Chapter 39 - Thirty-Seven (1/2)

When I woke up early them the rest I used the extra time to try and settle my mind because, mind you, I didn't need much to overthink; my thoughts alone were enough; and now with all the information that Leo gave me and the possibility of him being a reincarnated, well … let just say that distracted would be an underestimated for my state right now.

Once the sun was up, however, we cleaned up the place and ate breakfast as Leo started:

”You want to keep this one then?”

He said, pointing at Shrum as he nimble one of the coconuts in my bowl. I nod, filling up my own cheek with a full spoon.

”So we will need to make a contract.”

I perched my ears, not liking the sound of that.

”What type of contract?” I cross my arms over my chest, looking at him across the campfire.

”Partnership. We will exchange experience and energy, the only downside being that we must stay together.”

”Is that really necessary?”

”He needs exp. to maintain his humanoid form, and as he is unable to fight on his own, so yes.”

”We could feed him the crystals.”

”Indeed we could, but not all creatures have them, and it wouldn't be easy to maintain him like that.”

Still I didn't like the idea but the benefits seemed to surpass the detriments, even more if he needed the exp. so much as to maintain his form… I look at Shrum then, who was filling his cheeks like a hamster, and ask:

”Would you like to stay and make a contract with Leo?”

He looks at me, then to Leonel, and when his mouth is free he says:

”Papa!”

Leo nods. ”Great. Once we get out of here I will bring him with me them.”

A little sad I enjoy the moment I have with the little one and play with him on my palm until we head on our way.

We had a very calm walk, side by side as we watched the island from high up. Some leaves were falling, the stone path becoming more sparse and difficult to walk in, becoming more and more uncared and wild.

I walked a little slower than Leonel because I was still getting used to walking in two legs and there were a lot of holes and uneven stones around, that's why I had a great view of his back.

He was tall for a human, a little higher than an elf from his age, and if I remember correctly elves, on contrary of their a.d.u.l.thood, aged pretty quickly on childhood, making them grownups at the age of 15.

He was 13 then… which meant he was 2 years from being an a.d.u.l.t, been so close that his body was already very well formed beyond his childish face.

But mostly his eyes, they already held something… different. More mature, more… aware.

Maybe the possibility of been a Reincarnated made me more attentive of him, more alert, made me…envision him more as an a.d.u.l.t than the child he still is.

Leo stops then and turns towards me, suddenly reaching out and pushing my hair off of my face as the tip of his fingers brush against my cheeks, making my face heat up as his palm brings forth strands of my hair, letting a leave fall down as he says:

”It was stuck in your hair for a while now.”

His voice sounded normal but I could see some mischievous glint in his eyes and a small smirk curving his lips as he turns and start to walk away slowly.

Wait… his surprise attack stunned me, oi! That should be illegal…

Did I blush? Did I? Yeah, yeah, definitely blushed...

That requires a revenge.

With a smirk of my own I trot forward, passing him while my arms were on my back, and slap his butt with my whiptail.

I see him jump, as stunned as I had been, and I give back the same cheeky remark:

”There was a bug on your butt for quite some time now, it was starting to bother me…”

Before, however, I could walk away victorious, he seems to recover rather fast and makes my own smirk die out when one of his own grow on his face:

”Then you should just have stopped starting at it …”

”Wh-! I wasn't checking it out!”

He crooks his head a little, raising both eyebrows questionably. He walks a little close, for some reason making my heart race, never taking off his eyes from mine, but when I was expecting something to happen, been so close to him, he passes me with a smile on his eyes.

You cheeky bastard…

Wait! What was I expecting to happen?! Yo-you stupid, shitty stupid mutt! Get a hold of yourself Thilgon for God's sake!

I clean my throat before fixing my hair and following him up the path. Walking until we reached the end of the energy river that lead us to be standing on top of the highest hill overlooking the entire island.

The place didn't look any different from the rest of the island until we reached its center. Inside there was a circle of water hidden by rocks on the sides and a single pillar appearing from the middle.

I looked inside the crystal clear water and almost thought to be at the end of a cliff; I could see how deep it was, possibly reaching until the end of the mountain and connecting into the sea.

I won't even question that.

Wasn't the worst thing I saw around here for sure.

The only problem was that, of course, the door wasn't on land but deep inside that circular whole filled with water for who knows how long and deep.

Just great.

”Great, now what do we do… Leo, the door is aght-!”