Chapter 3: The confusing dream
Hael watched the three men retreat, his gaze unwavering. Loki, who had been observing the fight from a distance, tilted his head, puzzled.
"Why not finish them off?" he asked.
Hael turned to look at Loki, perched on a nearby branch, before glancing back at the fleeing figures. "They ran away," he simply said.
Loki's confusion deepened. "You could've outrun them easily. Why let them go?"
A faint smile tugged at Hael's lips. "It would be wrong to keep fighting those who've already given up. There's no honor in striking down someone who's lost the will to fight."
Loki couldn't quite grasp the logic, but he shrugged it off. Hael had always been this way—a strange human with a beastly yet angelic appearance, at odds with his kind and gentle heart.
Turning to Brontus, Hael saw the bear sitting, clutching his chest in pain. Despite the wound, Brontus managed to glance up as Hael approached.
"How are you feeling?" Hael asked.
Brontus grunted lowly. "What do you think?"
Hael smiled. If Brontus still had the energy to be sarcastic, it meant he was already on the road to recovery. Hael moved to the lake, where he picked a large leaf and soaked it in the healing waters of Sanatio Lake, known for its restorative properties. He returned to Brontus and placed the leaf over the bear's wound.
"This should help speed up your recovery," Hael said.