Endergirl (SLOW UPDATES)

Chapter 11: Pop

I saw Isaac plotting out of the corner of my eye. "Except... David would have recovered on his own, eventually. Aaaaand, you're the one that injured him in the first place."

Amber tensed, as if she was trapped. The conversation was quickly becoming stressful for her, so I spoke up. "It doesn't matter. Amber, you don't owe me anything. As far as I'm concerned, we're even."

Our eyes met, only for a split second... But it was as if a whole conversation had passed between us.

"I'll stay until you can get home. But after that, I'm leaving." She replied, a renewed goal refreshing her composure.

The creeper, who had been watching the exchange, groaned. "All I accomplished was keeping her around longer..." He rubbed his neck in irritation and began moving towards the edge of the cliff face. "Whatever, let's get some food and start training again."

Sprinting towards the once daunting obstacle, I sprung off of the ground, straightening my posture into a dive. It was a terrifying few moments as I watched the rough bark of the oak rush past underneath me. As my momentum slowed, I began to descend. My fingers brushed the surface of dirt on the other side and I curled into a ball, rolling over my shoulder. The technique took effect, allowing me to lose speed and cushion my fall. I stood up smoothly, unhurt and unscathed.

"I'm the best teacher ever." Isaac boasted from the other side of the clearing.

The truth was that Amber had been the real teacher. The only problem I had, was thinking too much. Strategizing, considering every movement. I still struggled occasionally, breaking a habit wasn't easy after all. Still, the more I trusted my body over my brain, the easier it was to pull off Isaac's commands. And Amber had been the one to remedy the broken pattern.

Much to Isaac's disdain, she sat high above us, on the same branch she had the day before, completely ignoring him while she whittled down her new bow. So far, I had learnt a series of vaults and how to cushion myself from a fall. What would seem like a nullifying amount of information was surprisingly easy to remember. My limbs seemed to recall the movements precisely when they were called for without much difficulty at all.

"What's next?" I asked expectantly.

My teacher looked at the fallen oak thoughtfully. "Uhh... There's not much else to learn..."

Dropping from her perch, Amber turned and began walking towards the wall of trees that surrounded us. "Follow me."

Glancing at each other first, Isaac and I quickly caught up to the girl who didn't seem to care if we followed or not.

I swallowed. "What exactly are we doing here?"

The cave opening that stood before us echoed hisses and groans from unseen horrors. A darkness, darker than night, covered every surface. Amber bent her bow against her thigh, propping it on the ground. Her technique was elegantly refined, and it seemed to cost her no effort to string the weapon. Stepping back, she tested the draw, tweaked it a little, but seemed satisfied.

She looked up at me. "Training and iron."

"Iron?"

"For your sword."

She made a valid point, without a sword there wasn't much I could do... Which was probably why I was so opposed to entering the caverns with only a stone pickaxe in my hands. "You can't be serious." Both Isaac and the girl ignored me, tightening their belts and readying their equipment. I sighed, giving up. "So what's the plan?"

Amber looked up, somewhat confused. Both of the mobs glanced at each other and then back to me. "You go first."

"That's your plan?!" Apparently strategy was a completely unused term here.