True Feelings

"You're him, right? My sponsor back at the orphanage? I can still remember the times when you would bring your toddler to come play with the rest of us." Britta said as she was feeling quite confident about her identification of the man.

"That's me. Though, you can just call me Kayn. Ashan is a name I threw away a while ago." Kayn stated as he began to plate food on the table, gesturing for Britta to sit and eat.

Britta obliged as her stomach was growling and she hadn't had a proper meal in weeks if not months. The two of them ate in silence until Britta had her fill. She looked up at Kayn with confusion etched onto her face, but hesitated to open her mouth.

"Go ahead, ask what you'd like." Kayn said as he smiled.

"I didn't know you were such a powerful mage back when you were visiting us, I should have shown more deference to you back then. I apologize." Britta spoke and bowed her head down, but Kayn stopped her with a wave of his hand.

"That's not necessary. Some mages are full of themselves and think they need to be worshiped, but I'm not like that. I was blessed with the ability to become a mage, so it should be my duty to help out those who were not."

"Is that why you risked your life to save me?" Britta asked the question that confused her the most. Even if he felt a sense of duty, it wasn't worth risking infiltrating the abominable building that lich called his lair just for her.

"Hmmm…not exactly. It would be more accurate to say that I feel a certain sense of responsibility towards you. Since when I found you, you were not yet infected, I decided that I would do what I could to save you, and here we are." Kayn replied nonchalantly, trying to downplay his role in her life. He didn't want her to ask, but he wasn't going to lie if she did.

Kayn stood up and began to clean up the dishes, but after a few moments of contemplation from Britta, she asked, "What do you mean a sense of responsibility towards me? Aside from sponsoring me at the orphanage, I can't think of another reason? My bastard of a father abandoned me, and the orphanage saved me. They even healed the scars from the accident that changed my life. So why would someone as powerful as you feel responsible for someone as insignificant as me!"

Britta's tears started streaming down her face. She wasn't mad at Kayn, she was just finally releasing emotions that were pent up from years in the past. She was frustrated at herself. Why was she so special, that this powerful man who shouldn't have cared further than the donations he gave to the orphanage, had come to save her? Why couldn't he have come sooner to help save all of the others whom she had come to see as family?

Kayn turned around and could feel the flurry of emotions coming from Britta. He sighed and sat back down, staring straight at her.

"First, I have a clue as to what you're thinking. I was away for a long time, and when I came back, the war was already this far along. I'm only doing what I can now that I'm here. As for why I saved you despite the significant risks, let me ask you a question instead. Do you really think your father, the one who chained you up and abused you, would willingly give you up to an orphanage when he was using you as an outlet for his anger?"

What Kayn said caught Britta off-guard. She didn't expect Kayn to bring up her father in such a manner, not to mention question his leaving her at an orphanage. That was the best thing he ever did for her after the incident, but Kayn was saying that he wasn't the one who did it?

"Wh-What do you mean?" Britta asked with stuttering words.

"I feel responsible for you because I killed your father. He made enemies due to his abuse of power, and I was contracted to get rid of him. Only, when I arrived at his apartment, there was a child chained to a bed. She was beaten and bruised, her body covered in burn scars. The story of her life was displayed in the drawings she tried to hide.

"At first, I didn't notice all of the abuse and second guessed killing this guard or not, but after seeing everything he had done to the girl, I killed him and strung him up with his crimes displayed for all to see. But, I couldn't just leave a little girl, who had already suffered so much alone, now could I?

"I kept her asleep and took her. I healed her wounds, healed the burned skin that plagued her mind as a constant reminder of her mother's passing. Then I placed her where I thought she would be able to start a new life, free from her father's abuse. I wanted to distance myself completely from her, but over time, I gave in to my guilt and visited on occasion. I had to convince myself that I made the right decision and she was really living a better life.

"Do you understand now?" Kayn asked and though his words were emotional, his face lacked any emotion whatsoever.

Britta stood up from her chair with such force that it fell over. The tears streaming down her shocked face began to pull at Kayn's heartstrings. He knew that once she was aware he was the one that took her away from the only family she had left, that she would see him in a different light.

However, her actual intention for standing up surprised him. Britta rushed over to Kayn's side of the table and threw her arms around him, embracing him in a tight hug.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She stayed like that for a while, bending over and crying into Kayn's shoulder. All he could do was reach up and pat her on the back. It felt awkward to be thanked for killing someone's parent and then kidnapping them.

Finally, she stood back up, the tears of happiness still dripping down her cheeks. "Thank you. Without you, I would have been dead years ago. Even if my father didn't kill me, I would not have been able to lead a successful life with my disfiguration and lack of teaching. Rather than my sponsor, you are truly my savior. First you saved me from a loveless life of abuse, and then from the clutches of an insane monster. How can I ever repay you?"

Now Kayn understood. She truly resented her father. Despite her being his only child, after the accident, he couldn't look at her anymore and she became nothing more than a burden to an unruly drunk.

"There's nothing to repay. I did what I did for selfish reasons, nothing more. With everything settled and you clean and full though, it's time we moved on. I'll take you somewhere safe." Kayn spoke as he started leading her towards the door out of the Wanderer's Villa.

"Okay. Is this safe place where your daughter is at?" Britta asked as she was curious about the small child she remembered following him around like a duckling.

"No. She's somewhere far away. I don't even know her exact location if I'm honest." Kayn shook his head. Even though he masked it well, Britta could still hear the sorrow in his voice when he spoke about her.

"Ah, I'm sorry I asked." Britta said as it seemed like a topic she shouldn't have brought up.

Kayn waved it off as they arrived at the door. "Wait here for a moment please."

Britta stayed at the door while Kayn disappeared only to come back a few moments later in the pure black garb he was wearing when he saved her. He also had a small back-strap bag which he handed to her.

"There are provisions in there enough to get you by for a while. Clothing, food, blankets, that kind of thing. You won't necessarily need it where I'm taking you, but it will help you get started when you're there. An acquaintance runs the place, and everything you're given must be earned. She provides a safe space to live, but everyone works together to maintain a stable life."

Britta didn't know what to say, so she only thanked him again as she slung the bag onto her back.

"How long will it take us to get there? To be honest, I don't know where we are because I passed out on your back. Sorry for throwing up on you by the way." Britta's cheeks flushed with redness as embarrassment washed over her when she finally remembered that she had soiled his clothing during the rescue.

"Haha," Kayn laughed light-heartedly for the first time since they began talking. "Don't worry about it. My armor cleans itself, not to mention I'm pretty good at cleaning stuff up if I need to. As for how long it will take, maybe a few hours? Depends how fast I can travel with you, though this time I'll protect you from the wind and I shouldn't be having to dodge attacks."

Kayn's tone was merry, but Britta immediately became fearful. The last thing she wanted was to be slung over his shoulder again, but fortunately her fears were alleviated as Kayn knelt down.

"Here climb onto my back and hold on tight. It'll be a bit disorienting when we leave the building due to the location we are in, but after a while it will be clear skies and a peaceful ride I assume."

Britta was still unsure about flying, but she could only trust in the man in front of her as she climbed onto his back. She hadn't had a piggy-back ride since she was a small child when her mother was still alive and her father loved her, it felt nostalgic, but also awkward.

She was a grown woman now, and pressing her body so tightly to her savior's back was embarrassing. Her ears and cheeks were burning red, but luckily, she was behind Kayn, so he couldn't see her.

Kayn himself, completely aware of what she was feeling, ignored it and placed a barrier around her to protect her from the external forces that would press against her during flight as he stepped into the darkness.

He absorbed the Villa back into his soul and wrapped his arms beneath Britta's legs to ensure he had a good hold of her. His voice then reached Britta's ears in the darkness surrounding them, "Remember what I said, and hold on as tight as you can."

Britta immediately increased her grip around Kayn's neck. She was worried about choking him with how tight she was holding, but he didn't seem to mind it. She felt a subtle amount of wind and disorientation for a while, but soon her eyes were filled with wonder and excitement.

She was as high as the clouds, soaring through the skies just like a bird! True to his words, this time wasn't nearly as bad as the last time and she was genuinely enjoying the scenery and experience.