Sector Break: Battle of Ratikstead

Reunion

Before we knew it, a week had gone by. I expected Jahna and Markus to leave at some point. The Huntress has been trying to cut us loose, that is obvious to anyone with a working brain. Making us do tough tasks and dealing with injured animals that may or may not kill us. But I will not give up until I find out, why she has been there whenever I was in danger. Even when I was outside of the forest.

"Oh, you're still here...joy," the Masked Huntress says as sits down. I only recently noticed that her mask is made from wood. It's just painted in a way that makes it seem like it's a layer of snow that forms a mask.

The hideout is connected to a strange glowing root. Aside from not being allowed near the sleeping quarters of the Huntress, she's also quite adamant in keeping us away from the root. The damp smell of tree branches all around us is part of the hideout's charm, I suppose.

"You won't get rid of us that easily," Markus proclaims with a proud smile.

"You can get rid of me if you want. All you need to do is to tell me who you are, and why you are always there to bring me home when I'm in danger," I respond calmly.

"There are some secrets I simply cannot spill, young man. I have told you before, you will have to learn to accept that not everything has to have an answer," the Huntress tries to convince me.

"In that case, the damp cold ground here feels quite comfortable to sleep on," I reply sarcastically.

A clear sigh of annoyance is heard coming from the Huntress.

"Have it your way," she says coldly before walking away.

I get up and stretch my arms.

"I am about done waiting for this thing to open up. Going to her doesn't help, time to reverse my plan," I comment before walking towards the root.

"Rex, what are you doing? She'll kill you!" Jahna yells as she and her father followed me.

"I should have known one of you would be foolish enough to try my patience," the Masked Huntress says coldly as she sits down.

"Am I foolish? Or am I simply just as stubborn as you are? You clearly don't want me dead, otherwise, you wouldn't leave your territory to save me. You can't leave because this root is so important to you that you must protect it," I say calmly as I don't even look in her direction.

"Why do you want those answers so badly?" the Masked Huntress asks calmly.

"Because I'm done being caged by grief and guilt. Do you have any idea what it's like to constantly lose everyone you love, over and over and over, with nothing to stop it from happening? Do you know what it's like to be all alone even when everyone around you begins to accept you? That is why!" I yell out in frustration.

"You're just a young man, who has been dealt a terrible hand in life. But that doesn't mean you can't draw new cards," the Masked Huntress says calmly.

"Stop being so cryptic. I hate that you act like it's something as trivial as not liking the dish you had for dinner the other day! Lives have been ruined by my hands. Ever since...since I killed my mother, I did nothing but hurt others. I wanted to at least die, knowing I had saved someone. But YOU! You saved my life. Why?!" I yell out angrily.

The Huntress grabs her crossbow and aims it at me.

"If you want to die so badly, I am happy to help," she replies coldly but falls to her knees in pain as I freeze only a small portion of the root.

"I am not a fool, Huntress. Every time you used magic, this root lit up slightly. It had to be connected to you," I comment calmly.

"Would you... go that far?" she asks softly as she's trying to catch her breath.