Forgotten Hero

18

Katerine sighed as she looked up at the starry sky. "What's eating at you?" Alina asked.

"Just worried." Katerine responded.

"Worried with misfortune inside you? Not exactly a great thing. My magic likes to go off when people become worried." Alina said.

"You usually set it off yourself. You're saying there're times that it goes off on its own?" Katerine complained.

"To be fair, it's usually when I'm worried, not others." Alina explained. "But I'm only ever worried about being tickled now."

"You're the reason why I'm tickled so much, huh?" Katerine said.

"Sorry. If it makes you feel better, I get tickled just as bad as you do. I just don't have control over your body." Alina said, trying to reconcile with her.

"Who're you talking to?" Lina asked the elf.

Katerine immediately turned to the cyclops, surprised by her question. "Just talking to myself." Katerine said.

"Talking to the other you?" Lina asked. The question caused Katerine to freeze.

"What do you mean other me?" Katerine asked, attempting to feign ignorance.

"I mean the one that killed Zox." Lina explained.

"Oh. Her." Katerine began. "Ya. I was talking to her." She added while looking at the fire in front of her. "You don't have to stay up you know."

"But I want to." Lina retorted. "I want to see why you have two people inside you."

"I don't know. If I tell one of you, I need to tell all of you." Katerine said.

"If you don't, I'll tickle you until you tell me." Lina threatened.

"TELL HER! TELL HER PLEASE!" Alina begged as much as she could, repeating the same phrase over and over.

"Fine. I'll tell." Katerine said before explaining her situation to Lina. Lina listened carefully as she described every part of her journey, only leaving out the parts where she was tickled.

"Since you have a goddess inside you, does that make you an angel, or a vessel?" Lina asked.

"I'm more of a vessel. But we made a deal. As of right now, I'm in control until I become a famous adventurer!" Katerine responded.

"Then I'll help and tell everyone about you! The animals will spread news of your deeds all over!" Lina exclaimed.

"Thanks, but hold off until I do something extraordinary." Katerine said while standing up. "I want to be known for doing things that are fantastic, then I'll never leave people's memories, like Inum."

"You don't need to do fantastic things. I think you've already done fantastic things. Please, just let me help you." Lina said softly.

Katerine smiles at the cyclops. "Then after we get back and tell everyone what happened, you can help." She said.

Lina's face lit up when she said this. "Thank you so much!" She said while hugging Katerine tightly.

"Too much! Can't breathe!" Katerine complained under the cyclops' strength. Lina immediately apologized while laying her on the ground.