Get it back

[Aster]

The journey had been long, difficult, and very exhausting. Aster had lost count of how many times his legs gave out, sending them both crashing to the ground. Despite the pain and fatigue, he never complained, always getting back up and pushing forward as if nothing had happened.

With each new step, his vision became blurrier. Was it because of exhaustion or just sweat dripping into his eyes? He wasn't sure. Probably both. At some point, his mother began to tell him the direction where to walk, helping him avoid obstacles such as fallen branches or protruding roots. His focus was entirely on moving one foot ahead of another.

The sun, this bastard, kept getting lower and lower, forcing Aster to move faster despite his exhausted body. He had to use his ignited mana on his back muscles, too, as carrying his mother was becoming unbearable. Luckily, it seemed like the only downside of his new spell was pain — a terrible one, that's for sure, but barely different from the soreness of his body.

"We are almost there, honey. I can almost see the entrance," Nivalis whispered into his ear every few minutes. Her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, and her knees brushed against the ground. "You can do it, baby," Nivalis encouraged, gently kissing his sweaty neck.

— "Mhm," he responded, his throat too dry to form any actual words.

As he moved forward, step after step, Aster's mind went numb. The only thing that mattered was getting his mother to safety. It was hard to say how much time had passed. Everything around him became a blur, his brain shutting down all unnecessary functions to focus solely on the task at hand: walking.

After a while, the sun had disappeared behind the horizon, and darkness had engulfed the forest. When Aster was about to suggest sleeping somewhere in the wild, his mother's voice whispered softly into his ear, "We are here, sweetie. Look, the opening."

Her words made his golden eyes open wide. He saw it. The opening was visible among the bushes, with a few vines covering it. Aster took a shaky step forward and another, stumbling, almost collapsing. Finally, he reached the opening and got inside, nearly tripping over his own feet.

The sound of bubbling water echoed loudly throughout the cavern, welcoming them. His mother's legs dragged across the ground, rolling the stones and pebbles beneath. Aster moved slowly, one step after another, the smell of sulfur and wet stone filling his nose. Once inside the main cavern, they both collapsed onto the rocky floor, completely exhausted.

"O-oh... We did it... We really did it," Nivalis mumbled, her exhausted voice echoing in the cave. "Where is my girl?" she whispered, moving her hands around, trying to find her in this darkness. Her daughter's flat chest was the first thing she felt.

Nivalis pulled Silia into a tight embrace, pushing the young girl's head against her soft chest. "She's okay, honey," Nivalis informed her son, gently stroking Silia's head. "She's safe... Thank the gods..." she whispered, holding her unconscious daughter close to her heart.

Aster was flat on his back, struggling for breath, his chest heaving up and down rapidly. His heart was racing wildly, making his blood roar in his ears. Every muscle in his body ached and burned at the same time. He couldn't move, talk, or even think straight.

"H-honey... Aster?" Nivalis called out, her voice trembling. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

Unable to muster any strength to reply, he remained silent. Aster could sense his mother's hand softly touching his chest and forehead and trying to say something. But the pounding of his heart drowned out her words. She started moving around, doing something in the darkness, but it was hard to tell what.

Suddenly, her soft lips met his, pushing warm water into his mouth. Aster gasped, choking as he attempted to swallow the liquid. It tasted terrible; the sulfuric taste made his tongue feel strange, but he continued to swallow it, occasionally coughing. Over and over, Nivalis kept moving back and forth between her son and the water pool, kissing the boy's lips and forcing water into his mouth.

When Aster started pushing the water away, his tongue brushing against hers, Nivalis pulled back, panting. She started asking him something again, her voice barely heard over the ringing in his ears.

In response, Aster mumbled a weak "I love you, Mom" before darkness overcame him.

...

When Aster opened his eyes, the cave bathed in the morning sun's golden light greeted him. A small opening in the ceiling let the sunlight flood in, brightening every corner. He groaned softly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and lifted his head to look around.

A wave of pain hit him. A dull, throbbing ache spread through his body, from his toes to his head. It felt like he'd been tossed down a mountain. Aster groaned and winced as he slowly sat up, his vision spinning.

"Aster, sweetie, you're awake," his mother said, her voice coming from behind.

— "Y-yeah," Aster mumbled, squinting his eyes to make the world stop spinning. "Wh-where's Silvia?"

"She's right here, honey," Nivalis replied, coming into view. She sat beside him, smiling at her son. Her silver hair was messy, and her face was all dirty, but she still looked as beautiful as ever. "How are you feeling?"

— "Sore," Aster simply replied, looking around the cave. The familiar walls, the bubbling pool of water, and the warm sunlight streaming through the ceiling made him smile. "We made it, huh? How long was I asleep?"

"Not for long. It should be past noon right now, I think. You passed out right after we arrived. I was so worried," Nivalis explained, tenderly cupping his cheek and running her thumb over his skin.

— "I'm sorry, Mom. I was a bit tired," Aster mumbled, touching her hand.

"A bit, hm?" Nivalis chuckled softly, kissing his forehead. "Thank you, Aster. For everything. For carrying me here and for not giving up," she whispered, hugging her son. "Without you, I would've never made it here."

— "No problem, Mom. I will always protect you and Silvia. No matter what," Aster whispered, wrapping his arms around her skinny waist and burying his face into her neck. The scent of sweat and dirt filled his nostrils. "You smell bad, Mom," he chuckled, making her laugh.

"Oh, shush, you," Nivalis giggled, patting his back. "You are no better, mister."

They remained in the hug for a while, simply enjoying each other's touch. After what they went through yesterday, it was a comforting feeling. Finally, they pulled apart, smiling.

"How about we take a bath, hm? Clean ourselves up and relax a little," his mother suggested, running her fingers through his dirty silver hair.

— "Ugh... I'd love to, but we need to get our stuff. It's still in the forest," Aster said, wincing at the thought of walking.

"Oh, right... If it rains, everything will get soaked..." Nivalis realized, sighing. "Are you sure you can walk?"

— "Yep, I'll manage," Aster smiled weakly, stretching his sore limbs. "It's not too far."

"If you say so," his mother mumbled, looking at her son as he tried to stand up. "Maybe we should wait until tomorrow for the mist?"

— "Ow, that hurts..." Aster hissed, the pain in his ankles and feet shooting up his legs. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to remain standing, ignoring the pain. "No, finding the marks in the fog will be harder. I should go now. And you must be hungry. Because I am."

"A bit," Nivalis admitted, looking concerned. "Alright, but please be careful, and don't push yourself. If you start feeling bad, just sit somewhere and rest. Promise me, sweetie."

— "I promise," Aster nodded, limping towards the entrance. "I'll be back soon."

"Be safe," Nivalis whispered, smiling weakly as she watched her son leave the cave.

...

— "Damn it! Ow!" Aster cursed, limping through the woods. The blisters on his feet made every step hurt like hell. Deciding to take a short break, he plopped down on the grass near a tree, removed his boots, and began massaging his sore, swollen ankles. 'At least she didn't see me without my boots... There's no way she'd let me go,' he thought, looking at his feet. 'I am so going to relax in hot water after all this.'

'Maybe I should use my new spell again? Just once or twice won't hurt,' he thought, staring at his legs. 'Yeah,' he decided, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. Slowly and carefully, he gathered the ignited mana in his chest, feeling the familiar warmth growing inside him.

Then, Aster pictured how the formed mana traveled through his body, reaching his legs and back and spreading evenly across them. The feeling wasn't nice, far from it, but unfortunately, Aster had gotten used to it. 'There, done. Thirty drops for each, just like yesterday.'

He looked up at the sky, watching it turn gray and gloomy. Thick clouds were forming above the forest, warning of incoming rain. Aster sighed deeply and muttered a curse under his breath. "I gotta hurry," he said, pulling his boots back on.

Aster let out a groan as he pushed himself up, wincing at the pain that shot through his body with the sudden movement. He took a few cautious steps forward, testing his legs. The effect wasn't huge, but it was noticeable. At least he wasn't limping anymore, so it was worth it. He nodded to himself happily and started walking through the forest, hoping the rain would hold for a little longer.

Finding the marks he left on the trees was harder than he thought. "Come on, where did I leave them?" he mumbled, scratching his head in frustration and searching the forest for any sign of the marks. But there was nothing. Instead, he found himself walking in circles, trying to find the spot where he hid their stuff. 'It should be somewhere around...'

The next two hours went by. The wind picked up, and the air smelled like rain. Aster put his hands on his hips and looked up at the sky, sighing deeply. "Damn it," he muttered, running a hand through his messy, sweaty hair under his hood. 'What do I do now?' he wondered, looking around the forest.

'Mom is probably freaking out right now because I'm taking so long. Maybe I should go back and try again tomorrow?' Aster thought about it, glancing back the way he came. 'But then our stuff will get soaked... And we can forget about eating today... Ugh,' he sighed, shaking his head. 'No, keep looking. If I don't find it in half an hour, I'll head back,' he decided and continued his search.

Thirty minutes later, just as Aster was about to head back to the cave, he finally spotted the marks he left — the small, poorly made scratches on the bark of the trees. The relief he felt was overwhelming. "Finally," he mumbled, hurrying towards the bush where he hid everything they owned. 'Thank goodness, I was starting to think I lost-' he pushed the leaves aside but stopped mid-thought, staring wide-eyed at the empty ground.

"This... can't be true," Aster muttered, his voice shaking. He quickly pushed away the leaves and branches, hoping to find anything. But there was nothing. Their belongings were gone. "No, no, no. This is bad. So bad," he whispered, looking around the forest in terror.

The wind picked up, and the first raindrops fell from the dark sky.

"No, no, no," Aster repeated, pacing back and forth in a panic. He couldn't believe this was happening. Their stuff. Their only belongings, a lifetime's worth of memories, had disappeared.

'Tracks, there might be tracks,' Aster thought, frantically searching for any signs in the dirt. The rain wasn't heavy yet, so footprints could still be seen. And sure enough, he found them. Aster could see the small footprints of a goblin in the wet mud, heading south, further away from their new cave.

'Okay, good. I can follow the trail,' he thought, taking a deep, calming breath. His heart was racing from the stress. 'I need to find out where this goblin took our stuff before it's not too late... So we can make a plan to get everything back,' he decided, nodding.

Aster started following the tracks without wasting a single moment, moving as fast as his exhausted body allowed.

...

The wind howled, his boots squelched with each step, and the cold rain pounded against his cloak, but the boy kept walking, following the trail. As the storm intensified, the trail became harder and harder to see. Yet, he refused to give up — not when everything they had was at stake.

'Come on, where are you, you little rat,' Aster thought as he ducked under low-hanging branches and stepped over protruding roots. The tracks led him further south, deeper into the unfamiliar part of the forest. He kept marking the nearby trees to ensure he could find his way back.

He ran like never before, ignoring the pain and fatigue, pushing himself forward and refusing to stop. When the rain started to pour really bad, the last remnants of the tracks vanished, and his hopes of finding the stolen along with it.

'Dammit!' Aster swore, wiping the wet hair out of his eyes. He stood there panting, trying to figure out what to do. He only knew the direction the tracks had led him in. 'That's not good... Damnit!' he cursed, slapping his forehead. 'Alright... There's still a chance! I'll just follow the direction and hope for the best,' he decided, rushing forward.

And so, he did. Through the heavy rain, he went straight into the danger Aster had tried so hard to avoid. Ten minutes later, he noticed a faint orange light, faintly illuminating pine trees in the distance. 'Oh shit, oh shit,' he panicked, quickly hiding behind the closest tree.

"Alright, that stone and that big bush, and..." he looked around, trying to memorize his current location and the direction he had come from. "...okay, got it. Let's see what's up ahead," he thought, ducking into a nearby bush and looking forward through the leaves.

"The fire seemed to come from... below? It's probably a cave. Maybe if I am careful enough, I could sneak closer and see how many goblins are there. We need to know what we are dealing with," he nodded confidently. "Then I will go back to tell Mom."

As silently as possible, he sneaked forward, through the bushes and between the trees, making sure not to make a single noise. The rain helped muffle his steps, his breathing, and the rustling of his cloak, but Aster still took his time, carefully choosing where to place his foot, avoiding twigs and pebbles.

Soon, he heard snoring. It was loud enough to be heard over the howling wind and falling rain. 'Alright, let's see,' he thought, carefully peeking down from behind the tree. A small cavern opening, similar to their old one, came into view, illuminated by a fire burning inside.

Sneakily, Aster moved a bit closer, staying out of the firelight. A few moments later, the opening became wide enough for him to see the camp inside. His breath caught in his throat when he saw a single goblin sleeping on the ground, covered in furs, with a spear beside it and a familiar leather backpack used as a pillow. The sack with the rest of their stuff was nowhere to be seen, but it had to be there somewhere.

'Only one...' Aster gulped, staring at the goblin. Then, at the backpack. Again, on the goblin. Back again. 'Ugh... Yet another stupid idea of mine,' Aster thought, his hand clutching his little knife. 'Rain and wind will mask the sounds... And if I use more mana on my body to minimize the risk...'

It's dangerous, very dangerous. But what if this cave is just a temporary spot for them to use as they return to another place, like the main camp? If they lose their stuff for good, then... 'No. I have to do it.'

Aster took a deep, shaky breath, tightening his grip on the knife's handle. 'It's just one goblin, and it's sleeping. I can do this. Easy peasy... Just get in, stab its neck a few times, grab the stuff, and get out. Quick and easy,' he thought, biting his lower lip.

He began concentrating on the heat in his chest, igniting the raw mana and converting it into a fiery, warm one. His mind focused on his arms, legs, and back, imagining how twice the amount of mana flowed through his body, spreading the boiling sensation.

'This is the last time. After that, no more mana-drug spells for a while and no more risky and stupid ideas. That's for sure,' Aster thought, gritting his teeth. The heat grew unbearable, feeling like his skin was being cooked. Worst of all, the process was a lot slower. It took time for his muscles to absorb all the mana. Aster wanted to scream from the top of his lungs but remained completely silent.

When the process was complete, Aster looked up, his golden eyes glowing slightly from under the hood, and stepped out from the shadows. Slowly, quietly, the boy slid down the slope and crept towards the cavern's entrance.

Every step he took made the ground squish and crunch beneath his boots. The wind blew, making the flames dance and casting flickering shadows around. However, the sound of the storm and the goblin's loud snoring masked most of the noise he made.

'Almost there, come on,' Aster thought, his golden eyes fixed on the goblin's exposed neck. His heart was pounding so loud that he was sure the creature would wake up any second.

"Krr... Krr..." The goblin snored and turned in its sleep, its sharp nails scraping against the rough stone floor.

Aster froze, holding his breath. He was only four steps away, but those four steps felt like a hundred. As he stared at the ugly creature, his hands started to shake, the knife's blade glinting in the firelight.

'You can do this, you can do this,' Aster repeated in his mind, forcing his feet to move again—two more steps, then one. 'Don't wake up,' he thought, moving his knife just above the creature's neck. When the blade touched its skin, its red eyes suddenly flew open.

Aster threw all his weight onto the knife, pressing it down into the creature's neck. He felt a lot of resistance as it sliced through the tough, grey skin. Blood sprayed out like a fountain, covering his face and cloak. The goblin let out a horrifying gurgle, its red eyes staring at him with disbelief and shock.

It tried to scream, but only a strange, bubbling sound came out of its throat, and its rows of sharp teeth snapped wildly. The creature thrashed around, its clawed hands trying to grab Aster. He twisted the knife, pulling it back and stabbing again. And again. And again.

"K-kkk... K-kk," the creature gurgled, blood gushing out of its throat and mouth. Its red eyes stayed locked on Aster's, filled with rage, hate, and... fear. Aster kept stabbing the creature until its eyes rolled back into its head.

The boy was suddenly hit with a wave of intense nausea, causing him to gag and retch. Bile rose in his throat as he staggered away from the corpse, spitting out the vomit that was mostly made up of the berries he had found on his way there. His eyes watered as he struggled to regain control. It took him a few moments to finally compose himself.

Aster sat on the ground, panting heavily. He looked down at his hands and clothes, covered in dark red blood. Then, he looked at the corpse, lying motionless on the ground in a pool of blood.

"U-ugh," Aster gagged again, swallowing down the bile. He took a deep, shaky breath, wiping his forehead with his sleeve. 'Okay, okay. I did it. I did it,' he repeated in his head, staring at the corpse. "Just take the stuff and leave. Don't think about it. You did it for the girls," he mumbled, crawling closer and pulling the backpack from under the goblin's head.

Aster opened the backpack only to find it filled with nothing but blankets. "Alright... Where are the rest of the stuff?" Aster wondered, glancing around the cave. The sack should be here somewhere, but he couldn't see it anywhere. The boy searched the cave and found the dried mushrooms and his mother's arrows in the corner. "There they are," he sighed, relieved.

Aster packed the mushrooms and arrows into the backpack, put it on, and looked for the sack. But the more he searched, the less hope he had. "No, no, no. It has to be here. Come on," he muttered, looking through the goblin's stuff, mostly weird bones and half-rotten furs. The only useful thing he found was a handmade rope. His desperation grows with each passing moment.

Aster stood in the middle of the cave, unsure what to do. 'It's all gone. Everything we had... gone.' The realization hit him like a hammer. After a minute of just staring at the blood-covered ground, he sighed deeply. 'Alright, no time for that, Aster. You already did well. Just leave before more of them arrive and get back to Mom. We will find a solution somehow,' he thought, taking a deep breath and calming down. 'It's just stuff.'

As Aster was about to walk outside, his eyes noticed the spear still lying beside the corpse. It wasn't as special as the other one but still had a sharpened stone tip. 'Well, at least something,' Aster quickly grabbed the spear and rushed out of the cave, leaving the bloody mess behind.

The storm was still raging, and the wind howled by. Aster shivered, feeling the heat of his mana slowly fade away, leaving behind a dull ache and sore muscles. Ignoring it all, he hurried through the forest, following the marks he had left.

...

It took him quite a while to get back; only around midnight did the boy finally find the familiar entrance to their cave. His mother was sitting just inside, shivering. Her blue eyes stared into the darkness, her expression one of worry and fear. She had been waiting for him. Of course, she had.

When Nivalis heard someone limping towards her, she tried to stand up but was stopped by a sudden hug. "O-oh, Aster!" she mumbled, her voice trembling. "Honey... I was so worried," she whispered, holding her son tightly. "W-what happened?"

Aster was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say. For a moment, he considered lying about the whole retrieving idea to make her less worried, or at least to tell the half-truth, but Aster decided against it. Lying to her didn't feel right. "So, the thing is... Goblins found all our stuff... And I was stupid enough to try to get it back," he muttered, pressing his face against her chest. He could hear her heart pounding furiously after hearing his words.

"Wh-what? Honey... Are you alright? Why did you do such a thing?! Oh, gods, why?" she asked, her voice full of fear and concern. "Let me check you for wounds."

— "I-I'm fine," Aster mumbled as his mother started to run her hands all over his body, ensuring he wasn't hurt. "It was just one goblin living in a small cave. He was sleeping when I got there, so I just... you know..." he explained, feeling her examine his arms for any cuts. "But... I didn't find everything, though. Just our backpack. I have no idea where our sack is."

"Gods, honey," Nivalis whispered, her hands speeding up the process, checking his legs, head, and neck. "Are you sure you're not wounded? I-I don't feel any cuts, but it's too dark, and you're wearing too much to tell for sure. Does it hurt anywhere?"

— "I... don't know? Everything hurts terribly, but it's been like that since the morning," Aster mumbled, hearing his mother's quick, frantic breathing. She was panicking. "It's just soreness, nothing-" he tried to reassure her, but her panicked voice cut off his words.

"Quick, you might be bleeding somewhere and not even know it!" she said, trying to stand up. Aster helped her up, wincing in pain and groaning as he helped his mother walk back inside, hearing what was making her move even faster. "We need to make sure you're alright!" hurried him.

Once inside the main cavern, Nivalis sat down on the wet stone, tugging at his soaked cloak. "Off. Take off your clothes. I need to check," she demanded, her voice shaking. Aster obeyed, his wet clothes sticking to his skin, making it difficult to remove them.

"Hurry, honey," his mother urged, pulling off her son's pants. "Oh, gods, oh, gods. Oh, gods," she repeated, her nose catching the faint scent of blood. It was completely dark inside, and she could only feel his skin, trying to find a wound.

— "M-Mom, calm down," Aster tried to reassure her, feeling her hands running over his naked body. Goosebumps ran across his skin from having her hands all over him like that.

"H-how? How can I calm down? You just returned covered in blood. Gods, I'm going to spank you all night long for this," she muttered, touching his hips, legs, and waist. Her fingers traced along his stomach and sides, searching for any cuts.

— "Oh, come on," Aster chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I returned with our backpack-Ow!" he suddenly hissed, his mother's fingers pinching his little butt.

"I would gladly trade everything we own for you to be unharmed," she stated, feeling the soft skin between his thighs, trying to find any blood. "Sit down, mister. I can't even describe how angry I am at you for doing such a reckless, stupid, idiotic, and dangerous thing!" Nivalis scolded him, pushing him down by his naked hips. "Sit down. Now."

Aster sat on the ground, his mother's hands checking his chest and armpits. "Sorry," he muttered while she continued searching for wounds.

"You should be. How could you do something so... so... ugh," Nivalis groaned, running her fingers through his messy hair, checking for any cuts. "Turn around."

— "I know, I know. I shouldn't have done it. But it worked. We got our stuff back. Kinda," Aster said while his mother's hands checked his shoulders and back. Nivalis didn't respond; She silently made him lean against her and moved her hands down his waist... straight to Lil Asty. Just in time, he pushed his legs together, causing her hand to touch his inner thighs instead. "M-Mom, I'm alright down there," he quickly informed her.

"Are you sure? Have you checked it properly, around and under as well, and checked for mites as I taught you?" she said, patting his legs and signaling for him to spread them. "Spread your legs. Let me check it quickly," she ordered, her voice stern.

— "Y-yes, I am sure, Mom," he stuttered, not opening his legs. 'This must be truly a curse... The moment she started checking on me, it got up again! Just why!?' he thought, biting his lip.

"Aster, don't argue. Come on," Nivalis insisted, touching his knees gently, trying to push his legs apart.

— "N-no, really. There's nothing," Aster assured her, keeping his legs closed. 'Come on, just stop! You behaved yourself the whole day I was outside. Stop it, this is not the time,' he begged his penis, hoping it would just go back to sleep.

"You're clearly hiding something. It's not the time to be embarrassed about it," Nivalis told him, patting his bare thighs, trying to convince him.

Aster exhaled heavily, giving in. Slowly, he opened his legs, letting her soft hand slide between them.

"Wait, what is... Oh... Oh!" she uttered, surprised to feel with her fingertips his throbbing penis. She quickly pulled her hand away, her face blushing furiously in the dark. "Um... Okay, let's stop this," Nivalis muttered, coughing awkwardly. "Sorry, I didn't realize you were just... shy," she mumbled, trying to ignore the fact that her son had been aroused by her touching him. And the fact she felt him being hard. Again.

"It's been a long, stressful day for both of us. I can barely keep my eyes open," his mother suggested, trying not to think about her son's erection. "Let's take a quick bath and get some sleep."

— "Y-yeah. Let's do that," Aster nodded, quickly standing up and moving towards the hot spring. "And Mom? Can we reschedule my spanking for tomorrow? I'm very, very tired right now."

"Don't worry. Your bottom is safe for today," Nivalis chuckled softly, following him. "Tomorrow's punishment will be double, though," she added with the coldest tone.

Aster gulped, a shiver running down his spine. "G-got it," he whispered, slowly getting into the water.