Unknotting Fate

CHAPTER 17: The Green-Eyed Monster Part 1

It has been three days since they left the fortress. They had just teleported at Von Forest this morning and had been walking for four hours on uneven terrain.

"I swear I'll kill you if you're just leading me in circles."Ko barked.

"Then you'll have a permanent erection." Kana laughed.

"You're getting more brazen with your replies. I preferred it when you were timid and scared of me."

Since the symptoms had not returned, Ko regained his usual stamina. He was hiking fast while carrying his backpack with water, extra clothes, packed food, and Kana's Journal. But after two more hours, Ko's body had gone sore. Only then did he realize that he was trying to match Kana's pace. 

Kana was a machine. A different kind of specimen. He was showing no sign of fatigue, not even a little. He even had the energy to fool around like a child. He would climb trees and hang upside down. He would get distracted by flowers, butterflies, or birds flying. From time to time, he would pluck out mushrooms and eat them.

Ko scolded him.

"Stop eating mushrooms! You can fucking die."

"Don't worry about me; I know my fungi really well."

"I'm not worried about you. You can't die just yet. Aurora first, and then you can die."

"Yes, just like we agreed," Kana responded as he leaped on a tree branch and started spinning 360 degrees, like a gymnast performing the high bars. He kept spinning till he let go and did a full twist in the air, landing perfectly. He turned around, beaming at Ko. He asked, "What score would you give me?"

Ko almost blurted out ten over ten. Luckily, he had enough self-control to give Kana a moody look. Ko realized that Kana did not just look like a wild child but was actually one.

Ko's annoyance was growing by the hour, and it was not due to Kana's childishness. Ko wanted to climb a tree, jump on a puddle, and do a summersault here and there but his pride won't allow him. Ko can't allow himself to act like he has no reputation to lose. And he can't give Kana the satisfaction that he found all these amusing.

Suddenly, both felt the ground shake. Confused with the situation, both stood still. Was it an earthquake? Their question was answered when they saw a gigantic boulder hurling down toward them.

Ko smirked. Nothing his telekinesis couldn't handle but in a blink of an eye, the boulder was gone as if it was all imagined. 

 "What the...? Where did the boulder go?"

"Oh, I kicked it out of the way," Kana said. Ko believed him despite not seeing him leave his side. It was 7219 after all. But then the horror came when Ko thought Kana must have teleported.

"Did you teleport?!"

"No...no...no, I just walked towards the boulder, kicked it, and then walked back here."

"You mean you ran towards the boulder."

"No, walked."

"Brisk walking?

"No, just normal."

"Does that mean you've been walking slowly all this time we were hiking?"

"Well...yes but please take your time."

Ko could not believe it. He could barely keep up with him. A nasty feeling crept up inside him. He used to experience it all the time when Armiya was alive.

They continued walking in uncomfortable silence. Kana stopped playing around. He actually looked a little troubled. Eventually, they reached a chasm. The valley below was very deep, with many sharp rocks at the bottom. Ko waved his arm and a tall tree beside him uprooted itself and flew between the chasm, creating a bridge.