C13 Deliver the Token!

"I need to take this road back home. Have you forgotten I'm from the village? This is my way back..." Mileson said.

"Oh! If this is your way home, then I'll step aside and let you through. Be careful crossing the river, though. You don't know how to swim, do you? I wouldn't want to have to rescue you from those blood-sucking leeches again..." Rupert said, recalling the unpleasant sensation of the furry, saliva-covered creature clinging to him.

Mileson, innocent and without guile, simply looked up at the man and asked, "Must you really go up the mountain? It's quite perilous. I've heard people often can't last more than a couple of hours up there before they're completely parched!"

Rupert nodded with a smile. "I'm not keen on going, but I need to deliver these two tokens to the people of Ofanlenor on the mountain. Once I've done that, I can head home."

"May I see these two tokens you're carrying?" Rupert, without suspicion, retrieved the items from his bag.

"Ah! The treasure and the Key of Heaven. These are indeed tokens from the village. I've seen the Key of Heaven once as a child. You're certainly qualified to go up the mountain, but the village won't welcome you. It's best you head back quickly to avoid trouble. There are many skilled martial arts instructors there. And I can't guide you up the mountain myself. You'll have to rely on a boat from the opposite bank or use your own Lightness Skill to leap across. Do you think you can manage that?"

Rupert pondered for a moment. The idea of leaping across the river in a single bound seemed impossible unless one had divine powers. But then he remembered Monk Kerwin's explanation of the five elements and their interactions, as well as the existence of strange elements in the world that could change according to the magnetic field's sequence. He wondered if there was an issue with the water.

Rupert gestured towards the driftwood on the shore, creating a gust of wind that scattered the logs. They sank at different rates, but the log Mileson had used felt unusually heavy, likely due to its unique material properties. "Mileson, do you want to get back to the other side? I could use your log. I'll help you return. What do you say?"

"Could there be danger? It's natural for everyone to feel some concern, yet no one has sunk to the depths."

"Trust me, nephew. It's better to try than to just stand here dumbfounded..." Rupert reassured. Mileson seemed to take comfort in his uncle's confidence. Rupert cradled Spark in his arms and balanced Mileson on his elbow.

"Hey! Mileson, stay alert. If you fall into the water before we reach the shore, swim straight for it. Don't worry about me, got it?" Rupert said as he nonchalantly picked up a small plank and placed it behind him, poised for the right moment to act.

Rupert, who had been waiting for a lull in the waves, sensed an opportune moment. "You need to be careful too," he advised.

"Mm..." Rupert smiled, a mix of solemnity and authority. He hoisted the tree with his right hand, noting its weight. His past experience in farming came in handy; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to lift and hurl it toward the opposite bank. Let's go!

Rupert launched the log, which bobbed away on the waves. He then scooped up Mileson and leaped onto the log, picking up the plank from behind and paddling forward. The water bubbled furiously around them. Mileson cried out a warning just as the rear end was bitten off by something. Rupert jumped in surprise. "What is that? We need to paddle faster, the Big Mouth Beast is here, and others might follow..."

Despite their smooth start, the plank was surprisingly fragile, breaking after just a few dozen meters. "Snap!" went the plank. What now? An unknown creature from beneath the water snapped at their makeshift raft—dangerous! How to resolve this pressing crisis? Rupert seemed deflated...

"Heh, no point in paddling. We're just spinning in circles, and it's exhausting. This log will sink eventually. I thought there might be some elemental counteracting technique! But in the end, it's just a natural barrier, with a deep vortex hidden within..."

Realizing the nature of this obstacle due to the turbulent undercurrents in the deep pool, Rupert decided not to run but to let it sink. Was this madness? In a flash, Rupert clutched Mileson and, seizing the moment when the Big Mouth Beast opened wide, used his Lightness Skill to leap forward. In no time, they reached the safety of the shore.

He should have breathed a sigh of relief, but before he could catch his breath, an arrow whizzed out of the woods, aimed directly at them! Rupert was taken aback and cried out, "Be careful!" But his grip failed, and Mileson plunged into the water.

Knowing Rupert had instructed him to swim to shore no matter what, Mileson fought his way to land. Once ashore, he didn't bother to check for blood-sucking leeches clinging to his body; instead, he frantically searched for Rupert.

Mileson called out repeatedly, but the only response was the stirring of the water by the Big Mouth Beast, sending large waves crashing around him. No other sign of Rupert. Overwhelmed by despair, Mileson wept, "Ah! You poor soul, you lost your life trying to save me. If it weren't for me, you could've passed through here with ease. Ah, your death is such a wrongful one..."

"Mm, mm, your cries are so heart-wrenching. How unjustly he must have died! Why don't you clarify for us, so we can all share in your grief?" A voice from behind him interrupted his sorrow. Was it the archer? If so, such impudence deserved a rebuke...

Wiping away tears and snot, Mileson turned and lamented, "Ah? You don't understand, he was a good man, trying to save me. He, he, he might have been devoured by that Big Mouth Beast, leaving no trace. It's my fault he's gone..."

Wait, who's speaking to me? The voice sounded oddly familiar. Mileson looked up and exclaimed, "Haha... you're alive!"

Mileson alternated between tears and laughter, embracing Rupert with the pure-hearted fervor of a child who hadn't felt such care and encouragement in ages. Surely, many others would resonate with such feelings.

From the woods emerged a man standing six feet tall, clad in a tight blue outfit, with a bow and arrow slung across his back. He bellowed, "Mileson, look at you, lounging around here while the whole village, young and old, is out searching for you! Here you are, weeping and wailing with a stranger. Have you forgotten the rules of Ofanlenor? Outsiders are forbidden here. Are you unaware? Several groups of outsiders have entered recently, and I suspect you might be the one leading them in..."

Brother You, please hear me out: "This person saved my life. I already advised against entering. I swear, even in death, I would never betray our homeland. My life is my pledge..."

"There's no need for idle chatter. You've been away for days! The whole village has been preoccupied with your affairs, neglecting their own. Do you think that's fair?"