!” (L)

The small voice of a girl called out. It belonged to none other than Lei-Lei—her friend’s cute little daughter.

Another, albeit lesser, pang of guilt struck Aurelia. It was very obvious what that young girl was still trying to make up for earlier.

‘Ha…’

Look, Aurelia hadn’t anticipated her friend would get so mad so quickly. Initially, she had tried to step in to calm her down, but the glare she received cooled her bold actions. The agitated mother then proceeded to take out the majority of her frustrations on the little girl while Aurelia watched silently. It was hard to not feel bad for girl especially since it had been entirely her idea to leave. Aurelia, at the very least, was able to rush back to the cabin and finish up the reminder of the work.

“Master…. I’m sorry. I won’t that again a-and, I’ll answer whenever you call!” (L)

The longer her friend said nothing, the more panicked Lei-Lei became.

“You are forgiven.” (B)

The tension in Lei-Lei shoulders visibly drained. Arriving at the end of the meal, Baihu lifted Lei-Lei off her lap and carried her to bed.

“Time to sleep.” (B)

“Already?” (L)

“Yes.” (B)

A curt reply was given as the young girl was tucked in bed.

“Sleep well… you’re going to need it.” (B)

At those ominous words, the little girl covered up.