5 (CHAPTER 4: BACKPACK)

Their journey continues 3 days ago.

It all started well, she was a bit slow and a bit of annoying, but other than that, she was pretty fine to him.

But now he is getting pretty frustrated.

Their schedule is almost half ahead. He should've walk out of this forest 3 days earlier if it wasn't for her. Triggering mobs everywhere.

This has been a huge problem since often time it was him who had to stand out to deal with the mobs. And as day passes, this is quite problematic. And since there is one more person to bring, there is one more mouth to feed. So he has to search for food for her. And often time he always end up having not enough food, which causes him to feel extremely hungry and frustrated.

She seems to know this though, as she always keep her mouth shut throughout the trip. Often what appears was just two shadows, one walking at the front and one walking at the back, trying her best to keep up.

But today, she has finally set him off to his limit.

It was another day, trapped in the forest. As the mist thickens each day, so do Hero's anger.

Today she went missing for the whole day. So he spent the whole day searching for her. Her backpack contains all his valuables, food and supplies that he needed, without those he needed to start over once again. As he runs through the forest, as that was spinning in his mind is that why he trusted her in the first place. Why he let she take all his belongings. She might be one of those people who act pity before running of with your stuff.

Bandits.

Thief.

Scavengers.

He cursed with every breath he has as he traversed the maze like forest. His breath gets heavier and heavier as he search every single corner and clue for where she had headed. But with no avail, and worse, night was approaching fast. There is no way he is able to survive in the wilderness with all those monsters lurking around. He got no torch, not bed, not even basic survival materials.

As he retrace his footstep, he found a green dot in the mist. Is it her, is it really her? As the dot get closer it was really her! She was walking around aimlessly as she panted heavily, the bag was still behind her as she look around, searching for something or maybe someone.

Her appearance make him felt relieve, at least his items is still safe and sound. But suddenly, an urge pushed up to his head. He was furious, thinking about how he runs like a clown in a circus, searching her aimlessly as if she was his prized possession. Then things that happened for the past few says all come flooding to his mind, as if they were fuel, burning the furnace within him.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!!?" He roared as he walked towards her.

She seemed to be shocked by the deafening roar that echoes throughout the forest, but she was even scared when she saw him walking towards him with an axe in his hand, as if a monster, ready to slain and kill. She quickly hide her stuff something into his backpack right before he stands right in front of her.

"YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY!?" He shouted once again as he lifted her up with one of his hand. She was dangling midair as her legs flayed like a flag in the wind. Her eyes were filled with fear.

"Let go of me!" She shouted as she started to struggle from his grasp. But his hands were like chains, locked onto her collar.

"WHERE DID YOU PLAN WITH MY ITEMS!!?"

"I am not a thief!"

"As if I would believe!"

"I am not!!" She screamed as she starts crying, clear tears were rolling down from her cheek as she bit her lip. She was now clinging on his hand like a stray cat in the rain.

He looks at her for a while before dropping her to the ground. He snatch away his backpack forcefully before leaving her behind, sitting on the floor, crying.

"Darn cunt." He cursed once again as he fasten up his pace. He is trying to stay as far away from her as possible. Who knows whether she will snuck back to steal his items? But as he walks, he somehow notice the backpack is actually quite heavy, maybe it was just his thought, anger as he continues. After ten minutes, Hero was out of breath, leaning against a tree trunk, his back aches as his pain throbbed on both of his shoulder. He never expected his backpack to be that heavy, even to a man like him. Then he suddenly realizes that she has been carrying the same weight for the past 4 days. A girl has carried it without a word, while him, a man twice his size is now panting, out of breath after a short walk?

He stood up as he put down his backpack. He needs to check whether she has stolen anything away from her. Even though after what she did, he still suspect something. Moments ago, he saw it with his own eyes that she had stuff something inside his backpack, he has to find out.

As he fumble through the stuff. He saw something, a bracelet mended with vines and flowers. That's why she is always poking around! That's why she refuse to sleep! He slapped his head as he led out a groan.

Idiot!

This is what girls does right?

What is wrong with me!

He groaned again, as he stood up. The sky was orange with a hint of yellow as the sun sets beneath the horizon. He has to find her now, there is no way she is going to survive a night out here in the wilderness.

He traversed through the forest once more.

This time, the mist is denser.

This time, the time is limited.

This time, for her.

As he turns and swerve, retracing his footstep. He finally found her, standing under a tree. With every ounce of his muscle he ran towards her, the bag is pulling his speed down but he has to keep going.

Not because he misses her.

Because there is a skeleton behind her. With its bow stretched out, aiming for her head.

She was too focused on him instead of the danger behind as she wave her hand in delight, happy that he had returned for her.

As the arrow launches, he has no idea. As he leaped towards her with his arm stretched out.

It is a leap of faith.

As the arrow pierced through his palm, he felt pain rushing through his nerve as his brain goes numb. With one hand, he pushed the girl away as with another, he blocks the next arrow, again, bare handed. The pain creep up once more as he let out a roar before throwing out his axe, which slices the skeleton's head clean off. He panted heavily as he pulled the arrows out of his hand, leaving a slight groan everytime he does so.

"Are-are you okay?" She approaches slowly as she reach her hand out for his arm, trying to check his wound.

"I'm fine." He said as he put his arm behind "We need to get a shelter quick." He says, trying to change the topic.

But at that glimpse second, she saw the bracelet on his hand, shining underneath the moonlight.

"Yeah," she smiled, as she pick up his backpack, which is surprisingly lighter than before.

He nodded as he turn around, revealing a backpack made out of vines and leather on his back.

That was two size, too big.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he sealed the cave with a few cobblestone block.

"Mhm." She stares at the burning campfire.

"How's your shoulder, does it still hurts?" He approaches as he pull down her shirt a little. Sure enough, there was a long black scar, as if a snake, hissing.

She immediately pull back her shirt as she continues to gaze at the crackling campfire. Her face was red, maybe it was the flame, maybe it was the hot stew or maybe it was the coziness of the cave.

She has no idea.