Parallel (A Virtual Gamer's Story) [Vol.1 - Vol.4 Complete]

Chapter 12: The Cub -_-

Nama Woods.

5:35 p.m. 4th Ryanem 1091.

Kashi awoke to the peculiar stillness of the Nama forest. The daeben checked his status and was relieved to see his health had fully recovered during his long nap. Kashi groaned as he sat up, stretching out his tense muscles. A brief inspection of his surroundings revealed the direwolf cub asleep by his side.

The sight piqued Kashi's curiosity. He was surprised the direwolf had not tried to kill him. However, that curiosity didn't last long. The daeben rose to his feet, waved at the little cub and said, "Have a good life." He found his bearings then headed back in the direction of Fladnag's home.

Halfway to his destination, a series of sharp, short barks echoed behind Kashi, gradually increasing in intensity and volume. "No way," Kashi whispered in disbelief as he looked over his shoulder. Unfortunately, just as he feared, the black ball of fur came bounding down the path, barking at the top of its little lungs.

The cub slipped on a leaf and tumbled. It dangerously rolled down the slope and might have incurred severe injuries had Kashi not instinctively stick out his foot to stop its fall.

Kashi sighed as he realized what he had done. He crouched and inspected the stalker's body. "Are you okay?" Kashi reached out a hand to examine the direwolf, but it jumped out of the hand's path and bared its fangs at him. The daeben smiled wistfully at its reaction. "You hate me, huh?"

It replied with a low growl from the pits of its stomach.

Kashi shrugged, withdrew his hand and then stood up and resumed his trek. He noticed from the corner of his eye that the wolf relaxed and followed closely behind. He wondered how long the little cub planned on stalking him.

Despite his inner thoughts, Kashi and the cub arrived at Fladnag's home without incident. However, the tension was no less thick than their first meeting.

"I see you made it back alive," Fladnag greeted when they entered his home.

"I did." There was no joy in Kashi's voice, and the wizard picked up on it.

Fladnag eyes studied the daeben's expression as he said, "So, tell me. How did it feel to slay a beast that could not fight back in front of its child?"

Kashi's eyes widened in shock. As he recalled the shittiness he felt back there, his gaze narrowed as he shouted in unbridled anger. "You knew!?"

"Of course I did, child," Fladnag answered with a light chuckle. The humor in his smile did not reach his serious, piercing gaze. "That beast was a level sixty by the ranking standards. From the beginning, there was only one way for one such as you to slay it."

Kashi gritted his teeth. "Why? Why force me to do something so despicable?"

"I did not force you to do anything." The wizard's gaze was cold and hard. "Your quest for power simply required you to crush an innocent life that did you no wrong. Do not forget you fired your arrow when you could have walked away."

"I had no choice. It was the task you gave to me," Kashi countered, but the harshness had left his voice.

"Oh, but there was a choice," Fladnag revealed with a stroke of his beard. "You could have walked away. Of course, if you did, you would have had to give up on me granting you the power you seek."

"What's the lesson I'm supposed to learn here, old man?" Kashi asked, losing all pretense of politeness in his frustration.

Fladnag looked out of the window, his gaze softening as if seeing something far away. "You were forced to take a life today, one that will haunt you. In the future, in your bid for power, it is undeniable that you will be forced to take many more lives."