Capítulo 521: A Dumb Floating Rock
At last it was just Steve and me, the camp noise far behind. We walked side by side beneath the rising sun.
“So on Sukra we just go and fight?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yes. Why?”
He let out a long breath, half a wish and half a joke. “Maybe we could take a normal vacation for once. Go to some other world. See the sights. Feel a different rhythm for a few days.”
I rolled my eyes. “Which world out there is peaceful enough to have time for that? Everywhere I’ve heard of, someone’s sharpening a blade or making a plan.”
Steve shrugged, still hopeful. “There has to be one. A place where people don’t care about wars and just… chill.”
“Maybe the demon worlds,” I said, surprising even myself with the image. “I’ve heard they live day to day. They fight hard and party harder. You could lose yourself there for a while. Just survival and meat on the grill.”
He laughed at that. “Sounds brutal. I’ll take it.”
“So when do we leave?” he asked.
I rubbed my chin, thinking through the timeline. “We hit Sukra first. That confirms what the Ferans are up to. Then the Ferans arrive, and we deal with them. After that, once I manage the rank change, we’ll be ready for anything.”
He nodded slowly, the plan settling. “You said you had plans for me?”
“Yes.” I glanced at him, then down at my hands. “The maps I showed Dante had notes on them. If I read them right, there’s an opportunity tucked into that fourth mark. It could be big enough for all of us. But we’ll need to go and see.”
I nodded. “Alright then. Let’s make it count.”
For a long beat we just stood there as the wind moved through camp, lifting dust and loose bits of debris into lazy spirals.
“Umm… so what’s your plan now?” Steve finally asked.
I looked at him, honest. “I was thinking of going to see North. But you’re alone, and… I’m not sure if I should leave you out here by yourself.” My voice was softer than I meant it to be.
Steve drew his sword with a lazy flourish and pointed the tip at me. “Get lost before I slice your thing off,” he growled.
I laughed.
Then I took off, the ground cracked behind me covering Steve in more dust. The hut where North stayed came into view fast.
I landed beside the door and knocked once.
“North, it’s me,” I called.
There was a pause, then her voice from inside.
“Come in.”
I pushed the door and stepped into the dim room.
When I stepped into the hut, the first thing I saw was North sitting on the wooden bed in the far corner. She was in a meditating posture, back straight, eyes closed, her calm face glowing in the dim light. As the door shut behind me, her eyes opened, sharp and steady, fixing right on me.
She wasn’t dressed like a soldier now. A simple white shirt clung to her frame, two buttons undone at the top, hinting at her cleavage. The sleeves were rolled up neatly to her elbows. She wore slim black pants, her hair tied back into a ponytail, and her lips carried a dusty pink shade of lipstick that I didn’t remember seeing before. She looked effortlessly composed and very dangerous in a sexy way.
I coughed, scratching the back of my neck. “How have you been?”
Her reply came instantly, sharp as a blade. “Why do you care suddenly?”
I flinched. Before I could even try to explain, she added, “You’re a busy person. Don’t worry yourself with us mere mortals.”
I forced myself to move forward, sitting down carefully in front of her on the bed. “I’m sorry… I’ve been too busy.”
She tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing in mock curiosity. “Which part are you sorry for?”
I froze.
‘Damn, things are looking serious,’ I thought, my mind racing.
After a breath I finally blurted, “For not making myself available for you… and not taking care of you the way a good boyfriend should.”
She blinked slowly. Then, to my confusion, asked, “When did I say that?”
“Say what?” I asked cautiously.
“That you weren’t available. Or that you weren’t taking care of me. Why would I need you to take care of me?”
Her lips curved just slightly, like she was daring me to dig my own grave.
I stared at her, my brain already tying itself in knots. Her eyes stayed on me like a hawk’s, but her lips were curved just enough to make me think maybe, just maybe, she was playing with me.
“I… uh…” I scratched my head, smiling weakly. “I didn’t mean it like that. You’re perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. I mean, you’re stronger than me half the time, right?”
“Half the time?” she echoed, one eyebrow rising.
My mouth went dry. “I mean… most of the time! All the time! You’re basically a goddess. I’m just a humble mortal crawling around.”
Her eyebrow rose higher. “So you’re saying you don’t care about me at all, is that it?”
“What? No! That’s not—” I threw my hands up. “I care about you deeply. Like, so deeply I’m practically in the abyss.”
She leaned forward slightly, eyes glinting. “Then why say I don’t need you?”
I felt my soul leaving my body. “I didn’t say that! I just meant… you’re so independent that… uh… even if I’m not there, you’re totally fine and…”
“And?” she pressed.
“And…” I swallowed hard. “I’m an idiot. A complete idiot.”
Her lips twitched, like she was trying not to smile.
“I mean,” I added quickly, “you’re the most amazing person in the galaxy, North. You’re like… like a comet! Beautiful, deadly, and, uh, impossible to control. And I’m like a… like a rock. Just a dumb rock.”
She tilted her head, pretending to think. “So you’re saying I’m dangerous and you’re useless?”
“Exactly!” I intentionally agreed.
That was when she finally laughed, soft at first, then louder.
Creation is hard, cheer me up!