brother's retry (the beginning after the end)

Training and farewells

Waking up I hear the sound of crickets and other night creatures.

I felt fine beside some minor back pain from sleeping on some rocks, almost like I had never fallen off the cliff.

Soon I heard something being dragged from my left, as I looked over I saw..

Wait, he never told me his name. Does he have a name?

"Its Darcel, I never go yours either, I brought food as well." the newly named Darcel said.

"It's Ashton or Ash. Wait, I thought you were gonna bring me with you." I asked quickly.

'You looked tired kid, so I let you sleep some more.'

It threw the dead rabbit in front of me as if it expected me to just eat it raw.

"Is there a way to cook it? I might get sick if not." I quickly stammered out

Darcel dropped his head before walking to me and using the back of my shirt to throw me on his back as he walked to the caves entrance.

"I saw some fruit close by, well figure out how to cook the beast later, kay kid."

We spent a good ten minutes walking to the location. Once there Darcel walked close enough for me to reach the fruit that was growing against the cliff.

Looking around, I begin wondering where I was. Since I fell off the mountain towards the east, I must be near the elves' domain. I don't think I'm in the Forest of Elshire because I'm not surrounded by fog. Was I in the Beast Glades? No. There weren't any mana beasts I spotted a few rabbits and birds, but I've yet to see anything else. Something even stranger that I noticed a bit before was the abundance of mana in this place. It was mostly due to the richness of mana that I was able to recover enough for Darcel to heal me so soon.

I was shaken from my thoughts when Darcel spoke up

"This place is a narrow zone that is between the Beast Glades and the Forest of Elshire. No one knows of this place because an old friend of mine is warding everyone one off. Which reminds me, how did you end up falling off the cliff?"

"I was trying to save my mother and brother from a bandit, only my mother was able to get out of the way, but luckily my brother was able to drag the bandit with us

"I see Ill get you home to your family, and if the person helping your brother is who I think it is he'll make it home as well."

"Th-thank you so much, I don't know how to repay you."

Since everyone probably assumed that Art and I were dead, I couldn't help but worry about Mother and Father. Not so much physically, but for their mental health. I'm concerned Mother and Father wouldn't forgive themselves for our death. The only thought that comforted me was the fact that my mother was pregnant. Yes. At least for the sake of my unborn brother or sister, they'd stay strong.

The ride back after that turned out to be a pretty peaceful trip, with minimal obstacles and terrains we simply jumped or climbed over. As we drew near the location of the cave, the density in mana was getting richer and thicker.

Once we had reached the cave I decided it was a good time to ask how ill be training.

"So uhh, what exactly will you be training me to do?"

"Oh nothing too much just increasing your mana core, physical training, how to absorb mana as you fight, and if I get the time Ill teach you about what this world is really going through."

.

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What was those last two?
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