Trusting the Things You Create Is Easy

“Woah,” she blinked, the days almost flashing by her all at once the moment they reached the halfway point of the dungeon. Everything was still rather rocky, but the caves had expanded upwards and around to create larger domed structures, with sturdy stone spires reaching up to connect the cave’s floor to its ceiling. There were jagged chunks shooting smoothly out of the supports, blue crystals poking out in different varieties from underneath thin slabs. It smelled wet and damp this deep down, and every once in a while, you could find small wet pools and tiny flowing streams trickling through the cracks of the stone floor, and Asaya heard there was a river deeper down.

And it also meant that, starting now, at this checkpoint here, they were getting into the more dangerous side of the dungeon. It was a little past this point where she’d gotten gravely injured, the incident that had spurred the argument between her and her childhood friend all those years ago. If she were honest, this spot didn’t have many positive memories for her, and yet… those heavy emotions felt weightless in the realization that she’d come this far on her own, with only her own creations to help her through. Last time, she’d had an entire party… it felt surreal.

Elkan seemed to understand the sentiment, laying an easing hand on her shoulder as he followed her gaze outwards. Starting now, they could start collecting the valuable loot, such as the crystals and rare monster bones. Elkan wouldn’t let her collect anything with lackluster value, even though she’d tried.

And now that they’d gotten this far in a matter of around a week, he was smiling warmly at her, gesturing to the wide cave beyond that was now her playground. “Aren’t you proud of yourself?” he prompted, giving her shoulder an affectionate squeeze as she took it all in. “Look at how far you’ve come, my lady.”

“Yeah…” she trailed off, her blank face turning into a slow smile, which then morphed into a grin. “Yeah, yeah, you’re right! Though, I do feel it’s a bit unfair you’re doing all the work. Even though your work is my work, it doesn’t really feel like my work, you know?” she shrugged, Elkan smiling fondly at her, amusement lacing his gaze.

“I can see how you’d feel that way,” he agreed, turning her around to grab lightly onto her chin, tilting her face up with a certain charm that made Asaya want to wriggle away. She almost did, but not before she heard Elkan’s pretty words of sugar, his voice smooth as he went confidently, “Just know that you are the one who created my world. I wouldn’t be here without you. So instead of thinking I’m doing all of the work, why don’t you start thinking about the fact you’ve given me life and a real corporeal form? It’s all about your perspective, don’t you think?” he smiled, Asaya’s face burning as she jerked away, slapping his hand off her face with full force.

“Whatever! I don’t care about perspective, all I want is to freeload off you, ya hear?! It doesn’t matter if I’m doing nothin’!” she snapped, face flaring hot as she shoved herself away. “And you talk too sweet for your own good! Aren’t you capable of acting normal?!”

“Hah, normal?” Elkan chuckled, tucking his arms into his sleeves as he shot her a sly grin, pearly white teeth poking out from his smile as he snickered. This was the type of disgusting face he only showed people he felt comfortable with, so Asaya supposed she should be flattered if he didn’t look so insulting. “But my dearest Asaya, you are my wonderful lady who created me. If I can’t act normal, and yet I’m your ideal, what does that make you?”

Well then… that was a good comeback, Asaya had to admit. But she wasn’t out of quips either, and immediately pointed a jarring finger at him as she declared with vigor, “Better! That’s what it makes me! Know your place, dumbass!”

“Excuse you, I’m actually quite smart.”

“Your intelligence is based off mine, so that doesn’t mean anything!”

“Hmm, actually, I think you shaped me to be a bit smarter than you are, so…”

“I think you’re looking for a fight.”

“Me? Never,” Elkan chuckled, hiding his smile behind his sleeves as he brought his hands over his mouth, Asaya fuming before she saw the way his eyes narrowed. Elkan always did have that certain expression she’d envisioned in her mind countless times, where his playful tact turned into something sinister. It made her falter, and she lowered her arm as her most beloved creation turned towards where they’d come from, to the large tunnel before it opened up into such a wide cavern, until meeting her gaze all over again. “There’s people coming. You know one of them. What would you like me to do?”

…wait, what? Someone she knew was coming towards them? Somehow, she felt that shouldn’t be as surprising as it felt. This was the most popular dungeon in her area, since it wasn’t too hard, but wasn’t too easy, either. It was known as the perfect dungeon for people who were still newer to dungeons, but had powerful abilities, so it was no surprise they’d run into someone eventually.

But even so, meeting someone she knew wasn’t exactly a welcoming thing… it wasn’t like she had any friends, you know? And she knew more than a few people who despised her. But maybe she should look on the bright side. She had a power now, and a really awesome one at that, so she had nothing to fear anymore. And this person might be completely friendly, who knows! She really shouldn’t panic.

That was Asaya’s thought process as she whispered back, trying to stay quiet so that their voices didn’t echo for the upcoming people to hear. “We could probably just ignore them. Who is it, anyway?”

Though, she didn’t like the way Elkan’s eyes lowered in clear discontent, his sleeves still covering his mouth as he replied quietly, “Spike. He’s coming this way with five others.”

“Oh,” Asaya froze, taken aback by that name, one she hadn’t heard in a very long time. The name of a person who definitely hated her. Someone who was very talented for his age, and who was a contender for Soul Star Academy, the most prodigious school around. Yeah, this…

“This isn’t going to be fun to deal with, is it?” she sighed, when she finally began to hear the footsteps Elkan had already caught wind of. His powers of energy allowed him to sense lifeforms within a certain perimeter, and Asaya was thankful for it as the approaching people finally entered her view, glad she wasn’t going to be entirely caught off guard by the unwanted appearance.

Spike, on the other hand, the moment his ruby red eyes caught sight of her, flared with shock, his entire face crumbling as he halted in his tracks. His golden, spiky blond hair fluffed out in all directions, if only to add to the meaning of his nickname, and he wore black leather armor over his chest, arms, and legs. He was also the shortest among his teammates, only slightly taller than Asaya herself, and the stereotype for short and rowdy didn’t seem to fit anyone better as Spike’s jaw fell slack, his gloved finger pointing blatantly at Asaya as he exclaimed, “What the hell are you doing here?!”

Classic Spike. Spikey in personality and prickly in nature. But you know, as a kid, he really hadn’t been all that bad. He was always a bit hot-tempered and brazen, and he was the type of boy growing up who got really grossed out by girls just existing, but that was a pretty common phase, wasn’t it? He was still a generally nice kid, and he used to always be so polite and respectful toward her! But after she’d been thought to be powerless, it was like his whole attitude towards her had shifted. What had happened to that cute, innocent little boy she knew? It really didn’t make any sense to her.

Perhaps it was because of the way he looked all ruffled up, like a cat that had the fur on its back standing on end, but one of his elvan teammates approached him and laid a calming hand on his shoulder, her skin dark and yet vibrantly shaded in the face of the glowing lanterns, her blood red eyes alert and calculative with short, magenta hair tucked behind her long, slender ears. “Spike, who is this? Do you know them?” she prompted helpfully, the rest of their party stuck awkwardly behind the two as Asaya stared at the woman, who for some reason looked rather familiar… but she couldn’t place her finger on it.

Regardless, she had bigger things to worry about other than why the pretty elf lady looked like she’d seen her somewhere before, because Spike was still staring stupidly at her, like he just simply couldn’t believe her existence had traveled somewhere so close to him. “Yeah, I know the girl! She’s Asaya, and she’s a worthless shut-in with zero ability to survive in life! She shouldn’t be anywhere near this dungeon, dragging down everyone with her!”

“Oh… is that so?” the woman marveled, Asaya flaring to match Spike’s attitude just as quickly as he’d spouted his bullshit.

“Hah! Well at least I’m not some rude brat with an attitude problem!” she spat, sticking her tongue out to provoke as Spike’s eyes widened in disbelief.

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She genuinely couldn’t tell if what she’d said had bothered him or not, because for a moment, he just stared at her. Something was running through his mind, like he was contemplating something serious within himself, before he lowered his chin and faced her with intensity. “So spill it. What kinda power did you get?”

“...huh?” Asaya blinked, fumes of anger threatening to spill over at such an off-handed comment. “Oh, what, so you’ll start respecting me again if I get some flashy power?”

“I don’t think anyone in your life will ever respect you, Asaya,” Spike snapped, crossing his arms stubbornly as he began tapping his foot against the smooth stone floor. “Not when you live life the way you do.”

“What’s that got to do with anything? I can live life however I want, it’s none of your business!” she barked, briefly wondering why Elkan wasn’t doing anything to interfere. She was able to manage a small glance at him, trying to figure out what he was doing or maybe gauge his thoughts, and she instantly knew what was going through his mind the moment she laid sight on his face.

His arms were stuffed back inside his sleeves, and his expression would appear blank and unreadable to anyone else. But in his eyes, Asaya saw he was planning. He knew he couldn’t challenge Spike right here, as there were plenty of people around that outnumbered them who’s abilities they knew nothing of. Elkan might be strong, but he’d already specified how he wasn’t at even half of his full strength, so without knowledge of the opponent, it would be risky to outright oppose them or go further than a petty squabble. So he was planning and plotting what they should do next, whatever that may be. Asaya hoped it wouldn’t be too convoluted, because that would be a hassle to deal with. Either way, it was clear he had his eyes on Spike, so it was an unlucky day to be an immature brat, right? Hah. Hahaha.

In the end, Spike’s companion was the one who ended up intervening, her deep, sultry voice calming the both of them as she stepped in between, hands in front of both their chests to keep them from closing too far in on each other. “Now, now, that’s enough. Spike, I advise you to remember that you’re currently under an evaluation. And Miss Asaya, it is a pleasure to meet you. I apologize for his crudeness,” she smiled, extending a firm hand for her to shake as Asaya stared at it briefly, hesitantly reaching out before the woman reached forward and clasped it with both of her hands, giving it a solid shake before releasing, smile calm and cordial.

“My name is Valentine, and if you don’t mind answering, did you two clear this far into this dungeon all on your own? It’s not everyday I see a raiding party of only two people inside a dungeon this high classes, so if my assumption is true, I’m very impressed,” she complimented sincerely, and Asaya was at a stump of what to say, her memory slowly catching up to her once Valentine introduced herself.

Right. This was the woman who had interviewed her two childhood friends the moment they surfaced with powerful magic, when the three of them had all been sixteen. According to sources she’d talked to over the years, Valentine had come back to test the two of them again when they turned eighteen so they could officially be accepted into Soul Star Academy, where Lumis had tried coming to talk with her one last time before she turned him away.

But, from what Asaya remembered of her, she’d been as friendly and business-like as she was now, and Asaya realized Spike must be going through the same exam now. Ahh, how old was that little brat now? She’d known him since they were kids, and he’d been three years younger than her, so that meant he was about eighteen… which meant this really was his final test. Man, kids grow up so fast, don’t they? As do their attitudes, apparently.

Yet, she was so stumped upon this realization that she really didn’t know what to say, since she had no clue if Valentine would even remember her or not from five years ago when her fame had been dying down after not receiving a power a year after her anointment like so many people had been betting on. It had created quite the uproar within her small town, so it would surprise Asaya is the woman hadn't at least heard of it, even if she didn't remember clearly anymore.

Though, luckily, she had a perfect smooth talker at her side… and sure enough, Elkan was the one who began taking the lead, laying a possessive hand on Asaya’s small shoulder from where he stood nearly three heads taller. In fact, he towered over the other party as well, with their tallest member only coming up to right under his chin.

“Yes, we’ve been clearing this dungeon completely on our own,” he agreed elegantly, his voice coming out poised and pristine. “Our plan is to clear the entire dungeon that way. So far, everything’s been going well, and we haven’t had a single casualty. I do hope your adventures are running as smoothly,” he smiled, and even that small motion of his lips seemed regal. But then again, from where he came from, he was a king, so maybe it was just in his blood.

Though Asaya did have to give it to her, Valentine’s smile was just as smooth, and she could imagine how both of them had practiced their smiles endlessly to get them this flawless. But the woman did seem genuinely impressed, and returned Elkan’s peacefulness rightfully. “We haven’t had any big injuries either, minus a couple bruises. I’m glad to see you haven’t dealt with much trouble, either,” she welcomed, Asaya and Spike watching the two’s controlled facades with slight disgust. “It’s always good to have an easy run through a dungeon, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Ah, yes, when you get to a certain level, these types of dungeons do tend to be a breeze, don’t they?” Elkan nodded, not backing down from this war of politeness that left their groups watching them, unsure if they should do anything to intervene.

“My, you seem quite confident in your power and skillset. That’s refreshing to hear. Too many people these days just don’t put themselves out there,” Valentine praised him, and Asaya watched her extend a hand, which Elkan shook easily. “Tell me, young man, how old are you and your companion? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen the two of you around before.”

“Oh, we’re both twenty-one,” Elkan smiled pleasantly, not a moment of hesitation in his answer, and Asaya felt like her eyes could pop out of her skull with the way she looked at him. This man, who was over three hundred years old, was saying he was only twenty-one? What was he faking his age for? Fucking ancient ass liar. He said it so casually too, to the point if she hadn’t known better, she definitely would’ve believed him. What was the point of this?

Even Valentine, as put-together and observant as she seemed, didn’t appear to catch on, and merely shook his hand with a firm grace that could only be found in confidence. “I see. You’re very composed for your age, I love to see it. Why don’t you two join us on our trip lower down? It would be a pleasure to have more capable hands on my team,” she suggested pleasantly, Elkan’s eyes narrowing in triumph.

“Why, we’d love to, Miss Valentine,” he agreed lightly, Asaya gaping at him in betrayal. What happened to clearing this dungeon on their own, eh?! What, did he find Valentine attractive? Was he trying to fuck? The thing was, Asaya was almost certain Valentine was in her three or four hundreds, making them around the same age anyways, so wouldn’t it have been easier to just tell her the truth, if that was the case? Was he trying to get extra points? Maybe by saying he was younger, he was hoping to impress Valentine with his skills that someone so young usually wouldn’t have developed. It was just that Asaya didn’t remember giving him a thing for praise or anything else of the sort. What was going on?

Glancing at Spike, he seemed a little offended too, watching the person who was supposed to be interviewing him let more random people tag along. His ruby red eyes were wide in dismay, and the confusion was clear on his face, but he chose not to say anything before he caught Asaya staring at him, and he turned away with a scowl.

“Well, why don’t we get moving then? Let’s not waste any more precious time,” Valentine turned to the rest of the kids she was herding, her group of Spike and four others all staring at her in a way that made them look kind of lost, since it was clear they were all young teenagers currently being tested by her. But they followed her regardless, Asaya sticking near the back with Elkan by her side as they followed the elvan woman deeper into the wide expanse of crystal caverns, bright blues, purples, and pinks glowing in the small corners of the depths.

Her and Elkan hung near the back, Asaya entirely disconcerted with everything that had gone down. But once they were successfully out of ear shot but still within view of the others, she turned to him, tugging lightly on his sleeve with her brows furrowed down, nose scrunched up as Elkan glanced at her. “What happened to clearing everything on my own?” she whispered, disappointed by the fact she was now traveling in a group, a group with Spike of all people, before Elkan moved a large hand to ruffle her heap of hair, his calm, poised smile never leaving him as he brought her along.

“It’s a strategic play,” he told her gently, holding her hand in his as they neared closer to the group, who were bound to encounter monsters any minute now. “Just wait and see, my lady. If everything works out the way I want it to, you’ll have a much better life ahead of you. I swear on my pride that I will not let you down,” he promised, bending forward to plant a small, harmless kiss against her knuckles, Asaya staring at him in shock as she looked, utterly dumbfounded, at his annoyingly pretty smile. “I’m going to give you the life you’ve always wanted, so just go along with me for now. Please trust me, Asaya.”

“Oh…” she muttered, eyes wide and nervous as she stared at their hands, heart thrumming in her chest as she recalled bits and scenes from her novels. Elkan almost always called his love interest “my lady,” but when he was being serious, and really needed her to believe what he was saying… in those small, yet intimate moments… he would use her name. It made her feel safe, and a bit less lost. So she gave a small nod, whispering out, “Okay, I will,” as she watched Elkan lean back up.

“Thank you. I’m glad,” he smiled, before proceeding to guide her along past more crystal spires, and Asaya watched as he shot beams of his energy at the walls to shave crystals off, before he picked them off the ground and handed the valuable ones to her. It was rather tedious, but Elkan made things easy.

Maybe it was so easy… because she’d written the type of person he was. She’d designed everything about him, to his loyalty, to his arrogance, and to his fears. Because he was her creation, Asaya knew she could trust him. She just didn’t think she could trust anybody else. After all, trusting the things you create was easy. But real people, people that hadn’t been designed and molded by her own hand, felt terrifying to face. So in the company of her character, a person born from her mind and made real with her soul, was something she could have faith in. If only reality could’ve been this sweet to start…