Moments with Sylus

The Healer

I glanced at my hunter watch once again.

*No metaflux abnormality detected.*

"Am I on the wrong path?"

I looked around the darkening woods with confusion. Maybe coming here to hunt this wanderer was a mistake. We received reports about strange wanderer attacks from the southern borders of this forest.

"It seemed like a dragon!!! It glowed like it was on fire!!"

"It was a huge, magnificent creature! I've never seen anything like it in my whole darn life, man!"

"It had something on its chest... This may sound crazy, but it looked like a rose... a huge, black, glowing rose. It started glowing just before that creature attacked me... Maybe it's a ....rare protocore or something?"

The victims gave a lot of information, which eventually led to the mission of hunting it down. We didn't want it to harm anyone else. So here I am, to hunt it down on my own or find any clue about its whereabouts. But I'm pretty sure if I come across this creature, I won't just step back to report its location.

*Clink*

I took out my brand-new Harrier 5000 and checked its ammunition level once more. It's a strong weapon ... , something I got from Sylus. I was looking forward to use it for something special like this...

'It's getting dark, and better to be prepared for anything that could happen in this forest. But it's odd that my watch didn't detect any metaflux activity'

I turned around.

"Maybe... my instincts will do better than this watch... right?"

*Caw caw caw*

"WHAT??"

A familiar crow landed on a tree branch !

"Following your instincts now, sweetie?"

"SYLUS?? WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING IN THIS FOREST??"

Not only was the familiar crow here, but its master as well?!

"Are you following me by any chance?"

His lips curved into that oh-no-sweetie-don't-be-delusional smirk! My cheeks burned with instant embarrassment. Maybe I could dig a pit and bury myself to avoid seeing that smirk anymore!

He jumped down from the rock he was standing on. It seemed like he had followed a completely different path than mine. He had a strange, heavy-looking crossbow on his back and seemed fully geared with some serious hunting equipment.

Sylus looked different in his hunting outfit compared to his usual 'urban' clothes.
Today, he looked more like a prince on a hunt in his woods.

My eyes went to his black leather boots which were splattered with mud.

"So you've been out in the woods for a long time, just like me..."

"The road I followed was rougher... unlike yours."

"Unlike mine? Do you even know what I'm looking for, Sylus?"

Sylus walked toward me without answering.
He reached out for my hand, which was holding my weapon. His long fingers took it from me and examined it with a curious gaze.

"Oh, sweetie... I'm proud you're carrying around this gift of mine, but I'm afraid it won't be enough to tame the creature you're after."

"You know about it? The wanderer I'm searching for???"

"Of course I do—"

He handed the gun back to me with a worried expression.

"—because we both after the same thing."