The forest stretched wide and endless around them, its green canopy spilling dappled sunlight onto the winding dirt path. Moss blanketed the gnarled roots of trees, and the scent of damp earth and leaves lingered in the cool morning air. Birds chirped from hidden branches, and now and then, a breeze stirred the treetops with a low, rustling whisper.
Lif walked beside Liora, hands tucked into his coat pockets, boots crunching softly on the trail. He glanced at her now and then. Her silver eyes seemed almost glasslike in the sunlight, reflective and unreadable, and her pointed ears twitched faintly at every sound. She moved like someone who'd lived her whole life in places like this—graceful, light-footed, alert.
It still felt surreal. A week ago, they were strangers. Now they were traveling together.
The silence stretched between them, not uncomfortable exactly, just... present. The rhythm of their footsteps filled the space where words might go.
Eventually, Liora spoke, her voice soft but clear. "It's quiet today."
Lif arched a brow and gave her a look. "We literally got jumped by that Fluffhorn thing, like, ten minutes ago. What part of that says 'quiet' to you?"
She smiled faintly, a little crooked. "It was loud then. It's quiet now."
He snorted. "You've got a weird idea of peaceful."
She shrugged and kicked a small pebble off the trail, watching it bounce off a root. Then she turned to him, silver eyes catching a glint of light. "Hey, Lif. You ever tried enchanting your body with mana?"
Lif blinked. "Enchant my body? You mean like... glowing or something?"
She let out a soft snort. "No, idiot. I mean mana enhancement. Channeling mana into your body—to boost your strength, speed, reflexes. That sort of thing."
"Ohhh." Lif looked down at his hands. "Yeah, no. Never done that. Pretty sure I don't have enough mana for it anyway."
Liora stopped walking and tilted her head toward him. "wait really then how do You move like that??... Nevermind, Let's try it now."
"Right now?"
She shrugged again, calm as ever. "Nothing's trying to kill us at the moment. Might as well get stronger before the next thing does."
Lif scratched the back of his head. "Alright, alright. What do I do?"
"Close your eyes," she said gently. "Focus on the energy in your chest. It might feel like warmth. Or pressure. Once you find it, try guiding it into your arms or legs. Slowly. Carefully."
He closed his eyes, brow furrowing. A few long seconds passed. He shifted uncomfortably. "I got nothing."
"Try again," Liora said, stepping a little closer. "Slower this time. Don't push. Mana's like water. If you shove it too hard, it'll just spill out."
Lif grumbled under his breath but tried again. This time, he felt something. A flicker behind his ribs, like a quiet heartbeat. But the second he reached for it, it slipped away.
"Ugh. This is annoying."
Without warning, Liora stepped forward and slid his sword from its scabbard.
"Hey—!" Lif reached out, but she was already moving.
"Watch."
She turned slightly, raised the blade, and slashed toward a slender tree across the clearing. She didn't use much force—it was a lazy motion, almost bored.
The tree didn't just shake. It split. Clean down the middle. The top half creaked, slid sideways, and slammed into the undergrowth with a thunderous crash.
Lif gawked. "What the hell?!"
Liora handed the sword back like she'd swatted a fly. "Mana enchantment," she said, as if that explained everything.
He stared at the bisected trunk, slack-jawed. "Holy crap."
She crossed her arms and raised a brow. "Such a big reaction for child's play."
"You say that like it's normal to cut a tree in half with a flick."
She gave him a sly grin.
Lif took a deep breath, steadied his grip on the sword, and closed his eyes again. He could still feel that flicker of energy—small, flickering behind his ribs. This time, he didn't chase it. He waited. Let it pulse.
Then, gently, he guided it into his arms.
His skin tingled. A faint shimmer danced over his forearms like heat rising off stone.
He grinned. "I think I got it."
Then he swung.
A wave of raw energy burst from the blade. The air cracked like thunder. A massive gash split across the ground. A rock near the edge shattered into pieces.
The recoil sent Lif flying backward.
He hit the dirt with a loud grunt and lay there for a moment, dazed, eyes wide.
"Ughhh..."
Liora was already walking toward him, arms folded. Her expression was unreadable—half exasperation, half... something else.
Lif sat up, cradling his bruised arms. "Ow. Okay. That hurt like hell."
She stopped beside him, tilting her head slightly. "You definitely used too much mana."
"Didn't think it'd hit me that hard," he muttered, wincing.
"You basically dropkicked yourself with your own spell," she said dryly.
Lif gave a tired laugh. "I guess I did."
She giggled slightly. Then, without thinking much of it, she reached out and brushed a bit of dirt off his shoulder.
He blinked. She quickly pulled her hand back and looked away.
They didn't say anything for a while. Eventually, when he was back on his feet and had caught his breath, they kept walking.
The silence returned, but it felt less empty now. More like a quiet rhythm they both shared.
After a while, Lif spoke again. "Hey… can I ask something?"
Liora glanced over. "Sure."
"You said you've never really fought before, right? So how come you move like that with weapons?"
She chuckled under her breath. "I'm not that good with weapons. Mana enhancement does most of the work."
"But those men caught you..."
"Exactly," she said, kicking a twig off the path. "If I was good with weapons, that wouldn't've happened."
Lif nodded. "Fair."
"My dad taught me some stuff," she added, more quietly now. "But he's not a fighter. He studies mana theory. More books, less blades."
"Sounds smart."
She smiled faintly, then glanced ahead. "He is. Also strict. Very strict."
The forest around them seemed to quiet, the hush between trees like a breath being held.
Then Lif asked, "When you cut that tree earlier… did it hurt?"
She looked at him, surprised. "Hurt?"
"Yeah. I mean, using mana that fast. Doesn't it, like, burn or mess you up?"
She tilted her head thoughtfully, then smirked. "not really your mana cant Hurt You... But If You lose control or use too much mana, Like you did, it will Hurt like hell"
"Great," he muttered. "So I was, what, a step away from exploding?"
"Maybe." Her voice was maddeningly casual. "Or snapping your arms like twigs."
He groaned. "You're so reassuring."
She smiled again.
But as they walked, her gaze drifted toward him more often. Not obviously—just little glances. When he wasn't looking. When he laughed at himself or brushed leaves from his messy hair or muttered under his breath in frustration.
He was rough around the edges, sure. Kind of reckless. Kind of dumb sometimes.
But… he was trying. And something about that made her chest feel warm in a way she didn't expect.
They walked deeper into the woods, toward whatever lay ahead.
And without realizing it, Liora found herself walking just a little bit closer to him than before.