Chapter 5:And Now What?

Chapter 5: And Now What?

Peter stared blankly ahead at the message visible only to him:

[You defeated the awakened man: Henry Hubert]

Dark runes floated silently at the edge of his vision.

'Ah yes, every time you defeat a creature—or in this case, a human—it counts as an achievement,'

thought Peter, realizing that he was so absorbed in the fight that he hadn't even paid attention to the previous two messages, leaving him ignorant of the identities of the other two bandits.

Peter looked at the three bodies of the bandits on the ground. It was the first time he had taken the gift of life from another human being. He expected to feel guilty or at least disgusted by his actions, but all he felt was the pain from the wound on his ribs.

'Hmm, so now I'm kind of a cold-blooded killer,'

he added in his thoughts, still considering his feelings—or rather, the lack thereof.

His eyes then focused for a long moment on the bandit with his throat cut.

At the sight of the wound, a memory from years ago appeared in Peter's mind:

The screams and cries of the victims in the background, the terrified look of his younger brother choking on his own blood. Peter's helplessness and fear, and his overwhelming sense of guilt for not being able to help his brother and for being the only survivor of that evening.

"Damn it,"

he said through gritted teeth and with a heavy heart, chasing away the unwanted memories.

Then he was interrupted by the girl who was the bandits' original target.

"Uh... are you okay? By the way... thanks for saving me,"

she said shyly, looking at Peter's blood-stained sword, still unsure of his intentions. Peter expected a similar reaction; he would have been surprised if a stranger he saved started trusting him in a place like Ether.

"Yes, I'm fine, just a minor wound on my ribs,"

Peter replied to her, once again assessing the girl with careful eyes when she said something else.

"Y... so what are you going to do now? And what are you going to do with me?"

Peter looked at her again and thought,

'Huh, I didn't know that I gave the impression of a person who would ask for repayment of a debt righ after saving someone's life,'

although he wasn't sure how he would react to a similar situation if he were the one being rescued. Then he replied,

"First, I'm going to drag the bodies of the bandits to the forest so that the monsters attracted by the smell of blood won't eat the corpses in the middle of the path. Then, I'm going to take everything useful they had with them and continue my way south."

"As for you, I have no intentions. I'm not going to demand repayment of the debt from you, but I will suggest you join me. Whatever the case, Ether is a dangerous place, and it's better to stick together."

After his answer, he turned his gaze to the three corpses lying under the leaves of a giant oak towering in the middle of the clearing and once again ignored the ghost hovering over them. He then turned his gaze back to the girl and added,

"The decision is up to you."

It would be good to have companions when traveling through a place like Ether—to fight side by side against creatures born of hell, to make the journey more pleasant, or for something as basic as sharing the night watch. Peter thought, recalling his master's advice.

"I see,"

she replied, surprised by the extensive answer to her question and the proposal that would be beneficial to both parties.

"So... are you suggesting that I... join you on a trek to the nearest human citadel?"

Peter smiled inwardly, but his face showed no emotion.

"Yes, but under several conditions. First, you agree to my command. We can make decisions together, and you can have your own suggestions, but my decision is final for the duration of the journey. Second, you agree to learn sword fighting under my supervision—I do not intend to drag a defenseless girl with me. Third, you tell me about your aspect and what elements you use, and of course, what is your name."

After Peter's statement, the unknown girl thought for a long time. Peter couldn't help but find her quick acceptance of his conditions a bit suspicious, especially before he even introduced himself. Was she desperate, overly trusting, or did she have her own hidden agenda? Then she answered,

"Okay, I'm fine with that as long as you tell me about your aspect and name."

Peter nodded in agreement, and the girl continued,

"My name is Selene Winter. My element is ice and light, and my aspect allows me to increase the morale and hope of victory of my allies."

Peter smiled slightly and then answered,

"Okay, I'm Peter Nightbane. My element is shadows and darkness, and my aspect enhances my senses and reaction time,"

he replied, downplaying the capabilities of his aspect and using a name that wasn't his, then adding a smile,

"Nice to meet you, by the way."

To which the girl also responded with a smile,

"Nice to meet you too, and thanks again for your help."

Peter, satisfied with the answer, looked at the bodies of the three robbers. The obvious fact was that two swords and one cloak were missing.