Chapter 26
When the Past Fades Away
Date: Day 24 of Harvestmoon. 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
The morning of their second day journey on the Green Grassland came quietly.
No howling wolves. No attacks. Just the soft light of dawn creeping over the horizon. Golden and silver rays touched their faces. Warm and gentle. Pulling them from sleep.
Hyoren and Elise woke up almost at the same time.
Hyoren sat up. Rubbed his eyes. Turned his head to his left.
Elise was already sitting up. Her silver hair disheveled from sleep. Loose strands falling across her face. But it shone under the sun's rays.
The memory of last night surfaced in his mind. The half-confession. The words he had spoken. The embarrassment that followed.
A streak of red started creeping from his neck. Rising to his cheeks.
He forced it down. Brushed his hair with his hand. Letting it cover his face. Hiding his expression.
Then he spoke to Elise.
"Good morning, Elise."
She turned around. Still fighting her sleepiness. Her eyelids heavy. But she could still manage a small smile.
"Morning, Hyoren."
Elise stood up. Stretched. Her joints popped softly. She walked toward the spring. Her steps still a bit unsteady. Still shaking off the remnants of sleep.
"Let me wash my face and hair first."
She waved her hand.
Hyoren waited patiently on top of his makeshift bed. He watched her walk away.
He saw Elise kneel by the spring. Cupped water in her hands. Splashed it on her face. The cold water shocked away the last of her drowsiness.
She ran her fingers through her tangled hair. Working out the knots. Smoothing the strands. After her hair was tamed, she tied it back into a ponytail. Looking fresh.
She walked back to the camp. Her steps steady now. Alert.
Hyoren stood up. Walked toward the spring himself.
"Let me wash my face too."
As they passed each other, Elise nodded.
He knelt by the spring. Cupped the cold water. Splashed it on his face. The chill ran through him. Clearing his mind.
He dipped his head under the water. Washed his hair to clear any leftover sleepiness. Ran his fingers through the wet strands. Fixed his hair.
He stood up. Water dripped from his face. He wiped it dry with his sleeve.
He went back to the camp.
Elise handed him preserved meat.
She was munching on her own meat. Chewing slowly.
"We should reach exit of the grassland tomorrow, Hyoren."
She swallowed.
"Around midday, maybe."
She stretched again. Rolling her shoulders.
"So maybe we should relax our pace a bit. We rush or not, it's still tomorrow. So better to conserve our energy. We already hurried yesterday."
Hyoren chewed on his own meat. Swallowed. Nodded.
"Okay, Elise. If rushing won't change when we're going to exit the grassland, then it's better to relax our pace."
They finished their breakfast in silence. The morning was peaceful. The spring murmured softly. The autumn breeze was cool and refreshing.
After eating, they dismantled their camp.
Elise picked up the four Ward Stones. The barrier flickered and disappeared. She tucked the stones into her bag.
Hyoren destroyed their makeshift bed. Scattered the woven grass. Erased any sign of their presence. He doused the fire with dirt and water. Made sure no embers remained.
He picked up his spear. Slung his leather bag over his shoulder. Checked his belt and pouch. Making sure the four Cinder-Maw daggers were secure.
Elise did the same. She checked the tension of her bow. Tested the string. Counted the arrows in her quiver. Then slung her bag.
"Let's go, Hyoren."
She started walking. Following the river. Moving northward. Toward Akela.
Hyoren nodded. Followed behind her.
The dual suns climbed higher in the sky. The grassland stretched endlessly before them. The wind rippled through the grass. Waves of green and gold.
Their second day in the Green Grassland had begun.
***
As they walked from their camp, following the spring, Elise stopped. Her hand shot up.
She silently pointed to the other side of the spring. A bit far from their camp. The place where they had left the three green wolf carcasses yesterday.
Hyoren followed her finger.
The slimes hadn't claimed the carcasses for themselves. Instead of the gelatinous creatures he expected, he saw three monsters on the carcasses. Each one nibbling on the meat.
Bird monsters.
The shape reminded him of crows. But they were so big. The size of horned rabbits. The size of small dogs from earth. Their feathers were black. But streaks of blue could be seen on the underside.
Their yellow beaks were big. Curved. Sharp. Nibbling at the meat. Tearing chunks from the wolf carcasses.
"Stay still, Hyoren..." Elise's voice was a whisper.
"Those are Vent Crows. Scavenger birds. They're not dangerous. If we get closer, they'll fly."
Hyoren muttered under his breath.
"So we just wait for them to finish?"
Elise smiled. A mischievous glint in her eyes.
"No..." she shook her head.
"I'll kill one of them."
She traced the arrows in her quiver. Running her fingers along the fletching.
"All my arrow-tips and shafts are still good. But some of their fletching—the ones not made from Mistdart wings—are starting to break. Making my accuracy lower."
She nodded toward the birds.
"And the feathers from a Vent Crow would be a nice replacement before we reach town."
Hyoren nodded. Leaving the arrow-making to the veteran ranger. He didn't know anything about fletching. About arrows.
He watched as Elise nocked an arrow. Drew her bow. Her body went still. A statue of concentration. Her eyes locked on the target.
"Charged Arrow."
The arrow flew with a streak of light.
It hit the Vent Crow in the middle. Piercing through its body. The bird let out a squawk. Collapsed.
The other two birds were surprised. They jumped. Made loud crow sounds.
"Kaak! Kaak!"
Then they flew.
Hyoren watched as they started to hover. Their wingspan was almost two meters.
Then something incredible happened. A section of their underside feathers opened. Revealing a rectangular tunnel-like shape. A vent. Like an intake on a machine. It was as black as their feather and shining under the light.
Then—with a sonic boom—they suddenly accelerated. Quickly. Like a jet plane. Shooting forward. Disappearing into the distance in a heartbeat.
“WOAH!” Hyoren couldn't help himself. His jaw dropped. His mouth making an O shape.
Elise chuckle. She lowered her bow.
"First time seeing them? Yeah, those birds always spook anyone who sees them for the first time."
She started walking toward the three wolf carcasses. Toward the dead Vent Crow.
Hyoren followed. Still amazed. His mind trying to process what he just saw.
"They just...Disappeared! How did they do that?"
Elise knelt beside the Vent Crow. Carefully removed the underside feathers. The blue-streaked ones. Tucking them carefully into her bag.
Then she turned the bird over. Revealed the underside. Pointed to the vent-like shape. The rectangular tunnel. Ending with a rounded small hole in the back.
It looked like a fighter jet intake and outtake for air.
"They use this."
She traced the shape with her finger.
"With this shape, they can compress wind and use it to propel themselves forward quickly. Using Wind Magic."
She stood up. Dusted off her hands.
"They can only use it every once in a while. Mostly to run from enemies."
Hyoren examined the shape. The dead bird's vent was still visible. The mechanism was fascinating.
"I see. Wind magic combine with the shape… That's why they're called Vent Crows? Because of this?"
Elise tossed the carcass aside. She stood, and she dusted off sand from her knees.
"Yes, Hyoren. Correct..."
She smiled.
Hyoren felt something then. He felt he had absorbed two experience points from the dead Vent Crow. He noted the amount.
He looked at the discarded carcass. Then asked Elise.
"You only take the feathers, Elise? There's no other useful part?"
Elise nodded. Gazing at the sky. Where the other two Vent Crows had disappeared.
"Well. Yes. It doesn't have a magic stone, as it's only level 2. And as they only eat rotten meat... their own meat is also awful."
Hyoren nodded.
Like slimes. Vent Crows were scavengers. And their use was actually when they were still alive. Unlike other monsters which hunted for material or magic stones.
Elise started walking. Leaving the spring behind. Following the river. Continuing their journey. Hyoren followed.
***
They started their journey.
The morning was calm. Quiet. The grassland stretched endlessly before them. Rippling in the wind like waves on a green ocean.
Elise took the lead. Traversing the grassland. Picking a trail that made their walk easier. Avoiding the densest thickets. Following the natural dips and swells of the land.
Hyoren followed closely behind her. His spear in hand. His bag slung over his shoulder.
Unlike yesterday, her stride was not rushed. She walked with a relaxed pace. No urgency. No tension. Just steady progress toward their destination.
The river murmured to their right. A constant companion. The dual suns climbed higher in the sky. Now smaller Sol led the way. Luna followed close behind.
The peaceful atmosphere loosened their tongues.
"Hey, Hyoren..."
Elise spoke without turning. Her voice carried easily in the quiet morning.
"Can you tell me about how your original world looks like?"
She glanced back at him. Curiosity in her emerald eyes. She had told him so much about this world. About the races. About the nations. About the monsters and the skills and the magic. But she knew nothing of his world. The world that had shaped him. The world he had left behind.
Hyoren thought for a moment. How to describe Earth to someone who had never seen it?
"It's vastly different than Kresneger, for sure."
He chose his words carefully.
"No monsters. There's no magic. We thrive not with magic, but with science."
Elise put her hand on her chin. Thinking. Her brow furrowed in concentration.
She tried to imagine a world without magic. A world without the shimmer of enchantments. Without the glow of magic tools. Without the energy that infused everyday life.
She shook her head. The image wouldn't come to her.
"No monsters?"
She turned to look at him. Walking sideways.
"And no magic? How is that possible?"
Hyoren smiled. Her confusion was understandable. To someone born in a world of magic, a world without it seemed impossible. Primitive even.
"Our civilization thrives with science."
He gestured vaguely.
"We understand the physics behind everything. From simple things, like how water boils because of fire. To how drugs actually cure patients. To how reaching outer space."
Elise’s brows furrowed. But she still maintained her stride.
“That’s similar to how our scholar doing. And how our healer created potions then…” she paused.
“But outer space? What’s that…” she murmured
She parted tall grass in front of her.
"But how do you live without magic?"
The question tumbled out. Genuine confusion in her voice.
"What about light? We get light from magic tools. We boil water using magic tools."
She stopped. Turned to face him fully. Her eyes wide.
"Don't tell me… Your world is so primitive and still relies on fire?"
Hyoren chuckled. The sound echoed across the grassland.
“No Elise. Well. We still use fire to cook and such. But we have power source. We call it Electricity. It used to power our light. Our stove and other appliance.”
He paused. Trying to find the right words.
“Also… outer space is.. hard to explain concept. Basically it’s almost like another world.”
Elise’s head bobbed. Her eyes showed she didn’t understand, but at least she wanted him to know she was listening.
A Vent Crow flew past them overhead. Its black feathers caught the light. Blue streaks on its underside. It soared through the sky. Disappearing into the distance.
Hyoren pointed at the bird.
"We have other kinds of power sources too. A fossil fuel. It's a liquid substance from the ground. And we can burn it to power our machines."
He traced the path of the bird with his finger.
"One of them can carry hundreds of people and even fly in the air like those Vent Crows."
Elise looked up. Following his gesture. Watching the bird disappear over the horizon.
"Flying machines in the sky… Even we can't do that yet..."
She paused. Thinking.
"Maybe some scholar could with wind magic and magic tools. But I've never seen anyone manage to do it. I never question it myself. I thought the concept of flying is. Distant."
She continued walking. Picking a less dense path through the grass. The river glinted to their right. The breeze was cool. Refreshing.
"Well…To reach that state, my world needed centuries of experiments too. Maybe this world will reach it too. In the future."
He looked at the river. At the water flowing steadily.
"What about ships, Elise? How does this world traverse the sea or bodies of water? On my world, there are ships too. They use similar machines powered by fossil fuel to move on the water."
Elise looked at the water too. Her stride slowed a bit. Contemplating.
"Haha…" she laughed softly.
"I've actually never seen the sea."
She gestured vaguely.
"I've seen some people use small boats on the river. And I've heard tales from bards talking about ships using massive sails."
She shrugged.
"But yeah. I don't really understand how they work."
Hyoren nodded. Storing that information away.
"We should put the sea as our goal then, Elise. In my hometown, there was a sea nearby. And I loved going there."
The conversation shifted.
Hyoren's thoughts drifted to his home. The city he had left behind. The world that now existed only in his memories.
"Where I come from, there's a city called Tokyo. It's a metropolis—a massive city where millions of people live together."
Elise glanced back at him. Her curiosity piqued.
"Millions? In one city?"
"Yes… The buildings there... We call them skyscrapers. Towers of steel and glass that reach toward the clouds. Some have over a hundred floors."
He gestured upward, trying to convey the scale.
"Taller than the tallest trees in the forest. People live and work in them."
Elise's brow furrowed while maintaining her stride.
She tried to imagine it. A mountain made of glass and metal. A tower that pierced the sky.
"And the people..." she shook her head slowly.
"How do they all eat? Where does the food come from? How do they not run out of space?"
Hyoren smiled at her practical questions.
"Farms… Huge farms outside the cities. The food is transported in using carriages that move without horses—metal boxes with wheels that run on roads we call highways. And for space... we build up, not out. That's why the buildings are so tall."
Elise’s eyes wander towards horizon. Thinking about farm on the outskirt of Akela City.
“Farms? We have farm here too Hyoren. But to feed million of cities. How is that possible. How huge its need to be made? Trying to defend huge farm from monster attack would be nightmare… oh wait. Your world don’t have monster… Haha.”
She just realized the difference. And let out small laugh.
Hyoren also smiled.
“Yeah. Haha… Our Farms are not only huge. We use science to boost the yield. So with same amount of area of farms. We can harvest more food.”
Elise head bobbed again. Trying to comprehend Hyoren worlds. Before she picked her pace again and jumped over small stream.
He paused, gathering his thoughts.
"At night, the city transforms. We have something called neon lights—glowing signs in every color you can imagine. They paint the darkness. The streets never sleep."
Elise walked in silence for a moment. Processing. Her imagination struggling to keep pace.
"And you mentioned carriages without horses? How is it possible? Did they run with magic?"
Hyoren continued.
"Yes. The carriages—we call them cars—run on roads. They have engines inside them. No horses needed. And definitely no magic Elise..."
Elise is trying to digest the information. Her green eyes wide. Her imagination couldn't fully cope with Hyoren's story. She tried to picture a mountain of glass and metal.
They continued walking. The conversation flowing easily between them. The river murmuring beside them.
And for a while, the two worlds—so different, so far apart—seemed to touch. Bridged by words and imagination and the simple act of sharing.
***
Elise and Hyoren walked. Traversing the small trail alongside the river. The grass swayed gently in the breeze. The water murmured softly beside them.
She was still trying to imagine how Earth looked. But she failed. The images were too foreign. Too alien. She couldn't reconcile them with anything she knew. She gave up.
She glanced at Hyoren. He was walking beside her now. Not behind. She noticed the solemn expression on his face. The distant look in his eyes. The slight downturn of his mouth.
Her question had triggered something. Memories. Longing. Pain.
She cupped her mouth with both hands. Realization dawning on her.
"Ahhh, Sorry, Hyoren."
Hyoren tilted his head. Seeing Elise's gesture and hearing her apology. Confusion appeared on his face.
"Why say sorry, Elise?"
She stopped her walk for a bit. Looking at Hyoren with sincere apology in her eyes. Before she started walking again.
"Well..." she spoke carefully.
"My question reminds you of your home world, right?"
She paused. Hesitated. Then asked the question that had been lingering in her mind.
"Do you want to go back? Do you miss your family or... lover?"
Hyoren looked up. But his gaze wasn't toward the clouds. It was elsewhere. He was looking through the blue expanse. Seeing a different sky. A different time. A world that existed only in his memories.
"Actually, I don't know. I don't have anyone else in my old world anymore."
Elise gasped. Her stride slowed down. She waited for him to continue. Sensing that he was about to open up about his past.
"My mom died when giving birth to me." Hyoren's voice was quiet.
"So I don't have siblings. My dad raised me alone."
He paused. A faint smile crossed his lips.
"He was a strict, weird father. But I know he really loved me. He was obsessed with survival. He was a veteran soldier. I often grumbled about it when he forced me to do those weird training."
He smiled faintly. A mix of fondness and resignation. The training that had felt like torture at the time. The early mornings. The long marches. The endless drills. All of it had seemed pointless. Cruel, even.
But now he understood. It was the only reason he was still breathing.
"He woke me up at dawn. Forced me to do long marches. Then on weekends, he dragged me everywhere. Taught me how to hunt. How to survive in the wilderness. How to craft primitive gear."
He gestured at his rabbit fur tunic. At the spear in his hand.
"My dad is also the one who trained me with a spear. He always said that we can use any long shaft-shaped object—from sticks to mops—and use it as a spear."
He raised his spear. Looking at the crude weapon. The steel tip attached to a wooden shaft. Trying to remember the days when his father drilled the spear techniques into him. The stances. The thrusts. The footwork.
Elise's stride slowed. She was trying to empathize with him. To understand the weight he carried.
"So, your father also departed from the world? As you said you don't have anyone..." she asked gently.
Hyoren lowered his spear. Looked forward again. The grassland stretched endlessly before them. He exhaled.
"Yes. Three years ago."
His voice grew heavy.
"Dad never told me he was battling with cancer..."
He glanced at Elise. Saw the confusion in her eyes.
"Oh... it's a type of sickness in my world, Elise. A disease that grows inside you. Slowly consuming your body."
Elise nodded slowly. Understanding. Or trying to.
Hyoren gazed into the distance. To his original goal when he was still on Earth. The dream he had pursued. The path he had chosen.
"That's when I decided to become a doctor. A kind of healer profession in my world. To save people who are suffering with the same sickness."
He laughed wryly. The sound hollow.
"I only just started though. So my knowledge is half-baked."
But Elise stopped walking.
She turned. Faced him. Then put her hands on Hyoren's cheeks. Cupping his face. Locking her eyes to his.
Hyoren stared into Elise's emerald eyes. They were burning. Intense. Filled with determination.
She was trying to encourage him. Stopping him from self-deprecation. Her voice was firm as she reminded him.
"Don't discount your knowledge too much, Hyoren. You might have just started. But you have foundations of knowledge. And foundation is important!"
She didn't release her gaze. Her hands warm against his skin.
"You can start from now. Learn about more things. I will teach you about more things from now on!"
She released her hands. But her gaze still locked onto him.
"Understand?!"
Hyoren gasped. He seemed to forget to breathe. Facing Elise's determination. The intensity in her eyes. The unwavering belief in her voice. Before he finally managed to speak
"Understand, Elise… And... thanks."
She smiled. A bright, genuine smile. Then turned forward again. Started walking.
She put one finger on her chin. Thinking. Then asked him again.
"So, you don't have family anymore…." she glanced at him.
"You really don't have any regret left? What about close friends? What about a lover?"
Hyoren walked beside her. His expression thoughtful.
"Yes, I might miss a bit about my old world. But I think I've already accepted that I'm going to live in this world."
He paused.
"Sure, I have some friends I miss. But they're just acquaintances through hobbies. Not really my close friends."
Hyoren stopped a bit. Remembering his painful betrayal. The memory surfaced. The anger was palpable. Even Elise could feel it radiating from him.
"My ex-girlfriend..."
He spoke through gritted teeth.
"My childhood friend who I knew since we were kids. We even promised to marry each other after we grew up."
His hands tightened around his spear.
"That bitch Kana..."
Hyoren took a deep breath. Trying to control his anger. The bubbling rage that threatened to overflow.
"I'm sorry…"
He exhaled slowly.
"I always feel anger whenever I remember her."
He smiled. But it was a pained smile. Elise showed concern on her face. She let him talk by himself.
"I loved her. I trusted her. And I thought she also loved and trusted me back. But to my surprise... she was betraying me behind my back."
He kicked at the grass. Tried to vent his frustration.
"Around a few months before I got transported here. I got called by my friend from my hometown. He revealed how Kana actually cheated and slept with multiple men behind my back during my study in a different city."
Hyoren exhaled. Letting go of the feeling that had been bubbling up.
"When I confronted her... it wasn't an apology I got. But blame and mocking."
He shook his head.
"She blamed me for 'leaving her.' I studied in another city for our future. And she blamed me for that."
His voice grew cold.
"I instantly dumped her. I never sought any lover after that. Focusing on my study."
He started walking again. A smile appeared on his face—genuine smile—accompanied by eyes that seemed to forget all the anger before.
Accepting everything—the pain, the betrayal and the past.
"That actually makes me peaceful and can accept this situation of mine." He spoke quietly.
"I can leave my old world without any regret. Sure, I can't go to my parents' grave anymore to pay respect. But I can pray from here."
Elise was speechless.
"Hyoren..."
She didn't know what to say.
She saw it in his eyes. He still remembered his past. The pain was still there. The scars were still fresh. But he was not the type to dwell on them for too long.
He had closed the door on his old life. It wasn't running away. It was moving on. He had grieved. He had accepted. And now he was looking forward.
It was a strength that she admired.
he memory of last night surfaced in his mind.
"I see…"
She spoke softly.
"Your life was rough even before you arrived here. And no wonder you can survive in the forest. The knowledge and training your father instilled definitely helped."
She glanced at him.
"You're stronger than you think, Hyoren."