A Chance Encounter (Part Two)

Continuing to run through the underbrush, it only took us about a minute to reach the party.

It's a group of around three young adventurers, each fighting one of the bear-like monsters. I don't understand why they're taking so long to kill one, but I might as well help them out.

As soon as Surge and I could see the bears, I stuck my staff forward.

"Ice Age," I say, funneling mana into my staff. I've become much more precise with my casting, so only the bears end up freezing. Interestingly enough, it seems I don't need to cast it a second time anymore, the ice being thick enough to freeze them in place.

As soon as I fire off my spell, the party of four, the last of which I just now see, turn towards us.

Instantly, I recognize the fourth member of this group. The source of the scream.

Wearing an extremely expensive-looking set of leather armor, a mix of white and purple hair, and a shade of skin I've never seen again.

The blue-skinned woman I saved the first time I saw an Obsidian Cerva. What was her name again?

Before I could even begin to remember it, she gives us a small bow, the rest of the party bowing as well.

"Thank you, wise demonoid. If it had not been for your help, we most likely would not have made it out of that situation unharmed. May I ask your name madam?" The blue-skinned person says, looking towards us. "My name is Teresa, heir of the throne of Elarus," Teresa says, bowing once again.

More specifically, the adventures all have their eyes on my sister, Surge.

It doesn't seem that Teresa remembers me. Thank god, she called me a monster last time, and I don't want to have to make any tricky explanations.

I can just calmly let Surge handle it.

"Sorry but you're mistaken, I didn't do anything. It was my brother, Antonio." She says, stepping out of the way and gesturing towards me.

God damn it.

As soon as she says my name and my eyes meet with Teresa, she takes a step back. Reflexively, her guards are put on edge.

"It's you," Teresa says, her voice the same calm and soothing tone she had with Surge, but her eyes betray her.

Fuck.

What do I say?

What can I say?

Surge is now looking between me and her confused, whilst I almost feel the pressure on me continue to compound.

"Do you two know each other somehow?" Surge asks, an edge slowly creeping onto her voice.

"Yes. He saved me once, in a similar situation in fact. I just did not expect to see him again this, soon. Or this far away." She says, a slight shiver of panic as she continues to talk. "I'm deeply sorry for what I said to you back then, I was ignorant at the time."

Wait a minute. Doesn't this work out perfectly? Surge can back me up on this lie.

"I'm very sorry if I've met you before miss, but I can't seem to remember anything outside of the last three or so years. Everything behind that is fuzzy at best." I say, returning the bow slightly as I continue. "My name is Antonio Icefield, and this is my sister, Surge."

Instantly, the fear seems to wash away from her face, replaced by her calm nature once again.

"I see, well I once again apologize for my behavior. You seemed to have saved us, and for that I thank you. Would you mind accompanying us to our destination? Two powerful mages ought to make the trip much safer." She says, putting on a warm smile. That's a diplomat I guess, always looking out for numero uno. I mean, I can't blame her. What kind of guard can't kill a single monster?

"Your majesty! You can't honestly expect us to be okay with that!" One of the guards says, still on edge. The other guards nod along with her.

"Yeah! We can't allow you to be guarded by a pair of mysterious majin!" Another pipes up. What are you talking about man? The only palpable difference between Surge and her is Surge is red and doesn't have horns.

Is that racist?

"Well, they're hardly a mysterious duo. One is twice my savior and whilst the other may be a bit farer-skinned, she is still his sister. Aside from that, they just took down three D-rank monsters in a matter of seconds. If they wanted to harm us, they would have frozen us along with the Burrow Bears." Teresa says as the petty argument continues between her and her guards.

I'm confused on a few parts, however. First a foremost, do monsters have ranks?

What determines a monster's rank? Strength? Number?

Also, what exactly does the 'rank' mean? Is it like a tier list?

What kind of guards can't defeat a D-rank monster? If it's like a grading system, wouldn't a D be basically nothing?

I'm lost.

"Excuse me, that does bring a question to mind. What race are the two of you? It's rare that I can't recognize a demonoid clan, yet I've never heard of one who fit the description of the both of you." Teresa says as she and her guard's attention turn towards us.

"Oh, we're Tiamat. At least Surge is, but apparently, I'm not like her, that's what our dad said anyway." I answer honestly. It's not like I know the name of any other races, and even if I did, demonoid royalty would probably see through it.

Yet, as soon as I said that, something changed.

The guards re-armed themselves have surrounded Teresa in a protective formation, their weapons pointed towards us.

"Don't come any closer!" The guards yelled, voices shaking.

Looking around, my eyes shot between the eyes of the guards, Teresa, and Surge.

The color seemed to rapidly drain from both Surge's and Teresa's faces.

Huh?

Looking all around, there didn't appear to be any monster around us or behind us.

Suddenly, I recognized the look in Teresa's eyes as she glanced between Surge and me.

The same look she gave me when I saved her before.

I don't understand.