“Holy shit, duck!” Eliam cried.

  They both hit the ground as the boulder whooshed over their head and crashed into the ground right behind them. A large cloud of dust burst into the air, temporarily blinding them.

  A large rush of footsteps started moving their way, and Eliam knew they were in trouble. Any creature that can chuck a boulder like that is not something to be taken lightly.

  “I don’t have a weapon,” Nemina cried.

  Oh, right, she used Frostlight. How did we not think of that?

  Eliam glanced at the dagger he had strapped to his waist and sighed. As soon as the dust cleared, he tossed Frostlight back at Nemina, and she grabbed it easily. Thankfully, the katana had no qualms this time.

  A few seconds later, the source of the footsteps came into view. A massive brown humanoid thing was rushing them.

  “It’s a sasquatch,” Eliam muttered.

  “We’re dead,” Nemina said.

  The sasquatch roared as it sprinted toward them. Nemina burst into action as she immediately activated what Eliam assumed to be the cold berserk skill. Her eyes went blue, and she started moving toward the enemy.

  Eliam narrowed his eyes and activated his unseen skill. His goal was to ambush the sasquatch while it was distracted by Nemina.

  As soon as Nemina and the sasquatch neared each other, it swiped down at her. The speed at which it did so was inhumane. If Eliam had to guess, this was the highest-level creature he had ever faced up to this point.

  Still, Nemina barely managed to dodge and took the opportunity to slash upward. Frostlight sliced through the sasquatch, but it wasn’t enough to take it down. It wasn’t even close to enough.

  The sasquatch roared as it stomped on the ground in a fit of rage. Eliam watched in horror as Nemina took a glancing blow from one of them. She was sent flying backward and smashed into the side of the mountain. She didn’t get up.

  Eliam silently groaned as he took a detour to her. He picked up Frostlight, grabbing the attention of the sasquatch. It couldn’t see him, but it could see Frostlight disappearing from out of thin air.

  It began to rush the area, but Eliam was already behind it. A few small cuts started to mark the sasquatch’s back from Eliam’s aura, but it was clear it would take way too long to deal any meaningful damage. He brought the katana back and took a deep breath. He then swung Frostlight straight toward the sasquatch’s neck.

  It tried to dodge and nearly did, but it wasn’t fast enough. Eliam carved the weapon through its neck. It didn’t penetrate enough to behead the sasquatch, but the damage should have been enough to kill it.

  That’s exactly why Eliam was so surprised when the sasquatch didn’t drop to the ground. Instead, a red glow came about it as it screeched.

  It just used some sort of skill. Fuck.

  The sasquatch hadn’t healed itself as there was blood gushing out of its neck wound, but it also wasn’t dead. Quite the opposite.

  The sasquatch crashed its fists into the ground, causing the ground to shift. Eliam struggled not to trip as the sasquatch rushed him.

  Eliam knew he probably would not have a good time trying to dodge this beast. Instead, he used his blink skill and teleported behind the sasquatch. As it crashed its fists into the ground, he slashed at the back of the Sasquatch’s neck. His blade cut the other half of the original cut, and the sasquatch’s head was only held on by the middle. Needless to say, that was not sustainable.

  Eliam felt a rush of essence enter Frostlight. The creature had been a fiend.

  The sasquatch grumbled as it collapsed onto the ground, its head ripping off its body. It rolled up to Eliam, staring at him with blank eyes.

  He looked away and turned his attention to Nemina. He quickly ran up to her and checked to see if she was okay.

  Thankfully, as soon as he moved her around a bit, she glanced up at him. “Huh, am I alive?”

  “Yes, Nemina, you are… Now, let’s get a move on. I don’t want to find out if that sasquatch had friends,” he said.

  She nodded and got up. She was a little shaky, but alive. That was good enough for Eliam.

  They pushed forward, only stopping until they found a little spot that was somewhat hidden between the mountains. Nemina would need a moment to rest and regain her health. Sleep may not have been as necessary when one leveled up, but it was for regaining MP and HP.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Once they settled, Nemina did something out of character. She struck up a conversation.

  “This sasquatch… why did you call the Gorelex fiend this?” Nemina asked.

  “Gorelex? I guess I just have some nicknames for stuff.” Eliam shrugged. “Just some weird personal stuff, I guess.”

  Nemina shook her head. “Frostlight loves you. You know all this random information. You knew how to walk around the cathedral. Plus all these other little oddities. I know I said I don’t need to know, but I want to.”

  Eliam sighed. “You are going to think I am crazy or that I am lying.”

  Nemina shook her head. “You don’t understand. All of this is already crazy. I just need an explanation, even if its a shitty one.”

  Should I really tell her? Usually, the answer would be an instant no, but right now, she seems different. Almost vulnerable.

  “Fine.” Eliam sighed. “I’m stuck in a sort of time loop. Well, it’s a little more complex than that, but that’s the simplest way to explain it for now. Every time I die, I reappear in the canyon that's right before the entrance to the cathedral. I’ve been doing this for a while now.”

  Nemina gaped at him and stayed silent for a moment. “You’re right, I don’t believe you.”

  Eliam chuckled as he shrugged. “It’s the truth.”

  “A pretty shitty one then.” Nemina sighed. “I guess maybe I don’t want the shitty answers then.”

  They stayed silent for a moment before Nemina spoke up again.

  “Thanks,” she said softly.

  “Huh?” Eliam said in bewilderment.

  The high and mighty Nemina saying thank you? Was it truly possible? Am I witnessing reality?

  She began to blush as she turned away. “For saving me… Even if you’re full of shit, that was pretty okay of you.”

  Eliam waved her off. “Of course, I would save you. We’re a team.”

  Oh shit. I guess in this timeline, I haven’t known Nemina for very long, huh? It’s been less than a day for her. For me, it’s been so much longer.

  Nemina rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. Don’t forget why I came with you.” She pointed at Frostlight. “I have to protect it, no matter what.”

  Eliam looked away, stifling a pretend laugh. He felt kind of sad. They had gone so much together, and each loop, it was as if none of it ever happened.

  Would Nemina still be this cold toward me, or would she have grown to like me over time? I don’t know.

  Still, Eliam knew this was just as much a blessing as it was a curse. He didn’t want to know what would have happened to Nemina’s mental state if she remembered what had happened in the harpy den.

  Shit, I don’t know what my mental state is like. I went through hell, but nothing like what happened to Nemina. If I didn’t escape, a similar fate would have probably awaited me.

  Eliam visibly shivered at the thought, forgetting his conversation with Nemina.

  “Look…” Nemina muttered. “Truthfully, it kind of feels like I know you well despite meeting you yesterday. I’m not sure how that’s possible, but I still don’t buy your stupid time loop story.”

  “Really?” Eliam asked.

  Nemina nodded. “Yeah…but at the end of the day, I still don’t know you. Feelings are just feelings.”

  Eliam let out a laugh. “I can’t argue with that logic.”

  “Good, now, I’m going to get some sleep. You should, too. We both need to be ready to fight tomorrow,” Nemina suggested.

  Eliam nodded and put his back up on the rugged floor. Nemina did the same, and soon, they both slept.

  ***

  Eliam learned a very important lesson that night. There was a reason that humans learned to enjoy the comforts of a nice, soft bed. Sleeping in a cave had been one of the worst experiences of his life.

  As soon as he awakened, he felt a horrible ache in his back. It immediately started to fade, but he could imagine what would happen if this were real life. His body was strengthened there.

  Nemina awoke soon after, and then, they were back on the trail. Eliam followed Nemina as she carefully guided them through the mountainous terrain. Eventually, they came across a rather disturbing scene.

  There was a campsite in front of them. It had clearly been abandoned for a very long time, and Eliam immediately knew why.

  As they investigated, they found more and more skeletons lying around. Quite a number of people inhabited the campsite. Eliam didn’t need to guess to know what happened.

  Just as they were about to continue out of the campsite, a shiny glimmer caught his eye. There was a katana sticking out of the ground, almost as if it were waiting for them. Eliam glanced at Nemina, who was out of a weapon.

  “What?” Her gaze fell to the katana, and her eyes widened. “I see. It may work.”

  She walked up to the weapon and pulled it out. “It’s nothing special, just has the basic katana skills, but it will work.”

  “Basic katana skills?” Eliam asked.

  “Uh, yeah, the default ones for every newly forged weapon?” Nemina said as if it were common knowledge.

  That’s probably because it was.

  “Oh, yeah, those,” Eliam let out a nervous chuckle.

  Nemina rolled her eyes as she continued forward. “You really are an odd one.”

  They continued forward, only pausing once a strong scent hit the air.

  “What is that?” Eliam said.

  Nemina didn’t respond as her eyes sharpened. She slowly moved forward, prompting Eliam to do the same.

  As quiet as a mouse, they stepped into a small overlook of another clearing. Except this one was much different from the last.

  There were three sasquatches standing inside it.