Her face had tensed together as I grabbed her, unable to speak with her trembling jaw and eyes that glistened brighter than before.
"I'm so sorry... it's something about him..." I took my hands off her shoulders, looking at my trembling hands, while avoiding her eyes.
But her voice returned to be the same as before, as she said,
"But why, he is really nice!"
"He even gave us all this stuff—even this bag!"
"Bag?" I narrowed my eyes.
"He didn't tell you?" She tilted her head, while shaking the bag.
"No?"
When did he tell her?
She brought her hand to her chin,
"He told me that everything I need is in there!"
Just her?
"Have you opened it yet?"
"No... I was asleep remember!"
"Oh—sorry..." I lowered my head even lower than before,
"Do you want to open it now?"
"YES!" She screamed, jumping around the bag.
I crawled over to her, and both of us hung over the bag as I pulled the string.
Eden's bag:
1 Map 28 Food rations 1 Water bottle 1 Blanket 1 Note A leather drawstring purse A new outfit (for Mim)
I grabbed the note inside the bag.
All I saw was a blur.
Is this part of the curse? I held my chin between my fingers.
I need to ask Mim then...
"Mim, what does the note say?" I handed her the note, still unable to meet her gaze.
"Uhm... you know my reading isn't good yet, we couldn't practice anymore remember—but I can try!" She took hold of the note.
"Tyege are ajj pur zuu, avd vut mur Tjer. Duv't purget tu vaj uour kputjeg..."
"And he drew a smiley of his face next to it!" She said, turning the note towards me.
These are all for you, and not for Tjer. Don't forget to wash your clothes...
I knew it—hothing he does is meant to help me. I looked down at my torn clothes,
Even this outfit was just a joke to him. I hid my clenched fist away from Mim.
'How did you even understand that?'
'Brotherly love.'
But how can I even wash the blood away... and it's too torn up as well. Can we even enter a city like this?
"Mim you are really nice, so you'll share with me... right~?" I held Mim's hands as I approached her.
"Uhm... You'll get half of everything, but the blanket is mine entirely—"
That would have been the case either way.
"—And I'll give you only five rations," she said, lifting all five fingers up.
"Please a bit m—" I met the same eyes that I've always seen as I looked up.
I was afraid for nothing... I looked back down at my hands, and the hands I held.
"Thank you Mim, I'm proud of you." I stood up and turned back to the horses with the map in my hands.
I looked down at the map, and her voice already sounded.
"Do you need me to read the map?"
"...Yes please." I couldn't even see the places—let alone reading.
I need to handle this problem soon.
"But if you help me you can't sleep too much, you know?"
"That's no problem for me." She held her sides as she stood up, showing a huge smile,
"And I'll be with you after all, right brother!"
"Of course! I won't leave you alone."
"Sigh... I know that already, you can't be without me after all!" She tilted her head as she spoke.
"But there is a lake nearby, so let's wash our clothes there!" She said, pointing down the road ahead of us.
Sigh... she understands it... I wouldn't know how to do this otherwise...
"You are amazing at this Mim!" I lifted my thumbs at her
"Heh... thank you~" She raised her chin as blood rushed to her cheeks.
'Tjer, I was wondering—why do you distrust Eden so much? He did help you quite a bit already.'
'...I know I shouldn't be ungrateful—he did save both of us, which I am truly thankful for, but it's just a feeling I have... it feels as if I am not allowed to like him—I just can't explain it.'
'Tjer I need to be honest with you. Especially if we're going to be travelling together...'
'Have you been lying about your memories?'
'No not that... actually it has something to do with it.'
'Remember the light that came down upon us and spoke? At one point it said "Tjer" right?'
'I believe she did, but what is wrong with that?'
'When it said your name, something clicked. And it was not because of you, but just the name... I have heard it before...'
'Is that all you could remember?'
'...yes it sadly was.'
'Thank you for telling me, and I trust you. So you don't have to tell me everything.'
'Thank you...'
'And I'll help you with your memories in whatever way I can.'
'Thank you... I didn't know how to bring it up myself.'
'And I was wondering something myself—why can I hear you? Even new information you tell me, I can hear it all.'
'It's because I'm part of you... just see me as your own thoughts.'
'I hope we can find out what it is... and who you even are.'
"Tjer look!!" A voice from behind called me, taking me out of the conversation.
I turned back and a finger appeared a hair's width away from my eyes, making my head jump back,
"Sorry, sorry... but look the lake!" She said, showing no remorse in just one sentence.
"It looks beautiful, right?"
"Yes! It looked big on the map, but it's soo big! It's too big almost!" She said while I held her collar before she fell off the carriage.
We slowed down as I steered to the road's edge, waiting for the carriage to stand still, before we jumped off.
While we ran towards the lake, I remembered seeing it before,
I don't think she has been here before.
"Do you want to swim for a bit?" The view of this lake made me remember the day I came here with my mom.
It was something I had always wondered,
Why did dad never leave Kage...?
But I always got the same response—that I would understand it when I grow up.
But I still don't understand...
"Of course we can!" I said as I snapped back to reality.
We can clean ourselves up as well.
I was still able to smell the dust, blood and all else that had settled onto my body.
"I haven't seen anyone here since we departed." There was no one who entered or left Kage on a normal day,
"So let's just change here, okay?"
"Yes!"
As we took our clothes off—bringing her new clothes next to the lake—I screamed behind me,
"Who is last will share one portion of food." I ran before I finished talking, carrying my clothes in my arms.
"That's unfair, stupid!!" She screamed back as she ran behind me.
Splash.
I could feel the landing jolt through my knees, the water reaching just up to my waist,
"Hahaha, I'm first, I'll have one portion please." A big smile shone upon my face, trying to hold my knees back from trembling.
Tears flowed down her cheeks—almost resembling a river.
"No, no—don't cry I was just joking, okay? Please forgive me..." The reflection of my own face appeared in the water I found myself in.
"Okay— sniff... I forgive you... Sniff..." A smile appeared on her face as she wiped the snot and tears away.
Splash.
'You really are weak to your sister.'
'That's just normal for a brother.'
'I guess so...'
A splash of water was thrown in my face,
"Hahaha, you should pay attention in our battle!"
"Sorry, sorry—" A gold shine reached my eyes from her wrists.
"Where did you get that from?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"I just noticed it when I changed..." She started twisting her wrist around.
"How couldn't you notice it before?" It was a golden bracelet, decorated with green gems layered within.
Huh, what are these inscriptions? Strange letters were engraved.
Letters normally appeared blurry—these were simply incomprehensible.
It exhausted my eyes just by looking at it.
As if it was not meant for me.
"Mim, can you read that?" I said pointing at those engravings.
"I don't like to look at it, I feel my eyes burn..."
Why is her reaction to it different?
"It was probably from Eden—or did you steal it!?" I said, bringing my face closer to hers as I raised my eyebrows.
I was met with a splash of water, burning my eyes.
"NO! NEVER! I would never steal, you taught me so!" She continued to splash water at me.
"Calm down, calm down, I was just joking." I launched myself forward, pushing her into the water.
"That's my revenge!"
"And look your hair is wet now as well, so let me wash it for you."
I turned my face away before the splash of water arrived,
"Okay," She said, pouting her lips as she gave me her hair.
A northern wind whistled over the lake, with small drops flying within.
My lower jaw trembled as I struggled to control my legs.
Has the water been cold this entire t—
Mim...
"Mim are you alright?! Is it not t-oo co-rrd?" I forced my jaw to stay stable.
"Cold? Not really?" She lowered her body into the water up to her shoulders.
"Did you not feel the breeze just now?"
"Yes? But it was really nice especially in the water!" She said, smiling as she splashed me with another attack.
Has she gone crazy? Even with my clothes cut open I wasn't able to feel the cold, but this—this was deadly.
"Okay, I trust you... but if you're cold you HAVE to say it!" I pointed my finger at her.
"Yes, yes. I will big brother~."
"You're going down now. So hold your breath." I pushed her underneath, and I ruffled through her hair—trying to treat each strand separately.
As she came back out her hair shone more gold than before.
It's getting colder isn't it...
I looked up at the sky,
The sun has moved quite a bit already.
"Mim it's time to leave, so let's dry off."
"I can try my new clothes!" She said, slapping the water around her.
I picked up my clothes that floated next to us, and stepped out of the lake, with clothes in one hand and Mim in the other.
"Huh?"
We looked into each other's widened eyes.
There were no cuts anymore—even the red stains had disappeared.
It carried a nice smell, one better than both of us—the smell of flowers.
Taking them out of the water was enough, it had already dry as well.
I looked through both the outer and inner layers of my clothes,
It's similar to her bracelet...
I found engravings on the insides of my sleeve,
These don't tire me as much...
Who is Eden?...
How does he even get his hands on this stuff... he is already shady as is...
Mim was also done changing, leaving her old clothes on the ground next to the lake,
We should prevent getting sick.
"Mim, they look amazing on you—you look even more beautiful than normal!"
"Th-thank you..." She said, looking down at her fidgeting feet.
Has she ever heard a compliment before? Only from mom probably...
But we had other things to worry about. I nodded along with my thoughts.
"I've never seen these clothes before, those are probably noble clothes as well."
A shiver ran down my spine, making me grab my sword,
It's the same feeling as in the forest...
But where is it?
I knew it came from somewhere, but I was unable to see anything around.
And the feeling didn't close in on me.
"MIM!" She was the easiest target, and I ran over,
Of course—these beasts would go for her first.
And I was right,
A gigantic bird appeared in the eastern sky—double my size—even bigger than Wode.
It should be able to swallow her whole...
I rushed over,
The distance isn't that big, I should be able to reach her in five seconds.
I didn't know how to charge my legs—leaving all essence spreading through my body.
But I could see it—its essence.
It started to change as soon as I closed in.
I increased my speed, she was just two seconds away from me, while the beast was at least three seconds away.
But as soon as my foot hit the ground—a boom reached my ears, followed by a blur right in front of me.
It dove down—right above the unsuspecting girl.
I can't reach her anymore...
"NOOO!! MIM!" I screamed as I swung my blade around—only striking the air ahead of me.
It opened its beak, with Mim right ahead—
Its shadow swallowing her already.
Mim had disappeared.
Swallowed whole by the beast.