Chapter 96: Now What?

Noa stood up, walking over to her bedside table. Thankfully, that side of her shack was still intact.

She picked up the picture of her parents and stared at it.

"I want to find my parents again..." She paused, "All I know is that they are really far away. Across the world I think... its kind of a crazy goal." She chuckled slightly with embarrassment.

"No, not really." Tyr replied, his tone nonchalant, "Our goal is to travel this entire planet, you know. Compared to ours, it doesn't seem all that insane if you ask me."

Noa turned, facing the three as they all stared at her and nodded.

"M-my dream... is to free everyone that is in chains."

Tyr furrowed his brows, "Your dream?"

"It's like a fantastical goal. Something I'd get if no one could stop me or get in my way, you know?" The young lady replied in a slightly hesitant and joking tone.

"I see..." Tyr thought about that for a second, 'If no one could stop me? But that is already a goal of mine, to make sure no one can stop me from doing what I want... but what exactly is it that I want? What is my dream?' He asked himself.

"It's impossible to return to Rock Saelfine..." Noa said, "I want to help my village folk more, but I can't stay here and help them my entire life. I have aspirations too... I want to see my parents as well..." Noa looked down, seemingly emotional.

"No one can blame you for that, Noa. What kind of child wouldn't want to see their parents after being separated for so long?" Tyr said, a long moment of silence ensuing before Tyr again broke it:

"So... I guess you're coming with us." He said with a smirk.

Noa's head immediately lifted with a shocked expression, "W-what? But I have nothing to offer you guys. I'd just slow you down. Are you sure that would be okay?"

Hanzo and Malon chuckled slightly.

Hanzo exclaimed, "Just asking out of the blue huh Tyr? I mean, I have no problems with it."

"Yeah." Malon added, "You are our friend now, Noa... plus, we already worked our butts off to save you. We can't just leave you stranded now, can we?"

She looked back up at Tyr.

Tyr replied: "Enough thinking, just come with us. Thinking too much never leads to greatness." He smirked, "There's a lot to do out there, and if I get sealed again I can't just come back here all the time."

Noa laughed as she heard this, but she still seemed extremely emotional.

"Thanks... thank you all... I promise to be a good teammate."

The three grinned wide as they heard this.

Spen also barked happily.

"Oh? I almost forgot. That means you're going with us too aren't ya' buddy?" Tyr said, picking the small pup up.

*Chomp*

"ARRRGHHH!!!"

*A couple minutes later*

After taking a Health Capsule and bandaging his nose, Tyr faced Spen again who was now on the ground.

"Damn mutt... you really shouldn't come with us after that. Nearly tore my nose straight off." Tyr grumbled, still in pain.

*Roof roof!*

"What do you want now?"

Spen remained silent but still stared at Tyr with a wagging tail.

Tyr paused, squinting his eyes slightly, "Yes and no questions like we did before?"

*Roof!*

"Okay... so what do you want to tell me? You are coming with us, right?"

*Roof roof!*

"Huh!?" Tyr was shocked.

Hanzo's brows were furrowed in shock right now, "What the hell? Are you saying you understand him?"

Malon was equally perplexed: "Since when did you become a dog whisperer!?"

Noa chuckled, "I can understand Spen quite well, but having full conversations isn't something even I have fully mastered." Sёarᴄh the NôᴠelFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Tyr continued his conversation: "You don't want to come? Why?"

Spen turned around, facing the direction of the empire as he howled into the sky.

"Rock Saelfine... what about it?" Tyr questioned.

Noa spoke at that moment: "Sir Hastel and the others, right Spen?"

*Roof!*

Tyr put the puzzle pieces together, "He wants to go to the villagers?"

*Roof!*

"I mean, it's not like Spen is a criminal in the empire like us... he won't get in trouble," Hanzo noted.

"I know what he wants," Noa said, looking into Spen's eyes as everyone else remained silent.

"You want to protect them, don't you boy?"

*ROOF!*

It was one bark, but the loudest that Spen could muster.

Noa chuckled slightly on seeing this.

"If you want to stay back, we can't do anything to stop you... just be safe, okay?" She said, petting Spen on the head.

*Roof!*

Tyr walked toward the dog, "Spen! If you want to protect the people of Imbu village, I will give you an order. Can you promise to me that you will be able to follow it?"

*Roof!*

Tyr smirked, "We won't be leaving this kingdom forever. I will come back one day to wipe it off the map."

The others were slightly surprised to hear this.

Tyr continued, "When I come back, you have to guarantee that I see the village people safe and secure under your guidance, got it?"

*ROOF!*

"Good! Now go off, you bastard nose biter!"

*Roof roof roof!*

Spen jumped up at Tyr's face at that moment, freaking the young man out.

The dog's mouth opened as though in slow motion, 'Blink Ste--'

However, instead of a bite, Tyr caught a slobbering lick on his face.

Spen dropped down, darting toward the empire as Tyr stood there with a slightly irritated expression.

He wiped the saliva off his face, and smiled after a second, "Ahh whatever... he was a good dog. I hope he doesn't stay that small forever. I want to see him again when I come back."

***

The group of four shortly fell fast asleep, understanding that they had to be urgent the next morning.

And urgent they were. As the sun barely crept past the horizon, Tyr and his group had already traveled hundreds of miles north of the Rock Saelfine empire.

"So where are we off to next!?" Tyr shouted into the sky.

"It's an adventure isn't it? Let's just pick a place on the map and hope for the best!"