The Journey of the Illusory Swordsman

Chapter 2: Destiny's Threads

Visibly shaken by the question, Hikari averted her gaze to the starry sky and changed the subject. "Sometimes, I wonder if Hikari, which means 'light,' has any connection to the legend of starlight."

Noticing the sadness in Hikari's eyes, Hiro decided not to push and continued the conversation. He said, "How so?"

Hikari quickly responded, "Nothing, just my thoughts slipping out of my mouth."

Deciding not to press Hikari further as she was clearly unsettled, Hiro changed the topic and asked about King. "The squirrel, his name is King, right?"

Hikari confirmed, "Yes, I found him in a forest in the Elven Kingdom while escaping a terrible storm. As I was running, I saw him lying unconscious on the ground and decided to take him with me. When we arrived home, I started taking care of him until he regained consciousness. When he woke up and realized that I had saved him, he promised to repay the favor. Since then, we've formed a magical bond." Hikari showed the symbol of the magical bond on her left arm.

Surprised by the story, Hiro commented, "So, I was the only one mistreated in our first encounter." He laughed, but at the same time, he felt moved, as King's promise, though different, conveyed the same determination as his own promise.

Embarrassed, Hikari exclaimed, "I've already apologized! It was a misunderstanding, okay!?" She abruptly stood up and walked away from the campfire, leaving King and Hiro alone.

Hiro was somewhat confused but decided not to follow her. As he looked at King, he noticed that the squirrel was already awake.

King said, "I don't know who you are or what you're doing, but I know you're not an enemy unless you're an enemy of love." He chuckled madly.

Hiro, a bit annoyed, replied, "Ha, ha, ha, how funny. Just watch out, squirrel, or I might crush you."

King responded, "I'm kidding, relax, princess."

The squirrel continued, "I ask you to have some patience with Hikari. I can't disclose the reason why we're here, but keep in mind that it's not something ordinary. So please, don't be upset with her. She has a good heart."

Hiro said, dejectedly, "I was just trying to mess with her."

King concluded the conversation assertively and confidently, "I know. But if you were doing it on purpose and intentionally hurting Hikari, you'd already be dead." Then, he joined Hikari.

After that episode, silence filled the air, and the only sound heard was the crackling of the wood in the campfire, warming the area. Hiro lay down near the fire and began to reflect on the whereabouts of his father and whether he could truly fulfill his promise.

Hiro remained immersed in his thoughts until he fell asleep.

The following morning arrived, bringing with it a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. The sun gently shone through the tree leaves, while birds sang their harmonious melodies. Hiro woke up and realized that Hikari and King were still asleep. He decided to leave without saying goodbye, intending to continue on his own.

King, being a squirrel accustomed to forest life, woke up at the exact moment Hiro started walking, allowing him to move a bit further before waking Hikari. The little squirrel approached her and called her name, "Hikari, wake up."

Hikari stirred, nearly squashing King with her arm, and responded sleepily, "Just five more minutes..."

King then said, "Hiro has left."

That statement was enough to immediately awaken Hikari. She leaped from the ground and stood up, expressing concern, "We can't let him get away, King. He might be our only hope."

King pondered for a moment and replied, "Yes, I know. After all, he is his son. But we need to verify if we can really trust him. For now, we have to play it cool." He added with a tone of confidence, "By the way, I'm a highly evolved being and one step ahead. So, I know where he went."

Hikari started running with King on her shoulder, following the indications until they approached Hiro. The young warrior began to hear the sound of someone running behind him and decided to turn around to see what was happening. To his surprise, he saw Hikari and King following his footsteps.

Hiro asked with a mix of curiosity and irritation, "May I know why you're following me?"

Hikari, with an aggressive expression, responded with another question, "And why would you leave without saying anything!?"

Hiro, with no patience, retorted, "Do whatever you want."

King, displaying his independence and defying Hiro, replied, "Of course, we'll do whatever we want. Who should we obey? You? Never."

Hiro chose to ignore the comments and continued walking alongside King and Hikari. Suddenly, two individuals in blue cloaks jumped from the trees, their bodies and faces completely covered. An emblem was displayed on the right side of their robes. They shouted loudly at Hiro, "Do not resist and hand over the princess, and no one will get hurt."

Hiro became confused and started to think to himself, "What princess? Could Hikari be... it can't be..."

Both Hiro and Hikari noticed the emblem on the enemies and had different reactions. Hikari became terrified, while Hiro's eyes showed anger.

Hiro drew his sword with his right hand and charged toward them, asking, "You! Where is my father?!"

The enemies, confused by the question, cast fireball spells in his direction while responding, "Child, if your father was someone who died, we have no idea who he is. We've killed so many useless people like him. He was just another one.

In the blink of an eye, Hiro sliced through the fireballs launched by the enemies and advanced toward the mages, cutting them in half. However, no blood came from their bodies, and they vanished like vapor.

Hiro, completely beside himself, exclaimed loudly and aggressively, "Clones! Damn it!"

Still filled with fury, Hiro looked at Hikari and shouted, "But who the hell are you?!"

Hikari, terrified and on her knees, couldn't speak. It was as if she hadn't even heard Hiro shouting. King positioned himself in front of Hikari and spoke with the same intensity as Hiro, "I told you to calm down. Take one more step and we'll have problems!"

Despite being furious, Hiro turned around and went to sit near a tree, waiting for Hikari to calm down.

While Hiro and Hikari argued, in a nearby castle not far from the forest the two mages conversed with a mysterious figure. They reported, "Boss, we found the princess. They probably passed through here, but she's with a powerful swordsman. That's why we were defeated."

The leader of the mages rose from the throne, clearly not designed to fit his proportions, and wielded his sword. He sliced the two mages in half and began speaking loudly, licking the blood that spurted from the bodies he had just cut, "EXCELLENT! AHAHAHA! Come, princess, for I shall receive you in my castle."

What is Hikari's true identity, and what is her connection to the figure of the mage leader? Could she really be the princess of the elves?