I couldn't forget it even if wanted to.

The dampness of the cave. The shivering cold. My broken body was on the verge of collapsing. And it did for a few seconds as I leaned against the edges of the walls. The air was indeed cold, but the walls were colder as if it was the walls of a dungeon. No, I would rather be in the dungeon than in that hellhole.

Any hope of getting out of there seemed bleak. But I was determined. Determined to have my vengeance on that bastard. And I would never had a chance of surviving if not for that kid. My collapsing body finally couldn't bear it anymore. I succumbed to the darkness and my consciousness slipped.

But when I awoke, my wounds were tended to. The biting cold that pervaded me was warmed by the kindling fire he made. He saved me. A stranger whom he knew nothing about. I could have instead been Aki who fell, and it would have turned out for the worst for the kid. And now that I think back on it, better that I fell that day instead of it being Aki. Indeed, there is hope in what seemed to be a never-ending darkness.

We somewhat became close. Even though he didn't speak much, he stuck close to me like a cat with its owner. I never considered myself as his owner, more like an older brother I guess. I never had a little brother since I was a little brother. It's decided then, it's time to get my little brother back.

With a flash of lightning, I left a trail of lightning as I made my way out of the city gates. The scene constantly shifted and blurred, as I hurriedly made my way to my little brother. I wonder if he would mind me calling him little brother. But it seems that even if he didn't mind, there was still a hierarchy to be followed if we were to become a subordinate-leader relationship.

In an hour, I arrived at my destination. The sun shined bright overhead, letting me see the peace that enveloped the forest. The branches lightly swayed, and the birds chirped in delight in the distance, as well as the other woodland critters sounded out, assuring me that they were still alive despite the aftermath.

I looked around and saw that there were still signs of battle that wreaked havoc. Eventually, they were healed by Mother Nature, becoming a bygone of a forgotten time and eventually becoming a part of the heart's embrace. Even though it was only a few months ago, it did feel like forever.

I wanted to move but my legs held firm. Looking forward, there was a cliff, and below it was the meeting I never expected. A fatal meeting but a meeting nonetheless. My emotions were mixed, my mind in chaos. A lot happened here. A lot of bad things happened. A lot of good too. I just don't know which feeling I was supposed to be having at that moment.

Yet I relaxed my body., drew in a deep breath, and walked forward. Towards my old comrade, who became my eternal comrade.

…

Amy watches Cosmo cross the door, as he is thrust into a new adventure after he just finished a new one where he almost died. She watched the door for a few minutes before turning away and continuing her work.

Cosmo has subordinates. Just the thought of it makes Amy cringe. Amy had no idea what sort of people Cosmo would attract. She only hoped that it would be normal and good for people. Even though she didn't show it, she was slightly worried for the kid. Amy thought he was too young. He was only fifteen. He was an infant to Amy's eyes.

And that Infant was waving around a sword that he did know how to use. Now, he was about to receive subordinates who might swing their swords toward Cosmo's neck. She only hoped that they would be somewhat normal people, but deep down she doubted it. She recently realized it, but Cosmo is like a magnet that attracts the most bizarre situations.

Like Aki Sunderhall. Supposedly, he was on probation due to his reckless movements in the continent, going so far as to damage the church itself. Amy thought that even the church, which was already crazy by itself as they shouted HERETICS across the continent, was suppressing Aki. She knows Aki enough to know that that man is a dangerous entity to encounter. Amy thinks of Aki as a freak among the insane.

A complete zealot, but she believed that he was a zealot only because it was fun. Once it stops becoming fun, then god knows what he is going to do.

Amy picked up a rag and started wiping down the counter. It was approaching midday, a time when they were supposed to be opening the bar. And yet their doors still had the sign ‘CLOSED’. It is because of a simple reason. Amy looked around and her father was nowhere to be seen. He was always in the pub. Never left it for as long as she could remember.

Her father was a recluse man. Rarely left the tavern only the exception of buying ingredients for his signature drink, Sorel. Even then, the task was set to either Amy or Marcus. On the few occasions her father had left, something big seemed to be brewing. She didn't know what, but she had a clue. She loves her father. Even though he talks even less than her, her feelings haven't changed.

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He raised her all alone ever since she was little. No doubt the man had to struggle to gain a foothold in this massive city. It was a city of competition and survival, even though COsmo couldn't see it. Every day a business is either financially ruined or taken over by another competitor. And yet throughout her life, there was never an instance where they ever worried that their business might get taken away.

Amy long realized this when she was twelve. She even delved deeper as to what the reason was, hiding and stalking in the other pubs to listen in to conversations. Even asking the local intelligence guild. She came up empty. Logically, speaking, there was no reason for their tavern to exist. But it did. And it thrived.

Amy sighed, feeling that everyone around her was strange. From Cosmo to even her father, who has never once divulged any details of his past. She only knows that her father is proficient in first arts. Hence the reason why she was so good at close combat.

Some thoughts crossed her mind as to who her mother was. And it always came up when she saw other kids holding their father and mother's hands. Joyfully strolling the streets with big smiles on their faces. Whenever they walked and saw them with her father, her father seemed indifferent to it and didn't seem to acknowledge it one bit. She was different. She wanted to know. But whenever she saw the deep despair etched inside her father's soul, she couldn't bear to ask.

If there's a good reason as to why he wasn't telling her, then she will wait. All questions will be answered in good time, she only had to wait. Amy was patient, as she knew that a lot of things were already troubling her, and needing her full attention to solve. Like how she would discipline Cosmo when he brings in strange individuals.

Amy smiled, realizing that this was the feeling of having a sibling who was younger than her. It was terrible. But in a certain way, it was nice. It was then that the door opened. Amy looked towards the door, curious as to who was mad enough to come in when there was a sign telling otherwise.

Looking closer, she saw that the man's face was hidden by a dark blue cloak. He took a step in and approached the counter step by step. It was quiet. Except for the sound of footsteps echoing across the room. Amy was indifferent, wanting to throw the man out knowing that the store was closed. But she held back. Since the moment she saw the man, she felt an inexplicable connection with him. She didn't know why it was, and so she wanted to find out.

The man sat directly in front of Amy, the man's face hidden by a cloak seemed to be staring at Amy ever since he came in. The man then pulled back his cloak, and Amy then saw his appearance. She was slightly startled, simply because of his eyes. It was scarlet red, seemingly the same as hers.

Had an unkempt, dark curly hair that reached towards his ears. His face had a sort of gentleness to it, like what Cosmo has but the difference is the man didn't have an innocent face. It was more like the tired face of a priest. Dark eyebags hung under the man's eyes. The man opened his mouth as he said.

“Um excuse me.. Is Marshall Frank Neworld here?”

The air then suddenly froze. Amy stopped wiping down the counter and looked directly at the man's eyes. Without letting him notice, she held her sword's handle under the table, as she replied.

“No.”

“Oh then um… Where is he if you don't mind me asking.”

The man smiled, genuinely curious as to where Frank was. Amy was on full alert. She wasn't cautious of the man just because he was looking for her father. These things happened sometimes, but what she was wary about was because of one thing.

He knows her father's first name. Everybody in the city knows Frank, but not Marshall.

The man seemed to have noticed her cautiousness, as he then said.

“Ah don't get me wrong. I mean no harm. It's just that I need to talk to him. It's important.”

“What is it that you want to talk to him.”

“I'm afraid I can't divulge that information.”

The man's temperament simmered. His once meek attitude which was like towards a lamb, was no more. The man still had a smile on his face, yet it was cold. Amy knows that expression. Because she often uses that same expression to Cosmo when he does something wrong.

The two held their gaze, not one looking away. The confrontation lasted for several seconds when the man said.

“I'm sorry. But I can't tell you why. The only thing I can tell you is that I mean no harm. I am one of the last people in the continent that do not wish to harm him.”

She wanted to stab him in the heart. Impale him against the wall as she felt that the man was dangerous. From what Amy could glean, he was a magician type [Class]. Apparent because of the rings on his fingers, the talisman that wore around his neck, as well as the mana that flowed around him. It was like a raging ocean that was somehow controlled by him.

Knowing that a battle was imminent, she struck first as she stabbed her sword against his neck. It was fast. In the blink of an eye, it was already centimeters away from blood spilling into the counter. Yet it did not happen as Amy wished, the tip of her sword stopped at the moment where it would hit.

“Please, let's not do this here. I don't want to ruin his tavern because of my simple request to meet him. How about this, let's try again and if it still doesn't work, then we could see who would best one another.”

The man flicked away her sword, thinking that they could talk without weapons. He was wrong, Amy kicked him in the chest, and he was sent skidding across the tavern floor. A vein popped into his head, an annoyed smile appeared on his face.

“Fine, if talking won't work, then I'll make you tell me where my father is.”

The man was about to cast a teleportation spell moving them away from here when he noticed that Amy's expression noticeably thickened. Confused, it took him a few seconds to realize what he had just said.

“Oops. You weren't supposed to know that.”