Minutes after defeating the beast, Kai remains nearly passed out on the ground, still unclear about what just occurred.
Not far away stands the girl who had aided him moments earlier.
Kai, confused and searching for answers, asks: Who...are you? And why did you help me?
Visibly flustered, she replies: I was passing by, saw what was happening, and decided to help. You owe me now, you know.
Kai: That might be true, but I never asked for your help.
Tension hung heavily between them, Kai unable to share the secrets about his origins, and the mysterious girl equally hesitant to reveal her reasons for helping—or why she was even in the forest.
Kai: Are you traveling with anyone?
Mystery girl: No, unfortunately I'm all alone.
Kai: My name is Kai; what do you go by?
A heavy silence falls as they continue walking through the forest, and Kai senses her hesitation when asked her name.
Mystery girl: My name...is Kaelyn.
Do you know anything about where we are, Kaelyn? Kai asks.
Yes, but I'm surprised you're not aware of it yourself. This isn't exactly a place you'd stumble into by accident, Kaelyn replies cautiously.
Kai, curiosity piqued, questions further: "Where are we, anyway? This forest feels different... The air here is unlike anything from my world. So alive and full of energy."
Kaelyn pauses briefly, deciding how much she should reveal, then begins to explain their surroundings.
"We're in the Everdusk Woods," she says softly, her eyes scanning the lush but shadowy surroundings. "It's fittingly named—dark, dreary, yet undeniably beautiful. Few adventurers dare to journey deep here."
She continues, "These woods border a small town called Elden. It's the starting point for countless adventurers, mainly because Everdusk is rich with rare life forms crucial for potions and materials used throughout the kingdom."
Kai listens intently as she explains further: "Everdusk is notorious for its hidden dungeons, containing treasures beyond imagination. These riches are typically guarded by monsters—or collected from the fallen adventurers who weren't lucky enough to survive."
"When will we go our separate ways?" Kai suddenly asks.
"You don't want to travel together?" Kaelyn replies, raising an eyebrow.
Face turning red, Kai stammers, "N-no, it's just...I've never traveled with a beautiful girl before—I mean any girl at all."
Snickering softly, Kaelyn teases, "Are you a pervert or something...?"
Kai quickly changes the topic, "So, where are we headed now?"
Kaelyn's expression turns serious. "I have a goal I want to achieve. I don't fully understand your power, but I'd like us to travel together. I can help you navigate this world as long as you're willing to lend me your strength."
"Using me to accomplish your goals? Then it's fine if I use you to accomplish mine too, right?" Kai responds cautiously.
Both silently acknowledge their mutual understanding, neither fully revealing their true intentions.
Feeling as though night had lasted a thousand years, they agree it's time to leave the forest to avoid another dangerous encounter. For now, they set their sights on finding shelter and warmth.
...
Traversing the fast wilderness was fascinating. Currently as explained by Kaelyn, they are traversing North to head to Elden. They were originally at the deep end of the woods but are making their way out.
Eventually they found a suitable cave to call home for the night, a lush green cave with moss and algae as companion. There were some small critters but that's every cave. This cave was smaller than usual which provided some comfort of a quick escape if anything came up.
Later into the night, both lay still in the darkness of the cave...
Kaelyn: "Where...are you from?"
Kai took a few moments to gather his thoughts. "I'm from a different kingdom. I was held captive and only recently managed to escape."
Kaelyn: "Hmm... your appearance does look foreign. No one on this continent has hair quite like yours."
She seemed to be referring to Kai's unusually dark, blackish-brown hair.
Kaelyn: "Those abilities you showed earlier—what kind of magic do you use?"
Kai: "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure myself. All I know is that I can enhance my physical capabilities. Moving the way I did earlier... that's something new."
Kaelyn: "For now, try not to use your abilities too much. Magic here is valuable—a commodity. Though everyone has access to it, the supply is finite and tightly controlled."
Kaelyn explained further that magic, a regenerative source of power, is hoarded by the nobles and elite factions. Common citizens receive only scraps of this energy, as most of it is absorbed by special devices operated by the capital and the kingdom's nobility.
After talking for a while longer, they agreed to rest. Tomorrow promised a long journey ahead, with Elden city as their destination.
....
The next day, as soon as dawn broke, Kai and Kaelyn continued their journey toward the city.
Kai: "I never asked—what kind of abilities do you possess?"
Kaelyn: "Well... I suppose I might as well tell you."
Kaelyn explained that she's a summoner—a type of mage capable of calling spirits from other realms to assist her. She described how summoners might call upon a water spirit to extinguish fires, or a wind spirit to enable flight.
Kaelyn hesitantly continued, mentioning that advanced summoners can even summon divine beings from other worlds or universes. These beings possess immense, potentially catastrophic powers capable of bringing entire worlds to ruin. Naturally, such summoning is strictly forbidden, as these beings are often uncontrollable, hunted down, or forced into allegiance by powerful kingdoms to avoid persecution.
Kai thought to himself, "Good thing I didn't reveal I'm one of these beings. Do I truly have the power to bring a world to its knees?"
Kaelyn: "That's just one aspect of my abilities. I also worship a goddess who grants divine miracles."
With a heavy heart, she continued, "Unlike other gods, my goddess Auresh doesn't demand conquest or destruction; she values peace. 'The fist is not to dominate, but to shield what must not fall.'"
Kaelyn explained how her goddess gradually faded into obscurity as people embraced colder, more ruthless forms of warfare. Still, Auresh continues to bless a rare few—those who fight with hearts burdened by scars.
As they continued toward the city...
Kai: "When will we run into those adventurers you mentioned earlier—the ones who enter these forests?"
Kaelyn: "There are a few popular dungeons nearby. We can visit one if you're curious."
Kai: "I guess... Will that be dangerous, though?"
Kaelyn: "Only if you do something foolish. But it's important for you to get familiar with the people of this kingdom. We don't want you accidentally causing trouble in town by misunderstanding local customs."
After several miles, they reached a large dungeon bustling with adventurers. Two guards stood at the entrance, collecting entrance fees from eager groups preparing to venture inside.
As Kai and Kaelyn approached closer, they noticed how everyone was busy forming parties, trading supplies, and strategizing excitedly.
That's when someone called out enthusiastically, "Hey, wanna join our party?"