Holding Seth on his back with a weapon in hand, Guan Yu felt the sun rays of light shining upon his old skin as they exited their once beloved home while Morgan stood by his side while the blond child strapped a leather bag around his waist, filled with the necessary supplies to aid him in this short journey to the village.
Neither of them would disagree that it felt like ages of not stepping foot outside their comfort zone even though they were literally outdoors a day ago or so, but nevertheless, this doesn't matter right now as long as their friend is getting the proper care he requires to get well again.
Morgan was the first to speak up, taking a couple steps forward before turning to her companions and asking, "Is everyone prepared?" She asked, and her gaze scanned them to see if they were missing something; luckily, that wasn't the case for the moment.
Billy lazily gave her thumps up in a bored smile while Guan Yu silently nodded to affirm her, resulting in the woman sighed in relief before she faced back to their destination, "Over there, this is where we are going," raising her hand and pointing toward the direction of where they ought to go.
The confused teen displayed a troubled look at this predicament: "The village is in the woods." Bewilderment filled his eyes with how it couldn't be possible, but that is what she said when she began walking again, prompting the old man to follow while the boy rushed to catch up with them as they walked behind her.
"Yes, it is," she said without much to it. "Do you have a problem with that?" Her glance to the side of his appearance while they continue to move onward, curious of his response to this new knowledge the boy has gotten from the likes of her.
"What? No," denying her false accusation, "I was surprised there would be villages in the middle of the woods in all places," finding it difficult to believe in such a possibility, "I always thought they were usually built near cities or towns in the wide open," commenting on his personal view of how villages are founded.
Giggling at the boy's ignorance, "there are some villages located in the wild, and there is a reason for that." She stated this truth with much conviction: "once we reach there, you will know the reason why they chose to be in the middle of the forest in the first place," not elaborating on what she has in mind.
There was nothing else to comment on in this conversation; he shrugged nonchalantly before continuing their trek with the group. The old warrior remained silent for the majority of the time as they walked through the tall grasslands with beautiful flowers sprouting through the dirt soil underneath.
All around are trees and plants of various kinds; most are the same while a few are different, yet despite that, the atmosphere is quite peaceful, for the breeze softly blows the air, making the environment somehow more serene than ever before.
This calm walk in the woods was rather boring to Billy; there was no action or anything exciting like what he usually does, but nonetheless, he kept his eyes peeled for any dangers around their surroundings. Although part of him did want something cool to happen,
He knew how dangerous wishes can be after going through the troubles of dealing with them. Nowadays, he is cautious about what he wants, especially when he was possessed by some powerful demon who used him like a damn vessel for it to be used.
Glancing at his unconscious friend, who was still asleep through the whole ordeal, he took notice of the boy's right hand still holding the crucifix throughout everything that had happened. It is amazing to know how the black-haired nerd has always held it since the moment they were transported to this fantasy world.
Looking carefully at the divine cross, many thoughts entered his mind. And many of them are the powers this mysterious relic held in his eyes. If his eyes were not fooling him, Billy knows for certain that it is no ordinary object, for it has hurt and killed demons or anything considerably unholy.
Wondering if he can use such power, Billy wants to try holding it with his bare hands; seeing its capabilities firsthand is definitely something worth seeing. He pondered if he could touch it without suffering whatever it may bring to him.
Will he get burned like those things his friend fought after Asmodeus brought him to some strange dimension? Such a weapon is useful if they ever deal with threats beyond their reach. However, the more curious part is its lethality towards living beings.
Especially other humans. The thought alone is questionable for Billy's rationale. Does it really hurt anyone who wields the golden crucifix, or was it because Seth is actually a magician himself? This is the most puzzling of them all for him.
Taking a glimpse at the old man, he then realized something very unique. Unlike the nerd, Guan Yu is an experienced fighter with strength and prowess beyond anyone he has ever known. And that alone is why he will always hold some respect for him.
"Do any of you want to take a rest?" Morgan politely offered with a genuine smile, "I know it's only been no more than twenty minutes, but I want to make sure none of you are tired from walking this much," wanting them to know that she cared for their well-being.
Hearing this revelation, Billy was shocked at this response: "Seriously? I thought it was only a few minutes!" He wasn't sure how long his thoughts were as he stared at the female magician. "Am I the only one who thinks that way?" Worryingly questioned his friends.
Not surprising when Guan Yu came to answer his question, "You weren't the only one who had noticed it, young one," he responded in his usual voice, "When one is occupied with something else, time moves faster than you expect," wisdom spewing out from his mouth, "it is a strange phenomenon but common for everyone."
Pleased to hear that, the boy awkwardly smiled at this: "Huh, really?" Finding it interesting to learn that fact from someone as old as him, "that would explain a lot of things back in my days," remembering the moments he was too focused on something and only realizing hours later that time had passed him by.
Morgan then interjected in their discussion, "If neither of you are going to answer my question," with a slight pause before continuing her statement, "then we are going to continue moving onward," she told them while a bit disappointed at their lack of interest in taking a break from walking.
This caused the elderly man to laugh slightly at her reaction: "Of course we are fine, but what about you, lady Morgan?" His kindness and concern are evident in the man's voice. "I worry for you as well after everything you have done for us." The gesture in his voice made her blush in embarrassment.
She appreciated his warm and understanding attitude, which was something she had forgotten for a long time from outsiders. "Ah, thank you, but I assure you, I am fine," she said, waving her hand to the side, trying to play off her bashfulness on the topic.
Smiling mischievously, the boy found this opportunity to mess with her. "I never would have thought an old hag would be in love with an old geezer like him," further embarrassing the woman. "Oh well, love is a funny thing, ain't it?" She said it in a dramatic voice that caused her to frown.
"Enough of your nonsense, boy," she quickly countered his claims, "don't you dare call me old ever again or I will curse you with baldness for all eternity," glaring over her shoulder at the boy with a joking tone, "you won't ever hear the end of it if I do."
Guan Yu sighed irritably but nonetheless smiled warmly at their friendly banter, even though he is aware they are simply joking with one another. "Love is a truly beautiful thing in itself," he said, nodding his head with approval, "but what matters is having an understanding of your partner's heart, be it as a friend, lover, or even a parent." The sentence made Billy saddened upon hearing this.
"Love..." Billy was hesitant to talk about it due to his unfortunate history of the matter. "That was a long time ago for me," a melancholic expression replaced his earlier smile. "Sometimes, I forget that love is real, but most of the time, it's just a dream that isn't true," he thought deeply about it in silence.
Catching wind of the young boy's tone, Guan Yu began his speculation, "Dream?" Wanting to know the boy's reasons for choosing to ignore important emotions as an important aspect of life, "may I know what you mean by that, young one?" Politely inquiring and being understanding of his words
Unfortunately, Billy refuses to respond, for it is a painful memory that he doesn't wish to discuss. "Just forget it; I don't want to even talk about this thing," he says, waving off his hand before glancing to the left and right in discomfort, "but can you tell what love is?" Curiously asked about the meaning of it, "since you've mentioned it, of course."
Thinking for the right answer, the old man recalled memories of his time on the battlefield with the comrades he had met and the wonderful wife he once married to: Love is more than just sex; it can also mean to be caring and devotion to those who you care for,explaining to him in in a calm and sincere voice, "some may think of it as mere attraction, passion, or desire; however is so much more than that; it is the greatest emotion for man to have, and no amount of money, power, or fame can replace what it holds in someone's heart," adding to this statement with deep understanding.
"That's...a lot to take in," he couldn't fathom that there are so many elements to it. "Is that what the word means?" Trying to comprehend this vast concept in his brain, "I always thought love was just sex and nothing else; maybe some kisses or something?" Stating his lack of experience in the area, he "guess I'm more naive than I thought."
The elderly man chuckled lightly, "You are too young to think about these kinds of things, young one." The boy pouted childishly at being treated like a kid, "For now, enjoy the times you have left as a child while they last, for once you grow up, the responsibility in life will soon burden you to no ends," giving him advice from his past mistakes in life: "A man should act more mature and reasonable of himself; it is how future generations will look up to him if he behaves otherwise." Surprisingly, Billy can see the reason for him to follow.
"You have a point, old timer," understanding the implications of becoming a better person, "although my childhood was nothing great, at least the time with my mother was somewhat memorable." The last word coming out of his mouth was low in volume as he whispered it under his breath, "that was a long time, and it is better to forget it," attempting to do so in avoiding this uncomfortable topic.
Suddenly, Morgan intervened in the conversation. "I loved someone before," she smiled fondly of that memory before frowning sadly. "Even though my life had been far from perfect, this form of love wasn't romantic but caring and comforting," she glanced to the boy who was listening to her explanation. "Is there someone you had romantic interest in?"
His eyes widen at the question as he remembers how he kissed girl named Cassidy on the lips—the very girl both of them together had promised to one another ever since they were young. But she perished just like his mother, thanks to his own life after turning to become an outlaw, "no one," lying through his teeth with remorse, "I'm more focused on becoming the best there is," seeing how ridiculous it sounded coming from his mouth had made him more vulnerable and foolish in front of his companions.
Silence surrounded them in awkward tension but quickly faded away when their attention was caught by an approaching house in the distance.
