The fire crackled as wood burnt to ash. The night was dark, the only illumination coming from this small camp ground Al and Senna found themselves in.
It had been days since they last saw civilization.
This continent was heavily influenced by the "Church of Hallowed Thorns".
Showing our face for more than moments was asking for trouble.
Thankfully, this world lacked technological advancements of my own.
I was able to send Senna into the small towns with coins stolen from the paladins who got in our way.
The stale bread was hard to chew through but it was drastically better than starving.
The days had passed quickly since their first run in with the paladins of the church.
The sun had cycled more than twenty times on this pilgrimage they were on to escape this continent.
Albert and Senna traveled deep through the forests bordering the Emberwilds, where the moon barely pierced the fog above.
The trees moved as if they were alive, creaking and moaning around them.
The ground writhed as tree roots followed their every step.
Senna never asked where they were going. She only followed.
Their talks weren't long winded as of late.
It wasn't needed.
They had grown to depend on each other through this daunting world where their lives were the only thing they owned.
She would gather herbs or trap small game, while Albert would scout ahead surveying the environment around them.
The map that Senna had stolen seemed to be old since the surroundings did not match the topography the map was displaying.
Mentally Albert had been trying to understand this power of his…
It was similar to the beast taming he was used to but drastically different in application.
It wasn't controlled.
It was understanding.
It was like talking to a group of vicious children.
He could give them a command but they had minds of their own and often executed his orders in ways he did not intend, and that frightened him more than anything else.
Each time his blood fed the roots, each time his thoughts stirred the twisted wolves or sap filled amalgamations, something within him deepened.
A connection to whatever it was that made itself home inside of him.
The world called him evil, but regardless if he was before coming here, their actions had forced Al to walk this path whether he liked it or not.
Pushing himself he muttered sorry to the poor thing resting behind him.
the creature that laid behind him had been stopping his back from sloughing which was appreciated.
"Senna, get ready we need to leave, the sun has begun to rise."
The girl brought her dirty hands to her eyes, rubbing them as she let a small yawn escape her mouth.
"Catch"
Her pupils dilated at the sight of the fresh food being thrown to her.
Quickly she began digging into the fruit that had been thrown to her.
"Thank you" Senna had managed to sneak out in the midst of savoring her food.
"You're welcome. Eat quick and then we will head out."
With a nod of her head she hastily devoured the fruit before following one of the beastly creatures that flocked behind Al.
That night, after covering miles of ground, they settled near a hill where the moon shone down illuminating them.
Senna lit a fire from the sap one of the creatures bleed into the pit for them, her movements careful.
Her hands were caked in dirt and rough with callouses, a stark difference from when she lost her temper in an attempt to defend him.
A smile creeped to her face for a moment as she looked up into the night sky.
"I'm not afraid anymore," she said softly.
The statement caught Al off guard.
His face turned to her, intentionally listening to her next words.
Taking this body language as a sign to continue with her thoughts she continued on.
"Of you."
He said nothing, focused instead looking for any signs of her lying in her facial expression.
She continued, "Everyone else is. They look at you like you're already a monster."
"I am," he replied.
A grim expression masked his face, waiting for the painful words of agreement.
Senna shook her head. "What is it that makes you a monster Al?."
"I Jus-"
"Was it the killing?"
"Are you a monster because you killed them before they killed us?"
"Is a monster someone who is born to be condemned from the beginning of their existence?"
"What makes you more of a monster than those who condemn you for being who you are?"
The words sank deep, his insecurities gnawing at his thoughts.
He shifted, staring into the fire.
Pondering her words carefully.
"You don't have to follow me."
"I know."
"You're still young. You could—"
"Don't insult me," she snapped, sharp for the first time. "What do I have to go back to Al?"
"The mines? To be worked to death and replaced when I am too weak to draw my next breath."
"Even if I was naive enough to think I could return…"
A smile crossed her face ever so faintly before being replaced with an appearance of sorrow.
"You took that away from me."
"All I have left is this"
Throwing out her hands in a dramatic way she continued on her rant.
"ALL I HAVE LEFT IS YOU! DO YOU NOT REALISE IT?"
Her eyes glimmered.
Tears filled her watery eyes.
She began to pant, struggling to catch her breath after her outburst.
Al moved forward around the fire with his hand stretched out in an attempt to comfort Senna.
"I-"
"I can't leave, you are my everything Al."
Albert looked away.
His thoughts run rampant in response to the girl's eruption.
The system stirred.
Following the words of Senna.
[Bond Detected: Senna]
[Thread Classification: Dependent Bloom]
[Warning: Emotional entanglement may influence future decisions]
He dismissed the message with a wave of his thoughts.
Senna stood, walking to the edge of the tree line, her figure overlapped with her shadow.
"I don't know what you're looking for," she said, "but wherever you go next… I'll go too."
He watched her disappear into the trees.
Mentally he sent a sap abomination to follow her and make sure she is safe.
He knew she meant it.
He knew that his actions impacted the worlds he appeared in; but what else was he to do?
Nothing? Just sit around and let his life end?
It was exhausting, the reality of his impact was daunting.
Moving to lay against a felled log he looked up at the stars.
The moon hovered over him, seemingly watching over him.
The world whispered around him.
'Akari, I don't know if what I am doing is the right thing.'
'Unfortunately, I have no choice but to keep moving forward.'
Listening to the wind howl as it passed through the foliage was calming.
Calming enough to allow Al to close his eyes and just listen.
For the first time in a while he simply let himself live in the moment.