Amukelo: The Burdened Path

Bral let out a deep sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay, but now we actually need to get some rest." His voice was heavy with exhaustion, and he stretched his arms before turning toward Pao. "Pao, today we switch shifts, but since you've been carried all day, could you go first? I'm exhausted. I don't know if I can stay up for the next five hours."

He glanced at her, waiting for a response—only to see that she was already asleep. Her head was resting against her sister's shoulder, her breathing slow and steady. She hadn't even lasted long enough to hear his request.

Bral scoffed in amusement. "Ahh… well, never mind."

Bao rolled her eyes but pulled Pao in slightly closer. "I don't think she's going to be able to stay up either. You'll have to go first."

Bral groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Great. Just great."

Before he could complain further, Amukelo spoke up. "If you need rest, I can stay up first." His voice was casual, like it was an obvious suggestion. "To be honest, I'm not that tired."

A beat of silence followed. Everyone turned to look at him.

Bral, still rubbing his temples, stared at him with an unreadable look. "Not that tired?" His tone was incredulous. "You almost died back there. Where the hell do you get your endurance from?"

Amukelo gave a sheepish smile and shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's because of the mountains I used to live in." He stretched his arms slightly, his body still aching, but nowhere near the level of exhaustion the others seemed to feel. "I had a lot of situations where I was near death. Even though never as close as today, I also had no healing abilities other than time, so I just had to push through it. Maybe I just got used to that."

They stared at him for a moment longer.

Then Idin exhaled sharply through his nose and said, "Well, that makes sense." He adjusted his position on the ground, stretching his back before settling in. "And after everything that happened today, I have no issues with that. Anyone got a problem with him taking first watch?"

Bral shook his head, his posture finally relaxing. "Nah, I'm fine with it. I trust you, Amukelo."

Amukelo blinked in slight surprise.

That was… the first time someone had said that to him.

He wasn't sure why it felt so strongly, but something about hearing those words settled something in his chest.

Then their attention turned to Bao.

She was silent for a moment, studying Amukelo carefully, then let out a small sigh. "Same as you, Idin. After everything that happened today, I'm also fine with it."

That surprised him even more.

Of the group, she was the one who had been the most wary of him. Even after he had helped them, she still kept her guard up. But now? She was willing to let him take responsibility for their safety while they slept.

That trust, even if it was cautious, meant something.

Bral then glanced at Pao, who was still completely asleep, and smirked. "She wouldn't mind either, but I don't think she has much of a choice."

He clapped his hands together and spoke in a finalizing tone. "Alright then. Amukelo, all you really need to do is sit there and watch for any danger approaching. If anything happens, don't hesitate to wake us up. I'd rather be falsely alarmed than wake up with something gnawing on my leg."

Amukelo nodded, fully understanding the importance of keeping watch.

Then Bral narrowed his eyes slightly, as if remembering something. "And also… don't get too distracted."

Amukelo raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Bral gave him a pointed look. "If, for some unknown reason, after everything that happened today, you end up training or doing something stupid, don't go anywhere. Don't wander off. And don't tire yourself out. There could still be anything out there, and I think you know that a little too well."

A small smirk tugged at Amukelo's lips. "Yeah… a little too well."

Bral smiled slightly, satisfied. "Good." He stretched his arms again, already preparing to sleep. "Wake me up in a few hours. If I don't wake up easily, kick me or something."

Amukelo chuckled lightly. "I'll keep that in mind."

One by one, they settled into sleep.

Pao was already deep in slumber, curled next to Bao. Bao, still slightly tense, closed her eyes but kept one arm near her bow. Idin muttered something incoherent before turning over, getting comfortable. And Bral, true to his word, was out in mere minutes.

Now, Amukelo was alone.

The only sounds were the soft crackling of the fire, the faint rustle of wind against the trees, and the rhythmic breathing of the others.

He sat near the small pile of wood, keeping an eye on the low-burning flames, making sure it wouldn't go out completely.

Amukelo didn't train that night. As much endurance as he had built from surviving in the wild, the exhaustion from the battle with the landwyrm, the long travel, and now taking the first shift had caught up to him. His body felt heavy, his limbs sore, but not unbearable. He could push through pain—he always had. But tonight, he didn't feel like exerting himself further.

Instead, he sat near the cave's entrance, staring out at the night. The fire behind him crackled softly, casting flickering shadows on the walls, but his gaze remained fixed on the open world beyond. The darkness stretched infinitely before him, broken only by the faint silver glow of the moon above.

He thought about them.

They were kind. Not blindly so, not to the point of recklessness, but genuine. They welcomed him, trusted him—not completely, but enough to fight alongside him. Enough to let him take watch. Enough to make him feel like he belonged.

But soon, that would end. Soon they would arrive at Llyn. And once they did, they would all go their separate ways.

Amukelo sighed heavily, leaning against the cool stone wall, his fingers idly running over the hilt of his sword. "What will I do?" he murmured to himself.

He had spent so long just moving forward, just surviving, that he had never actually considered what came next. He had no goal beyond becoming stronger. No destination beyond the vague dream of being like Elian the Resolute. But how was he even supposed to reach that point? He knew nothing about the world outside his village and the mountains. He had no path.

His mind wandered aimlessly, and before he knew it, hours had passed.

The soft sound of movement snapped him out of his thoughts. Bral stretched as he sat up, rubbing his eyes before looking at Amukelo. "Alright, my turn."

Amukelo blinked, realizing that it was already time to switch shifts.

Bral stood up and approached, running a hand through his messy hair. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Amukelo gave him a small, sheepish smile, scratching the back of his head. "Oh… right. I forgot."

Bral gave him a flat look. "You forgot?"

Amukelo shrugged. "I've just been thinking about things. Time passed fast."

Bral scoffed, shaking his head. "The fact that you can say time passed fast after everything that happened today is beyond me."

Amukelo chuckled lightly. "I guess I'm just used to it."

Bral exhaled, then patted him on the shoulder. "Go get some rest, wild man."

Amukelo nodded and finally lay down, closing his eyes as the exhaustion fully took hold. Within minutes, he was asleep.

The next day passed without incident.

They traveled as usual, moving through rolling hills and scattered woods. The landscape was changing as they neared civilization—the air felt different, the terrain less rugged. 

Pao's magic ensured that everyone was completely healed from any lingering wounds. Unlike before, when she had overexerted herself, she managed the magic efficiently this time. There was no exhaustion, no drained mana.

As they walked, conversations flowed naturally.

Amukelo was still awkward, but not as much as before. He spoke more freely, thanks to what Bral had told him the night before. He didn't shrink away from the conversation or act like he wasn't part of it. He still didn't share much about himself, but at least he engaged.

Even Bao, who had been the most skeptical of him, didn't seem as cold anymore.

Eventually, evening fell, and they set up camp one final time.

As they finished their meal, Bral stretched and exhaled loudly. "Ohh… this has been a long journey, but we'll finally be in Llyn by tomorrow."

Amukelo stiffened slightly.

He had known this was coming, but he hadn't fully processed it until now.

Tomorrow, they would split.

The realization sat heavy in his chest, a dull weight he didn't know how to describe. He had grown to enjoy their company. Traveling with them was… easy. Safer. It was a strange contrast to the constant loneliness he had endured for months.

Idin let out a satisfied sigh, lying back against a rock. "I can't wait. We ran out of healing potions, and quite honestly, I wouldn't hate getting some real rest."

Pao, who was flipping through her notebook, perked up. "Yeah, and I can't really study my magic in these conditions."

Bao chuckled. "You and your magic obsession."

Pao grinned, completely unashamed. "Of course! Magic is incredible!"

Bao sighed dramatically. "Yeah, yeah… but I think we should settle in one place for a while. Get stronger, so maybe next time our journey isn't as dangerous as this one."

Idin nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a plan."

Amukelo remained quiet.

They were planning ahead. Thinking about their next steps, about what they would do after Llyn. They had direction.

But what about him?

He had no plan. No idea what came next.

As they spoke about their future, he realized—he had no idea what his own looked like.