Chapter 5 – The First Drop of Blood

Mina couldn't move.

The enormous Treant stood before her.

Its roots crawled across the forest floor like living serpents.

Its branches shifted overhead.

Every creak of its wooden body made Mina's heart beat faster.

She tightened her grip around her wooden sword.

"...Okay."

Her voice trembled.

"Think."

She looked at the trapped girl.

The girl was still stuck high above them.

Then Mina looked at the Treant.

Then at her wooden sword.

She stared at it.

"...This is useless."

The Treant moved.

Mina's eyes widened.

"OH NO."

A root suddenly shot toward her.

Mina jumped aside.

The root slammed into the ground.

"That was close!"

Another root came from behind.

Mina turned.

"Wait—!"

The root wrapped around her ankle.

"AH!"

She fell.

The root lifted her off the ground.

"LET GO!"

Mina grabbed the root with both hands.

It didn't move.

"Come on!"

The root suddenly swung.

"WAAAAH!"

Mina was thrown across the forest floor.

She landed hard and rolled several times before stopping.

"Owwww..."

She slowly lifted her head.

Her wooden sword was several feet away.

The Treant continued advancing.

Mina stared.

This is bad.

Another root slammed into the ground beside her.

Mina scrambled backward.

"Nope!"

She ran.

The root followed.

"STOP CHASING ME!"

Another root appeared.

Mina jumped over it.

"WHY ARE THERE SO MANY?!"

A branch swung.

Mina ducked.

"HEY!"

Another root caught her.

"Again?!"

She was thrown aside.

Mina groaned.

Everything hurt.

Her little body wasn't strong enough.

She couldn't fight something this large.

She couldn't climb the tree.

She couldn't reach the girl.

And she definitely couldn't defeat the monster.

For the first time, Mina began wondering if she had made a terrible mistake.

I should have listened to the warning sign.

She remembered the wooden sign at the entrance.

DO NOT ENTER.

Mina mentally stared at herself.

Future me is going to make fun of present me.

Then something caught her eye.

A dark red drop drifted across the ground.

Mina froze.

The blood from the wolf had begun to spread across the damp forest floor.

A small amount of it moved toward her.

Mina stared.

"...Huh?"

The drop floated.

Mina blinked.

It stopped.

She blinked again.

The blood remained suspended in the air.

"...What?"

She slowly raised her hand.

The blood moved.

Mina's eyes widened.

It followed her hand.

"No way..."

She moved her fingers.

The blood moved with them.

Mina's heart began pounding.

She remembered something.

Blood.

Her mind flashed with images she couldn't explain.

A weapon.

A spell.

A strange sensation.

Something buried deep inside her.

How do I know this?

She didn't know.

But her body seemed to.

Mina slowly pointed toward the Treant.

The blood followed her hand.

"Go."

The blood shot forward.

SHNK!

It pierced through the wooden body of the Treant.

Mina's eyes became enormous.

"...I did that?"

The Treant staggered.

Mina stared at her hand.

Then at the blood.

Then at the monster.

A smile slowly appeared on her face.

"That worked!"

The Treant roared.

Mina's smile disappeared.

"...Okay."

She raised both hands.

"Let's try that again."

Several drops of blood lifted from the ground.

They floated around Mina.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Mina stared at them.

They moved as though they were connected to her thoughts.

"This..."

She couldn't explain the feeling.

It was almost instinctive.

Like she had done it before.

She pointed.

"Go!"

The blood shot forward.

The Treant raised one of its branches.

The blood struck it.

Mina quickly moved her hand.

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Another stream curved around the branch.

It struck the trunk.

The Treant staggered.

Mina's eyes sparkled.

"I can control it!"

She moved her hand again.

The blood followed.

Left.

Right.

Up.

Down.

Mina laughed.

"This is amazing!"

The Treant slammed its roots toward her.

Mina jumped.

"Not now!"

She sent the blood forward.

Another impact shook the tree.

The monster began weakening.

Mina raised her hand.

The remaining blood gathered together.

It formed a long, sharp shape.

Mina stared.

"...A spear?"

She pointed toward the Treant.

"Finish it!"

The blood shot forward.

The Treant let out a deep wooden groan.

Its roots stopped moving.

The enormous creature slowly collapsed.

Branches fell.

Leaves scattered.

The forest became silent.

Mina stood completely still.

She stared at the fallen monster.

Then at her hand.

Then at the blood floating around her.

"...I won."

She blinked.

"I actually won."

Her legs suddenly became weak.

"Ah..."

She dropped onto the ground.

"Never mind."

She was exhausted.

Her breathing became heavy.

Her entire body felt like it had run a marathon.

"I hate magic..."

She paused.

"...But I also love magic."

"Mina!"

A voice came from above.

Mina looked up.

The missing girl was still trapped.

"Oh!"

Mina slowly stood.

She walked toward the tree.

"Don't worry!"

She looked at the remaining roots.

Then at the girl.

"I'll get you down."

Using the last of her strength, Mina controlled a few drops of blood.

They wrapped around a branch.

She pulled.

The branch lowered.

The girl carefully climbed down.

When her feet touched the ground, she immediately ran toward Mina.

"Thank you!"

Mina smiled.

"You're welcome."

Then she nearly fell over.

"Whoa!"

The girl caught her arm.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Mina smiled weakly.

"...Probably."

The girl looked at the forest around them.

"We have to leave."

Mina nodded.

"Yeah."

She picked up her wooden sword.

Then she looked at the fallen Treant.

She didn't feel proud anymore.

She felt tired.

And a little frightened.

She had learned something important.

This world wasn't just beautiful.

It was dangerous.

Very dangerous.

Mina and the girl began walking back toward the village.

The girl introduced herself along the way.

"My name is Liora Evercrest."

Mina smiled.

"Liora."

She nodded.

"That's pretty."

"Thank you."

Mina looked back toward the forest.

Her eyes landed on the place where the wolf had fallen.

She stopped.

Liora looked at her.

"What is it?"

Mina was quiet.

Then she walked back a few steps.

The wolf lay still beneath the trees.

Mina crouched down.

She didn't touch it.

She simply looked at it.

"You were annoying."

Liora blinked.

"...What?"

Mina looked at the wolf.

"You chased me."

She smiled sadly.

"But..."

Her expression softened.

"You also helped me."

The wolf had charged the Treant.

If it hadn't...

Mina might not have discovered her strange power in time.

She lowered her head.

"Thank you."

For a moment, the forest was silent.

Mina stood.

"I won't forget you."

She turned away.

And continued walking.

Something inside her felt different.

Her hand still carried traces of the strange red power she had used.

The blood had awakened something inside her.

Something she didn't understand yet.

But for the first time...

She had touched the power hidden inside herself.

By the time they reached the edge of the forest, Mina was exhausted.

Liora was tired too.

Mina looked at her.

"Can you walk?"

Liora nodded.

"Yes."

"Good."

Mina held her hand.

"Let's go home."

The village guards immediately noticed them.

One guard nearly dropped his spear.

"Wait!"

Another guard turned.

"Is that—?"

"Liora!"

The guards rushed forward.

Liora's eyes widened.

"My parents!"

One of the guards immediately ran toward the village.

"She's been found!"

People began gathering.

"What?"

"Evercrest's daughter?"

"She's alive!"

"Where was she?"

"Who found her?"

Mina stood beside Liora.

The crowd stared at the seven-year-old girl.

One guard looked at Mina.

"...You?"

Mina smiled awkwardly.

"Hello."

The guard stared.

Then at Liora.

Then back at Mina.

"...You found her?"

Mina nodded.

"Yes."

"Where?"

"The East Forest."

The guard's expression changed.

"The East Forest?!"

Mina nodded.

"And there was a Treant."

Everyone became silent.

"A Treant?"

Mina nodded again.

"I defeated it."

Silence.

Someone coughed.

Another person whispered:

"...She did what?"

Mina suddenly realized how ridiculous that sounded.

"I mean..."

She scratched her cheek.

"It wasn't that hard."

Everyone stared.

Mina looked away.

"...Okay, it was hard."

A few moments later, a man and woman came running down the street.

"Liora!"

The girl immediately ran toward them.

"Mom!"

Her mother hugged her tightly.

Her father knelt beside her.

"You're safe..."

He looked like he could barely believe it.

He hugged his daughter.

"We thought we'd lost you."

Liora smiled.

"I'm okay."

Her mother looked toward Mina.

"Who brought her back?"

Liora pointed.

"Her."

Everyone looked at Mina.

Mina suddenly became nervous.

The father approached.

"You found my daughter?"

Mina nodded.

"Yes."

He lowered himself to her height.

"Thank you."

Mina smiled.

"You're welcome."

The mother hugged Liora tighter.

Tears of relief filled her eyes.

Then the father remembered something.

"The reward."

He turned toward the guards.

"Bring it."

A small pouch was handed over.

The father placed it in Mina's hands.

"Two gold lumens."

Mina's eyes widened.

She opened the pouch.

Gold coins.

Actual gold coins.

Her face lit up.

"Two thousand copper..."

She whispered.

The nearby adults stared.

Someone laughed.

"She's already counting it."

Mina hugged the pouch.

"That's because I'm financially responsible."

The guard raised an eyebrow.

"You're seven."

"Exactly."

That somehow made everyone laugh.

By the time Mina returned to Saint Lumina...

The sun was already rising.

She quietly approached the church.

She looked at the windows.

Nobody appeared awake.

Mina smiled.

"Perfect."

She slipped inside.

Quietly.

Very quietly.

She walked down the hallway.

No one saw her.

She entered her room.

Closed the door.

And collapsed onto the bed.

"...I did it."

She smiled.

"I didn't get caught."

She looked at the pouch.

Then at her hands.

Then at the wooden sword beside her.

Her eyes slowly closed.

"Tomorrow..."

She yawned.

"...I'll buy the hat."

And she fell asleep.

Several hours later...

Sister Elena walked into the room.

She looked at the bed.

Mina was sleeping peacefully.

Sister Elena smiled.

"Still sleeping?"

She walked closer.

Then stopped.

Her eyes moved toward Mina's hand.

There was a dark red stain across it.

Sister Elena's eyes widened.

"...Mina?"

No response.

"Mina."

Nothing.

Sister Elena leaned closer.

"Mina!"

Mina suddenly woke up.

"WHAT?!"

She sat straight up.

Her hair was completely messy.

"What happened?!"

Sister Elena grabbed her shoulders.

"What happened to your hand?!"

Mina looked down.

Her eyes widened.

"...Oh."

She had completely forgotten.

The blood.

The forest.

The Treant.

The wolf.

Everything.

Sister Elena stared at her.

"Mina."

"Yes?"

"Why is there blood on your hand?"

Mina froze.

Her brain began working at maximum speed.

Think.

Think.

THINK.

"I..."

Sister Elena waited.

Mina swallowed.

"...fell."

"Fell?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"...Outside."

"Outside where?"

Mina looked toward the window.

"...Outside outside."

Sister Elena's eye twitched.

"Mina."

Mina smiled nervously.

"Yes, Sister Elena?"

"Where were you last night?"

Mina's smile disappeared.

"..."

Sister Elena crossed her arms.

"...Mina."

Mina slowly pulled the blanket over her head.

"I'm sleeping."

Sister Elena stared at the blanket.

"You cannot sleep through an interrogation."

From underneath the blanket came a tiny voice.

"Watch me."

Sister Elena sighed.

"Mina!"

The blanket suddenly moved.

"Okay! Okay!"

Mina peeked out.

She knew she was in trouble.

And unfortunately...

She had absolutely no idea how she was going to explain how a seven-year-old girl had gone into a dangerous forest...

Found a missing child...

Defeated a Treant...

And came home before breakfast.

Sister Elena stared at her.

Mina stared back.

"...Can I explain after breakfast?"

"No."

"...After lunch?"

"No."

"...After I buy a hat?"

"Mina!"

"Okay! Okay!"

And just like that...

Mina's peaceful morning was over.