Scale of Reality

Cave of the Vanquished: Part 9

Mya POV

Muji, Jax, and I were currently taking another break as we sat on the cold ground of the cave. Jax was fast asleep, but Muji and I were awake and just sitting there. It was a little awkward as I didn't know what to say.

"Umm...you ok?"

Muji nodded with a small grunt.

"You?"

I nodded, fiddling with my hands.

"So umm...I'm sorry I have nothing to say. I want to talk but..."

"Well...we can talk about why you lied about your parents."

I laughed nervously.

"Yeah...I kinda knew you would know. I've...been hesitant to actually tell anyone about it because it isn't exactly a good story."

Muji hummed.

"My upbringing isn't the best either. Wanna share?"

I gasped a bit.

"Now?"

"Well why not? I feel like this conversation has been long overdue...I want to open up to you Mya."

I blushed a bit.

"While we're in this cave though?"

"Sure."

"You're so...."

I let out a sigh before walking over to Muji and sitting next to him, laying on his shoulder.

"Alright. Sure. You first though."

"Ok. So it started way back when I was just 3, I think Karin had just been born."

As Muji told his story I just listened quietly. It was pretty sad, I almost cried a few times. It also explained a lot of things about him, one of the main ones being the scars on his body.

"Then I stole from your grandpa and met him. It was actually very scary at the time, I thought he would kill me."

I let out a small chuckle.

"Grandpa is pretty scary."

"Yeah....those times were the worst. Id do anything to make sure we don't go back."

Muji's eyes began to flicker in and out as the light in them began to fade. I grabbed his hand as the light came back fully, the flickering coming to a stop.

I wondered what that was about.

"You alright?"

"Yeah...my bad."

I shook my head, blowing it off.

"Guess it's my turn to share out huh...I'm kind of nervous."

Muji tightened his grip on my hand, reassuring me that it was ok.

"Well, Grandpa told me not to tell anyone but I guess I can tell you Muji. Truth be told, I was born whilst my parents were on a hunt."

I could tell he was confused.

"Umm...the mana in the air sped up my mom's pregnancy from what I was told. She didn't even know she was pregnant when they entered, but as the hunt went on my mother couldn't continue. When I was born, apparently the mana in the air was so thick that it killed me...but here I am..."

Muji just remained silent.

"And then the mana brought me back, according to Grandpa. My parents, they just thanked god and all that, but to others around me...I was a demon child. I was barely over a week old but I remember it so clearly..."

"Remember what?"

I tried to smile, but Muji could probably see that it was fake.

"Their attempts to kill me. My parents died protecting me...and I don't know how I survived until then...but my grandpa showed up and took me out of the dungeon. Honestly I used to have nightmares almost every night, it was so bad that it would make me sick."

I looked at Muji.

"But then I met you. My nightmares became less and less frequent, and nowadays I don't even have them anymore. At first I was afraid you'd hate me too, so I didn't say anything, but eventually I grew to really...umm...yeah. Now when I see you suffering, it reminds me of how I used too...so I want to save you, like how you saved me."

Our eyes made contact as I felt myself being swept into his gaze. I didn't know what was happening but I felt myself moving in closer to him.

"Damn I slept like a log!!"

I quickly jumped away as Jax turned and looked to us, raising his eyebrow.

"You guys good?"

Muji nodded.

"Just talking about how you sleep like a log."

"Oh really? I think the same thing!"

I blushed and glared furiously.

"That's not a compliment you idiot!!"

Jax looked at me before turning to Muji.

"Umm, what's her deal?"

"I don't know, maybe she's hungry."

I laid down and turned over, facing away from Muji and Jax.

"I'm going to sleep."

"Night!"

"Good night Mya."

Muji POV

"Oh god..."

I placed my hand on my chest.

"It's so fast."

"So Muji! What's the move after everyone's rested."

I shrugged.

"Just keep walking until we either die or find a way back up to Ms Shinmon."

"Wow, for someone so calculated that's pretty lax."

"Well I don't know what's ahead so I can't plan for it."

Jax hummed before smiling like an idiot.

"Well it'll probably be alright!"

Timeskip, Mya POV

"There's enemies ahead."

We came to a stop, Jax and I waiting for Muji to tell us what to do.

"Our wounds aren't fully healed yet, and we can't kill them anyway, so...Mya buff us up a bit so we can run through and distract them. You sneak up behind them and take them out with your light magic."

I nodded, I began to cast my spell. Everything went according to Muji's plan, it was pretty easy to take them out with my light magic.

I wondered if everything would be ok as long as we listened to Muji.