Author's Note: Hello everyone! It's me Xanderush305, I'm finally back after a few months. Sorry about that, I had finals and projects to accomplish when i was currently writing this so I had to prioritize my studies first. Then came my semester break, so I went back home to rest and spend time with my family. If you're still reading this, I greatly appreciate the support since it helps boost my morale. I really don't have much to say anymore just thank you. Hope you enjoy the story!
Chapter 3: By the Campfire
Within the forest grove a little fire awaits, crackling and burning as it anticipates. Fallen logs that are sturdy and strong, become makeshift chairs that won't do any wrong. Around the little flare some food and stories are shared, luckily enough spooky stories we're spared. At the end of it's life the little light flickers, as those around it get heated and bicker.
As I continued to caress Cupa's head, pure bliss can be seen on her face. Every time I would stroke her hair, she would reveal a small smile of delight. Sometimes she would cuddle closer to me despite being so close already. Though from time to time she would mutter a few words which I could not comprehend it's meaning. But there's one thing I did learn from her sleep stalking, it is the fact that she left on a journey because of Daddy issues or something. Definitely an issue I should not get involved with.
Anyway, I allowed her to sleep a bit longer since she is probably more exhausted than I am from all her traveling, battling, and a little bit of shopping. The action we are currently doing seems rather embarrassing, but since no one is around, I feel completely fine. Yup, it's three in the afternoon and most people are probably at home taking a nap and such. So, I decided that I'll keep this position until four just to make sure we get a bit more rest. After all, I don't get to experience resting at a park in the afternoon that much. Let alone with a humob girl. I guess I got pretty lucky, didn't I?
Luck aside, I haven't actually met a humob in person up until today. So you could say it's quite the shock to encounter one during a dire situation and spend half a day with one. Though this one seems rather odd in her own way, she always seems so excited and hyperactive. Are all Creeper Humobs like that? I wonder... But I'm still glad I met her, I think? I don't know, I just can't help but feel oddly comfortable around her. It's honestly weird but in a good way.
So with that being said aloud in my head, I decided to just relax and enjoy the moment while it lasted. Since I knew that once she wakes up, things are about to get wild and noisy again or perhaps a bit entertaining. For over an hour, I just sat on the bench with Cupa on my lap as I listened to leaves rustling in the warm, afternoon wind. It felt truly peacefully that I managed to doze off, again.
I was then awoken by someone nonstop poking my cheeks. I blinked twice and saw Cupa was the one doing it, "Uhhh... Stop it, it's annoying..." I groaned. She just smiled and buried her finger deeper into my cheeks, "Then wake the freak up, Bubble Boy." she said. My eyes widened, "Bubble Boy?!" I exclaimed. "Yup! That's you're nickname now." she told, continuing to push my cheeks, "Hehe... Squishy." she muttered delightfully. I sighed and pulled her hand away, "Stop it, also don't call me that." I told her. "Call you what?" she asked. "The nickname you just called me." I said. "What nickname?" she asked. "Don't play dumb with me. I know you just want me to say it." I told her. "Say what?" she asked. I sighed, "Nevermind..." I said, standing up.
I stretched a little and looked around, the sky was turning orange as the sun slowly descends in the horizon. "I wonder what time it is?" I asked myself as I opened my inventory. "I don't know, maybe five or something." Cupa said while looking at the sky. "It's actually six in the afternoon." I told her. She then looked at me, "What makes you so sure?" she asked. I showed her the wall clock I was holding, "See? It says six, right?" I told her. Her face seemed shocked, "Is there a problem?" I asked. She blinked twice and rubbed her eyes, "Are you...holding a wall clock?" she asked. "Yeah, it is. Why do you ask?" I replied.
"Tell me. How do you check the time?" she asked. "I just open up my inventory and look at the clock." I replied. She inhaled, "So, you're telling me that you carry with you a clock every day in your inventory?" she asked. I nodded, "Yup, I also carry spare batteries." I told her. She suddenly fell quiet, "Umm... Cupa? Are you all right?" I asked, rather worried. She then began to shudder a little, "Xander, that's..." she muttered. "That's what?" I asked. "That's..." she repeated. "That's what?!" I exclaimed. I then heard a giggle, "That's the most hilarious thing I've ever heard someone do!" she blurted out then burst in a fit of laughter.
I scratched the back of my head and sighed, I knew this was going to happen since the majority of those who've known me ended up doing the same or asked if I was okay. I am pretty much aware that carrying a clock is stupid, most people would say I should just buy a watch. I do agree with them, but this clock is something Uncle Alazar gave to me as a present when I completed my training with him. Which is why I always keep it with me as a reminder of my achievement and hard work. Seriously, I'm an extremely weird sentimental person.
Anyway, Cupa was still laughing her ass off so I just decided to let her be. After a few minutes, she finally calmed down and sat on the bench to catch her breath. I just stood next to her, waiting for her to recover. When it looked like that she stabilizes, I decided to talk to her. "So? You finished?" I asked. She sighed, "Pretty much!" she exclaimed before snickering. "Did you perhaps found it amusing that I carry a clock all day?" I asked. She chuckled, "Yup! You sure made my day! I haven't laughed like that in a long time." she told me, smiling. I sighed, "Well, it was to be expected." I said.
I looked at the clock one last time and smiled before returning it to my inventory. "C'mon, let's go. I still need to buy something." I told her as I began walking away. "Hey! Wait up." she called out after me. It was a quiet walk through the streets of town, we passed by several closing shops on our way. Cupa kept walking beside me and I noticed her glancing at me. "Is there something the matter?" I asked her which caught her off-guard. "Actually, that was the same thing I was gonna ask you." she said.
"Oh? Why is that?" I asked. "Well, you've been awfully quiet for a while now. Unlike this morning when you were showing me around." she said. "Well, it's just that I have nothing else to say to you. In the meantime, that is." I told her. She looked down, "I see..." she muttered. We continued walking a bit more. "Look. If this is about me laughing at your clock. I'm sorry about that, okay? It was rude of me." she apologized. I stopped walking, "What are you talking about?" I asked. She looked surprised, "Isn't that why you seemed rather down and quiet? Isn't it because I laughed at your clock?" she asked. I gave her a confused look, "What? No! I'm just tired and all." I told her.
She sighed, "Oh! Well, I'm glad that wasn't the case." she said. "Hold on. Was that the reason you were quiet the entire time?" I asked. "Well, you see. I was thinking of a way to apologize to you so..." she said, scratching her cheek. "Really? For a second there, I thought you weren't feeling well. Thank God that wasn't the case." I said. "Huh? You thought I wasn't feeling well?! She exclaimed. "Well, it seemed unusual of you to stay so quiet when the entire day you were hyperactive." I told her. For a while, everything was silent until both of us ended up laughing.
"Looks like we both misunderstood each other." I said. "Yup! I guess we did." she agreed. "C'mon! Let's hurry up! Before the store closes." I told her, running ahead. "H-hey! Don't go running without me." she declared, chasing after me. So with that, we continued our way. "By the way, what do you need to buy?" she asked. "Oh, I forgot to tell you that I had an agenda to attend to after this. I'm just merely buying some drinks for it." I told her, "Actually, now that I realize it. Why are you tagging along?" I asked. "Well, you told me to follow you." she replied. "Oh! My bad." I apologized. "Nah, it's fine." she said.
"Well, now that you know. It'd be better if you were to rest at the local inn. I can handle things from here. You can go and enjoy the rest of your evening." I told her. She shook her head, "It's okay. Consider this as thanks for the tour." she told me, smiling. "Are you sure?" I asked. She nodded, "Yup! Allow me to accompany you." she said. "If you insist...though I really do suggest you head to the inn." I told her. She huffed, "It's fine! I'm still full of energy." she boasted. I chuckled, "Okay, if you say so." I said.
A few minutes later, I noticed we were in the area of the shop. "C'mon, it's just around the corner." I told her. After turning around the corner, we both saw the shops' sign and that it was still open. We then entered the shop which gave off a homey feel to it. The shopkeeper greeted us both and so did we. I then told him to give me three bottles of "Drunken Spring" and two bottles of "Snow Tea" which he nodded in response. He soon came back with the items I ordered and placed it on the counter. I inspected it first before purchasing the bottles of wine and tea. After buying it, I put it inside my inventory for safekeeping. With that, we exited the shop and walked back to the main street.
"That looked like an interesting shop." Cupa said. I nodded, "It is. It's one of the shops I go to when I buy my supply of tea and my uncle's wine." I told her, picking her interest. "Uncle? You never mentioned having one." she said. "It wasn't a topic worth mentioning." I said. "Really now?" she asked. "Well, it is something worth mentioning but I just didn't feel it was appropriate." I told her. She tilted her head, "Why wouldn't that be?" she asked. I sighed, "It makes me feel like I'm bragging and I don't like that." I told her. "Why is that?" she asked. I scratched the back of my head, "Let's just say that my uncle is someone of high social status, despite his looks and all." I told her.
I then noticed a glimmer in Cupa's eyes, "Oh? How come? Is he like really talented? Or maybe super duper strong?" she asked. I chuckled, "You could say that..." I said. She then gave me a look full of curiosity, "Which one? The talented or the super-duper strong?" she asked. "I'd say both." I said. "Wow! That sounds amazing!" she exclaimed. "Well, you are right about that. He is amazing." I said.
"So, how strong is he?" she asked. "Hmm...I'd say he is strong enough to defeat Wyverns." I boasted. "Wow! Wyverns?! Those things are pretty tough!" she exclaimed. "They are. But he managed to defeat several of those in his youth. In fact, he has some Wyvern teeth in his home." I said, making Cupa look super amazed. "What about talent? How talented is he? She asked. "He can almost use all types of magic. And is adept at using different types of weapons. Also, he can dance pretty well." I told her. "Woah! I've never heard of someone else like that." she said.
"Someone else? There is someone other than my Uncle that can do that?" I asked. She cupped her chin, "I do remember someone my dad was acquainted with that can do that." she said. I looked surprised, "Do you perhaps know his name?" I asked, rather curious. "Sadly, no." she said. "Well, too bad. By the way, if your dad knows someone like my uncle. Who is your dad anyway?" I asked. She paused and her face turned serious, "Let's...not talk about that, okay?" she told me. I sensed tension so I decided to avoid digging in, "Sure thing." I told her.
"Last question. How popular is he?" she asked. I then remembered seeing all of his trophies and recognitions displayed in his house, "Well, he is recognized as an important person by all the Kingdoms. Human or Humob, they have acknowledged him." I told her. "I see...so all Kingdoms know about him." she said. "Indeed! And they summon him in times of need. Which is why he is usually busy. But lately, he is on break so no one is bothering him." I said. "I see..." she trailed off.
I notice her spacing out so I waved my hand in front of her, "Hello? Earth to Cupa, are you there?" I asked. She then snapped back to reality, "Oh! Sorry about that. I was just thinking..." she said. "Thinking about what?" I asked. "Thinking that...I should come along with you and meet this astounding uncle of yours!" she declared. I blinked twice, "Pardon me but what?" I said. She began shaking me, "C'mon! Let me meet this uncle of yours. He sounds pretty cool!" she demanded. "Why?" I asked, still shaking. "Because he sounds super legit!" she declared. "I don't know if that's a proper answer." I told her. "C'mon! Let me come with you, please?" she pleaded.
I looked at Cupa who was sincerely begging that I bring her along with me, to the extent of using underhanded tactics. She crossed her arms, "Fine then, what is it that you want?" she asked, trying to strike a deal with me. "Seriously?" I asked. She nodded, "I'm very serious." she stated. I sighed, "Look, I won't agree to any kind of bribery, okay?" I told her. She smirked, "Are you sure about that?" she asked. I nodded, "Indeed I am. Nothing you say is going to make me fold." I declared. She raised her eyes brow, "Well then, what if-" she paused and drew closer. "I gave you a kiss?" she asked, seductively(?). I gave her a blank stare, "Do it and you'll only lose your chance of meeting him." I told her. Though when I said this, my heart was freaking racing! Those words just came out of my mouth, I never intended to dare her to do so. I was worried if she would actually do it, gladly she didn't.
She flinched at my response and decided to step back, "Just kidding! Hahaha!" she said, scratching the back of her head. "Seriously, this type of behavior will get you into trouble one day." I scolded, "Also why did you think of using such tactics in the first place?" I asked. She connected her index fingers, "Well, most guys would very much agree if a cute girl such as myself were to kiss them, right?" she told me. "So?" I asked. "So I thought that you would take the bait." she said. "And if I did?" I asked. She looked away, "I-I was prepared so..." she muttered. I sighed and grabbed her by the shoulders to face me, "Look, let me tell you two things, okay?" I said she nodded looking rather surprised
"First, not all guys are the same. So don't ever lump me with those people who would do so. I believe such things are only meant for lovers, okay?" I said, "Second, why are you so determined to meet my uncle?" I asked. "It's because I want to meet people who are some amazing!" she stated. "I know you have a better reason, I can tell." I said, looking into her eyes. For a while, I just stared at her amber-colored eyes and nothing else. "I just want to hear the truth." I told her. She sighed, "I guess... I just wanted to ask him something about the Kingdoms." she said. "And why is that? You can get plenty of information from the public library." I told her. She shook her head, "It's not information you could get from some library." she said. "So it's information you can only attain from someone knowledgeable about the Kingdoms, right?" I asked. She nodded, "Yes." she replied in a serious tone.
I sighed, "I guess you can come along." I told her. She looked surprised, "Really?!" she exclaimed. I nodded, "I never intended to decline your offer." I told her. "Then why?" she asked. "I just wanted an honest answer." I said, "I receive this kind of request quite often actually, though not all of it is fulfilled." I added. "Then that means..." she paused. "Yes, I'll bring you to him." I said. The moment I said this, she jumped for joy. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she exclaimed, suddenly hugging me. I blushed a little then pushed her away, "That's enough." I stuttered.
I coughed, "Now then, let's head to the stables. We'll be needing my horse again." I told her. "Sure thing. Let's go then!" she announced. "By the way, I'm won't guarantee that he'll answer your question. But you're welcome to try." I told her. "It's okay. Whether or not I get information from him, it's still a win-win situation for me." she said. I looked at her, "Why is that?" I asked. "Well, I'll still get to meet someone awesome in the process, aren't I?" she replied. I chuckled, "I guess you would." I said. So, we went on our way to the stables to fetch my trusty steed.
By the time we got there, it was already kinda dark since the sun was already gone. Only the moon and stars could be seen in the clear night sky. Though that wasn't a problem since we were still able to get my horse and ride through town. The streets were now illuminated by glowstone lamps, preventing hostile mobs to spawn. Soon enough, we arrived at the gate where we were warned about going out of town during this hour. Though we still went onward without paying heed to there warning. With that, we were en route to Lake Latsyrc while enjoying the sight of the full moon night.
On our way, I couldn't help but appreciate how the moon illuminated all that was around. The regular forest that I saw this morning seemed somewhat enchanted as it was bathed in moonlight. The cold night wind felt great as it sent chills all throughout my body, making me feel slightly sleepy as well. I then looked to see how Cupa was doing and saw that she was admiring the scenery as well. I smiled, "I see you're a lady of culture." I thought and continue on.
It didn't take too long for us to arrive at the lake, unscathed and unharmed. As usual, I tied my horse to a nearby tree and secured the rope just to be sure before heading out. "C'mon! Follow me." I told her. She nodded and walked after me. Soon enough, we were standing by the lakeside, doing our own thing. Cupa decided to walk by the sandbar while admiring the beauty of the moonlit lake while I went and looked for the stone platform from this morning. After a few minutes, I found the platform and brushed away the sticks and stone which were covering it.
I called out to Cupa the moment preparations were complete. "Hey, Cupa! It's time to go." I called out. "Okay!" She replied, skipping along the rocks. I noticed that she was enjoying herself, "So, what do you think about the lake? It's pretty, right?" I asked. She then turns around and gave a delighted smile, "Yes! It's super pretty!" she declared. It was a genuine reply with all honesty, but it felt rather...different. I don't know, it's just that the moment she turned around and smiled, it felt like that moonlight emphasized her looks and made her more...pretty. My heart began to race the moment I realized it. For a moment, it felt like time had stopped for me. One second has passed, two seconds have passed, three seconds have passed, four seconds have passed, is what I felt.
It felt like I was under a spell of some sort though I knew I was not. Suddenly, I was snapped back to reality when Cupa waved her hands in front of my face as she called out my name. "Oh sorry." I apologized, "I must have spaced out." I added. She tilted her head slightly, thinking of what I said. "Pay no heed to it. It's about time we go." I told her. She nodded and followed me to the stone platform where we both stood in the center. I grabbed the amulet my uncle gave me and infused it with some mana, before activating it I grabbed hold of Cupa's shoulder, just to make sure she teleports along with me. She looked at me, surprised, so I just smiled to reassure her. For a second, I thought I saw her blush, but it must be just my imagination. With that, I activated the amulet and we were teleported to the other side.
"Whoa!" Cupa exclaimed, looking at the vegetation surrounding us. I looked around as well and it seems like we did arrive at the pathway. Luckily, the trail was illuminated with torches in order to prevent mobs from spawning and to help us see the way. "So, so we go through here?" she asked, pointing straight down the trail. I nodded, "Yes, indeed!" I replied, leading the way. And without much effort, we arrived at my uncles humble, little cottage.
"So, is this the place?" Cupa asked, looking around. I nodded, "This is the place. Though it doesn't really tell that a prestige adventurer lives here, right?" I said, looking at some of the junk lying around the place. She walked over to beat up a dummy and began fiddling it, "Not really. It looks pretty nice to me." she said. "What do you mean?" I asked. " As I said, it looks nice to me. Mainly because it shows that he really is an adventurer." she told me, "I mean look all these souvenirs, this must be from one of his trips." she added, pointing at some of the junk lying around. I sighed, "Well, you aren't wrong." I said.
"Anyway, I think it's time we go see my uncle." I told her. I walked towards the front door and began knocking, "Uncle! I am here! I also brought someone with me, is that alright?" I called out, but there was no reply. I knocked again, several times but again, no reply. I scratched the back of my head and sighed, "Where could he be?" I asked myself. "Hey, Xander!" Cupa called out. "What is it?" I asked, still facing the door. "There's a note pinned to the table here, I think you should read it." she told me. "Really?" I asked, walking towards her. She nodded, "Yeah, it's right here!" she said, pointing at the piece of paper pinned to the table by a small knife.
"Maybe it's from your uncle." she said. I picked up the note, "Perhaps..." I muttered, scanning the piece of paper. "So?" she asked. "It is from my uncle." I said. "What does it say?" she asked. "Give me a short while." I told her. She gave me a confused look, "Why? Is it some kind of code or something?" she asked. I sighed, "Not really..." I muttered. "Then, why?" she asked. "It's just that my uncle's handwriting...isn't the best around." I said, "You could say that it's one of his flaws." I added, forcing a smile.
"Anyway, give me a while." I told her. After a few seconds of reading, I got what his message was. Cupa noticed this, "So? What does it say? she asked. "It says that we should head down that trail." I told her, painting at another trail behind his house, "He said, he'll be waiting by the river." I added. "Oooh! That it sounds like we're going fishing or something!" she exclaimed, excitedly. I chuckled, "Seems more like camping to me." I said, "Shall we head there?" I asked. She nodded and so we began walking down another trail towards the river.
It didn't take us too long to reach the river since it was quite close to the house. We then noticed light coming from the riverbank, there we saw that someone had set-up a nice little campfire, as well as a grill. There were also some logs placed around the campfire to serve as chairs. "It seems he really prepared for this little barbeque." I thought, smiling. Cupa noticed me smiling, "What's the matter?" she asked. "Nothing." I told her. She puffed her cheeks, "You're hiding something from me, aren't you?" she asked. I sat on one of the logs, "Not at all. Even if I did, I wouldn't say." I teased, making her pout even more.
She sat next to me, a little bit annoyed. I just chuckled at her initial reaction which made her look away. "Like a child indeed." I thought, smiling. She noticed me smiling at her, "You really are hiding something from me!" she declared, pointing her index finger at me. "Not at all." I said, causing the same reaction to occur. I later apologized for teasing her which she gladly accepted. I leaned on the tree next to me as Cupa sat cross-legged while staring at the fire. With that out of the way, both of us watched the campfire while listening to the sound of the forest.
It felt extremely relaxing sitting by the campfire, listening to the leaves rustle, feeling the chill of the cold night wind as the heat from the campfire warms you all at the same time. Honestly, I nearly fell asleep but was awoken when Cupa spoke. "Hey, Xander. Have you ever thought of marrying someone?" she asked, shocking me awake. "Excuse me?!" I exclaimed, rather surprised. "Have you ever thought of marrying...someone?" she asked again. I noticed that she was blankly staring at the fire with saddened eyes as a gloomy aura enveloped her, it seems she's serious. I sighed and looked to the sky, "Honestly speaking, not really. I'm currently more focused on the present right now, trying to think of ways to make my life enjoyable. Don't get me wrong but marriage is also enjoyable, that is if you've found the one for you. And right now, I haven't found that person yet. So I try not to think of things like that." I replied.
My answer was met with dead silence, only the sound of the fire crackling can be heard. Cupa was quiet, things were getting awkward so I decided to break the ice. "Why the sudden question? Are you perhaps in a relationship or something?" I asked. She sighed, "I don't know..." she replied, scratching her head. Then it was quiet again until Cupa burst. She suddenly stood up, "Ahhh! This is so annoying! If he hadn't done that then things wouldn't have escalated this far. I really didn't want to do this but he made me do it. I told him I didn't like the idea but no, he just pressed forward. Seriously! Would it hurt to listen to your daughters' request?! No! But he just had to do it! Thanks to him, I'm currently in this situation now. Not that I'm regretting it since it was my decision, but still! I mean up until now, everything has been so fun and interesting unlike before but thanks to that, here I am now. Though it wouldn't hurt to listen to me, at least. This is so frustrating!" she ranted to her heart's content while stomping the ground.
While she was suddenly ranting about her personal problems, all I could do was somewhat huddle in a corner. The vibe she was giving off was so intensely hot that it could almost burn me. I could definitely tell she was the one hiding something from me because for some reason she ended up ranting about something I don't know about in a frenzy. Nevertheless, I was still somewhat huddled up in a corner, surprised and overwhelmed from what just happened. When she was finally done, she was breathing heavily, trying to catch her breath as much as she could. It seems to me that she exhausted herself, she must have really needed to blow off some steam, though I have no idea what triggered her ranting. Was it the question is asked? I don't know myself. All I could do is sit here quietly, waiting for her to calm down.
Soon enough, she calmed down yet still remained quiet. She still remained standing for a while before sitting down. "You okay?" I asked. She took a deep breath and sighed, "Yeah, I just felt like letting it all out, you know?" she said, "I hope that didn't bother you." she said. I smiled, "It's okay. I may not know why you suddenly ranted but it's fine to ventilate your anger every once in a while." I told her, "So don't worry about it." I added. She smiled at me, "Thanks, that made me feel a bit better." she said. "With pleasure, though if you are ever troubled by something. Care to reach out to me, I might be able to help you out." I told her. "Really?!" she asked. "Of course, I wouldn't mind hearing you out. That is if you want to." I told her. Her eyes sparkled, "Are you really sure you'd want to hear me out?" she asked. I stood up, "Yes, I am!" I replied doing a few gestures.
She suddenly began laughing, "What was that?!" she asked. "What was what?" I asked. She pointed at me, "That posture of yours! It's quite bizarre yet funny!" she exclaimed. I smiled, "I guess you truly are back to your original state." I said before sitting down. She wiped a tear off her eye, "I guess you're right about that." she said. "Anyway, do you truly wish for me to hear you out?" I asked. "Yup! It'd be better for me to say this to a friend I trust, don't you agree?" she replied. "F-friend?" I repeated. She nodded, "Yup! Is there something wrong with being my friend?" she asked. I shook my head, "No! It's just that, I thought we were more of acquaintances than friends." I told her. She chuckled, "C'mon silly! You wouldn't offer this much kindness to some acquaintance." she said. "I...guess you're right." I said. She nodded, "Of course I am! I know a friend when I see one. And you are definitely a friend." she declared, joyfully.
I smiled, "Thank you for thinking of me as a friend." I said. She chuckled, "Aren't you overdoing this a little?" she asked. "Not at all." I replied. We looked at each other and began laughing. "Anyway, judging from your rant earlier, you were clearly talking about your father, am I right?" I asked. She clapped, "Woah, that was some good deductions detective." she said. "Not really but thank you." I said, "Mind telling me what's on your mind?" I asked. "Well-" she paused upon hearing something. I also heard something from the brushes behind us. It may be mobs so I decided to arm myself, Cupa also took a stance.
The rustling started getting louder, meaning it's getting closer. We then saw some movement in the nearby bush the moment it was within our proximity. Things then became quiet, the enemy is most likely waiting for the right time to attack. Suddenly, something leaped out from the bush near Cupa. The moment I saw the creature, I dropped my sword and stared at it. "RAWR!" it 'terrifyingly' growled at us. I for one was not scared of the creature, but it seems that it startled Cupa causing her to land a clean, direct and explosive hit to it. The thing went flying backward and smacked straight into a tree, "OWW! THAT HURT!" it cried out. I walked close enough for it to hear me, "Are you alright, Uncle Alazar?" I asked, surprising Cupa. "Uncle?! Was that your uncle I just punched?!" she asked. I nodded and chuckled, "Got what he deserved!" I stated proudly.
"What do you mean by deserved?!" he asked. "You very much know what it means. Now get up and apologize." I told him. He rubbed his back, "Hang on, give me a sec. That punch really freaking hurt." he said. I sighed, "Need help?" I asked, extending my hand. He chuckled, "Sure thing, kid." he said, reaching out. I pulled him up as he dusted himself right after. "Anyway, you done already?" I asked. "Yeah, yeah. No need to rush." he told me. "Now, apologize to Cupa." I ordered, pushing him closer to her. He stared at her for a while as if examining her, "Sorry 'bout that, small fry." he said, patting her head. Of course, Cupa was offended and knocked away Uncle Alazar's hand. He chuckled, "Feisty little one, aren't you?" he teased, making Cupa pout. "Don't treat me like a child!" she declared, "I'm 18 for crying out loud!" she announced.
Her statement wasn't really surprising for both of us, but knowing my uncle, he would mess around with her some more. He gasped, "18?! With that physique of yours? You poor thing." he teased. "You got a problem with my body?!" she exclaimed, glaring at him. He faked wiping a tear, "It's just that, girls your age are most ripe for picking..." he said, glancing at her, "You on the other hand...how tragic." he added, pissing her off. She clenched her first, "Hey, Xander. Can I punch your Uncle?" she asked. I sighed, "As much as I would like you too, you can't. Also Uncle, please stop teasing her. You can clearly tell she's mad." I said. Uncle Alazar sighed then smiled, "Sure thing. I had a bit of entertainment at least." he said before walking to his seat and settling down.
"Entertainment?!" Cupa exclaimed, rather pissed. She nearly went in to punch my Uncle but I caught her and prevented her from getting closer. "Xander! Let go! I need to teach this man some manners!" she exclaimed, struggling to break free from my hold. "As much as I'd like to do the same. He is who he is so yeah... For now, just calm down as well." I told her. Soon enough, she calmed down so I let her go, though she was still glaring daggers at him. "Uncle Alazar, would you please apologize." I said. He looked at me and smiled, "Defending the little lady now, aren't you?" he asked, "Is she perhaps, your girlfriend?" he asked. I gave him a cold look, "Very funny. You know that's 'extremely' impossible for me." I said.
He looked at me and began laughing, "C'mon now, don't you think she's a cutie?" He teased. I noticed Cupa glance at me as if wanting me to respond to my uncle's question. I sighed, "Enough with jokes. Just, apologize." I said. He nodded, "Alright, alright." he said, he looked at her, "Sorry about that little lady. Didn't mean to offend you, just a force of habit." he apologized. Cupa sighed, "Fine, just don't call me a kid, okay?" she told him. He nodded, "Sure thing!" he stated. With that settled, I sat down on my log wherein Cupa sat next to me, looking a bit down.
I looked at her, "Anything wrong?" I asked, surprising her. "Oh! Well, it's nothing. Just wondering about things." she replied, weirdly. "Okay then, just tell me if there is something wrong, okay?" I told her, which nodded in response. "Alright then!" Uncle Alazar declared as he sat on one of the logs, "Let's get down to business. Mind telling your reason for bringing her here." he asked, pointing at Cupa. "Well, she wanted to ask you about something." I said. "You do know you can get loads of information from public libraries, right?" he said. "That is true, but..." I paused and looked at Cupa, "It seems it may be something that can't be found in those places." I said.
Uncles Alazar raised his eyebrow, "Is that so? If I recall you're name is Cupa, right? Mind telling me what is it you wanted to ask." he said. "Right! Well, let's see..." she paused, "First of all, I'm from Arden, as you all know, it's a Creeper humob town." she said. "That's quite far, not that I'm surprised you're from Arden, you are a Creeper humob. Anyways, please continue." he said. She nodded, "I left my town to go on a journey, as well as escape some personal problems..." she paused, causing my uncle to raise his eyebrows. Cupa shook her head, "Anyways, on my way journey, I happen to come across something bizarre and strange. Something I have not seen or heard of in my entire life." she said.
"But before that, Mr. Alazar. Is there some kind of long-distance teleportation spell or magic?" Cupa asked. Uncle Alazar shook his head, "As far as I know, only the endermen can teleport, but that is only at a short distance. Why do you ask?" he replied. "Well, you see. I was actually in Arden territory yesterday." she said. My uncle's eyes widened and a curious smirk formed on his face, "Well now, that's quite the story you have there. Will you kindly elaborate?" he asked. She nodded, " As I said, I was still in Arden territory yesterday but as you can see, I'm here in Wellspring." she said.
My uncle cupped his chin, "So, you're telling me. This bizarre thing you encountered, brought you here in less than a day?" he asked, astonished. Cupa nodded, "Yes, it somehow brought me here in an instant. Almost like I was teleported." she explained. "So, what did this thing look like.?" he asked. "Well, all I could remember was that it looked like some kind of rip or hole floating in midair. It had the color of purple and when I went near it, I could feel that the air around it was being sucked in. Then the moment I came in contact with it, everything went black. When I came to, I was in the forest near Lake Latsyrc and it was nowhere in sight." she explained.
"Sounds very intriguing. So basically, it's like a rip in space that teleports you to somewhere...for now, let's say it's at random, then disappears without a trace." Uncle Alazar summarized. Cupa nodded, "Yep, something like that." she said. "Interesting, even I don't know what that was. Maybe some kind of extraordinary phenomena? I wonder." he muttered. "Ohhh, an extraordinary phenomenon?! That sounds exciting!" she exclaimed, excitedly. Uncle Alazar chuckled, "I definitely can tell you are a thrill-seeker, aren't you?" he said. She nodded, "Yup! Adventures and thrills are my kinds of games. And definitely not sitting around and doing nothing at home." she declared.
Uncle Alazar chuckled upon hearing her response, "Maybe you should apply to become an adventurer? Since you're all about thrill-seeking." He suggested. Cupa's eyes sparkled, "Really?! Maybe I should!" she announced, delighted. "I'll have to contact Francique's leader and ask about it. For now, let's get this barbeque started!" he announced, happily. I sighed and took the already prepared skewered meat with me and placed it near the fire, just enough for it to be cooked by the heat of the flames. Both of them looked excited as they watched the meat slowly cook. I smiled and did the same thing with them while waiting for the food to cook.
The barbeque was quite enjoyable, except for the fact that my uncle might get drunk in the process. Luckily, he didn't drink too much of the wine I brought with me. As for Cupa and I, I had her taste my iced tea and she actually liked it. We both ended up finishing the bottle that I brought with me. The best, on the other hand, was completely gone, well to be fair it was a pretty good barbeque boar. Soon enough, the three of us were all full and satisfied at the same time. So, we sat just sat by the fire and took a moment to relax.
"Man, that was good!" Cupa declared, patting her tummy. "You got that right, missy. I don't think I might be able to get up tomorrow." Uncle Alazar said. "Don't make that an excuse to avoid work. You still have an appointment with the Mayor tomorrow, remember?" I told him. He sighed, "Yeah, I know. You don't have to tell me twice." he said. "So, mind telling me how you two met actually?" he asked.
"Oh yeah, I haven't told you yet, haven't I?" I said, looking at Cupa. She nodded, "Well, I met her on my way back to Wellspring. It was when I encountered a group of bandits trying to steal goods from traders, as I was going to enter the fray it, I saw her already fighting off the enemy. Simply put, I helped her and accompanied the traders back to town, along with the captured bandits." I explained. "That was quite an encounter you had there, Xander." he said. "It was. Who would have thought I'd meet a humob in a place like Wellspring." I replied. He chuckled, "Well, you never have met one in person. So I'm glad you got to meet one at least. And an interesting one at that." he said.
"Well, Xander was quite an interesting person as well." Cupa said, happily. "Despite his cold facial expression and intimidating presence, he actually had a warm and silly side too." She told him. Uncle Alazar chuckled, "Yep, that's certainly him. I told him to loosen up a bit but he won't just listen. Anyway, how did you get to see that side of him? Did you do something lewd, perhaps?" he asked. "Uncle Alazar! Stop it! That's rude." I scolded. He slumped, "You're seriously a killjoy." he muttered. Cupa giggled, "I notice his change of expression and personality when he took me around town today. Also, I did nothing lewd." she said
Uncle Alazar looked at me and smirked, "Looks like you already went on your first date. Lucky you, it was also with a cute girl too." he teased. I sighed, "It wasn't a date, it was only my way of showing my gratitude for helping me, also she wanted to see the town so what better choice did I have." I explained. He leaned over to me, "You're just trying to act suave and impress her. Don't worry, I got your back." he whispered. I pushed him away, "Seriously, stop with it. I have no intentions whatsoever." I said.
Cupa gave me a confused looked to which I looked away in response. "Though, I'm glad it was Xander you met, girly." Uncle Alazar told her. She tilted her head, "Why?" she asked. "Well, he may seem stoic at times but he's actually a nice and helpful person. I'd say he's better than the other guards in town both in strength and personality." he bragged. I blushed a bit, "Stop it, she doesn't need to know that." I scolded him. She giggled, "I guess you're right. I'm glad I met you, Xander." she said sincerely, smiling. At that moment, I never felt so happy someone said that to me. Although I would never show it, no even a smile.
"Why is his face looking weird." Cupa asked, pointing at me. Uncle Alazar looked at me, "Oh! This? It's just his facial expression when he's extremely overjoyed. He tends to stop himself from smiling all the time." he explained. "Why? Is there something wrong with it?" she asked. "He says he looks terrible when he smiles, so he tries his best to hide it." he explained. She tilted her head, stared at me them leaned closer to my ear, "I like you." she whispered. Upon hearing those words, my heart began to pound and blood rushed to my cheeks. All of a sudden, I could no longer control myself and gave in to the smile.
"I don't see anything wrong with it. In fact it looks nice." she said. "Right?" Uncle Alazar agreed, "By the way, what did you tell him which made him smile." He asked. She hummed, "Nothing special~ It's just a phrase any guy would like to hear." she said, smiling. She looked at me, "By the way, what I said is true." she said before sitting back at her seat. I sighed, "I'm glad it was a genuine smile that came out." I muttered.
"I forgot to ask, but what do you do for a living in Arden?" Uncle Alazar asked. Cupa looked surprised, "O-oh, well my job is pretty normal. I work in...uhhh, a smith shop." she replied, weirdly. "I see, what's the shop's name?" he asked. "Umm...if I remember, it was Smith-y?" she said. "And your last name is?" he asked. "It's M-mishal." she replied. "So, you're from a smith shop name Smithy and is of the working class, am I right?" he asked. She nodded, "Y-yes!" she stuttered.
"Actually, if I may ask. Is there anything going on over in Arden?" Uncle Alazar asked. I looked at him, "Why are you asking her these questions?" I asked. He stared at me, "You'll see soon enough. Though I expected you to notice this quite easily." he said. "What do you mean?" I asked. "You didn't notice her bracelet, did you? Anyways, look at it and think about what I taught you." he said. So, I did what he told me and began thinking about what it meant.
"Anyway, your answer?" Uncle Alazar asked. "N-nothing, I don't think there was anything like that..." Cupa replied. He raised his eyebrow, "Nothing? Not even about someone important missing?" he asked. I noticed Cupa looked nervous, "Not at all. Perhaps it happened after I was teleported?" she said. "Really? Not even nobility?" he asked. The moment he said royalty, I began to remember what Uncle told me before, "Wait, you don't mean?!" I exclaimed. He looked towards me, "Oh! Looks like you got it." he said.
"There's no point in hiding it. The moment I saw you, I immediately knew who you were." Uncle Alazar said. "I-" Cupa was cut off. "Don't say a word. None of your excuses will work on me. I know your face and even the others. I also received a request from Christopher Mishal." he said. Cupa looked down, "D-dad?!" she exclaimed. Suddenly, she erupted with anger as little explosions crackled beneath her palms. She was in a stance that was ready for battle.
Without hesitation, she charged for Uncle Alazar but he dodged it and in a few swift moves, he immobilized her and put her to sleep. He picked her up, "Took you long enough to notice." he said. I sighed, "How did I not notice?" I muttered, "A gold bracelet indicates that a humob is from a noble bloodline. And Cupa is..." I paused. He nodded, "Yup, your friend here is definitely the daughter of Christopher Mishal, the Creeper King, and is the princess of the Arden." he said.
Author's Note: That's it for now! I hope you enjoyed the story. If you have anything to say about it, don't be afraid to leave a comment. I accept all forms of criticism, opinions, and compliments. I hope you all have a wonderful day. Thank you and God bless! :)