A Tarnished Hero

Chapter 32: A Long Road

Izuku's breath slowly came in and out, the trotting of Torrent's hooves against the water a soothing balm to his troubled thoughts. He really didn't expect for Katsuki to be one of his tag-alongs, but now that he was here, he was responsible for bringing him back to Japan, no matter how much he hated the thought of it being him.

Katsuki was silent right behind him, eyes roaming the entire area as the jungle of flora and fauna captivated his very sight. The place was beautiful, foggy and damp, but mesmerizing all the same. But the more they went deeper into the flooded forest, the more eerie it became.

Izuku was already used to it, but his passenger wasn't. So used to modern peace he was that places like this put a damp on his mood. He didn't need to see him to know it, just feeling Katsuki fidgeting behind him was enough of a sign to know that he was still uncomfortable with what had happened to him. At least he was putting up with it and not letting it get him down. He was a stubborn bastard like that.

The canopy of leaves covered the rays of the sun as Torrent continued onward at the behest of its master. Izuku's eyes searched the region from top to bottom, intent on not getting ambushed by any of the insane inhabitants of the Lands Between.

Time passed on, and Izuku felt that any moment, somebody would jump him and rend his flesh from his bones. Katsuki too, could feel the danger in the air. The rest of the trek through the flooded forest was like that. Izuku didn't know when they would be attacked, but he was ready for it.

Fortunately, he didn't need to, as the sparse jungle of trees and leaves seemed to disperse as they finally managed to get out of the flooded forest, coming face to face with a narrow landmass that stretched into Stormveil Castle with a camp bearing the crest of Raya Lucaria situated at its center.

Not far off the beaten path, Izuku saw a rather familiar set of garbs, a piece of stick in hand as he roasted a critter over the open flame. Reigning Torrent to head towards the nomadic merchant, Izuku hopped off, Katsuki following suit.

"Ah, back again are we? And with a companion, to boot." The nomadic merchant tilted his head upwards, his mask outlining hints of a smile upon his face. "Not everyone can tell how good my wares are. You've a discerning eye, you have."

"Been some time since we've seen each other." Izuku started, his feet coming to a stop as he stood right in front of the merchant. "Anything new happening around these parts?"

"Other than a fool managing to slay a dragon, no." The merchant shook his head. "Anyway, want something to buy?"

"... Yes, actually. You still have those spices, right?" Izuku asked and the merchant grinned. At least, Izuku thought he did.

"Quite." The merchant stood up, laying the stick on the ground but still making sure that the open flame roasted the dead critter right above. Heading towards his pack mule laying just a few feet, he rummaged through its packs and withdrew bottles and boxes of spices. "You're lucky. Was about to run out of them before I made my routine to gather some more."

"This enough?" Izuku took out some runes from his bottomless box and handed it over, the merchant accepting them eagerly.

"Yes." The merchant then gave the boxes and bottles to Izuku, where he safeguarded them inside his bottomless box. The merchant tilted his head towards Katsuki next, a hint of curiosity present in his figure. "What about your companion? Anything he wants to buy?"

Katsuki shook his head, but approached nonetheless. No doubt, a bunch of questions swirling around in that head of his.

"Anything you can tell me about this place?" Katsuki asked. He had already asked this question to Izuku a bunch of times during their ride, but he didn't want to spoil the ash blond. That, and he wanted Katsuki to not rely on him too much, in case they get separated.