The night air felt crisp as Aziel and Blackie continued their journey through the dense Elysian Forest.
The moon cast silver beams that danced upon the leaves, illuminating their path just enough for Aziel to see where he placed his feet.
Despite the hour growing late, Blackie urged him to push on.
Strangely, Aziel felt no fatigue weighing him down.
His legs carried him with an unexpected ease, each step filled with vigor as if his body thrived on the cool night breeze.
He pondered over this newfound resilience, suspecting it stemmed from being a magic user.
Perhaps it had granted him enhanced stamina — an edge he had forgotten after losing his memory.
He continued to walk in the direction indicated by Blackie throughout the whole night.
As dawn broke over the horizon, the soft hues of pink and orange spilled into the sky, dispelling shadows of night.
A chorus of chirping birds filled the air with a symphony of morning sounds.
Blackie proposed they stop to rest as they came across a space by a calm river.
Aziel surveyed his surroundings.
According to Blackie, this small river was the same stream where they had taken a break the night before.
It also connected to the village of Glenwood.
So, if he simply followed the flow of the river ahead, he would eventually reach Glenwood.
But for now, Aziel needed to rest and replenish his energy.
Following Blackie's lead, they approached a cave nestled against the riverbank—a perfect hideout for a moment's respite.
Inside the cave, darkness enveloped them briefly before Aziel's eyes adjusted to its cool interior.
The cave wasn't expansive, nor was it cramped.
Crucially, however, thick bushes concealed its entrance, effectively shielding anyone inside from any prying eyes.
Aziel settled down on a patch of dry ground and stretched his limbs, relishing in this brief moment of peace.
A few moments after closing his eyes, Aziel slept for several hours.
After a good few hours of sleep, he woke up.
It didn't take long before hunger gnawed at his stomach like a persistent beast demanding attention.
Memories of catching fishes flashed in his mind—simple yet satisfying meals prepared by himself with skill he didn't fully understand but seemed inherent within him now.
Guess I'll just catch some fish.
He returned to the riverbank and caught the fish the way Blackie had taught him.
After that, he sat near the cave entrance and quickly prepared the meal.
Fishing and cooking felt so natural that Aziel began to question if these were skills buried deep within his past, before his memory loss.
After devouring the last of his freshly cooked fish with satisfaction, Aziel went back into the cave to rest for a while.
Blackie sensed an opportunity amidst their downtime.
"Let's work on your powers while we have time," Blackie suggested after observing Aziel's appetite satisfied and energy renewed.
"Good idea," Aziel agreed. "What should I do?"
"Let's start with something simple," Blackie responded. "Summon that first arm again. The human one."
Aziel nodded and rose to his feet.
Remembering the sensation from before, he closed his eyes, picturing the image of the human arm in his mind.
It appeared clearer now, like recalling a familiar object from memory.
He focused on that image, the intent to summon solidifying in his thoughts.
With a silent command, he extended his right palm forward.
The air shimmered in front of him, and the same human arm materialized into existence, dropping onto the cave floor with a soft thud.
This time, without the immediate threat of a Crazy Beast looming, Aziel could observe the limb with a detached curiosity.
He crouched down, circling the arm slowly, taking in every detail.
It was undeniably a human arm, severed cleanly at the shoulder.
The skin was tanned, healthy, and stretched taut over well-defined muscles. Veins traced subtle pathways beneath the surface. The hand was clenched loosely in a fist, knuckles prominent, fingers slightly curled.
It looked like the arm of someone fit, someone used to physical exertion, not overly bulky but definitely possessing strength.
Aziel noticed small details—a faint dusting of hair on the forearm, the natural lines etched into the palm, the shape of each fingernail.
It was unsettlingly real.
"Now then," Blackie's voice broke through his focused observation. "Try to move it."
Aziel straightened up and looked at Blackie, a question in his eyes.
"With your mind," Blackie clarified. "Focus on it. Imagine it's your own arm. Start with something small. Try to wiggle a finger."
Aziel turned his attention back to the arm lying inert on the cave floor.
He stared at the fingers, choosing the index finger as his target.
He focused intently, picturing his own index finger flexing, and then projected that thought towards the detached limb.
He concentrated on the feeling of movement, the subtle twitch of a tendon, the bend of a joint.
A moment of stillness hung in the air, then, almost immediately, the index finger on the summoned arm twitched.
Aziel's eyes widened.
He focused again, amplifying his mental command, and this time the finger moved more distinctly, bending slightly at the knuckle.
A grin spread across Aziel's face.
It was working.
He pushed further, focusing on the wrist now.
He imagined rotating his own wrist, and watched in amazement as the wrist of the summoned arm followed suit, pivoting smoothly on the ground.
"Incredible," Aziel breathed, a thrill coursing through him.
It truly felt like an extension of himself, responding to his thoughts with an eerie precision.
He experimented further, mentally directing the fingers to spread apart, then clench back into a fist.
Each movement was precise, immediate, mirroring his mental commands perfectly.
Excitement bubbling within him, Aziel decided to test the limits of his control.
He started with playful gestures.
He willed the index finger and thumb to extend while the others curled inwards—a thumbs up.
The arm performed the gesture flawlessly.
Next, he tried a 'mini love' sign, extending the thumb and pinky finger while folding the others.
Again, the arm mimicked him perfectly.
Then, Aziel glanced at Blackie, rested comfortably on his middle finger.
A grin widened across his face.
He shifted his gaze back to the dismembered arm resting on the cave floor.
Then, he brought his right hand up, positioning it so that the obsidian-colored ring was directly in line with where he intended the summoned arm to point.
With a renewed focus, and a spark of childish mischief, Aziel mentally commanded the human arm.
He pictured the middle finger extending straight up, a clear, blatant gesture.
The severed limb on the cave floor responded instantly.
Blackie remained sat on Aziel's hand, watching the middle finger pointed at itself.
Tired of dealing with Aziel's childish behavior, it just let out a small sigh.