Chapter 18
Apology
Date: Unknown (38th day of the Journey)
Hyoren followed Elise's lead through the sparse forest. The trees here grew further apart. The underbrush was thinner, easier to navigate.
But something else had changed.
Her shoulders,—once full of tension—now relaxed. Her stride was lighter. And her face—she kept smiling to herself. Sometimes a soft giggle escaped her lips.
The laughter before seemed to have dissolved something—her wariness, her guard—it had melted away.
She still scanned the area. Her ears still twitched, alert for any dangerous threat. But the atmosphere around her was different. Her emerald eyes were clear, without any fog of suspicion. The way her ears twitched felt more subtle and natural.
The elven ranger who had rescued him from his own confusion was finally showing her true self.
After a while, her giggles faded. She composed herself. The smiles receded, replaced by her usual thoughtful expression.
She turned around and walked backwards again. The sparse forest made it easy—no low branches to duck, no dense underbrush to navigate.
"Okay Hyoren..."
She clapped her hands together once.
"Now that dinner's secured, and I got some nice entertainment, let's continue our lesson."
Hyoren scowled—the squirrel incident—she was never going to let him forget about it.
But he resigned himself to it. Let Elise do whatever she wanted. It was a small price to pay for her guidance.
"Where did I leave off before?"
She tapped her chin.
"Ah, right. Frontier City Akela. My base of operation."
She hopped over a root without looking.
"This city's primary purpose is holding the most western frontier of the Kingdom of Altaria. And especially, monitoring this Forest of No Return."
Her pace slowed slightly as she calculated.
"It's still a long walk. Four, maybe five days on foot, if we keep a good pace."
Hyoren absorbed the information—four to five days—the journey is still long.
She continued, avoiding another root without breaking stride.
"It's been my base of operation for a few years already. Akela is the base for frontier adventurers who work around this region. The main work for adventurers of Akela is scouting the Forest of No Return, and culling the goblins periodically."
She turned around and walked forward again, facing the path ahead.
Hyoren's hand moved to his chin. And he asked Elise something that bugged him.
"Why do goblins need to be culled? Why do adventurers bother walking four to five days here, leaving the safety of Akela's walls, Elise?"
She glanced back at him. Reading his expression. But before she could answer, the realization dawned on him.
The Goblin King. The increased patrols that had caught Elise off guard. The territory.
"Don't tell me… Because of the Goblin King's influence? The goblins might leave the forest and attack the city?"
Elise stopped in her tracks. She turned to face him. Her eyes widened slightly, and her mouth opened.
“You understand that much?”
She paused. Studied him. Then she turned back around and resumed walking. But her posture had changed. She looked at him with renewed interest.
"Yes, Hyoren. There is a need to monitor, scout, and periodically cull the goblins in this Shadowden Collective's territory."
Elise took a breath, evading the upturned roots that block their way.
“I will explain more about Shadowden Collective later. As it will take a long time.”
Hyoren nodded. He would let her teach him at her own pace.
***
Elise at the front lookeed up. The Sol and Luna started to their descent to horizon.
“Hyoren. We need to find camp soon.”
They walked briskly—their chatter stopped—replaced by a goal of finding a camp site for them to spend another night. The ambient of the woods was changing. The air grew cooler.
Hyoren’s eyes swept the area with around them. The trees around here were different.
“The trees around here are not tall and wide anymore. We can’t sleep on the trees like last night.”
He scanned the ridge lines to their left, noting the density of the tree cover. Short, but dense. A natural windbreak.
His gaze settled on a spot near the riverbank. He pointed toward a patch of ground nestled against small cliff on the riverside.
“What about that place Elise? It’s protected by small ridge, it will act as natural defensive wall for us.”
She followed his gaze. It was the kind of defensible position that had kept him alive in his cave for a month. It was a textbook example of a secure campsite, the kind novice adventurers often ignored in favor of comfort, usually to their regret.
“You really know where to camp safely… Your Father teaching huh? He sounds like good father. No wonder you can survive this long.”
Hyoren scratched his cheek.
The memory surfaced. His father's gruff voice, loud and insistent. Drilling the knowledge into him over and over. Making him practice finding good campsites until it became second nature.
"Well..."
He looked up at the fading sky.
"He was weird and obsessed. But yeah. He was a good father. It's partially thanks to him I can survive for the past thirty-eight days."
Elise's lips curved slightly.
She watched him move toward the clearing. His boot tested the ground, pressing the heel into the earth to check its firmness.
“The ground is quite hard and flat. Perfect for camping. And there is water nearby too.”
The ground was packed earth and moss. Free of the larger roots that made sleeping uncomfortable.
"It's a good place indeed, Hyoren."
Elise nodded slowly.
"But don't worry. We can actually camp anywhere."
Hyoren's step suddenly froze. He stared at her in disbelief.
Had she already forgotten? They'd climbed twenty meters into the top of the trees last night. They'd slept on the bough because the ground was too dangerous. And now she was saying they could camp anywhere?
"What do you mean, Elise??" his voice rose.
"We can't just camp anywhere! We'll be defenseless if we pick a campsite carelessly. Even if we took turns keeping watch, having potential ambush from every direction is a nightmare! We need to at least reduce the directions we can be attacked from—using ridges or cliffs or something!"
Elise blinked. She held up her hands.
“Calm down, Hyoren. Calm down.”
Then understanding crossed her face. The memory of last night. Her wariness. Her stubbornness in not using everything at her disposal. Agreeing to sleep in the trees instead of on the ground.
"I'm sorry, Hyoren," her voice softened.
"I'm truly sorry. I have a confession to make."
He blinked. Now it was his turn to be bewildered. She was bowing. A deep, formal bow. Her silver hair fell forward, obscuring her face.
“What do you mean?”
She straightened. Her eyebrows furrowed as she searched for the right words. Then her expression settled into something—determination.
"I think I already mentioned it before. I'm not used to sleeping on top of trees…. And I'm used to being able to sleep restfully, even in the middle of the forest."
Hyoren remembered. She'd said something about it that morning. But he'd thought it was just an excuse. A way to hide her embarrassment.
"I know your face shows you don't believe it."
Her eyes locked into his, trying to convey her words.
"But it's true. I don't know how your world deals with wilderness. But we, Kresnegerians, have already solved the problem of logistics during travel."
She held up a finger.
"Wait a bit."
She rummaged through her leather bag. Her hand emerged holding four small cubes made from white stone—about three centimeters on each side. The stones glowed faintly, runes carved into their surfaces.
"Look. These are called Ward Stones."
She held them out and Hyoren took one of the stones. He turned it over in his hands. The faint glow pulsed softly. The feeling was similar to magic stones, but different—more refined and with purpose.
“Ward Stones? What is this. Is it magic tools?”
She took the stones back from him.
"Yes. You know about magic tools, too?"
She moved toward the edges of the clearing.
"These Ward Stones—we place four of them at the corners of our camp. And see for yourself."
Hyoren watched as she placed the first stone at one corner. Then the second. The third. When she placed the fourth, she touched the rune on its surface.
"After we put them in position, we pour our Aethell into it. And look!"
The air rippled. A shimmering barrier appeared, rising from the four stones. It enclosed the clearing in a dome of soft light. The space inside was wide—enough to camp comfortably, with plenty of room to move.
“This is the barrier I mentioned before. Barrier made from Ward Stones.”
Hyoren stepped toward the edge of the clearing.
He reached out and touched the barrier. It felt like a membrane of water. His hand passed through easily, meeting no resistance.
"My hand can pass through this light. What's the purpose of this... this barrier?"
She moved to stand beside him.
"Hyoren, this light protects us from enemies. It keeps enemies from reaching us and alerts us when they try to breach it. The light also acts as a deterrent. Low-level monsters will be afraid to get closer."
She tapped the rune on one of the square stones.
"It's keyed to our Aethell signatures. We can specify anyone who will be allowed inside. But anything else trying to pass through would be blocked, and triggers an alarm. And for weaker creatures, the barrier contains a strong force that makes them think twice about approaching."
She gestured to the surrounding forest.
“It’s not impenetrable, strong monster or high attack magic can breach it. But anything we’re likely to run into out here? They’ll stay away and afraid of this barrier. We can sleep without one eye open.”
He stared at the shimmering barrier. All those nights of terror. All the energy spent fortifying his cave. All the stress from every snapped twig, every rustle in the darkness.
Gone. With four small stones.
“Wha… this is.. this is truly convenient.”
It was the difference between a survivor scraping by on wits and a civilization wielding magic as a tool. Relief and envy warred in his chest.
"True…." Elise's voice was softened.
"This changed our lives as adventurers a lot when it was introduced centuries ago. But now, this stone is already a staple for every adventurer and traveler in this world. Anyone who ventures outside the city without this kind of magic tool is labeled insane."
She watched him examine the barrier. After a moment, she cleared her throat
Elise saw he was still trying to check the barrier and crouching to touch one of the stones—examining it.
She cleared her throat. Trying to get his attention again.
"This is why, Hyoren..." her voice grew serious.
"I apologize. I should have used these Ward Stones last night. So we wouldn't need to climb trees. We could have slept on the ground, comfortable. And we could have slept deeply, without needing to worry about external threats. This barrier won't be breached by any monster in this area."
The pieces clicked into place.
Elise not being used to sleeping in trees. Oversleeping because she couldn't enter soldier's sleep like him. Only falling asleep from exhaustion. She was used to entering deep sleep even in the middle of a dangerous forest—protected by this barrier.
"Yesterday..." she looked away.
"My mind was still in chaos. I couldn't think straight. And before I realized I had time to offer these Ward Stones, we'd already settled on top of the trees."
Her words struck him.
She was still wary of him. She hadn't wanted to risk sleeping together inside this barrier—without space to separate them. So she'd chosen not to use it.
But it was understandable. They were strangers. He'd saved her by chance. She didn't know his character. Didn't know if he had any bad intentions.
***
Silence fell between them.
The shimmering barrier cast a soft glow across the clearing. The river murmured in the distance. The last light of the dual suns filtered through the trees, painting the sky in shades of orange.
Hyoren stood there, processing everything. The Ward Stones. The barrier. The explanation. The apology.
Elise watched his face. She saw the understanding settle in. The acceptance.
She broke the silence first and clapped her hands together
“Okay! Let’s prepare our camp before light completely gone.”
She moved toward the edge of the clearing. Her hands began gathering branches and leaves for a campfire. She worked efficiently, selecting dry twigs from the forest floor.
Hyoren watched her for a moment. Then he shook off his thoughts. He couldn't just stand there.
"I'll help make beds, Elise."
She glanced up, a small smile crossed her face.
"Ohh… I'd be thankful for that. This ground has moss to dampen it, but our bodies would still ache if we sleep on bare earth."
He moved to the edge of the clearing where large waxy leaves grew in clusters. The same kind he'd used in his cave. He'd learned which ones were best—thick enough to provide cushion.
Even in the presence of magic barrier, there was still a place for his basic survival skills.
He gathered leaves and brought them back to the clearing. His hands weaving the stems together, creating two makeshift beds.
He arranged the beds inside the protective glow of the Ward Stones, close enough to the fire pit Elise was building to stay warm. But he spaced them apart—a comfortable distance separated the two beds—the fire pit would sit between them.
He knew Elise trusted him enough to sleep together inside the barrier. But he would still respect her privacy. Still give her space.
He finished the beds and looked up. Elise had finished gathering leaves and branches. She arranged kindling and dry wood next.
Hyoren stood and brushed off his hands.
“I will go dissect these two squirrels on the river below Elise.”
Without looking. Elise answered.
“Much Appreciated Hyoren.”
She didn't look up. Her attention still on the fire pit.
He retrieved the two squirrel carcasses from his bag and made his way down to the riverbank.
He knelt by the water's edge and began his work. He only took the meat and patches of moss on their back. The rest—the bones, the organs, the parts he couldn't use—he left by the riverside. The slimes would take care of it.
When he finished, he returned to the clearing with two strips of meat and patches of moss.
Elise had already lit the fire. The smoke-less flames burned bright.
Hyoren knelt by the fire and divided the meat into two portions.
Elise rummaged through her bag. After a moment, she produced two small bottles and handed them to him.
"Here… Use this salt and pepper. I forgot to offer them yesterday... but let's enjoy our meal today."
Yesterday, she'd still been wary of him. She'd kept her supplies hidden. Held back what she could offer. But he wasn't tactless enough to mention it.
Hyoren looked at the bottles. Simple seasonings. Things he'd taken for granted in his old world. Things he hadn't tasted in thirty-eight days.
"Thank you, Elise."
He uncorked the bottles and seasoned the meat. A pinch of salt. A sprinkle of pepper. They skewered the meat on sticks and held them over the fire.
The meat was roasted—fat sizzled. The smell of roasting squirrel filled the clearing.
Hyoren turned his skewer carefully. Watching the color change. The meat turned from pink to golden brown.
When it was done, he pulled it from the fire. Elise did the same.
She blew on her meat to cool it, then took a bite. Her eyes closed and soft sound escaped her lips.
"Mmmmm….. Delicious."
Her expression shifted. The stern ranger he had seen since yesterday melted away—to something softer, something blissful.
"I always love squirrel meat. They're lean but juicy enough. And there's a hint of freshness—because they only eat berries."
She chewed slowly, savoring the taste.
"But somehow, this is the most delicious squirrel meat I've tasted. It's only lightly seasoned. And I've eaten a lot of them. Even from high-class restaurants."
She opened her eyes. Then a wide smile spread across her face.
"Maybe it's because of your company, Hyoren."
Hyoren looked at her. The firelight danced across her features. The tension on her shoulder had vanished. The wariness had faded. Gone.
She was enjoying herself. Enjoying the meal and the moment.
He turned to his own skewer and took a bite. The flavor exploded on his tongue.
The meat was tender. Juicy. The salt and pepper enhanced the natural taste without masking it. And there was something else—a subtle sweetness that came from the berries the squirrel had eaten.
It was far better than the hurried meals he'd eaten alone in his cave.
Elise was right. Maybe the company did enhance the flavor. It was the best thing he had ever tasted.
He looked at the fire. At the meat in his hands. At the shimmering barrier surrounding them. It wasn't just food. It was a symbol—celebration.
They were alive. They were safe. And they were starting to trust each other.