"You are paying attention, are you not?" Keiko's uncle asked.
"Yes," she nodded.
"Tell me what I just said, then."
"The Spirit Gardens District is a part of Jade composed of a giant tree surrounded by white stone buildings. It is one of the oldest parts of Jade and it is known for the spirits which float around the building throughout the day."
Of course, Keiko had been paying attention. She didn't want to be berated like she usually was.
Her uncle nodded and crossed his arms.
"Very well. Remember, we will be staying for just a week or two. During that time, do not walk out of your room unless I tell you to. During the few meetings you will attend, do not speak unless spoken to." Keiko nodded absent-mindedly.
The carriage they were in rumbled as it was pulled along the road. Keiko heard a gate open and figured they were finally entering the city. She had a mild curiosity to see what Jade was like, but it was tempered by the fact that she knew she'd never be allowed to roam the streets by herself.
She wasn't told why they were here, what they wanted, what the meeting with the Royal Council was about. Only that it was important and that the future of Amber could be decided by these little talks they'd be having.
And Keiko would sit through it all, in the "comfort" of her own room.
---
Her eyes opened when a shiver went up her spine.
Oh my... She trembled. I am so cold. She didn't remember being like this last night though. No, last night she distinctly remembered strong arms around her body providing enough heat to at least go to sleep half-comfortably. Those arms were currently missing.
She sat up and looked around, finding that the mist this area was known for had not dissipated at all, leaving everything feeling just as stuffy. She checked and found that her necklace was still there and that the bounty hunter had not run away with it in the night. She didn't know what she'd do without it. It was too precious for her. She had expected that, of course, but had hoped that some miracle would make the air a little clearer.
To her left, Ash was crouched on the ground. In front of her, a small fire burned and the bounty hunter was cooking something over it.
"What is that?" Keiko asked, rubbing her eyes and yawning.
"Some meat," Ash replied. "I went out to look for food. Didn't expect to find anything, but there were some creatures I recognized."
"Is that so?"
"Yes," Ash said, and then she handed Keiko what she had in her hands.
She wanted to be polite and reject the offer, but just as she was going to, her stomach grumbled and Keiko blushed.
"... Thank you."
"Yeah."
Keiko lifted the meat to her lips and took a bite.
"Oh... This taste is rather strange."
"It's just frog meat," Ash replied. "Found one pretty close by. Listen," Ash said, "we only have a day of walking left, if the map is to be believed. So, we'll be out of this place in a little while."
Ash glanced at Keiko, who was just about finished with the meat she'd been given.
"You won't forget our deal, right?" Ash asked and Keiko could hear a hint of a threat in that question. She was offended.
"Do you think me a liar?" Keiko asked.
"Don't know you," Ash shrugged. "Doesn't help that most nobles like you are liars too."
Keiko sighed.
"Yes, because of course, that is all I am. Just another noble."
"Like I said, don't know you."
"Then, how can you even trust that I am being truthful when I confirm..."
She stopped herself as she saw Ash raise a brow at her. Almost like she was saying, "you're right. I can't."
Keiko sighed and curled up her knees to her chest.
"Yes, I will give you part of my hair. Just tell me when we have to start walking," Keiko muttered.
"Sure," Ash nodded and took her map out of her bag. "So, we walk straight for a few hours and then we turn to the right a bit, just in case Jacob is patrolling the perimeter of the Mist Realm, once we're close enough to Amber, we can..."
Ash stopped.
Keiko looked up at her. The bounty hunter suddenly had a curious look on her face. She was searching the area, her eyes narrowed at the mist.
"Is anything...?"
Ash held up a hand, prompting her to stop talking. Now, Keiko was worried. She tried to do the same but didn't see anything. Ash's eyes were peeled as she stood up and walked forwards.
"I feel like..." Ash started, and then, something tackled her.
It had come out of the mist, from her left. Keiko flinched, it happened so fast that she didn't catch what had done this. She only saw it once the creature was already standing over the half-demon.
It was a similar spider to the one they'd seen before. Giant, feral, and screeching, it had Ash pinned down.
"Ash!" Keiko yelled as she saw the bounty hunter reach for her daggers. The spider-like creature had mandibles that were currently attempting to tear into Ash's face. She moved her head out of the way and stabbed the creature from underneath, but it didn't budge.
I need to help! Keiko thought and so, she raised her hands, ready to use one of the few spells she'd been taught.
"Winds of flame, spiral towards the enemy!"
With that incantation, white, rose-colored flame surged out from her palms, aimed at the spider's head.
The spider was level 30, Keiko was level 1. She didn't expect it to do any damage at all, and indeed, it didn't, but the spell managed to irritate the spider into letting up for just a moment. It screeched so loudly, Keiko had to cover her ears, and the spider turned its head to her.
That was enough of an opening for Ash to stab through its carapace, forcing the spider off of her.
Ash used the moment to stand up and took up a fighting stance. However, the spider seemed more interested in Keiko now, even though Ash was right in front of it, weapons ready.
The spider charged towards her.
It moved so quickly, Keiko had no chance of dodging this attack. Not just that, but with her Constitution at a measly 1, the same tackle that simply pushed Ash to the ground likely would have crushed Keiko's body.
However, the spider didn't reach her. Instead, Ash intercepted it, standing between it and Keiko and kicking the spider back.
Keiko had never seen a real fight like this before, one between two ruthless creatures bent on killing one another. She fell back and scurried towards a nearby tree, her hands shaking in front of her.
Now though, the spider was once again focused on Ash. The bounty hunter was breathing heavily, but her weapons, two daggers, were at her side, ready to be used. The spider raised its front legs and tried to jab at her.
Ash weaved between them suddenly like a bolt of lightning, leaping up to fall on top of the enemy, but she was caught by one of the legs and pinned to the ground with it.
Keiko saw dark violet splash onto the dirt around Ash and felt chills. Is that her blood?
The half-demon, however, slashed the leg with her left dagger and managed to cut it off. The spider squealed, stepping back in pain, and Ash was allowed to stand.
The longer the fight went on for, the more Keiko began to see a violet aura encapsulate the half-demon. The blood flowing freely from her abdomen meshed together with this aura, and after a while, Keiko saw her hands changing.
The spider attacked again, and Ash dropped her daggers. Finally, claws emerged from her fingertips just as the spider was about to reach her.
Ash charged forwards and punched straight through its head.
The spider twitched once, twice, and fell lifeless. Ash removed her hand from its body and Keiko saw it covered in green blood. The half-demon's body changed back to what it had been before as she saw her target die, and she fell to her knees.
Clutching her abdomen, Keiko internalized that the fight had ended and ran up.
"You are hurt," Keiko said, putting a hand on Ash's shoulder.
"No shit," Ash spat out some violet blood.
Keiko looked at her body, the blood both Ash and the spider had let out covering it, and she gulped, trying not to vomit.
"Lumina's light, reach Amber's darkest places," Keiko said, and put she put her hands on Ash's abs. They began to glow pink.
"What are you doing?" Ash asked.
"What does it look like?" Keiko asked. "I am healing you."
"... Why?" Ash asked.
Keiko raised a brow.
"Maybe that spider bashed your head too many times, but I am trying to help you, you idiot," Keiko replied.
Ash simply stared at her before her head fell back and she let out a breath.
Neither said anything as Keiko worked. She didn't have much mana, so it took around ten minutes for the wound to fully heal as Keiko had to stop and start a few times.
When she was done, Ash stood up and took off her shirt, looking down at where the spider had stabbed her.
"..."
"What is it?" Keiko asked her hands on her hips.
"It feels strange," Ash replied. "Knowing there won't be a scar there."
"... You sound almost sad about that," Keiko noted.
"I used to tell myself," Ash said as she put her shirt back on, "that scars were just trophies. They meant that I lived through the fight and my opponent didn't. Kind of feels like there should be one there."
"Yes?" Keiko asked. "Well, let me get one of those daggers and I will make one for you."
At that, Ash laughed. It was a strange sound coming from her, but pleasant to Keiko's ears.
"Don't think I will, princess."
---
Keiko couldn't really explain it, but it had felt like after that, the tension between them had eased a little. Ash was no longer looking at Keiko like she was an object to be traded in at the local pawn shop, and Keiko didn't feel as scared as she did before.
That form of Ash's was terrifying, of course, but the half-demon explained that it only came out whenever Ash was in a particularly bad fight. That Keiko didn't have to worry about it at all.
The land never really changed as they walked. Everywhere they went, there was the same mist, the same stuffy feeling in the air, the same monstrous growls in the distance.
Eventually though, as twin moons took up the sky during the night, they finally emerged out of the Mist Realm.
The instant they left it, Keiko took a deep breath and nearly cried when she breathed fresh air for the first time in three days.
Ahead, Ash put her hands on her hips.
"So," Ash said. "Your hair."
"... Right," Keiko nodded. "Could... Could I ask that you don't take too much?"
"Sure."
Ash unsheathed a dagger and Keiko turned around. Then, she felt Ash lift her hair up and a quick slicing sound, and just like that, it was done. The half-demon put the hair in a bag. Keiko reached back and tried to see how much she'd cut, finding that now, her hair only reached her waist whereas before, it reached just above her ankles.
"Done."
Keiko nodded and Ash turned away.
And so, the two continued walking.
According to Ash, now, the long journey began, as it would take at least a week's worth of walking to reach Amber.
That was a week under the unforgiving sun, walking over the scalding land. Keiko was sure that by now, the skin on her feet had to have peeled at least a little, but anytime she thought about that, she'd focus on something else. Like, the hunger and thirst, or the weariness she felt with every step. If she was really desperate to distract herself, she'd focus on the sounds of roars in the distance, which even Ash was quick to point out belonged to creatures she likely could not defeat in a fight.
The two of them walked through most of the land in silence, only taking the occasional break. Ash would go out to hunt and look for water every now and then, usually coming back with just barely enough to get by.
Three days. For three more days, they walked before something happened.
Six men on horses saw them in the distance.
"Oh, shit..." Ash muttered.
"They look like..." Keiko squinted.
"Guards," Ash completed.
Of course. Most likely, they had been sent by Keiko's family to look for her. Considering that they were here, whoever it had been that Ash had run from likely led them to this spot. Judging by how Ash paled upon seeing them, that was probably her same thought.
The guards reached them and Ash sighed.
Keiko looked over at her and saw nothing but defeat on the bounty hunter's face. It took Keiko a moment to understand why that was the case.
Oh. Keiko realized. She believes I will turn her in for taking me into the Mist Realm.
Indeed, that was why Ash had taken her hair, to begin with. So that she could ride away from Amber after dropping Keiko off, without ever interacting with the law. But, as they'd been found, this was a perfect opportunity for Keiko to betray her and have her tossed into a dungeon.
How foolish, Keiko thought, shaking her head as one man, with his eyes fixed on Ash, spoke up.
"Your majesty," he spoke to Keiko, "are you alright?"
"Yes. Are you here to take me back to Amber?"
"Yes," the guard bowed from on top of his horse. Then, he looked at Ash. "Men, tie her up."
Considering how Ash made no effort to run or fight, she had resigned herself. However, Keiko spoke up.
"That will not be necessary," she said.
"What?" The man asked and all eyes, the half-demon's included, turned to her. "But... We were told she took you against your will."
"You heard wrong," Keiko quickly stated, trying her hardest to inject authority into her words. Something she wasn't used to doing. "She saved me. She is to be given a comfortable ride back to Amber, a bath, and the reward that had been placed on my rescue," Keiko instructed. "I believe it was 15 white royal crowns?"
Keiko could feel Ash's eyes on her, wide and shocked.
She loved it. She smirked a little as the guard took in her words and nodded.
"Very well," he gestured and someone came with a horse, picking her up. The same man allowed Ash to ride behind him and just like that, a trip that would have taken four more days at least, was cut to just one.
---
They returned to Amber the next day. The guards dropped them off at the entrance to the city, where citizens and merchants stared at the pair in horror at their dirty sight. The entire time, Keiko felt Ash looking at her with questions she couldn't answer just yet. Not in these people's presence.
They were taken to the Desert Aegis, also known as Amber's palace. It was a place composed of dirt-covered golden buildings. They only had to reach its courtyard though. Here, Keiko relayed the events that had unfolded to the proper authorities, and soon, a dirty, beaten-up Ash was being given 15 white royal crowns.
She stared at Keiko in disbelief the entire time.
"Leave me," Keiko said to those around her, the guards and soldiers. "I wish to speak to my savior."
Finally, they were left alone for the first time since yesterday, and the two were able to speak.
Keiko chuckled.
"Why?" Ash asked.
"Why what?" Keiko asked as if she didn't know.
"Why did you do that?" Ash walked up to her and Keiko looked up to meet her violet eyes. "You... You could have just..."
"As unpleasant as you can be," Keiko told her, "I had no intention of stabbing you in the back. There was no reason to. You did save me after all, even if it was in such a crude way." Then, Keiko looked down. "I suppose this is it for our time together though. I... I feel like I have learned some things. Maybe, you could say my perspective is a little wider. I thank you for that."
Ash looked down at the coins she'd been given.
"I guess so..." Ash muttered.
"Thanks again, bounty hunter," Keiko said. "Farewell."
With that, the two separated. Keiko's hands briefly went to her necklace as they parted ways.
Keiko went back to her world and Ash went back to hers. Their time together was enlightening for the Arcane's daughter, but it couldn't last. She had her role to play in life after all, and Ash's had hers.
Still, as for Keiko, these last few days would be ones she remembered for a very long time.
---
Ash
Holding the reward felt surreal. She could have put it in her bag, but she felt like if she took her hands off of this pouch, it would disappear. She still couldn't believe she had it.
But, with it, she could finally call it a career. She had enough money to pay for transportation to Jade, buy herself a home, and live comfortably, at least for enough time to figure out what she'd do next.
She was no optimist. Ash knew that at Jade, she'd likely face the same sort of opposition. People who hated bounty hunters, people who hated half-demons. And, she'd meet them with the same resentment she did at Amber. However, now, there was one person who she'd scratched off that list of people she disliked. The list of people she was wary of.
A girl by the name of Keiko Arphilia. She'd earned that much, at least.
In her place, someone else took her spot.
Jacob, Ash thought, glaring down at the earth.
And she promised to herself, one day, be it tomorrow, be it in ten years, she'd kill that man.
But, for now, she had a trip to schedule. A new life to plan out.
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