Chapter 139: The Evening

Chapter 139: Chapter 139: The Evening

They ate.

The deer was cooked. The meat was tender. The juices dripped. The smell filled the air.

Fluffy was in heaven.

She had a piece of meat in each hand. She had a piece of meat in her mouth. She had a pile of meat on her lap. She was eating faster than anyone else. She was eating more than anyone else.

"Fluffy," Daniel said. "Slow down."

Fluffy looked at him. Her cheeks were stuffed. Her eyes were wide.

"Fluffy can’t slow down," she mumbled. "Fluffy is hungry."

"You’re always hungry."

"Fluffy knows."

She kept eating. Daniel shook his head. He looked at the others.

Paul was eating quietly. He was tired. He was sore. But he was eating.

Cheeky was eating slowly. She was nervous. She was shy. But she was eating.

Lyra was eating normally. She was calm. She was composed. But she was eating.

Brick Head was eating loudly. He was chewing with his mouth open. He was talking with his mouth full.

"This is good!" he shouted. "This is really good!"

"Brick Head," Daniel said. "Close your mouth."

Brick Head blinked. "What?"

"Your mouth. Close it."

Brick Head closed his mouth. He chewed. He swallowed. He opened his mouth again.

"Sorry," he said. "I forgot."

Daniel sighed. He looked at Mittens.

Mittens was eating quietly. She was small. She was nervous. She was trying to be invisible.

"Mittens," Daniel said.

Mittens flinched. "Yes?"

"You okay?"

She nodded quickly. "Yes. I’m okay."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"You’ve been quiet."

"I’m always quiet."

"I know. But you’ve been quieter than usual."

Mittens was silent. She was thinking. She was processing.

"I’m just... I’m not used to this," she said.

"Not used to what?"

"Being with people. Being part of a group. Being... accepted."

Daniel looked at her. At her nervous face. At her shy eyes. At her trembling hands.

"You’re accepted," he said.

Mittens blinked. "What?"

"You’re accepted. You’re part of the group. You’re part of the family."

Mittens stared at him. Her eyes were wet.

"Really?"

"Really."

She smiled. A real smile. A happy smile.

"Thank you."

---

They finished eating.

They sat around the fire. They were tired. They were full. They were content.

Daniel looked at them. At his team. At his family. At his friends.

"We did good today," he said.

They nodded. They were proud. They were happy.

"We trained. We improved. We got stronger."

They nodded again.

"But we have a long way to go."

They nodded again. They were determined.

"We need to reach stage four. We need to reach stage five. We need to reach the aura realm."

Paul blinked. "The aura realm?"

"Yes."

"That’s... that’s impossible."

"Nothing is impossible."

"Daniel, the aura realm is... it’s a legend. Most people never reach it. Most people never even get close."

"I know. But we have to try."

Paul stared at him. His mouth was open. His eyes were wide.

"You’re serious," he whispered.

"I’m always serious."

"You’re never serious."

"I’m serious now."

Paul was silent. He looked at Daniel. At his calm face. At his determined eyes.

"Okay," he said. "Okay. We’ll try."

Daniel smiled. "Good."

---

Lyra spoke.

"I have a question."

Daniel looked at her. "What?"

"Lord Ashworth. He’s at stage four. He’s very strong. How do we beat him?"

Daniel thought about it. "We get stronger. We reach stage four. We reach stage five. We reach the aura realm."

Lyra blinked. "The aura realm?"

"Yes."

"That’s... that’s impossible."

"Nothing is impossible."

"Daniel, the aura realm is... it’s a legend. Most people never reach it. Most people never even get close."

"I know. But we have to try."

Lyra stared at him. Her mouth was open.

"You’re serious," she whispered.

"I’m always serious."

"You’re never serious."

"I’m serious now."

Lyra was silent. She looked at him. At his calm face. At his determined eyes.

"Okay," she said. "Okay. We’ll try."

---

Cheeky spoke.

"I have a question."

Daniel looked at her. "What?"

"Lord Ashworth. He’s at stage four. He’s very strong. How do we beat him?"

Daniel thought about it. "We get stronger. We reach stage four. We reach stage five. We reach the aura realm."

Cheeky blinked. "The aura realm?"

"Yes."

"That’s... that’s impossible."

"Nothing is impossible."

"Daniel, the aura realm is... it’s a legend. Most people never reach it. Most people never even get close."

"I know. But we have to try."

Cheeky stared at him. Her mouth was open.

"You’re serious," she whispered.

"I’m always serious."

"You’re never serious."

"I’m serious now."

Cheeky was silent. She looked at him. At his calm face. At his determined eyes.

"Okay," she said. "Okay. We’ll try."

---

Brick Head spoke.

"I have a question."

Daniel looked at him. "What?"

"Where are we going?"

Daniel blinked. "I already said. A village. A few days from here."

"Oh. Right." Brick Head nodded. "What’s the village called?"

Daniel looked at Paul. Paul shrugged.

"I don’t know," Paul said.

"You don’t know?"

"I don’t know the name. I just know it’s there."

Daniel sighed. "We’ll find out when we get there."

Brick Head nodded. "Okay."

---

Fluffy spoke.

"Fluffy has a question."

Daniel looked at her. "What?"

"Can Fluffy have more meat?"

Daniel sighed. "Later."

"But Fluffy is still hungry."

"I know."

"Fluffy wants more meat."

"I know."

"Can Fluffy—"

"Later."

Fluffy’s ears drooped. "Okay."

---

Mittens spoke.

"I have a question."

Daniel looked at her. "What?"

"Am I... am I really allowed to come with you?"

Daniel blinked. "What?"

"Am I allowed to come with you? I’m not strong. I’m not useful. I’m just... me."

Daniel looked at her. At her scared face. At her trembling body. At her wet eyes.

"You’re allowed," he said.

Mittens blinked. "What?"

"You’re allowed to come with us. You’re not strong yet. You’re not useful yet. But you will be. We’ll train you. We’ll help you. We’ll make you strong."

Mittens stared at him. Her mouth was open. Her eyes were wide.

"You... you will?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because Fluffy likes you. And Fluffy has good taste."

Mittens looked at Fluffy. Fluffy was smiling. Her tail was wagging.

"Fluffy likes Mittens," Fluffy said. "Mittens is Fluffy’s best friend."

Mittens smiled. A real smile. A happy smile.

"Thank you," she whispered.

---

The fire crackled.

The stars twinkled.

The night was quiet.

Daniel looked at his team. At his family. At his friends.

"We have a long journey ahead of us," he said. "We have a lot of training to do. We have a lot of enemies to defeat."

He paused.

"But we have each other. And that’s enough."

They nodded. They smiled. They were ready.

Daniel lay back. He looked at the stars. At the moon. At the sky.

"Goodnight," he said.

"Goodnight," they replied.

The fire crackled.

The stars twinkled.

The night was quiet.