WIEDERGEBURT

by Varnell, Brandon

  He didn’t even wait for me to respond before about facing and walking off. Feeling a frown tug at my lips, I watched where he was going; the frown now on my face only grew when I saw him head over to Kari, Fay, and Lin.

  “Princess Kari.”

  The greeting came from a handsome man with broad shoulders, blond hair, blue eyes, and the leather armor of a Nevarian Spiritualist. He’d come from the direction Eryk was in. As Kari turned her head and stared at the man, recognition flashed through her.

  “You are… Finn Søkere, yes?” Kari asked.

  “That is correct.” Finn offered a traditional bow from the waist. “I’m happy to know that you recognize me, even though we have never spoken before now.”

  While she was unsure of why this man had decided to greet her, she put on the polite smile she always wore when dealing with people she didn’t know. “You battled against Fay during the Spiritualist Grand Tournament. It’s only natural I would remember you.”

  Perhaps she had said something wrong. For just a moment, the man’s eyes flashed in a way that seemed strangely menacing, but it happened so fast and disappeared so quickly that she wondered if she’d just been seeing things.

  A kind smile appeared on his face.

  “That is indeed correct.” He then glanced at Fay, the smile growing. “Even though I did my best, I was soundly trumped.”

  “I was merely lucky,” Fay replied with a slight smile of her own. “You had completely negated my ability to use the Flash Step. It was only thanks to mere chance that I found a way around that to secure my victory.”

  Finn rubbed his chin in a way that seemed philosophical or perhaps studious. “The Flash Step is that Spiritual Technique that lets you move at high speed, right? It is quite the fascinating technique.”

  “Thank you. Eryk taught it to me.”

  “Is that so? How nice of him.”

  While Finn engaged Fay in conversation, Kari looked back toward the fire, where Eryk was talking to Marko and a squad of three others. It looked like they had managed to catch several dozen rabbits. Eryk took the food off their hands and began removing the fur, organs, bones, and other parts that couldn’t be eaten. He was using a flat stone for the process. After disposing of the guts, he began rubbing seasoning into the meat.

  “Big Sister,” Lin suddenly said.

  “Yes?”

  Leaning over, Lin cupped a hand to her mouth and whispered into Kari’s ear. “Maybe this princess is just imagining things, but it seems like that man talking to Fay has been eyeing you this whole time.”

  “Eyeing me?” Kari muttered, glancing quickly at Finn before turning back to Lin. He wasn’t looking at her and seemed to be deeply engaged in his conversation with Fay. “You think so? He seems to be more interested in talking to Fay than me.”

  Lin shook her head. “He only looks like he is interested in talking to Fay. If you pay attention, you’ll see that his eyes are consistently on you. This princess suspects the only reason he is talking to Fay is because it provides him with an excuse to be near you without making it look like he is interested in you.”

  Kari bit her lip as she wondered whether or not Lin’s words were correct, but just glancing at Finn didn’t reveal any of what Lin was saying. At the same time, she trusted the Lamia’s words. Of course, if Finn really was watching her, then it also meant he might be the person who had been showing hostile intent to Eryk. She would never forgive this man if that was the case.

  The scent of sizzling fat and spices filled the air soon enough, providing Fay with an excuse to grab Kari and Lin and drag them away from Finn, who’d been talking her ear off. Kari was wondering if Finn had really been interested in her, or if Fay was the person he’d been eyeing. Those thoughts and more fled from her mind when Eryk handed her a bowl of braised rabbit. It looked like he had made a stew. The scent of the rabbit mixed with several herbs, spices, and vegetables caused her stomach to grumble.

  After thanking him, Kari found a place to sit down with Lin and Fay that was far removed from the other people. She hoped to eat with just the two other girls; that hope was soon dashed when an armored figure sat down next to her. Fortunately, it wasn’t Finn, whom she first suspected. It was Catalyna.

  “What are you three doing so far out from the camp?” she asked.

  “This princess was hoping for some peace and quiet,” Lin responded. It was a comment that sounded kind of snide, but Lin was talking the same way she always did, leaving Kari to believe the words weren’t spoken out of malice.

  Catalyna smiled. “You’ve got something of a mouth on you, huh?” When all Lin did was give her a quizzical look, she waved it off and gazed at all three of them. “Do you mind if I ask you girls a question?”

  “You may,” Kari said for them all.

  “What exactly drew all of you to Eryk Veiger?”

  The question caused Fay to blush a bit, but Kari had grown past the point of blushing about every little thing people said about her and Eryk. She wasn’t sure how to answer that question, though. It wasn’t exactly something she actively thought about.

  “This princess loves Darling’s strength and kindness,” Lin said, answering the question with ease. She picked the rabbit out of the stew and popped a piece into her mouth. After swallowing, she continued. “Darling is very strong, but he never uses that strength to hurt others and he’s humble about it. He’s protective and caring. Even when this princess had been stuck in the form of a snake, he didn’t treat her like something to be feared. This princess grew to love that caring side of Darling, which persisted even after he learned that she was a Lamia.”

  “So it’s because he’s strong and kind.” Catalyna seemed to consider that for a moment, then looked at Kari and Fay. “What about you two? Is that also why you love him?”

  “N-not completely, no.” Fay stuttered a little, but she coughed into her hand and tried not to blush as she answered next. “Certainly, his strength and kindness were what originally drew me to him, but if I had to say what I liked about him... I suppose it would be his determination and work ethic. Having trained with him for three months, I’ve come to really admire how he’s willing to work himself to the bone to achieve his goals. His courage in the face of danger and protective nature are also things I love about him.”

  It came as something of a shock to her, but Kari realized she had never spoken about Eryk with Fay or Lin, nor had she asked them about why they loved him so much. If she was being honest, Kari had been having so much fun with them that their reasons simply hadn’t mattered to her.

  “And what about you, Kari?” Catalyna suddenly turned to her. “What made you fall for him?”

  Knocked from her thoughts, Kari composed herself, brow furrowing as she carefully thought about what she wanted to say. Her feelings for Eryk were not something she’d ever analyzed before. She’d fallen in love with him over the course of about two months, and it had been a slow realization rather than something she instantly recognized as love.

  “I don’t think there was any specific thing that made me fall in love with him,” she began slowly. “When he and I first met, we just sort of clicked together. It felt like we were two pieces of the same puzzle. The days I spent with him in the library were absolutely blissful. Eryk is someone who makes me feel comfortable and safe, but just thinking about him also makes my heart race. I just… after getting to know him, I know he’s the one I want to be with for the rest of my life. That’s really all there is to it.”

  It wasn’t until she met the wide-eyed stare of Catalyna that Kari realized she had said too much. While she’d gotten over her blushing fit a while back, thanks in no small part to Eryk’s constant stream of physical affection, she suddenly felt acutely aware of and embarrassed by her own words. At the same time, she didn’t take them back. They were the truth, after all.

  “Those were some pretty powerful words,” Catalyna said at last, calming down enough to give her an appraising look. “I had no idea he mean
t that much to you. So you plan on marrying him, then?”

  “I don’t know,” Kari answered in a soft voice. “The future isn’t set in stone. But what I can say is that if he asks for my hand in marriage, I certainly won’t say no.”

  “And you two?” Catalyna turned to Fay and Lin. “Do you feel the same way?”

  “This princess is already married to Darling,” Lin stated without hesitating.

  Fay’s response was a bit slower. “I… certainly, I love Eryk a lot, but if you ask whether or not I would marry him? Well, I mean, it’s not as if I wouldn’t marry him… but… well…”

  “I’m fairly positive Fay would also marry Eryk if he asked her,” Kari said for her. Fay didn’t say anything, mouth freezing while it was halfway open. She closed it as a deep redness slowly spread across her cheeks and ears, working its way down her neck and chest. While it was obvious that she was embarrassed, she didn’t deny what Kari said either.

  “Hmm…” Catalyna hummed thoughtfully as she gazed at Eryk, who was now serving himself food after having served everyone else. “I don’t suppose you three would be willing to let me join you?”

  “Not a chance,” Kari, Fay, and Lin responded with an immediate shutdown.

  Catalyna assigned people to take watch after everyone had their fill of food. There were twenty people, and the camp was spread out to cover about twelve square meters of space. She selected two people to take each watch. Watches would be done in two-hour shifts. If they slept for a standard eight hours, that meant eight of the twenty people would be taking watch. Shifts would be rotated each night so no one had to watch the camp two nights in a row.

  Our group had been spared from having the first night watch, which meant all four of us could pile into our tent and sleep. While I was a little leery about having people I didn’t know or trust keep watch, I was at least comfortable enough in my own ability to sense danger that I didn’t request taking first watch myself. I’d know if we were under attack.

  We spread out the large futon. It really was large at nearly one meter across and six meters long. That was more than enough space to fit all four of us. Though we had plenty of space, we still snuggled together, our primary purpose being, supposedly, to keep Lin warm. The Lamia was in the middle of our body pile, surrounded by us.

  Lin was lying on her side, just like I was, and since we were both facing each other, she had snuggled her body against mine. Meanwhile, Kari was spooning Lin, while Fay spooned me. The redhead’s breast bindings were gone, so I could feel the elastic springiness of her chest pushing into my back. Lin’s tail was coiled around my legs.

  I think I had fallen asleep for a while, but something woke me up. It took me a moment to figure out what I had woken up for. Then my bladder informed me of the reason.

  I needed to take a leak.

  After switching places with Fay, I stood up and stretched my arms. Fay was now frowning as she realized the warm back she had been snuggling against was gone, but then she wrapped her arms around Lin and buried her face in the Lamia’s hair. I couldn’t see exactly what was happening underneath the covers, but from the large, misshapen bulge, I could tell Lin had wrapped her tail around either Kari or Fay. Or both.

  We had gone to sleep wearing our underclothes, so I didn’t need to get dressed. I grabbed my Dragon’s Tail Ruler and stepped outside.

  Wandering away from the camp, I found a good place to relieve myself behind several trees, undid my belt, and pulled my pants down a bit. I pulled my pants back up after answering nature’s call, but I paused just as I was about to head back to the tent.

  The hairs on my arms prickled

  Someone was watching me.

  And they leaked ill-intent.

  Just as my senses warned me of danger, a dark shadow swooped down from above. I leapt to the side, away from the tree I had been using to relieve myself, and was just in time to avoid a sword impaling the ground where I stood. The figure who’d fallen with the blade stood to their feet. Covered from head to toe in black, I could see nothing of this person.

  “I don’t suppose you would be willing to tell me who you are if I asked?” I said. The figure didn’t respond. I released a sigh. “I figured as much.”

  The figure held their sword in one hand. The blade was long and narrow, the guard circling around the wielder’s hand to protect them. I recognized the sword as a rapier, a relatively long-bladed weapon characterized by a protective hilt. It was a weapon used primarily for thrusting as opposed to slashing.

  Observing what I could of this cloaked figure, I could tell from their posture and stance that they were male. His center of gravity was near his solar plexus, obvious in the way he stood, and his hands were larger than the average woman’s. That said, I couldn’t tell who this person was. All identifying features had been carefully concealed.

  I glanced from the figure to my Dragon’s Tail Ruler. It was behind this person. I guessed my attacker wanted to separate me from my weapon. He probably wrongfully assumed I wasn’t as powerful without it.

  As if the man had been waiting for some unspoken signal, he bent his knees and shot forward. I could pick up a slight Spiritual Pressure emanating from him. Light blue arcs of Spiritual Power danced under his feet, accelerating his body. It looked like he was using the lightning element to skate across the ground.

  I twitched my right index finger.

  A wellspring of Spiritual Power suddenly surged out from me as water congealed around my finger, turning into a long whip, which I sent forward. The man jerked his body away from my attack. He stumbled, then he caught himself, danced across the ground, and swung his rapier now coated in lightning. His weapon sliced right through the water whip.

  That would have normally been the end of my attack. Indeed, had I been a normal Spiritualist, I would have been forced into close-range combat because Spiritual Techniques required movements to properly channel Spiritual Power. His Spiritual Lightning Technique was the same. It was activated by the act of skating across the ground, which directed lightning outward from the feet.

  My attacker was probably under that impression.

  He turned back to me and prepared to charge.

  I smiled.

  The water that had been flying through the air after it was cut suddenly agglomerated together in midair and turned into a long spear. With another burst of my Spiritual Power, the spear shot toward my attacker’s back. Sadly, it wasn’t as fast as lightning, and the cloaked figure must have had an incredible sense of spatial awareness. He stepped to the left, spun his blade to coat it in lightning, and turned to thrust it at the spear. His blade struck the tip, forcing the water to disperse.

  However, in doing so, he left his back open.

  I used the Flash Step to appear behind him before he could turn around. My original intent was to punch a hole through his back and kill him, but I was forced to change it when I saw his rapier coming at me from underneath his left arm. It looked like he’d spun the blade around and was attempting to impale me from behind.

  Clicking my tongue, I knocked the blade aside with my left hand, then struck the man with the open palm of my right. My original intent to pierce his heart from behind was disrupted. Even so, the thunderous boom of my attack slamming into his back was a satisfying sound. That it was mixed with the strained cry of pain made me feel even better.

  The sound of the man’s spine cracking was drowned out as my attack lifted him off his feet. He flew forward through the air and crashed into a tree, snapping the large trunk in half. The crash of the tree meeting into the ground was even louder than my strike to his back. He disappeared behind the now fallen tree.

  As I was just about to walk over and confirm his death, shouting reached my ears. I stopped walking. Looking in the direction the shouting had come from, I found several lights getting closer to my location. A second later, Kari, Fay, and Lin appeared alongside Catalyna and several others.

  “Darling!”

  “Eryk!”

/>   “What happened?! Are you okay?!”

  The three girls rushed over, peppering me with all kinds of questions about my health and demanding I tell them what happened. My lips twitched as they fussed over me. I would admit, I took some guilty pleasure in their worry. It was… nice. Seeing them fret over me made me feel cared for.

  I raised my hands and gestured for them to settle down. “I’m all right. Please don’t worry about me.”

  “What happened?” asked Catalyna as she walked up to our group alongside Marko, who was glaring at me again. Great. Mean looks were just what I needed right now.

  “I was attacked by someone dressed in a black cloak,” I said.

  “What?!” Kari shouted. “You were attacked?! By who?!”

  “I don’t know.” I shook my head. “I didn’t get to see their face. And I didn’t think to use Spiritual Perception on them either. I only know that he had a lightning element.”

  While Catalyna cupped a hand to her chin, Marko gave me a strange look that was half-glare, half-confused frown. Kari, Lin, and Fay, meanwhile, were coming up with their own theories on who might have attacked me.

  “Do you think it’s someone in our group?” asked Fay.

  “It could be… but I’d prefer not to think about that,” Kari said. “Casting suspicion on someone from our group could cause unrest, especially since we have no proof.”

  “But if it really is someone traveling alongside us, then we should do something. Letting someone who would attack Darling go free does not sit well with this princess.” Lin crossed her arms as her long tongue flickered through the air. Her golden eyes were narrowed as she looked over at the fallen tree.

  I also turned to the tree. Moving toward it, I looked at where the person who attacked me had fallen, but just as I had suspected, there was no one there.

  My attacker had escaped.

  Chapter 2

  Demon Beast Mountain Range - Part II