TICKING TIME AND TRICKERIES - AZZLE POV

It took much longer than it should have, but finally, Azzle arrives at the camp. He heaves the hefty boar off his shoulder and lets it thud onto the ground. Wincing, he reaches for his aching back. He regrets not bringing ropes; it would have been much easier to drag the carcass.

Still, he stretches his back with a cackle, shouting at the lifeless boar, "I'm going to enjoy preparing you for a hearty meal, you stubborn beast!"

Azzle then looks around, expecting some sort of praise from his companions for lugging the boar all the way to the camp, but there's no one in sight. Yumi and Landale are conspicuously absent, and he hasn't seen Aki since he woke up that morning.

"Hello!?" he shouts, his voice echoing through the camp. Suddenly, a pang of fear grips him, and he envisions the goblin boss ambushing him once more. He turns full circle, his eyes fearfully darting in all directions. There is no signs of the goblin boss, in fact, there are no signs of enemies. Azzle sighs with relief as he had also spotted Aki's protective runes.

"Well, the runes are still intact," he mumbles to himself.

He pushes the unsettling thoughts from his mind, recalling the strange events that occurred when he woke up.

Yumi had witnessed his awakening and rushed towards him, pulling him into a tight embrace. "I'm so relieved you're awake! How are you feeling?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. She gently withdrew from the hug and, with a motherly touch, examined Azzle for any lingering signs of injury.

The hug was warm, comforting, and he felt Yumi's ample bosom pressed against his face. In that moment, Azzle finally understood why Aki and Landale were drawn to her. Nonetheless, she wasn't his type, and while Azzle had no doubt Yumi was quite impressed with his amazing alliterations, he wasn't about to betray his new boss by easily seducing his love.

Suddenly, a thought struck Azzle, and he pushed Yumi away, rising to his feet. "Where's the goblin boss?" he blurted out.

Yumi beamed at him. "It's gone. Aki took care of it."

Azzle paused, absorbing the news. Then, overcome with emotion, he dropped to his knees, his hands covering his face as he wept. Finally, he was free from the tyranny of the goblin boss. Azzel heard loud snoring nearby and looked over to see Landale sleeping beside him.

"What happened to him?" Azzle inquired.

"He's resting. He saved your life," Yumi replied, her gaze shifting between Landale and Azzle, her expression a mix of concern and something Azzle couldn't quite decipher.

Biting her lip, Yumi leaned closer to Azzle once again and whispered, "When Landale wakes up, I need you to come to me as soon as possible, especially if I have my shield."

"Why?" Azzle asked, puzzled. "And where did the boss go?"

"Aki left. He went to..." Yumi started, then hesitated. "Maybe it's better if you don't know? I'm not good with this," she confessed, her voice filled with anguish.

"Okay, how about this?" Yumi suggested. "Just remember, we won't leave this camp until Aki returns. No more questions for now."

Azzle still couldn't quite grasp the situation, but he simply nodded, asking, "Do we have any food?"

Yumi shook her head, but then her face brightened. "Wait, would you like to hunt for food? That might be our best option!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together with enthusiasm.

"Alright," Azzle replied, rising to his feet. "What should I hunt?"

"Anything!" Yumi replied, smiling. She seemed relieved to have a task to occupy him. She stood up and handed him his bow and quiver, almost knocking the wind out of him in the process. Sometimes, Yumi seemed to forget her own strength.

"Go. Go now!" she urged him.

Still somewhat bewildered, Azzle simply nodded. In truth, he would have preferred to rest and await the boss's return, but he didn't want to risk another shove from Yumi.

As he departed, Yumi watched him with a genuine expression of relief. As Azzle glanced back at her, she waved and called out, "Take your time, Azzle!"

Azzle can't shake the feeling of abandonment, but he clings to the belief that they, especially Aki, must have something important to attend to.

However, curiosity tugs at him. He distinctly remembers Landale casting a glance his way while he grappled with the boar. "That stupid scoundrel didn't even offer a hand," Azzle mutters under his breath.

Shifting his gaze to the boar sprawled at his feet, he decides to start its preparation. Overthinking and worry worsen his already pounding headache, he had kept this to himself, not wanting to burden Yumi. It feels as if he's overslept.

With a firm grip on his knife, he begins to prepare the boar with precision. Azzle's mind begins to clear, and he hums contentedly as he works, anticipating the delight on Aki's face when they return with the roasted boar. Realizing he is in needs spices, he glances around, but Aki seems to have taken his satchel. Yumi's satchel is untouched though, so he stands up to retrieve it.

In the corner of his eye, he spots something yellowish in the forest, a bit further away. He halts and scrutinizes it. The yellowish figure vanishes momentarily, and he waits for it to reappear, which it does.

It bobs up and down amid the shrubbery. A realization dawns on him. "Is that... Yumi's hair?"

Scanning the area, he spots a rock that offers a better vantage point. He clambers onto it, craning his neck to get a clearer view. His hunch is right; it's Yumi's hair. It oscillates up and down, though.

"Hey!" Azzle calls out. "Yumi!"

Yumi looks up, and while Azzle can't quite discern her expression, her face appears flushed. She smiles and waves in response.

Thinking Yumi is occupied with some private task, Azzle waves back, smiling. But then Yumi looks down at the ground and resumes her slow bouncing.

Azzle studies her as she does so. Eventually, he shrugs and decides to return to his work. However, just as he's about to do so, Yumi's hand shoots up to her mouth, and her movements become frantic, resembling an earthquake in her vicinity. Her up-and-down motion accelerates, and Azzle struggles to make sense of it. It suddenly strikes him that Yumi appears to be mimicking the motion of someone on a rapidly moving carriage. Her blond hair whips to and fro with her energetic motions.

Azzle shakes his head. "That must be quite a..." He doesn't finish the sentence.

Stepping down from the rock, he makes his way back toward the boar, though his gaze keeps flickering toward Yumi's location.

Time passes, Azzle has almost forgotten about Yumi. But just as Azzle is about to roast the boar, Yumi arrives, appearing breathless. Her disheveled hair and hastily arranged clothes give away her hurried arrival.

For Azzle, the subsequent events seems to unfold in slow motion. Yumi sighs with relief upon spotting Azzle and she glances around, as if looking for onlookers, and walks briskly towards him, all the while urgently signaling him to come closer.

Azzle's attention briefly shifts to her shield, recalling her prior warning. Then, he gazes back at the boar he is preparing. However, when he looks back at Yumi, the sheer urgency in her expression makes it clear that he should heed her call. He abandons his task at once and rushes over to her.

They quickly close the distance, just a few yards apart, half of that, until they are merely a few feet away when...

Suddenly, a movement in the corner of their eyes catches their attention, Landale appears, grinning from ear to ear. "That looks lovely, goblin," he says, nodding toward the boar Azzle has expertly prepared.

Both Yumi and Azzle come to a sudden halt. Azzle eyes Landale curiously, while Yumi's wide-eyed expression betrays her anxious uncertainty, seemingly at a loss for words.

Yumi's expression contorts with indignation as she remarks, "You arrived earlier than we agreed upon."

Landale, nonchalantly shrugging and offering a sly smile, retorts, "What do you mean? It's just a fortunate coincidence." He then shifts his gaze to Azzle. "By the way, where is Aki? I heard you two were out hunting."

Azzle briefly glances at Yumi, who had been slowly edging closer to him. However, upon hearing Landale's question, she abruptly halts, closing her eyes in a resigned manner. When she reopens them, her focus is locked onto Landale. Azzle takes a moment to mull over the peculiar situation before replying, "We were indeed hunting together. But the boss caught sight of a captivating creature and decided to follow it... He didn't share what he saw. You know how unpredictable these woods can be, teeming with surprises."

"So, you don't know..." Landale utters in a hushed tone, taking a deep breath. "Enough with the pretense, Yumi. Where is Aki?"

"We've already told you," Yumi responds before suddenly grabbing Azzle and pulling him closer, positioning her shield protectively in front of both of them.

Landale, seemingly dismissive, waves off Yumi's words. "Sure, sure. But why fabricate the truth? You know I mean no harm."

Azzle, still uncertain about the unfolding events, brandishes his dagger, ready to defend Yumi if necessary.

"Yumi?" Landale's voice carries a tone of apparent desperation, but neither Yumi nor Azzle yield; both stand prepared for a potential confrontation. Landale's eyes widen as the realization slowly dawns on him. He bites his lower lip and shakes his head. "So, it's come to this?"

With a flourish, Landale conjures a blazing fireball in his palm, its size and intensity growing rapidly. "I hope that shield of yours is sturdy enough to withstand this," he says as he unleashes the fiery projectile.

Rather than cowering behind her shield, Yumi surprises Landale by tossing Azzle to safety and rolling to the opposite side. Her unexpected move catches Landale off guard, as he had anticipated them to take cover behind her protective barrier. Nevertheless, Landale quickly adjusts, following her agile movement and preparing himself. His eyes widen as he witnesses Yumi reach for her mace.

In a lightning-quick maneuver, Yumi grabs the mace and charges toward Landale.

The mace slices through the air with precision, causing Landale to yelp in surprise as he narrowly evades the impending strike, utilizing misty step to escape harm's way just in the nick of time. Yumi, having come inches away from crushing him, assesses her surroundings. She spots Landale picking up and unsheathing a menacing dark ritual sword.

"I don't desire your demise, Yumi!" Landale pleads, brandishing the sinister blade. "But this must conclude swiftly."

Yumi, her resolve unwavering, prepares for the impending clash. The prior mental battle had taken its toll on her. But, now, with shield raised and mace at the ready, she is finally in her element. "You're in for a challenge," she says confidently, smirking.

Their battle ensues, with Landale finding himself at a significant disadvantage. He struggles to find a balance between conserving his energy for Aki's expected return while refraining from causing severe harm to Yumi.

Yumi, likewise, refrains from delivering lethal blows, instead expertly applying just enough pressure to maintain the upper hand. Landale's spells ricochet off her shield, and even the dark ritual sword proves powerless against her mace. Gritting his teeth, Landale realizes that he might need to resort to lethal **** if he hopes to overcome her, as subduing her without inflicting grave harm appears increasingly implausible.

Out of the corner of his eye, Landale spots Azzle firing an arrow, narrowly avoiding its trajectory. His frustration bubbles over as he exclaims, "Ingrate! I saved your wretched life!" Landale notices that Yumi's previous smile has vanished, and the reason behind her change in demeanor dawns upon him.

With a triumphant smile of his own, Landale gazes at Yumi, who turns and shouts, "Run, Azzle!"

Azzle makes an attempt to escape, but it proves futile. Landale, employing misty step once more, materializes directly in front of the fleeing goblin. He forcibly wrests the bow from Azzle's grasp and discards it.

Landale's gaze shifts to where Yumi stood moments ago, but she has vanished.

A sudden realization strikes Landale. "This was a trap! Yumi knew I'd move toward the goblin if I saw her expression!"

With sheer luck on his side, Landale narrowly sidesteps a retaliatory attack. The position of the sun provides the perfect angle, revealing a small shadow just behind him. Acting on instinct, Landale drops to his knees, the powerful swing narrowly missing his head.

With renewed determination, Landale lunges at the goblin. They wrestle on the ground, the goblin's frantic resistance no match for Landale's strength. Landale manages to pin the goblin down and presses his hand against its face.

Landale then shifts his attention to Yumi, who hovers over them. "Halt! If you kill me, I'll release a fireball right in this goblin's face!"

Yumi clenches her jaw but complies.

"Step back a few paces, Yumi!" Landale commands. She obeys, retreating a safe distance.

Now, fully in control, Landale focuses on the goblin. "I saved your life, goblin. It's only fair I take it back," he declares, ensuring Yumi hears every word.

Yumi casts Compelled Duel at Landale, but he resists the compulsion, meeting her gaze unwaveringly.

"That won't work. I have resistances now. Now, drop your shield and mace or else..." Landale warns as his hand begins to radiate with mystical energy. Azzle, on the other hand, displays no fear; his eyes brim with anger and loathing directed at Landale.

Yumi quickly complies, relinquishing both her shield and mace. "Do not harm him, Landale," she says, her tone making it abundantly clear that it's not a plea but a warning.

Landale breathes a sigh of relief. "At least now, I can finally employ Detect Thoughts." He fixes his gaze on Yumi. "Where is Aki?"

Yumi shuts her eyes but remains silent, utilizing every ounce of her mental defenses to shield her thoughts. Yet, her efforts prove futile.

Landale, disbelief etching his features, mutters, "Back to the ruins?" He breaks into laughter. "Well, in that case, he won't be returning here until tomorrow!"

Yumi and Azzle sit on the ground, motionless, their bodies held in place by Landale's powerful Hold Person spell.

Landale's fleeting triumph after their skirmish quickly fades. Aki had entrusted Yumi with the task of safeguarding the temple, never disclosing his true purpose within its shattered walls.

Landale wrestles with his own uncertainty, torn between two conflicting options. On one hand, it would be the simplest solution to eliminate Yumi and the goblin, patiently awaiting Aki's return to handle the latter. However, he finds himself incapable of carrying out such a ruthless act, particularly toward Yumi. He couldn’t even bring himself to hurt the goblin, for fear of earning her eternal enmity.

Frustration etches deep lines on Landale's face as he paces back and forth, unable to reach a decision. Yumi, her gaze unwavering, studies his every move.

"Landale, you could simply leave, never to return," Yumi suggests calmly. "I'm unaware of what Aki has uncovered, but it's evident that returning to the capital isn't an option for you."

"Leave?" Landale murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper. Yumi's remark was an unintended provocation, and it draws Landale's confused and fractured mind into focus. "You think I can just leave?" he continues, his voice still tinged with uncertainty.

"Leave!?" Landale suddenly shouts, his eyes bulging with frustration. "I've sacrificed so much! Half of my life was spent in that accursed academy - distant from my only family! Do you believe you're the only one who's made sacrifices for someone you love? You have no idea who I am or what I've given up!"

After his outburst, Landale's breaths come in heavy gasps. Eventually, he takes a seat, leaning against a nearby tree. He massages his temples before admitting, "You speak of matters beyond your comprehension..."

"Yes," Landale whispers, "I possess a higher level of spellcasting ability than Aki. Yes, I've intruded into your thoughts."

Landale turns to Yumi, fixing his gaze upon her. "But consider this, Yumi. Have you ever pondered why Aki's spells wield greater power than mine? His Magic Missile alone surpasses the potency of my own. I specialize in mind-reading, yet he easily repelled my attempts to access his thoughts. Even that remarkable shield of yours, what kind of student could craft such a formidable enchantment?"

Landale scrutinizes Yumi, searching for any telltale signs of surprise or reaction. However, her countenance remains inscrutable, a stark contrast to his emotional turmoil.

Landale scoffs, "What about this then? Do you recall when you inquired about the contents of Aki's thoughts on our first night?"

Smirking ever so slightly, Landale continues, "I responded truthfully at the time. I uncovered very little. But you may wonder why I attempted to delve deeper into his mind."

Yumi's curiosity is piqued, though she endeavors to maintain her stoic demeanor.

"I shall enlighten you," Landale declares. "Aki's tone when he addressed my question regarding his dreams sounded oddly rehearsed. It mirrored the way he responds to inquiries from our professors - a memorized response. Naturally, my curiosity was aroused. I believed I had found a kindred spirit."

Landale furrows his brow, shaking his head as if reflecting on past events. His gaze remains distant as he continues, his voice a murmur, "He is not my kindred spirit. Nevertheless, I did manage to uncover something within his thoughts."

He looks up at Yumi, a small smile curving his lips. Yumi blinks, realizing her expression has betrayed her unease. "At last, a change in your countenance. Fear not. He spoke the truth. However, he withheld a portion of it, much like you did then."

"What do you mean?" Yumi inquires.

A hollow laugh escapes Landale's lips. "Secrets. We all harbor them. It's amusing, really. The only one among us who is truly honest is that creature at your side. But in the grand scheme of things, it no longer matters."

Landale rises to his full height, his hand delving into his pocket, clutching onto something unseen. "What course of action should I take, Yumi? I'm loath to part with you," he implores, turning to face her.

"Will you come with me?"

Yumi regards him with a puzzled expression. "You already know the answer to that. Why ask?"

Landale takes a step closer, retrieving the sword. His grip on it is unyielding, causing his knuckles to whiten. For a moment, Azzle growls in anger and tries to interject, but Landale silences him with a stern warning. "Hush, Azzle. If you utter another word, I'll end you."

"I asked," Landale continues, "because I wish to hear it from your own lips. Let's consider it... closure," he murmurs.

Yumi meets his gaze, her resolve unwavering. "I will never, under any circumstances, come with you," she declares firmly, leaving no room for ambiguity.

Landale closes his eyes, a melancholic smile gracing his lips. When he reopens them, however, Yumi witnesses a burning pit of rage within, its intensity searing through his irises. He raises the sword.

While Azzle struggles and screams with utmost anger, Yumi simply closes her eyes, ready to embrace the oblivion of ****.

*Author's note - Hello, I've started to write fanfic when I'm having mental blocks. It's NTR mostly but I can write vanilla ones too. So I made a poll in my patreon. It's public since I plan to publish the ones I write in CHYOA in the near future.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/89511826