Frost

III. Akira


Generally, today's hunt was good. But it was so good that he was quite overloaded again.

Now this is a problem, Akira mused as he examined his inventory, slightly rocking back on his crossleg above a bridge's post somewhere in Mt.Mjolnir. What should be left behind... was really a problem because that still amounts to a few zenies.

Ah, risk it. Some high-level monster wouldn't just spawn here anyway, right? ...Not that he couldn't handle that if ever that happens, despite the probable inability to regenerate his spell energy. He sighed, pushing back his bag and adjusting his headset. That's the problem when you can kill almost anything --- you take that much items that it's too late when you realize you're actually overloaded.

And you tend to roll your eyes on how everyone else around you seems so... weak. Like a certain mage that he could sense at his far front, getting hit constantly by the Horns he is hunting because of wrong spell combos. Now even I wasn't that stupid when I was still a mage, he thought dryly. He could guess the person's level already even without seeing him. He closed his eyes, breathed the cool breeze wafting from the lake below. He's coming this way.

Curiosity won over him though, that he opened them when that mage was only a few feet away. At the corner of his eye he saw the person start a little at seeing him suddenly open his eyes --- it was almost like he was actually trying to tiptoe over the bridge to avoid from disturbing his "sleep". But the mage continued walking past after that minor reaction, avoiding from looking at him. He sensed the mage stop a few meters away, and by a tree started applying fast first aid on himself.

The mage was... familiar. Though he really couldn't remember from where.

He appraised the mage silently. Arc wand, circlet, silk robe... quite well-equipped. But if he wasn't of the keenest of eye, he wouldn't have noticed how that fairly tough outer dressing contrasted with the minutely unsure steps, serious but tired expression, purplish hair framing a pale face and wary eyes like a curtain with the rest sharply pulled into a ponytail reaching down slightly slumped shoulders --- as if in constant self-depreciation.

Seemingly a mage who lacked confidence in himself.

Akira rolled his eyes.

No wonder.

He discreetly watched the mage sit down after he finished first aid --- probably regenerating his spell energy --- and take out a map. Akira rolled his eyes again, and shift back his full attention to the lake. Really a low-level mage. Doesn't even memorize the whole Rune Midgard.

He frowned when he realized after a while that he couldn't feel the mage's presence anymore though. Wait a minute --- he couldn't have... He looked towards the nearest warp portal at the vicinity, which was a few yards away from where the mage had sat down to rest.

And the mage suddenly emerged back from that portal, breathing hard as he braced his hands on his knees. There were even more huge gashes and tears on his coat and skin. Now isn't THAT so stupid. A moment later the mage happened to meet his gaze, and immediately revert it, turning a little red. Akira half-smirked and half-scowled, looking back at the lake. That's right, you should be embarrassed at how weak you are for your level. And for someone so weak, you even have the nerve to enter a place you're not able to face. That mage probably just wants to sneak away some drops from some hard-working hunters. Most probably a looter.

According to the citizen's map of the whole Rune Midgard, that portal actually led to a goblin-infested place.

Akira thought that the mage would just settle at hunting Horns again upon now knowing that he couldn't handle such high-level enemies. So it was much to his surprise when he sensed the mage disappear into the portal again after just a few minutes.

Now that is suicide...

Somehow, the subconscious part of his mind made him feel like following that mage to support him, seeing that the mage didn't seem to have any healing or teleport clips along with his gear. Most probably that mage would be immediately mobbed even at the entrance, and he wouldn't have that much speed to defend himself at his current level of power...

But Akira chose to follow the cold, logical part of himself --- standing up and making his way across the bridge towards Prontera City.

Let him die --- mages like him don't last too long anyway.


About three days later on the same bridge at Mt.Mjolnir, Akira at a distance happened to see that same mage disappear into that portal again.

So he survived.

Akira scratched his head. Are mages really that stupid nowadays? That mage could actually gain quite the same amount of experience at a safer map. He hadn't really sensed any improvement in the mage's level of power, so the mage really had no chance against any of those aggressive goblins yet.

Most likely that mage would emerge from the portal after a while then, and he would have someone to mentally jeer at again. So he settled with killing Horns and some random stray monsters around the area.

When fifteen minutes passed and there was still no sign of the mage emerging, Akira stared at the portal.

Am I getting inaccurate? He might have underestimated that mage's level of power. What if he actually improved over the last three days? He really doubts that anyone could improve that fast at that short time though. He might have purchased better equipment...

Curiosity really getting the best of him now, Akira stepped into the portal.

The goblins were not really much of a nuisance (as he had a healing clip and a teleport clip anyway), and finding the mage did not take him too long. Perched up on a tree, he saw the mage in a clearing battle it all out against two goblins with his wand and his usual Soul Strike spell. The mere difference this time is that the mage was constantly restoring his physical energy with potions.

Impressive. The mage's way to work around the problem, that is. Akira smirked. But even those potions would run out soon, surely. And when that happens, there would be nothing else to rely on but the mage's strength.

The mage's remaining strength, that is. When the mage had finished killing off the two goblins with much struggle, three more suddenly popped out of the trees, giving him no time to sit down and rest. The fight was almost too painful to watch for someone like Akira who had actually seen that much similar massacres --- even more so when he saw that the mage had finally run out of potions or any herbs handy.

Akira sighed, preparing to leave again. This was to be expected --- the mage would finally experience the downtime to his career. But seeing that currently weak mage still trying to fight to his last thread of consciousness, he couldn't help but have second thoughts.

And blurt out the one question he had always hated asking.

"Need help?"

For a moment Akira thought that the mage had not heard him, as the latter continued fighting fiercely. Akira scowled --- his attempt at being humane for now had been flagrantly ignored just like that and that was quite insulting --- and he was ready to teleport off that tree when he heard the almost inaudible mutter.

"No."

Akira's eyebrow raised at that. Oh really now? He turned back towards that fight infront of him, really insulted now. Now isn't that weakling being too haughty. He considered healing those goblins so that they could beat that proud mage to death, but he managed to stop himself upon seeing how badly wounded and tired that mage was now.

Ah, just let him die a natural death. Akira sat down the tree's thick branch again, intent to watch that proud mage faint infront of him.

Or die infront of him.

Let's see how long you'll last then...

Somehow, the much-amused part of him was also very curious to see if the mage would really make it.

Two goblins fell after a while, then the third a few minutes later. And this time the mage collapsed down his knees, breathing hard and bleeding hard. Then began applying fast first aid on some wounds before finally stilling. Akira sat back at the tree's trunk, waited for more enemies himself.

It kind of shocked him then, that he was this sadistic --- that he was actually waiting for more.

Akira paused, watching the mage's still back. I'm not being normal... Even more so when minutes passed, and he almost felt like getting impatient. What's happening to me...

The mage, in the meantime, seemed to forget about him. Or must have thought that he already left, or couldn't pinpoint where he exactly is because he just sat unmoving on the grass floor. Almost like he's barely breathing. For a moment Akira thought that he was actually dead.

Akira shook off that feeling of disturbance. No --- I'm just being fair... When he was a mage, he was actually all on his own. He tried to make do with what he has, as long as possible didn't ask for any kind of help from others. He worked hard alone to have this power that he has now...

So there's really no point to make things easier for this mage, he almost glared at the mage's still back. Let him learn things for himself. Let him know how weak and stupid he is...

But still there's that nagging feeling of pity...

Ack, stop it. That's just it --- pity.

In this kind of world, there's really no space for pity. Ever since he was a child, he had been made very aware of such fact...

Akira closed his eyes, and slowly willed himself to calm down. Stop thinking. In the distance, he could actually hear some shuffling approaching already --- whether it's of a goblin pack or just a yoyo he was not sure.

When you think it's bad, it gets worse.

Akira opened his eyes --- the mage had not budged. Can he also hear it? he couldn't help but wonder.

There... you're getting concerned again.

No. Akira pressed his palms down against his thighs. I would not interfere.

Three yards... two yards... By the time the shuffling reached one, Akira was finally sure that those were of goblins.

Let him learn it all for himself...

The mage's head jerked up when one the goblins finally burst through the clearing.

No shit --- four packs.

Akira stood up, sighing.

He wouldn't make it.

But to his chagrin, instead of teleporting off, he jumped down from the tree.

Now I know I'll regret this afterwards...

"Hey you!" Akira shouted out, and this time the mage managed to glance at him in between trying to dodge one frontline goblin's hacks. Akira fired a Soul Strike at that goblin to divert its attention, and as spirits slammed into the goblin he took the opportunity to toss a cloak at the mage.

"What ---" The mage looked confused.

"Just put it on," Akira muttered, as he tossed off the diverted goblin with his wand, and quickly put on his defensive hat as some of the goblins had now began approaching him.

At that, the mage's eyes widened a little.

And Akira suddenly realized why the mage was very familiar.