The Melody Of The Moon

Luke walks over to the carriage looking at me. "What?"

He looks down at the ground like a kid trying to ask his parents something but is scared to hear the answer. "I-I was wonder if you- if you would train me!"

I glance at him. "I dont think thats a good idea-"

He steps closer more determined "Please, I know I dont deserve it for how I treated you but-"

I unlatch my watch tossing it to him. "Whats this-"

I look him in the eyes. "You want me to train you right? first things first put that on and never take it off."

He quickly straps it on and drops to one knee. "What is this?! It feels like a truck is on top of me!"

I lean back looking up at the trees. "You arent wrong thats about the weight of 2 trucks on you right now. when your strength stat gets high enough you'll be able to walk around normally with that on the weight will continue to increase the higher your strength stamina and vitality stat go."

He looks up at me with a look of excitement. "Thank you."

I grab the reigns. "Dont mention it, it will take 5 minutes for you to be able to walk slowly and move your arms so we will get going after you are done."

He nods, everyone gets into the carriages he gets on the other one ridding up beside me with a smile. I nod and we take off down the path heading through the forest on the long trek through the fallen forest to get to the cerios kingdom.

Irina climbs out of the carriage sitting down beside me. "What?"

She looks down at her legs fidgiting. "Im sorry for pushing you about your past that was wrong of me as someone who is being saved I realize my mistake I hope you will forgive me."

I dont respond she shivers slightly I snap my jacket appears on her she looks at me I look back at the path path ahead.

She suddenly leans against me. "Thank you."

I look at her. "For what?"

She looks up at the other carriage. "That was sweet what you did back there for Sir Luke."

I look up at the sky through the tree's. "I can relate to how he was feeling... being weak in a world where strength is everything... it's terrifying... So terrifying you'd ask your enemy for help... I can respect that."

She locks her fingers with mine squeezing my hand I look at her she smiles. For a split second the way the sun hits her face and the cool wind blows her wavy red hair like a dancing flame makes me feel like I could fall in love with her.

The moment passes as soon as it appears my head is flooded with darkness. my chest burns and my left arm throbs. I come back down to reality. Who am I kidding trying to feel love after all ive done.

I give her a half smile and get back to steering the carriage. We travel till dusk and stop near a creek. Everyone is exhausted and in need of a bath an food.

I walk down to the creek looking back at the others. "Luke."

He eagerly comes down I take my uniform off save my pants tossing them onto the rocks. "We are walling off either side of the creek with rocks find the biggest ones you can."

He nods getting in with me everyone sits on the bank watching after 10 minutes we finish he looks at me. "Now what?!"

I toss him a sack of gems. "Put these at the bottom of the creek."

He does and the water glows a bright blue color becoming clear Irina looks surprised dipping her toe into the water. "You purified the water."

I drop the last gem in and Luke jump up out of the water. "Hot Hot Hot!"

I laugh stopping him from flailing "chill it's a hot spring now."

He looks around as the water bubbles slightly with steam rising I hold my hand out. "Now for the finishing touches."

Black crystal roots sprote around the creek blooming golden flowers that light the area around our carriages and the hot spring.

Everyone looks around amazed I point at the area behind the wall we made. "Let's catch dinner."

Luke looks confused. "How?"

I hold my hand out a thin crystal spear appears I put it in his hand. "Aim for the area before the fish the spear will do the rest."

We stand on our rock wall I solidify it and we start spear fishing the larger fish one after another. Luke picks up thing's rather quickly.

We make a fire pit and Irina does the honors of starting it. We cook while the ladies bathe in the spring. the other guys chill in the carriages looking through what supplies we have left.

Luke looks at me laughing slightly "to be honest I wasn't expecting us to ever get along."

I turn the fish over the fire on the crystal stick adding some salt to it. "Yeah... I've noticed that extreme situations bring out everyone's true colors no matter how they feel about each other beforehand."

We set the cooked fish on the plate with the other fish. "So what about me made you detest me so much?"

He hands me another uncooked fish. "I don't really know, i think I saw some of myself in you. I hate being weak so I lashed out at you thinking it would toughen you up. I realize now it was just my own hang ups projecting onto you so... Im sorry."

I toss a fish at his face knocking him off the rock he looks over at me. "Enough of the mushy stuff I already forgave you. I don't hold grudges for long."

I extend my hand to him. "Let's just work together to keep everyone alive."

He smiles grabbing my hand. "Right!"

We hear the girls messing around he blushes looking at me. "s-so you and the princess are a thing right?"

I stoke the fire it dances around sending embers into the air like her hair. "No... I'm better off alone."

He starts to push the topic I smile nudging him. "what about you and Lydia."

He turns bright red. "W-What about us there's nothing we are student and teacher we can't-"

I point the fish at him. "Listen we are in a new world, you're working hard to get stronger. the other's see that and one day you'll be strong enough to protect whoever you want. why not make that person Lydia."

His eyes go wide. "Get stronger for Ms. Lydia?"

I nod he gets pumped standing up excitedly yelling. "Ill do it for her!"

I laugh pushing him back down on the rock. "Easy now, we don't want to draw any unwanted attention."

The girls come over fresh out of the bath smelling good. the gems let off a sweet fragrance. Irina sits beside me with my jacket on. "What where you two talking about so enthusiastically?"

I look at the fire. "Just guy stuff, how was your bath?"

She lays her head on my shoulder. "It's was heavenly..."

She pokes her fingers together glancing up at me. "Though it would have been better if you had accompanied me."

I pat her head. "Maybe later."

The girls look up pointing at the multi colored lights floating above us. "Look fire flies."

Irina shakes her head holding her hand up. "No these are Moon Melodies they're like spirits that dance around when music is played they must have been drawn here by the sound of voices. One of the other Ether Maidens can speak with them."

The other's get excited Luke asks the idol's to sing they agree and sing a few of their songs the Moon Melodies start to float closer dancing around while we eat.

They start to gather around me forming a ring around me. "They seem to like you the most."

One of the idols smiles. "Why don't you try singing, im sure they'd like it."

I glance at her. "I don't sing."

Irina gives me puppy dog eyes the Moon Melodies form a sad face beside her I sigh. "Fine..."

The sound of audible cheers from the Moon Melodies is kinda cute. Guess im actually doing this.