“WE HAVE TO RETREAT, WE DO NOT STAND A CE AGAINST THAT MONSTER!” A man bloodied armor screamed. His eyes pletely focused on the back of a young man who could barely kneel. If not for the sword that supported him, he would be ft on the ground.

  “We have to… Defeat him… If we retreat… Everything will be lost…” The young man could barely respond, every breath made it feel like his lungs would burst. Each word sent an excruciating shock throughout his body. Despite that, he mustered the strength to lift his head slightly. His eyes, filled with life, gred at the monstrous figure that stood across the bloody battlefield they shared. A 6 armed crimson demon was that monstrous figure, its entire body was littered with cuts and gashes. But none of that remotely affected it, it stood tall, each arm casually carrying hulking swords. The grin that was ground on its face sent chills down the spines of the 4 man party who opposed it.

  “EVERYTHING WILL BE DESTROYED EVEN IF WE STAYED HERE! DO YOU EVEN UAND THAT?! WE HAVE TO RETREAT TO KEEP OURSELVES ALIVE!” The man’s voice began to break, his eyes sed the battlefield. tless corpses of humans, demi-humans, monsters and demons littered the ground. The blood of each body, mixed into the ground, staining the ground that was once green, a crimson color.

  “We have to… retreat… It’s our only shot to avehose… who we lost…” His voice was naught but a whisper, his eyes which have seen so many monstrosities began to tear up. “Lu… Ple-”

  A bellowing ugh shook the ear drums of the two men and the 2 demi-humans who apahem. An intense shiver struck their spihe instant it was heard. “RETREAT?! That’ll only dey your deaths!” The demon’s hideous voice took over the battlefield. “You’ve lost what, a few huhousand worthless human lives in this battle? By the time you gather your strength, humanity will be no more.”

  “Shut up…”

  “Oh? It looks like you still have some fight in you…”

  The young man who was called Lu attempted to muster what strength he had in his battered body, barely managing to stand on his two legs. The determination in his eyes shone brightly as his gre became sharper. “WE WILL DEFEAT YOU HERE AND NOW!” His voice, void of aion aside from hatred, echoed.

  “That determination in your eyes… It’ll be delicious to squash.” The demon said while lig its lips. Without another word, it reeled one of its arms back. Instantly, that one arm shot out like a whip, causing a crimson arc to fly out.

  Sparks flew around as the attack struck Lu’s sword, the sound of metal being scraped reverberated around the battlefield.

  “LU MO-”Metal shards flew every which way, a cold feeling swept through Lu’s insides as the arc cleaved him in two. It disappeared just after hitting its target.

  “Ve…”

  “What…?” He could only say as his torse slid from his lower half. No pain could be felt due to the adrenalihat coursed through his body, but he could feel his strength rapidly leaving his body.

  “LU! LU NO!” A beautiful white haired demi-human shouted as she scrambled to his side. “PLEASE STAY WITH ME LU!” Her cries could barely be heard by him. Everything around him became muffled. Regret panged his heart as he stared at the tearfilled eyes of the woman he loved.

  ‘I’m so sorry… Fei.’ He wao apologize to her for the false promise he had made, but the taste of iron in his mouth nearly kept from breathing. Instead, his arm slowly rose to touch her cheek.

  “Lu…?” She muttered his he hand that touched her cheek felt so cold. Never in her life had she felt something this cold.

  ‘Please… live on.’ Lu wished as his lips curled into a soft small.

  “Lu…? No, no! Don’t close your eyes!”

  “Haru, take Fei and leave. I’ll buy you two some time.”

  “Are you sure?” The sed demi-human woman asked.” “Fei, we o get away from here now.”

  “We o leave now!”

  “NO IM NOT-”At that moment, everythi dark. The cold feeling, the muffled shouts. Everything just turo nothing, a weightlessness overtook Lu’s body.

  “Lu…”

  “Lu… Wake up.”An audible sigh rang out, then a freeziion pressed against his cheek. A jolt shot through his body.

  “Wha?!” He screamed as he shot up from the bed he id upouro the source of the freeziion, the same white haired demi-human sat there, her lips twisted into a worried frown. “Why did you do that?!” He asked in a loud voice. Her haracted quickly just from his loud voice, a white glow could be seen oip of her fingers. “Fei, why did you do that?” He asked again, this time his tone was softer.

  “You, you were moving around and mumbling in your sleep…” She responded, her o blue eyes that held a tinge of purple looked towards the bed they both slept on. “Sorry… I thought you were having a bad dream…” Her fox-like ears lowered as if she was afraid he would do something.

  “It’s fine!”

  ‘She really o worry less…’ He internally ented.

  Rays of m sunshine illumiheir small room, a dresser stood at the far er. Due to their financial situation, they could only afford to rent a tiny home that only had one bedroom. And due to Fei’s stubbornness, they slept on the same bed.

  “ht!” Lu suddenly shouted as his brain finally registered what day it was. “We should get ready!”

  Practically jumping off the bed, he then rushed to the closet. ‘Finally! We were able to save up enough!’ His excited thoughts bundled up into a coherent thought as he rummaged through the small amount of clothes he owned.

  “I’ll meet you outside!”

  As soon as he disappeared into the cramped hallway, he ged into a pin old grey shirt and pants. The freezing m air struck his skin as he took a step outside, but that didn’t dampen his excitement, evident by his gigantic smile.

  A few minutes had passed, and Lu had already walked in a circle a numerous amount of times. The door to their home had opened, Fei now in a white dress, which she wore a light blue long sleeved shirt over the top. She wore brown boots that stopped just past her calves.

  “You ready?” Lu asked as soon as she took oep out the door.

  “Yes.”

  “Alright!”

  Instantly the two set off, Lu was in the lead, while Fei followed not far behind. tless gnces were shot at the duo, many were filled with disgust and hatred, while some just gnced over. These did not bother Lu as he had gotteo them. For Fei’s case she kept her eyes glued to the ground and as she felt each gre, her hands ched tighter.

  As they got closer to their destination, she tried to leave a bigger gap between them, but Lu slowed his strides.

  “Just ighem, okay?” He whispered to her as they walked shoulder to shoulder. Seeing Fei’s head nod he smiled. But, he k would be nearly impossible for her to ighem.

  15 mier, they stopped in front of an incredibly old building. Just above the entrahere was a sign that had an anvil being struck by a hammer engraved onto it. Just uhat, the word ‘Open’ was scratched onto ann.

  Turning his head to his right, he could see that Fei was incredibly nervous, her lips were distorted into a frown. “, don’t be nervous, everything will be alright! We’re just buying equipment, it’ll be quick!”

  “Alright…” Fei hesitantly responded.

  “Ay! Wele to my shop!” A booming voice weled the two as Lu opehe front door. A stout man stood behind a ter that was furthest from the door. tless miseous items and a feons littered the ter. The stout man held his arm up high as if to wave at them. “Oh it’s y- Ahem, I mean if ya need help with anything, just e to me!”

  “Thank you!” Lu returhe man’s wave. ‘Thankfully he caught himself.’ He thought with a stiff smile that repced his grin. ‘Looks like she wasn’t paying attention, though.’

  Fei’s eyes were pletely focused on the tless armors that stood in lio their right, which slowly pao their left many ing from great swords to small daggers, even bows were hidden amongst them.

  “Let’s go check what he has over there.” Lu said to her. Fei couldn’t help but feel something was off when she looked at the expression Lu had.

  “Okay.” She responded hesitantly.

  ‘He’s definitely looking for something…’ Fei thought as she followed Lu like a lost puppy. He slowly crept along the wall while “looking” at the ons.

  Suddenly they both stopped in front of a rather dull looking staff. The handle was carved out of birch wood and a clear yet cloudy crystal was melded to the tip.

  ‘That’s so pretty…’

  Her mind pletely switched gears as Lu grasped the handle.

  “Lu we ’t buy this!” She cried out as she tried with all her might to yank his arm he was about to raise. Of course, she was tempted to buy it, but she k would take most of what they had saved.

  “Fei, we’re buying this.”

  “I don’t need one, I ca-”

  “Hey, how much would this cost?” Lu asked loudly while raising the staff high into the air, causing Fei, who had tched onto his arm to stand oips of her toes.

  “Lu, stop, I don’t !” Fei excimed. Her final attempt to stop him failed as he just scurried from her grasps.

  “Ah, that ol’ thing? You buy it for 50 copper.”

  Perfectly into their budget! They had brought 70 copper with them, of course that’d leave them with o nothing, but Lu was willing to spend it all if needed.

  “Lu… I don’t , I just…” Her voice went quiet after seeing the smug expression on Lu’s fao matter what she would say, he wouldn’t listen.

  “Now… Time to find myself a on…” He muttered.

  Sing the wall of ons once more, he found a rather basic dagger, ohat a bcksmith could easily make. Which was fih him, his main focus wasn’t him.

  “ we buy these?” He said as he id both ons on the ter.

  “Hm… These’ll cost ya 60 copper.”

  Without a sed thought, Lu pulled a small brown sack from his pants pocket. Then, he fished for 6 copper s. The size of the corretes to its value, each that Lu brought out snugly sat on his thumb. Meaning each was worth 10 copper.

  “Alright, they're all yours! Pleasure doing business with ya.” The shopkeeper said while extending his hand for a handshake.

  “Pleasure doing business with you.”

  As soon as Lu returhe handshake, his entire body was yaowards the shopkeeper.

  After a moment of intense whispers entering his ear, the shopkeeper released his arm a Lu tumbling babsp;

  “Now, get yer arses out of here!”

  Quickly, Lu gathered their newly acquired items and ushered Fei to the entrance. What the heck did he do? Was the only question could think of, she could hear what was said but she was uo process what Lu did. ‘It's weird, the shopkeeper was nid friendly but suddenly shooed us away… Could it be because of me..?’

  “Here…” Lu said, his arm was outstretched with her aff in his grasp. Sweat drenched his face. ‘I hope she didn’t hear what he said…’

  “Thank you… Although I don’t …” Fei thanked him while taking the staff. A warm feeliered her chest as she looked at it. “I could jus-”

  “Fei… I could tell you wa, and you’ll once we work with other people.”

  “...Alright…”

  ‘It looks like she’s happy with it!’

  Oside Fei had a disied look on her face, but Lu could see right through it. Seeing her happy, he couldn’t help but copy the joy she felt. “Ready to go?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  Once again, they set off to their destination. But this journey was different, the looks that were directed to them bounced off of them as Fei was mesmerized by the staff in her hands. Halfway there, Fei almost tripped over her feet.

  “Maybe you should pay attention to where yoing…” Lu ented while chug to himself. ‘She really does like it…’

  His words caused her face to turn slightly red.

  Thus, their journey has ended after 30 minutes ing through their town. They firmly stood in front of aravagant building that towered over them. Cut above the entrahe words “Adventurer’s guild.” stood. Nervousness aement engulfed them.

  As Lu’s fingers firmly gripped the hao the door, it felt as if something tightly grabbed Fei’s heart.

  ‘I’m just going to hold him back…’ She thought. For years, Lu had talked her ears off to bee adventurers, she had agreed to bee oh him… But now the day has e, she could only feel nervous and fearful for the future. She couldn’t back out now as he had already bought her a staff. ‘...He’ll abandoer… Seeing how useless I am.’ This thought pgued her mind for so long.

  A deafening creak came from the door as Lu pushed with all his might. Many eyes so the source. Their gazes held annoyan them as tless versations were cut short due to his as.

  ‘We finally bee adventurers!’ Lu looked towards his panion, someone he had known for nearly his entire life. She had always supported him, and had been there many times when things had gone wrong. He wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her, the immeement and joy he is currently feeling couldn’t be expressed through as nor words.

  With oep, they both walked towards their future.