Aphmau's Secret

Chapter 5 - EDITED

Walking deeper into the Forbidden Forest, I collected rare herbs on the way. I help the townsfolk with their medicine and mix up remedies for them using hear rare herbs. I even have a plantation of these somewhere much, much deeper in the forest made up of rare herbs.

Walking some more while reminiscing the old times, a loud scream filled my ears. I jolted out of my reminiscing, surprised. Clearly I had imagined it, no human have ever made it out his far before. Furthermore, Sky and I had made sure of that.

Heading towards the scream, I found a little girl, no more than five, screaming at the approaching hell hounds that had escaped from a nearby Nether Portal.

"Stay back! No! Please! Somebody help me!" She screamed.

Little did she know that she had only made it worse as the hell hounds growled more in hunger.

"Come on now, don't scare her. Here, you can have my food." I said, throwing them a sack of meat that a fellow townsfolk had given me.

Growling, the hell hounds tore the sack into shreds, eating up the contents before running back into the Nether Portal. After they were gone, I turned to face the girl who was shivering in fright at the gory scene that was held in front of her.

"Are you alright little one?" I asked, but without receiving a single reply, she just ran off to who knows where.

Sighing, I went back on course. Now I need to buy a brand new sack on my way home for Tommy, the town's Butcher.

Walking along the trail that was made of dirt and barely visible, I had a sense that someone was following me. Turning around, I saw the little girl hiding amongst the trees, I had to give it to her, she was good. But not good enough.

I could've ignored her and let her be, but if she's following me, she can't go any further than she already was.

"You can't go any further little one." I confronted as I turned around and continued on my journey.

"Wait!" She pleaded, "Wait! Please! Please take me in as your pupil! I want to learn from you."

I turned around and stalked towards her, she stepped back in fright.

"Are you sure, little one? Once you've said that, there's no turning back."

Meekly nodding her head, I have out a sigh. Being one of the Divine Warriors wasn't easy, that was why we have Helpers, to help us with our duties.

Sky was infamously known as Shad, he isn't really bad once you get to know him but so far as I know, not one of us had any Helpers yet. Turning towards her, I motioned for her to follow.

Walking along the trail in pure silence, I decided to break the awkward atmosphere between us,

"What is your name, little one?"

"Nani."

"Well Nani, do you know who you had pleaded to?" I questioned further.

"Well, aren't you Jess, the Light of Death?"

Well duh, isn't that obvious based on the armor?

"Yes, but do you know who I really am?"

"No?" She answered, more like a question.

"Well, Nani. I'm Irene." I replied confidently.

She gasped, "Irene? As in THE Lady Irene?!"

"Yes." Came my simple answer as I headed towards her.

"Now, Nani, do you know the process to become a Helper to a Divine Warrior?"

She simply nodded as I approached her and engulfed her in a big hug. I silently pulled out a dagger and stabbed it through her heart. I made a sickening gurgling sound as her life faded away.

Removing my arms from her dead body, I dragged her into a nearby cave, letting the blood drain from her body as I placed a bit of my energy in her. Waiting silently in a corner of the cave, I have a few hours left before I lulled into a deep sleep.