My eyes slowly cracked open and I bemoaned softly as I glanced around and found slightly familiar surroundings.
Where exactly am I?
I wondered as I went to stand up but almost collapsed from sheer exhaustion but I gritted my teeth and forcefully sat up.
A sharp ache immediately spread through my body and I hissed softly beneath my breath as flashes of the battle filled my head.
The mutated beast, the spear.
The trees….Fuck…those trees really had something against me.
I glanced around the place and that’s when the scent of herbs and an earthy smell hit my nose and I smiled faintly, so I was in the healer’s cave.
Several wooden bowls sat lined up near the stone walls while dried herbs hung upside down from ropes above me.
The faint crackling of firewood echoed from somewhere deeper within the cave and mixed strangely with the bitter medicinal smell hanging heavily in the air.
Definitely the healer’s cave.
The sound of footsteps filled the otherwise silent cave and when I raised my head up, I found my father rushing towards me a second before arms enveloped my entire being and I was pulled into his broad chest.
“Oh thank the beast god, you’re alive…..
you’re awake…” he whispered fervently as he held me more to himself, his hands tightening around me and I felt my smile grow wider.
Oh, I’ve never felt so loved in my entire life.
My eyes watered at the thought but I stopped myself from crying.
“Father, am okay.” I said and he instantly pulled away and began to check me all over for something.
“No injuries.
Oh thank the beast god!
I was so worr–” “Father, who brought me back?” I instantly cut him off, I felt like I was forgetting something really important but it was a bit hard to remember it.
“Noctis did,” he replied and my eyes widened in shock.
“That ungrateful little piece of sh–” I laughed awkwardly, swiftly cutting off my own string of curses before I glanced at the cave entrance to make sure he wasn’t there to hear me curse him out.
He might kill me much earlier than I wrote in the book.
Phew, coast clear.
Father stared at me oddly for a second before shaking his head helplessly.
“Just rest for now.” He muttered softly.
Host!!
You’re awake!!
Finally, I was so worried sick!!
You’re a system or an AI, stop lying.
I really was worried!
And it’s not a lie this time!
If that Noctis hadn’t brought you back, you wouldn’t have been able to be treated by the healer and get enough strength for me to activate your earth abilities to heal you!!
So it really was Noctis that brought me back.
My mind went back to the battle and I unconsciously shivered, I was this close to death.
Or maybe I got close to death but he sent me back because it wasn’t my time yet.
Don’t be delusional I’m not.
Anyway, did you get my beast cores?
You didn’t put them in the system inventory?
System inventory?
My mind took me back to the battle and my face turned sour as I recalled how in my haste to escape, my mind had completely forgotten all about the system inventory and I had foolishly discarded the bundles.
Damn it!!!
I had no clue where the sudden burst of strength came from but the next second, I jumped up to my feet, surprising my father.
“Lyrielle, careful!” “Father, did Noctis bring back any bundles?” I asked, waving my hands in explanation and his face took on a brief thoughtful look before he shook his head and I staggered.
No.
No, I suffered for those cores!!
I had to get it back!!
Images of silver cores flashed through my head and my heart physically hurt.
Those were my treasures!
My blood, sweat and almost broken spine!
I quickly went around him and began for the cave entrance.
“Lyrielle, where are you going?
You just got better?” Father followed behind me, holding onto me when my vision suddenly blurred and I staggered on my feet.
“I have to go get something!!” I exclaimed but my voice was much lower than intended.
If someone were to find those treasures of mine, it would become treasures for them!!
I couldn’t just sit and let that happen!!
Not after all my sufferings!
Host, you’re still weak and need rest.
You need to stop moving for the whole day to get back your strength or you will make your condition worse!!!!
Host, are you even list— “Are you that worried about this?” Came a familiar voice and I raised my head up only to find a familiar face staring back at me.
Noctis?
The male stood near the cave entrance silently, his dark hair falling over part of his face while those slit golden eyes stared at me strangely.
“Noctis?” I asked and something flashed in his eyes for a brief second before he tossed the bundles to my feet and I instantly lowered myself to the ground to check them.
MiuMiu, run inventory!
Scanning Scanning Host, everything is there.
Plus the Tier Four mutated beast core!
Huh?
Why’s that there?
It came from the beast you killed, Kael carved it out of its skull after you passed out.
You were awake when I passed out?
I thought you said you weren’t?
Yeah, it took me five minutes before my system powered down!
Oh, enough time to get the important details, right.
Yes, hos– And you seemed to forget all about my treasures?
Host, I was concerned about your safety!!
As if.
“Don’t worry, it’s complete.
I don’t have any use for your stuff.” I nodded offhandedly at his words while bringing the bundles to my chest and holding onto them protectively.
The sight of everything being complete nearly made me emotional.
My precious shiny wealth….Safe and sound.
“Thank you for bringing me back and for helping me find this,” I appreciated with a small bow before my legs buckled and my vision blurred and I think the adrenaline from earlier had worn off because the next second, I went falling to the ground.
I don’t know how fast that serpent must have been because I didn’t get too far down before arms wrapped around my waist and I was pulled off my feet and into his arms.
“Foolish female.” He cursed as he began to take me back to the cot I had been laid down on before I recalled my treasures.
“You never listen, do you?” Father asked and I chuckled softly, my cheeks turning a bit red in embarrassment as Noctis carefully laid me down before standing up to his feet.
Which in itself was weird.
Didn’t he hate me to death?
Or maybe the sun here is different from that of earth?
Did it rise from the north?
Weird.
“Thank you once again, let’s consider this payment of the debt you owe me!” I said cheerily and his countenance darkened as if he just ate something sour and hated it.
“Don’t worry, I’ll get you your end of the deal.
I only brought you back, nothing much.
So it doesn’t count.” Then he turned around and swiftly left the cave without looking back.
I raised my hand up to scratch the back of my head before turning to father.
“Did I say something?” I asked and he gave me a confused look.
“I don’t know,” he replied before squatting down beside me.
“I’ll have a female send over your meal and then I’ll go call the healer to come check on you.
Try and sleep okay?” He said and I nodded with a small smile on my lips.
“Thank you, father.” I appreciated before shifting around and getting myself as comfortable as I could on the stone cot and he smiled warmly before he patted my head and turned to leave.
He didn’t get too far before someone rushed into the cave, panting with an open injury on his arm that was slowly healing on its own….
Perks of being a beast male, I guess.
“Chief, some rogue beasts have infiltrated the tribe!!” The male reported and my eyes widened in surprise.
Rogue beasts were much different from mutated beasts and more different from normal beasts.
Rogue beasts were like those that had been cast away from tribes due to terrible crimes or beasts that had gone crazy during evolution.
But these ones in particular?
They were monsters.
Bloodthirsty lunatics who moved from tribe to tribe stealing resources, killing warriors and kidnapping females.
Truly despicable.
“Is Kael and Noctis available?” Father asked and the scout’s expression turned grave.
“No, Kael left earlier after delivering the female and Noctis just left the tribe moments ago!” “Find Noctis, immediately!
Go!” Father ordered and the scout nodded before he turned and quickly transformed into a brown furred lion and sped away.
“Lyrielle, stay in here and do not step out of this cave!!” Father ordered and left the cave without looking back.
The atmosphere inside the cave instantly turned tense after his departure.
Outside, distant shouts slowly began rising throughout the tribe.
Rogue beasts, hateful creatures!
Indeed.
You wrote them this way!
Yeah, I did….
And it’s come back to bite me in the ass.
Fuck!