Lips dry. Eyes hollowed and sunken cheeks.

  Gabrio was laid on the ground unmoving with a spear clutched on his back. He tried to stand up but couldn’t find the strength to stand up.

  Five days.

  He had been staying in this forest for four days. Alternately feeding himself and Mana with the little food he got. He had tried hunting, and eating what he thought was a rabbit, but failed to realize that his stomach couldn’t handle the meat.

  Vomiting, coughing, and weakening. Gabrio had noted to himself to never touch that kind of meat again.

  He didn’t know how long his knees had buckled. Thankfully, he was out of sight from most of the predators had seen so far. He was a mess. He could feel that his bruises were still aching that he forced himself to take a rest for a day.

  Even that rest couldn’t stop his body from failing to muster strength. With his face planted on dirt and grass and the weight on his back pressing him down. Gabrio decided to wiggle his way out of the backpack and laid his back flat on the grass.

  With unfocused eyes he stared at the sky yet again, reaching out for that ball of light that he couldn’t reach no matter.

  Move. Move. Why do you sprawl? Come on, body, get up, you are stronger than this. Can’t you just stand?

  He told himself. That ‘something’ that was weakening him was still in his body. He didn’t know what manner of witchcraft it was, but he knew that although it saved him from death. It caused his body to weaken.

  Good lord, oh Father of Mercy, the headache won’t stop. Let me rest. Let me have something to look forward to.

  But such prayer was left unanswered by no one.

  No one other than him.

  He was no son of light.

  He was no spirit-blooded man.

  He was not a great soldier.

  Not even a good doctor.

  Right now, he felt helpless. With a weakened body his mind grew weak as well.

  Not even four days. Not even four days.

  Gabrio gritted his teeth and finally bit the side of his lip

  He forced himself to stand, only for his lower body to just give up on him. He laid back on the ground, groaning, cursing, and breathing in to contain the pain.

  “Let me stay still, just rest, for now, do not move, just rest.”

  And Gabrio fell unconscious.

*****

  “Lad!”

  Gabrio heard a voice.

  His hands were small and he was on rags.

  He looked up with his emancipated face. A tall man that seems to have been carved from stone looked at him.

  “Hmm, I don’t see such younglings committing such crime.”

  “He almost killed a Lord with a machete, Sir,” Cato said.

  Cato was a man who wore leather armor and carried a rifle with him. His eyes were sharp and he had this scar around his jaw that made him look fierce in Gabrio’ eyes.

  “A young killer, not even that old,” the tall man said.

  “What’s your name, lad?”

  Gabrio started, legs shaking.

  “Your name. I see that you have a tongue and you will use it. Now give me your name and do not let me say this again.”

  “Gabrio.”

  “A strange name. You may call me, Sir Ruid Duard. I have bought you from those who wanted to make you their house-slave. Do you understand, this, lad?”

  Gabrio nodded.

  “Good. Then you must call me your Teacher. I will not tolerate any disobedient. Cato, call Galena and have her teach this youngling the meaning of respect.”

  “Is that okay, Sir?” Cato asked. “I don’t think Galena is a good match to this-“

  “You have a much broader use of your tongue now, Cato.”

  “Forgive me, Teacher,” Cato said.

  Cato collected Galena from her cell deep within the fort and introduced her to Gabrio. Galena was a woman and was one of the dangerous women alive in the Fort.

  “Are you kidding me, do you take me for a babysitter now!?” she roared at Ruid Duard.

  “You will silence your tongue, Galena.”

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  Galena cowered and then glared at Gabrio. “Just don’t tell me that I have to watch this little boy all the time.”

  “No, teach him respect and make sure he learns what it means to be in this fort.”

  “Is that all?”

  “Teach him. Get anyone to teach him,” he then asked Gabrio. “Can you read and write, boy?”

  Gabrio shook his head.

  “Hmm, then learn from her. And you are too thin. You cannot become my student without strength of mind and body. Cato, do what you can, do you understand?”

  “Sir.”

  “Good. Now return to me when you have results.”

  Ruid left. Cato sighed heavily and looked at Gabrio. “Galena, bring him to the mess hall.”

  “I didn’t know I was your serving mad now. What is he thinking? Making me some brat’s babysitter. I am not that weak to be treated like this!”

  Cato shook his head. “The Teacher wants him to become a student of his. I suggest that you care for this lad.”

  “I don’t see anything special from this land.”

  Cato snorted. “Maybe that’s why he picked up his brat. You know the Teacher’s pride had gotten bigger than ever. I bet it’s that bastard who gaud him into this.”

  “Hitario?”

  “Yeah, you know how they are always clashing.”

  “Now they get us involved in their garbage.”

  Cato shook his shoulders and left. Galena grabbed Gabrio’s chin and looked him up.

  “Hmm, you’ll grow good enough. I always wanted a brat to lash out. Please, don’t piss yourself, boy. You should be lucky that I have been assigned to care for you.”

  Gabrio stared with teary eyes.

  “Great, I hope you don't become a trouble for me. Do you understand?” she smiled, her thumb drawing a line on her neck.

  “Y-yes, Mistress.”

  “Mistress, hmm, I like that. But I bet Cato will not like it. Call me Galena and you will obey me. Understand?”

  “I understand, Miss Galena.”

  Gabrio said fearfully.

*****

  “Mother,” Gabrio said to himself. He sat cross-legged on the grass and looked weakly at Mana. He carried the backpack and stood tall with both feet planted firmly on the grass.

  He hauled Mana deep into the trees and walked along the overgrown roots, using his spear as a balancing stick. This forest was clearly untouched by man so he had to navigate through everything with each move had to be thought about.

  Sometimes he fails his grip and falls down. There are times where he found himself unable to reach a handhold and was forced to climb without Mana first before pulling using the ropes that he has on him.

  After pulling her up, he would lower her down and then rappel down. Retrieving the rope, he would take a moment of rest before continuing forward.

  The repeated trees. The sometimes muddy ground. The life of the creatures around the forest made him wary. Though some of the things attracted him, the fear remained. How he had wished that he would be here with an exploration group rather than just the two of them.

  Months ago he barely could believe that such things existed. Things such Artes, giant monsters, and a native civilization found after cruising through seas.

  They were not even in the Great Seas and yet it seemed like they were going to spend time in the Spine of the World. The obstacles they must cross, the enemies they must face. The blinder of the light and so on.

  He didn’t know he could accept them. But nonetheless he didn’t think that he would be thrown like this. He knew that Artes was able to do something absurd such as blow wind for sails and convert a giant beast into a puppet, but yet he didn’t expect that such spells could transport here in the farthest corner of the Icean Spine.

  He dreaded what would have happened if he was thrown in a higher place. Right in the middle of a snowy land. This was a good price to pay for survival and yet it bothered him.

  “I guess I wouldn’t be alive to think about that,” Gabrio muttered. He had been walking for quite a while that only the reminder of his aching chest, heavy eyes, and the unending headache reminded him to get out of this trance. Once he got out of his trance, he managed to take a rest, massaged his shoulders, and checked on his bruises again. When he was done, he buttoned his shirt, checked on his supply of opiate and injected himself with it.

  His face changed into that of a pleasure. He put away his syringe, wiped his forehead and leaned on the thing he was sitting on. It was hot and it was cold at the time. He thought how the shape of the Spine of the World was making both cold and hot meet in the middle.

  Gabrio knew that he was killing his body further with what he was doing. The human body was certainly stronger, but yet he didn’t have that surge of strength that made him want to continue onward.

  But Gabrio couldn’t find that tick that would make him let go of this stubborn resistance. He was trying to adapt to nature, learn from it. He was not arrogant enough to defy nature and he was smart enough to understand that he shouldn’t underestimate the forest.

  It wasn’t his home. Even now he couldn’t stay still when looking at the bushes, grasses, thickets, holes, vines, and even the branches above him.

  This place was not for someone like him. Maybe an Elven would thrive better than him here.

  ‘I should be able to find civilization, but if Lady Frigus is right, then a foreigner like me would just make things harder. I can try to sneak in, take some food and maybe a month. But I doubt I can handle controlling their kind of mounts.”

  It was delusional to even think he would have strength to get one. The forest itself was draining him of strength and he knew that he was close to breaking down.

  He hadn’t felt this way ever since he was seven.

  “Mother,” Gabrio called.

  No one answered. Gabrio closed his eyes, and slapped both of his cheeks and stood up. He carried Mana on his back again and continued moving forward as if he was enchanted by something.

  As he continued the night slowly came. He couldn’t find any clearing or any tree large enough to stay. He didn’t like the stagnant puddle, the critters, and the creatures roaming around that he had to keep moving.

  The moon was a companion in the night. It lit the way, but not enough to see if there was something else hiding in the thick and tall grasses. Continuing on he found himself facing a wall that he couldn’t climb with his body barely enduring the long march. He strode to the side where he could not worry about his back and readied his spear and shield in front of him.

  The quiet was worse. At least when there was something growling or moving that he could focus on any thread that might come his way.

  Not that I have any strength to fight anything today.

  Gabrio placed the shield on his lap and the spear on the ground. He drew his pistol and placed both of his hands on the grip. He bowed his head and leaned on the side of the trunk while trying not to fall asleep.

   I wonder if they are taking their rest. Hmm, maybe they’d fare better without someone nosy as I am in the Galleon. I am replaceable anyway. I should have taught Wiles more if I knew things might end up this way.

  The roll of the dice strikes hard. I guess Cato was right in that regard.

  Gabrio pondered.

  It was cold and dreary. Under the darkness and the small shine from the moon.

  Gabrio couldn’t sleep again.