I Will Hold Your Hand Gently

Chapter 36: Hunter Passes!

The hoot of an owl echoed through the night, rousing Hunter from the cold, dirty ground of the forest. He blinked against the darkness, feeling disoriented and heavy-lidded. His body was numb from the aftermath of his narrow escape from the dragon, and every muscle ached with fatigue. His legs felt like lead, utterly devoid of strength, and he had no way of knowing how long he had been unconscious. 

Luckily, no beasts had found him in his vulnerable state. As he lay there, something warm glimmered in his hand. Slowly, he opened his palm to find the Dragon Ore glowing safely in his grip. A sigh of relief escaped his lips, and he forced himself to move. 

If only a Guide were here," he thought, recalling the mysterious woman who had helped him during the Spring Flower Festival.

He struggled to pull himself upright against a sturdy tree, its rough bark grounding him in the moment. In an effort to distract himself from the pain coursing through his body, he began to think of that Guide's name. However, it dawned on him, that just as she had vanished after saving them she had never told him, or Tanya, or even Lucia her name. 

From what Lucia had shared, the Guide had saved her from a brutal beating in an alley, shielding her from the Espers who came to hunt down Lucia, and she had even healed a complete stranger, him, unaware he was a criminal. First, he had been saved by Tanya, then by this strange Guide.

Lucia had waited eagerly for her to come back, clinging to the promise the Guide had made. If Hunter could secure the position as the personal guard to that insufferable Spheral woman, perhaps he could use that opportunity to uncover the whereabouts of the green-haired savior.

Before he realized it, Hunter stumbled into a clearing. The practice range was just a few feet away, from him.  Just as he took a step forward, a wave of dizziness crashed over him. His vision blurred, the world around him darkening. An icy chill seeped through his bones, and he felt his eyes rolling back. The heaviness of his eyelids was overwhelming, dragging him down into the abyss of sleep. He fought to stay awake, knowing he needed to keep moving, but the exhaustion enveloped him like a thick fog, rendering him powerless. The darkness claimed him, and he surrendered to it, the forest swallowing his consciousness whole.

******

Hunter could hear a soft voice calling him to awaken, gently breaking through the haze of his unconsciousness. He stirred, the touch of a cold, wet towel on his cheek pulling him further into awareness. His half-open eyelids fluttered as he turned toward the figure sitting beside him on the bed. It was Tanya, her familiar presence both comforting and alarming.

As their eyes met, surprise lit up her face, quickly followed by a wave of relief. Her expression shifted into a small smile, but it was a complicated mix of happiness and worry that tugged at the corners of her mouth. The room around them was softly illuminated by the morning sun filtering through sheer curtains, casting a warm glow on the faded wallpaper. The air was thick with the scent of herbal medicine, the scent of Tanya.

"Good morning," Tanya said, her voice soft yet smoothing.

"...Tanya..." he managed to say, the name rolling off his lips as if it were a prayer. "How..."

"Lucia and I were invited to come to the Sigma Estate," she replied, anticipating his question as though they had been having this conversation for days, "It's only been a few days since you got hurt, and here you are, already wrecking your body. This is why I don't like caring for Espers. They always come back injured..."

Her tone was laced with a blend of exasperation and concern. She brushed a strand of hair away from her face, her brow slightly furrowed. The worry etched into her features. Hunter could see the slight tremor in her hands as she gently adjusted the towel on his forehead, her fingers lingering there for just a moment longer than necessary. Just as she seemed ready to pull away, Hunter instinctively placed his hand on top of hers. Tanya's eyes widened slightly at the warmth of his touch, a blush creeping into her cheeks as she met his gaze.