With a smile on his face, Malon took his sword, putting it in the sheath of the belt that was on his waist, and headed towards the exit of his house, which was a pretty huge mansion that also had a dojo on the first floor. At its entrance, there was a wooden sign written with carved letters.
[Red Eagle Dojo]
Just a few steps beyond the door, Malon heard a voice coming from the side.
"Finally, spent all this time sleeping?" Ailen said while resting his back agaisnt a tree.
With a smile on his face, Malon turned and saw that next to the door was an archer leaning with his arms crossed on a tree.
It was Ailen, who was wearing a leather coat and a red scarf with the string of his bow attached to his back for him to carry it. He was wearing pants with blue fabric and leather boots, his hair was spiked up, and after speaking, he opened it his green eyes.
"No... I... ended up being attacked by a... troll?..." Malon said while rolling his eyes.
"That was the worst lie you ever said. You should have just said you overslept," Ailen said and then approached.
Malon smiled nervously, which was answered with a serious look, but then Ailen sighed with a smile.
"You always do that... you are such a pain in the ass," Ailen shrugged
"Sorry, Ailen, let's go hunting, and on the way back, I'll carry the hunt myself," Malon declared while tapping on his biceps. "That will be a decent workout."
"Fine, next time you'll be late again, and I'll ask you to fetch my arrows too," Ailen nodded.
"Yeah, right... Let's go." Malon said.
Pretty eager to have a good hunt, Malon walked towards the forest, and Ailen moved away from the wall to follow the swordsman. Still, before they went, Malon heard a female voice calling him.
If he could, Aion would facepalm. He could tell that Malon probably had the same age as him. Still, for some reason, such a life and behavior made him quite uncomfortable. Or perhaps watching all that was the problem.
"Malon, you forgot it again,"
Malon hurriedly turned around, slightly startled, and looked back to see an adult woman wearing a long white skirt with a red coat and with light brown hair. She was swinging a small bag with rope handles forming an essential backpack. Malon ran towards the woman and spoke.
"Mom...you shouldn't leave the house when you're this sick," Malon said after a long sigh.
"Don't worry, just get your backpack, and I'll be right back. I'm not that sick and old." Malon's mother said.
She spoke with a friendly smile right away, and Malon scratched his head awkwardly.
"Sorry. Thanks, mom." Malon said.
After picking up his backpack, he walked away, and his mother smiled.
"Be careful," Malon's mother said
"Yes, I will," Malon said while waving his hand.
Malon spoke with a smile and feeling a little guilty, but then he turned around and then saw Ailen with a smirk, and then Malon spoke.
"Shut up," Malon frowned
"But I didn't say anything," Ailen said.
"Stay like that," Malon added.
The two were heading towards the forest, and Ailen kept his smile as he looked back, seeing Malon's mother saying goodbye. Still, before they left the stone walls of the town, Malon seemed to notice something, and Ailen looked in the same direction seeing an elderly man who was looking at the forest with a faraway look.
Ailen would ignore it, but soon Malon would approach and speak.
"It's been a long time, Master Klaus," Malon said and then bowed.
"Ah... look, if it's not Edward's boy, you've grown up a lot, and I see your father taught you the way of the sword," Klaus said while appraising Malon.
Malon smiled at the old man's words, and then Ailen also approached and asked.
"Do you know each other?" Ailen asked while frowning. "I didn't think that you have many friends of his age, Malon."
"A little... Master Klaus was the one who taught my father to fight," Malon replied.
"Really?" Ailen said, still frowning.
The archer looked at him with curiosity, and the old man laughed a little lower because of his age and spoke.
"Don't overdo it, boy. I'm just an old man now. Where are you going?" Klaus said
"We are heading to the forest... and you? Where are you going?" Ailen asked
He looked straight ahead again as he ran his fingers over his chin, then answered.
"An old friend called me to Dizennia. Apparently, he wants me to teach his boy. These knights no longer respect a man's old age," Klaus replied.
"Let's leave then, Master, have a smooth journey." Malon laughed a little and said.
"Beware of the monsters, boys, don't fight them if you can," Klaus said.
Malon said goodbye, and Ailen followed him as he spoke. "Seems like a good person. A bit weak for a master, though.
A short time later, the two entered the verdant forest, both arming themselves as they looked around and followed a dirt track of footprints, and as they continued, Malon recalled something.
"Hey, Ailen, can you teach me how to do that today? I will hunt without your help one day, and I will need it." Malon said.
"Hm... I don't really like the idea of ??you hunting without me. It's quite unnecessary since we live so close," Ailen replied after thinking for a while. "You need someone who watches you back since you can be pretty careless."
"It's just in case it happens. I don't want to hunt alone since you're a good archer," Malon said and then sighed. "I know of my shortcomings better than anyone else."
"I didn't like the tone you said that... but I have no problem teaching you. Did you bring a knife?" Ailen asked.
Malon looked at Ailen after hearing the question and then immediately put his backpack on his chest, putting his hand to look for something, and then he felt a slight sting on his finger.
"Ugh," Malon said.
"You store a knife in a backpack without some protection… who was the genius who thought that it was a good idea to give you a sword?"
A short time later, with a slightly irritated expression and with his finger bleeding a little, Malon raised a small but sharp knife, and then Ailen nodded.
"It will do... we've already found our Target, after all, " Ailen said while looking forward.
Malon widened his eyes in surprise and looked ahead, and the two watched a wild boar that reached their knees. Ailen wasted no time, positioning himself and concentrating on taking the bow from his chest along with an arrow from his quiver.
The two were silent, and Malon remained static. Still, after a few seconds of concentration, Ailen fired the arrow that was going at high speed towards the boar, hitting its front paw, narrowly missing it to immobilize it, and he noticed that.
"Tsk," Ailen clicked his tongue in annoyance.
The wild boar ran desperately into some bushes, and then Malon frowned.
"Forget what I said. You are a terrible archer," Malon said.
"Shut up," Alien said.
Once again, Aion wanted to sigh… why did he see that… It was taking too much time. He wondered if there was anything really useful for him in that memory. He also wondered if Malon planned that or if it was a coincidence…
The two followed the boar's blood until it left the bushes and kept going further ahead in the forest.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel