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Chapter 13: A mercenary's rescue
We were still walking, Mithos and I. It felt like we were going nowhere, since the forest looked exactly the same wherever we turned, especially at this darkness. Mithos was sort of scuttling down the forest now, most likely realizing that I wanted this to get quickly get over with. But, I wasn't able to help myself but look back a couple of times. Was something following us? It sure felt like it from my feelings, since it felt the same when Ashura was watching me all along at Triet, which gave me a twist in my stomach. But as soon as I realized
Iselia forest-A few minutes later
Mithos and I were still in the forest, and it seemed to get more and more dark everytime we took a step further in. I didn't understand; Mithos said we would get this over with quickly, since this was going to be a simple walk, and he knew that I was frightened by the aspects of this forest. Still we were walking in further, and it was now so dark that I couldn't see my own hands. But more importantly, Mithos. I looked around madly, trying to catch sight of Mithos, but the darkness was too much... I wasn't able to see anything but a pitch black emptiness, and I grew even more nervous. Eventually, I grew scared enough to even try my sad attempt at calling out Mithos' name.

I opened my mouth, but all that came out was a small scartchy voice of mine, which turned out that my voice was somewhat soft. It was all I was able to make out of my voice as I tried once more, but failed. I really wanted to be next to Mithos, and at the least, feel his presence. I couldn't even feel his presence, so I felt... alone. Alone like out in the darkness. Where was Mithos? Why did it become so dark all of a sudden? All of these questions, thankfully, were answered as soon as a small, dim light was visible from not too far.

Too scared to do anything else, I made a mad dash to the location of the dim light, which felt, well, took forever. But as soon as I reached my destination, I almost jumped in joy to see Mithos with a small candle in his hand, which was melting quickly. Being a bit too overjoyed of finding the person I thought I had lost sight of, I didn't notice the melting wax from the candle reached his hands, and slightly burned Mithos' finger. At his low voice that winced in pain, I quickly snapped out of my thoughts, and noticed his fingers. I then realized he had no choice but to keep the hand on the candle, for if he dropped it, the forest would burn, and he needed light to see where to go.

Getting up, Mithos finally said words that gave me joy, "Let's go back for tonight."

Iselia forest-A few minutes later
We were a little far from the area that Mithos had now lit the candle, which was still in his hand, shining as if it was the only light source left in the world. I felt much more relaxed now that there was light to actually see the surroundings more clearly, so that I didn't have to jump up in fear every time a twig snapped or so. But as we were walking down, Mithos finally decided to start a... rather amusing conversation about what I would call for now... my bio.

"Don't you want a name yet? At least a temporary one?" I nearly came to a halt at his remark, but continued on, somewhat nodding.

"Do you want me to give you one for now?" He asked in a tone that sort of told me he was bored and needed something to do.

I nodded again, of course, "What about...," Mithos started as I saw him with a expression that told you he was thinking.

"Yuna? I mean, Ashura thinks you're Yuna, and there just might be a chance that you are." I nodded again, for about the third time.

It was then settled. I was to be called Yuna for that moment now. I actually got a name, even if it will only last for a few hours... or maybe permanently. Maybe I'll keep the name Yuna... besides, it sounded a lot similar to Yuan, and I almost admired him. Actually, maybe I did, I wasn't so sure. Then again, I didn't want to get a bit too far with my ways of thinking about Yuan. In truth, I cared for him quite more than the others, sadly... but I didn't want to get too far ahead of myself; especially for Martel's sake, since she belonged to him rightfully. Maybe those two knew each other before he was rescused from the research facility, who knows...

Iselia forest-A few minutes later
I had to admit... my eyelids were becoming heavier, and I was becoming even more drowsy than ever. I had never slept late, so the fact that it was possibly near midnight, I was trying my hardest to stay awake. Eventually, I was almost leaning on Mithos' left side, forcing him to kind of support me by allowing my actions. He probably knew I wasn't accustomed to staying up so late, and while being active too. Recalling from my memories, we were now half way through the Iselia forest, and almost out. This, of course, relieved me, and somewhat made my eyes glimmer with joy. Everything seemed to be going great, except for the drowsy part. Well, at least, that's how it was for now. I heard Mithos clearing his throat as he began to talk again.

"So, Yuna, are you glad we're almost out?" I almost stumbled by that name, for some apparently odd reason.

I nodded in reply once more, "That's good; 'cause I am too." I slightly shook by his humour, since I wasn't accustomed to laughing or even giggling.

But just as I finished shivering from the cold, Mithos pushed me away from him. I fell down to the ground with a soft thud as I noticed something that stuck out through the top of his left shoulder, missing slightly. My eyes widened with horror; it was a extremely sharp blade. Mithos winced in pain as she half engraved blade was removed from him, and he crouched down to the ground, looking back at me with a look of pain on his expression, which was clearly visible. The candle was on the ground, and Mithos eyed it as footsteps were heard through my ears, causing me to freeze with fear. Before I was able to see the figure, Mithos stomped on the candle, causing the light to die out as I heard him cry out.

"Run!" But I couldn't obey.

I stared at a very dark dot that appeared one by one, like rain. My eyes widened again as I realized the small and slowly dripping dots; it was Mithos' human and elven blood. I fell to the ground once more after getting up as I quickly shuffled on the ground, practically crawling away rapidly with my shaking hands, which caused my arms to give out constantly, making me fall. But this was one of the things that made me go even faster. I was extremely guilty of the fact that I left Mithos by himself out there. I truly regretted it, and I was going to go back to him, no matter what. But first, I should go get Kratos, Yuan, and Martel, or at least one of them.

Outskirts of Iselia
I rushed down the outskirts of Iselia, not bothering to keep quiet as I almost rammed into the door. Reaching at the door knob with shaking hands, I wasn't able to open it. I had to relax... relax, come on... After forcing myself to open the door after a couple of failed tries, I only opened it to meet the chest point of a particular mercenary. He quickly grabbed my wrist, and kept me from going anywhere, even rushing into the house. I was only half way inside the house, and I wanted to go in all the way... I didn't want to be outside for the moment. I looked ahead of Kratos, and behind him, to see that Martel was still on the ground on the mattress, with Yuan sleeping, leaning on the wall, causing his hair to cover his face. I looked back at Kratos, my eyes contained fear, and he realized it right away.

Pulling me back outside to the house and closing the door behind him, he loosened his grip on my wrist and began to question me, "Where is Mithos?"

All I was able to do was point in the direction of the Iselia forest, outside through the gate, and Kratos looked at it for a moment. He quickly let go of my hand and dashed towards where I had pointed, leaving me speechless. He was, to me, gone in a blink of an eye. Kratos' skills were amazing, and yet graceful also... Being quite naive I was, I simply went back to Iselia forest, not knowing what just might happen. And the most stupid was... that I was going alone. Kratos was already long gone out of sight, Mithos was still in the forest, Yuan and Martel were still asleep, leaving me alone. But still after all of that lonely thought, I went on anyway.

Iselia forest
As soon as I entered the forest, which I was there after a few minutes from the outskirts of the main village, the first thing I head right off the bat was a clash of blade to blade. More improtantly though, I wanted to see to it that Mithos was okay. I ran down the forest, hoping my legs wouldn't give out from shaking like it had from my arms, and I came closer to the noise of the clashing blades, and possibly a few magic spells were called out, since I heard Kratos' voice yelling out a few things. Soon enough, I was there just in time to see Mithos being warped by a green light. Then, I heard Kratos muttering the name of the spell, which indicated he used it.

"First aid." That was a healing magic, as far as I remembered from when Kratos had talked to Mithos about this spell once before.

Mithos spotted me due to my loud approach from my legs, and quickly swatted a hand towards me, "No, don't come near! You'll get hurt...!"

I slightly backed up from Mithos' swatting hand as I crouched down in front of him, and placed a finger on his wounded left shoulder. It immediately made contact with something liquidy, and I rapidly pulled back my finger, looking at it. There was his blood, as I had suspected, but not too much of it, thankfully. I looked back at Mithos, and stayed there, in a crouching position as Mithos continued to try and persuade me to leave. But I didn't listen, being the stubborn person I was. Soon enough, Mithos gave up on presuading me as I watched Kratos fight, with the fourteen year old slighty backing up whiling clutching his left shoulder, somewhat dragging me also so that we were both out of sight.

"You told Kratos, didn't you?" I nodded in defeat, since he had somewhat read my mind; again.

"Actually, I'm quite thankful; he saved me..." Mithos clenched his fist, and I knew why; his hate for humans, and a human had saved him,

But just as Mithos had finished letting out his anger slightly by clenching his fists so hard that the knuckles turned white, Kratos jumped back and landed next to us. He had something clenched in his left hand, and it appeared to be a sword. He tossed it in front of Mithos, which landed on the ground. Indicating me to stay where I was, behind the bushes and to stay out of view, he told Mithos something that I didn't exactly quite agree on. Especially after he had went through all that trouble of running to this particular location and saving Mithos with intense speed on his account.

"Mithos, grab your sword; you are in for some real fighting lesson."

Next chapter
Yuna: I'm quite shocked that Kratos demanded Mithos to fight in his current condition with a wounded left shoulder... well, they are fighting quite fairly enough when the attack somewhat becomes stronger, without any due reason. And he seems to be tie with Kratos in skill wise, but the mercenary seems to have a edge on strength, thankfully... just who is this attacker?

Yuna: Find out next on Chapter 14: Revealed identity.