"Hey, these aren't all that bad," the apothecary remarked. "Way better than the ones I usually get. Sir, you wouldn't happen to have a background in medicine, would you?"

Aris shook his head. "I can brew basic elixirs for certain things, but that's where my skills in medicine end, for the most part. Why do you ask?"

"Well, if you're looking for a better profit, I would advise selling the medicines directly," replied the apothecary. "Using the herbs you've brought me, making medicine shouldn't be too hard, even for a beginner. I've got some old tools you can use for it, but they might break soon. Use them carefully."

"Do you want them back?"

"Oh, I don't need them anymore," said the apothecary. "I've got newer, better tools. I really don't care what happens to these old tools." He handed Aris a few pieces of clunky equipment used for medicine-making and potion brewing.

"How much do you want for them?" asked Aris.

"Free of charge," the apothecary replied. "I've been meaning to get them out of my office for a while now."

Binary blades tore through monsters in the forest as Aris and Raphtalia fought side by side. Their XP went up slowly but surely as they defeated beast after beast.

"You're getting better!" Aris cut down a small killer rabbit called a Usapil. "And fast, too. You're a natural at this, Raphtalia!"

"O-Oh, thank you!" Raphtalia sidestepped, dodging a Red Balloon before popping it with her sword.

Before long, the monsters were gone from the area, and Aris sat down at the base of a tree. "Good work," he said to Raphtalia. "Rest up, you've earned it."

Raphtalia looked around nervously, seemingly trying to find a place to sit. Occasionally she would glance at where Aris was sitting and then quickly look away.

"If you want to sit next to me, you're welcome to," said Aris.

Raphtalia seemed relieved as she walked over and took a seat next to him. Meanwhile, Aris got to work with a small dissecting knife, skinning the dead Usapil for its pelt. Raphtalia seemed a little squeamish when Aris started handling the dead monster's entrails and turned very pale when she saw the beast's blood covering his hand.

"Is something wrong?" Aris asked her.

"N-Nothing, just..."

"You can tell me," Aris said gently. "I won't belittle you."

Raphtalia took a breath. "I'm...I'm a bit nervous around...guts and blood and whatnot."

"Oh, that's alright," said Aris. "I was the same way, once. It takes time to become used to having to deal with such things in my line of work if you could call what I do a 'line of work'."

"I'll try my best to get over those feelings," said Raphtalia. "Something tells me I'll have to eventually."

"You will," agreed Aris, "but I promise to help you however I can. And...if it's any consolation, you might just be able to get over your discomfort around blood, because...well, the next Wave of Calamity arrives in barely more than a week. So it isn't a stretch to say we likely will see a lot of blood during the battle. I just pray that blood won't be our own."

"You're...You're going to fight the Waves?"

"It's the entire reason why I'm in this world," replied Aris.

"Then...Then I'm going to fight, too," said Raphtalia. "Right by your side."

"And we'll win the fight. Together."

Just as Aris had finished skinning and cleaning the Usapil's pelt, more rustling sounded from the bushes nearby. Raphtalia jumped to her feet, readying her sword. Aris followed suit.

What emerged from the undergrowth, however, was not at all what either of them was expecting.

A group of small monsters burst from the bushes, their beady yellow eyes locked on Aris and Raphtalia. They resembled large, somewhat humanoid insects with shadowy bodies, round heads, hunched backs, and two little antennae on top of their heads. One of the shadows pounced at Raphtalia, who swatted it away with her sword.

"What are these things?" Raphtalia asked warily.

"I don't know." Aris cut one down with the Master Sword. "I've never seen them before."

More shadows appeared. Some of them were even more humanoid, having tall, lanky bodies and longer antennae. Aris and Raphtalia found them fairly easy to defeat, but their numbers were making the battle tedious.

"There's so many of them!" Raphtalia cleaved through three of the smaller shadows before thrusting her sword into a larger one.

Aris felt his soul ripple as a notification appeared on his status display. He elected to check it after wiping out the shadow monsters.

"Phew...I think...I think that was the last of them." Aris sheathed the Master Sword.

Raphtalia plopped onto her rear, panting heavily as if she'd just run a marathon. Meanwhile, Aris checked his status display.

NEW CREATURES DISCOVERED (HOSTILE)

Shadow

Species: Heartless (Pureblood)

Habitat: Unknown

DESC: None

Neoshadow

Species: Heartless (Pureblood)

Habitat: Unknown

DESC: None

So, they're called Heartless, he thought. And the two variants that attacked us are Shadows and Neoshadows.

Unfortunately for him, the Heartless hadn't dropped any materials, so he was left with nothing to feed to his Shield.

"Those definitely didn't look like monsters one would normally encounter in this world," said Aris. "Maybe further investigation is in order."

"Lute Village..." Aris read the entrance sign aloud. "It seems like a good place to sell our loot."

He and Raphtalia found a local merchant to whom they could hawk their wares. Aris first presented the Usapil pelt. "How much can we get for it?"

"About two silvers, give or take a copper," replied the merchant. "It's good quality, but Usapils are common monsters."

Aris sighed. "Figures. Hey, do you know of any nearby areas where my friend and I could earn a large amount of money in a short amount of time?"

"The ore in the mines just outside the village should fetch a good amount," said the merchant, "but...it's been crawling with monsters ever since the first Wave. These days, everyone avoids the place like the plague." He scoffed. "I dunno what our summoned Heroes are doing, but if you ask me, it isn't much."

Other than framing me for the sake of their own gain, maybe, Aris thought.

He and Raphtalia headed for the mines.

Upon arrival, they took a break to prepare for their descent into the caves. Raphtalia did some warming up with her sword while Aris checked his status display.

It turned out that he had unlocked a variety of new shields that he could equip, including a "Rope Shield". It seemed like a slightly more versatile version of what he called "Grappling Arm", a function his prosthesis had that allowed him to separate its parts and use it as a sort of grappling hook.

New shields, however, were not the only things he had unlocked.

He held out his right arm. "Air Strike Shield!"

In front of him, a burst of Soul Energy gave way to a floating apparition of a shield. "Whoa!" he exclaimed.

It certainly seemed like something that would come in handy.

"Aris?" Raphtalia's concerned face peered through the doorway of the shack. "I heard you yell. Did...something happen?"

The Air Strike Shield disappeared. "No, I was testing something. Are you ready?"

Raphtalia nodded.

"Then let's move."

The duo set off for their spelunking excursion.

"If the situation is too dire, we'll have to retreat with whatever ore we have," said Aris to Raphtalia.

"Right," said Raphtalia, shouldering a pick.

Silence ensued for a minute.

"Um...Aris?"

"Yes?"

"I've been meaning to ask...what happened to your right arm? Why is it...glowy, like that?"

Aris hesitated. A memory came flooding back to him - a bad memory. He recalled a fateful day, a battle against a powerful monster. He and his sister had almost downed the beast, but their second of triumph had been immediately overshadowed by Aris screaming in utter agony as his right arm had been forcefully torn from its socket.

He remembered going unconscious from the cold and from the loss of blood.

The pain he'd felt when he'd finally awoken, realizing his arm was lost.

And the memory hurt.

"I...It isn't something I like to talk about," he said to Raphtalia.

"Oh...I shouldn't have brought it up. S-Sorry."

"I forgive you," he said. "You were curious, and...it's not like you could've known."

They reached an open chasm within the mine. "Whoa, look at this view," said Aris.

Raphtalia's eyes widened with awe. Glowing ore was scattered around in the rocks of the chasm walls, along with a few sizable chunks embedded into the rock near the bluff on which Aris and Raphtalia stood.

Aris took the pick from Raphtalia and got to work.

"That should be plenty." He hefted a piece of glowing ore. "Raphtalia, let's head-"

Raphtalia didn't respond. She was looking at something as she shuddered with fear. A beastly growl echoed through the chasm.

Aris whipped his head in the direction Raphtalia was looking.

From an alcove nearby, two sets of demonic red eyes glowed. They grew closer. A large, hulking canine with two heads emerged. Its fur was black as midnight. The two-headed beast foamed at its mouths as it bared its fangs, staring hungrily at Raphtalia.

NEW CREATURE DISCOVERED (HOSTILE)

Two-Headed Black Dog

Species: Wave of Calamity Mini-Boss

Habitat: Unknown

DESC: The Two-Headed Black Dog is one of thousands of monsters that attacked this world during the first Wave of Calamity. Bearing a resemblance to a notorious Wave Boss Monster, this particular specimen lingers on in this world even after the first Wave ended.

It charged.

Raphtalia screamed.

Aris lunged towards her and grabbed her, holding her close to him as he leaped over the edge of the chasm.

He activated his Rope Shield, forming it into a lasso and hooking a sturdy outcropping of rock overhead as he held Raphtalia in his free arm. "Are you okay!?"

Raphtalia was going into hysterics. "Th-That m-monster...! It...I-It killed all the villagers...a-and...mom and dad! I...I-I couldn't s-save them...!"

Aris almost dropped her out of shock. She knows that pain...my pain.

"Where are we going tomorrow, Aris?"

"To a place called Lute Village," the Hylian had replied. "We're going to sell our loot there."

Aris had blown out the candles in the room, casting the room into darkness to allow himself and Raphtalia to sleep.

Aris, however, had not fallen asleep. He'd laid awake in his bed, for a reason he hadn't understood.

An hour had passed. Still, Aris had remained awake.

Another hour. No luck with falling asleep.

Suddenly, Aris hadn't been the only one awake.

Raphtalia had shot up to a seated position with a scream, her eyes filled with terrified tears. She had begun to sob into her hands.

Aris, without hesitation, had jumped out of bed and engulfed her in his embrace. Raphtalia had cried into his shoulder for another hour before finally calming down.

That's why she awoke with a scream last night, Aris realized as he pulled himself and Raphtalia to safety and took cover behind a boulder.

"Is that the monster that did it?" he asked her.

Raphtalia shook her head. "N-No...it just...looks really similar."

"Listen," Aris said firmly. "It may be strong, but it's alone. We can fight it two-on-one. You're not going to die here, and neither am I. We're going to stay alive one way or another, so we can grow stronger and fight to make sure other people don't share the same fate as you...or me."

Raphtalia was scared, but a flash of confusion ran across her face as Aris referred to himself. The confusion quickly faded.

"We may not be able to alter the past and bring your family back," said Aris, "but we can fight for the future of others, to make sure their future isn't the same as your past."

Aris charged.

His shield clashed with the maw of the beast's left head. His eyes widened as he realized his mistake.

Before he could jump back to draw the Master Sword, the right head chomped into his left shoulder. He roared in agony. "Ngaaahhhh!"

Raphtalia screamed as she watched blood spurt from Aris's shoulder.

Aris managed to wrest the beast's jaws from his shoulder and got back, drawing his blade. Ignoring the excruciation he felt in his shoulder, he jumped at the beast with an overhead strike.

It dodged. It went for another bite, this time doing a pincer move with its two heads around Aris's hips. Aris barely evaded.

Raphtalia was panicking. She watched in horror as Aris, a mighty hero - her mighty hero - bled out from his shoulder. He was barely able to fight the two-headed dog.

"Raphtalia, run!" he called out at her. "Go, I'll buy time! I...I underestimated this thing! For your own sake, get to safety, please!"

She wanted to run. Raphtalia desperately wanted to flee.

No, she chided herself. I...I can't run.

"I won't leave you!" she cried. "You saved my life, Aris!"

Raphtalia drew her sword and charged. "So it's my turn...to save yours!"

Before the binary-headed beast could react, Raphtalia's sword had already cleaved through both of its necks.

Aris dropped to his knees, the Master Sword falling from his hand and landing on the rock with a clang.

BGM: Missing You - Kingdom Hearts 2

"You...You did it," he panted.

Before he could say more, Raphtalia ran over, dropping her own sword to throw her arms around his neck with a mournful cry. "A-Aris...!"

"Hey, easy..." he said gently. "I'm okay, but my shoulder feels like it's been torn to pieces."

Normally Raphtalia would have apologized profusely, but she didn't seem to care. She did, however, move away from Aris's wounded shoulder.

"Promise..." Raphtalia sobbed. "P-Promise you won't leave me...you...y-you're all I have left..."

Aris felt tears begin to trickle down his face. "You and I aren't so different..."

He sniffled.

"W-Wha...why are you crying?"

"W-Why shouldn't I?" said Aris, his voice breaking a little. "You...if what I'm thinking is right, then...you've seen the same destruction as me. You've seen...people you know, people you love...you've seen them die right in front of you...and so have I."

"You...You know h-how I feel?"

"It's a long story," said Aris, "but...yes. You're...not the only one broken by a terrible past..."

"Then...if we're both broken..." Raphtalia moved back a little to meet Aris's gaze. "We...We can help each other heal."

"That we can, Raphtalia. That we can..."

She remained in his arms for a while.

"We can leave this place when I'm done absorbing the loot from the monster, okay?" he asked.

Raphtalia's grip tightened. "Please...just a little longer...?"

Aris conceded. "I'll hold you for as long as you wish."