As the area began to empty of hunters, one of the royal soldiers turned to escort Mara back to safety, only to find the spot where she had been standing was empty. A cold dread washed over him.
He began to look around nervously and asked one of his comrades, his voice laced with anxiety.
"Hey, did someone take the Princess back already?"
"Ah? I don't know? Maybe she already went back to the city," the other soldier shrugged, dismissing his concern.
The first soldier only nodded, unconvinced, but with no other leads, he reluctantly let the matter drop.
-
Meanwhile, deep within the forest beyond the gate, the portal shimmered and vanished, sealing itself shut behind them. The guild stood among towering trees.
Arya gave a short, curt nod to their navigator. "Lead the way, Sari."
The woman with the crystal compass raised her hand, the gem pulsed faintly, its light shifting and swirling as it locked onto its destination, pointing eastward. The group began to fall into their practiced formation.
Mara, however, was at the very back, her heart pounding in her chest. Arya hadn't looked back once, his focus solely on the path ahead. His guildmates were too engrossed in their routine, too confident in their well-honed skills to suspect a stowaway.
Mara clutched the fabric she had knotted into a pouch at her waist, its fabric sagging with the weight of small rocks she had gathered the moment her feet touched the forest floor. It wasn't much, just small, jagged stones scattered along the path, but it was all she could arm herself with. A pathetic arsenal, but it was better than nothing.
"Arya, there's a horde coming our way!"
Arya's jaw tightened. "Everyone, get ready!" he commanded.
He gripped the handle of his sword until his knuckles turned white, his eyes scanning the surrounding trees. From the shadows ahead, the low drone of wings thickened into a deafening buzz, a horrifying symphony of impending doom. His face twisted in disgust.
"Oh, God... I fucking hate bugs." Cold chills crawled up his spine as a black cloud surged closer—an entire swarm of giant bees, their stingers glinting like spears in the dappled sunlight. Each bee was the size of a small dog.
One of his guildmates, a hulking warrior with a scarred face, sneered. "Worry not, petal. We will protect you~" he teased.
The mage, a slender man with piercing golden eyes, raised his hands, a spiral of flame roaring to life in his palm. With one sweeping motion, he unleashed a wave of fire, engulfing the swarm in a searing inferno.
The bees screeched as they were consumed, charred wings and broken bodies scattering across the forest floor in a gruesome rain. The air filled with the acrid smell of burning chitin.
Mara stared, wide-eyed, her breath caught in her throat. The mage's fire was incredible, terrifying. So strong... She could only watch in awe. Before the parchment materialized before her once more, its golden surface was glowing faintly. Words appeared on its surface.
[Don't stand still. Kill.]
Mara clenched her hands. This thing again...
It's so bossy.
She frowned; she does need to kill some monsters to get better skills. But she can't just risk it and separate from them; she still needs protection. But... reveal herself now, and face Arya's wrath?
The Gate was already closed. There was no turning back. She was trapped.
Her lips curved into a wide, mischievous grin. There's really no turning back.
She raised her hands and clapped loudly, the sound echoing through the suddenly silent forest.
Clap! Clap!
The sharp, unexpected sound sliced through the aftermath of the fiery inferno. Everyone flinched, their battle composure momentarily shattered. Every head snapped back, their eyes widening in surprise.
Arya froze, his face paling as he recognized the source of the sound. His eyes widened in horror, his gaze fixed on the figure emerging from behind the trees. His mouth worked, but only a strangled, disbelieving shout came out.
"MA—MA—MARA!? WHAT THE FUCK!?"
Mara grinned ear to ear like a kid sneaking into a candy shop. She struck a pose, held out a thumbs-up at the mage, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Waww!! That was so cool, Mr. Mage~!" she exclaimed, her voice ringing with genuine enthusiasm. "You totally roasted those buggers!"
The mage, caught off guard by her sudden appearance, sputtered, his face flushing crimson. The other hunters stared at her, mouth agape, utterly speechless.
Arya, however, was beyond speechless. His face was a mask of fury and disbelief. He took a step towards her, "Mara," he growled, his voice dangerously low. "Explain. Now!"
Mara held up her hands in mock surrender, her grin faltering slightly under the intensity of Arya's gaze. "Aiyaaa, brother. Calm down~ It's not as bad as it looks!"
But Arya was beyond reasoning as he approached Mara, each step heavy with rage. Mara laughed nervously, which betrayed her earlier confidence.
No, Mara was really scared. Her brother's expression was terrifying, a dark storm brewing behind his usually kind eyes. It seemed like he wouldn't hesitate to throttle her at this point, and a shiver ran down her spine at the thought.
He suddenly grabbed her by her wrist, his fingers digging into the flesh. He yanked her close roughly, making her yelp in pain.
"Must you be so impossibly headstrong!?" he roared, his voice echoing through the trees. "Is it so difficult to listen to the words of your brother who cares for you!? If harm were to befall you, what do you think would become of me? I am the one to blame! IT'S ME! ALWAYS ON ME!"
The atmosphere dropped, the air thick with tension. The other guild members shifted uncomfortably, their faces etched with concern.
Arya's breath ragged, his chest heaving after his explosive outburst. His nails turned white as he gripped her wrist harder, so hard that Mara felt as if he was really trying to punish her.
"Ah! Brother!" Mara winced, trying to pull her hand from him.
But her plea fell on deaf ears, and it only made his grip even tighter.
"DO YOU NEED TO GET HIT TO UNDERSTAND!?" Arya bellowed, his hand raised as if to strike her.
"Hey— hey!" One of his guildmates stepped forward and grabbed Arya's shoulder, pulling him back. "No violence!" he warned, his voice firm but laced with concern.
Mara stiffened, her heartbeat hammering against her ribs, loud enough that she could hear it. A thin sheen of cold sweat gathered at the back of her neck.
She tried not to flinch away this time, but her eyes flickered to the others.
They're all staring.
Well, this was... embarrassing.
'... Did I push too far?'
Arya wrenched himself free, his chest heaving. He glared at Mara, his eyes still blazing with anger, but the threat of violence had receded, replaced by a deep, aching frustration.
"God, Mara, you're too much sometimes," he said, his voice now laced with vulnerability. "I can't... I can't lose you, too."
The other guild members exchanged uneasy glances, sensing the depth of emotion behind Arya's words. Everyone knew the tragic event that befallen the royal family of Tarayesha that left deep wounds on everyone's hearts.
The thought of anything happening to her was his greatest fear.
Mara, seeing the pain in her brother's eyes, felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She had been so caught up in her own desire that she hadn't considered the consequences of her actions or the worry she had caused him.
"I... I'm sorry, Arya," she said, her voice small and contrite.
"But, listen-" Mara wanted to say something more, but her brother quickly cut her off.
"Mara, this isn't a playground. It's dangerous out here. You're not ready for this." He sighed, shaking his head.
Arya looked at her, his expression softening. He saw the regret in her eyes. He knew that he was being too demanding as a brother, but he also couldn't risk her getting hurt again. He thought for a moment, weighing his options. At last, he sighed reluctantly. It's not like he had another choice.
"Alright," he said. "I'll make you a deal. You can stay- of course, where else would you be going? Since we're stuck in this place until we kill the boss-"
"There's a final boss?!"
Arya threw her a glare for cutting him off, and he cleared his throat to get the attention back on him. "That's Galeeh," he pointed at the big guy behind him, the guy who stopped Arya from beating her ass. "Stay close to him, he'll protect you. Do you have anything to protect yourself?"
"Yes! Ston-"
"Unacceptable," Arya sighed. He pulled out a small pocket under his armor. "Your hands"
Mara blinked, but she held up her hands anyway. A bunch of crystals in different colors poured into her hands, and Mara couldn't help but gasp in awe again. They were sparkling like glass under the light.
"These are crystal junks..."
"Junk?" Mara's face dropped slightly in disappointment.
"Yes, but they're quite useful. Some of these crystals have different reactions when they shatter. So be careful, because it might explode in your hands."
Mara smiled and nodded excitedly, "Thank you, brother!"
Arya's head snapped back to Galeeh. "Protect her at all costs."
Galeeh straightened up, "Y-yessir!"