Al was returning from gathering firewood when he overheard the girls talking about him.
"I say we just ditch the kid. I mean. The guy clearly has a death wish. Tomorrow is the Eve of Eternal Slumber. And I'm not gonna risk my life out here for some brat I don't even know," Dianna said to the rest. "You guys with me?"
She turned to her sister for support, which she immediately received.
Now, to convince Lily-
"No!" The elf girl placed her foot down and stubbornly said. "I gave my oath to Rosalina that I would protect the young mage, and I will see it through that I do."
Kianna spoke up this time," We know how you feel, Lily, but tomorrow is the solstice. There's no way we're surviving the Ghost Storm. We need to head back to the city safely. With or without the boy."
Her sentence seemed to infuriate Lily but before she could say anything, Al walked in.
He had a bright smile on his face.
An almost too bright, smile.
"Please," he began in an all too sweet tone.
"Please leave." He said, his smile unwavering.
They were all taken by surprise. Lily especially.
"All of you please leave," he spoke up again.
No. She had to talk to him. Maybe she could explain the situation before Al did something reckless. But before she could add anything, he bellowed:
"NOW!!"
Spooked by his sudden yell, all three of them grabbed for their weapons. But Al just continued walking, picking up the pile of firewood at his feet and feeding it to the hearth.
A stifling silence wafted in the air after his outburst.
Not long after, the girls picked their belongings and readied to leave the camp. Lily pointed out to Al the general direction of the bandit's camp according to the info given by the trees.
She wanted to stay, she really did. But she felt there was not much she could do as it would only anger him further. She just hoped he didn't do anything too reckless.
And so, she left.
But not before she gave Al a quick hug. Apologizing as she did until she was eventually separated from him by her teammates.
Soon they departed.
And all the while, Al had the same bright, almost chilling smile, splitting his face.
He watched the party disappear into the tree line before jumping up and quickly making his way towards the direction of the bandit camp.
'Good riddance,' he thought to himself.
He didn't know how much longer he would've lasted being in the same group as them. He had felt as though he was unwelcome during his entire time in the party.
They were all really good friends, and Al just felt like a bystander, watching them all.
As though he were a fourth wheel in a three girl trio. The only guy in a party of girls. He just didn't click with them.
Dianna and Kianna seemed to feel the same. Or maybe they just didn't like him. Either way, he was sure they all wanted nothing more than to disband this sham of a party.
And he was happy this way.
Al would miss Lily. She was someone he could consider a friend and though they didn't know each other for long, he was happy to have met her.
He was hurt, he knew. Though he didn't even know why he felt so.
So was Lily.
But he also knew that she was holding him back. Not letting him participate that much with the group because he was 'just a kid.'
Maybe she was right.
He knew elves lived a long time. Maybe to her, he really was just a kid. Or maybe it was just Al's display of incompetence that made her think so. But first and foremost, Al was a Hero. He had to prioritize saving Henry and Marie.
And he couldn't do that if he constantly had someone there trying to stop his 'reckless behavior.'
He was a mage, goddamn it, and he knew what he was doing.
His thoughts stopped as he reached a clearing. The bandit camp was in sight.
Now, he would spend the rest of the night recording everything he possibly could about the bandits. Patrol patterns, weaknesses and possible strategies he could employ against them.
He would also confirm if his targets were even there to begin with.
He would first plan and wait. And then, Al would take action.
Just like Voice taught him.
Just like a Hero would.
