Broken Tower Saga: The First Swordsman

"Byul, I know you're strong; stronger than you realise, even though you are weak in combat now, but your mindset is strong, just like my elder sister. I can tell just by looking at your eyes, you are a survivor, and you are stronger in that area than I will ever be." 

Byul frowned. She could not understand what's strong about her. She was but a petty thief a couple of months back, had no education, nobody to care while Tanya was so beautiful, like the sunshine to her. She has strength, had a nice elder sister, and even friends—something she never had. "Are you telling me all this as sympathy?"

Tanya shook her head as she looked her in the eyes. "Every word I said, I meant it," she said. Tanya paused for a moment before opening up again. "You know I was scared to come to the tower at first. I can't tell you how much this stuff scares me. Even today I was scared out of my mind at the thought of what would happen to me if I failed."

"But you look so strong," Byul could not help but ask. "It's as if you fear nothing. You always make the right decision while in combat. I never saw you suffer in any contest .. ."

"That's because. . ." Tanya paused. She closely examined Byul as she opened her lips again. "It's a secret don't tell anyone else."

Byul nodded without much thought.

Tanya said again, deliberately slowing her tone. "The reason I felt no fear in battle was because, I masked it with my innate ability, not just fear. I felt almost nothing during battle. My innate ability helps me seal away all my emotions, worry during the battle, so I can think clearly with my brain, and it had been a great help so far." 

Byul's eyes turned full. She was not expecting something like this, nor she expected a woman so strong to have such weakness inside. She deliberated for a moment to open her lips again, "I was born in a slum, and raised there. I did not have anyone else to take care of me for most of my life. Maybe that built up my survival instinct."

Tanya looked at the small figure—who was continuing, looking at the little wood fire. 

"Actually, I was a thief," Byul sighed, saying that. She looked at Tanya in the corner of her eyes to notice no contempt or disdains in her, so she continued. "I did not like it. Nobody liked it, but we did not have a choice. It was so hard to live there. If you got caught one day, you have to say goodbye to food for a week. If you get caught by the guards, it's another story. Some of the worse cases die, while the best cases got sold in the market like some article." Her voice was shaking; it was the first time she had opened about it with someone, it's the mutual showing of trust that opened her mouth. "It was so hard when I saw some of my friends. .. No; not friend, some of the thieves that I knew got caught. I never managed to see them again, nor I tried as I feared the same fate."

"It's alright," Tanya said, coming next to Byul. She clasped Byul's palms with her. "It's alright. I don't know how you lived or felt, nor can I empathise with you, but you are here now. We're together at the same place. Even though we lived a totally different life till now, we are friends now, and we can be sisters."

Tears strained from Byul's eyes as she looked at Tanya. Her eyes are asking if what Tanya said is true.

Tanya nodded as she hugged Byul awkwardly. "We can be sisters, but I'll be the elder one because you looked younger than me." 

Byul nodded heavily. She had no problems being a younger sister. 

"Alright, don't cry anymore," Tanya said, patting Byul's shoulder. She looked at the short hair girl again, examining. Byul was small, barely a little better than malnourished, her hair was cut short, not even reaching her shoulder while she was wearing clothes that were not so womanly. "Byul? How old are you again?"

Byul thought for a moment, "I'll be seventeen; no, eighteen after this summer. Why?"

"So you will be an adult in a few months," Tanya said, unconsciously. "I'll make you a proper lady after this test finishes. You can't just be like a tomboy all your life." 

Byul could not find anything to say. Her thoughts never fell in that direction, before coming to the trial all her thoughts were like: What will I eat tomorrow? How can I spend the fall? What will happen if I caught a cold or a fever? Who will look after me? She never had the luxury in this department.

Suddenly, both of them were caught by a grunt. It was Wrik. He was shuddering even in the three-fold blanket. 

"I should go help him," Tanya said, as she lifts herself up. She blushed a little, noticing the gaze from Byul.

Tanya moved into the blankets, but did not sleep like she was before. She put her palm on Wrik's forehead and tried to mask his discomfort with her ability [Mist of Change]. She felt some restrictions on her channelling, as the chilly mana was still present in her system. She had to put in extra effort to muster the elevation she needed.

The frowned on Wrik's forehead, soften by a little as the shudder stopped as well. 

Tanya hummed in a tune quietly, the tune her sister used to sing to her when she was little. She did not remember the song, but the tune stayed with her for over a decade. The little line in between Wrik's forehead disappeared as well, as he slept comfortably.

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End of Chapter: Bond.

Next Chapter: Warmth in the Cold Night.

I always thought girls have the mysterious ability to become friends among themselves. XD

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