"Hey, wake up. It's time to move. The sun is about to set, we can't go out at night."
A gentle and soothing voice filled my ears, a soft hand pushing me awake. It was nothing like the experience that killed me. The voice was beautiful not raspy, the touch was gentle not abusive, I felt like I was in heaven for a moment. But then....
"Eww! Why are you drooling, you weirdo?!"
A slap.
My eyes immediately opended, as I sat up instinctively. My cheeks flushed in embarrassment, as I wiped my mouth. My expression turned serious as I looked up, noticing the faint orange colour above. The sun was really about to set.
"You are right. Let's go."
I stand up and gave Isabella a nod, my trusty loyal Retainer in Hand.
Isabella stared at me for a moment, before she reached for something behind her. It was.....a shirt? A makeshift tunic made of wool, along with some trousers as well.
"Here. Wear this."
That's when I realized that Isabella was also wearing one. Looks like she managed to finish crafting them for us. How impressive. I nodded and didn't say anything else, taking the clothes and putting them on. A blissful sigh escaping my lips at the comfortable feeling.
"Ah....you are very impressive, Isabella. Thank you."
I said sincerely, a wide smile appearing on my face.
Isabella simply shrugged, then turned her face towards the path they will be taking, her expression turning serious.
"Hey...."
I suddenly had a bad feeling about what she was going to suggest.
"Why don't we just kill the tiger?"
I almost fell face first to the ground, my eyes widening in shock.
"Are you insane?! No, no! Im not fighting that thing! I barely survived against a bear, how am I gonna kill a tiger?!"
Isabella glanced back at me, a dark smile playing on her lips.
"Who said you were just gonna kill it yourself? I'll provide support."
I blinked, surprised. That's right....I didn't have to fight that thing myself, but still. Im still not confident in our chances.
"So? That doesn't change anything! Even if we manage to kill it, one of us will die. That's for sure."
As I said that, the atmosphere suddenly grew colder. We both stared at each other with intensity, thinking the same thing:
'So what? Why should I care about you dying?'
And we weren't wrong. We are here to fight each other to the death, not ally ourselves. In a fight against the tiger, when one of us is weakened, it would be the perfect opportunity for a betrayal to happen. Who knows? We might even get an achievement for it.
"We can't keeping going on like this."
Isabella sighed, her expression turning somber.
"Without trust, even a temporary alliance is nothing more than a burden. How can we fight an Unbound Creature, if I have to watch my back expecting you to stab it? When your supposed to help me kill the Creature instead?"
She shook her head.
"Le–let's make a promise, Morgan. It may not mean much and even a promise could be broken, but this is a start. Let's promise that we won't betray each other, until we are the last ones standing in this battleroyal."
She stared at me intently, holding out a hand for a handshake. As a way to seal the deal. If she was pretending to be honest, she was doing a pretty damn good job at it. Even I was almost convinced to take her hand, but I remained hesitant.
"Morgan."
Her voice sounded firm this time, but I didn't respond. Just staring at the hand blankly. Why couldn't I take it? Why is it so hard for me to trust someone? Is it because I was abandoned in the past? The past is the past, as they say. Isabella isn't like my parents. She needs me, as much as I need her. So....why am I....
Why am I so afraid?
What am I scared of?
Is trusting such a bad thing?
Maybe it is. Trust is like posion. It has been the main cause of all the pain I endured as a child, even growing into an adult. Trust.....is posion. I can never trust easily. I don't think I ever will after what I have been through. Trust is just so fragile. It takes so much time to build, months upon months, years upon years, yet a single mistake could shatter it completely.
That's why I'm afraid.
I'm afraid of being hurt again.
Isabella stared at me silently. She didn't say anything, but I can see how her hand was trembling. She was about to retract it. Once she does, I don't think I'll ever get another chance to trust someone.
She has been so good to me. Told me her secrets, helped me found water and even created me a nice outfit to cover myself. Isn't my trust something she deserves after everything she has done for me? Don't her I owe her the tiniest bit of it? Back then, the only reason I "trusted" her enough to sleep and relax around her was because she needed me, but that won't be the case after the fight against the tiger.
Besides, she deceived me before. How can I be sure she wouldn't do that again? This whole thing could be an elaborate scheme to gain my trust, cause inner turmoil inside me and....and....
'I'm being paranoid again, aren't i?'
A hollow laugh escaped my lips. Before I knew it, I had already taken her hand with a wide smile on my face.
"Sure, it's a promise."
Isabella seemed startled, but then she beamed with a brilliant smile of her own.
"It's a promise."
Then, she let go of my hand and turned around, leading the way. I sighed softly and followed suit, I was a bit surprised by my decision there.
Maybe that's what my heart desired. My brain told me to not trust her, to never do it, to never trust another person, but my heart said otherwise. Is this what they mean by let your heart guide the way? It felt the correct decision, yet felt so wrong at the same time. Im unsure of how to feel about it, really. But what I knew was that even if I come to regret this decision, I would only blame myself.
Only time will tell what will happen between us. I might betray her and she might betray me. But for now.....it's being held back and restrained by a fragile promise between us, that could be broken at any moment.
'Such complicated feelings....Why am I thinking so deeply about this, anyway? I got a tiger to fight.'
With that thought, I quickened my steps, until I was walking side by side with her. My eyes narrowed, a hint of excitement rising in my heart.
'I'll make sure to kill that thing!'