=A New Hero=

Chapter 5: Stalker

Dura has woken up at the crack of dawn, Voltha apparently waking up even earlier than that since she was at the bone throne. I just didn't sleep because that's completely healthy. Felice is still asleep even though it's...I don't know, rough estimate here, but 9? Maybe? And I don't claim to be the expert on adventurers or anything like that, but aren't you supposed to get up early?

Dura has worked things out with Voltha so she has her permission to leave the stronghold. I woke up Felice by poking her cheek until she finally got annoyed enough to get moving. Which cheek I'm talking about is going to remain a mystery.

Now, I don't like having to walk. So I wasn't exactly thrilled about the prospect of having to walk all day for 9 days in order to get to some guild or whatever. The first two days I just spent having to cope with the reality that I have to do this. Felice and Dura were decent enough company, since they were at least People to talk to so I don't go insane, but they understood none of my jokes. Felice even took my suicidal jokes seriously and got incredibly worried.

The third day of the trip, Felice held my hand the entire time and wanted to feed me herself. I guess she was scared I was gonna do something bad if she didn't, but even when I explained that no, I wasn't gonna stab myself in the stomach, I'm not some purple haired schoolgirl, she still didn't really let me out of her sight. Dura didn't care if I lived or died.

On the fourth day is when stuff kinda got...weird. I felt some sort of presence, like we were being watched. At noon we were attacked by a bear but me and Dura just beat the crap out of the thing and ate it for dinner, but even then I wasn't able to shake the feeling that something was following us. When I brought it up to the others, Dura just called me a newbie and offered to keep watch for the night. However, the next morning...

Dura: "You two, wake up. Now!"

I snapped awake and jolted upright, Felice already having her sword and in hand and ready to defend herself.

(Y/N): "What's goin' on?"

Dura: "I hate to say it but you're right, something is following us. I don't know what, but last night I saw two glowing eyes in the trees just...staring at you. When I chucked a rock at it is hissed and ran off, but I'm sure it'll be back."

(Y/N): "Wait wait wait, did you say it was staring at me? Only me?"

Dura: "Yes. In fact, whatever it was tried to get into your things before I spotted it. That's when it jumped into the tree and...you know."

(Y/N): "Weird...do you think Voltha sent an assassin or something to kill me for kicking her ass?"

Dura then smacked me upside the head.

Dura: "How dare you imply that! Voltha might despise losing, but she's not a sore loser!"

(Y/N): "Yeah, Yeah, whatever. Back to the problem at hand, did whatever the thing was manage to get into my stuff?"

Dura: "It managed to get into your bag but it didn't take anything."

I check inside my bag just in case, and everything is in there. I don't have that same feeling as before, so Dura must've scared them off for now. As we packed up camp however, I felt that same feeling of being watched, but only for an instant.

The rest of the day was just more walking, talking, Felice acting weird but I'm starting to think that's just how she is, and the occasional pit stop for bodily needs like food or a bathroom break. I didn't feel anything the rest of the day, but come nighttime, I offered to stand watch instead of Dura.