Finding the Sacred Tree

The adventure begins part 2

Evening day came.

In the dark of the wilderness night. There was a light that lit up. The light came from a bonfire made by Rika.

At that time I was still unconscious, I was still lying on hard ground and only with wide banana leaves. Rika is cooking something that looks good.

The smell of the food was so good, it could even make it to my subconscious. Because of that I finally woke up, but I woke up with pain in my neck.

"What is this?" I woke up holding my neck.

"You're awake. Wait a minute, dinner's almost there."

"Eat dinner?"

I looked around and I saw a lot of trees and animals hanging out or sleeping on tree branches.

"Where are we?"

"In the woods, but I don't know for sure.if there's a map, maybe I can tell where we are."

"Hm..?" I'm still confused by the current situation, because I still don't remember the previous events. Then I looked down at Rika's feet and saw a black book. I immediately remembered the previous incident.

"Vivi..! We have to save her." I immediately stood up in panic, and like her I was no longer limp because I could stand up straight without falling.

"Calm down, we can't save her...."

"What do you mean!? Vivi right now must be being tortured by that bastard, we have to..."

"...for now!" My conversation was cut short by Rika's screams.

"I know you're worried about Vivi. I can feel it too, because Bari's grandfather was also captured by them, but we have nothing. Power, weapons, we don't have it all. If we hit without thinking, we will be caught and killed immediately. So for now, you eat first. Vivi and Grandpa Bari's problems will be dealt with later." Rika gives the roast meat that is placed on a leaf.

I looked at Rika who was still filing the roast with me. Rika's face looks relaxed, but I can see that she is now very angry.

I took the roast out of Rika's hand slowly and then I sat across from her. I just held the roast without eating it. I just fell silent while looking at the nearly extinguished bonfire. The situation was very quiet, there was only the sound of crickets and the sound of wolves sometimes howling.

And in the silence, I began to speak.

"Sorry."

"For what?"

"Because of yelling at you and also for not understanding your feelings."

Rika smiled thinly.

"You don't have to apologize if that's all, I'm used to being yelled at like that."

"Who of? Is Grandpa Bari?"

Now Rika laughed a little.

"The old man could scream loudly at me. The ones shouting at me are the citizens."

"The citizens? Why?"

"Because I stole their stuff."

"Why did you do that? They're obviously yelling at you."

"That's just a little memory. I used to think the world wasn't fair, people could have complete families and sleep well on soft mattresses. I have no father, my mother and I have to sleep under the bridge. At that time I was quite upset to see their pleasure. So I used to want to steal a little of their fun. But just stealing a little, people shouted at me and beat me to death. If that's the case, I'd rather steal all their fun that day."

Rika recounts her cruel and miserable childhood with a smile and sometimes a small laugh. I who heard her could only remain silent while looking at her seriously.

"He's nobody, but to me he's my real family. When I was on the verge of death for not eating for days. Grandpa showed up and gave me a piece of bread. At that time, Grandpa just wanted to give me Bread and then leave, but because I always followed him everywhere. So he had to take care of me. But in return I always obey his orders."

"Hm. I don't actually have any real parents either. But I have a foster parent who loves me very much. Even if they're out there right now, facing a dangerous adventure."

"That means we have the same fate."

I just smiled, because to tell you the truth that we don't have parents is a bit sad, but since Rika talks so, I feel happy as if I have friends of my own.

"Yes.you're right."

After talking about each other's past, I also tried to eat the grilled meat that was already a bit cold. It feels normal, but I'm not too concerned about it, because the important thing is that I can be full today.

I've finished my meal, Rika does too. I asked Rika.

"After what, Erica?"

"Hmm.it's night. So we'll think about it tomorrow."

"Fool."

"But you take care of it. You have slept for a long time. Now it's my turn to sleep."

"Huh...? What if there were monsters? I don't have a gun."

"I didn't have that either. Just use that burning wood, usually the monster doesn't like fire."

"But if you're not afraid of what?"

"Yes, if that's your own thing. Then good night." Rika had fallen asleep on the banana leaf, where I fell asleep earlier.

"Hey.."

Rika did not answer, I did not know she was really asleep or was pretending to be asleep. But from his breath, he was completely asleep.

"Huh.so fast he fell asleep." I just sat there staring at the bonfire.

Sometimes there was a strange noise from the bushes, but I didn't care about it, because it must have been a rabbit or some other small animal.

Over time the sound gets louder and more disturbing. Unable to bear it, I took a small stone near me and threw it at the sound.

After I threw the stone, the sound stopped and it made me feel relieved. I stared at the fire because there was nothing I could do now.

Shortly after it turned out that the voice was back again and now not just on one side but in all directions. I'm starting to think this isn't a rabbit anymore. But I think this is a bunch of monsters.

I picked up one of the woods in the campfire and moved it quickly in all directions.

"Who is it, come out."

The sound was getting louder and louder. I saw the bushes in front of me because the bushes were swaying quite loudly and also making louder sounds than others.

I looked over seriously while holding onto the burning wood. Anyway if there's a monster crashing, I'm ready.

After a few seconds suddenly there was a horde of rabbits coming out of the bushes. There are a lot of them, maybe 30 tens.

He ran towards me and then just passed by without caring if I was there. I'm confused as to why there are so many rabbits here. Is there a nest around here.

Not long after the rabbits left. From the front appeared a giant object that headed here.

I didn't know it was a monster or just a giant animal, but clearly, it was emitting a red glow from its eyes.

"God..."