After some time, Macarius slowly began to regain consciousness.
The first thing he noticed was the smell of roasted meat lingering in the air. It was a rich, savory aroma, mixed with the faint scent of burning wood and smoke. It crept into his nose, stirring his empty stomach and gradually pulling him out of the darkness.
His eyelids twitched.
He tried to open his eyes, but they felt unbearably heavy. After a few unsuccessful attempts, he finally managed to lift them, blinking several times as his vision slowly cleared.
The first thing he saw was a ceiling of rough stone.
Macarius stared at it blankly for a few seconds, his mind still too sluggish to make sense of his surroundings. The grey rocks above him were unevenly arranged, with narrow cracks running between them. Here and there, tiny droplets of water clung to the stone before falling onto the ground with faint, hollow taps.
It took him a moment to realize that he was no longer beneath the open sky.
’...Where am I?’
He slowly raised his head and looked around.
The cave wasn’t particularly large, but it was spacious enough for several people to rest inside. The uneven walls were illuminated by the flickering orange light of a bonfire, which had been built a short distance away from him. Its flames crackled softly, occasionally sending sparks into the air, while a thin stream of smoke drifted toward an opening in the ceiling.
And beside that fire sat a young man.
He appeared to be around eighteen years old, with golden-yellow hair that fell loosely across his forehead. The warm light illuminated his face, revealing rather handsome features and a pair of clear blue eyes. He wore leather armor that looked practical rather than decorative, with several straps fastened around his torso and shoulders.
At that moment, he seemed entirely occupied with the meat roasting over the fire. He held a wooden stick in one hand, occasionally turning it and inspecting the surface of the meat to make sure it was cooking properly.
Macarius tried to move.
His body felt heavy and weak, and the moment he shifted his weight, a dull ache spread through his limbs. He pressed one hand against the ground and slowly pushed himself upright, his movements clumsy and unsteady.
The slight rustling caught the young man’s attention. He turned his head. Upon seeing Macarius sitting up, his blue eyes widened slightly before his face broke into a cheerful smile.
"Oh, you woke up, huh?"
He set the wooden stick aside for a moment, leaning forward a little as he examined Macarius.
"Feeling good?" he asked, his voice carrying a noticeable note of joy.
Without waiting long, he turned back toward the fire, apparently satisfied that Macarius was conscious enough to answer him.
"I found you in the forest. You were lying there like a corpse, and the amount of wild rabbits around you was crazy."
As he spoke, he reached for one of the pieces of meat and lifted it closer to his face. He turned it slightly, examining its browned surface before giving a small, satisfied nod.
"By the way, how did you kill all of them?"
He glanced at Macarius again, his eyebrows rising with genuine curiosity.
"I checked you, but you didn’t have any injuries. Seeing that, I got shocked, you see. After all, defeating that many wild rabbits at once without getting injured is crazy."
His expression suggested that he was still trying to make sense of what he had found in the forest. Even so, there was no obvious suspicion in his voice, only the straightforward curiosity of someone who had stumbled upon something he couldn’t quite explain.
Macarius stared at him for a moment.
His mind was still hazy, and the young man’s rapid explanation did little to help him understand the situation. He looked around the cave once more, then returned his attention to the stranger sitting beside the fire.
As his vision grew clearer, he noticed the man’s handsome face and bright blue eyes more distinctly. There was an easygoing quality to his expression, and the constant smile made him seem remarkably approachable.
Macarius didn’t know whether that was a good thing.
He barely knew where he was, let alone who this person was or why he had brought him here.
"Who are you?" he asked.
His voice came out weak and hoarse. He tried to straighten his back as he spoke, but his arms trembled slightly beneath his weight, forcing him to lean forward.
The young man turned toward him again.
"Me? My name is Aksibilian. You can just call me Aksi. What’s your name?"
He introduced himself with the same cheerful smile, tilting his head slightly as he waited for an answer.
Macarius opened his mouth.
For a brief moment, he hesitated.
His name was something he could recall, but beyond that, there was nothing. No memories of a home, no familiar faces, no recollection of the person he had been before waking up in that alley.
Even the name itself felt strangely distant, like a word he had learned rather than one that belonged to him.
"Ma... Macarius... I think," he answered, his voice faltering slightly toward the end.
Aksibilian’s eyebrows lifted.
"You think?"
He tilted his head, his smile lingering as he considered the unusual answer. However, he didn’t seem particularly interested in pressing the matter.
"Hmm. By the way, that’s a cool name," he said, his energetic tone returning almost immediately.
With that, he turned back toward the bonfire and inspected the meat one last time. Apparently satisfied that it was ready, he began moving it away from the flames.
"Hey, you can come here, man. It’s your rabbits, so not giving you any will look bad, wouldn’t it?"
He glanced over his shoulder at Macarius, smiling as he gestured toward the fire and the freshly cooked meat.
The warm light flickered across his face, while the smell of roasted meat spread throughout the cave. Macarius remained seated for a moment, looking between the stranger and the food.
His stomach gave a quiet growl. He lowered his gaze, then slowly shifted his weight, preparing to move closer to the fire.
Macarius slowly moved closer to the bonfire and sat down opposite Aksibilian.
The warmth of the flames brushed against his face, and the smell of roasted meat grew stronger. He lowered his gaze toward the food, watching the glistening surface as the remaining heat rose from it in thin wisps of steam.
For a while, he simply stared.
"What are you waiting for, man?" Aksibilian asked, glancing at him with a puzzled expression.
Macarius didn’t answer. He merely lifted his eyes from the meat and stared back at him.
Aksibilian blinked, then scratched the side of his cheek.
"Hey, you know. You’re the one who killed all these rabbits, so I’m supposed to be the one asking you for some. But, you see, since I brought you here and I’m the one cooking, I thought I deserved my share of the deal."
He spoke with an easygoing smile, gesturing toward the meat with the hand holding his wooden stick. There was a hint of amusement in his expression, as though he found the situation rather funny.
Macarius’s attention shifted from the food to Aksibilian’s face.
"You brought me here? Where is this?"
His gaze settled directly on Aksibilian’s blue eyes, searching for an answer.
"It’s a cave. It’s a little far away from the place where I found you. We would’ve been in trouble if we’d stayed near that much blood. There are more predators living around here, after all."
Aksibilian turned slightly and raised his hand, pointing toward a narrow path that led away from the cave. The passage was partially hidden by the uneven stone walls, but from where they sat, Macarius could make out its winding entrance.
"So I thought this place was pretty safe. And even if something comes here, we can run away through there."
He moved his hand along the direction of the path, tracing its route before lowering it.
"I think we can fit here," he added.
Macarius followed the gesture with his eyes. He studied the narrow passage for a moment before looking back at Aksibilian.
"I see... Thanks," he said in a low voice.
The words came out quietly, almost drowned out by the crackling of the fire. He lowered his head slightly, unsure how else to express his gratitude.
Aksibilian waved a hand dismissively.
"No problem, man. I think it’s something every awakener is supposed to do. Even though we’re trained to be wary of others, I still think helping each other is just a human thing to do."
As he spoke, he brought a piece of roasted meat to his mouth and took a small bite. He chewed leisurely, apparently giving the matter no more thought than he would have given an ordinary conversation.
Macarius picked up his own piece of meat and took a bite as well.
The outside was slightly crisp, while the inside remained tender and juicy. The taste was far better than he had expected, and the warmth spreading through his stomach was a welcome relief after everything he had endured.
He chewed slowly, still trying to piece together his circumstances.
Then, just as he swallowed, something in Aksibilian’s words caught his attention.
Trained to be wary of others? Macarius stopped chewing. He raised his head and looked at Aksibilian, his eyebrows drawing together in confusion.
"What do you mean by trained to be?"
Aksibilian paused with the meat still near his mouth.
He turned toward Macarius, his cheerful expression giving way to the same puzzled look that had appeared on Macarius’s face moments earlier.
"Huh???"