Yukki trembles in his boots. "A- a world serpent." He says only feeling fear. He had never thought he would encounter an abyssal tier creature.
The adventurers confronted the serpent, and the man with the large blade charged at it. He struck the beast with a glowing sword, and the impact caused a deafening roar. Kaito watched in amazement as the man fought the massive creature. He knew that if he joined the fight, he would be crushed by the serpent's powerful coils. But even though he knew he would be no match for the beast, he wanted to join the fight.
"Kaito!" Nyla's shriek snaps him back. He looks over to see Yukki and Nyla frozen with fear. "We must escape! This fight is too much!" Nyla says and Kaito looks around and sees that the mountains that once seemed so large are now crumbling around them.
Kaito's eyes darted back and forth as he surveyed the battlefield, taking in every detail with the speed and precision of a seasoned warrior. He saw that Nyla and Yukki were frozen with fear and unable to move, their faces etched with terror. Kaito knew that he had to act quickly. With a smile, he sprang into action. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a massive beast retreating from the conflict, its tail lashing and its claws glinting in the sunlight.
Without a moment's hesitation, Kaito leaped onto the beast's back, wrapping his arms around its neck and pulling himself onto its back. The beast let out a roar of protest and bucked wildly, trying to dislodge Kaito from its back. The combination of the battle raging around them and the constant thrashing of the monster made it difficult for Kaito to tame the beast, but he was determined to succeed.
Kaito battled the monster, trying to subdue it so they could escape. He finally managed to subdue the beast and used it to run towards Nyla and Yukki. He grabbed the two of them, and they began their retreat. The monster looked like a large horse with two heads.
He laughs. "This a good save?!" Kaito asks them both. Nyla smiles with tears in her eyes. "Yes!" She shouts. Yukki comes to his senses. "You saved us?" He asks.
Kaito and his friends run from the massive battle. Nyla was in a panic when a boulder came crashing down on them, but Kaito laughed and destroyed it with his flaming hands. "We're not out of this yet!" Kaito shouted, as the ground beneath them cracked and opened up. He steered the beast through the crumbling terrain, but it was a struggle. "Hold on!" he shouted to his friends.
Yukki and Nyla watch as Kaito fearlessly navigates through the destruction. "How can he be so calm?" Yukki asks, feeling ashamed of himself for failing to protect Ms. Nyla. He finds himself admiring Kaito's bravery. "He stepped in where i failed." He says.
Kaito is a strange man, Nyla thinks as she watches him. He is smiling as he makes their escape, dodging boulders and slashing through blocked paths with a small hunting knife. There is not even a hint of fear in his eyes. Nyla wonders how Kaito can be so calm and collected in such a dangerous situation.
A large ravine forms in front of them. Kaito smiles. "Hold on tight guys!" Kaito shouts as he speeds the beast up towards the ravine. Their speed increases greatly, Yukki and Nyla hold onto the beast tightly. Kaito uses the beast to jump across the ravine. Nyla and Yukki scream their hearts out. Kaito laughs, this is the most exciting day of his adventure yet!
They soar through the air, Kaito's smile never leaving his face once.
The beast lands the jump and they manage to escape the mayhem. "That was awesome!" Kaito shouts. Yukki checks to see if his hearts ok. "Kaito, you're insane, who thinks like this!" Yukki says as he smiles too. Nyla laughs. "I admire the way you do things!" Nyla laughs with them. "It was so close dodging around!" Kaito laughs. The others can't help it but to laugh with Kaito.
His smile and energy seemed infectious. Even after the near death experience they couldn't help but to laugh with him.
The beast bore them through the wilderness at a speed they could not have matched on foot. They spent the next few days riding the beast and camping along the way. They had many adventures together in this short time. They didn't fully realize it, but they became quite fond of each other.
Then not long after the sunset. They spotted their destination. "There it is!" Yukki calls out to everyone.
Kaito stops the beast, jumping off of it.
Yukki follows him, holding a gentle hand out for Nyla to follow and do the same. Kaito sends the beast on it's way with a slap on the behind and it runs off.
"Lets camp the last night, we can make the rest of the way on foot." Yukki says.
Kaito stretches his arms with a big smile in his face. "And we can eat!"
Nyla shakingly walks before sitting on the ground. Yukki runs over worried about her health. "Were you hurt?" He asks.
Nyla shakes her head, a timid smile showing. "No I'm fine, I've never been in danger in such a way before." She says.
Yukki smiles, "me neither lady Nyla," he says as he sits next to her.
With camp set up and everyone eating the leftovers from earlier, Nyla can't shake a feeling she had from earlier. One of the many moons in the night sky lighting up the area around them and the campfire light warming them.
Nyla softly taps him. "Yukki." She quietly says.
"Yes lady Nyla?" He asks.
She looks down at her bowl, picking at the food inside, "I know you didn't want to speak about it, but what was your father like?" She asks.
Before he even said anything she could see Yukki's expression harden before softening up, i'm a state of discomfort. Doubling back she apologizes. "My apologies, I don't mean to pry." She says.
Yukki sighs and shakes his head, "no it's fine, i'll tell you."
Kaito turns to listen while still chewing on his spoon.
Yukki looks into the campfire, "he once wanted to be an important man in the empire, so he made his own squad, they gained popularity quickly since they hunted big monsters often. But one day, dad got injured real bad so he couldn't really walk as well anymore thanks to that he had to retire, but his squad kept on going and got famous without him."
Nyla listens closely sitting her bowl aside.
Yukki sighs. "But thanks to that he got bitter, angry even, anything at home would set him off... and.... and he would hit my mom, when me or my brother tired to stop him, he'd hit us too, sometimes he'd hurt us so bad.. it...."
Nyla raises her hand, she didn't say anything for a moment, she just had a look of sorry on her face. Kaito seemed to have been looking away at something.
"I apologize I made you speak about this." Nyla quietly said, regretting pushing for it.
Yukki places a band on his cheek, he didn't even realize he had begun crying, it embarrassed him really. But he looked over at Kaito.
"Hey man what're you so focused on-" quickly reacting Yukki is thrown to the ground and Kaito is grabbed in a mass of metals and debris and launched to the side. Kaito had saved him from an attack he didn't see coming.
Quickly wiping the tears Yukki stands up unsheathing his blade. "Who's out there?!" He shouts.
A laugh comes from the dark as a young man steps into their camp. "Was hoping i'd get you two off guard." He says, smile still playing on his face.