Chapter 3: Goodbye

The unnamed girl opened her eyes, feeling refreshed. Her wounds were completely healed.

She blinked a few times before noticing Viktor floating in the air, lazily eating berries. His posture was relaxed, as if he had no care in the world.

"It's not every day you see a kitsune in the human realm," he remarked between bites.

Her ears twitched at his words. "You... speak the land beast tongue?" she asked, confused.

Viktor frowned. Land beast? He quickly realized she was referring to humans, though he found the term odd.

The girl suddenly grabbed his hand, her grip firm. "No time! We have to run. The land beasts are coming!" She tried to pull him along, but his wind magic kept him anchored in place.

"They're already here."

Her tail shot up in alarm as she frantically scanned the area. Viktor simply pointed toward the trees, where several figures hung limply from vines, unconscious.

"It only took forty seconds," he said casually. "So, who are you, and why are they after you?"

The girl stared in shock. "You did this?"

Viktor chuckled, confident. "It's easy when you know how. The animals warn me of nearby threats, and I take them out from the shadows before they even notice. Now, don't dodge my question."

The girl hesitated before dropping to her knees. "My name is Kyoryn," she said quietly. "My family and I were on our way to visit my father's friend when a group of land beasts ambushed us. They... they killed my family in cold blood." Her voice trembled as she spoke.

Viktor floated around her, studying her reaction. "This friend of your father... does he have a name?"

Kyoryn nodded slowly. "Kurt Lawwick. He's a swordsman—"

Before she could finish, Viktor raised his hand to stop her. "What business do you have with my father?"

Kyoryn's eyes widened. "You're Kurt's son? The Wild Dog Swordsman? Please, I need to meet him."

Viktor studied her expression, then sighed. "Eat first. Then I'll take you to him."

A smile of relief spread across Kyoryn's face as she picked up a berry and began to eat.

After their meal, Viktor led Kyoryn through the forest toward his home. The journey was uneventful—until suddenly, he stopped.

The air shifted. Hidden figures lurked in the trees and bushes.

From the shadows, a man in armor stepped forward. He had an easy smile, his demeanor friendly, almost playful. "Hello there, kiddo," he greeted.

Kyoryn stiffened. Her breath hitched as recognition struck her. These were the same men who had killed her family. "No... not here," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

Viktor positioned himself between her and the strangers. "So," he said coolly, "who's the mole? You couldn't have found this place on your own."

Hans smiled wider. He pulled a folded paper from his coat and read aloud:

"Dear Hans of the Blackwater smuggling group,

I have exciting news that will benefit both you and my village. There is an elf boy, around fourteen, living here. Be warned—his father was once an adventurer, and the boy knows Category 2 magic. If you need more information, I'll provide it. Come to Lurkburg, and we'll talk business."

Viktor's lips curled into a cold smirk. "You know," he said, "I'm not even mad at them. I'm mad at myself for staying behind."

Without another word, he raised his hand and fired a spiraling fireball. It exploded into a bright flash, and before Hans and his men could react, Viktor sealed them inside a stone dome.

Pulling out his stopwatch, Viktor clicked the button. "It's never that easy," he muttered before grabbing Kyoryn's hand. "Let's go!"

They sprinted through the forest. The stopwatch ticked down.

Then, at zero, Viktor suddenly stopped.

"Why are we stopping?!" Kyoryn asked, panic rising. "They might find us!"

Viktor knelt. "Climb on," he ordered. "I can lose them faster this way."

Kyoryn didn't hesitate. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and the moment she was secure, Viktor begun to float into the air, angling to the right.

"Wait—what are you doing?!" she yelped.

Rather than answer, Viktor showed her.

Ahead, the forest split into two paths: one leading to a densely packed woodland, the other to a more open area. With a flick of his wrist, Viktor raised a stone wall, blocking the entrance to the denser forest. Then, he shot toward the sparser side.

"My dad and I used to play a game here," he explained. "He was the hunter, and I was the runner. The goal was to outthink your opponent—if you couldn't win a fight, you had to win with strategy."

A few moments later, he spotted a pair of baby deer. He slowed, placing his palms on their foreheads. A shimmer of magic ran through them, and in an instant, they transformed into perfect copies of Viktor and Kyoryn.

Kyoryn gasped. "Whoa... that's me!"

Viktor didn't slow down. He took a sharp left, heading toward the forest's exit. Soon, they reached a river. He landed gently, setting Kyoryn down before collapsing onto the ground.

"We should be safe here," he panted, sweat glistening on his skin.

Kyoryn noticed a thin trail of blood dripping from his nose. "Your nose...!" she said, concerned.

Viktor wiped at it absently. "Overused my magic," he admitted. "Happens sometimes."

To his surprise, Kyoryn tore a piece of her sleeve and gently wiped the blood away. "You never told me your name," she said.

"It's Viktor," he replied. "Half-human, half-elf." His ears twitched slightly.

Kyoryn reached up and gently pinched them. "Wow... so this is what elves look like."

Viktor flinched. "Can you not? My ears are sensitive."

Kyoryn withdrew her hands quickly. "My apologies. You're the first elf I've ever seen. My father told me your kind usually stay in Mythrenor. I find it strange you're here among the land beasts."

Viktor walked toward the river, gazing at his reflection. "I ask myself that too," he murmured. "But my dad did his best to make it work… even though I know it caused him pain to stay. I was planning to leave soon anyway. Guess now I have no choice."

Turning back to Kyoryn, he asked, "Do you want to come with me? I'm heading to Mythrenor. I don't know how they treat demi-humans, but I'll keep you safe. Or, if there's somewhere else you need to go, I'll take you there."

Kyoryn hesitated but then nodded. "I have an aunt in the Therionis Realm. If you're willing… I'd like to rely on your strength to get there."

Viktor gave a small smile. "Alright. But first, we need to stop by my hideout. I need to grab my travel bags and some new clothes."

Kyoryn nodded. "Okay. I hope we have a safe journey."

Together, they crossed the river, disappearing into the wilderness.