Rebirth: Blade Of Exile 18 The Sleeping Mountain

Putting down, the huge back pack, Link shook off the snow on him, and started building what seemed to be a tent, that he took out from his bag.

5 minutes later, a mountain tent stood proud, and Link couldn't help but feel nostalgic about when he used to go with his grandpa camping.

But his nostalgia didn't last long, because of the earthquakes his stomach was making.

  "Food first"

Link instantly set off towards the woods, he was currently on the foot of the mountain known as

Kebnekaise.

A mountain that goes up to 20096.6 m in height.

There was a forest nearby, that he was glad for its existence, after grabbing some dry wood, he came back to his camp, and started a fire on it with his lighter.

The cold didn't really bother him that much, but to have a warm atmosphere was much more to his liking.

He once again, grabbed his bag pack, and started rummaging through it.

A few seconds later, he had seasonings in his hands., a knife and some other cooking materials.

  "All set"

  He spoke out as he gazed at the huge red deer, that he had caught earlier.

And without further ado, he started cooking it.

Link loved cooking, one of the hobbies he had picked up on, while travelling the realms, and it really helped him a lot, just like it did now.

After a while he was done preparing his meal, Deer stew.

The pot that was now on top of the burning red fire, had steam coming off of it, and a delicious smell spread out throughout the air, slowly reaching deep into the surroundings, The forest, and the mountain.

  The heavenly smell triggered Link appet.i.te, so he couldn't help but throw some tasteless jerky into his mouth, that he had made before leaving on this trip.

Seemingly complaining at being cheated his stomach rumbled like a beast, so Link just gave up on the jerky, as he put it away.

But as he was about to put it away, he noticed some small step marks on the snow nearby, alarmed, he instantly focuses his senses, and starts scanning the area.

However, his senses picked up nothing, but he probed even further unwilling to miss anything, finally giving up and relating the steps to a small wild beast, that pa.s.sed by before he settled here.

Back to his casual state, his stomach started rumbling again, as he watched over the stew being cooked.

It felt like torture for Link to wait for his food,however, he was willing to, and indeed the stew was worth it

With a bowl, and a spoon in each hand, Link started to dig in, eating like a man who has been going on without food for 3 months.

Soon he alone, emptied half of the 1 meter pot of red deer stew.

He filled in one more bowl only to set it aside, and start cleaning Dark Bane with a cloth, while whistling casually.

Suddenly, Link moved his Blade in a very swift manner to the side, only to stop on the direction of the bowl of stew.

At the edge of the tip of Dark bane, a little bit of red liquid appeared.

It was blood.

  " little rat, you know it's wrong to sneak up on people don't you?"

Slowly the figure of a 10 years old kid with tattered modern clothes showed up standing on the snow Dark Bane, pressed against his neck, barely holding back his tears.

  "Hoo, You're a tough kid aren't you.."

But the kid didn't reply to Link's sarcastic remark, he just looked on with fear in his eyes.

Looking at the miserable kid, Link pulled back his katana, and started cleaning it again, as the kid watched on, sneaking a look at the bowl once in a while.

After Link was done cleaning, he opened his mouth.

  " So you want to eat?"

At the question, The kid flinched, before slowly nodding.

  " and why should I feed you?"

At Link's reply, the kid dropped his head, and clenched his fists in despair.

He knew he wasn't that useful, rather he was more of a burden, that's exactly why he didn't dare beg, the tears he was holding back, slowly started to fall.

He missed home, the warm embrace of his mother, the back of his father who sheltered him from rain and snow.

But the man spoke again.

" Grab one of the bowls and spoons, inside the tent, this is my bowl, so you can't take it, and keep in mind that you'll have to bring me 3 logs of wood later as a repayment."

Link also handed him a herb that helped heal the small scratch that was caused by dark bane.

Soon the kid was seated next to Link, eating just like how Link was eating earlier.

After he finished his bowl, Link served the kid again as an apology for the injury.

Link wasn't really trying to be an a.s.shole, neither did he hold a grudge at the kid for sneaking up on him, he would rather give the kid the food for free, he wasn't that stingy, and the food would just go to waste later on anyway.

The reason he took that kind of approach, was mainly because he didn't want to cause the kids death.

After The Merge, there existed certain rules of life that stood and were applied throughout all of the realms.

And one of the most important rules that one should always remember, was that nothing in the world is free.

He wanted to etch that into him.

Because one day, he might just suffer if he believed because of him, that everyone would be nice to him, and hand over the food for free.

A life lesson, that would one day save his life.

Link, sighed as he watched the now stuffed kid that was looking on at the bowl in his hands with a sad look.

He put his hand around the kids shoulder and gave him a hug.

  "Its okay to cry now kid."

And soon the child was crying tears of sadness and pain while leaning on link's shoulder.