26 The paths each choose to follow (1/2)
Part 1
As Sphinx kept running with the two girls on his back Ashley started to signal Evlin to stop so they could approach a river she had spotted.
”Evlin look! We can catch some fish over there!”
”Nice! Sphinx is probably starting to get hungry right now!”
”I'm hungry right now too Evlin!”
”Oh, right!”
”Please don't forget about me just because you have a pet now...”
”Sorry, sorry... I won't, promise...”
As they approached the river Sphinx quickly started to make a pile of fish by using his quick claws to fetch them from the water. Evlin had a proud smug look on her face saying 'Look at my boy! Isn't he amazing?'.
”Looks like he got this covered... Let's start a fire.”
The three proceeded to finish their lunch and took a few minutes to let Sphinx rest a bit before start traveling again.
”Hey Evie... What do we do with all these knifes...?”
”I'm not sure... Maybe i could merge together and make some sort of weapon or armor... You saw how strong that huntress became when she used them.”
”I didn't expect to find a blade forged by the living weapon like this... What kind of armor are you thinking about?”
”Maybe some chain-mail to wear under our clothes... ”
”You really want to cover yourself with a material that has the power to cut anything?”
”Ugh! Good thinking... But maybe it won't hurt if i make sure it has rounded edges. Should i just go for the cliche and make a sword...?”
”Are you any good with swords?”
”Not at all...”
”... Hey Evie...”
”...?”
”Aren't you scared...?”
”Of your brother...? A little bit... But I've faced enemies stronger than me many times before... Heck... I faced an enemy stronger than me yesterday...”
”... Do you... Always get yourself hurt like that...?”
”Huh... Not always... This time i got a little careless and made some dumb mistakes...”
”But you have got yourself really hurt before right...?”
”Yeah... One time i was fighting this monster that was some kind of spirit riding a horse on fire... While i tried to fight him he kicked me so hard that the bones on my right leg ended up breaking... I healed myself but it hurt a lot at the time...”
”... I was never stabbed before... I mean... I hurt myself with a kitchen knife once but... Never something like this...”
”I'm sorry you had to go through that...”
”It's ok... You fixed my hand after all... But... That feeling... That pain... I can still remember it...”
”...”
”... Do you really need to fight my brother? I can't even imagine how much he will try to hurt you...”
”I need to if i want to enter the city...”
”So you can go home right...? ... Do you really need to go home...?”
”I do... I'm sorry... I met many nice people that treated me really well in here and saw many wonderful things... But i miss my mother, i miss my sister, i miss my house and my life... I also have a goal that i want to find out if i can accomplish...”
”Even if there is no magic there?”
”Magic has been a great help to me so far, but i still think it's something that shouldn't exist... I'm sorry if that makes me sound kinda bad... By i love my world more than yours...”
”... I see...”
”...”
”Can i come...?”
”... What...?”
”I was never good at using magic during my whole life... But you said that your world not only doesn't have it but also that people don't need it... You also said that there are no monsters or knights or anything like that...”
”There is still violence in my world you know...? And wounds take much longer to heal without magic if you get yourself hurt...”
”But compared to your world and mine... Which one is easier to get yourself hurt...?”
”... Well... Considering we almost died literally a day after leaving the city, here i guess...? But this world developed many ways for people to defend themselves to these dangers...”
”Yeah but I'm not one of these people... How many times i would have died already if i didn't had you by my side?”
”I think the reason you almost died was because you had me by your side... These were my problems that you were dragged into...”
”... I want to stay with you... I want to keep being your sister!”
”... In my world there is no magic... I won't be able to protect you like i do in here...”
”If you leave it would just end up the same...”
”... You sure about this...? You don't want to try becoming a mage anymore?”
”I'll try your method and study 'technology'...”
”Huh... I'm not sure how easy it is to 'study technology'...”
”Is that a no?”
Evlin wasn't sure what to answer. First of all, she wasn't sure if it was even possible to bring people from this world to hers. But considering that the opposite was true there might be a chance after all. But if she did bring Ashley with her, what then? Would she be able to take care of her? Ashley would become her responsibility. Protecting her in here was no problem since she had magic on her side, but back at home she was completely dependent of others. Would her mother be ok with letting Ashley be part of her family? Would her actual sister be mad that she found another girl with the same name as her? What was the right approach in this situation? Should she tell Ashley that she wasn't mature enough to make this kind of decision? If so, then who would be? Ashley kept staring at her with eyes that said 'Please say yes!'. This was something she wanted, but was that what was the best for her?
”... I don't know...”
”You don't know...?”
”I don't know... This isn't like asking me if i can let you sleep at my house or something... This is bringing you to a completely new set of rules for how our lives would work... I don't have a good head to think about this kind of thing... I need time to decide...”
”... Ok... I understand...”
”But i can promise you one thing...”
”...?”
”No matter what world you end up living in... I'll make sure you are happy in it!”
”... Promise...?”