X. AN ISLAND UNTO ONSELF

IX. RESTITUTION

"I'm on the edge of my deathbed. I may not be able to fend this Giant Walker on my own." Lana gasps for air as the mysterious beast begins walking away. Her eyes dilate as her body tenses up with rage. "What insult is this? Am I too weak to be a worthy foe? How dare you insult me with your back towards me! Even when battered and bruised, I am more than enough on my own to take a monster like you to your grave! Mark my words: I alone can fell all that obscures my path towards godliness!" Her body became light as feathers as she used the last of her strength to make a dash and jump for the Giant Walkers head. "Face me head on you arrogant coward!" The giant walker swung its claw towards Lana, sending her to the air and far back enough where she bordered Billowing Embers. All went dark.

The sweet smell of bilberries caught Lana's attention. Rumbles came from her empty belly. She let herself go angry before her fight against the Giant Walker hoping the cravings would motivate her bloodthirst.  Its effect only being screams for nutrients waking her out of her sleep.

"My, my. Even your stomach is as a ferocious yeller as your mouth, Lana." Emerald the Elk came into focus.

"W-where am I?"

"In my healing sanctuary. Quick on your feet, but not quick enough to take in your surroundings I see."

Lana paused to take in her defeat from earlier. Are her abilities truly not enough to take down a Giant Walker for the time being? Sadness set into the depths of her heart as she laid on the soft light blue blanket Emerald put for her.

"Gloomy-moody, time has come for you to be the sun brightly shiny." Emerald giggled.

"W-what? That doesn't make any sense. Creating words on the spot only makes your voice idiotic."

"The healing power of laughter. Haven't you heard of it? It looks like you could use more of it. Doctor's orders."
"No...That isn't even remotely humorous."

"Well then, how about the healing power of touch my cuddly lioness?" Emerald moved her right paw to give Lana a pat, but jumped back as she let out an intimidating growl in response.

"Lay a finger on me, and your medical practices are no more. You need your paws for your livelihood. Plus, you won't even be able to walk to the store to get any more of your awful bilberries."

"Hey. Those bilberries are not only delicious, but they save lives. Show some compassion, will you?"

"Compassion is for people who don't know to obtain power. In other words for the weak."

"What makes you so sure that's not your insecurity speaking?"

"No one can be trusted. Showing them kindness will invite them to walk all over you."

"Oh, honey. That's what healthy boundaries are for."

Lana closed her eyes and tilted her head sideways as she nestled against the soft blanket. 

"If it weren't for the compassion of Jack deciding to bring you to me after he found you nearly dead, you wouldn't be opening your eyes anymore."

"Hmph."

"What were you doing so far away from Billowing Embers anyway?"

"That's none of your business."

"But..."

"You're overstepping your 'boundaries.'"

"Hah! Touché, Lana. Touché."

Lana felt her body let go of some tightness. While she isn't trusting of Emerald, or just animals in general, she also had no reason to fear her. What would a medical elk even do to her? Upset her stomach with medicine tasting like vomit? Pshh. She could handle that no problem. Her bated breath no longer lingered as she dropped her mental defenses. "I was taking on a Giant Walker. Solo."

"Oh, my, Lana. Why on god's green earth would you do something so foolish? You should leave the stupidity to me."

"If I can take down one Giant Walker head on, that is proof enough that I am worthy of taking down the sacred Twin-Tailed mutation."

"Your ambitions are aimed far too high for you alone. While I don't agree with what you're trying to do in meaningless slaughter, especially of something as sacred as the recently discovered Twin-Tails, but surely you can see you're outmatched with just yourself at the helm? I would at least ask for some friendly assistance."

"You needn't seek the aid of others for personal security when giving it to yourself is more than adequate."

Emerald walked towards her counter to grab her blue green medicine off the counter. She went back to sit down next to Lana on all fours. "Who hurt you, Lana?"

Silence filled the air as Emerald became patient for Lana's obvious trauma to surface on its own.

"I don't get betrayed. It's a perk of not trusting anyone but yourself."

"Then why?"

"Leo..."

"You mean your father?"

"I do."

"What happened between you two?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Leo was my role model, my hero. He made many promises to me, to his family, and to the strangers who approached him for help. One day, he made a promise to my uncle Levi to help him take down a Giant Walker who constantly teetered on the edge of Billowing Embers. My father knew the dangers of confronting those beasts, but he didn't know how to turn down a request even when he knew it to be too much for his abilities, especially when it is being asked for by his own flesh and blood that he cared for too much. 

My father and Levi were close. As twins, they knew each other as well as they knew themselves. At least that's how it seemed to my father. Leo trusted him more than anyone else in the family. They grew up and taught each other all their hunting skills. The two were inseparable. What my father had that Levi lacked was brains. Because of my father’s meticulous planning, and genius-like way he carried himself, Levi felt he was hidden in his shadows. Levi portrayed confidence as solid as air. Regardless of Levi's insecurities, my father always made it a point that he was only so self-assured because he had someone as skilled as Levi by his side.

He took on the request knowing full well he may never see me again. He took me on a trip south of the village to where the river runs deep. Showed me a calm I never felt before, and have never felt since. It was one of many times I saw his face feeling full, but it didn't last long. Towards the end of that day, I could see fear in his eyes, yet, the feeling of calm was buried right underneath that fear by the look on his cheeks, firm yet soft for what he is about go through.

On the day of battle, my father and Levi went to take down a Giant Walker believing he could take it down with his brother's help. When they fought, Levi abandoned him. Once the Giant Walker saw its chance for a killing blow, Levi stepped in to slay the beast from behind like the coward he is. The beast wasn't the only one to fall then and there.  He returned to us and told us the awful news with my father's tooth chipped and bloodied. While I was grieving, he went into the village and showed his prey. This was the first public display of a Giant Walker in the village. Its downfall was attributed solely to Levi. He basked in the admiration, but I just felt like something was off. What about Leo? What about my courageous father? I went to see the corpse only to find Levi's own missing tooth lodged deep within my father’s neck. Odd foot markings matching Levi's around the area. He hid on the high ground and watched as my father fought it head on. To hide his evidence of cowardice, he took down my father as well that day. 

Eventually, as we all know, there were rumblings of more Giant Walker sightings. Mayor Gianluca asked Levi for his assistance. He went to take down the beast, but never returned. I went forward myself to make out what could had occurred. There was no evidence of a death match. Everything in the area outside Billowing Embers where they were sighted was clean. It's as if nothing occurred on the outskirts of the forbidden zone. For all I know, that coward ran off and has settled into another village. That infuriates me! I'd rather he have his neck torn off by a Giant Walker than to live peacefully as a legend of Billowing Embers!"

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Lana. I didn't know. If you ask me, your uncle didn't just lack your father’s brains, but also his heart."

"Hmph."

"So taking down the Giant Walker isn't just to impress the villagers, but you also want to prove to yourself you can do alone what your father needed help in?"

Lana made no remarks. Her body stiffened as she got up to head towards the exit.

"Maybe it would be wise if the Giant Walker couldn't catch a glimpse of you."

Lana took pause to take in what Emerald had said.

"Wait! Let me give you some medicine! You'll need it to make a hasty full recovery."

"Fine. Make it quick."

Emerald got on her hind legs to pour out the blue green medicine into a white ceramic bowl that's been in her family for generations. "Here you go. I'll give you the cup with antlers on it. Cute, right?"

Lana scoffed at the word cute. Who needs any narcissistic attraction to aesthetics when it just wastes precious self-evolution time? She would rather sharpen her abilities than throw away time looking for cuteness. She licked the bowl, but had to control her urge to vomit. "What is this--poison?"

Emerald raised her left hand. "Sweet bilberry mixed with kale and other fine herbs!"

Lana ended up having to swallow her own puke as she continued to drink the rest of the medication with her tongue. "Maybe you can take down a Giant Walker with one of these."

"Hey!"

XI. HEAVEN'S GREEN LAKE