LuoirM

Hey guys, I just read some writing tips online and decided to take notes. I think my writing improved in this chapter, let me know if you think so or don't see that being true. Oh btw, my first ever filler chapter boissss

In the midst of the stars, wolves howled and crickets chirped. An empty cave somewhere up on a mountain, lies five tired souls.

"Kriek…Kiek!"

Esmeralda woke up in the middle of the night, she rubbed her eyes a bit, only to realize that her dragon nails were too large and hit her nose. She let out an annoyed shriek, but luckily no one was disturbed and woke up from that.

Her eyes panned around the cave in an unusual curiosity. Everyone was still sleeping. They couldn't get their usual clothes to change, so they're resting their eyes while in those bulky burning outfits meant for fighting and adventuring.

Luckily, the breezing wind from high above made this a bit more bearable.

"Vel?"

A calming, young male voice called her name— more specifically, only one person called her that: Marc Omal.

Her head turned towards where the voice resounded, Marc was leaning on a wall with one of his knees up.

Esmeralda’s four smol tottering legs jogged towards Marc; which put a nice smile on his face. Marc held out his arms for her to approach.

“What’s wrong Vel? Are you cold?”

Holding Esmeralda tight in his chest, she nuzzled against Marc’s chest, as if she’s warming him up.

“Keik…” Her voice was unclear, but the tone suggested a calm and resting expression.

With Esmeralda on his chest, Marc walked outside and sat down at the cave’s mouth. Since the cave is located on a mountain, everything below them was ominous and mysterious as it’s being covered by dark green leaves— giving a feeling that they’re very tall above, like heavens.

Marc dangled his feet on the cliff of the cave, one push and he’s down to the unknown below. Esmeralda was a bit afraid of heights, so her initial reaction was to close her eyes.

“I spy with my little eyes… a beautiful sky.” Marc said, childishly. Which caused the curious little Esmeralda to look up.

In the quiet night sky, the stars dangled playfully with each other— creating what we know as constellations, gates to heavens where the dead lie, beautiful and sad, a lonely feeling in the rain of individual alikes.

The stars on the vast skies felt like lonely boats on the vast sea. Silvery white moonlight sprinkled on the ground creating illusory colors, tricking the eyes into seeing something both beautiful and mischievous. Yet it’s not easy to remove ourselves from infatuations.

“Kirk!” Esmeralda’s eyes crinkled at the edges and the corners of her lips turned upwards; she happily expressed her amazement in her voice.

In her previous life, night time was the worst for her, she’d always get negative thoughts, frustration and a heartbreak knowing that time was passing by… Maybe she just needed a night like this— bitter and misty yet beautiful in its own ways.

“Lay down and, imagine, snow mountain, on glacier, silent night, quiet night, there’s one man, with the moon…” Marc quietly sang something, but it’s more like a bad poet with rhythms to Esmeralda. The whole thing didn't seem to be grammatically correct and he paused every three syllables.

Marc took a deep breath, stopped dangling his feet and lay down on his back, with Esmeralda sitting on his chest.

“Do you know what it feels like to break a promise… No, two promises at once, Vel?”

“Krek?” Which translated to “Can’t say I don’t, but not promises that haunts me.”

Haunting thoughts, ravages of time and reminiscences of the past, all coming together and formed a memory on Marc’s mind as he closed his eyes.

…

“Trust me, it will be fun!”

The dawn showed upon the skies as a voice resounded inside the forest. Marc with only a leather outfit to protect himself was following an annoyed elf.

“For the 4th time, human, I’m not getting in your adventure team! I know how to hunt, not kill!”

“Oh come on Rina! If you disable it and your companion put it out of its misery, that’s still killing! Basically...? I already explained to you how badly I wanted to have an archer.”

Exhaling a deep sigh out of her nose, the elf named Rina turned around and grabbed Marc’s shirt collar.

"A no is a no, if you come to me one more time, my arrows will make sure you're disabled for life!"

Marc Omal blinked rapidly as if he didn't understand that. Rina turned away to finish the rest of her day, enjoying the last bit of sunlight before the dark fell.

“I’m home.” Rina opened the door to a wooden cottage deep within the forest beside a lake. She greeted her parents knowing only one of them would answer.

“Dinner’s ready Rina, I didn’t know your boyfriend’s gonna be here.” A calm woman's voice answered.

“Dinner this early? Wait, my what?”

The floor creaked as Rina made her way into the dining room— only to see a young, yellow haired with a big smile waving at her. Next to him was an elderly yet charismatic elf, her mom.

Rina slammed the dining room’s door shut— quickly rubbed her eyes, slapped herself a bit and opened it again.

‘My god he’s here. The guy’s really here.’ Rina thought as she slapped herself in the forehead.

Rina immediately stormed in; she sat next to Marc, pulled him over and whispered:

“Look, didn’t I tell you to screw off?”

“Well… You tell me not to come to you…” Marc answered.

“Yes, I did.” frowned Rina.

“So I came to your mom, but don’t worry I didn’t say anything yet. She’s very nice!”

“God damn it Marc...”

Inside Rina’s head, thoughts of killing Marc spun around her head rapidly, should she shoot him? stab him with her arrow while he sleeps? Throw him off a cliff? Or maybe tie him up and sell him to the dark elves?

Rina felt a slim arm grabbing her from behind, her mom was whispering to her with a smile:

“I didn’t know my girl would get noticed by a human, I’ll gladly approve of this guy, he’s very sweet and nice. Just make sure your demihuman child is 60% elf okay?”

“Mom! He’s not my boyfriend.”

“I once said that to my mom and loved your dad secretly. Now look at us, in a small house away from any society.”

“But he really isn’t.” Rina paused for a second. “Is Talvic out late working again?”

Rina’s mom kept the smile going— but this time less enthusiastic as she made her way towards the kitchen.

“You still insisted on calling your dad by his name.”

The curious and playful voices soon went past any ears and into forgotten, overshadowed by late cricket chirps and wind blows through the cracks of the cold house. The innocent wandering Marc was sitting in the middle of this conversation, smiling awkwardly and tried to distract himself by looking outside the cold window.

“Here's some roasted pork chop and a side of salad for everyone. Marc, are you allergic to anything?" Rina's mom said as she, with a pair of mittens, brung out a piping hot plate of charcoal roasted pork chop. She then turned around to get a big bowl of salad.

"I'm not allergic to anything you made, miss, this meal is awesome." Marc happily nodded and thanked her to show how grateful he is.

"Aw, make yourself at home, you're so adorable I really wish you were my son." She said, blinking at Rina and whispered again. "Don't lose this opportunity."

'Mom…' Rina thought, facepalming as she's going through a mental struggle.

After the quick meal, Marc left some herbs and leather as a sign of gratitude, then greeted Rina and her mom before he left.

“Aw, but it’s late, you sure you don’t want to come in? We surely have one or more empty rooms.”

Marc scratched his face a bit in awkwardness and insisted to get on his way:

“Thank you, but my house is just half an hour from here.”

The moon had reached its peak, staying on the very top and guarding possible wanderers on their steps.

Rina is resting her back on a squeaky wooden bed, noticeably exhausted from all that pressure as she sighed in relaxation.

“Is he gone?” Rina looked over at her mom, who was peeping inside her room.

“No, he’s getting a bath and he’s going to stay with you in your room for the night.”

“... I’m moving out, get me a backpack please.”

“Relax, darling, he went home. It shouldn’t be too far from here.”

Rina tilted her head and frowned for a second.

“Wait, but he doesn’t live here, and the nearest city is about three hours with human speed.”

“...” Her mom blinked rapidly. Then put her hand on her lips. "Oh dear!"

“God damn it Marc.” Rina stood, suiting up with her bow and headed out towards Marc's direction.

With the vision of nature as her gifts, Rina began searching for Marc on her way. She rolled her bright eyes across the dark mists of the forest, looking for that idiot.

Soon, she encountered a bright small camp, where Marc was heavily breathing and sitting on top of a group consisting of 3-4 bandits. All seemingly unconscious on the ground.

“I didn’t know you’re this bloodthirsty.” Rina wiped off some of her sweats and teased Marc. “Say, where are you headed? It’ll be morning by the time you reach the city.”

"Well, these guys won't mind if I borrow their tent, since they just try to rob me."

click

“Die… you fuckers.” One of the bandits brought out a necklace, his thumb pressed against the red button on it.

Marc’s eyes wide opened as he stormed in and pinned Rina down to the ground. She did not expect that and was confused. At that exact moment, from behind Rina— a tall figure in heavy armor and covered in shadows thrusted its sword towards the both of them on the ground, impaling Marc’s arm.

“Urg…” Marc clenched his teeth in pain.

Item:
Dark Summoner's Heritage (Necklace)
Rank: A or F
Rarity: Epic
Heritage of a dark summoner. Grants the owner the ability to summon an Undead Dark Knight, but can only change its owner if the previous allows it. The knight himself was rumored to be what’s left of a fallen kingdom.

The two immediately rolled away to dodge the knight’s second strike. Rina took this opportunity to knock out the bandit with the necklace on hand, but the dark knight was still there and already charging towards Marc.

The fight brought on for hours, the knight was already dead so killing him was impossible. His superior strength was also a problem for Rina and Marc, though he didn’t use any special swordsmanship move but was still good enough to single-handedly take on both of them.

“Undead are easy enough to take down, but an undead dark knight? Give me a break.” Marc wiped off his sweats and was heavily dehydrating.

“We have to wait for at least five more hours until day time, that’s what undead and dark knights hate.”

“Five more hours… You go rest a bit, we’ll take turns with him.” Marc chuckles.

Rina let out a half-suppressed laugh, then actually sat down at a nearby tree and rubbed her shoulders.

The moment she sat down, a bandit who was fake unconscious stood up and charged himself at her.

“Crap!” Rina tried to stand up, but somehow her legs felt very numb, she tripped halfway standing up and desperately held up her bow to block the bandit holding a dagger.

“Don’t get anywhere near her!” Marc, disrupting himself from the fight against the undead dark knight, charged himself to knock over the bandit. “Are you okay?”

slash

“...” The undead dark knight, unamused.

In front of Rina’s very own eyes, she saw the vast universe’s floaty stars burnt out, glaciers melted and volcanoes had buried themselves into the sea. As something inside her was boiling, a boiling feeling of the divine’s intention, shifting history into another page— this exact moment; this night, the universe's purest essences was slowing down for only one soul to witness.

Marc's left shoulder spurted out blood, the black sword from the dark knight slashed through him, a deep cut was left on his shoulder.

“I’m… sorry, run...” Marc’s usual smile dropped as he fell down to the ground.

…

[Marc’s POV]

That was a nice dream, as if my life was flashing before my eyes. I wonder if I will go to heaven or hell? Living in a church for all my young days, sneaking out to go on an undesignated adventure for the outside world, that must be sinful. I wonder how Rina is doing… I hope she got home safely, her mom must be worried.

“Always smile for the path ahead.” I remembered my dad’s words. He wasn’t the best man in the world, but in my world, he is.

I think I got my ticket, it’s heaven. As I opened my eyes and saw a bright light, a beacon of hope, a bright winged female figure turning her back against me, protecting me from something.

“Angel?”

She was wearing bright green armor, contrasting the darkness surrounding her, highlighting herself upon the hopelessness.

The figure then grinned, I could see it even from behind her.

“You’re one stubborn man, Marc. You got my attention.”

I recognized that voice, it’s Rina, Rina Wenswood, but why is she so magnificent?

I tilted my head to look further in front of her, she’s battling the Undead Dark Knight, who I assumed was responsible for my wound. Seeing Rina protecting me really made me embarrassed to be honest.

Under Rina’s bright light, she enchanted her arrows and used it as a dagger to defeat the Undead Dark Knight.

I took one quick blink and when I opened my eyes again— Rina’s wings disappeared, along with her armor and brightness.

She turned around to look at me, chuckled and fainted away.

[Back to 3rd POV]

Worried, Marc princess-carried Rina towards her home with a wounded shoulder. The path was a ten minutes walk, but Marc precipitately sprinted and covered it in three minutes. He fell to his knees the moment he knocked on the door.

An elf woman opened the door and gasped in shock to see them both so defeated.

When they both were put on the bed, she carefully checked around their bodies to bandages and antisept.

“Oh my…” When she checked on Rina, something caught her by surprise and she looked over to Marc; who’s still conscious.

“Did Rina used her Daylight Protector form?”

“Daylight Protector… With wings and green armor? Yes…” Marc weakly said.

Rina’s mom then dropped her tears and held Marc’s hand tight.

“Promise me young man, please promise me…”

“Miss? What’s wrong, is Rina okay?” He tried to sit up.

“Please don’t let Rina abuse herself by using that form, too much of it and she’ll die. Please promise me!”

…

“And that’s how I broke my promise with her…” Marc bitterly smiled, Esmeralda was lying on his forehead, infuriatingly listening to the story.

“I’m so useless you know… But at least we got Rina on our team, didn't we?”

“Keik!” Esmeralda bit Marc’s forehead, wanting to hear about the second promise, since he said he broke two at once.

“That was years ago, we slept together that night and Marc’s still a virgin to this day— well, all of us are but Marc’s a special one.”

A cheeky female voice resounded behind them from the cave, Rina falteringly walked out, leaning her hand on the wall while taking every step.

“Rina? Why are you up this early?” Marc blinked rapidly.

“What do you mean? It’s morning, have you two been awake the whole night?” This time, Pearl walked out and helped Rina to walk.

“Kerk?” Which translated to “Morning? Wot?”

Esmeralda looked behind them, expecting Mei to show up next, but it seems like she’s still deep dreaming.