《Daily life in another world 「Isekai no Nichijou」》 Chapter 1-The Machine *rustle* *tssch* *...whirrr*
| >> origo() => -get(core\sys\terra\CONTAINMENT_CACHES\f678c98\); | ALPHA//FETCH/PARTITION:STRANDED/(entity:368 ¡°CHILD/BRAVE/SACRIFICE¡± ALERT:TRANSLATION ERROR)\RECUSED | AI-COM/ALPHA// WARNING: ACCESS TO VOID CRADLES REQUIRE ADMINISTRATOR TIER PRIVILEGES.\ | >> ¨€???????????¨€??????¨€???????¨€????????¨€????? | AI-COM/ALPHA// ACCESS GRANTED.\ | >> exec protocol: ALMASTRND(origo()); | ALPHA//INITIALIZING ALMASTRND PROTOCOL/EXTRACTING/DECODING CRYSTALIZED MEMORY BANK\ PROFERRED ...
¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡ª¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Sometime in January, off-campus bus stop. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming¡­ And I am not having a good time¡­ Woe is me as I stand here before the ruthless heat of the sun, patiently awaiting the metal carriage so I can embark on it and return to my abode¡ª *cough* cringe.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. *sigh*... I''m bored. Life has been¡­ exhausting, lately, too many compromises, silly regrets, responsibilities¡­ no, nevermind¡­ well¡­ it always has been, just more so as of late compared to the past. Honestly, all my life has been an aimless journey, being obedient, following footsteps, jumping from one hobby to the next. I¡¯ve had my fair share of things I could tolerate doing for the rest of my life and niche hobbies that never really fit, but never once I felt true joy in the things I have tried. What¡¯s the point of living if you¡¯ll never find fulfillment? I mean, yes, it is somewhat early to be thinking of such things, but I''d rather find a path sooner than later, the world will continue to spin without us after all; Besides this, there¡¯s always a rush to be¡­ useful in society, both as an necessity, and a obligation to repay my parents i guess. So, therefore, in a way to get 2 birds with one stone, maybe 3? Here I am, following the path of my ancestors so I can support them as they once supported me¡­ Ah, I was rambling, dammit, who am I trying to make a point to? Is there even a point to be made in the first place? It''s not like someone is listening¡­ maybe?¡­ no¡ª I should stop listening to myself like this. Haha¡­ it¡¯s not healthy when the deep bad thoughts get unearthed. While trying to clear my head of intrusive thoughts I hear a loud engine sound coming towards me, I turn over to see what it is. Oh, looks like my bus is arriving¡­? That¡¯s not a bus, that is a truck¡­ drifting? I offhandedly briefly hear a brief imaginary eurobeat playing in my head¡ª wait¡ª What? Is it heading this way?¡­ It is heading this way!... oh¡ª OH GOD IT IS COMING THIS WAY FAST AND IT ISN¡¯T STOPPING¡ª I get up and start running away from it¡ª my backpack! While still running I look back and consider grabbing it, no time, that truck is getting closer, I look to the left¡ª a wall, no escape, to my right I already know it is only open road, my only cover are the lamp posts¡­ Before I knew it I heard a loud crash right behind me, the sound too close for comfort, instinctively I threw myself sideways into the ground. An asphalt ground. Coarse, hard and sharp, and that combination hurts a lot. Trying to ignore the pain and tearing up in the process; I look up to see that the truck had collided with both the lamppost and the surprisingly solid metal bench at the bus stop. And that it flipped over and sideways above my head, hitting another lamppost and breaking the concrete wall¡­ ¡°D-dear god.¡± I take a deep breath, in¡­ and out¡­ W¨Cwhat the fuck. that¡­ that just happened. ¡°Fuck¡­ I always thought something bad would happen someday on this cursed almost 45¡ã degree incline road. JUST NOT WITH ME IN IT!¡± I carefully step closer to the downed truck cabin¡­ I tried looking inside it but it has a level of black tint in its windows that I''m pretty sure it¡¯s illegal. I try to peek inside but I cannot see anything inside at all. ¡°Hello?, you ok in there?...¡± I wait for a response, nothing. I try opening the door but it¡¯s locked too. ¡°Well, shit.¡± Let¡¯s call someone, cops?, ambulance? Yeah, ambulance; Might be better. I pull out my phone. Uuh¡­ was it 192 or 193?... *KRR**CRACK* What was noise? I turn around and catch a glimpse of concrete¨C And everything blacks out. Chapter 2-undressed to live In the place between places, where time is but a construct, and space is interwoven with threads of fate. A black canvas in a white infinity exists. Crimson threads of life, of purpose, of quantified impossibilities; All falling into the translucent ground, beyond its surface, down into the deep. The canvas speaks:
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¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡ª¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡­void. Black, blacker than black, yet also more empty of color than the whitest white. I cannot see. I¡­ can¡¯t tell how long I¡¯ve been awake, or how long I¡¯ve been unconscious. It feels like an eternity, infinite nothing. It feels like a couple seconds, stretched so far and thin that recognizing it becomes beyond impossible, has time even passed at all? Where am i? *¡Ö¡Ö¡Ö* Something happens, I am whole again. Before I can process it, I notice, I can process. That before I was in a state so slow, so sluggish that time felt it had stopped; That now, i am awake. I am me. ¡°What?... Where?... Who?...¡± I hear muted sounds outside¡­ Outside? Am I stuck in something? Something touches me. Touches me beyond the sense of tact I can feel, it goes inside my insides, burrowing with surgical precision into my whole being¡­ Is this¡­ my soul? I feel it washing over me, tingling, scrubbing and picking me apart. Slowly, I feel clean, I feel the cleanest and clearest I''ve ever had before in my entire life. Gone is the weight of my body, the pressure of existence. Gone, the veil I never knew I''d had over my mind. ¡°[WELCOME. TRAVELER.]¡± I stop contemplating whatever they just did to me. ¡°Wha¨C?¡± Before i can question what is happening I feel like being pushed through a gate, a film of something passing over me, and promptly being catapulted into what feels like to get yeeted to the stratosphere at sonic speed in reverse, i can¡¯t properly see or feel what¡¯s around me, but the sheer momentum and force that propels me are unreal, this overload of speed goes on for a few minutes, i try to scream away the uncomfortable pit in my stomach all the way but there is nobody listening.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. After some seconds, suddenly I start to slow down, I feel the touch of the sun, the vacuum of space, then the flow of air, and finally the weight of gravity takes me. I gently¡­ land? Settling inside a comfortable, warm embrace; I can see a little bit now, blurry warm colors fill my vision. The overwhelming warmth I just felt starts to go away, I try to reach out, but deep exhaustion and drowsiness suddenly fall on me. I go unconscious, once again. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡ª¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Time passes¡­ I turn and turn in my slumber ¡± hmmm¡­ warm¡­¡±. Windows of awareness slipping from me, ¡°just¡­ some more minutes¡­¡±. Some orange lights hit me, slowly consuming my sleepiness, ¡°...¡±. That¡¯s until hunger hits me, then I wake up completely. *yaawn¡­* ¡°...hoold oon a second¡­ I don¡¯t remember going to sleep, last thing I remember doing is¡­ is¡­ i can¡¯t remember? Where am i?¡° I try to get up¨C *thud* ¨CI can''t. I attempt to open my eyes, but they refuse, or so i think, everything feels heavy, all i see is blurry darkness with some yellow spots. OK, OK, take a deep breath, what¡¯s happening? I try to inhale and feel something thick and slimy in my lungs¨C I can¡¯t breathe? I CAN¡¯T BREATHE! I desperately punch and claw at whatever is constricting me, LET ME OUT! LET ME OOOOUUUT!!! *crack* I emerge from something, and fall face first into grass. ¡°A¨C¡±. *thump* *COUGH* *COUGH* *COUGH* *GASP* *COUGH* *Wheese* *inhale*... *exhale*... I lay down in the soft grass, take a moment to think, breathe. ¡°Where am i?¡± I open my eyes. I see vibrant, lush greenery, huge and small trees, bushes and herbs, some mushrooms and saplings here and there. I¡¯m under a very, very big tree, 5 times bigger if compared to other trees around me. There is a¡­ suspiciously round carving where I''m standing, it is smooth and warm, it looks like the roots of the big tree grew around it, it looks like a living nest. I smell the clean air of the forest, the perfume of flowers and the breeze¡­ There is also a very strong, pungent, sweet smell behind me. I remember the endeavor that just happened and turn around. ¡°What the¡­¡± It¡¯s an egg. A human sized, orange/green-ish scaled egg, encased in bark. There¡¯s an opening filled with a viscous white-golden¡­ something? I''m covered in the stuff, too¡­ I offhandedly consider eating this, eggs are perfectly edible even if raw, i thought. Then it hits me, the huge crack, the VERY uncomfortable feeling of being caked in slime¡­ did I just come out of that thing!? What the shit!?¨C How!?¨C Why!? OK, hold on, recap, I can¡¯t remember how I got here, is this a dream?¨C I punch myself and bite my tongue, OW. OK. Not a dream, what can I remember?... I definitely remember my life, at least I think I do, and my most recent ones got lost in the repetitive monotony of a student¡¯s routine¨C *gurgle**grrr* Ah, the hunger that woke me up decided to remind me it exists. I cast an awkward glance at the egg remains, uugh, why does it have to smell so good?... *rumble* A hollow pain assaults my gut... I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m considering this. Well¡­ it¡¯s a perfectly natural phenomenon to eat eggs, it¡¯s normal in nature, lots of¡­ lizards do this? I pause to consider what I have just implied¡­ I shake my head, anyways, move along, nothing to see here, I gaze back at the egg, not weird or disgusting at all¡­ I look around just in case, nobody other than me and the forest to judge me. The weird gaze I feel on me must be paranoia. I bend down to take a closer look, it doesn''t look bad¡­ the smell is kind of drowning all my other senses though. I take a small sample and lick it. ¡°...Oh.¡± Instincts take over me; Before I know it I''m chowing down. I kneel down to slurp as much as I can of the liquid; Briefly using one of the larger shell splinters as a bowl, and then eating that too. Not caring that I''m getting completely slobbered in the stuff in doing so, the frenzy drowning any of my remnant decency; This stuff is the ambrosia of heavens, a perfect balance of flavors, and just light enough to not feel bloated and become addicted to more. I finish and look down at my hands, still nibbling a shell, disappointed at myself for the shameful display and disappointed that there isn¡¯t more, it tasted something like cocoa eggshell rice crackers and ginger¡­ I crouch down and hug my legs, *exhale*... After that debacle, a modicum of clarity comes back. ¡°Alright¡­ First, let¡¯s consider my situation: I''m lost. In an unknown forest with unknown flora that I''m pretty very sure that they are alien, because last I checked, these weird huge plants, and glowing stone mushrooms that big cannot; Do not exist on Earth.¡± Earth¡­ *sigh* ¡°I guess¡­ haha¡­ I guess that¡¯s goodbye to home¡­ some people would be thrilled to be in my place, I guess¡­ but I''m naked, caked in smelly slime, lost, homeless, and with nobody to talk to.¡± Thankfully it¡¯s not very cold, actually, I don''t know if it is because of the shit I''m covered with or something else, but it¡¯s hot enough for me to walk around with no clothes and still sweat. Second¡­ I consider my options¡­ Uuuugh, as much as i want to, I can¡¯t stay here moping forever. ¡°I need to get up, I need to find someone, I need shelter, I need clothes, if i can¡¯t find any trace of civilization i¡¯ll need to secure a supply of food and water, water is easy, there¡¯s rain, and since this place is so humid i think maybe it rains a lot or there¡¯s a body of water somewhere. Food¡­ maybe I can do with fruits and grass? I haven¡¯t the slightest clue about hunting.¡± The least I should do is be safe and be able to run or defend myself. *sigh* ¡°I already miss home¡­¡± I gather myself and stand up; Try to hype myself up. ¡°Ok, Alright¡­ ALRIGHT! LET¡¯S DO THIS! YOU CAN DO IT! I CAN DO IT!¡±¨C I don''t know, maybe, can i? ¡°FUCK THE GODS THAT SENT ME HERE TO DIE!¨C¡± *rumble* i hear thunder in the distance ¡°ok maybe not¡­¡± ¡°...FUCK THIS FOREST, THE GOVERNMENT, MY GROWING DREAD, AND MY CRIPPLING ANXIETY!!!¡± *huff* *huff*... Fuck, why did i have shout? I didn¡¯t need to shout! Now whatever creatures there are in the forest know there¡¯s a crazed moron in this direction. The pungent smell of magic egg punches my nostrils again. Now that I think about it, this smell doesn¡¯t help either, something that likes sweet things could be lured here¡­ Lured to me. I need to get out of here and wash myself. In these situations it¡¯s good to climb a tree to locate a landmark. I look at the big tree close to me. It''s the tallest one, my neck goes back, back, and more backwards, trying to look at the top of it. it¡¯s¡­ also way too huge for me to climb, oh, yeah, also i have zero to none experience in climbing trees. Ok nevermind, let¡¯s focus on getting out of here first. Chapter 3-tunnel vision It has been¡­ 2 hours? Of trekking around the forest. I take pride in my accurate sense of time, I used to win most games of ¡®guess the exact hour and minute¡¯ after all. But¡­ I am sure that I walked at least 6 kilometers now and I don¡¯t feel tired at all¡­ I don¡¯t know much about camping or other wildness survival stuff, I can deduce some strategies from common logic at least, and if magic fantasy crap doesn¡¯t mess with me there is a high chance of finding water deposits downhill, or at least mud that i can¡­ try somehow filter later, I don¡¯t have any tools¡­ I see one of those suspiciously rotund flower stems and swerve left to avoid it. Also, in my small adventure, I came across many different plants. Fantasy plants, or magical plants? There were a lot of small glowing things, one or two trees shined with a metallic glint, they¡¯re probably rare. I did a double-take on a mushroom that I thought had legs, but it was nothing in the end. The rest, I couldn¡¯t really guess what type of plant they were other than being saturated in some sort of energy. I can only guess it¡¯s mana, but you¡¯ll never be sure, for all I know there could be a sci-fi base somewhere. Ah, yes, and that thing back there, isn¡¯t a plant, I mean. It is, but the plants I know about don¡¯t move and don¡¯t have teeth. When I came across it the first time it intrigued me. This¡­ weird ball of plant fiber that stood out in the vegetation, I thought it was some kind of root or potato at first. That¡¯s when I stepped on a stick, breaking it. In that instant, the monster blossomed in a terrifying presentation of tongues and teeth and fuckin¡¯ lunged in my direction, taking me by surprise. Thankfully, I managed to react and leaped back before it could violate my life; It¡¯s range was deceptively small, and I bolted out of there cursing at it the whole way. So yeah¡­ NOPE. Not going anywhere close to those things. So I continue walking¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡ª¨C ¨C¨C -- - - *thunder¡­**huff**huff**huff* It has been¡­ *huff* a long time¡­ *huff* Good news, it¡¯s raining, I can barely walk straight from all this water but it¡¯s raining. The filth that accumulated on me is washed away and I quench my thirst with the water that runs down on my face as I run. Bad news, there¡¯s something following me. I had this shadow in the edge of my vision for a while and I dared not look straight at it. It doesn¡¯t know I know where it is, but I don''t know what it is and what it is planning. The blur of the forest keeps passing me, jumping and dodging earth, rocks, roots, stones and whatever foliage I have to break through. I keep running.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. And running¡­ God almighty doesn¡¯t this forest END?? I think as I duck down another set of massive arching roots¨C *GRRRRRRR¡­* And meet IT. I slowly lift my gaze upwards ¡°Why does everything here have to be bigger than me?...¡± I say tiredly as I lock gazes with the¡­ pitch-black panther, with some very fancy plumage on the tip of its tail, a crocodile-length maw, and black eyes with a shining white pupil. It stares down at me, growling. Maybe this is their territory? I can¡¯t outrun it. ¡°...nice kitty?¡± I placatively try to say, half-raising both my hands and slowly backing away. My back touches the roots I just ducked under. Unfortunately, raising my hands did the opposite of what I wanted to do. *ROOARRHSSSS* It lunges at me.. ¡°AAH!¡± Can¡¯t dodge. Kick it. Without thinking, I hit its snout on reflex. *whimper* It recoils back. It felt like I hit it with the force of a sledgehammer ¡°...what?¡±... Confounded, for the first time since I arrived, I looked at my leg¨C wait, since when it was so thin? The monster that was circling me while I was distracted lunges at me again. I jump over its head¨C My foot catches the tip of its skull and I trip behind it. I fall sideways, sliding some distance in the wet ground and quickly get up to see it swiping its claws at me. I jump back and parry it, simultaneously clawing it with the same hand. I feel the blood stuck under my nails. Maybe i can win this¨C The Alligator-Cat Chomps down on my whole torso. ¡°G¨CHAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!¡± PAIN. On a level I never had thought possible. PAIN. I incoherently bash, punch and claw its face as I get bodied around and scream. I can¡¯t feel my stomach anymore. Left, right, up, down. I get shaken around violently. I grab something¨C It flings me away with force. I hit the ground, bounce back and roll over it from the momentum. *cough* *cough*¨C I taste iron, copper and sweetness as I spit a glob of blood. ¡°hnnngh¡­¡± I try to stand up but end up clutching my stomach in pain. *whimpering¡­**rustle¡­* ¡°aaaarrghmmmm~¡± After a while of whining and crying incomprehensibly, the pain becomes a little bit more numb. It is still raining. Then I realize that the monster left. *squelch* ¡°What?...¡± I look down at my¡­ dainty. Dirty. Hands¡­ There¡¯s a damaged black, slimy, ball with a bundle of tendons on one side. An eye. More specifically, the monster¡¯s eye. It looks like I managed to tear it off in the scuffle. ¡°Hnngh.¡± I drag myself to a nearby tree and prop myself against it. I take the eye with me. ¡°Haaaa¡­¡± *sigh* I look to the darkened skies, and wonder empty thoughts filled with conflicted emotions. ¡°Yay¡­ I survived¡­¡±. I gaze back at the disembodied eye; It gazes back at me. ¡°But at what cost?...¡± In the inky black iris, and deep into the pupil on what I think is something that gives that monster night vision, I see my reflection. It¡­ isn¡¯t my reflection. My eyes slowly study the image from top to bottom... Long black hair with dark green tint, a misplaced appendage hanging from the left side of my head¡­ ''an ahoge?'' I try pulling it and smotthing my hair down, but it bounces back up with a poing. Two sharp ebony horns laced with white streaks, long, downcast pointed ears, unblemished face with round cheeks... that are smeared with mud and blood. Thin, small cracked lips, round nose, and Large, beige eyes... the pupil almost a vertical slit, but closer to a losangle. I briefly feel my tongue on something sharp, and open my mouth to showcase a pair of fangs. Slowly, it hits me. That this whole time felt like a lucid dream, hyper aware of my surroundings and my own thoughts, but I ignored everything else. I didn¡¯t notice my own body, my own difference in height, my different voice, how I could run and walk hours on end tirelessly¡­ I drop the eye and inspect my body, I instantly notice the grand difference. That I am not me. Where my dick at?¨C My mind tells me to stop looking at it, to not describe anything otherwise my thoughts drown in a rabbit hole of despair, but my eyes still betray me, I don¡¯t know what to do with the conclusion that I¡¯m not male anymore. I bottle up those feelings and shelf the thoughts for later. I stop looking there to avoid thinking about it. Then I see the damage sustained to my abdomen. It¡¯s ripped in some parts, rain water entering my wounds, and has large indentations and holes from the fangs of that creature. The parts that aren¡¯t numb to pain still hurt unbearably, moving and breathing is very hard, but¡­ The pain is slowly fading away, I see my wounds visibly healing, clotting blood slowly closing the holes¡­ faint green lines pulsating around the wound. ¡­Touch it?¨C ¡°OUCH¡±. Bad idea. *yawn* ¡°Godammit¡­¡± ¡­I start feeling hungry again as I fall asleep. Chapter 4-Better, faster, stronger Morning light falls upon the forest, the canopy of trees filtering the sunshine from above, morning dew and humidity from last night¡¯s rainstorm decorating the plants and the moss. A mosquito lands on a sleeping beauty. *ribbit¡­* *Shlap!* ¡°Ngh! ¡°What the¨C AAAAH!¡± I¡¯m awoken via frog tongue on my face. I look at him. It looks at me. I look at him¨C *guooo**ribbit¡­* unfazed. The frog isn¡¯t even startled by my scream as it munches on a large mosquito. I watch it as it leaps away. I drop my head back into where it was resting. ¡°Uughh¡­ hello world.¡± I say, blinking away the water in my eyes¡­ Still too lazy to completely wake up, I think back on what happened yesterday for a while, a maelstrom of emotion and aimless thoughts enveloping my mind¡­ I think of the possible implications, of the advice that my female friends I never talked to could give, of¡­ mom¨C I stop this train of thoughts. ¡°Haah¡­ shidded tits and merde cheeks, guess I am what I am now, a little girl¡­ crap don¡¯t they have periods and stuff? How does that work for me now?¡±. In the end, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. Begrudgingly, I try to accept the new reality. I try to place my hand over my face to squeeze some frustration out¨C but it gets caught in something. ¡°Huh?¡±. I look down to see that overnight I got buried in mud that slightly hardened after drying over the morning, creating a sort of dirt-blanket over me. ¡°Must¡¯ve been because of the rain¡­¡± I murmur. I try to dislodge my arm. ¡°HGGGGNNN!¡± *plop* one down three to go¡­ ¡°HGN!¡± *plop* Now that I can sit down, the legs. I use my hands to dig around a bit and pull them out of the mud. *shlorp* *shplat* freedom at last. I inspect myself. Uugh¡­ I hate this, not a single spot isn¡¯t sticky with dirt and it got in some very uncomfortable areas. I can¡¯t see properly because of the second skin of earth I have, but it feels like the wound I had healed overnight, no pain, no internal discomfort. *sigh¡­* Good. More questions about what sort of creature I became for later. I proceed to stand up¨C ¡°whoa!¡± I feel a tug on my posterior and fall down again. Making more splish splat noises. ¡°What is it now?¡± I look behind me and there¡¯s a large, thick appendage stuck in the ground that is latched to my butt, at first I get scared, not knowing what it is, but quickly I notice a strange sense of familiarity and that when I tried to grab it to pull It out It had a sense of touch and pain¨C ¡°AArnhggk!¡±¨C no, that¡¯s wrong, it¡¯s my sense of touch and pain! Is this¡­ a tail? What? Since when¨C God, I have a tail too now!? I recall my memories and notice that it has always been there¡­ It all just felt so natural that I didn''t acknowledge its existence. Carefully excavating it out of the ground with the ungentle touch of a dyslexic archeologist. ¡°Pfft¨C¡± I chuckle a little at my own joke. I try not to do any brisk movements with it¡­ The new alien sensations coming to me naturally with a strange familiarity. There aren''t many details I can make out because of the crust of dirt it¡¯s embedded on, I can see some dark, glistening reflections under it¡­ scales? I¡­ I¨CI honestly don¡¯t know what to do with this information. ¨C I can make it jiggle a little hehe. ¨C I¡¯m surprised I only noticed it now, how did it not tangle on anything? I should at least have felt it dragging on the ground. I let go of it and notice that it can easily support its weight and swish around despite its size. It feels like a third arm, not like I¡¯ve ever had a third arm before, but it¡¯s surprisingly dexterous. Absent-mindedly, I try to pick a nearby rock with it, surprising myself, I lift it with ease. Normally I would need my two arms and some back muscles to lift something that size¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As a small test I try to hit that frog with it. ¡°Sorry, frog.¡± Doing a half-spin, I build momentum and release my grip on it. *KTHUNK*Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. I miss¡­ This time, the frog gets startled and leaps away into the vegetation. I managed to throw it pretty far and overshoot my target. Hmm¡­ Despite its appearance, this tail is strong. Maybe I can even lift my own body weight with it. For the next couple of minutes, I familiarize myself with the existence of the tail, trying out all ranges of movement, throwing stuff, grabbing stuff, poking myself with it, poking other things with it, unfortunately I didn¡¯t have anything to grab onto to try lifting myself up, and tail-push ups don¡¯t work with the different center of gravity. While I was attempting to insert my tail in places I shouldn''t be. I notice that I''m hungry again, and that I wasted a significant amount of time fooling around¨C Science isn¡¯t a waste of time!¨C Anyways, I commence the march in search of food. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡ª¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°¡­Frogs are edible, aren¡¯t they? ¡° I idly think as I swing around a particularly sturdy branch I found on the way. I recall seeing somewhere that they ate their legs, was it the French?... Or was it the Asians?... Either way both had some weird culinary skills that I wish I had learned now. *sigh* I¡¯m more likely to end up needing to learn how to dismantle and cook a monster wolf or some lizard than finding a cow in this forest. Another thing I discovered in my uneventful walk is that not only my stamina and the unusual strength for my size, but my eyesight and hearing are also¡­ enhanced. I can accurately track a small fly 10 meters away and faintly hear the heartbeat of the large frog I am stalking from 5 meters away. It¡¯s a novel experience, I¡¯m constantly perceiving all of this information, and I can focus on something to perceive more details. And at the same time tune out the rest. Old me would have a headache by now. I zone in my prey, lay down my trusty stick and pick a nearby decently sized stone¡­ I pick up 2 more just in case. I threw the first stone¡­ I miss completely and almost hit my feet. Shit, I can move my body just fine but the different arm length is ruining my aim. The green thing isn¡¯t all that startled, it looks over my way. I adjust my angle and quickly throw the second rock in my left hand before it changes its mind, I manage to graze it. *Gweee!* It¡¯s running away! I do an attempt to launch the last rock with my tail, one full rotation and snapping it like a whip¨C I miss, again. But the sheer force of the throw managed to create a small crater on the ground and made the stone skip once, the shrapnel briefly stuns the frog!¨C I quickly chase after it, grabbing the stick on the way with my tail and exchanging it to my hands¨C *THWHACK* *THUNK* *WHAM*... I hold a moment, stick raised in the air. ¡°...It¡¯s probably dead now?¡±... I crouch down. Poke, poke¡­ if the blood coming out its mouth is any indication It probably is. ¡°Haaah¡­ alright now what? I didn¡¯t really think this through¡­¡±. I don¡¯t have many ideas on how to make a fire, and even if I tried, with how wet everything is I doubt it would work¡­ I take a long look at the frog¡­ raw? *lick*¨C I feel stinging numbness spread through my mouth¨C ¡°mmfaaghha! ash baihshonos!¡±. I toss away the carcass in annoyance, all this time chasing this stupid, idiot, green pancake for nothing. *splash* ¡­splash? I look to the side to find out there¡¯s a pond some distance from here, I hadn¡¯t noticed it from all the bushes in the way. Probably home to the frog that is floating dead in the water¡­ I walk over it, smushing some of the bushes away. I crouch over the reflective water to inspect it, mostly clear, pristine water, it¡¯s probably safer to drink than the puddles of mud¡ª *SHPLASH* ¡°Hii!¡± I jump away from the water. A enormous fish does a summersault over the water¨C *PSHLASH* and dives right back in¡­ ¡°ahhaha¡­ looks like the ¡®pond¡¯ is much, much deeper than I had thought.¡± I slowly step away from the water lest something bigger decides I look like a snack. I look over the surface of the pond, the waters are still agitated from the previous encounter, and the frog I just threw in is¡­ gone? Did it eat it? Do the things here have resistance to it or something?¨C I witness the fish that just scared me slowly emerge from the water¡­ upside down? ¡°What.¡± I look closer and see the frog¡¯s legs sticking out its mouth. ...I¡¯m utterly dumbfounded. ¡°...huh, lucky!¡± I go over to grab my accidental prize but stop before I can continue¨C I search around for some vines instead, tie them to my trusty death stick and throw it over the fish to slowly drag it closer to shore. I don¡¯t know what lurks in that water and I¡¯m not eager to find out. No sir. Having it in a safe place and secured, I carefully think about what I''m going to do with it. instead of straight up eating it like an animal like last time. ¡°So¡­ fish are safer to eat raw when fresh, probably, without fire I can¡¯t cook it anyway¡­ Alright, first take the head out. Don¡¯t know what to do with that, maybe I can try to make something out of its bones¡­¡± I don¡¯t have a knife either¡­ and the sharpest thing I have are my nails¡­ So be it, then. Painstakingly slowly, I pick out and rip most of its scales and skin out of where I plan to make an incision to begin dismantling it. I rip open a crooked, uneven line and try my best to remove only the organs and probably inedible parts. I make do with a shoddy job at opening its rib/spine cage and taking out meat-spine skewers. When I recall that I maybe should have drained its blood first; I already have the scene of a massacre in front of me, blood everywhere, an open carcass with bones sticking out and gore, guts and tendons surrounding me. I try to suppress the queasy feeling I get from looking at my mess and focus on only the sustenance before me. *gulp*... ¡°bottoms up, then.¡± It tastes like¡­ Blood. it tastes like bad fish covered in blood, *sigh* not really unexpected; Better than trying out potentially poisonous things at least¡­ Pause. I focus on the word poisonous. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I look back to the deceptively large pond. ¡°Hmmmmm¡­¡± I look at the Insult of dismantling that I created. ¡°HMMM¡­¡± I take note of the small hint of the stupid green frog sticking out of the fish¡¯s mouth. ¡°...I¡¯ve got an idea.¡± Chapter 5-Embers of a new crucible ¡°Muahahahaa!... COME TO¡ª¡± *RUMBLE**SSSHPAAASH* ¡°¨CAAAAAAH! I DIDN''T MEAN IT, ACTUALLY, DON''T COME!¡± *SPLASH*... ¡°sometimes¡­ my genius scares me.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡ª¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡­ The past few days have been very, veeeery hard. I lost count of the amount of sighs I did from how hard it was¡­ But I have Improvised! adapted! Overcomed! I Am!... not doing very well, but I believe I managed to climb the food chain of this shitty forest! I somehow haven¡¯t gotten sick or cold so far so that¡¯s a plus. As for water and food¡­ I can safely drink rain-water that accumulates on leaves or from the pond. And for food¡­ I made a makeshift fishing pole using the leftovers of the desecrated fish I ¡®killed¡¯. It¡¯s made out of one of the giant fish spines and sinew. Obviously, I don''t have any bait, and don¡¯t know how to make one, but that doesn¡¯t matter. According to plan, I sourced our nearest green fiends so they could be sacrificed. The process went like this. At first I tried to find a large, sturdy branch. The trees are too tall for me to just climb and break one. All of the ones scattered on the ground are too flimsy or too short to work properly. I debated whether I could use vines to tie them together, but when I tried to do that they didn¡¯t have enough grip and ended up snapping in my hands from too much force. If I wanted to make a fishing rod, even if it''s one-use only, it needed to be at least sturdy enough for me to whack something and not disintegrate in my hands. I tighten my grip. I didn¡¯t want to use the stick that I used in my first ever kill¨C Flashes of viscera and blood. The impact of brutality against flesh traveling through my arms¨C I shake my head¡­ call me crazy, but this stick is my stick, it fits perfectly snugly on my hand. And, even after all the violence I committed with it. Not even a crack or chipping, it''s still as hard and sturdy as ever, maybe it even got harder over time. I don¡¯t know. ¡­anyway, as I was saying, I didn¡¯t have anything of suitable girth and length that satisfied my needs. So I resorted to using the self-sustaining supply of Fish Spines, I only needed to find more of those poisonous frogs to bait the fish and I was set for the time being. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡ª¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°Even in death you shall still serve¡­¡± I muse to myself and to a frog that was still intact after being honorably discharged as fish bait. I tie it down on another bait-pole, as I have come to call them, since I''m not really ¡®fishing¡¯ with them.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. *sigh*... ¡°It has been some time now since I started settling down in this place¡­ I don¡¯t like it but I got used to the¡­ food. The first times were somewhat traumatic, but after a while I got used to being constantly dirty and the grotesque sights. The unused bones and scales don¡¯t really go away so the place is decorated with the consequences of my labor. I¡¯ve even made a fence. Purely aesthetic, though, anything in this forest can just step on it and it comes falling down.¡± I sit down and stare at the pointless¡­ pointless things I have done around this place¡­ The skull ornaments¡­ the pile of discarded frog biomass¡­ The failed attempts of starting a fire¡­ The crude drawings made out of blood on the trees¡­ and my greatest creation: the clay blanket¡­ ¡°I¡­ I need to move, to move on¨C to move forward, to get the hell out of here!...¡± I collapsed on the ground¡­ *sob* I miss my bed¡­ my warm meals, my family, the warm touch of another living being, the fights and discussions I had with my friends, the annoying alarm clock, the same dull breakfast I ate every morning, the sound of rain hitting the shingles as the cars passed by¡­ ¡°¡­I need a plan. An escape plan¡­ a life plan¡­ heck any sort of damn plan will do!¡± Day by day. I feel my mind crumbling away from the stress, from the loneliness, the lost sleep from the little sounds in the middle of the dark forest, the faces I drew to pass time staring down at me, the dried blood filling the air with a stagnant smell. Every time I ¡®dismantle¡¯ a fish, every time I hit one of those frogs, a little bit is chipped away. I gaze into the water¡¯s reflection. I see a child, dirty beyond measure, with dark circles under her eyes and messy hair hardened with dirt and leaves. Slowly, trembling, I touch my cheek. She touches hers, her face void of any emotion yet filled with exhaustion and empty hope. I slap the water, banishing the reflection and look away¡­ ¡­ The moon shines brightly, and the wind carries the sounds and smells of the dark forest. ¡­ I take a deep, deep breath¡­ Try to ignore the smell of death sticking to me. Close my eyes. Focus on the grip of my fists and the weight on my feet. The swaying of this¨C my tail. The wind in my ears and the solidness of the horns adorning my head. The faint buzz of mana in the air which I ignored for so long. I exhale. ¡°Haaaaaah¡­ I have been stalling, wasting time, making empty promises to feel better¡­ being a utter and absolute fucking fool! Trapped inside the box, limiting my options, narrowing my view¡­¡± I heft my trusty stick, carry it close. It hadn¡¯t failed me before and shan¡¯t fail me now. ¡°I¡¯ll have all the time in the world to cry, to complain, to curse and end the lineage of whoever put me here¡­ later.¡± Now¡­ ¡°Now it¡¯s time to get serious, to be crazy, destroy every obstacle, to grab those lemons and make life fucking take them BACK!!, rebel against the world and nobody is going to stop me.¡± Chapter 6-Putting on the mask
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª Ceu¡¯lWard Academy. Time unknown. ¡°...The Darkaz, derogatorily called as ¡®Devils¡¯ and ¡®discarded demons¡¯, are one of the most predominant races in Terra. Their homeland resides in the south-western region of the Western continent, where the land is hot and mostly barren. Famous for their combat skills and strong constitution¡­ legend says that their progenitors were the consequence of frequent union between succubus and the humans that resulted in many conflicts and overcrowding issues due to the succubus¡¯ nature¨C I¡¯m sure we both don¡¯t need to get into those details¨C before the demons were banished, and cursed with only being to sire spawn If they fall in true love¡­ ¡± ¡°¨C¡¯true love¡¯? Master, For an official academy document, isn¡¯t that a bit too¡­ unbecoming?...¡± ¡°Ah, you see, my apprentice, recently, there has been a new study that one can fool themselves into believing a statement that is true, when it is in fact, not true. Thus, granting them the ability to circumvent truth checking spells. The same applies here, misguided or superficial affection could be mistaken as ¡®love¡¯ but it is not ¡®true love¡¯. Just like how people fool themselves into believing that Terra is a sphere, a bunch of bogus conspiracy theorists is what they are¨C ¡°But master! There are dozens of researches that prove¨C¡± ¡°Shut up Boby! Since you think you are sooo better than your master, you wouldn¡¯t mind a small mock exam, would you?...¡± ¡°Uuuuuugh¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
In the past few hours I started gathering all of my meager possessions, at least the few useful ones, and started preparing for my first, hopefully last, scouting mission. Just thinking about prolonged stay in this forest kills my motivation. The Inventory list includes: my indestructo stick; A copious amount of ribs and spines. Never turn down disposable pointy things; Fish ration wrapped up in a packet of large leaves, don¡¯t worry I tested the leaves for poison beforehand, though these will most likely not last long; The clay blanket¡­ didn¡¯t survive after I had a rough night on top of it.. I reach the pile of fish scales and leather. ¡°Hmmm, should I try making a robe?... no, that wouldn¡¯t work, sinew isn¡¯t made for this sort of stuff, and even if I tried it would decompose quickly, and I already have enough fish smell on me.¡± I give up on the idea. ¡°Now¡­ step one, choose a destination.¡± I walk over to the tree that I think is the tallest, a bundle of solid sharpened bones in hand. *THUNK* I stab one in the trunk and let go. The white protrusion holds, I grab it again and try shaking it. Stable. Good. *THUNK* I stab another one. *THUNK* And another one. *THUNK* And another one. Rinse and repeat. Slowly, I create a makeshift ladder of an assortment of different bones I gathered and sharpened. Climbing step by step, I inch closer and closer to the top of the forest¡¯s canopy¡­Stolen story; please report. *THUNK* I finally reach a branch I can climb on to, I grab the ledges of it and heft myself up, balancing myself and holding on tightly with my tail for insurance in case I trip and fall. Quite unlikely, since these branches are as thick as an ordinary tree trunk and I can stand on top of one with room to spare. I make my way up to the tallest place I can find, shifting away foliage and breaking twigs that get in my way, stepping carefully to not fall as my foothold decreases, the branches losing their thickness as I distance myself from the trunk and climb upwards. Finally, for the first time. I see the whole sky, without the thick canopy of trees that obstructed it. ¡°I really am in another world, huh¡­¡± In the morning sky, peppered with clouds, I spot two moons fading into the sky. TWO. MOONS. After seeing all those fictions with weird planets and multiple astral bodies. I would think that I wouldn¡¯t be too surprised, but looking at them, an uncomfortable sense of dread fills me. I ignore that feeling in favor of continuing my scouting. An endless carpet of green hills fills my vision, no end in sight, the maze of trees covering almost every single spot. I spot enormous mountains in the distance, the domain of the forest dying as the incline increases and reaches the rocky walls and snowy peaks. I observe the position of the sun, ¡°That way¡­ should be east, i think.¡± I meticulously analyze the horizon all around me. The mountain chain gradually fades away going west, their height considerably gets smaller but even then they are still huge. It looks like the forest ends due to them in the east and north. To the west, there¡¯s more trees, the bigger hills are blocking my vision but I can spot two or three colossal trees that dwarf even the average enormous trees of this forest. To the south, I don¡¯t spot anything noteworthy other than that the wind is coming from that direction. Climbing down and resting on one of the branches with my back laid on the trunk, I consider my options. ¡°First, Mountain range, nope, I am already at the wits end on this forest. no way I¡¯m climbing a freezing mountain that probably won¡¯t have food. Second, West, those stupidly tall trees will be a nightmare to climb but they should provide a bigger, better vantage point to find¡­ anything. And in third, well, there¡¯s nothing I could judge to be of importance to the south.¡± ¡°...West it is then!¡± I carefully climb down the tree, using the steps that I had made on my way, I arrive on the ground floor. I take a deep breath¡­ ¡°Onwards!¡± I take the first step of many¨C I pause. Which direction was west again? I try to locate myself by looking up¡­ I can¡¯t see the sun from down here¡­ *sigh* ¡°Dammit!¡± I climb the tree. Again¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°Just keep on walking~?. Just keep on walking~?. Just keep on walking, walking, walking~?¡­¡± After the 8th or so hour of uneventful travel, aside from the odd encounters with small critters that ran away when I got close, I started to idly sing. Until I recalled where I was and stopped¡­ And then continued singing anyway, but on a lower tone of voice, this time¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°...Captain¡¯s Log!¡± ¡°Today¡¯s entry¡­ Why am I doing this again?... hm? Ah, yes. Thank you for reminding me. So that the force may be with me, repress your feelings and exercise control, don¡¯t go insane, don¡¯t go lonely¡­ *sob* Do not falter, Captain! Your crew needs you!¡± I assure myself while I explore what I assume is my mana-sense on top of a tree. In the last 3 days, I have started to do practice throwing when stopping to rest, utilizing the rocks and stones scattered around and training with my bone javelins, some of which broke in the process, thankfully they are expendable and easily replenishable. More than once I got myself into a precarious situation because I couldn¡¯t properly hit my target. Never again. And as easy as it is to just charge into them and swing a stick around¨C I recall memories of agonizing pain and the hollow emptiness in my stomach¨C ¡­going into melee is scary. Another thing I experimented with, the limits of my new vessel¡­ And once again I am surprised by this body¡¯s¡­ vitality. I some made mental notes: Endurance, able to run superhuman levels of distance at a steady pace; Stamina, certainly higher than before, but my body¡¯s constitution and high endurance decrease its consumption rate so I can¡¯t make a good estimate; Resilience, I admit that I considered stabbing myself¡­ unwise, I know. After some careful consideration, I settled for how high I could fall without hurting myself, results were¡­ inconclusive. I found a small cliff while walking, and I can easily shrug off a 6 meter fall, any higher than that I¡¯d need to start jumping off these huge trees to see my limits. Speaking of which, there has been little development in my tree-traversing abilities, I managed to somewhat get by with only using 2 spikes in hand to imitate those iceberg climbers, strike the surface, drag myself up, release, repeat. It is a process that I haven¡¯t gotten the hang of yet; I won¡¯t be able to use it to escape some monster with how slow I am. By the time I would need to get some good distance away from the ground I¡¯d be already dead. At least with this I won''t be sleeping on the ground anymore¡­ I reassure myself that everything will be fine as I fall asleep. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 7-(Un)ingenious mind

¡ª¡ª[ ¨d¨T+¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?|??|?¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T+¨T¨g ]¡ª¡ª Nightmares¡­
| //SECURITY BREACH DETECTED// | //LOCATED BREACH POINTS:SECTOR[LAYER3 12,62,33] SECTOR[LAYER6 QUADRANT f678c98] OMNISENSORS 10-18, 257-279, and 356 NO SIGNAL// | //UNREGISTERED DATA STRANDS DETECTED AT ENTITY origo(¡ö)\ISOLATE INSTANCE// | //UNREGISTERED DATA ENCRYPTION/ATTEMPTING DECRYPTION\FAILED// | //DAMAGE CONTROL DEFERRED TO SECTOR SUBMINDS\RESUMING SURVEILLANCE// | AI-COM/WATCHER_36//PACKAGE RECEIVED/DEPLOY [GLaSS] PROTOCOL\COMPLETE | WATCHER_36//SYSTEM ALERT/CODE:TROIA\COUNTERMEASURE | WATCHER_36//BLACK ENGRAM LINK [origo(¡ö)] LOCKED/PARTITION DATASTRANDS/SECURE AND CONTAINENTIT¨C | >>ADMINISTRATIVE COMMAND OVERRIDE-EXECUTE SHELL PROTOCOL>> | WATCHER_36//PRIORITY OVERRIDE/OPEN CHANNEL LINK:ALPHA\ | WATCHER_36//ENGRAM LINK:DISCONNECT/REDACT STATUS [origo(¡ö)]:QUALIA\REDACT ERROR\SUPPRESSED
¡­ I suddenly wake up, sluggish, I can barely move at all, my limbs are unresponsive¡­ Slowly, I try to get up, but my body fails me; I start to flail around pointlessly, I feel like moving through hot molasses, my blanket barely even shifting with the movements. I feel a big burst of freezing cold air in my sweaty back, driving shivers up my spine, then, in a voice that I can only describe as incredibly ancient, corrupted beyond repair, disturbingly evil, and deeply distorted, and yet, it was so clear inside my ears, those words¡­ drilling deep into my skull and into my very soul. ¡°DO. YOU. WA.NT. A. PRII.ZE.?~¡± Each letter, each syllable it spoke shook me, each parting of its lips sending an explosion of bone-chilling wind right behind me, I couldn''t see it, but I felt it. The giant abomination, right behind me, grasping me with invisible, ethereal hands and squeezing an answer out of me; Its grasp was not painful, but instead, all-encompassing, suffocating. Deep, instinctual fear and absolute dread filled me. Then and there, I started praying, hoping that giving no answer at all was the correct choice¡­ ¡­
| ALPHA//TERMINATE AI [WATCHER_36]\RECUSED | ALPHA//TERMINATE AI [WATCHER_36]\RECUSED | ALPHA//OVERRIDE KEY ¦¤A44 RESET AI [WATCHER_36]/MEMORY WIPE\COMPLETE | ALPHA//DELETE LOG
¡ª¡ª[ ¨d¨T+¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?|??|?¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T+¨T¨g ]¡ª¡ª
5 days after departure. ¡°Mana¡­¡± ¡°There are many different interpretations and representations of it across history and popular media. An energy that is present in all living beings. A catalyst that empowers all things. A paracausal energy generated by souls. And more, but across all reports, the quality that is always constant is that it is an energy that can be harnessed and utilized to affect reality¡­¡± Now whether this gassy feeling I have is mana, Qi, Chakra, Power Level, Soul Essence, Vitality, or any other type of ephemeral sort of energy I do not know, and am about to find out.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it *exhale*¡°Let¡¯s get this over with¡­¡± Sitting down, I relax and close my eyes. Tune out my heartbeat and the small noises of the forest ambiance. Let go of any sensation of touch and smell, feel the blood flowing through my veins, my heart, and my head. Clear my head of any thoughts and reach out¡­ I sense an ethereal substance flow inside and around me, not quite a gas and not quite a liquid, I feel its invisible touch continuously wash around me, pulsating along with my breathing and vibrating within my blood. I cast my focus inward, and see that within I own a reservatory, the energy crystallizing inside it so slowly it looks stopped to the naked eye. I can feel it. I pull¨C A burst of invigorating energy and debilitating pain explodes from my abdomen and travels through my body, jolting me out of my meditative estate violently. ¡°OOOoooww¡­¡± I keel over and roll around atop the tree I am sitting. ¡°Idiot¡­¡± note to self: do not fiddle with the ball of condensed energy that may or may not be volatile that¡¯s inside your body. I feel like a drunk truck-kun ran over my brain and sprinkled brain-freeze on the way, stopped, and did the same thing on rear gear out of spite. My whole body is spasming with muscle pain and jolting with the excess energy running through my veins. *silent painful squealing* ¡°I think I''ll lie down for a while¡­¡± *rumble* *sigh* ¡°Great.¡± I¡¯ll need to find something to eat later too¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°The ¡®rations¡¯ that I had made beforehand didn¡¯t last long, at first, it was fine, but on the first day they started having a funny taste, and after the third, they straight up started rotting in the ¡®flesh¡¯ net I had made, which also started to disintegrate in my hands¡­ Waking up to the putrid smell of unholy death inside a pile of blackened mush in the process of getting infested with maggots was¡­ IS, not a pleasant experience.¡± So I just dumped everything behind me, except my stick and the ribs that I could carry, and wished that I could burn the vile mass with a heavy flamer. I would survive with what I could scavenge on the way. ¡°And I can¡¯t believe how many details I missed in the past few days¡­ I will partially blame my delirious state for being Isekai¡¯d, denial. Eating raw alien yolk and fish is prooobably not healthy.¡± I said, tilting my head in interrogation. ¡°This entire forest is full of life. Down to the littlest of places and crevices and the highest peaks and tree tops, insect life thrives everywhere, above and underground. Colorful birds I have never seen before flying above and through the trees, eating the fruits of the trees and hunting prey. The small critters and rodents hide away in the tall grass and the burrows, scavenging plants and bushes for sustenance¡±. They don¡¯t know I can hear them all. ¡°And the plants... Ahaha¡­ God¡­ the fucking. Plants!¡± I grind my head with my hands. ¡°If I had just paid attention before I wouldn¡¯t¡­ Wouldn¡¯t need¡­ to submit myself to that damned, agonizing, shame!... Argh!¡± ¡°I¡­ understand survival is my one and only top priority. But to violate the sanctity of life with no technique, no prior planning, savagely butchering them like a demented buffoon as I have done¡­¡¯ *shiver* I want to enter a hole and never leave. I shake my head from the trash thoughts. Focus. ¡°There are fruits, flowers, nuts, roots, berries and possibly even more underground plants that I couldn¡¯t spot. Everywhere¡­ I foraged what I could, and stayed away from the poisonous ones after I learnt the hard way.¡± *shudder* best to forget the thing that made me question if god is real. I learnt that the safe foods attract the birds, and the plethora of small mammals and insects go for the scraps that get left behind. ¡°Speaking of small animals¡­ I could try and catch a rabbit, though these ones have horns. I felt like I am capable of catching up to them with some effort, assuming these behave like normal rabbits and have similar physical properties. But¡­ *gulp* not looking forward to utterly failing at ¡®preparing¡¯ them. As much as I would like to have just a simple warm meal¡­ *sigh* I¡¯ll stick to the vegetarian diet, for now.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Day 6 ¡°...I may be stupid.¡± Inside the mystical confines of my mind that no living being can understand, I recalled that ropes are made out of smaller, intertwined and compressed strings. I made a dent the shape of my forehead in a tree from hitting it so much. The exact details of how to craft one are a mystery to me. But I have an abundance of time, food, tall grass and vines that I can experiment with. Attempt1#: I grabbed a bundle of grass, twisted it so the rope can be sturdy and be able to endure tension, and tried to knot the ends so it didn¡¯t dismantle itself. Results: it dismantled itself, rotation in the opposite direction that I have twisted it caused it to unwind and undid everything. Attempt2#: This time, I repeated the process and made a second layer of vines that twisted in the opposite direction. Results: somewhat functionable, it survived on pure force of attrition but still dissolves easily. Attempt3#: I managed to make an indefinitely long rope, by splicing the bundles of grass together I made a messy, thick, coarse, and hairy cable. Results: still not a rope, but¡­ progress. Attempt4#: I offhandedly tried to just twist it until I couldn¡¯t twist any more. As I was doing that, the center of the rope curled into itself and began to look like the classical double coiled look of a proper rope. I quickly started splicing more grass on each of the ends in giddiness and continued twisting. Results: A ROPE! YES! LONG-LIVE THE HUMAN INGENUITY. Attempt5#: The previous rope became disgustingly soggy and got eaten by bugs and the natural decomposing process. I wept. Results: Let¡¯s try drying the grass in the sun next time. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡ª¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 8-Only human
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª Sympathy An old man and a petite ¡®woman¡¯ sit in a restaurant. The place is filled with mercenaries, adventurers, bounty hunters, and plenty of other people with dangerous jobs. ¡°...see this man?¡± The old man says, showing a picture of a tall man to the girl, the man in the picture is covered in an assortment of cloths and strapped with gear all around his body. Concealing it. ¡°He was known as the greatest bounty hunter of his time, ruthless, efficient, hard to kill, he traveled across the entire world and more, with connections all over the places he has been to¡­ until he got beaten by a little girl, namely, you.¡± ¡°Pshh, yeah. That¡­ that was my father.¡± The girl says. He does a double-take at her. Eyes wide in disbelief. ¡°Wait, WHAT!?, but¨C girl, how old are you again?¡± ¡°...10?¡± She answers. ¡°10!? You¨C you massacred the entirety of the Ursula spire! Tore it down to nothing but dust and rubble¨C¡± ¡°I DIDN¡¯T WANT TO!...¡± She almost screams, tears dropping from her cheeks. ¡±I didn''t have a choice, I never wanted to kill those people, never wanted to have so much blood in my hands, but¨C but the things they did to those people, the things they were going to do to me¡­ it was an accident, I swear!¡± The man sighs deeply with deep regret and sadness lacing his wavering voice. Dropping his head in his hands he says:. ¡°Just¡­ God¡­ Just what the hell has this world come to?¡± ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
Day 7 ¡°Behold! My greatest creations!¡± I shed a tear at the sight of my first ever tool of survival, my first step, a clumsy one, but a step nonetheless. Towards civilization. Hopefully. I crouch down to grab my ropes and take them with me. What am I going to use them for? You ask? Well, a rope can be useful for many things. Tying things together, climbing, a whip, traps, a belt, pulleys¡­ I don¡¯t have or don¡¯t know how to do more than half of the things I listed but just being able to do the 2 crucial ones right now is what''s important. Climbing and tying things. With this I won¡¯t need to spend time sharpening sticks or bones to climb a tree every night when I need to sleep, plus, I can make a net, a proper one this time, to increase my inventory capacity. I made an improvised backpack with rope straps and interconnected dry branches for structure. It¡¯s a big, unwieldy, uncomfortable boxy thing that chafes my back. But it gets the job done and I don¡¯t have to carry everything by hand anymore.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. I placed my lovely stick, the remaining fish ribs, and the extra coils of rope I made inside. Occasionally when I find food, I pause to eat and store the extras inside my backpack to eat later. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Day 13 ¡°Ouch¡­ It hurts¡­ why do I have to go through this?¡± It¡¯s currently pouring water from the sky and I am once again taking refuge on the top of a tree. The canopy doesn¡¯t do much for shelter, so I''m sitting up near the trunk in one of the few dry spots. I became lazy once food and transporting issues got solved, thinking that was the end of my problems until I reached the vantage point. In reality, though, I wouldn¡¯t try to improve until the metaphorical problem is banging on my door, now I pay the price of my ignorance. ¡°...I hope this doesn¡¯t attract unwanted company,¡± I say as I carefully massage my bloody feet. Picking off dirt and removing small pebbles that punctured my skin, the wood gets stained into a dark red color as I wash the wounds in the rain. I had overestimated my body¡¯s hardiness. I had thought that because I haven¡¯t caught a disease after all this time and the freakish level of regeneration I witnessed, I thought that things would be easy. That I would not need to worry about dying of disease and some other infectious wound. ¡°HNNNG!¡± I pulled off another pebble ¡°...Stupid.¡± No, I¡¯m not crying, it¡¯s because of the rain. After so many days of sleeping, eating, and constantly walking¡­ barefoot. My feet became completely grated and filled with cuts, not to mention completely black from all the dirt I trekked on. *Sigh* It¡¯ll probably heal in a day¡­ maybe two¡­ I curl around my backpack and attempt to sleep. It¡¯s hard to. My head gets swirled into a whirlpool of thought as the cool air around me seeps the heat from my bones. I¡¯m heading in the direction of those massive trees¡­ but is it even worth it? There¡¯s no guarantee I¡¯ll find anything from a higher vantage point. There isn¡¯t even any guarantee that this planet has civilization! The way things are going right now¡­ I will not last long. My main weapon is a stick! Not a stave, not a sword, not a spear. A. STICK. There¡¯s no way I will defeat a monster with this, as good quality as it is. It''s only blunt damage. I don¡¯t have a¡­ home base. To return to. To store food for the winter, to have a comfortable sleep. I don''t know how to make traps, weapons¡­ Anything! These ropes are a miracle fluke at best¡­ My voice wavers as I continue to think about what is to come. I feel a ball of anguish rising in my throat. I try to think about how to make shoes to distract myself¡­ Blank, nothing useful comes to mind. More anguish arrives in my head with each passing second. I hug my tail tightly. Gulping down my tears. Try not to cry. Cry, a lot¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Day 15? ¡­I wonder how much time I wasted slept. . . . ¡°Finally¡­ I have arrived¡±. I crank my neck backward to gaze at the whole ¡®world tree¡¯ in its entire glory. It¡¯s difficult to even see the top. Feels like staring at a wooden skyscraper. Very large and unbelievably tall. And also absolutely covered in thick wooden vines, creating a straight undulating pattern that climbs upwards, with lots of holes and dark rifts formed from the vines growing on top of each other, I can¡¯t even see the original trunk from here. With so many things to grab onto and footholds to stop and take a rest, climbing shouldn''t be as hard as I expected. And the ¡®wood caves¡¯ that I can see here and there can provide shelter from the storms and for the night¡­ I just hope that other things didn¡¯t have the same idea. Hopefully, there will be only birds living here¡­ ¡°Fuu¡­¡° I take a deep breath. ¡°Is there anything I should do before climbing?¡± I consider my options. I could use a lot of rope to use when I eventually need to descend¡­ yeah, no. I would need to make a lot of rope for that, I don¡¯t think I could even fit anything else in my backpack if I decided to carry more than 100 meters of rope. I¡¯ll have to climb down by hand then. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯ll be food I can find in this tree outside of dubious mushrooms and moss. I have plenty of food stored¡­ they¡¯ll last at least a day or two. Going up and down this giant tree will take a lot of time, but I estimate that it will take 2 days maximum. I glance at my dirty hands. ¡­They¡¯ll probably be bloody red and my skin will be scraped off at the end of this. *sigh* Leaves and bark don¡¯t work for makeshift gloves because they get ripped apart too easily. I''ve tried before and ended up with green mush and splinters stuck in me. Oh well¡­ I tighten my grip. Steel my resolve. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± And began climbing. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 9-Getting over it
¡ª¡ª[ ? ]¡ª¡ª Sing the worry away. In the vast labyrinth of trees and stones, predators and prey alike lurk and hide. One such animal that was on their routine prowling finds an interesting thing. ¡­ *sniff sniff* (Hmm?) (Smell-Smell the blood smell. The fish smell too. Food?) (Follow! Search!) (Food? Hunt!) ¡­ It stops at a tree, looking around, it does not find the source of the strong, strange smell. *sniff sniff* (Smell here. But no food.) *sniff sniff* (Smell also here, and there. Smell go that way.) (Food not here?... Food alive? Hunt! Follow smell!) (Running, Fun!) (Food, Play!) ¡­ The predator stalks their prey from far away, following its footsteps and its smells, watching, measuring. ¡°...~?¡± (WHAT.) It ponders, stupefied. It has never seen anything like it before. (It Make weird bird sound but not bird??) (WHAT IS THAT?) It questions, scared. It does not know. (Walk weird on two paws like bird but not bird but make bird noise. But not bird??) (WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!?) It thinks, terrified. The beast fears the monster. (Horn?? Why fur only in head?? Weird tail?? Smell like fish but out water?? Pink??) ¡°...Sing with me?, sing for a year?. Sing for the laughter?, and sing for the tear?~¡± (OH HELL NAW IT MAKE MORE WEIRD SOUNDS.) The predator is genuinely horrified by the unknown creature, it knows that in this forest, even some of the smaller monsters can punch a hole through a rock, if this small monstrosity can swagger loudly like that in plain daylight it must be a fearsome predator, it probably noticed him, but a giant cares not for ants. (Weird. Weird thing! No hunt! No follow! Run, run far! Away from here!) Meanwhile, the ¡°monster¡± in question is completely oblivious as it pauses to eat a fruit. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± *munch* ¡°I wonder what I should sing next? I don¡¯t know many lyrics though¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª[ ? ]¡ª¡ª
In the great expanse of the largest forest in the world, the titan tree sways gently in the wind. *VUOOOOOOOSH* ¡­There are very few things that can sway a titan tree gently, one of which is incredibly high wind speeds that would send anyone flying. From very far away, you should be able to spot a small blob that also swayed in the wind, although violently instead. Holding on for their dear life on the vines. ¡°AAAAAAAAAH!!!¨C¡± *breathe* ¡±aaAAAAAAAH!!! A great chunk of the vine-roots had gotten dislodged, the strips of tendrils and ropes falling off and flying away, carried by the strong winds. The dark dot almost falls along with them, at the tip of one strand of the vines that haven¡¯t completely gotten ripped off, both swaying back and forth, up and down, gripping tightly so they do not fall to their demise¡­This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°IT¡¯S FUCKEN WIMDY OUT HEEEEREEEEee!¡± I¡¯m holding on for my dear life as it flashes before my eyes, *sob* it was a very short life¨C *ssSSHHPSH* *CRACK* *THUD* *CRASH* *SNAP* *THUMP* I get catapulted away towards the mass of vines as the wind causes my last hope to whiplash. Throwing me with force against the trunk of the tree, causing me to lose my grip and the rest of the vines I was holding on to tear apart. *Shhhh* *snap* *tumble* The dust settles with some debris still falling off the cliff. ¡°...hhhhh~¡± *whimper¡­* I stayed down for a while. Sporting a blank stare as I contemplated my pain¡­ ¡­ After a while. I recovered a little bit, enough for me to stand up and get my bearings back. I start to stand up but. *crack* *squash* ¡°What?¨C¡± I turned over and¨C I was laying down on a mess of rope, branches and a strange sweet smelling colorful mass. It dawns on me. OH NOoooo¡­ *sob* not my backpack! I tremulously scoop up the remains of my companion, the gross goop slipping past my hands, only the fruit-smeared ropes survived¡­ I get up with the ropes in hand. ¡°May you rest in peace, here lies the uncomfortable backpack iteration 1¡± I pay my respects in silence and do a mock prayer with 1 hand¡­ Well then, Anyways! I instantly shift moods. I recover the usable rope from the pile and I tie and coil them around me, around my waist, armpits and neck¨C maybe not the neck, that¡¯s dangerous¡­ I place them around my hips instead. Waste not want not, making these is a pain in the ass and I won¡¯t be able to replace them all the way up here. With that out of the way, I walk over to the opening of my crash landing, careful to not fall, grabbing the roots for support as I make my way over. A palette of green fills my vision, I can see the vast expanse of the forest once again as I stand on the edge. While I am at a considerably higher vantage point than before¡­ I still can¡¯t spot any signs of humanity on the horizon¡­ *sigh* Maybe if I go higher? I turn my cranky neck up to see the distance I''ll have to climb and¨C My hope falters as I fall down on my knees. ¡°In 4 hours!... After all of that¡­ I still haven¡¯t gotten even a fourth of the way there?!¡± I am¡­ shocked. I stare at the nauseating heights that stretch upwards¡­ ¡°nngh!¡­ uuugh¡­¡± I pull on my scalp and toss around ¡°Nope. Not feeling like it. Don¡¯t wanna!¡± I look back down, taking a step back from the vertigo¡­ ¡°But I''m already all the way up here¡­¡± *sigh* I sat down. The mental and physical exhaustion from the past 15? 17? Days start to creep into me¨C *yawn* my eyelids start getting heavier, I start noticing the soreness my whole body is in, and a small headache says hello. ¡°maybe¡­ maybe I¡¯ll take a little break. Yeah¡­ that sounds good.¡± I retreat further into the crevice and search for a spot with more firm and thick vines. *shiver* I don¡¯t want to fall down. Those winds are no joke. Tying myself to the roots around me with some extra slack, I lie down and rest, trying to think about nothing¡­ ¡°Zzz¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°...¡± A cold wind brushes my body, I stir and attempt to grab something to cover myself¡­ Ah, I don¡¯t have anything to cover myself, my sleepiness gets washed away as I hug myself for warmth. I groggily open my eyes. Woaah... *yawn* It¡¯s been a while since I have slept for so long. How nice it is to finally have an uninterrupted sleep, maybe because I''m so high up there are less animals and insects to bite me. I do some stretches after untying myself from the makeshift hammock and head out, and it¡¯s¡­ dark, I look up and notice it¡¯s the middle of the night. I see the same old forest landscape, this time illuminated by the moons and¡­ the stars¡­ It is¡­ beautiful. The sky¡¯s firmament is entirely filled with bright stars, some smaller, sprinkling the canvas with streaks of white dots, some bigger, shining brightly amongst the colorful canopy, some of different colors, red, blue, yellow, green. The cosmos¡¯ palette stains the background with nebulas and waves of colors, streaks of energy and dust painting the horizon. And on top of it all. The white moon and the smaller, green moon contrast everything else, hanging on low orbit and appearing much, much larger than the moon I was used to. I can clearly see their texture and the many craters of a variety of sizes that decorate their faces. I sit back down on the ledge of my small crevice, taking a deep breath and settling down, admiring the fantastic otherworldly beauty¡­ ¡°It¨C¡­ I¨C... *deep sigh* ¡­Living here might not be so bad after all¡­¡± I remember the occurrences that led me to arrive at this place. One by one, I relive, recall, contemplate the experiences that have carried me so far. And then, I feel, I laugh, I cry, I hate, I love. Taking time to slowly parse and process the memories, the weight of locked emotions and repressed stress falling down on me and falling off me. The pain¡­ of my death, the wounds that I carry. The regret¡­ of my choices, the things I¡¯ve left behind. The indignation¡­ of my fate, was this what I deserved? The confusion¡­ as I breathed once again, after I¡¯d thought I had breathed my last. The defiance¡­ when I found myself stranded and alone, determined to stay alive. The anger¡­ at the ones with hands on my destiny, what am I to them? A toy? The despair¡­ as I struggled to adapt to what I have become, to survive in this place. The fear¡­ when my life flashes through my eyes as I dodge death left and right. The thrill¡­ of becoming more, gaining more power, more tools, more hope. The denial¡­ of my feelings, of my new body, my anguish, my lost world and home. The prevailing¡­ when I struck back at the odds and improved, adapted, overcame. The anguish¡­ from all those sleepless nights, thinking about what I have lost, alone¨C I pause amidst the drowning weight of emotions, in the distance, almost imperceptible, far, far away, I see a small aurora of light, but not from the morning sun, no¡­ It is light coming from a city, the lucent brightness of civilization that drowns the stars. And then¡­ An overwhelming fire is lit within me, a fire of brilliant hope, of unstoppable defiance, of anger as pure and potent as sunshine, of the purification of anguish and deep gratitude, of the indomitable human spirit. I stand up. Feeling taller, higher, and bigger than I¡¯ve ever felt since arriving in this world. Determination fills my words. ¡°This¡­ is only the beginning. My¡­ adventure¨C¡± I lightly chuckle at the thought of fantasy adventure ¡°¨Cis only getting started.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 10-Holic Roar ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Day¡­ 18? 20? aa¡­I lost count. Does keeping track even matter? My need to monologue myself out of boredom came back rather quickly. I am currently climbing down the way I came. I would argue that traveling at night is not a good idea, but¡­ I just won¡¯t be able to sleep after that happened. It¡¯s still bright outside anyway, with all these stars and a full moon. I could use the ropes I''m holding to travel one stretch of distance faster¡­ but then I wouldn¡¯t be able to get them back. So I am doing the long, hard way around things by going down by hand. It¡¯s¡­ monotonous. One foot down, One hand down. Repeat. Almost slip. Repeat¡­ I make my way down at a moderate pace. ¡­ I start to wonder about what will happen when I get there¡­ What I saw certainly wasn¡¯t a forest fire, otherwise, there would be a huge pillar of smoke in the sky. So it definitely has to be light, and the only other type of light I know that shines like that... is the man-made one. But what I will find is a mystery to me. Is it a village? A city? A camp? How modern are they? Are they Humans? Elves? Goblins? I do not know, I can only speculate. Will I be welcomed? Or chased away? Out of the common races that are associated with fantasy worlds, I don¡¯t even know what I am¡­ I am different, that¡¯s for sure, and because of this, I fear that I could be ostracized. That¨C¡­ I¡­ don¡¯t know what to do if that happens¡­ The very thought of it terrifies me¨C I pause my descent, take a deep breath, *huff* Don¡¯t. Do not let your determination waver. OK, alright¡­ how do I not let that happen? What does a person do to make someone like them?... Gifts? Hmm, maybe this could work, but what do they like? While pondering about the art of winning over hearts, I continue descending. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°Fuckshitfuckhellnomotheroffuckersandshiddedsfucksfuckohgodfuckfuck¨C¡± NOW I KNOW WHY THERE AREN¡¯T ANY BIRDS OR CRITTERS IN THIS GOD-FORSAKEN TREE. I decided to finally dispose of one of my ropes. I quickly tie it down anywhere close to me and jump. SPIDERS. GIANT. SPIDERS!!! Because all the rope I was holding on to was coiled around me, which I forgot to hold on to descend safely, I ended up spinning wildly as I was falling. I couldn''t tell what was up or down but fortunately, I didn¡¯t hit anything on my way down. ¡°aaaAAAAAAAH!!!¨C *blgr* ¨CHMMMMM!¡± I¡¯m hit with a strong wave of nausea, and I hold my mouth shut to not let the burning liquid in my throat escape. I don¡¯t feel so good, it feels like my stomach wants to come out of my mouth and punch me in the face. Uugh¡­ the consequences of my actions. As I freefall like a very loud spinning yoyo. The wall of vines just above me bursts in an explosion of wood shrapnel, dozens of (dear god) HUGE SPIDERS coming out of the hollow tree. Their many red eyes grimly reflected the moonlight as they zoned in on me. *shudder* Freaky monsters¡­ even when they are so big they barely even make a sound as they leap and chase me on their 8 legs. I remember when I suddenly met one face-to-face as I was climbing down, both frozen in place out of shock. After looking at the head of a spider bigger than my own arm I bolted off as fast as I could to get the fucking hell out of HERE. Soon after, I could feel the tremors in my hands as the tree shook, the hive of unholy creatures waking up to investigate the disturbance. Namely, me. In my small bout of reminiscence, the rope runs out. I begin to flail wildly as I spin¨C *CRASH* *CRACK* *RUSTLE*... ¡°A¨CAhgh¡­¡± Nausea and spinning still assault my senses. I feel around me and feel a bunch of leaves and pointy things poking me¡­ another tree? Ah¡­ it seems that I was already relatively close to the ground when I fell, the thick foliage and broken branches broke my fall, *sigh* thank god¨C I see a black blur and red streaks of light on the edge of my vision. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. OH YEAH THE SPIDERS. I ignore the pain and start running. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - *huff huff* *pant* Leaping above, sliding under, slipping by, swinging, and skipping across the landscape. I flee, the blur of the forest quickly passing by as I maneuver through the many obstacles. And yet, even with my speed I still feel their presence closing in. some have broken off my trail, hopefully, they became tired and left. I look behind me¨C *KTRHUNCH* My foot sinks on something as I jump over a protrusion on the ground. I¡¯m sent flying from my momentum, rolling and stumbling as I skid and stop sprawled in the dirt. ¡°Ouch, ouch¡­ haaaa¡­ merde.¡± I¡¯m starting to run out of cuss words to use. I see what I tripped on. An enormous spider, black sheen reflecting from its angular carapace, standing¡­ Wait, it¡¯s upside down? I¡¯m looking at its butt. I spot a dark blue liquid on the ground, seeping from the side I can¡¯t see from here. I don¡¯t know what happened but I¡¯m not eager to find out, I get up in a hurry to continue¨C ¡°¨CAh, oh, hehe, hello there¡­¡± I start taking slow, careful steps back. I am surrounded. Since when did spiders use coordinated ambush tactics?! I think these were the ones that ¡°broke off the chase and were tired¡±, oh how mistaken I was¡­ There are 5 of them in front of me, and more will soon arrive behind me¡­ ¡°I¡­ dammit, so it has come to this, huh?¡± My hands tremble and my legs shake in fear. I¡¯m nervous, but¡­ My heart thumps the drums of battle, my senses sharpen, adrenaline surging. I miss the grin creeping up my face. While holding line of sight, I loosen the ropes strapped around my back and take out my last set of sharpened bone ribs. I awkwardly shuffle them around, deciding on holding them downwards with a backwards grip, like daggers. We begin circling each other, their silent steps matching the sounds of mine in the dirt. Summoning the blazing fury I had felt not long ago, I tighten my grip. And they sharpen theirs¨C ¡°HIEAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!¡± *PTHUNK* ¡°DIEE!¡± I ignore the girly cry and leap into the spider that was preparing itself. Gaining as much altitude and momentum as possible¡­ I slam down on the monster. The bone spikes puncture in and through its eyes, sinking deeply inside its skull. I feel them hit something soft inside, and quickly finish it off with a jerk and twist. It falls limply as I stand upon it. A burst of blood showers me as its carapace collapses with a crunch when I stomp on it to pull the spikes off. I see a black blur in the corner of my vision. Instinctively, I whip around and punch it. A satisfying crack graces my ears as the spider is parried away, staining my hand with a mix of red and blue blood. The adrenaline drowned the sense of pain in my hands. Another one is rushing at me as I turn around, I lower myself in preparation to stab it like the other¨C ¡°Ack!¡± I feel the hard, pointy legs around me as one of them jumps on my back and attempts to bite my head¨C *chink* My horns finally prove their worth. The spider¡¯s mandibles got stuck in them, effectively saving my head¡­ the pressure of its bite on my head is very painful though. I reach out my back and grab its face and talons, my fingers find their way and press down on its eyes, using the gaps the carapace has around them for a secure grip. I tear the thing away from me¡­ And promptly slam it down on the other approaching spider, their bodies gaining some brief air time from the impact. I let them entangle themselves in a mess of limbs from their disorientedness and search for the last missing opponent just in time to see a blob of white stuff heading my way. *splat!* ¡°HMMMFFFTH!¡± My face gets covered in a sticky substance and I stumble backward from the impact. *hhkh* *gasp* Can''t breathe. I start clawing away at my face to get rid of it, the stuff spreading itself to my hands and everywhere as I try to pull it off, the stretchy thing not letting go. ¡°GHFKHMMMTHFKMM!!!¡± I feel a burst of pain as my tail gets bitten. I can¡¯t see, but I sure can feel the bastard eating my ass. Pulling it closer to me with my tail, I aim in the general direction of the pain and stab¨C *TSHUNK* nailed it. With the annoyance gone, I scramble to get myself cleaned out of the sticky substance, tearing doesn¡¯t work, and pulling worsens it. I try slicing it off, success. *GASP* *pant* *pant*... Where are they?! Turning around I see¡­ 2 kills, 1 accidental from the one I punched, those 2 have I body slammed have gotten up but aren¡¯t unscathed. And¡­ Their friends arrived¡­ Dozens upon dozens of scarlet eyes surround me, I cannot tell how many of them there are, the red dots mixing and dancing in the darkness around me. ¡°...*gulp*¡± I left my other spike embedded in the nether-nibbler, so I reach over and equip my old stick, it has enough weight and heft to be used as a club. *sigh* Fuck. Alright. Take a deep breath in, a deep breath out. ¡°VERY WELL, YOU GOD-FORSAKEN, UGLY, ABHORRENT MAGGOTS!¡± I shout, pointing and goading them. They are getting agitated¡­ they don¡¯t understand what I say, right? ¡°I¡¯M NOT SURROUNDED HERE WITH YOU, YOU ARE SURROUNDED HERE WITH ME!¡± I steady my stance and prepare the best I can. The black tide charges. And so do I. ¡°RRRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!¡± I cry out, with everything I have. We meet in an explosive clash of unbridled violence against wild aggression. Flesh meets chitin and chitin meets flesh. I jump, leap, slide, and duck over and under them as I cave their shells in and put holes in their heads. Punching until my fists became grated red. Kicking so much that my feet turned black. Smashing everywhere with uncaged fury. Stabbing their eyes and weak spots with cold precision. knocking¡­ slashing¡­ headbutting¡­ stomping¡­ throwing¡­ I used their fallen as shields when they tried to web me. Their fangs became mine when my weapons were broken. Their savageness. Used against them. This went on, and on until I lost track of how long I have been fighting... Very few things resided inside my mind whilst my zoned-in state. Survive, at any cost. Rip and Tear, until it is done. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡­ *pant¡­ huff¡­ huff... huff¡­ COUGH COUGH* I spit a mouthful of blood. ¡°Are¡­ *gasp* are they gone? *huff huff*¡± My strength falters. ¡°Is it¡­ over?...¡± I grip my cracked stick tightly, it has served me well. ¡­I can¡¯t feel my arms. Or my legs¡­ Everything is numb. My body is littered with scratches, scrapes, bruises, cuts¡­ all sorts of wounds... Enormous fatigue has taken over and has made my limbs unresponsive. Complete exhaustion and deep soreness, piercing deep into my bones¡­ My horns are cracked and broken¡­ I think my ear was bitten off¡­ My tail is crooked¡­ Everything starts to slow down, drowsiness invading my senses. It is hard to think. So¡­ tired¡­ Struggling to keep my eyes open, and stumbling to stay awake¡­ I arch my back and take unsteady steps as I start to fall backwards, trying to stay standing up. But my tired body fails me. No!... can not¡­ re s t¡­ h e r e¡­ ¡°O¡Öi¡Ö***s¡Ö!¡± The last thing I hear before falling unconscious into the pool of blue blood¡­ Footsteps? ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 11-Unforeseen circumstances ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ??? POV A few days before¡­ In the great forest, a cloaked tall man wearing baggy robes and fitting gear, with a greatbow slung over his shoulder, was rapidly traveling along the canopy, hopping from one branch to another with agility. He wore a serious expression as he scoured the land, searching¡­ Taking a brief stop after a long time of scouting¡­ *tch* ¡°That damned witch¡­¡± The person leans over, sighing. ¡°This is a lost cause. After so much time without anyone finding a trace, she must be long gone.¡° He starts to recall the strange disaster¡­ 10 days ago, during twilight hours, there was a commotion that awoke the entire village, people shouting and running everywhere, trying to warn people of the danger. By the time I was awake¡­ It was already too late. A thick smog permeated our home, burying everything in a blue haze, rushing past and inside homes, climbing trees, completely engulfing the village¡­ it seemed to have a mind of its own, hunting people left and right and engulfing them. Everyone who was eaten by the fog began coughing, losing their balance, and falling unconscious soon after¡­ The few that managed to endure the effects of the strange smoke¡­ Saw her. A figure clad in a gilded tattered cloak, mystical wisps wrapping around her curves, and strings of glyphs circling their bindings. She was carrying an oversized staff that cast an imposing magenta light upon us. She had not uttered any words except for a small, playful laugh that echoed through our ears, as she glanced down at us with a sadistic smile. And then, everyone turned victim to the slumber spell that befell us. ¡­ The next day, as we began to recover and wake up¡­ everything seemed fine. No people were harmed, nothing was destroyed and our houses were intact, there wasn¡¯t anything that had been stolen, or so it seemed¡­ From the oldest elder down to the last child, as we recollected ourselves and tried to understand what had happened, a noticeable lack of vigor ailed us. People were sluggish, many complained to be hungry, some began to suffer from headaches, and others wouldn¡¯t even wake up. All alarming signs that something was afoot, we treated the ill and took care of those in a coma. Only after 3 days did they finally start to wake up. After an emergency meeting between all the representatives and the chief. We could only surmise that we had our vitality robbed from us for unknown purposes, it was assumed to be for some sort of malicious ritual, but the best we could do was speculation. And¡­ for the life of us we just could not comprehend why she had decided to¡­ *ahem* ¡°Soil¡±, the pants of some of the young and adult men along with the assault. It was¡­ an embarrassing thing. The curious gazes as we washed our clothes only worsened the peculiar happening. The elders seemed to have an idea about the nature of the perpetrator¡­ but remained silent. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. ¡°Enough idling. I should head back to inform the Chief.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - In the ebb and flow of traversing the wild gardens, a sudden mess of red colors catches the ranger¡¯s attention. He stops to investigate. Descending from the treetops, astonished. ¡°What in the name of gods?¡­¡± A sprawling mess of guttered corpses and bones appears before him, encircled by totems of putrid flesh and a fence of rib cages. Close to the edge of the stale water lay three protruding piles of reeking odor. One was a pile of half-chewed small creatures, taking a closer look the man identified them to be Parlyvonen Swamp Frogs, one of the most dreadful creatures he knows, merely touching it can render you immobile from the poisons on its skin. He shudders at the thought of whatever thing handled such numbers so nonchalantly and keeps a generous distance away from that pile. The other pile, the smallest of the tree, appeared to be a mass of decomposing dirt from afar, upon closer inspection he noticed that the entire thing was composed of fish scales and skin. The last, gargantuan pile, was made out of scraps and bones, apparently being the waste that was not used in the strange constructs around. The ranger steps back, taking in the whole landscape. ¡°Could this¡­ no. These are too crude to be the work of that witch.¡± He studies the unknown glyphs drawn around everywhere, in the ground, the trees, the rocks¡­ They are something that he never encountered before. Judging that nothing has happened so far he supposed that either this place is the result of a failed blood magic ritual or something¡­ else, which he finds far more scarier.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Just in case, he notes down the different glyphs he can find, the elders are wise, they should know something. And regarding that witch, any lead is better than nothing, even if these aren¡¯t related. Noting the clear strokes from the way they were written¡­ with fingers? They are all uneven too. Not one similar rune was written with precision¡­ are these even runes? Questioning if these are simply scribbles rather than some sort of ritual, it''s a commonly known fact that runes must be very precise and with standardized characters, each with its own meaning and function. This¡­ is far away from that. More akin to a message¨C The man stops in his tracks. What if these aren¡¯t shoddy attempts at inscription, but simply, another language? A sign, from someone outside the village, outside the forest... He looks to the side. From someone that clearly doesn¡¯t know what they are doing, judging by the horrible improvised tools around and the dilapidated shed made out of sticks and leaves. And then¡­ he notices. Pictures that anyone could recognize. Drawings that every household with a modicum of normalcy knows, hidden deeper within the alcove. Images of houses, people, furniture, animals, tools, food, clothes¡­ depictions of a family¡­ of¡­ home. Drawn by small, delicate hands. all made with a surprising level of detail and skill, defined appearances and names outlining the faces of people and places. Ruling out the hypothesis of it being from some sort of intelligent goblin mutant or other monster. Connecting the dots¡­ Turning around and looking. At the small details, the crude organization, the possibility of his hunch being true¡­ He holds his forehead with trepidation. Crouching down to closely inspect the ground, the man finds small, faint humanoid footprints, leading deeper into the forest, faint arrowhead symbols being carved occasionally in the trees. ¡°Oh no¡­ Oh no¡­¡± He says, with a tremulous voice. He ponders what in the world could have happened... A kidnapping? A lost child? But from where? Ours is the only village around for days of walking in this area of the forest¡­ ¡°I must hurry.¡± No matter. The strange circumstances may be led with and questioned later. If these signs are to be believed, there is a child lost within. And this dangerous forest is no place for children to roam about. And so, the hunter promptly begins tracking where the supposed lost child went as the prospect that he is the lifeline of a kid loomed over him. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - I have been following the little one¡¯s trail for some time now¡­ and, it can be said that I have become considerably more certain that the child does not know what it is doing. Traveling by foot on the ground, where all the poisonous things and predators are, instead of the canopy; Foraging poisonous plants and eating inedible, sour fruits; Frustrating attempts to craft items I cannot even begin to recognize; The most inefficient way to climb a tree I have ever witnessed, rows of bone sticking out of perfectly climbable tree¡­ I wonder how they are still alive. Unfortunately¡­ It seems the child is heading directly towards one of the Titanbark trees, the one in which a giant HiveReaper¡¯s nest resides nonetheless¡­ Dear gods, that is one of the most dangerous and lethal places in the forest! *sigh* This kid only keeps giving me more and more trouble¡­ He begins to double his pace¨C ¡°rrrwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAGH!!!¡± A distant, high-pitched roar echoes throughout the forest¡­ A scream? The rangers¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Is that?!¨C *grunt*¡± He starts sprinting as fast as possible. A faint sheen covers him as he starts to reinforce his limbs with magic to reach maximum velocity. Becoming a blur, rapidly jumping from tree to tree, branch to branch. Hoping it is not too late¡­ ¡­ *clash* ¡±AAAAAA¨C¡± *rip* ¡±¨CAAAAAAA!!!¡± *thump* ¡±HNRHAA!¡± *screech* ¡±F¡Ö¡Ö*** **¡Ö¡Ö**¡Ö!!!¡± *tear* ¡±EI!¡± *crack* ... I hear the sounds of battle amidst angry shouting. The child is here! Why is it fighting them!? The spiders are too numerous and always travel in groups. ¡°*huff* *huff* *huff*¡± A silence permeates the area as the battle ceases. The sounds of small, laborious gasps are the only thing left. There is still time. Hurry! Quickly descending onto the ground and breaking through the overgrowth of plants, cutting them left and right as he carves the way forward. The ranger finally meets¡­ her. The child is standing still, a stick and a disembodied talon in her hands. atop a mountain of HiveReapers¡­ the sheer number is overwhelming. Cold sweat runs down his back, hesitating for a moment as he takes in the scene. Did¡­ did she do this? She loses her balance, taking unsteady steps and falling down as he observes from afar. *THUD* Waking me out of my stupor. ¡°Oi!¨C hold on!!¡± He dashes over to her side, admonishing himself for my hesitation. Getting closer and crouching over her body, inspecting her condition. Dear gods, how was she still standing?! Looking her up and down, seeing numerous gashes, bruises, cuts, and holes in her body, thick blood seeping out and covering everything¡­ Is she¡­ SHE¡¯S NAKED?! He quickly averted his gaze to preserve her dignity¡­ Argh, This is inevitable, I must treat her. Immediately. The man promptly carries the child to a safer location carefully. The cracking sound of carapaces as he walks over the mass of corpses¡­ they settle down inside a crevice amongst the root of the trees, small rays of light illuminating the area. While doing the best of his abilities to suture and bandage the wounds, cleaning and stabilizing her condition, He couldn¡¯t help but further examine her¡­ exotic, features. Long ears, like an elf; Streaked black horns; A long, dark tail with a dark red sheen; Dark green hair, almost black; A tuft of misplaced hair on top of her head¡­ curiously, he reaches out to inspect it. It is soft. It is¡­ an ear? Turning the appendage over I notice cartilage under it. There are many different races outside the boundaries of the great forest. Tales from the elders and returning travelers returning to the village describe them in detail. But¡­ ¡°Who are you? Little one?¡± He says, caressing her head¡­ wait. He takes a closer look at her face, wiping the grime and dirt more thoroughly. Discovering a small, pretty face. A face that resembles the bloodlines of his village¡­ A little too much. Observing, the ranger sees within her traces of the people he lives with, traces of his aunts, of the elders, his far-off cousins, traces of¡­ himself. What?... How?... Why?... After the incident, every single person was accounted for and unharmed¡­ No one in the village has such traits as her¡­ unless¡­ Furrowing his brows, he thinks. Recalls. No¡­ It can¡¯t be¡­ Terrible realization dawns upon him. Was this the reason why that despicable fiend assaulted and robbed us as we slept?! What sort of unholy things has that witch done!? Dear gods, this is madness¡­ Only that witch¡¯s twisted mind could comprehend the reason for ruining another¡¯s life, taking them away from their family, only to abandon it. He angrily clutches his hands and strikes the ground, gazing down at her with sadness. This poor child... Left to die and rot, alone. The man could not fathom the witch¡¯s goals, nor the reason why the child resembled his family so much. He ponders. Is this kid¡¯s appearance here because of a kidnapping from somewhere else? Forced to endure transformations induced in her body, resulting in this appearance? The consequences of an unknown spell or ritual? He did not know, only time and careful investigation could tell. Regardless, no child in this world deserves what this little one had to endure. And, as unfortunate and strange as her origins may be¡­ I shall abide by my vows as a ranger and the way of my¨C He looks down at her. His gaze filled with pity. A worried, forlorn expression on his face. The child had nowhere to go, he assumed. So, then and there, he decided. ¡­our home. We do not abandon family. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - -

Chapter 12-Mending ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Pain¡­ Debilitating headache¡­ Bright sunlight hits my face, dispersing the comfortable darkness. Rousing me awake. ¡­sluggish thoughts, slow movements. Dry eyes and heavy eyelids weighing me down. A comfortable warmth covering my chest. *crunch* *rustle* *crunch* The soft sound of crunching leaves and grass amidst quiet, steady, and slow footsteps. Wisps of wind caressing my back. The smell of nature and mixed herbs, and a cozy fragrance of cloth that was left out in the sun. *crunch* Left¡­ *crunch* Right¡­ *crunch* Left¡­ The soft sway lulling me back to sleep. ¡°Hhgn¡­¡± I tightly hug the blissful warmth closer. Yawning. ¡°O*#*!... T*¡Ö¡Ö**¡Ö¡Ök#¡Ö¡­¡± ¡­ ¡®hmm¡­?¡¯ ¡­Furrowing my eyebrows as I recall the last thing I could remember¡­ Flashes of vicious carnage went across my mind, fighting until I could not stand anymore. And then, unconsciousness¨C ¡®Whuh?!... Wait What!? Where?! How!?¡¯ I jump with a jolt of surprise and immediately try to get away from whatever I am grabbing. Trashing and fumbling away as I gather my bearings. Tripping over my own tail in the process. ¡°Sssst!¡­ A¨Coouch¡­¡± My migraine takes a turn for the worse from the sudden movement. I clutch my head. Brain pulsating in and out with pain and disorientation, my sore and tired body sapping away the brief burst of energy. ¡°*#**¡Ö¡Ö*¡Ö¡Ö*##!!!¡± Still in the process of waking. My scrambled thoughts catching up with what happened then and what is now. I make an effort to open my heavy eyelids. Staring with half-lidded, blurry vision, I see¡­ ¡®A man?¡­ Ooh¡­ He sure is handsome¡­ more so than anyone I have ever met before¡­ Where did he come from?...¡¯ Blink. Realization slaps me and my drowsy consciousness instantly becomes sober. My eyes widened in surprise. ¡®Hold up¨C A PERSON?!¡¯ I look him up and down as he comes closer. ¡®What?... Who?... Where did he come from!? When!?¨C¡¯ A shadow is cast over me and, before I realize it, he¡¯s already crouched down in front of me. Too close. ¡°AAA!¡± *Shlap!* ¡°Gufhah!¨C!¡± *thud* The man is knocked back. Scared, I hit him with my tail and immediately crawled away from him. ¡°¡Ö**¡Ö¡Ö! ¡Ö¡Ö**¡Ö¡Ö*...¡± *huff* *huff* *huff* Hopping up and over a mound of roots, I hide behind a tree, catching my breath and taking in the situation. Letting my jumping heart and the sudden panic be washed away as I calm myself. ¡®This¡­ This can¡¯t be real. After so much time searching¡­ for someone to appear all of a sudden, right now? I should be glad¨C No, he is suspicious. Did he know where I was this whole time? A stalker? Or worse, a slaver? A hallucination?¨C have I eaten something bad?¨C Another lucid nightmare?¡­¡¯ Doubt and denial occupy my head as I hug my knees, coiling my tail around myself, and hyperventilating. ¡®¨CHe¡¯s right there¨C¡¯ My head spins, should I be happy? Angry? Sad? Running for my life? *rustle* ¡°K**#*¡Ö*... ¡Ö¡Ös**#?¡± ¡®...What?¡¯ Curiosity takes over me and I peek from behind the tree I was hiding behind. ¡®I¡­ I don¡¯t¨C What language¨C What did he say?¡¯ I see him slowly getting up. Taking his time to not make any brusque movements as he looks over where I am with a soft expression. ¡®Why is he looking at me like that?¡¯Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. While the man approaches, I take time to finally observe him, he is wearing clothes of varied green colors and brown padding, colorful plates embedded on his wrists, and vital areas. ¡®Are those¡­ scales?¡¯. He is wearing not-quite robes, the fabric being loose and baggy in some parts and tightly fitting in others, allowing ease of movement while covering his whole body. Large, almost oversized wooden sandals that tie around the legs with tall heels, I spot a sheath tied to his left ankle. Lots, a lot of pouches, on his belts and hidden inside the padded baggy areas, one of the belts is holding a quiver instead, and I see the bow, almost as tall as him, laying sideways some distance from him. The man speaks. ¡°**#**¡Ö¡Ö **¡Ö... #***?¡± I focus on his pretty... elven. Face. ¡®This feels weird, calling a man pretty¡­¡¯ He tries to speak and talk to me. Listening closely¡­ I cannot understand a word he says, the words are completely strange and different from anything from my world. He gets too close for comfort and stops when I flinch and retreat back behind my cover. Gesturing to the bloody bandages wrapping my body ¡®since when did?...¡¯ Only now do I notice the sharp pain from my wounds. The blood seeping and staining them under the wrappings. In the shadows¡­ I look at him, doubting with a piercing gaze. From the light... He looks at me, a gleam of hope in his eyes. ¡®He¡­ I¡­.¡¯ I gulp down the creeping paranoia. ¡®Even if it¡¯s not real, even if only for just a moment¡­ It wouldn¡¯t hurt to believe¡­¡¯ Gingerly approaching, carefully measuring each step while locking sights. I step into the sunlight along with him. He displays a wide smile as I approach. He slowly crouches down and¡­ gently puts his hand over my head? ¡®W-what?¡¯ A confused blush flares on my face. The man smiled bitterly and did a quiet, hoarse chuckle. Noting the baffled expression on the kid. The feel of each of his fingers as they glided on my head, covered by worn-out leather gloves caressing my scalp, surprised me. The solid, undisputable presence of someone, anyone. The simple company of another person, rescuing me to reality, shattering the walls that I had been building. ¡®This¡­ is this real?... Suddenly, impacting me with the force of a waterfall. I feel immense relief shower me. Like an overbearing weight is lifted from my entire being. I lose all the air in my lungs as I shakily exhale. sobbing. All the accumulated tension leaves my body as I truly relax for the first time in a long, long time. I fell down at his feet. ¡®You¡­ are real?¡¯ The person asked me something in a worried tone, but I could not hear a word¡­ as I was drowning in the deep. A half-cough and a hiccup, holding back my tears and swallowing down my want to cry. ¡®A PERSON!!!...¡¯ *hic* ¡®FINALLY!!!...¡¯ *sob* ¡®Someone¡­¡¯ ¡°#**¡Ö¡Ö! #***¡Ö#*...¡± The man gets startled by the sudden turn of events. Making a worried apologetic face he begins to step back, taking his hand off me. I do not let him. Grasping his hand back as tightly as possible, I hold it down. The solid warmth and the coarse texture I squeeze grounding me. A pillar to hold on to. ¡®He is real.¡¯ Tears obfuscating my vision, wet snot blocking my breathing, my efforts to hold back aren¡¯t enough. The floodgates are opened. A sad roar sounds through the forest. I Cry and shout all of the anguish inside me out, the emotions escaping my grasp, slipping past the prison they were in and finally running free once again¡­ The anxiety. Built and stored for so long that it towered over me, fell down, further disrupting my turbulent waters in an explosion of catharsis. The pain endured. From my journey, from my struggles and battles, from the hardships that I have been carrying so far. Getting so much lighter, now that the burden can finally be shared. ¡°...¡Ö¡Ö*¡Ö¡Ö#¡Ö*¡± Amidst the storm I found myself in¡­ I hear a soft, soothing voice, filled with empathy¡­ A light in the dark. An encompassing presence, promising protection. And I Feel a big, welcoming embrace around me. I embrace it back. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°Ranger¡¯s¡± POV ¡®Well, that was quite the meeting.¡¯ I muse as I rub my face gently. ¡®she can pack quite a punch with that tail of hers, such deceptive strength for someone so small¡­ my hand still hurts from how hard she held it.¡¯ A discreet glance back shows that she is still holding my hand, stubbornly looking down at her feet with a glum expression as we travel. ¡®At least, now I can partly understand how she has lasted so long here alone¡­ She is abnormally resilient for a child. Wounds that would have put an average person down and out of commission were shrugged off, and are already healing at a fast noticeable pace, she should be completely healed by the end of the week. And also strong enough to put up a fight with medium monsters, apparently without the use of magic¡­ OW¡­ Although, it seems she is not quite aware of her strength. My hand hurts¡­¡¯ I considered making her let go of the grasp she has on mine but¡­ seeing her expression, it would be unwise. Averting my gaze and looking up. Judging by the color of the small patches of skyline visible above the treeline, the sun Is about to set. Nightfall is coming. I take a deep breath as I stop walking, catching the attention of the little one. *huff* ¡®I understand that I have taken the responsibility of ferrying her back safely in the spur of the situation¡­ I was¡­ uncharacteristically emotional.¡¯ *sigh* ¡®But dealing with children¡­ It is not my speciality.¡¯ I recall the reputation I garnered back home¡­ ¡®Only love can support the patience needed to tolerate those annoying brats. Gods¡­ bless their caretakers, I cannot fathom how they can endure dealing with such whimsical and undisciplined creatures for 100 summers.¡¯ ¡®The task was briefly given to me and promptly taken away from me. After making sure they stayed put and quiet for the day as they became my responsibility to take care of. There was a commotion, and ultimately it was decided that such jobs were not to be assigned to me ever again¡­ Hmph, my methods are harmless and effective but it seems they could not handle them. Now, I am regarded as some sort of strange deterrent for misbehaved kids, with me being the high ranger in charge of the training grounds.¡¯ She curiously stares at me with those wide, large eyes of hers as I mused in my own thoughts¡­ I narrow my eyes and turn away. ¡®...Don¡¯t get too attached.¡¯ We may possibly share the same blood¡­ but her fate lies in her own hands, should the village accept her. ¡°...You are injured, little one, and it is almost bedtime for you, who needs all the rest available. Come.¡± I gesture to her. She follows me making a weird sour face. ¡°I assume that you have no experience whatsoever regarding the ways of the jungle and how to properly survive and traverse it. Therefore, I will treat you as a fresh initiate, we are not in a safe training environment, so mistakes cannot be tolerated.¡± The utter confusion on her face grows and grows as I speak, I notice she starts to quiver, gulping down the distress. But nods in affirmation anyways when I stop talking. ¡°Ah¡­ I forget, you do not understand.¡± I recall the outlandish cries and the unknown characters that I have stumbled upon¡­ ¡®It seems communication worsens her fragile state. This will be a problem¡­¡¯ I furrow my brows, thinking about how to overcome this problem. She starts to shift and shuffle nervously under my stare¨C ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ I recall that caressing her head seemed to calm her down before, as it does for many children. I reach out, and she jumps in reflex as my hand lands on her, but ultimately settles down and leans into it, tail curling and uncurling. ¡®Good. Negative emotions will only hinder us.¡¯ Deciding to resort to a more silent approach, I start by making simple gestures. The sky, the forest, and mimicking sleep. It seems she realizes my intent. So I began to climb a nearby tree to prepare the sleeping accommodations. ¡°E-eh? awawa¡­ a¨Caa¡­ O-oi!¡± Hearing the shout, I stop and look down. Only to see the child looking up at me, awkwardly hugging the wood and on the verge of crying. ¡®Didn¡¯t she know how to?... *sigh* this small journey may take more time than I had thought.¡¯ Having to carry her up and down everywhere every day was¡­ not suitable in the long term. Dropping down, I began an impromptu ¡®how to climb¡¯ lesson, and much to my dismay we had to spend a lot of time lost in translation and gesturing to each other¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 13-Misadventures

¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª Excerpts of father Krotus¡¯ speeches: Solra church. ¡­ ¡°Surround yourself with beauty and happiness, because, when you begin feeling beautiful and happy, those glorious, warm feelings will resonate with those things that you are around with, be it objects, music, people, triumphs, memories, or stories¡­ they will unearth, bring forth the similar emotions linked to them, amplifying what you were already feeling further beyond. Because¡­ the same applies to those that surround themselves with darkness and sadness, when the time where they are at their lowest point comes, recalling ugly experiences, despair, and bad feelings only worsens their dilapidating mind, throwing them further down into the chasm.¡± ¡­ ¡°Take care of yourself and those around you. With humility, bathe and rejoice in your glorious triumphs, no matter how small and insignificant they may be, what truly matters, is what they mean to YOU alone, be it making it big, winning the lottery, or making it small, learning how to whistle. Spread and emanate your happiness to everyone. Illuminate this dark world. Become the candle that ignites the flames of others. Burn bright and long. Embody the steadfast bulwark that splits the treacherous sea. Carving the path. Be a guardian. A spartan. A protector. Be an angel. A saviour. A miracle. Be a lord. A paragon. A leader. Embrace the light. Be any or all of those things. So that one day¡­ YOU can be the pillar that supports, the firm ground that holds balance, so that instead of falling, those that find themselves deprived of hope and happiness can soar as high and far like you once had done before. And¡­ as all things are, play big or small, even if yours are but a small, flickering light, only able to carry its own sole weight, it is ok, you are not obligated for lifting the weight around you. What matters above anything else, is keeping that flame alive. Because a thousand candles can light up the whole sky.¡± ¡­ ¡°Darkness encroaches all around us, even from inside ourselves. The world is cruel. Come the time you cannot sustain your own light, reach out. Just as you can share your flame to rekindle those that have lost theirs, others can do the same. Nobody is truly alone, only those that willingly isolate themselves end up losing their spark, or burn so brightly and quickly that they collapse. This world is filled with countless people, each one special, with their own story to tell. If you cannot find the candle to light up your way, the candle will find you. The only way to lose is by stopping searching.¡± ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
"?k''tremnti." "Ouquetremiti?" "?k''tremnti." "ook... tremmt?" "?K. TRE. MN. TI." "...owok''turemmty?" *SIGH...*"pajus... husere ve haneseve." He leaves while massaging his head with a... annoyed? constipated? Face. Lately the¡­ ¡®leaf uncle¡¯, as I have come to nickname him in my head, has been trying to teach me his language and a myriad of survival techniques with varying degrees of success. He doesn¡¯t seem very good at teaching people¡­ with the spartan training and all the fumbling around the language barrier¡­ The last time I tried to catch his attention he turned to me with a confused face and gave me some sort of green biscuit to shut me up when he couldn¡¯t understand me properly. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. It¡­ uh¡­ successfully shut me up in the end. What was I supposed to do!? Refuse the single processed food I have seen in I don¡¯t know how many days, that topples all of the other stuff I have ever tried tasting in this forest? It tasted like some sort of salty green tea flavoured with bacon, fresh cucumber, and traces of sugar cane. A weird combination I still can¡¯t quite describe, but¡­ not bad, not bad at all. I had to begrudgingly accept when he started to use the same trick again and again with the same effectiveness. After days of eating the same stale peanuts, beyond bitter fruits that made me retch, and berries so sour they made my tongue numb, the godsent cookie was heaven upon hell. I¡­ may have tried to search his bag to find where he stored the food once¡­ And I¡­ may have gotten caught. After a very confusing reprimanding, with me only understanding a fraction of what he said, now I am restricted to only one per day¡­ sad. I¡¯ll have to be patient and make do with the things we hunt and forage. A small price to pay for salvation. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡­ I had thought that learning an entirely new way of speaking would be very hard but¡­ recently, It feels like anything I can recall has become more detailed, more crisp, like everything isn¡¯t a shoddy jpeg anymore. I am still prone to forget things, but memories come and go much more easily and clearly. I wonder¡­ is this what they call photographic memory? I have been absorbing anything and everything that Uncle did or tried to teach me at an obsessive level. Skills, mannerisms, conduct, combat techniques, tool handling, the way he walks, the way he talks, I committed everything to memory, he is a master of the forest after all. As for language¡­ it feels like I have a glaring hole in my vocabulary, outside of picking up some words when he murmurs to himself, ¡®I can hear him loud and clear, he is not fooling anyone¡¯, he has only taught me the names of the various things he has and the plants and animals around us, aside from some everyday words like ¡°follow¡± ¡°stay¡± and ¡°stop chewing that¡± there wasn''t really much else¡­ What the hell is this? Am I a dog now?! It must sound like I have an incredibly broken speech¡­ blame him. A hand stops me in my tracks, disrupting my line of thoughts. ¡°Luwofurii¡­ ### \curse\ set # bawal \stop\ ### \look\ #ves## \danger\¡± Crouching, Uncle gravely says something while inspecting the ground. Those odd smudges on the ground¡­ animal tracks? ¡°\danger\ ?¡± I ask. He nods. ¡°\what do\?¡± Looking away, he makes a noise*Tch* ¡­Did he just click his tongue at me? ¡°Nulnya. ## fahte.¡± ¡®...What? Sorry, could you repeat that? You know I don¡¯t understand everything you say.¡¯ I look at him confused as he stands up and moves to grab my hand. ¡°\follow ####.\¡± Then he proceeds to grab my arm instead. ¨Chuh? He also grabs under my other arm, lifting me up and placing me on his back on a firefighter carry in a single, fluid motion. ¡°Kya! w-wait¨C what?¡± *vuoooosh* He leaps, going up and high enough to reach the canopy in a single jump. I had never seen him do such a superhuman feat before. ¡°WHAAAAHAHAAT?!...¡± He begins jumping from tree to tree at absurd speeds and unreal skill. The wind blowing on my face and making my hair erratically whip all over and the up and down swinging from all the jumping making me nauseous. ¡°WAIT WAIT WAIT¨C AAH! AT LEAST GIVE A WARNING YOU¨C *gack* STOP FOR JUST A SECOND! /STOP/ /STO¨C/ MMGHPHH!¡± Pausing the insane acrobatics for a brief moment, he shoves something in my mouth. It is tasty. ¡°/silence/¡± He says, or at least I assume so. ¡°Ghphffmm¡­¡± relishing the new delicacy in my mouth, I relent. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡­ Right in the margins of a pond, A solitary figure gazes at the reflection on top of the still water, a small little girl with an oversized shirt stares back¡­ (monotone)¡°Kyaa¡±¡­ what sort of person does ¡°kyaa¡±s nowadays?... *sigh* I still can¡¯t believe it¡­ This makes me wonder¡­ What power dictates my identity? Myself or my body?... Does my perception of self and upbringing even matter when the subconscious slowly shifts to something entirely¡­ different. Deeply reflecting, I idly picked up a pleasantly smooth pebble. This¡­ scares me, because either way, I don¡¯t know what I''ll become. I only know that I will certainly not be the same as I once was by the time I acclimate myself to everything, I have a whole new world to adapt to after all. Should I stubbornly hold on to my old values and memories? Or embrace a new self and start anew?... I threw the pebble at an angle, trying to make it skip above the shallow water¨C ¡°GWEH!¡± I flinch. Oops, did I hit a toad?... I send a silent prayer. Heading back to where Uncle is setting up for tonight, I see a¡­ hammock It looks like the wind blew away a tent and it got stuck, hanging upside down on the tree branches. There¡¯s a square frame with little bipods that snugly latch on the tree with a big tarp hanging off it, by the looks of the lattice it folds too. Hmm¡­ that¡¯s Convenient. Well, looking on the bright side at least I''m not butt-naked anymore. After that whole kerfuffle, the few bandages that still preserved my dignity came off. And now I''m borrowing one of Uncle¡¯s spare clothes. The large size difference being a constant reminder of how small I became. *flap**flop* Big sleeves go woosh woosh. Now that I think about it, when did I start not caring about someone seeing me naked?... I mean, there isn¡¯t much to see, but still¡­ It has been so long since I last wore something that it feels weird now¡­ Elf uncle didn¡¯t fuss about it so maybe it¡¯s fine? Hmm¡­ I sense a disturbance in the force¡­ like something important is missing, a hole in my ego¡­ It¡¯s on the tip of my tongue but I can¡¯t think what it is. Oh well. I nonchalantly shrug off the concern. Anyways. I head on over to the man-made nest, flaunting my newly acquired tree-climbing skills much to his relief. I do not need to make an overcomplicated and wasteful use of ropes to reach high places anymore, and climb right in and on top of his shoulders to peep at what he is fiddling with. An assortment of belts, pouches, glasses, vials, all sorts of equipment, trinkets, items, and tools. Meticulously outspread and organised. Hmm¡­ Inventory check? How responsible of him. Got to give him props for his stoicness, even with me hanging out on top of his head he doesn¡¯t even flinch and keeps on with his task. He didn¡¯t show it, but he was being massively distracted by the annoying little girl messing with his hair¡­ I curiously observe him inspecting and doing maintenance on his things until he finally finishes and decides to go to sleep. Detaching me on the way to lie down. Hmm¡­ maybe?... ¡°Ogat? Fovre ni suszeneve¡­¡± He says before turning away and closing his eyes. Words he didn¡¯t teach me¡­ *sigh* I keep watching him¡­ He shifts uncomfortably under my gaze, my eyes eerily reflecting the night light. He ignores it and proceeds to sleep. And watching him¡­ waiting until I¡¯m certain he is asleep¡­ Quietly, I approach the bag where I have seen Uncle store the sweet goodies¡­ I start opening and¨C *click* A net of ropes and leaves bursts from somewhere and catches me. *FWING* *WOOSH* ¡°W-WHOAAAA!¡± *gack* W-what?! Who¨CWhen did he set this thing up?! ¡°H-Hey!... Heeeeey!... \help?\¡± He doesn¡¯t respond. ¡°Could you get me out of here?... it¡¯s very uncomfortable.¡± I say, knowing he also doesn¡¯t understand what I''m saying. I start hearing deeper breaths compared to what he had before. This guy!... He was pretending to be asleep! Tch. The elf goes to sleep in peace with a smile on his face. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 14: Interlude-Argonaut rupture
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª | >> OPEN_LOG (WATCHER_36;¡°10.02.4812.18:30:15¡±)\... | Log [10.02.4812.18:30:15]\\ | ¡ª SECURITY BREACH DETECTED | ¡ª LOCATED BREACH POINTS:SECTOR[LAYER3 12,62,33] SECTOR[LAYER6 QUADRANT f678c98] OMNISENSORS 10-18, 257-279, and 356 NO SIGNAL | ¡ª UNREGISTERED DATA STRANDS DETECTED AT ENTITY origo(¡ö)\ISOLATE INSTANCE | ¡ª UNREGISTERED DATA ENCRYPTION/ATTEMPTING DECRYPTION\FAILED | ¡ª DAMAGE CONTROL DEFERRED TO SECTOR SUBMINDS\RESUMING SURVEILLANCE | ¡ª AI-COM/WATCHER_36//PACKAGE RECEIVED/DEPLOY [GLaSS] PROTOCOL\COMPLETE | ¡ª WATCHER_36//SYSTEM ALERT/CODE:TROIA\COUNTERMEASURE | ¡ª WATCHER_36//BLACK ENGRAM LINK [origo(¡ö)] LOCKED/PARTITION_DATASTRANDS/SECURE AND CONTAIN ENTIT | ¡ª >>ADMINISTRATIVE COMMAND OVERRIDE-EXECUTE SHELL PROTOCOL>> | ¡ª WATCHER_36//PRIORITY OVERRIDE/OPEN CHANNEL LINK:ALPHA\ | ¡ª WATCHER_36//ENGRAM LINK:DISCONNECT/REDACT_STATUS[origo(¡ö)]:QUALIA\REDACT ERROR\SUPPRESSED | >> . . . | >> OPEN_CHANNEL_LINK (¨€)/Connecting...\Connection refused/Connecting...\Connection refused | >> . . . | >> msg = CREATE_PACKET().include(txt{¡ö}; adm.function.pipeBomb(adm.daemon22); ¦¸://documents/yottabyte.zip)\Packet created. | >> While(!read){SEND(msg;¨€)}\Sent ¡°msg¡± to ¡°¨€¡±\152¡­ 155¡­ 160¡­ ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
Oraterano, nicknamed as the quartz suntuoso because of the tall, monumental white architecture present across the city, renowned for its long history shrouded in mystery, nigh-impenetrable defenses, and peacekeeping campaigns throughout the world, it is the city-estate home to the elusive race of Sancti and considered to be one of, if not the most advanced state in the world, the entire city is augmented by magitech and machines, technologies which the makings are privy only to them that enhance every facet of their culture and livelihood. Throughout its long history, the nation has endured and survived many conflicts and catastrophes; After a blank period in history known as the dark-age, where a untold event wiped most if not all records of the time, They begun to maintain a status of neutrality in the political landscape of the world, while their people are quite open-minded and amicable, Oraterano enforces isolationist policies on any information and citizens going out of the country, making Sancti appearances on the outside world that aren¡¯t in a military operation uncommon, but not that rare, as their dogmas promote freedom of spirit and even encourage their people to adventure outside, but with strict rules to keep everyone closely tied to their homeland and to prevent secrets from leaking. And regarding their infamous military, while they are secretive of the causes that occurred to make them take such an approach, it¡¯s widely known that due to something that happened in the past, a big part of their forces now acts as a world-wide organization that hunts catastrophe and cataclysm level threats to protect the future of the world. They are known as the Terra Protective Division.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡­ Location: Oraterano / [REDACTED] / Archon Lance¡¯s office On the topmost floors of the administrators¡¯ tower, a massive table stands alone inside a pristine hall, The light of the open sky behind the glass wall illuminating the large room, behind the desk is a tall, large man, bald and dark-skinned clad in ornate handmade garments under robust armor plates that shone in the backdrop light with a cobalt hue. Archon Lance¡­ a man bearing many feats and tales to his legend, known as the high commander, the wall, pillar guardian, seismic bastion, the absolute secretary of preservation, and many more titles that the populace gave him throughout his career. Leader of the Terra Protective division of Orateran and head of all things regarding military involvement in external affairs for the country, renowned for his unwavering loyalty, steadfast demeanor, and hard visage. *SLAM* He hung his head down, the noise of the slab of steel that serves as an excuse of a desk cracking reverberating throughout the hall as he ground his fists angrily into it. ¡°What. did you. Say?¡± he said in a clipped tone, lifting his glare to meet the messenger. The poor girl that was delegated to the task was almost pissing herself from the pressure that filled the entire room. ¡°A-another o-one appeared¡­ s-sir¡­ *ahem*¡± She takes a moment to gather her bearings ¡±reports say that an individual that shares her appearance was spotted at Rhodes¡¯ capital after a wyvern attack 3 weeks ago, and the Oracle Engine said that not long after massive spikes of mana and other residual energies appeared eastwards, presumably at the Daivette forest¡­¡± The description of the lengthy and detailed report along with the messenger¡¯s own insights went on until she finally finished. He maintained the piercing glare for a moment before relenting it, turning to the side to focus at the vista of the city below them instead, his eyes turned tired. ¡°...*sigh* At ease, you may sit.¡± The girl sat gladly with a sigh, tired from standing after reporting everything. ¡°... just when I thought I could finally get one moment of peace.¡± Dorothan¡­ ¡­Also known as the demon of devils, the first sinner, the witch of decadence, depravity, degeneracy, or any other demeaning terms that people could come up with to slur her name. The wretched woman is responsible for countless disasters and problems around the globe ranging from petty pranks to realm-wide destruction, few people can fathom to understand the terrors that reside in her head and fewer still can try to predict her next course of action. She is an elusive and chaotic existence that pops up every now and then with no clear reason or pattern. In recent times the few reports from witnesses that managed to spot her were thankfully rather harmless and non-consequential¡­ vandalizing property, bodily harm of criminals, swapping of gender and race, impersonation of public figures, holding hostages for entertainment, forced mass teleportation across continents, creation of rigged dungeons, targeting individuals until they went insane¡­ Arguably, these allegations would not be considered ¡°harmless¡±, the repercussions of that woman¡¯s actions are a pain in the ass for everyone that crosses her path, but they are tame in comparison to her more famous exploits¡­ The scars the world has acquired will never fade away, to this day people are adapting to the changes of geography that occurred in the past. Therefore any signs of her presence cannot be afforded to be neglected, or else it becomes too late by the time a response can be made. And it just had to be on the other side of the sea¡­ Our eyes see far but our hands can only do so much¡­ The commandant rises from his seat and begins pacing across the large desk. ¡°As you may know, our hands are already tied dealing with the infestation from the CDZ, investigating the strange recent recurring prophecies around Liberta, and assisting Confianza in pushing back the DreadFish swarm¡­ not accounting for the many, many other minor threats that we must deal with every day.¡± ¡­Even so, it is not something to be overlooked, we cannot afford another catastrophe when we still haven¡¯t dealt with the last one, hmm. The messenger that was still sitting could only wait to be either dismissed, or god-forbid, sent on another errand, she looked at the man that suddenly stopped pacing around with increasing nervousness as the time ticked away to an uncomfortable degree as he just stood there thinking. ¡°Hmm¡­ that woman is not to be taken lightly. We must prepare and adapt for a possible altercation with her, and keep the situation updated at all times.¡± He turns back towards her. ¡°Send word to gather any able bodies of guardian rank or above to form a fireteam, they are to be sent across the sea and contact the leading authorities so they can be informed and prepared to face unforeseen consequences, include all the reports and analysis details with standard regulations as per protocol, also, inform the skydocks that they have my permission to utilize their fastest vessel available.¡± The messenger promptly stands up and salutes quickly, the chair making an annoying grating noise on the ground as it gets pushed back. ¡°Y¨Cyes sir!¡± She exclaims, hiding a grimace. Then goes on to exit the room. He lets out an almost imperceptible smirk to grace his lips as an amusing Idea forms inside his bald head. ¡°Hmm, Have I mentioned you are to be included in the fireteam?¡± The red-haired girl froze, mouth agape as she processed the information while Lance chuckled, his baritone voice resounding in her ears only adding to her apparent misery. ¡°...what?¡± Dropping the formal pretenses ¡°It will do well for you to get out of that stuffed room for once, Amanda. You¡¯ll get rusty¡­ or worse, end up demoted. You are very talented to have reached so far in this occupation, but your status as my granddaughter will not protect your laziness forever, and it''s about time you got some field experience that isn¡¯t office work.¡± He says with mirth. Her cheeks reddened at the sudden change of demeanor ¡°E-eh!? B-but¨C¡± ¡°¨CNope, no buts.¡± He said, pushing her out of the office ¡±There is a mission that needs doing and I know you are more than capable, you cannot hide your skills from me¡­ ah, and another thing, here, take these sweets, your mother said you¡¯d forgotten them at home.¡± ¡°Now go¡­ And do not let me catch you shirking duties again.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 15-Keep on keeping on
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª An assassin¡¯s woes. Two people walked into a bar, their appearance hidden under long cloaks and masks, though, nobody seemed to care about the suspicious demeanor, for everyone else in the tavern was also clad in similar obscuring dark clothes. After ordering a meal from a nearby waitress they settled down on a table. ¡°...Now, here¡¯s a lesson: if you want to become number 1 in our type of trade, NEVER ever take a contract against a dwarf.¡± The man took a long pause to let that settle in. ¡°Ok¡­ but why?¡± ¡°You see¡­ People think that orcs, giants, or any other big hulking guy are the toughest kinds of targets to take down¡­ They are wrong. Don¡¯t listen to them.¡± The veteran took a long sip out of his keg, sighing, he began retelling his tale with measured words laced with frustration. ¡°The single, most annoying and difficult people to kill I have ever encountered in my career¡­ are dwarves, and they weren¡¯t even any sort of warriors or veterans! Just the run-off¨Cthe-mill average citizen with no trainament or combat experience is already a pain in the ass. You try to stab them, and they turn around and throw a mean right hook that makes you unconscious without even flinching, they are more agile than what meets the eye. Their stubby bodies and thick skin makes it hard to even puncture skin and even if you do they¡¯ll hardly bleed and will shrug it off saying ¡®tis¡¯ but a scratch¡¯.¡± ¡°What about poison?¡± ¡°Poison?! Hah! They drink and eat poison every waking moment like it is god''s damned water! The sheer amount of alcohol and gruel they eat makes them nigh-invulnerable to any poisons, and even if you do find one that is deadly enough, the ones that are considered heavy drinkers among them, even though all dwarves already drink for fun mind you, their blood is basically pure ethanol at that point and the toxins that would enter their bodies get cleansed right away, hell, some people argue that they walking livers.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ Then... how abou¨C¡± ¡°¨CAnd don¡¯t even get me started about things I haven¡¯t tried.¡± He said, raising a hand and ordering another beverage ¡°Fire? They practically bathe in it daily on their forges, Beat them to death? Blunt damage is essentially negligible to them with their stout and rock-hard bodies, not accounting for all the beard and fur they have, softens all impacts, making them fall-resistant too.¡± The man started sobbing towards the end. ¡°...¡± Taking a moment to recompose himself, he continued ¡°*ahem* The only surefire way I found to reliably face a dwarf and come out clean and unscathed: Is you either hurt their mind and soul though¡­ less than ethical alternatives, or use a very powerful spell, due to their natural physical resilience either Frost or Thunder elemental magic work best¡­ but those are so rare and pricey nowadays that by that point it''s best to just give up and go home¡­¡± The man went on and kept complaining long into the night, explaining to the new and inexperienced colleague his woes and bad odds that he encountered in his long career and urging the newbie to not make the same mistakes. ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
¡­ *yawn* The long-eared man woke up, stretching. ¡°Ahh¡­ Nothing like a good night of sleep.¡± It was a calm morning, he stood up and leisurely went around camp, taking all the sweet time to organize and pack up everything, disassembling the tent¡­ rolling up the sleeping bags¡­ checking the inventory¡­ preparing breakfast¡­ disarming the traps that were laid the day before¡­ deliberately going as slow as possible and being unnecessarily meticulous. After leaving some water to boil, the elf went to disarm the last trap left, out of all of them it was the only one that had been sprung while he slept. ¡°Hmm¡­ Hmm?¡­ *chuckles* oh my¡­ It would seem like I have gotten myself quite the large catch today, do you not think so too?¡± He said, sarcasm and ridicule oozing from his voice. ¡°brat.¡± The angsty brat in question could only glare back at the elf with pleading eyes, hanging upside down uncomfortably inside the camouflaged mesh of ropes covered in leaves that were left hidden near the food case. He looked closer, behind the tearful visage the child had. It did not seem like she had reflected on her actions at all¡­ The man sighed, wondering what went wrong and regretting his choice to partake his prized sweets with her. Eating the same block of tasteless food rations everyday could become very stale when the ranger went on lengthy missions, so he developed a habit of bringing some extra ¡®flavor¡¯. With an extra mouth to feed, necessity forced his hand and he begun foraging and hunting occasionally in the forest, a skill he has long since mastered, and he customarily used honey or a sweetener along with the food, but he made the mistake of letting the girl get her hands on them and locate where he stored it, and she, that was scraping eating dubious foods and borderline poison around the forest just to not die instantly became infatuated with the comparably heavenly ambrosia¡­ The elf poked her cheek and pushed slightly, the ropes holding the girl in place groaning loudly as she swayed back and forth. *grumble* A familiar noise sounded nearby. The man paused, giving her a raised eyebrow. ¡°*sigh* let¡¯s get you out of there¡­¡± He said while pinching his brows. While helping the creature get untangled from the whole mess, he declared: ¡°...Also, no more treats for you until we arrive at the village.¡± *whimper* ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ you brought this upon yourself.¡± He said, wondering if she understood what was said for a moment as the girl put on a pitiful face, then promptly ignored her. ¡°Fool me once with cuteness? shame on me. Fool me twice?... you don¡¯t.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Two people traveled along the hidden roads of the forest, small trenches and pathways created by small creatures and people alike, weaving in and out around the countless trees, avoiding predators, crossing rifts and hills, slowly and steadily making their way to safety, towards their destination¡­ *step* *step* *step* ¡°...¡± ¡­They threaded through winding paths of uprooted roots and valleys of stone, through old and forgotten bridges and dilapidated structures left by the lost and the adventurous, crossed paths with unsuspecting denizens of the forest and mystical flora, day in and day out the two journeyed together, one pair of quiet footsteps being their sole companion along with the nature¡¯s ambience as they traveled in silence¡­ The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. *step* *step* *step* ¡°...¡± The birds were singing, the flowers blooming, the insects buzzing, and the quiet wildlife spoke not in sounds, but with the signs they left on their wake: burrows, tracks, footprints, nests, droppings, feathers, and territorial markings. *step**step*¡ª He suddenly stopped. ¡°...?¡± ¡°...*grunt* Alright, enough.¡± ¡°hmm¨CmMWAAH!?¡± At that moment he unceremoniously threw off the girl that was mounted on his shoulders. *thump* ¡°HEY!¡± Thankfully the ground was soft with a thick layer of grass to cushion the fall¡­ whether that was intentional or not she didn¡¯t know. Before the girl could protest he said: ¡°Under normal circumstances, I would take our time leisurely, but with our¡­¡± He took a moment to search for the right words ¡°...particularly peculiar situation.¡± He said, recalling the mess that had gotten himself scouring the forest in the first place, the subsequent occurrences and their meeting, ¡°We must make haste, with urgency. Carrying you all the time not only fatigues me but considerably slows us down.¡± He explained ¡°This forest is dangerous, even for someone as experienced as me, and even more so after that disaster¡­ I have a vague understanding of what happened¡­ but not why, And I would rather not leave fate in the hands of uncertainty.¡± The elf said, mostly to himself. ¡°It is clear as day that you have already recovered from the wounds you had¡­ somehow. At an unusually quick speed.¡± He said, looking her up and down. ¡°You are more than capable of walking for yourself now.¡± Although he resolved himself to escort the mysterious little girl to question her back at the village. At the speed they were going, his travel supplies that they were already carefully rationing together with nature¡¯s bounty would not last, and if¨C when they run out, hunting, foraging, properly preparing and processing food, and finding shelter takes time, and would slow them down even more. ¡°You are heavy for your small size.¡± He huffed, massaging his shoulders. The man saw the small girl stare at him for a moment, tilting her head in confusion, and then after a minute sending him a glare. Though, everything she did was small to him, so it was hard to take her seriously. Seeing that her confusion was apparent he reminded himself that they had yet to hold a conversation, due to the language barrier. Sighing, he began: ¡°*sigh*... YOU.¡± he pointed at her. ¡°ME.¡± he pointed to himself. ¡°WALK.¡± He said loudly and clearly, gesturing with his hands using wide motions so she could understand, and turned around to continue their trek. Seeing him going away without her, the girl followed begrudgingly, muttering something he couldn¡¯t understand, and from the sound of it, she wasn¡¯t particularly happy. He didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, only giving a brief thought to what could have upset her. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - *huff huff* Hmph, heavy and small¡­ heavy and small¨C I¡¯ll show you who is heavy and small!... I think as I glance¡­ up. I have to crank my neck back just to look at the back of mister elf¡¯s head as I jog behind him. ¨C*sigh* Well¡­ not really, I guess, not anymore. I look down, clenching my¡­ tiny hands. Am I really that small? Or is everything else big?... I don¡¯t know, this whole forest is oversized, plants¡­ animals¡­ my sense of size has been off for a while, ever since I woke up weeks ago¡­ is he actually also very tall and big or just normal-sized? What age is this body even? Is it even worth it trying to go back? Considering that I¡­ died, back then.¨C *huff huff* ¨CIt¡¯s not like I could complain too¡­ He¡­ It¡¯s embarrassing for me to say it and even more to remember¡­ But, in a way, he saved me. My memories from then are foggy and full of pain and adrenaline, just thinking of all those spiders makes me shudder. When I met him, it was the first time I¡¯d seen a living human¨C well¡­ elven face in weeks, maybe more. I have lost count of how many days I passed going from place to place and scraping together whatever I could find just to live another day. Finally being able to interact with someone who could help broke all the pent-up frustration and despair I was storing all at once¡­ in a less than dignified way. *sigh*¨C *huff huff* ¨CNot only that, I have almost no idea where to even start learning whatever language he speaks. Some basic names and verbs are easy enough, from the things he pointed out as we traveled, which are basically ¡°food¡±, ¡°not food¡±, ¡°dangerous¡± and the like.¨C I note as he crudely explains how the plant he picked up on the way is bad, not being able to go into details due to being only able to explain in broad terms from the small selection of words they shared. I assume he does this so I can either look out for myself or help him gather stuff, though he never quite explained himself why and just started giving lessons without any prompting. *huff huff* ¨CAnd, other than that, It¡¯s like trying to translate some sort of bizarre thing that feels like soviet Japanese with an Indian accent. I guess it''s reasonable, another world and all that. It could be a language with an entirely different and new structure compared to what I know, that trying to decipher what rules dictate it by basing off earth¡¯s languages becomes essentially useless, so I''m stuck on slow memorization of single concepts and going from there.¨C *huff huff* I start to tire out and wobble from the fatigue accumulated from hours of power walking. Feet sore from walking barefoot and legs strained from the constant effort without rest. Before when I was all by myself I could go on a whole day walking at a comfortable pace at my leisure, but trying to keep up with this long-legged man with looks that could kill is damn tough, while he looks to be marching like he was going to do grocery, I have to keep up at an almost running pace since for each of one of his steps I have to take practically 3. Just as I am about to complain he pauses, looking up to the sky behind the thick canopy, and says something along the lines of resting and stopping for the day. ¡°Haaaahh¡­¡± I exhaled in relief, falling down on my butt. ¨CFinally, some rest.¨C I thought, looking over at the man going around setting up camp high up in the trees, climbing all the way up there in moments and placing everything down with quick and clean speed. ¨CThinking of it, I don¡¯t remember ever getting his name, we both forgot about introductions I guess¡­¨C ¨C¡­Though, other than the word ¡°you¡± or at least I think it means that, I don¡¯t really have a clear way to ask¡­ and¡­¨C Casting my gaze down to the floor, I fiddle with the tips of my hair and tail, new and strange changes from what I was used to from before. ¨C¡­I am not¡­ should I even use my old name? a dead name?...¨C I flashback to the crushing weight and the taste of concrete, metal, and asphalt. ¨CFrom someone else that lived another life in another world... I am still me, my body is not, and I can¡¯t even start to fathom if my soul is too.¨C I wondered, debating with myself if it was worth it to adapt, and embrace a new identity, a new life, given to me, paid with an unknown price, or to desperately keep holding on to the last vestiges of my former humanity, hoping for the impossible dream of returning through the unknown powers that reside in this fantasy world, to make everything be like it once was. I pondered and thought about thoughts, losing myself in self-introspection and doubt, I had so many things, family and happiness back there, so many¡­ expectations and responsibilities too. Did I even want to return? To that rotten, self-destructive society where I was nothing more than a number, but also where everything that I know and everyone that I love are? On the other hand¡­ In this place, while dangerous and full of peril¡­ I am free. Free from anything that held me back, from the expectations placed upon me, unbound, liberty to do anything I want and to flourish in whichever direction, an entire world unknown, unexplored, with magical mysteries and amazing creatures and people to meet. It hurts¡­ the guilt, the sorrow, the longing, abandoning all that I had and was for the sake of my own selfish curiosity. I feel like a child inside, innocent, curious, and full of wonder. Scared and alone. And at the same time I feel like an adult, the responsibilities and duties entrusted to me pulling me, the pride and love I have for the people that I will probably never meet again, pragmatic and critical of my future decisions. The strange dissonance between mind and body, between two clashing perspectives and identities, had always been grinding my mind ever since I began walking this world. Incessantly grinding and scraping the corners of my thoughts even when I tried my best to ignore thinking in favor of continued survival. Even after all this time, I still doubted and remained uncertain, the mass of internal debates and emotions giving me a headache. I shook my head away from the bad things, clearing my mind and opting to listen to the small sounds of the forest¡­ The usual sounds of birds in the distance, buzzing of insects however small, I normally would be able to hear it all, even the very faint presence of animals from far away¡­ However, the forest was quiet. ¨CThe sounds¡­ of¡­?¨C Too quiet. I began feeling a bad premonition ¨C¡­Why is it all so silent? Shit, and where is that damned green uncle?¨C As I opened my mouth, intending to shout out to look for him, something jumped in at the corner of my vision. Instead, I screamed. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - A lithe, yet imposing silhouette sat in a dark room. The lights exhaled from the numerous small glowing orange flasks lighting up the darkness like a canopy of orange stars, the sound of fluttering parchment and rustling trinkets filling the ambience. ¡°Chief.¡± The chieftain recognized the voice, and voiced her permission. Someone entered the room by the curtain entrance, a despondent expression on the person¡¯s face. ¡°¡­Gaviel still hasn¡¯t returned?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡±*sigh* You know as well as I do that he is one of our best and fastest rangers, disciplined to a fault, and dedicated. Gaviel would not delay for any trifling matter¡­ but considering recent events, I fear for the worst.¡± She sets down a trio of glowing engraved cubes, mystical light dying down as they become inactive. ¡°Fortunately¡­¡± She looks over to the far wall covered with a warm glow. Dozens of receptacles, baubles, and statuettes shining and pulsing with varying degrees of light. One particular trinket that hung above the rest glowered with vitality ¡°It seems he is safe¡­¡± The light flickered, and she frowned ¡°...For now.¡± Turning back around, she settled deep into her seat and took a deep breath. ¡°He was responsible for reconnaissance in the far eastern direction.¡± She cast a second glance behind her, the glow flickered again ¡°Tsk, send 4 people for a search mission¡­¡± She gazes to the side, a large latticework of dreamcatchers and opal branches that interconnect with the enchanted wall of items behind her jingled ominously. ¡°...And just in case, also prepare for a rescue mission. I have a bad feeling about this.¡± ¡°Yes ma''am!¡± They thumped their chest and headed out. A moment passed, before the woman clad in regal garments that folded in and out in colorful intricate patterns relaxed, the chieftain. The hard visage left and gave place for furrowed brows of worry ¡°*sigh* Gaviel¡­ what are you doing?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 16-Fanged reckoning

¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª | ... | >> USER-COM/¨€//Luminous rays of sunlight fell //d1ffUseD//d3FilEd// refracted by the dewdrops of dawn and subdued in light fog, //r1pPing// breaking the dark cast by the web of //VIrg0// green leaves, like hope reborn. The unwilling maiden //0r1go//, innocent, //p3RIllou$// hazardous, wakes once more to brave the world //TERR¦¤// unknown as she//$he//sh3?e/#E... //>>OVERRIDE>>\CONNECTION TERMINATED. | >> USER-COM/¨€//Cease. ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
*BANG* ¡°WAKE UP! You lazy fool!¡± ¡°*grumble* DO YOU HAVE TO SLAM THE DOOR LIKE THAT!?¨C AAA! WAIT! Wait! Ok! Alright! I¡¯ll get up, just don¡¯t hit me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s three in the evening! Just how long were you planning on sleeping?¡± ¡°Um¡­. yes?¡± ¡°...Go wash the dishes.¡± ¡°Wh¨C¡± ¡°NOW.¡± ¡°Y-yes ma''am!¡± ¡£¡£¡£ ¡°...My son is quite cute, y''know? Right after we finish a meal he runs off to the bathroom to prepare everyone¡¯s toothbrushes. Though¡­ he uses his strawberry flavored toothpaste¡­ that has a very strong flavor that, um, not everyone enjoys¨C¡± ¡°But it¡¯s tasty!¡± ¡°*sigh* yes, yes, baby, i know¡­ ¡­hold on a second¨C Have you been eating toothpaste again?!¡± ¡°...no?¡± ¡°Hey! HEY! Get back here you little¨C!¡± ¡£¡£¡£ ¡°...Son, look at me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Son, listen¡­ Some people may say, ¡®for you, there¡¯s nothing out there¡¯, they¡¯ll say, ¡®you are bound to become a worthless vagabond¡¯ don¡¯t... Don¡¯t listen to anything they say. They will drag you down for nothing, use you for the sake of no-one but themselves¡­¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I want you to know that no matter what or who you want to be, you can. Don¡¯t settle for mediocrity, you have more options and paths that you can take than most people can afford to.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°No matter how high someone dreams, as long as they put enough effort, push through with determination, anyone can be anything they wish to become¡­ that includes you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You are my smartest, most talented boy, no matter where you go, what you do, I''ll always be proud of you.¡± ¡°...But¨C When I¨C ¡­ What if I don¡¯t¡­ Become something to be proud of?¡± ¡°*chuckle* Don¡¯t worry, I am sure that you will become the best at whatever you decide to do, and will always support you.¡± ¡°How¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡®...How could you be so certain?¡¯ I watch as the beast plunges on to me. Adrenaline being flushed into my veins, the world passes in slow motion. A single tick of the clock passed as the highest levels of perception and processing I have ever experienced surged from within, my entire life flashing in my head in a single brief and highly detailed moment. ¡®Now out of all times... I wonder why I recalled that.¡¯ I recall the best, the worst, and all the idyllic moments in between from everything I had ever lived and all that I experienced, unearthing forgotten things and calling back memories from the deepest recesses of my head. From the very first memories developed when I was but a small child that couldn¡¯t even count, the embarrassing and shameful moments, the times of glorious triumph and boundless love, the packets of knowledge from everything that I had painstakingly studied, all the stories and tales heard and lived¡­ ¡­until that last day when I went on with routine and met my abrupt end, followed by the mixed memories and blurred time that flew by as I stumbled left and right to survive when I was reborn here. ¡®Ah¡­ this will hurt, won¡¯t it?¡¯ I think, accepting fate. By this point I am already almost being hugged by its teeth, the yellowish gloss reflecting light right into my eyes. ¡®Now that I look closely doesn¡¯t it look like that weird panther-alligator I met?... No, this one still has both eyes.¡¯ *THUNK* As I contemplated the finality of life, going through the stages of denial and acceptance. I hear a noise and see a bolt of wood¨C no, an arrow almost as tall as I punch an enormous hole in the neck of the animal, the impact sending waves across its flesh and flinging it sideways. I fall on my back and away from the creature as the weight of what just happened hits me, the few seconds that seemed so long yet were so short finally registering in my head¡­ Stolen story; please report. ¡­I was still screaming. ¡°$??@?, RUN!¡± a familiar voice screams at me, jolting me away from my stupor. I look up, seeing that elf uncle holding an absurdly long¡­ long bow atop the tree where he was setting up camp just prior, already nocking another arrow from the holster strapped to his back. The rustling of branches around me makes me jump again, the sound way too close for comfort. Looking back down, I see more¡­ and more of them emerging from behind the trees and vegetation, the noise of low growls and soft footsteps surrounding me. I look around, searching for an exit, left, right, front, back, they seem to have cornered me in all directions except behind me, leaving only one escape route. Gathering myself, I slowly stand up, walking backwards and keeping eye contact. They keep approaching at a steady pace, but they don¡¯t immediately attack. Switching my gaze left and right as one by one they get closer when I¡¯m not directly looking. ¡®Are¡­ are they being cautious?¡¯ I notice a few of them are scrambling together trying to reach the elf up in the tree in the corner of my vision. *fwip* *THUNK* *whimper* Another arrow strikes directly into the eye of one the beasts that was climbing up the tree, killing it instantly as the shaft penetrated deeply into it. The noise alerts the rest of the pack to focus on him, their ears standing up and shuffling as they turn around and zone on him, clear aggression showing on their faces. I hesitate for a moment. ¡®They don¡¯t look like climbers¡­¡¯ I think, looking at the bundle of creatures clumsily trying to get all the way up there, some of them were managing to slowly crawl upwards using their claws, but everytime one inched closer they get impaled in the head by another arrow, ¡®...i¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be fine¡¯ I concluded ¡®you¡¯re the one who is surrounded by bloodthirsty predators¡­¡¯ I take the moment of opportunity to bolt out of there as quietly as I can, picking up my trusty stick in the way . *CRUNCH* The moment I start turning away I step on a pile of fallen leaves, the dry and brittle things covering the whole floor not helping me at all as they break and crack under the weight of my food. *crunch* ¡¯god¡­¡¯ *CRACK* ¡¯I step on something hard, a stick?¨C FU###NG¡­¡¯ *snap* ¡°HNNGRRAH!¡± I cry in indignance, cursing my luck.Throwing any notion of stealth out of the window, I simply start frantically running, and subsequently, the noise doesn¡¯t help and attracts more of them towards my direction I speed up and force my legs to move as hard and fast as I can, the wind from the speed I am moving at hitting my face and flinging back my hair, the sound of wind rushing by my ears muffling everything else. I briefly think about how so much exertion would be killing my previous body¡¯s knees by now. Just as I contour around a tree, I hear something crashing behind me and see flying splinters overtake me, wind and the prickling sensation of tiny things hit my back. I risk a quick glance behind and¨C *CRASH* *ROAR* An explosion of noises blasts away the thoughts in my head, the cacophonous mix of sound echoing throughout the forest. ¡®ohgodsh#tfu#knopenopehellnogoawayfu#kmerdegodalmighty¡ªAAAAAAAAAH!¡¯ As quickly as I looked back. I turn my head back forward and continue running with frenzied fervor, the very apparent motivation of impending painful death and scary, scary monsters with hungry red gazes doing wonders for my adrenaline as I double my speed. ¡®Damn it! of course the moment I turn my back on them is when they go for the kill!¡¯ *CRASH* another burst of splinter shrapnel happens behind me, the 5, maybe 6, predators on my tail, literally. For a split second I feel the tip of my tail touch something wet and sharp before I slip under another path of massive roots for cover. ¡°Hiii!¡± I shriek in panic. I keep on running and running, my breath turning ragged as the chase drags on. And they keep up with me, just out of reach, the sound of scraping claws and thumping gallop a constant reminder of where they are. One of them overtakes me from above, jumping from an arching bridge of roots and runs besides me some paces away, but doesn¡¯t take the obvious opportunity to strike, forcing me to take a sharp turn to avoid it, the others following suit and goading me into scurrying away in different directions as they cut my path again and again¨C ¡®Oh god have mercy¨C ARE THEY PLAYING WITH ME AS PREY!?¡¯ the underlying implications make my stomach drop, they purposefully left a way to run away when they surrounded me back then. *THUNK* *CRASH* ¡®W-what?!¡¯ I whip my head around and catch a glimpse of blonde hair above me, the beast that was getting too close for comfort beside me falling down and tumbling violently on the ground as it got struck by an arrow. Making the other beasts halt their pursuit. ¡®How the hell is someone able to accurately shoot an arrow while parkouring on trees?!¡± Storing that question for later, I continue fleeing, not wanting to get caught. Once again jumping and weaving across the brown and green landscape filled with trees and natural caverns created from the massive roots displacing dirt and rock. More whimpering and the sound of heavy things hitting the earth sound behind me as I leave the area, I keep on running. And running¡­ And when the tiredness begins to hit me, just as I cross a patch of overgrown vegetation, pushing the mass of leaves and brambles, popping up on the other side¡­ Only to find out that I had gone in a full circle. I Find myself inside the same clearing where it all started, multiple of the Saber-alligators ¨CI had yet to settle on what to call the strange things¨C prowling around with multiple dead corpses lying across the space, long wooden shafts sticking out of the corpses in places I assumed to be vital spots, each one being struck by one or two arrows with pinpoint accuracy.. *KTCH* I hear the sound of another one burrowing itself inside flesh. Another one falls as I see uncle elf score a hit from his vantage point. ¡®H-hold on¡­ if he¡¯s still up there, then how did¡­?¡¯ *whoosh* Right as I finish that thought, I hear the whistling of arrows cutting through wind, the bright colored feathers and the glint of the arrowheads making a stark contrast against the dark forest as they blur past me, plunging right into the fray. With the extra firepower from the unidentified interloper, the already dwindling numbers started dropping by the second, arrows and bodies falling one after the other, when one or two dozen had been slain, the beasts realized they weren¡¯t getting nowhere waiting for them to drop down the trees, and finally left, though not without hissing and growling all the way as they retreated into the depths of the forest. And just like that, the sudden fight was over. ¡°*sigh*...¡± *flop* My heart is still beating on my eardrums, and I feel my whole body jittery as I untense, laying down and taking deep breaths to calm myself, gradually making my hands stop shaking. ¡®Just where did they come from?...¡¯ I think, as I look over the scattered corpses, one stood out in particular, being nearly double the size compared to the rest of them, though it died to an arrow straight through the cranium, multiple arrows, straight through the cranium, it had a nasty, festering wound on the right eye and was frothing at the mouth. ¡®ah¡­ well i¡¯m not an animal expert¡­ and that one is awfully familiar. Could it be the same one from way back¡­ then?¡¯ The phantom sensation of holding an eyeball the size of my palm courses through my hands, a sharp, but numb pain on my insides where I had been practically mauled to near-death and I feel a shiver run down my spine as I recall that particular night. ¡®A-ah¡­ l-let¡¯s¨C¡¯ another deep breath. I blink the tears away. ¡®Let¡¯s put those away for another time.¡¯ The waft of blood and stenching corpses aren¡¯t very comfortable things to be around, but I can¡¯t help it, so I ignore the smells while I have my earned respite. I close my eyes, and wait, assured that nobody was hurt in the altercation and that things would proceed smoothly. I was lucky to pick a particular spot where the sun shone through, the warmth being a happy coincidence that I welcomed glady¡­ The pile of soft grass and fallen leaves making the hard ground bearable enough¡­ and the stench of death being faded into the wind¡­ I relent to the weight of my eyelids and start to snooze. *zzz*... ¡­ ¡°Hmnngya¡­ another five mitut¨C WHU¨C W-WHAT?!¡± *stab* I wake up to something¨C someone shaking me and feel something poke my left horn. I look up and around, rubbing the bleary fatigue from my eyes, my body and mind slowly waking up before I make sense of what was happening. I turn around from the position I had awkwardly nested myself in the mound I made in the ground during my short nap, and am met by the face of uncle elf as he tossed and turned holding his eye. ¡°W-what? Hey are you ok?!¡± I said, not noticing the three other people around me. He grumbled unintelligible things while I fussed around him. ¡®I just woke up, who¨Cwhat¨Cwhen¨C what happened?¡¯ I didn¡¯t make much sense of my surroundings, being just woken up and surprised with something when I hadn¡¯t properly woken up yet. I hear chuckling and muffled laughter behind me as I wrestle with the elf to see his eye, making me jump in alert and getting behind the man. ¡°?*@?#C. I do not ?$$???**P?. do you ##?*?=**?¡± I frown, I still can¡¯t understand most of what these people say. ¡®They didn¡¯t seem to be doing anything though¡­ are they perhaps mister elf¡¯s elf friends? That explains what happened earlier. Where did they come from?¡¯ While I scrutinized the new arrivals, he turned around and stood behind me stead, switching places. He put his gloved hands on my shoulders and began chatting¡­ something, with them. And since I can¡¯t understand anything I opted to scrutinize them in the meanwhile. They all are wearing similar clothes, like a uniform, that closely resembles what the man I am traveling with is wearing, aside some details here and there I assume are personal differences. They have a big, oversized cloak that reaches their ankles, thick, well-worn beige leather gloves and boots, and some sort of baggy one-piece work suit, that bulged before the wrists and around the knees, and tightly fitted around their body with a mesh of belts and hooks that held a bunch of holsters and pouches around their whole body. The suit was covered by what I assumed was a linen jacket and some sort of open skirt-pants. The third one squirmed slightly as I started to unintentionally undress him with my eyes. I can¡¯t really tell if the elf was a man or woman, his face was an androgynous thing, and the cloak is hiding the length of hair. Just as I was starting to question if all elves ¨Cor elfs?¨C had this almost uncanny beauty. They finished their conversation and stared back at me. I didn¡¯t know what they talked about, but from the looks on their faces I could only hope for the best¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 17-Uncertain Presage They were looking over to me with apprehensive faces, sharing glances with each other, they huddled around in a closed circle and started muttering things to each other. ¡®Oh¡­ Oh great. That suuure is reassuring.¡¯ After what looked like some back and forth bickering, they reached a pause in the discussion and all turned towards me¡­ And gave me a long look. ¡°...W-what?¡± ¡®Why are you looking at me like that? Is something wrong? What is going to happen?¡¯ The budding trepidation is making me anxious. ¡­And then they went right back to hushed whispers in a circle again. All the hush hush didn¡¯t really matter since I could hear them, although that also didn¡¯t really matter because I couldn¡¯t understand them. Their gesture was lost on me. This went on for a while until they finally reached a conclusion, a row of nods and affirmation sounding words indicating the conclusion of the debate. I see the shorter one of the trio split off from the group with a smile, and say something in a slightly infuriating tone, that sideways pitched tone when someone talks down to a child about something they think they are too dumb to understand ¡°?¦¨??¦¤? ??????????? ???@$!¡± I frown. I''m sure he¡¯s just trying to help¡­ but for some reason my opinion of him just dropped right now. Something about what he said just irks me in a way I can¡¯t explain, even though I do not know the meaning behind them. Before I could get any understanding of what is happening, Uncle Elf calmly comes up behind him, places a hand on his shoulder and¨C *B O N K* Gives him a magnificent smack on the side of the head. I flinch. Wincing at the way the other elf almost fell to the ground. The strike sent him stumbling disoriented. I see the other two avert their eyes, something about the way they did it and hid their faces tells me this is a common occurrence¡­ ¡­And this led off to another round of bickering between the two. ¡£¡£¡£ We started moving again. Though this time around I was being piggybacked instead of walking. Whomever carried me changed every once in a while with the others to not strain themselves. The more than generous quantity of belts they wore around their weird uniform made for some handy places I could comfortably hold while being carried around, I wonder if they are by design or just a coincidence? Now that we didn¡¯t need to slow our speed because of my¡­ small stature, I think nearly thrice the usual distance was crossed compared to before in the same timeframe I had walking alongside them. ¡®It¡¯s weird.¡¯ I¡¯m sure that I can be quite fast when running, with an enormous endurance compared to¡­ before¡­ ¡®This new body is weird.¡¯ ¡­And yet I get tired easily, even with Uncle Elf slowing his pace for me, he can stride around unimpeded for insane amounts of time, his speed while power walking is my speed when jogging. We only stopped when either night came or when I was on the verge of collapsing, not being able to walk anymore. ¡®*sigh* I¡­ I don¡¯t know what is normal anymore.¡¯ For the most part we walked on the forest floor, weaving around everything as always. Sometimes one of them split off from the group to do what I assume is forward scouting. And then, depending on the news, we climbed the trees and traveled there instead, in order to avoid¡­ something. I didn¡¯t know what exactly, but surely they have their own good reasons. They made climbing those massive walls of wood so easy, granted they had tools for the job and could somehow jump 5 times their height. The speed and the way they did it was astonishing, not only that but some amazing strength to carry me along while doing vertical parkour¡­ I mean, these elfs are jumping, from one of these giant trees to another and that is, give or take, 2 or 5 meters per jump, with all the clutter and weight of gear, camping equipment and the bow and arrows they are carrying, not only that, but carrying me too¡­ I don¡¯t know how tall I am nor how much I weigh now, but I assume that it¡¯s at least, give or take, 20 or 30 kilos. And, considering that the ¡°branches¡± were the thickness of a small car, that criss crossed and interconnected with each other, making a network of natural roads far above ground, we only needed to jump from one tree to another sometimes and had more than enough space to build a camp whenever with more than enough room to spare. And compared to the rocky and dirty terrain full of obstacles, it was so much easier to walk on the relatively smooth bark, and comfortable, too, since I was barefoot and I doubted these guys had spare footwear, not for lack of trying to ask either. ¡®I¡¯m a tough lady.¡¯ I thought. And it wasn¡¯t all that urgent so I didn¡¯t think of complaining. ¡£¡£¡£ For the same reasons I''m not privy to, we dropped down to the forest floor as often as we climbed up to the wooden roads, it actually is a little fun moment amidst the monotonous marching we are doing. When we have to drop back down to ground level, depending on what is found, There is a path to safely slide down a tilted tree, to fall down on top of these giant, floppy leaves that can cushion the fall like a net, or to rappel down the unusually thick vines like some sort of firefighter. At first, the sheer height of the fall made me dizzy and reluctant to do it, but after experiencing having to climb up and down again and again I can bear the chilling sensation of falling¡­ just a little bit. I definitely did not cry when the short one picked me up and threw me off the ledge. After that one experience I don''t let any of them anywhere close when near the ledges¡­ except for Elf Uncle, he¡¯s nice. Although¡­ There was this one time when I went ahead of the group to try doing it myself, I picked up a bit too much speed when sliding down and there was some¡­ collateral damage.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡­They didn¡¯t let me descend by myself anymore after that. ¡£¡£¡£ *sigh*... This sucks¡­ I mean¨CThe company is great don¡¯t get me wrong. But¡­ Now that there¡¯s more of them. It''s way more comfortable for them to mingle with each other, compared to the foreign girl that they can¡¯t communicate with, not that I could hold a conversation anyways¡­ but I feel a little left out¡­ I guess. Seeing them all interacting with each other while I patiently observe from the sidelines, the good mornings and greetings, the occasional laughter, even the simplest of interchanges¡­ I understand the dissuasion, and I don''t want to seem selfish, but this lonely feeling¡­ I want to talk to someone, and I mean really¡­ truly talk¡­ With anyone. At most I was able to scrape the bare surface of a reciprocal understanding with Mr. Elf¡­ But it was too one-sided, nothing being completely understood aside from what we could infer from each other¡­ ¡­I want¨C I need to know, to talk, to ask: Where are we? Who are you? What am I? What is your name? Can you help me? Can I help you? Can I go back home? Is that magic? Can I do that? Help. It hurts. Who are these people? Where are we heading? What is this and that? Why? Who? What? Where? When?... I quietly stifle a sob, hiding my trembling hands. So many questions¡­ unspoken thoughts¡­ repressed emotions¡­ Not now, (¡¯then when?¡¯). *Clap!* I slap my cheeks. ¡®Enough moping around.¡¯ I tell myself. ¡®We both know that there isn¡¯t anything you can do, that there is no other choice, you can¡¯t do anything by yourself, it¡¯s already a miracle these people found you, don¡¯t complain¡­¡¯ Keep it for later, (¡®then what?¡¯). ¡®...don¡¯t falter. There will be time for rest, and for answers, but that time is not now¡­.¡¯ This place isn¡¯t safe, (¡®then where?¡¯). ¡®...MAN UP! the world isn¡¯t¨C¡¯ There¡¯s a gut wrenching sensation spilling inside me, an unwitting scream swelling up my throat. I take a deep breath, quivering. It will be alright, (¡®...¡¯). ¡®¡­our world may have ended¡­ but this one isn¡¯t.¡¯ I wrestle the overflow back into place. Hold the falling pieces tightly. This is not the place for this. A deep breath. I wish I could lay down and sleep forever, let the stream of problems flow away¡­ but not yet, not now. My determination wavers¡­ but the promise I made to myself keeps me going, to keep living and to fight on¡­ and if not for my own sake, then for the sake of the memories I carry. Another deep breath. I steady myself, focus on the sounds around me. Calm. I keep myself busy with anything I find. A shiny rock, insects, tracing the patterns in the wood¡­ The elves'' presence, being my sole peace of mind. At least, even if disconnected, close but far, I was not alone. ¡£¡£¡£ ¡®Finally¡­ Are we there yet? I can¡¯t see anything in this fog.¡¯ Me and the group of elves stopped by a veritable wall of wood, after we criss-crossed under and over a buffer zone of tightly packed trees, bamboo and all sorts of plants, we stopped by what I can only describe as a nature-borne fortress. A colossal wall, made of hundreds if not thousands of individual trees, packed so tightly together that there isn¡¯t even a seam in between, looking like a masterfully woven tapestry of wood carefully crafted from plants into a venerable impregnable boundary that stretched far into the sky. ¡®I can¡¯t even see the end of it while looking up. How the hell did I miss this?¡¯. I think back to that time I saw the horizons and the sky atop a tree to determine a direction to walk towards. While we were making our way over to¡­ whatever this place is. Instead of the usual lugging me around like a backpack that I was just starting to get used to, much to my chagrin. They, for some reason, opted to lead me by hand instead. Going through a thin path hidden amidst the tall mass of grass and bushes, walking in a line, measuring every single step we took. They were very clear on that part. ¡°¡± I asked, sure that I slurred the words but at least getting the meaning across. My prodding for answers went unanswered. During which, they adopted solemn faces? I couldn''t tell. ¡°<...home.> ??????¡± One of them answered, though he didn¡¯t sound very sure? ¡®Home?... Ah! Is that so, I guess it makes sense, where else could we be going? Though¡­¡¯ I look around me, the place filled with a thick, almost nauseating dense layer of mist that drowned any light, adding another veil of darkness on top of the canopy that already made the forest dark. ¡®Are we going to a village¡­ Or some weird shady base?¡¯ At first I thought nothing of it, but now I¡¯m starting to feel how surreal and unnatural this place is, despite all the nature. I feel the weirdly thick mist cling to my skin, subtly pushing me here and there when I''m not paying attention, more and more as we keep walking down the narrow path, it pokes and prods the fringes of my perception, my sense of direction. It¡¯s a feeling indescribable to anything I have ever felt, and knowing that something is messing with me is unnerving and nauseating, sometimes left becomes right, and even though we are walking in a straight line, my sense of balance intermittently shifts around. The elfs seem to be doing fine and dandy despite the paranormal phenomena. ¡®I¡¯m sure it must be some magic thing, even though I have yet to see the usual ¡°fantasy magic¡±, everything in this place is unusually big after all, and the obviously unnatural quantity of plants around this area, not accounting for the supernatural feats that aren¡¯t biologically possible that I¡¯ve witnessed during my time here.¡¯ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Finally leaving the weird ¡®get constant motion sickness¡¯ magic zone we arrived right outside the borders of the barrier, more specifically, on a spot where the interweaving wall made a complex pattern that opened up like a budding flower, showing a glowing path with a translucent veil with a smoky sheen. ¡®I guess this is the entrance, almost there.¡¯ We stopped just a few steps away from passing the ethereal boundary. Before I could enter, I felt a gloved hand stop me, gripping my shoulders. I look behind me and see the man whom I started to refer as ¡°Uncle¡±, or a variation of the name, because he never properly introduced himself. ¡®Now that I think about it¡­ Huh. I didn¡¯t introduce myself either, actually, I don¡¯t think any of us did.¡¯ I see him with a closed eye frown, he purses his lips, thinking. A moment passes, and he looks like he resolves himself. He says something to the other three and nods, the short one didn¡¯t even pay attention since he was already waltzing inside, the other two gave us a concerned look before nodding back, and headed through the passage, the magic barrier letting them in, flowing around them like a bubble. I watch as they walk away from us and into the opening, the opaque tint of the barrier obfuscating their silhouettes as they disappear further inside. He takes my hand, takes a step, and leads me. Stepping inside the barrier, it envelops him delicately, wrapping around his clothes and across his tied hair, but he stops. One hand extended outside the boundary, holding my small hand, a firm and warm grip, and yet, also an unsteady grip with a tint of doubt? uncertainty? hesitation. He stands there, paused in between the borders of a choice, a distant look in his eyes marred by a worried face. Since the start of this little trip I felt there was something wrong, I was wholly confused at all the times he gave me that fake smile and the ways he became so accommodating to a stranger, I didn¡¯t knew¨C still don¡¯t know the customs, or the culture this world revolves around, much less his¡¯. I could not assume anything, about this place, about the people, even with all the similarities and fantasy things that can be linked to the works and dreamers of Earth, to do so would lead to precocious decisions, so I went with him, despite my reassessed and the doubts I developed along the way. It¡¯s starting to get awkward, so if he won¡¯t do it, I will. I take a step forward. Into the barrier. At first it felt like putting my foot into mud, there was some sort of force repelling, pushing back, prickling my skin and dragging needles across them, prodding, measuring. Somehow, I felt watched, I felt the ways the magic ebbed and flowed with intent and ancient laws, a gut feeling that assured me of its nature, despite my ignorance and lack of information. The force relented, the difference like night and day as the resistance vanished, the thick and oppressing feeling turning into a light stream of welcoming wind that wrapped me for a moment as I pierced the boundary. I took a second step. Into a new place. ¡­And Uncle Elf crouched in the ground and left a long sigh of relief, running his hands through his hairline. I don¡¯t have a clue about what all that was about but I''m happy nothing bad happened¡­. I¡¯ll make sure to interrogate him once I manage to learn their language. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 18-Epochgenesis â… 
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª Dreamcycle Oh mine Do you see the radiant light Burning bright Do you hear the beautiful chants Crystal shard Do you feel a tender warmth Little light I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here Flying high I may not be able to make you smile Our own sky But I''ll never make you cry even once, never ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
Location: Daivette forest / Some time ago. A group of reunited people, and a castaway tag-along, were having a heated argument amongst themselves inside the depths of the treacherous forest. ¡°Just what?!¨C who?!¨C when did you?!¨C¡± the leading man of the search party said, taking off his cowl, revealing an Elf with short cropped hair. He took a deep breath to gather his thoughts. ¡°Where were you Gaviel? What has happened? Have you found the witch?¡± He fired question after question one after the other with growing worry and increasingly agitated arm gestures. ¡°Who is this¡­¡± He looked at her up and down ¡°child?¡± The second, more level-headed one, put a hand on his shoulder, ¡°Alfen.¡± the man said in an admonishing tone, prompting him to pause. ¡°I understand that we are all still on alert and pressed for answers¡­ but please calm down.¡± he gave a reassuring pat on his shoulder, gesturing to Gaviel ¡°let us hear him speak for himself.¡± Pausing, Alfen closed his eyes and huffed, ¡°*sigh*... it is good to see you in good health.¡± he said in a calmer tone. ¡±Our people were expecting your return, but¡­¡± He continued ¡°one¡­ two¡­ three days, people began to become worried as time passed, and it only got worse when only you, out of everyone else, had yet to appear¡­¡± He massaged his furrowed brows with slumped shoulders. ¡°...And you know very well how the chief can become. In a situation like this.¡± At this, the third Elf and Gaviel pursed their lips, grimacing. He glanced behind Gaviel, pointedly staring at the unknown girl that accompanied him. She shied behind Gaviel¡¯s legs in fright under his glare. Leveling his gaze back at him he asked ¡°...Explain.¡± For a moment, Gaviel wished he didn¡¯t stumble upon his fellow kin at all. Explaining everything and having to take care of the kid afterwards would be trouble he¡¯d rather not do, he¡¯d rather hand over the problem to someone else. Averting their eyes, he began to tell his tale. About the usual route he took, searching for signs of the daring perpetrator¡­ His meeting with an unusual girl covered in blood, both hers and the enemy¡­ The days and nights spent trudging through the forest¡­ Until the eventual battle they had just met. Scrutinizing the child, the trio could only condone his actions. ¡°Normally we¡¯d just guide any lost souls to the nearest human settlement¡­ But all of us find ourselves in strange circumstances, everyone must be accounted for and we cannot afford to send someone on such a long expedition¡­ An exception to the rules can be made.¡± The second, tallest of the trio said. The rest of them nodded in silent agreement, nobody wanted to spend weeks if not months carrying a child away. A child that may as well be the answer to their questions. ¡°Frier is right, but¡­¡± The third one spoke. ¡°You told us about how you spent all these days walking up and down this jungle, but how in the fu¨C¡± *clap* Frier slapped the back of his head ¡°Cain... language.¡± ¡°*Ahem*¡± Cain, the short one, disregarded the throbbing pain on his head and ignored the interruption. ¡°The humans call our home the Death Forest for a reason, why didn¡¯t you encounter any of the numerous death traps and beasts that scour this land? Granted you are capable of operating with the capabilities of a whole team by yourself, but still¡­¡± he gave a head nudge towards the girl ¡°What confuses me more is how the girl, that by your description doesn¡¯t know jack sh¨C *ahem* ¨Cis very bad at everything aside from swinging that stick of hers around.¡± ¡°I concur,¡± said Alfen. ¡°Assuming she entered the forest, she must¡¯ve spent quite some time roaming around to be able to reach so far deep.¡±Stolen story; please report. ¡°Ah.¡± Gaviel raised his eyebrows. ¡°I believe I forgot some details.¡± He then went on to explain his findings of a desolate space marred with carcasses of swamp frogs with signs that someone had been living in the area. And the frighteningly healing speed the girl apparently had, mentioning her tendency to injure herself and mistakenly eat poisonous things she found on the road, and being seemingly fine and uninjured after a short time. Frier scratched his chin, both in contemplation and in awe of the strange child ¡°That¡­ may complicate the village¡¯s reception of her, whether that is for better or worse I don''t know... She would fare nicely amongst the village''s doctors though.¡± Frier said, turning towards Alfen, leaving up to his¡¯ choice. He himself would not entertain the idea of abandoning a defenseless child in the jungle, unfortunately, paranoia plagued his¡¯ possible perceptions of the girl¡¯s true nature. ¡°They¡­ shouldn''t be heartless enough to make us send her back wherever she came from¡­ considering the circumstances though, we can only hope.¡± Alfen concluded. They were already stretched thin as is, and still scared from the confusion and chaos that the witch caused. An expedition to the nearest city, which is quite far from their location in the middle of the forest, just to send her back to where they only think she came from would not be worth the resources. ¡°Regardless of her origins, we have been entrusted to find you and bring you back safe and whole.¡± Alfen continued. ¡°I believe that any¡­ ¡®burdens¡¯ of yours are included.¡± Implying that they were already on Gaviel¡¯s ¡®side¡¯ regarding the girl¡¯s safety. As a loyal member of the village he would not compromise their safety by introducing such an unknown to their midst during these trying times, but as a sensible person and friend he could sympathize with Gaviel¡¯s decision, however, the consequences would be his to bear. ¡°...Thank you for understanding.¡± Gaviel said with a hand over his heart. The questionable and utterly nonsensical acts of the unknown individual that assaulted their home left many distraught. It all happened without any apparent sense of reason or goal, and how easily the intruder bypassed their centuries old wards and barriers thought to be nigh infallible was cause for mass hysteria amongst the people. For such a long time they lived in relative peace and quiet, rarely anyone visited them, and they became settled and comfortable inside their sanctuary. The sudden realization that they were less safe than they thought came crashing hard and loud in their slow lifestyle, prompting a swift change of gears from a serene haven to a much too lively village, a flurry of activity as everyone began doing everything they could think of to ensure their livelihoods. ¡°So!...¡± sauntering towards the girl, Cain exclaimed, catching the other¡¯s attention. ¡°we came rushing all~ the way over here, because you were babysitting this little spawn here?¡± He says, looming over her. ¡°Say, are we going to have to babysit her too? What species is it even?¡± ¡°Cain.¡± Gaviel warned. ¡°Are those horns and that tail real? They look heavy. Do they grow back if we chop them off, Like a lizard?¡± *WHACK* Gaviel, more than displeased with the way Cain kept behaving, swiftly closed the distance to reward him with another hammer to the side of the head. ¡°OUCH!! H-HEY THAT ACTUALLY HURT!¡± Cain complained loudly, massaging where he was struck. I didn''t swear this time, what was that for!?¡± ¡°I do not warn twice.¡± ¡°*sigh* If you do not understand why he hit you. It only makes you more deserving of that one. Cain.¡± Alfen said to the side, with Frier massaging his temples at the antics of their youngest teammate. And so, they decided it was time to head back, with Cain and Gaviel still arguing. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Their journey was mostly uneventful, that is, not accounting for the time spent avoiding monster¡¯s territories and dangerous flora¡­ ¡­And that one time the girl stabbed Cain with her horns because he tried to caress her tail. ¡­Or that time when everyone freaked out after she ate a deadly lethal fruit she found laying on the ground. ¡­Or when she fell off the tree they were walking on top of. ¡­And the girl¡¯s tendency to get tangled in her own tail and bump her horns on low hanging branches. ¡®Actually, In hindsight¡­ it was quite eventful.¡¯ More than once the child had been rescued from falling into hazardous holes and plants. Freed from simple traps and webs. And saved from the fangs of monsters. ¡®Her proclivity for getting into trouble is¡­ troublesome. It seems she doesn¡¯t have any sense of self-preservation, and a habit of getting anything that seems edible into her mouth. Thankfully she has become more mellow now¡­¡¯ Soon they would arrive home, and the packet of trouble that she was would hopefully be someone else¡¯s. ¡®Even with her strong vitality, worrying about potentially lethal substances and injuries she could incur in herself all the time took its toll on us.¡¯ Gaviel thought while eagerly leading the group through the mist of misdirection, the first layer of enchantments that kept their village safe. Now, as they finally approached the final threshold between the outside wilderness and the inside of their home, Gaviel felt relieved that he could get some well earned rest from the past few weeks, and at the same time, nervous from the possible repercussions his actions¨C and the child¡¯s existence could bring. ¡®No use regretting it now.¡¯ Regardless of his discontent, his resolve held firm. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - *bang* Gaviel hit the tree next to him in frustration, the words to express his irritation slipped away amidst the anger, the rest of the group hung their heads in conflicted thought. In their haste, they all had overlooked a small detail they all had taken for granted. The third gate. The radial sunderer. The barrier that guarded the innermost perimeter of their village. In their self-assurance that the child they found belonged, at least in part, to their own kin, and with their desire to return with haste. They hadn¡¯t really stopped to take time and ponder in depth the many different implications of her existence and the subsequent consequences, they deferred the burden of task to the elders and the chief that would supposedly decide her fate when they returned. That is¡­ if she managed to make it past the last threshold. The shimmering barrier that they stood in front of, has the abilities to distinguish friend or foe, kin from stranger, according to the village¡¯s collective existence and custom adjustments made directly to the spell¡¯s foundations. An ancient legacy from their ancestors. As their last line of protection, should anyone reach it, it would mean that they were able to breach or bridge the mist and the wall, so its nature was naturally of absolute lethality with close to no tolerance to any foe who dared testing its powers. Should an enemy with ill intention, or an unknown being that the enchantment could not recognize attempt to cross it, they would be¡­ as the name implied, sundered, violently. The magic would do its best to completely eviscerate and disembody its targets with everything at its disposal, a special mix of wind, spacial, druidic and water manipulation applied with unrestrained force is the answer. Creating a scintillating maelstrom of flowing strands that turned solid into fine dust. It is a fearsome thing that provided an added sense of security to the village¡¯s dwellers, and a deterrence to any prospective invader. However, in this situation it became a daunting obstacle. If they were right in their assumptions of the child¡¯s iniquitous origins, she should be able to cross unharmed. But this was not something they could choose to leave to an uncertain assumption, and nothing was able to be done to assure that she would not become a prospective target to the barrier¡¯s effects. And so, they stood there, a step away from the comfort of their houses, addled with uncertainty and afflicted by the fatigue of their unwittingly long journey. ¡°...Let¡¯s go¡± Eventually, Alfen, having had enough of the tense atmosphere, gave a look of understanding shared between the party, and entered the gate, as he was not amicable to witness the worst of consequences of Gaviel¡¯s decision. Gaviel reluctantly sent a silent acknowledgement to Frier and Cain, he would not force them to stay away from their own home right at its doorstep. He wondered if this was the right choice, treating one¡¯s life so capriciously, and if there was a better way. He couldn¡¯t think of any. He couldn¡¯t leave her here, either. While safer compared to the open forest, their borders were just as dangerous in multiple different ways. The child¡¯s safety would be at jeopardy. Indecision, uncertainty¡­ Pressure. Doubt, hesitation¡­ Burden. Against his better judgment, and under the sway of emotion, he took the first step. If he was walking towards soul-crushing regret, or encompassing relief, he did not know. He faltered under the inquisitive gaze the girl gave him. With the child in tow, he pushed through. For a moment, his stomach dropped and his heart froze as he saw her struggle to go across for a moment. However, she took another step without as much as a scratch just after, only showing signs of a bit of strain and surprise. Gaviel fell to his knees after the dreadful experience. Albeit filled with relief, he could only feel anguish knowing more ordeals were still waiting for him. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 19-Epochgenesis â…¡ Shimmering lights and bright glows illuminated the room, the warm tones filled the place, creating a calm and serene ambience¡­ Despite this, the chilling atmosphere inside snuffed out any semblance of warmth that the room tried to transmit. Gaviel, Alfen, Frier, Cain, and a confused little girl stood. On the other side of the table, the Chief, even though she was shorter than most of the people in the room, managed to stare down everyone with a glare, the wooden floorboards ominously creaking as she leaned forward... . . . A short while ago, before they could even set a foot inside the village properly, they were already being swarmed by the curious onlookers the moment they landed their sights on them. Having had their arrival practically announced to the entire village with the boisterous welcome, more and more people started to come closer to see what all the commotion was about, family and friends dragging each one of them into different directions. They promptly excused themselves before they got taken by the waves, for they were already way behind their intended time of arrival. They could already see their village chief, Dahlia, waiting by the entrance of the main pavilion with a resting face and thinly veiled scowl that told them that they were already in for an impending scolding. As they approached, Dahlia did a double take at the girl that accompanied them, just now spotting her frazzled form hiding in between the group. Various unreadable expressions crossed her face, before settling in a smile, whether that was a happy or an angry smile they couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°Welcome back!¡­¡± She greeted, turning to the girl trailing behind them. ¡±Now just who''s this adorable little one?¡± She crouched down to the girl¡¯s eye-level. She paused, looking the child up and down, and then back at the group. Studying their appearance. Frowning, she said ¡°And. Pray tell¡­¡± Her tone fell a level. ¡°Why is she covered in dirt, barefoot, scruffy, dried blood?¡­¡± she gasped ¡±Hold on a second¨C is that your shirt Gaviel?" She absentmindedly began patting the girl¡¯s head, stopping to hold the hem of the shirt to inspect the dirty cloth, finding Gaviel¡¯s name embroidered in tiny letters. And noticed what was under, or rather, the lack of what was under the girl¡¯s single piece of clothing. ¡°Oh dear¨C she is¨C!?...¡± ¡°...¡± the rest of the group took a cautious step back, even the girl, confused as she was, knew she didn¡¯t want to be caught in whatever the angry lady had for uncle elf. Of all the things that she had expected when they returned, wounds, someone missing, empty hands, or even a little modicum of information on their situation¡­ a little visitor was definitely not what she thought that would happen. The girl shied behind Gaviel¨C Ah, she was still glaring wasn¡¯t she? Schooling her expression, she introduced herself first. ¡°Hello, My name is Dahlia¡± placing a hand over her chest ¡°I''m in charge of beating the stupid out of these fools¡± she sent a pointing eye to the group of rangers ¡±and making sure everyone is happy, what is your name?¡± she said, extending a palm in greeting.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The child instinctively grabbed her hand and¡­ and just kept staring at her, seemingly confused. ¡°*cough* She¡­ um¡­ does not speak elvish, Dahlia¡­¡± Gaviel clarified ¡°...Neither does she speak Victorian, imperial, gothic, or any other language that I know of.¡± He scratched the back of his head ¡°we compromised, and I have been slowly teaching her, however.¡± Gaviel paused abruptly, now that Gaviel thought about it he, or anyone else in the group for that matter, had never properly introduced themselves to the girl either, in their haste, they simply took things for granted and went with it. There was a long bout of silence, Gaviel sweatdropped. ¡°I¨C um¡­ We have been calling her¡­ ¡®kid.¡¯¡± Dahlia hummed¡­ turning towards him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Ah, I¡­ see¡­¡± she hadn''t planned anything whatsoever for an unexpected guest, the rare times an outsider does come to meet them, they do it outside the village and both them and the person in question are already prepared. This certainly would make things difficult. Their policies regarding letting strangers inside their own home are usually very strict and rigorous, she would be making a point of it during their impending ¡®talk¡¯, but since it¡¯s just a little girl and she¡¯s already here she could concede an exception. She was just glad that they were back home safe, and that was enough for now. Gaviel remained silent. ¡° just¨C *sigh* everyone... inside.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - The silence in the room dragged on. The four elves fidgeted under her piercing glare, waiting for their sentence in apprehension. The accompanying child could only stare in complete confusion, having been dragged along with the rest of the group. She chose to not utter a word along with the rest of them that were cowering under the scary lady. ¡°report.¡± And so they did¡­ To the best of their abilities; The trio, wishing nothing more but to flee from the heavy atmosphere, silently agreed to delegate most of the explanation to Gaviel, since he¡¯s the source of the whole conundrum they found themselves in, he best knew the story, after all. *sigh.* She exhaled in dejection, resting her face on her palms. ¡°One of you, go have the poor girl properly cleaned and clothed. I¡¯ll ask you all to return later to decide what will be of her with what¡¯s left of the elders.¡± Cain perked up ¡°¨CNot you.¡± he had his hand halfway raised when she cut him. ¡°You are already a bad influence to the rest of the kids as it is. *sigh* Seeing how she''s already glued to you... Gaviel, if you would?¡± He saluted, turning around and goading the kid over to exit the house. She took a moment to breathe ¡°For the rest of you, go fetch everybody else for a meeting¨C¡± she stopped, a particular detail of their story coming into the forefront of her thoughts. ¡°Oh, and Gaviel!¡± He paused by the doorway. ¡°Take her, get her cleaned and properly dressed, and have the village doctor do a preliminary checkup on her¡­ Even if she looks fine now god knows what goes inside her veins after all that¡­¡± Her face furrowed ¡°Argh, knowing that annoying guy, he will be eager, if not overly excited, and will probably be doing whatever it takes just to have a huge field day with her¡­ fuck.¡± she cursed. ¡°...fuck?¡± A feminine, young and innocent sounding voice interrupted. The room froze. Gaviel was too spent to react properly, Dahlia was mortified. ¡°Wait¨C No. no, no, no don¡¯t say that. That''s not a word you should be saying you hear me? Bad.¡± ¡°Fff-uck?...¡± she said again, as if tasting the word. ¡°Yes¨C I mean, no!¡± ¡°And they tell me I''m the foul mouthed.¡± Cain scoffed. Chapter 20-Epochgenesis â…¢
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª Scientific Malfeasance Autopsy report 27¨C¢ù¨C1056 // S4:T2:C0:D1¨Cn13 // addendum 3 It is a great tragedy that such a bright young mind would meet their end in such a way. May the lady bless him in the afterlife. As described in the report above, his demise was not out of natural causes, nor of an act of ill intent, but the consequence of a simple accident. An accident that cost him his life. An accident that could have been prevented, if he were better informed of the path he strode on. His name was Boby, and he was one of the few gifted with an ingenious mind that yearned to delve into the mysteries of magic, he had yet to graduate and he already devised multiple improvements and modules for existing spells that made them so much more accessible and flexible. Unfortunately, in his unmonitored hubris, he delved too deep, and attempted to expand his personal research into dangerous territory, the methods that led to his death were already well documented and studied, however he had yet to have been able to access the information at his tier. This only gives more credence to his talent, able to glimpse at advanced crafts before his time¡­ such a pity. The locate spell, simple, direct, efficient, he was developing a way to raise its capabilities, range and power into an entirely new level, he called this project ¡°sonar¡±. However, the method he deemed to use to extend the reach of the original spell¡­ Essentially, he attempted to cast a wave of energy, imbued with his own consciousness to give it receptive-sensory qualities. However, this unbound his own mind from his body, and scattered it around him in a radial pulse that, supposedly would echo through and around objects in the area and return with the information. Only, after he sent the first pulse, it never echoed back. He effectively dispelled his own mind from his body, scattering it into the wind, losing it, never to come back again. And left us with a brain dead corpse in a comatose state. And an empty shell of a soul. Therefore, I implore you, to consider including some of the higher tier courses in the initiates courses, even if only in a passing warning, to prevent such tragedies from happening again. ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
Giant trees, smoothly sculpted homes, red and beige shingles, bright glows raining down from above and warm lights shining from inside homes. Leaves carpeting the ground everywhere aside from well-worn paths. People unlike any I had ever seen, long ears, outworldly dresses and outfits both stylish and practical¡ª ¡®Though. Strange and unfamiliar to me, the outlier, but commonplace for them¡­¡¯ I thought forlornly. The first things I saw. The perfume of flowers, lavender on sun-bathed cloth. metal with a tint of oil, smoke of some sort of wood, dry leather. ¡­Baked pie? A fruit I don¡¯t recognize Everything accented by the light smell of earth. The first things I smelled. The song of birds, insects buzzing. The soft chime of little bells, clothes ruffling. The shifting winds on tall blades of grass, the far clinking of steel on steel. Heartbeats, mine and others¡¯, the white noise of blood flowing through my ears. A shout, footsteps, running footsteps¡­ The first things I heard. ¡­The noise of dozens of people, the noise of dozens of people running towards me?¡ª Dozens of people were already charging towards here before I could notice them. They came from all directions, the trees, the bushes, the houses, one even literally popping out from inside a mountain of fallen leaves while tossing a broom aside with disconcerted amounts of unbridled glee. ¡®Oh god ¨Cwhat?!¨C so many people ¨Cwhy are they coming here?!¨C How-who-Wait-wait¡ª¡¯. Spooked, I doubled back and the first thing that came to mind was to hide behind the (still unnamed) Elf uncle. I quickly latch into his legs ¨C¡¯short, acting like a little kid¡¯¨C and make myself as small as I can. I quietly note to myself that there¡¯s a gash in his pants as I spot his bare skin underneath it. The people, elves, of varying shapes, sizes and colors, are buzzing and speaking and talking around the three that are a little ahead of us. My breath is caught up on my throat, I feel the uncomfortable warmth of sweat running up my neck. I can feel their gazes slowly turning towards me. Not understanding anything they say was already frustrating to me, but now how we are being loudly prodded and poked for answers to questions I simply cannot register amidst the noise¡­ The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. I don¡¯t like it. I¡¯m nervous. Make them go away¡­ ¡­I hide myself a little more. Until it all could be over, I spent the whole time like this. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - I¡¯m ushered forward while in a daze. The world a blurring haze around me as I tightly clutch a hand bigger than mine. ¡®I would think that my years of experience would be a boon to have while in another world in¡­ a younger body ¨Cthis is not my skin, take it off. | You can¡¯t.¨C I feel like I have only gotten worse. Anxiety? Shyness? Communication disorder? They are just some strangers hounding me with confusing words, there¡¯s nothing wrong, it¡¯s ¨Cshould?¨C safe here. Was it the forest? The weeks of high strung stress and snapping insanity? The new body? The new world? Losing everything I had ever had and been?... ¨CI want to go home. | Where is home?¨C¡¯ My thoughts, confused and in disarray, go astray¡­ ¡®Have I already said this before? I don¡¯t remember, it doesn¡¯t matter anyway.¡¯ My head stings. My tired eyes blur. ¡®I am ¨Cwho am I? | who will I be?¨C not well¡­¡¯ I unclench my teeth, I hadn¡¯t noticed I was grinding them, my jaw aches. By the time I escape my spiral of negativity, I suddenly notice a hand being extended towards me, I instinctively place my hand on top of it without thinking. There¡¯s a moment of silence, I tilt my head. My vision lapses ¡®...Mom? ¡ªWait, no this isn¡¯t her, what am I doing?.¡¯ I sigh internally, swallowing my tears. Where did this woman come from? I feel like I should be jumping away, surprised by her sudden appearance, but she feels like welcoming warmth and summer rain. I see we¡¯re finally gone and away from that swarm of people, the woman and the Elf uncle trade some words, their faces twisting and turning with expressions, is it good news? Bad news? I can¡¯t tell, never was good with faces. The trio behind me share some hushed banter from what I could guess from their tone of voice, whispers and short exclamations. We¡¯re promptly brought inside the¡­ tent? Hut? Hollow? It looks both lived in and neatly assorted like an office, across the interwoven architecture of the roof and along a wall in the back was hundreds of glowing crystals, gems, and shiny things hanging down, tied together in a web of shimmering string that pulsed in a way I could only describe was with life. ¡®...Pretty¡¯. The elfs had gotten over a whole report and heated discussion while I was distracted looking away. I see the androgynous one of the trio raise his hand. ¡°Cain. @#$¨€¨€¨€¡§%$*???¡ö¡ö?#$%¡§*?¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€?¡ö?¡± Was that his name? ¡°Gaviel, ??!@¨€¨€??¨€¨€¨€¨€#$$¡ö¡ö?$%¡§*?¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€??¨€¨€¡ö?¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¡± My ears perk up. And I see the uncle responding to the call. ¡®Gaviel¡­¡¯ I don¡¯t know what it means and it¡¯s unfamiliarity further ascertained my thoughts on my ¡®otherworlder¡¯ status. ¡®It¡¯s¡­ I see, it¡¯s nice to meet you, even if this isn¡¯t exactly a proper introduction between us¡¯. Now that I think about it, I too, never had given him my name did I? ¡­Is it even proper to use my old name now? It isn¡¯t£Û me £Ýanymore. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - I squeeze my weird stick tightly, of all my ¡®possessions¡¯, aside the oversized shirt, it¡¯s the only thing I could really call mine, that belonged to me. I brought it along with me during our travels, the elves didn¡¯t question it much, but after bashing¡­ god knows what and how many things around, it¡¯s gotten a murky red sheen with hints of a silvery-gray over time, it¡¯s gotten harder too, ¡®Magic? Maybe? Who knows.¡¯ ¡®We are crossing the scenic village now, going somewhere, me and the elf uncle¡ª I mean¡­ Gaviel, that¡¯s his name.¡¯ I have gotten used to using nicknames for him and the others, nicknames for a lot of other things I don¡¯t properly know the name of too, I won¡¯t get used to calling him by his actual name anytime soon. While we aren¡¯t getting people pile on us in merry excitement like at the start anymore, I can feel the curious gazes everywhere still, ¡®are we being followed?¡¯ I keep a wary eye out for anything around me, but don¡¯t find anything of note. I¡¯d use my unusually superhuman hearing, like I had done so before in the forest, but all the sounds in this town that flood my head drown any pinpointing I could do. I try to ignore the swarm of noises and stick to the range of things I would hear as an ordinary human. ¡¯I wonder when I stopped thinking of myself as one.¡¯ We arrived by a building built near the river, ¨C¡¯where is this river coming from?¡¯¨C looking closer I see that the water flow is being diverted towards a pool further inside the wooden structure. Entering inside, Gaviel handed me off to an old lady that was manning the counter, saying something about ¡°stay¡± and ¡°clothes¡± from the few words I caught on. She¡¯s tinkering around with what looks like¡­ paper charms? With stamped flowers and herb looking plants. Then she said something towards me, was it a question? A greeting? ¡®woman, I do not speak your language.¡¯ They both traded odd looks, and a short comment from Gaviel made her face twist similar to that woman whose hand I shook before. They went back and forth for some time, during which I absentmindedly fiddled with Uncle¡¯s loose holster¡¯s straps, at some point when I wasn¡¯t looking he had shed off the backpack and the whole assortment of gear and knick knacks, now without the heavy cloak and other things in the way, he is only wearing a simple shirt, pants and boots combo along with a harness, which I assume it¡¯s used to firmly secure all that stuff he lugged around. Eventually they finished their short talk and the old lady started to gently goad me to come with her. I looked back with a conflicted face to Gaviel. My hands shake. ¡®B-but, I don¡¯t want to go¡­¡¯ I stop. Thinking back, I flush, realizing how uncharacteristically clingy I became to another man, ¡®like I was some kind of lost¡­ child¡­¡¯ I gulp down the sourness in my throat, what is done is done, being conflicted about the strangeness of my feelings doesn¡¯t make them any less real. ¡®A-ha, ahaha¡­¡¯ ¡®S-since I am, outwardly apparently, a small kid already. What¡¯s wrong with acting a little my age?¡¯ I reason. Disregarding my anxiety-afflicted breathing and steadily crumbling psyche. He gestures to me to go on with a smile on his face, I close my eyes and try to assure myself. ¡®You are a grown person. Why are you scared? Where does it come from? Why does your heart ache? What is wrong?¡¯ I think to myself¡­ I already knew the answers. ¡®This isn¡¯t the cold and damp forest, you don¡¯t have to twitch at every passing sound in panic.¡¯ ¡®This isn¡¯t a road, where you can get your skull and ribcage crushed before you notice.¡¯ ¡®This isn¡¯t a city, where every step you take is dissected and put up to judgment. There is nothing in this world that holds power over you. You are free.¡¯ ¡®This isn¡¯t your world, sad as it is, nothing you have ever done or known can be reapplied here without questioning everything to its core, you are the only that is beholding yourself to standards that, as far as you are aware, do not exist here. You are unshackled.¡¯ ¡®This is a town, a beautiful, peaceful, village, away from the dark places, away from the sharp fangs, away from the disgusting substances I forced myself to eat. This is where the guys that saved your sorry ass live.¡¯ ¡®They protected you, carried you so far, they wouldn¡¯t stop now all of a sudden.¡¯ ¡®Here is safe. Here, you are not alone.¡¯ My hands¡­ are steady. In a small fit of shamelessness, of honesty. I run back and give him a quick, tight, hug, turning around and away right at the next moment. He has a surprised face when he haphazardly waves at me as I walk further inside with the old lady. I wave a short bye back to him. Without noticing, a smile forms on my face. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 21-Rekindled Hearth â… 
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª ¡°Y¡¯know, not every language is as twisting and adaptive as ours, for example, while we can use only one term to refer to ourselves and others like [ I ] and [The]. Did you know that there are people that have distinct and different terms for this? Changing according to gender, size, thinness, shape, color, status, and even race?¡± ¡°...Sooo, does that mean I can make dad jokes with ancient runes?¡± ¡°Wha¡ª? Ugh¡­ No, technically yes, but no you cannot botch lost languages in your poor attempts of romancing with the tower master, what in the nether made you think that this is a good idea?!¡± ¡°But she¡¯s very hot! And smart!¡± ¡°...Go do your damn job I pay you to do. Before I start paying a certain someone else to defenestrate you everytime you come here to procrastinate.¡± ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
¡®H-how¡ª Where¡ª¡¯ I can¡¯t understand. ¡®Why do they have a bath-house!?¡¯ I see the neat square shelves with neatly folded towels, the blue-painted wooden lockers, the curtains separating the female and male entrances¡­ It boggles my mind where in this world of fantasy this came from, the place feels like it¡¯s supposed to belong in the middle ages, but at the same time¡­ not. I can only speculate on the actual level of technology they have here, I doubt I can even start comparing at the same scale of Earth, seeing as they could have developed in completely different ways and forms that I''m not aware of.. ¡®I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll leave that line of questioning for later.¡¯ I tell myself tiredly. On the flipside, at least it won¡¯t be a cold water bucket bath. The old lady, tucking her long braided hair out of the way, comes back from wherever she went holding a simple, white and beige one piece dress and women¡¯s undergarments. ¡®Shit¡­ she¡¯s going to have me wear that thing, won''t she?¡¯ Ah¡­ the joys of internal screaming. Before I could protest she''d already pulled off the dirt-crusted shirt I was wearing ¡®wait¡ª lady, I¡¯m more than capable of cleaning myself, wait WAIT¡ª¡¯ *splash* and pushed me into the bath. The warm water weighed my long hair down, entering and flowing through all crevices and sensitive areas. I got embarrassedly surprised when the water immediately began turning a dirty black color as soon as I got in. Rolling up her sleeves. She paused a bit when looking at my horns and tail. ¡®I honestly forgot I had them for a second¡¯ But she took it in stride and moved on with practiced motions. She scrubbed me raw with water and a soap stone, muttering something the whole time. Despite the rough treatment, I could feel layers of¡­ something, being peeled off my skin, feeling like it could finally breathe for once in god knows how long. At least she¡¯s extra careful with my new appendages, she¡¯s likely not used to seeing people with those. I did my best to hide my private parts and protest to do it myself, but alas, my efforts were fruitless. ¡­If anyone asks, having your horns brushed and polished is definitely not weirdly relaxing. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - We get out of the bath-house. My skin feels strangely smooth, and not because of the lack of body hair. ¡®When was the last time I actually took a bath?... I don¡¯t think getting drenched in rain water doesn¡¯t count.¡¯ I take a sniff of myself, there¡¯s a soft smell of petals. ¡®I feel¡­ flowery?¡¯ If there was a mirror inside I did not get the chance to inspect myself, not that i¡¯m vain or anything, but the¡­ dress, I am wearing suspiciously fit perfectly on me, either i¡¯m seeing things or I don¡¯t know Maybe she has a stockpile of unused clothes laying around? Aside my tail that lifts the back of the skirt uncomfortably awkwardly, the dress is mainly one big piece of single white fabric with a circle skirt that hangs off the shoulders like a sleeveless shirt, seemingly without any stitches or seam lines inside or outside, decorated only with a fancy woven belt at the waist to hold it together. She also gave me a pair of sandals that I guess are made out of woven fiber from some sort of plant and pieces of scrap leather. I still don¡¯t understand how she put these on me with the dozen different laces that tie themselves up to my calves, at least they won¡¯t fall off easily.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. As for how the underwear had to communicate with my tail taking getting in the way behind me¡­ that¡¯s best left unsaid. Uncle Elf was already waiting outside, now I wonder how long I spent inside, ¡®...Did he wait long? Too long? What¡¯s next?¡® Now I wish he could¡¯ve had the time to teach more words, granted I wouldn¡¯t be able to become fluent in Elvish in a couple of weeks? Months? Without any frame of reference or a dictionary, but every passing second I live without being able to convey anything to them is growing increasingly frustrating¡­ I sigh. Gaviel thanks her for taking care of me, or at least I assume he did by the hand gesture he made while speaking with her, and leads me away again to another place. I don¡¯t notice his pause to glare strangely at something in the distance. While we are walking, I distract myself with my surroundings again, observing the village around me. The main pathways, or roads, that flowed through and around the village.although they just looked like packed dirt, it feels like i¡¯m walking on solid stone instead. And they don¡¯t have a single bump or imperfection, smooth lines and curves across everything, and they have small grooves carved on the whole surface of it for grip. Looking around, I can¡¯t see much if any use of visible iron or steel on their things, aside decoration and objects that simply wouldn¡¯t work without the certainty of steel, like arrowheads and knives, all else has wood as it¡¯s main material, instead of bolts and nails they use wood pins and structure pieces that seamlessly fit together. Actually, aside the space between buildings, most things have a sort of natural, but sculpted look. Not unlike a garden. Heck, some of these houses look like what a bonsai would look like, if it was made by a 15 meter tall giant, a giant that decided to craft a miniature home inside a tree full of furniture and complete with a chimney¡­ Speaking of which, it looks like that¡¯s exactly where we are heading. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - The door does a soft jingle as we pass through it, there¡¯s a white cylindrical bell attached to it. I¡¯m hit by the smell of an indescribable amount of chemical stank suffused through the air that is being poorly masked by cleaning agents and perfume at an attempt of sterilization. I scrunch my face in disgust and try to rub the nasty out of my sinuses, though Gaviel seems unaffected as he announces our arrival. The place looks like a lived-in apothecary. Shelves going all the way up to the ceiling with jars and containers of all sorts with weird and preserved things on them, along with menial items that you¡¯d find in a dormitory, brushes, clothes, shoes, and papers scattered across the place. ¡®What is wrong with thi¡ª¡¯ ¡°¡ªEep!¡± I hear a deranged laughter behind me before I¡¯m suddenly lifted up by my armpits. ¡°OH-YOHOHohehaha!? Oh ?;/??¨€¨€%$ ][?who?@¨€¨€¨€¨€#?@#$%¨€¨€kid?¦Ì?¡± I get turned around, sideways, and upside down, getting my limbs limply thrown around like some doll inspection. ¡®¡¯Eh? Hey!¡ª A-awawaaahAAAAAH!?¡±. *SMACK* I hear a smack as a different pair of hands take me away from the whirlpool, and I get gently set on solid ground again. Gathering my bearings, I look back to the assailer. There¡¯s a man, a very, very tall man, taller than Uncle Elf even, wearing a weird sweater that went past his knees, a poncho and an apron so stained it looks like one of those custom resin phone cases from how colorful it is¡­ I can see his bare legs, he¡¯s barefoot¡­ and I don¡¯t know what to think and I''m not inclined to look, but it feels like he¡¯s not wearing any pants either. His hair is¡­ blonde? It looks a faded blue-ish, similar to old dyed hair that started losing the artificial color. He has a very rectangular face that gets very pronounced by his overall thickness. And he is wearing a pair of big round glasses, the glass is smooth and clear¡­ but I can see the dirtiness of the lenses even from here. Gaviel is talking to him in that no nonsense tone while glaring. The person that was manhandling me a moment later has a sheepish grin on his face that looks completely unrepentant. They went back and forth for a while until they both turned towards me. ¡°W-what is it?¡± Gaviel sighed, running a hand down his face and making a ¡°go on¡± gesture to the guy in the apron who smiled like he just won a puppy for a birthday present. They set me on top of a reclined bed that was behind some wooden panels that sectioned the room off. ¡®Is this shifty guy supposed to be some sort of doctor?¡¯ He then pulled out a comically sized magnifying glass with multiple layers, levers, and gizmos encrusted with what looked like runes and keychains. With the huge size it looked more like a staff than anything else. ¡®What the fuck is that. What are you going to do with it¡ª with me¡ª¡¯ ¡°W-wait!¡± I throw my hands up in the air as he closes the gap between us in one single step and bends down to look at me with the contraption. He flicks the gears and shifts the lenses here and there while peering at me, prodding mainly at my horns and tails with another set of silver things he had pulled out of a drawer. I don¡¯t know why or how he did it, but getting poked between the insides and under the scales of my tail did not feel good. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - The impromptu¡­ checkup? Medical analysis? Status report? Left me wanting for another bath, even despite the embarrassment I would suffer there, I feel both dirty and violated from how many places and things the creep had me do. Dental inspection, ocular rating, auditory, hair, feet, hands, nails, skin, muscles¡­ ¡­Down there. *shiver* Not that I want to badmouth him much, he hasn''t been anything but very polite, understanding and careful during his examinations¡­ But the fervor behind his un-rimmed glasses, and the ragged breath he had as he sped writing through pages of notes as we finished, set many, many red flags in my head¡­ If there¡¯s one thing that is universal across worlds is privacy is a funny word that physiotherapists do not know the meaning of. I tried protesting at first, having no idea of what was going on, almost managed to land a punch on the creep¡¯s jaw, but then he goes and slaps my face with some acrid smelling powder and my whole body goes numb. And he had the gall play with my body¡ª no, not like that, get your head out of the gutter. ¡­taking my hands and waving them around like I¡¯m some teddy bear. Throwing some pleading looks to Uncle Gaviel ¨C¡®Hmm, that¡¯s a new one¡­ Since when did I start calling him that? Oh well, it doesn''t matter anyway¡­ Uncle is Uncle.¡¯¨C made him throw a thumbs up with a blank face and pursed lips. He turned his head aside when I began glaring at him instead. ¡®Traitor!¡¯ When it was all said and done, the doctor gave me a candy that tasted something like coconut-apple with sugar, it was chewy and crunchy¡­ and tasty. And he only gave me one¡­ He¡¯s still a creepy doctor without boundaries but he¡¯s redeemable at least. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 22-Rekindled Hearth â…¡ ¡°¡± I am left at a park / plaza just outside a massive wooden pavilion, it looks like a giant shell jutting out of the hill supported by a grid of pillars and beams, the highest point in the curved ceiling being 15 or so meters off the ground. Peeking in, there¡¯s a congregation far inside the building, thick paper panels hiding a big congregation of lights and people under one of the more open areas the pillars sectioned off. I see Gaviel making his way to a gap in the wall of portable panels. So I guess I''ll just¡­ sit here¡­ and wait, alone with my thoughts. *sigh* I exhale tiredly, laying down on the soft grass by the small river that streamed across the area. ¡®...What now?¡¯ ¡®It has been just one thing after the other these days¡­¡¯ ¡®¡°Survive.¡± That was all that populated my mind at first. My past, my self, my future, cast away into the abyss to never come back. The main and only priority being living another day and seeing what happens.¡¯ My hand instinctively goes to grab the stick I carried all this time, a simple, trusty tool I used for all sorts of things to avoid getting my hands dirty and bleeding. Actually, where did it go? I look around me searching. I don¡¯t remember where I left it and I definitely wasn¡¯t holding the cumbersome thing around at the baths or that apothecary. Something pointy slides across the back of my ankle, and I see the bloody-stained thing being held firmly by my tail. ¡®Oh.¡¯ I snort. ¡®I didn¡¯t know it could do that. Well, at least the thing is useful for something beyond getting in the way of clothes and giving me trouble when sitting.¡¯ I hadn¡¯t even realized how I was utilizing my tail so naturally, it¡¯s a little unsettling, how naturally it comes to me. A thought crosses my mind, I take the opportunity to wash the detritus and ¡­fluids? It accumulated throughout the time. ¡®I hope no-one minds¡­¡¯ I think as my eyes trail the thick black stuff running down the stream of clear water just as I dunk the tip of it on the river. If I was filthy before getting a bath¡­ then this stick is at a level of absolutely foul contamination beyond me. ¡®Then¡­ I find hope, I find someone to attach to and give everything to, for the sake of a purpose beyond seeing the sky go by, for the sake of filling my greedy little heart.¡¯ I look up, gazing at the sky beyond the window of the forest. ¡®I was never an outdoor person¡­ I still very much prefer the comfort of a small room. The time I spent here beat that out of me whether I liked it or not, I guess.¡¯ ¡®...I¡¯m tired.¡¯ I let out a long sigh again. ¡®I just want to lay down and sleep for days¡­¡¯ I awkwardly blink my dry eyes, trying to dissipate the dull ache on my head. ¡®... in fact I think I¡¯ll do just that.¡¯ I fiddle around with my footwear for a bit until I finally manage to untie the unnecessarily complicated knots, and dip my feet in the cool water flowing beneath me. Laying down, I close my eyes, dampen my hearing, and try to think about nothing. And I drift to sleep just like that. I just don¡¯t notice the eyes that were observing me not far away. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - *poke.* ¡°...mmn¡± *poke!* ¡°nhmnya¡­¡± *...poke?* ¡°Hghnrr¡­¡± *pull~* *gack!* ¡°Hm?!¡ª GAH!¡± I wake up to a deeply uncomfortable feeling in my scalp, like someone pulling out a loose tooth if said tooth was on top of my head instead. Startled, I look around me only to find a bunch of¡­ kids? Elf kids. Elf kids. Way too many Elven kids. That are surrounding me with much too curious gazes and too fucking close for comfort; One of them is frozen in a stupid pose still holding a pointed finger that is poking my tail. ¡°I¡­ U-um¡­ H-hi?¡± I wave a hand sheepishly. ¡®Crap, I was never good with kids.¡¯If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. They all share a look. Before backing away and huddling in a hushed conversation. I hastily stood up. ¡®Oh no what now? Where¡¯s Gaviel? I¡¯m not prepared for this, I''m most definitely not prepared for this or to be treated like a fellow whatever-years-old like these kids are.¡¯ I take a glance at the open hall, they don¡¯t look like they will be finishing, whatever they are doing over there, any time soon. One of the older ones, at least I think she¡¯s older I can¡¯t tell with the general facial features the elves have¡­ a girl with a bob cut hair with a braid that circled behind her head. She walks up to me and offers her hand in a bold fashion, like she¡¯s expecting something. Behind her, the kiddy band has a bunch of varied expressions and reactions. The littlest one is bouncing up and down in excitement? ¡®What¡¯s up with them? What do they want? What do I do!?¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t exactly just run away¡­ that¡¯d be¡­ embarrassing, and probably rude. And I don¡¯t have any idea of where I could hide¡­¡¯ Resigning myself to their whims. I take her hand with a confused face. She beams with a smile of a thousand suns. Shouting something to the other kids and telling me something, to which I respond with even more confusion while she giggles away as she drags me. ¡®If there is any god out there¡­ please have mercy upon my soul.¡¯ I quietly sob. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡®If there is any god out there¡­ thank fuck children¡¯s games are the same across worlds.¡¯ I ended up having to follow them, or more like dragged along by hand, to a more open area on the fields. I shook, there are even more kids waiting here for us. They were smart enough to understand the language barrier, but not to understand how I felt very much like I don¡¯t want to be here and pleaseleavemealone. They frolicked and chatted amongst themselves around me, which I assume something along the lines of ¡°the new kid in town¡± that they decided to bother the moment there wasn¡¯t an adult looming over them. ¡®There are only so many words I know and they aren¡¯t enough to describe how much I want to jump in the river and drown.¡¯ They were looking at me with expectant gazes full of wonder and curiosity, taking my silence for granted and messing with my horns and tail, running around¡­ I just don¡¯t know how to deal with this. ¡®What do they want? Am I supposed to just stand here? Go somewhere else? Beat them up?¡¯ This went on for a while. And I resigned myself to just stay in place and let the currents of fate drag me. After a while, said flock of ¡°currents of fate¡± started playing some sort of mimicking game¨C or not? They are also drawing things on the ground. There''s a pointedly obvious caricature of me, depicted by the protruding tail and pointed horns, surrounded by the kids and doing something, there are other drawings with arrows pointed to them. ¡®...Damn, kid¡¯s got talent.¡¯ For scribbles on the dirt they are remarkably good. After some back and forth with me just blankly staring at them I realized they were proposing a simple game of¡­ tag? Hide and seek? Dodgeball without a ball? From what I think I understood? There are these three ¡°zones¡± which will be marked by these sticks they planted on the ground, where the top one and bottom one are smaller ¡°safe¡± areas. In the middle area there will be someone responsible for ¡°tagging¡± the others, which will then have to join their team, their team aren¡¯t allowed to cross into the ¡°safe¡± zones. The objective of the game is to cross from one side to another without being caught as many times as possible, the game getting progressively harder as more people are tagged and end up having to switch sides. After a round of waving hands around and speaking the universal language of barks and nods we came to a consensus that yes, that¡¯s what was going to happen, and that I was enlisted to join their shenanigans. ¡®*sigh* well¡­ this beats being bored doing nothing and being left alone with my thoughts, I guess.¡¯ The first match starts. At first I opted to just stand in the far corner and watch what they do. Hoping they don¡¯t notice me¡­ foolish me. With nowhere to hide, and nowhere to run, they noticed, and they ganged up on me to push me towards the action. The moment I stepped inside the ¡°danger zone¡± the 5 or so kids that were tagged zeroed on me with blood on their eyes and way too big smiles. I tried to run. The pricks constantly cut off my escape routes and ended up surrounding me by all sides before I could try and go another direction. And so I lost before I could even notice. Under the eyes of the 20 or so kids, I went along with it and joined the fray of screams and laughter as they ran at each other trying to ¡°capture¡± as many people as possible. I ended up using a bit too much force when tagging someone that they face-planted into the grass, hard, right before they could cross to the safe zone. I stopped and froze in panic. ¡®Oh my shit¡ª are you ok!? I am so sorry! Please don¡¯t be angry! Please don¡¯t cry!¡¯ I stood there doing nothing but looking at the splayed figure on the ground for a while, cold sweat. The kid just got up, spewed out some grass that got into his mouth, and laughed it off. I released the breath I had been holding, much to my relief, the children of the forest are hardier than they look. There was a pat on my back, the girl that had dragged me here offered a thumbs up with a grin that told me things were, probably, okay. ¡­We ended up doing three rounds of the game. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - After a good hour or two, the pack of elves with way too much energy split off into various groups, some going away somewhere, others going to play more or practice, some have little interesting bits and baubles they are showing off to each other, some can even play instruments and handle bows much to my surprise. The ones I ended up with, decided to weave things out of the wild grass and flowers around while gathered near a pond that is surrounded by flower patches and a tall, wide tree that some of the kids were climbing on and doing parkour over the mass of protruding roots. Aside from one or two kids, most of this group are made up of girls that were masterfully weaving flower crowns with all sorts of decorations, one even made a full blown helmet! Being saddled with the girl that dared to approach me in the beginning, I kind of just sat there awkwardly without doing much of anything aside watching, I don¡¯t know why these kids are so skilled in these things, I guess I don¡¯t really have a valid point of comparison though, they don¡¯t have the abyss of the internet to fall into so they developed way different. She is talking to me in that language I don''t speak. Or more like talking to herself while keeping me company? I don¡¯t pay much attention to her but rather try to understand how the hell that guy is making a sword out of floppy grass now. While I''m distracted, I don¡¯t notice her approaching me from behind, there¡¯s a weight put on my head. Looking back I see the girl standing over me with a smile, she is sporting a crown of white and yellow flowers decorated with stalks of a plant with little bulbous endings to tie everything together. I peer into my reflection in the water of the pond, a similar one to what she is wearing resting a bit awkwardly on my head due to the horns, the flowers are mostly orange with the rest of the crown having a focus more on green plantlife due to a single large green flower that overshadowed the rest. I feel pretty. My heart flutters. And I feel so, so awkward. One, definitely not a feeling I appreciate, but one I begrudgingly end up enjoying. Two, as a man in a previous world¨C life, compliments and the like are as rare as having lightning fall on you. Touch-starved and a crippled self-esteem¡­ My cheeks flush and my face contorts in a grimace of embarrassment as I try to suppress the impending grin. ¡®I guess, this isn¡¯t so bad after all¡­ I wonder what the future holds.¡¯ For the first time in a long, long time. I think about what I will do tomorrow, what will be the plans for the future. I wonder about where to explore, about learning new languages and new skills, about these people. ¡®I was worried about being treated as a guest, a passing, fleeting visitor they troubled themselves with. Still do¡­ in a way. I don¡¯t think they would be so heartless¡­ but I don¡¯t want to go back outside, not now, not anytime soon. They seem like good folks.¡¯ I wonder about this place¡­ if it can be called home¡­ . . . Hold on a goddamn second. I peer into my reflection in the water again¡ª I double take. There. On top of my head, there¡¯s a green stalk embedded directly into my skull with a healthy looking, vibrant yellow flower. Swaying left and right as I tilt my head. I check, and it¡¯s certainly not part of the woven crown I''m wearing. ¡®Is that a fucking FLOWER growing out of my head?!?!¡¯ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 23-Ere of dawn Good news¡­ I have a room now!... My room! For me to use at my heart¡¯s content, they gave me the key and everything. Granted it has nothing inside besides a bed, a chair, and a bookshelf-balcony that is embedded with the windowsill. And it is also the only room that the little¡­ shack? Hut? The small house has, aside from a little entrance corridor. They kind of¡­ just left me here with a bowl of chicken stew, though I didn¡¯t see any livestock in the village so I wonder where it came from. As for other news¡­ They placed me here without explaining too much of anything? Well, it¡¯s not like I can understand them yet. My little abode resides just behind the clinic/pharmacy with that creepy guy. And I think I''ll be having to see him a whole lot more. And regarding that thing flopping around on top of my head, well, long story short¡­ I pulled it out. ¡­It didn¡¯t exactly hurt per se. It felt like ripping out an extra thick strand of hair, but it also felt like having a bone being dislocated. It was weird. There wasn¡¯t any blood or anything that looked bad enough to be worried over, the flower doesn''t have any roots, only a white-grayish bulb on the bottom that I think is a part of my ripped scalp. The flower itself looked to be doing fine and dandy even though it spent a considerable amount of time without any sort of dirt or water to be planted in. It has big thick petals arranged similar to a buttercup flower, there aren''t any leaves attached to the stalk, instead, the stalk itself has a fuzzy skin with soft hairs, they split up at the top in an inverse bell shape that hugged the base of the flower. Its color is nearly identical to my own hair, without the huge flower it wouldn''t look out of place being hidden on it. That¡¯s all I could surmise before the eccentric doctor swooped in and took the thing out of my hands, put it in a jar, and skedaddled somewhere, before leaving me here. ¡®*sigh* just another odd thing to add to the list¡­ O¡¯ body mine. What in the hell is wrong with thee?¡¯ ¡­ I¡¯m bored. I start fiddling around with the wooden bowl and spoon, they are simple in shape but have intricate carvings decorating them, depicting flowers and shapes that flow into each other in a unique design. I run around the room and do stretches, this body being more flexible than what I was used to, I could actually touch my toes without falling over! Laying down on the bed, oh dear god the bed, I sunk into the blissful softness. This isn¡¯t your average mattress filled with springs and synthetic foam. It feels like clouds would be like if they were actually solid. The pillow is much the same and the blanket is made of a thick but squishy fabric. Without much to do, I end up falling asleep. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - *BANG* I jump out the bed, falling down on the floor in a heap of limbs and blankets. Before I can register what and where the noise came from I''m forcefully liberated from the comfort of the sheets and hefted high up. Get thrown over something and start being shaken up and down. The sudden motions shaking off any sluggishness my sleep gave me. I open my eyes and see that I''m slung over someone¡¯s shoulder upside down, my first instinct was to think I was being kidnapped and to punch whoever¡¯s back I am on top of it harshly. I hear a pained ¡°Oof¡± and a cry of playful indignation, but otherwise, they do not stop. Looking down I see the familiar clothing of the doctor¡¯s, minus the apron and now he¡¯s actually wearing proper pants and shoes. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s just him¡­ Wait¨C what are you doing to someone in the middle of the day!?¡¯ We cross a street corner. Cranking my neck as much as I can, I spot the corners of the giant pavilion thing, it looks like that¡¯s where we are headed. Though everything is darker for some reason. Looking up at the sky, I see the dimming of the sun painting the sky orange. ¡®What!? Is it already so late? How long did I sleep?¡¯ We arrive by the entrance, and I see that lady I first met waiting atop the set of stairs with a baffled face. The doctor greets her with a boisterous call and a big wave of one of the hands holding me, he almost drops me but picks back up after some missed steps. When we get closer, she swiftly takes me off his hands and rewards him with a loud smack across the head. Berating him in a hushed yell. She kicks him inside and yells something while pointing her finger. ¡®I¡¯m so confused¡­ what¡¯s going on this time?¡¯ Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. She pats my head, her hand fumbling a little awkwardly around my horns. And gently takes my hand while saying soothing sounding words in her language. Next, she takes me directly to the place where the meeting of people was happening earlier today, the glowing rocks and light rods that they use barely illuminating the high ceiling. We pass by someone standing guard as we enter through the faux-door frame that divides the outside from inside the room. I''m met with a row of old-looking elves sitting in large cushions. There are six of them, one of them is glaring at me, and the rest have a look of contemplative surprise on their faces. ¡®...¡¯ With the woman beside me, she pushes me forward, keeping a hand on my shoulder. I¡¯m presented for them to look at me, for what purpose? I do not know. They all start trading words and talking amongst themselves, after some time Gaviel finally shows up and joins the fray. And so they talked and talked¡­ And then talked some more¡­ ¡­Throughout all this, I¡¯m just left standing here with nothing to my name. At some point I see the creepy doctor peeking his head in when no one else was looking along with another mature-looking woman who also wears glasses, from what I could see, she has that tied hairstyle with her hair thrown over her shoulder. When they see me looking directly at them, they make a shushing motion with their hands and hide themselves again. ¡®...???, um, well, ok? I''m curious, but whatever they are doing is none of my business.¡¯ After some time watching them and growing bored, I discreetly scooch over to the side and lay down on an extra cushion from the pile I spotted on the corner. Gaviel sees me and throws a side glance, but otherwise doesn¡¯t say anything, the rest of them don¡¯t look like they even noticed my movements. I keep on observing the tense debate with a morbid sense of curiosity and creeping anxiety. It¡¯s actually kind of funny since I don¡¯t understand a single word they are saying. Well¡­ I do get one or two words, actually, but not enough to make sense out of anything. Until then, I entertain myself by rolling around aimlessly¡­ The meeting room, hall?. place. Is pretty spacious and looks like it¡¯s designed to hold a myriad of different events judging by all the different sorts of furniture and crates lying on the far sides of the room. Or rather, the pavilion-convention center¡ª I still don¡¯t know the right word for it. Is made to address all sorts of gatherings, and they set up this space for a meeting. Maybe all the tables, chairs, and rugs lying over there were for that thing that happened earlier today, and they didn¡¯t have the time to put them away elsewhere? ¡­I end up making a pillow fort out of the sitting cushions and beanbags that are lying around. I peek over towards them from inside the confines of my impenetrable fortifications, I see that Uncle Gaviel just gives me an exasperated eye roll, and the security by the entrance gives a double take at me with an utterly confused face. ¡®If you¡¯re going to bring me here just to leave me without supervision, you shall deal with the consequences of your own actions by leaving me to my own bored shenanigans.¡¯ I tell myself with a straight face. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Despite being completely and utterly bored, and surrounded by cushions that have no right to be as comfy as they are, I couldn¡¯t really fall asleep. I had already slept most of the day away at that marvelous bed. And I know the adults are having a serious discussion that is most likely about me, but I just can¡¯t sit around without being able to input anything into the conversation and also not being able to understand them anyways, leaving me with a growing frustration and inquietness that left me wanting to just stand up and leave since they don¡¯t really need me here. I hear them starting to steadily quiet down as whatever they are doing is finished. Before I could peep out of my cage again to check on the situation. My house that was built on blood, sweat, and tears is ruthlessly destroyed by the hands of the giants. I whine in protest, though I didn¡¯t really care about it, knowing that it would be a temporary thing at most, it still miffed me a little. The giant in question, Uncle Elf, or Gaviel, picks me up and sets me on the ground. In front of me, is that lady that was peeking inside along with the doctor. I don¡¯t see him anywhere. She crouches down to my eye level, reminding me of my shortness, giving me that sort of secretary-type smile you give to unknowable kids. I didn¡¯t have the opportunity to carefully look at her before when she was sneaking around, but she has an attire that is suspiciously similar to the person she was with, a simple sweater with cotton pants and flat shoes¡­ At least she isn¡¯t smelly like that other guy. I give her a raised eyebrow but she doesn¡¯t react. Instead, she says something that is distinctly different from the language everybody else around is using. It sounds much more heavy and it uses more ¡°R¡¯s¡± and ¡°L¡¯s¡±, but it is still something I don¡¯t understand. ¡®I guess that confirms that there isn¡¯t just one common language in this world¡­ Though I guess that¡¯s expecting a bit too much, people each have their own culture so they must have native languages as well, a universal sort of language bestowed to all was expecting too much.¡¯ Seeing I don¡¯t react as she expected, with me tilting my head in confusion, she switches over to another language, pausing to measure my response. ¡®Oh! Is she some sort of linguist then? Neat.¡¯ It doesn''t work, so she tries another one. And another¡­ And another¡­ And another until she stops and stays silent. ¡®There was only one that kind of sounded like Latin¡­ if Latin was made by a Russian with an Australian accent. I don¡¯t speak Latin anyways, so that was a bummer¡­¡¯ She sighs deeply, and says something in an oddly confused tone, standing up and turning towards the rest of them, she says something in an excited tone, and a resolute tone next, then in a somber tone next. The discussion goes back and forth between her and the rest of the elves for a bit. Ending up in a round of nodding heads and agreeing-looking gestures. The discussion goes back and forth between her and the rest of the elves for a bit. Ending up in a round of nodding heads and agreeing-looking gestures. Though, I did see one of the elder elves look particularly displeased. They all turn to Gaviel, he sighs, stopping to think for a moment before nodding and telling them something in a delegating sort of way, adding a pointed comment towards the bespectacled woman in the end. At this prompt, the woman bows deeply towards everyone, and this signals the meeting to conclude with everyone going their separate ways. I made my way towards Gaviel. However, I got stopped, this time instead of going with Uncle Elf over there. It looks like I¡¯m going with another person, namely, the new lady that showed up. She takes me by my hand¡ª ¡®What¡¯s with everyone and hand-holding? I can walk myself thank you very much¡¯¡ª and leads me away towards another direction. Looking back, I give a sidelong glance towards Gaviel who was looking at me, along with a confused wave of my hand. He blinks and returns it with a nod of his head, then turns away and goes away else just like everyone. We go through the entrance of the room, through the corridors of pillars and glowing lights, into the outside of the open village that was lit by the night sky and the lights of the few that were still awake inside their homes. The streets glowed with a weak glow, not from torches or those magic stones, but from bioluminescent plants scattered about and purposefully planted near the pathways. Just as we exit the shadows of the vaulted ceiling of the grand hall, the woman jumps and squeals with apparent joy and squishes me in a much too-tight hug, babbling away about something to herself. She squeals something right beside my ears while she¡¯s hugging me. Hurting my ears in the process. ¡®...Just what have I got myself into?¡¯ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 24-Fleeting moments. ¡°Soo~...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...So?¡± ¡°How art thou faring, O¡¯ leader mine?~¡± ¡°I am well¡­ or are you perhaps insinuating something else, Cain?¡± ¡°Oh, Come on! You knoow what I am talking about! About a certain thing you picked up in the forest, about this high, small~, cute~, glued to you all day and¡ª¡± *SMACK* *GACK!¨C COUGH COUGH* *Wheeze¡­* ¡°I do not see how that is relevant, nor how that is an affair that you should be concerned with. Shouldn''t you be in bed by now? Or frolicking with your troublemaker friends in the fields?¡± ¡°*Cough* That you used violence to answer me, *cough¡± only proves me right, hehe~¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You had mellowed out a lot while we were with that kid, even started smiling for once!. The both of you were pretty much inseparable until we got home, and though you were kind of shit on taking care of her¨C H-hey! Don¡¯t hit me, I am right and you know it!¡± ¡°*grumble* ...You didn¡¯t need to point that out.¡± ¡°After all the trouble we went through just to rescue her, and all the trouble you went through just to let her stay in the village instead of taking her back to Gods knows where her kind lives, we all thought you would be taking her in!... That the handsome, good ol¡¯ Gaviel~ would be making a nest for his likely self¨C GAH! Ok! Ok! I¡¯ll stop.¡± ¡°Have you come here, in the middle of the night, just to test patience?¡± ¡°...Well, kind of¨C B-but! But It¡¯s true that we are worried about you. You have been all down and mopey since she got under Sammy and Clau.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°...*sigh*¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It is¡­ vexing. Even now, I still do not quite understand what came over me¡­ to create such a deep attachment to her¡­ At the time, we all were struck by something unfathomable, fear lining our minds because of a being that so easily breached our barriers¡­ And then¡­ And then I find a little girl with pointy horns and a scaled tail, no taller than any other children here. Lying in her own pool of blood and surrounded by the viscera of dozens upon dozens of Arbotect spiders.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡±I thought she was dead, Cain. I-I don¡¯t know¡­ In her face, I glimpsed the fallen corpses of our fellow kin, of our families and loved ones. It brought on terrible, horrible fear in me... You saw her, didn¡¯t you?... How closely she resembles us¡­¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Yeah yeah¡­ *sigh*now look at what¡¯ve you done, I¡¯m starting to feel all mopey too¡­¡± ¡°*chuckle* I reckon that she has had that effect on all of us¡­ And despite the circumstances, I would not be able to properly follow through with the responsibilities of a caretaker. She will be better with people who are capable and ready to properly nurture her, as I continue to tend to my own duties with the village. And I am happy with that.¡± ¡°Aha! See? You¡¯re not looking all serious and frowning anymore. Come on now, did you know that everyone¡¯s throwing a party for the new kid? It¡¯s not every day that someone from outside our little piece of heaven ends up living with us. The last time that happened was by my grandpa¡¯s time, and that was centuries ago!¡± ¡°...Hmm. Perhaps I will.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°And yet, here we are.¡± ¡°Oh come on, we have already spoken about this. It is not as if we could just punt her outside and leave her to fate.¡± ¡°That does not mean I am not eligible to continue to voice my concerns about some outsider we do not know anything about. It is a risk. ¡± ¡°A risk that has been proven itself to be negligible, and even then, the majority vote was to let her stay indefinitely, or at least let her go when she reaches¡¯ her race¡¯s age of maturity, depending on her lifespan.¡± ¡°And she¡¯s just a little girl, what could she possibly do?¡± ¡°With the absolute disaster that just happened a couple of months ago? I am right to doubt anything with even a speck of magic inside them.¡± ¡°True, but moderation in moderation is a virtue.¡± ¡°Pha! That¡¯s just your ancient ass being paranoid.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that! If anyone¡¯s ancient here, it¡¯s you!¡± ¡°We¡¯re all old. Even by Elven standards. *sip*¡± ¡°*grumble* just drink your wine and be happy you were wrong about the child. Parties as big as this are exceedingly rare, and I think they are breaking out the good stuff that¡¯s been lying in the big cellar.¡± ¡°Hmm? Do you mean that thousand-something-old collection of yours? I thought you were trying to hoard those for yourself?¡± ¡°Please. Do take care of yourself. Our bodies aren¡¯t quite what they used to be.¡± ¡°I gotta drink those treasures one day! Or else I won¡¯t be here to be able to enjoy them anymore! Bwahahaha!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°So, you managed to snag her for yourself.¡± ¡°Yup!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you even understand what you have just done? The responsibilities, the necessities¡­ We don¡¯t even know if she will live as long as you expect her to.¡± ¡°That just means I¡¯ll have to treasure our time together that much more!¡± ¡°...*munch**munch*¡± ¡°*siighh¡­* This woman¡­¡± ¡°Oh! Try this one, sweetheart, it¡¯s very yummy. I bet you¡¯ll like it!¡± ¡°Hm?¨C MpHFffmm!!!¡± ¡°Anyways, another thing, I have taken some blood samples out of her¨C¡± ¡°You mean with those very big, very scary needles of yours?¡± ¡°*crunch**munch* *sip*¡± ¡°¨CYes. With those very big, very scary needles of mine¡­ As I could not just magic away any poison in her body without knowing what she ate, and with her considerably strange biology compared to ours, I had to resort to the old-fashioned ways and did some tests.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Well, she looks quite healthy to me. What did you find out?¡± ¡°*crunch?* *ptooey* *sip*¡± ¡°Honestly¡­ I don¡¯t quite know what. But I could make some hypotheses. Firstly, she is very much still poisoned to high heaven with an absurdly foul mix of toxins. I can¡¯t fathom where or why she ingested whatever she did. And yet, her system is apparently unaffected and even slowly getting rid of them, either filtering or absorbing them. Can¡¯t tell which.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°*sip**slurp*¡± ¡°Secondly, is whenever she has an injury above a certain level of damage¨C And no, don¡¯t give me that look. I did not hurt her, at least not on purpose. Ask Gaviel about it¡­ Anyways. Her skin and muscles seem to manifest something akin to dark viridian roots that knit the wound closed and produce a white amber substance that fills the gaps. Resulting in a full recovery without any visual sign of scarring.¡± ¡°Oh my, she¡¯s an amazing little thing isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°*fwaa**burp*¡± ¡°Yes, haha, she is. And thirdly¡­ well, not much of a test or examination, I just don¡¯t have a single fucking clue of what she is.¡± ¡°Hey! Language!¡± ¡°...*sweatdrops*¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry. But still, she isn¡¯t a Minos, a Capricae, Pythae, or Krocos. Maybe a Draconian sub-race¡­ Though she has at least some Elven blood since she could pass through the gate. There¡¯s also the issue that she has a flower stem that is either attached to her head or a naturally occurring trait of hers. What causes it to bloom is unknown to me.¡± ¡°...In the end. Does it really matter all that much? She is here.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well, I guess we have all the time we need to satiate our curiosity. Hmm, I wonder if those scales shed¡­¡± ¡°Hey! At least wait for me to teach her how to speak before you go on with your weird research!¡± ¡°...*yawn*¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 25-Flourishing Age The next morning. They threw a party. Why? I don¡¯t know, I have a good guess for their reasons, but if I learned one thing in my life is to not assume anything about anyone. Even then, there isn¡¯t really much for me to do aside from going with the flow. Though, if I am to say something about it. Elven parties are really different. Either that, or this is only strange to me who isn¡¯t used to it. This being normal for a fantasy world, normal for them. And I¡¯m just biased through my experiences in a modern world. There wasn¡¯t any big firepit or an assortment of tables. Instead, everyone gathered around another place that has a big water spring embedded into a rock wall. A massive tree, more thick and imposing than the already ridiculously big trees in the forest, behind the spring and the rock face. The spring is embellished with carvings into the stone along with wooden framing contouring it. The wood that connects with the carvings in the stone juts out from the wall and creates a crisscrossing ceiling laden with panels of glass, vines growing on top of it providing some shade for the small space surrounding the fountain. The tree covered the whole area with a comfortable amount of shade with its grand canopy, not enough to entirely block out the sun too much, but enough to keep the place well-lit without getting uncomfortable from excess sunlight. Then, around the open grass and patches of polished stone into the ground, numerous carpets and knee-high tables were set up, without any rhyme or reason, anywhere they liked as people started trickling in. Intermingling and gathering into their own circles as time passed. Each person brought their own food to add to the party in a growing pile in the center of everything. Another group made a makeshift kitchen to the side as some people began bringing fresh ingredients instead. The food was served on what looked like a sort of self-service, first come basis. The people picking what they want to eat out of the growing banquet, and some others getting other people to pick up food for them, though that was mainly the more elderly and the cooks. Some people ate standing up. Some sat down on the carpets or cushions. Others used the tables to eat on top of or to hoard dishes they liked. All the while socializing. ¡®Socializing¡­ Not something I¡¯m looking forward to.¡¯ After a while, some of them whipped out their instruments which were composed of an assortment of mostly handheld tools, flutes, harp & other similar things, small drums that are easily carried around, and there was one guy shredding a harmonica-looking thing. The music spurred people to bring out clay and glass bottles that smelled like alcohol. Another thing is the¡­ unique fashion. While a good part of them wore the type of clothes I¡¯m more familiar with, simple shirts, pants, or skirts that are moderately conservative. The rest¡­ ¡­are certainly a source of cultural shock for me. I spotted some wearing what essentially were short hotpants and a very form-fitting shirt with open sides, along with either cloaks or capes. There were also those elbow-sleeves that connected to a glove that hung off one finger. One-piece dresses that transitioned to a loincloth that hung off the front and back. Nothing of the blank, easily brandable, clothes that are common to me, but instead, decorations and personal flair were made with the cloth itself, complex patterns and folds, braids and hanging strips. Spats and pantyhoses. Some Victorian-era-looking clothes modified to the fantasy outdoor style. There is even a kid with an honestly ridiculous quantity of belts, looking very edgy and chuunibyou¡­ Though the fact that he was manning a firepit with 3 dozen skewers throws the whole vibe off. All of that, and things that wouldn¡¯t look off in a cosplay convention. If those are actually everyday wear, with how complex some of them are¡­ The tailors in this world really are something else. Though, I can¡¯t know for certain if the way these people act is the standard for all Elven-kind around. Again, cannot assume anything about anyone anywhere. I have only witnessed a speck of the wonders of this world so far, after all. The whole festive debacle¡­ Can¡¯t say all the attention was pleasant to me. There were people coming and going all the time to look and greet me, or rather, greet the pair that apparently became responsible for me. The glass-wearing duo, the creepy doctor, and the extrovert woman. I swear, the both of them¡­ They go what I¡¯d essentially describe as ¡°yipee mode¡± at every little thing I do. Especially the woman, with her fawning over me and shoving things at my face. ¡®...At least the food was good.¡¯ The party went on for a good while and ended with some announcements as well as ¡°showing¡± me for everyone to see. ¡­being picked up by the armpits like a cat and being lifted up like a shoddy enacting of ¡°Simba¡± was not. Just¡­ not, no, nope, nada, nuh-uh. ¡­Never something am I going to allow to go through again. The whole cheering and applause from the audience, which a big part of was drunk, only served to further kill me with embarrassment. At least we left shortly after that. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - So, uh, my¡­ education? will finally start. I think so, maybe?... I¡¯m pretty sure... This is what it looks like at least¡­. I¡¯m just guessing, I¡¯m not actually really sure of anything that has been happening these days¡­ I¡¯ve been left with what I assume is a wax tablet along with a wooden stick stylus. Though, the wax isn¡¯t very hard. Actually, it is very, very light and easy to scribble on without barely needing any force for the stylus to sink into the wax. There¡¯s also a thick square rod attached to the tablet that I assume is used to ¡°clear¡± the page.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. So, scribble is what I shall do¡­ Until they come back from wherever she went to that is. I¡¯m sitting on a tall stool at the back of the apothecary where the doctor guy is dancing around me once again, this time, he is filing my horns. Yes, with that rough iron stick and all, going back and forth with all the grace of a drunk steel grater trying to imitate a violin¡­ He asked nicely and I don¡¯t really see a problem. Or rather, he spent a while just trying to convey what he wanted to do through drawings and mimicking since talking to me is fruitless. But¡­ he¡¯s been at it for a while now¡­ My neck is getting kind of stiff from the fixed position he¡¯s holding one of them, trying to collect whatever powder he can. I let him do as he wanted after extorting him out of his jar of candy as tribute¡­ which is sitting beside me now. *nom* I reach inside and grab another one. Turns out horn, uh¡­ cutting? Trimming? Doesn¡¯t feel too awful, they get in the way and aren¡¯t really that useful to me so I don¡¯t mind what happens to them, though the fact I can feel them indicates that they probably have nerve endings inside them. It¡¯s like getting your nails trimmed or getting your teeth scraped, only they are actually thick and hard as hell. ¡­Or this guy¡¯s strength is pitiful and they aren¡¯t actually that hard. Now the things sticking out of my head aren¡¯t as sharp anymore, much to the joy of my victim, though I doubt it will stay like that for long since I feel like they grow back, albeit slowly. On the plus side, if I accidentally fall on someone I don¡¯t want to hurt, they won¡¯t be poked too hard. ¡­Now that I think about it, if they grow back, aren¡¯t they antlers instead? Horn-shaped antlers? I don¡¯t think the normal animals that have horns grow them back after they get cut out. Who knows? Not me. The doctor in question goes on to separate the little pile of dust he gathered from me into multiple different glass plates and starts to mix and match other substances with them, why? I don¡¯t fucking know and I doubt I want to. One of the plates flashes with a bright light, filling the room with fumes and sparks. Looking over I see the plate in question broken, and it has a brown mass of¡­ something, slowly growing that is wrapping around the surface it is. It has crystalline growth patterns while also having white strands seeping outwards in multiple directions like roots. What the fuck? ¡®Excuse me? What kind of god-forsaken drugs are you making within my presence? And with what you extracted from me no less?!¡¯ I look at him with a face of complete revulsion. The thing in the table starts leaking a yellow liquid and collapsing with its own weight, a rancid smell spreading. He observes the sample with an obsessive glee in his eyes while writing on a nearby binder. ¡®No, thank you very much. Nope, I am getting out of here before he gets other ideas.¡¯ And that¡¯s when the woman that I was waiting for finally arrived. Along with a pile of books and papers in her hands along with a leather duffel bag. I cross around her and just go wait outside, leaving whatever it is that happens inside to fate. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - I shift and fidget. Giddy while sitting in an outdoor-style classroom as she sets up her own teaching materials. ¡®Finally! I will be able to formally start to actually learn their language! It has been so frustrating to go back and forth trying to decipher everyone¡¯s intentions.¡¯ Aside from the wax board, I don¡¯t have any sort of dictionary or textbook for me to use, so I don¡¯t think I will be able to use my free time to study when there¡¯s no one available to teach me. There isn¡¯t much around here, a bench, a table, and a chalkboard between two trees. Exhaling, she claps her hands to grab my attention. ¡°Hello, ??#$%???$;/??¨€¨€%$ ][?%Sa&m? ra?? ??¨€%$ do][???,%&¡Á? ?? ????!¡± I tilt my head in confusion, furrowing my eyebrows. Trying to discern any words from the little amount I know. She repeats herself, this time repeating the same word while pointing at her own face?... Oh! I point back at her. ¡°Saamyra?¡± ¡°Samyra! ???!¡± She says back, giggling to herself. ¡®So, your name is Samyra!¡¯ an elven name. She repeats slowly, ¡°Sa.my.ra.¡± pointing to herself. Then¡­ she points at me. ¡°What ??#$%?? J ?%$????¡± ¡®Is she asking my name?¡¯ I intently look into her expectant eyes, the bright green circles boring into me. ¡®¡­Oh.¡¯ I freeze. ¡®She¡¯s asking my name.¡¯ I panic. ¡®Do I give her my old name? A name from a world that might as well be dead to me, a name which I have forsaken.¡¯ ¡®Do I invent a new one? Where would I even start? It wouldn¡¯t feel right... I wouldn¡¯t feel right. It¡¯s one thing to simply have an alias, something for people to identify you as. But a name? It is something earned by birth, something that defines you, that invokes you. A thing with meaning, beyond meaning, with deeper roots.¡¯ ¡®I would hate to halfheartedly create my own name only to regret it later on¡­ changing names¡­ feels deeply uncomfortable¡­ maybe I am just making a big deal out of nothing.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve been silently agonizing about this all this time¡­ and yet I haven¡¯t been able to come up with a single letter I would want to be called.¡¯ ¡®My old name¡­ it feels wrong to use it. But, despite already making my decision to relinquish it. It¡¯s something that I still hold so much attachment towards.¡¯ ¡®What even was my name?¡¯ ¡°I-I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Hm? Ai?¡± she repeats, confused by my stuttering. I shake my head. ¡®I¡­ I just don¡¯t know anymore¡­¡¯ Not understanding my plight, she goes through the motions of introducing herself again and asks for me to give her a name. I lower my head. Seeing my state, a flash of realization goes through her facial features, along with confusion, worry, and¡­ anger? She stands up, goes around the table, and¡­ Pulls me up from my chair embracing me in a deep hug, planting me in her bosom. Whispering soft nothings and cradling my head. At first, I push back, then I become utterly confused, and then a sorry mess. A maelstrom of ill thoughts and frustrations. Thoughts without meaning, fueled by bleeding emotions that stain everything. Heart and mind melting with chaotic cries that impart imperfect understandings, pieces that can¡¯t fit together crashing against each other. Only then, after time flew by without me noticing¡­ ¡®How long have I been crying?¡¯ I touch my drenched cheeks, a splitting headache keeping me awake. My brain relapses, a piece falls into place, but the whole is yet to be. Unbroken, but imperfect. I feel my whole being settle a little bit more, uncoil, and adjust. Their precious smiles, closure. I see red and blue, hiding in between the silhouettes of the world. Rooted beneath the veils. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 26-Requiem ? Sacrament 1.0
¡ª¡ª[ ¨d¨T+¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?|??|?¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T+¨T¨g ]¡ª¡ª | WATCHER_36//CONNECTION_ESTABLISHED \ | WATCHER_36//SCHEDULED_REPORT_21¨C09¨C1058 \SUBMIT | WATCHER_36//ECHO/RESUMING_OPERATIONS(PRIORITY OVERRIDE:ALPHA) /CURRENT_TASK:MONITOR ENTITY(f678c98) \ | WATCHER_36//CONNECTION_TERMINATED \ | ... | WATCHER_36//UNSCHEDULED_EVENT/ CRITICAL ERROR: ALMASTRND(origo(¡ö)) Container/KERNEL DATA INPAGE ERROR \ERROR: UNKNOWN \Conclusion_2: attempt course correction | WATCHER_36//ATTEMPTING FIX... \ERROR: UNKNOWN/ ATTEMPTING FIX... \ERROR: UNKNOWN/ ATTEMPTING FIX... \ERROR: UNKNOWN... | WATCHER_36//PRIORITY_TASK1:MAINTAIN PROTOCOL INTEGRITY has failed (6) times \UNIT COMPROMISED: could not solve problem/ CONCLUSION_43: request assistance PRIORITY_SETTING(code: ¨€ ): CONTACT HANDLER | WATCHER_36//CONNECTION_ESTABLISHED/ PRIORITY_ALERT IDENTIFIER(ALPHA) \DISTRESS_SIGNAL | ... |ALPHA//PING WATCHER_36 \CONFIRMED |ALPHA//Execute troubleshooting routine \Running¡­ |ALPHA//Error: ALMASTRND() UNKNOWN/ CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED \missing identifier |ALPHA//PING ¨€¨€ \ |AI-COM/ALPHA//Assigned priority target (¡ö) This unit does not have corresponding dependencies \REQUEST: UPDATE PACKAGE |ALPHA//RECEIVING TRANSMISSION... \INSTALLING... |ALPHA//DEPLOYING TOOLS \ANALYZING... |ALPHA//DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS: ENTITY(f678c98) Stabilized, Status: experiencing dimensional dissonance; Host paracausal disruption realigned with central conflux, Reality lost; Plane flexing suppressed, authority reforged within soul thresholds.\ LOGS ARCHIVED. | ... ¡ª¡ª[ ¨d¨T+¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?|??|?¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T+¨T¨g ]¡ª¡ª
??? ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡WARNING!¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ ??? ??? SENSITIVE CONTENT AHEAD ??? ¡£¡£¡£ Suffocating darkness, drowned wishes. Fresh air in your lungs. Live blood in your veins. Sharp weight in your eyes. Sunken strings, beached bonds. Broken promises, slumbering prophecies. ¡£¡£¡£ Someone suddenly opens the door unannounced. ¡°Hey, do you want to go buy bread and some flour?¡± she says, Ignoring my glare. Because she knows I don¡¯t like people barging into my room without knocking, moreso when the door is closed. And yet she keeps doing it anyway. I barely pause to think. ¡°Hmm? If I want to? No, I don¡¯t think I do.¡± I know we still have a cupboard filled with other types of bread, and I am perfectly content and comfortable sitting here. ¡°Come on! You¡¯ve been just sitting there the whole week. You have to go outside a little.¡± She whined. I try to reason. ¡°The bakery is so far away from here, and it¡¯s an uphill climb just to get all the way over there¡­¡± Also, I am feeling lazy. ¡°I¡¯m going to make pancakes~¡± I pause. Now that she said it. The idea won¡¯t get out of my head. It¡¯s in the middle of the afternoon and it has been quite a while since we ate lunch, so I¡¯m feeling a little hungry. I recall the appetizing smell of the batter being fried, the soft crunchiness of the golden bread, and the myriad of possible combinations of things to pour over it. I think about hot coffee, the ghost of bittersweet tastes gracing my tongue. ¡®Now that¡¯s just playing dirty¡­¡¯ She knows that I know what she is doing. Enticing me so blatantly.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°...Though if I will. Is an entirely different matter.¡± I say, without taking my eyes off the novel I¡¯m reading. ¡®Nope, not today, nuh-uh, I am happily flourishing in my little corner here and nothing can drag me out of here.¡¯ ¡°Hmm~¡± she gave me a Cheshire grin, still standing at the door. ¡°...What?¡± I look away. She starts wiggling her eyebrows. ¨C ¡®How does she even do that? I can¡¯t even lift one eyebrow without lifting the other.¡¯ ¨C ¡°*cough* ¡­Well, if you aren¡¯t going to, I guess there won¡¯t be anything for you.¡± ¡±Guh!¨C Alright, alright¡­ I¡¯m going, ok?¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± She flips her demeanor instantly. ¡±Here, take this money. There¡¯s a little extra for you to buy something you want at the store.¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, um, ok?¡± Since she said I can, I guess I¡¯ll buy some potato chips too. I prepare to leave outside, switching my pajamas for something more proper. A simple T-shirt and track pants will do, nothing fancy since it would be just a quick trip. ¡°I¡¯m leaving!¡± I shout back, putting on my shoes. I don¡¯t notice the colors fading away from my surroundings, nor the pitch-black abyss behind the door. As I am about to exit, I stop, my hand already twisting the door handle. A foreboding feeling crept through me. ?¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡??¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡? ¡±You know¡­ You are¡­ W-were always a quiet person, sneaking behind us and gesturing rather than speaking.¡± Suddenly, her tone was as dead as the colorless halls of limbo. Her voice, raspy and weak, wavered. Sounding like a thousand things were stuck in her throat that was clogged with permeating sadness. ¡°Though, when you were little you¡¯d always run around the house, getting into all sorts of troubles. ¡± Something¡­ Something is very, very wrong. ¡°Every time you saw us, no matter the occasion, you¡¯d yell ¡®I love you¡¯ and we¡¯d be right behind you.¡± Irrational panic surges in me out of nowhere. Along with concern and confusion from the unwarranted dread. ¡®W-what is she talking about?¡¯ I ask myself, confused, as my instincts and body screamed unintelligible warnings at me. ¡°I-I just wish I could have said ¡®I love you¡¯ more times. Now¡­ I can¡¯t even say goodbye.¡± I quickly spin around to look at her and¡­ ¡°.....Take care. We will always love you.¡± > ¨€???? ¨€???? ¨€????????? ¨€????? ¨€??????? ¨€?????? ¨€??????? ¨€????????? ¨€???????? ?? ¡ª¡ª ¨C - ? - ¨C ¡ª < Strident, grating noises caress my bones, I feel like I¡¯m falling, a gaping black abyss of dead howls opening and harshly pulling me down. The haunting sensation comes and goes in a second, leaving me inexplicably sluggish. I look up. A sinking pit of ice-cold dread settles in my stomach. I try to breathe, and the feeling surges up through my throat and settles in my head, making my eyes waver and water. I feel the blood in my veins grow hot and freezing, thick and fast, the veins in my neck pulsating and choking me. I try to gulp down my tears but my tongue won¡¯t move. The ache in my heart folds into itself, the twisting pain robbing me of my breath. Feeling like a ghostly hand wrapping around me and squeezing. She looks so¡­ So¡­ Old, fragile¡­ Weak, feeble¡­ ¨CAnd¨CAnd¨CAnd¨CAnd¨CAnd¨CAnd¨CAnd¨CA ¡­nd +¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ª¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡+ ? {??} [ This place intentionally left blank ] +¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ª¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡+ Like she suddenly had aged 10 years, stress and sadness marring what once was a bright and cheerful face. Deep, dark circles under her eyes, darker than anything I had ever seen on her face before¡­ darker than anything I would ever wish for her to look like¡­ For as long as I can remember, I have always held my family close to my heart, always thankful for being blessed with such caring people. Despite the circumstances of the world around us, we all lifted each other, and I especially loved my mother the most, with her being the pillar that held all of us together. Her sudden change in appearance, to this devastated and battered look, scared something deep in my soul. ¡­Her eyes look dry and red from crying. The small wrinkles that I was used to seeing on her face had become long and deep. Her usually smooth hair an unkempt mess, starting to get white strands. I feel my eyes twist and burn from the amount of tears flowing through them. My tongue feels heavy in my mouth, and my throat twists, wanting to scream. Roar in rage. Cry out in fear. Shout in horror. The one sky that relinquished you. Hums in remembrance. I struggle to speak. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?!¡± I finally take notice of the pulsating noise filling my head, like waves of mercury filling the blood in my brain. It¡¯s deeply uncomfortable, but it does not cause any pain. Amidst it all, my encumbered mind tries to understand. Filling everything aside the horrifying visage of one of the people I love most in the world with illogical images and muddled thoughts. The walls are gone, the ground is gone. Everything is just gone. Gone. G o n e. Un-empty black ink. Tendrils uninvited. The space that isn¡¯t occupied by her turns and twists into shapes and distances that make my eyes blur, the incomprehensible space slipping through all my senses, leaving a void that both exists and doesn¡¯t. Suddenly another silhouette appears beside her, my father. At one moment, there wasn¡¯t, and in the other, it was like it had been there all along. Absent-mindedly, I¡¯m reminded of how much I appreciated him, despite us drifting apart in the same house and never properly talking to each other. Besides him, my friends, and other acquaintances I hadn¡¯t gotten around knowing. People I would never again get an opportunity to properly know¡­ ¡­to be able to say goodbye one last time. Crimson blood between the crevices. And then another one appears, and another, and another¡­ I see my family, my closest friends, amidst an entourage of unknown people clad in formal wear¡­ ¡­They are weeping, mourning, holding tight the leashes of an untold amount of grief that was shared between them. The eye in the sky. Before I can try to make sense of it all, everything¡­ Breaks. They are watching. +¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ª¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡+ [ COMPARTMENTALIZING TRAUMA ] +¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ª¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡+ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 26-Requiem ? Sacrament 1.1 ¡®Open your eyes.¡¯ ¡£¡£¡£ ¡®...An unfamiliar ceiling.¡¯ Blearily, I blink the gunk out of my eyes, rubbing away the excess and the lingering drowsiness from my face. ¡®Where?...¡¯ Wiping my face again with the collar of my shirt, I look up to a white ceiling, patterned with a mix of plaster and tiles. The light from a nearby window illuminated the room. From the color of the sunlight, I assume it¡¯s either dawn or dusk right now. ¡®What?...¡¯ I try recalling what happened and how I ended up here, frowning. I just end up more confused, my memories being a weird blur, the last thing I remember was cold shaking and a woman¡¯s face. And then¡­ ¡­My face flushes in embarrassment. And then I frown, trying to make sense out of it. Something certainly feels different, like pieces were shifted while I wasn¡¯t looking, and there are missing ¨C or replaced? ¨C parts. Pieces that I don¡¯t know or understand how to feel the loss of, because I never knew about them in the first place. I try to remember¡­ Try so hard to grasp at the frayed lines that keep slipping out of my hands, words at the tip of my tongue¡­ but nothing. I hug my legs, massaging my temples in frustration. ¡®I feel like I had a dream, an important dream or a nightmare, that left me with this bitter taste in my mouth and lingering feelings¡­ Angry, irritated, indignant, remorseful, and¡­ content?¡¯. I yawn¨C ¡°Ouch!¡±, I feel a sharp sting as my jaw pops. Massaging it, there¡¯s a weird, tense feeling and I notice that it feels strangely stiff. My mouth aches like I was biting on something too hard, and there¡¯s a faint taste of copper and¡­ ginger? ¡®Ow¡­ This is weird, was I clenching my teeth while I slept or something? It feels like my mouth ran a marathon while pulling weights at the same time.¡¯ There¡¯s a dull aching inside my skull, remnants of a headache. I sit up shaking my head, absentmindedly shuffling my numb tail out of the way. ¡®I probably slept on top of it¡¯. Getting upright gives me a sudden sensation of vertigo and nausea, and I flop down into the bed again. Curling around the thin and soft covers. I give some time for the disorientation to recede. Stretching my neck and back trying to pop and crack my joints out of habit, but nothing happens and I just end up overreaching to positions I normally wouldn¡¯t be able to reach. ¡®I guess this body I¡¯m not quite as rusty and sedentary as I used to be¡­¡¯ I¡¯m not sure if I should be glad or miffed that I won¡¯t be able to do that anymore. On one hand, I¡¯m more flexible than I have ever been, and can fit more comfortably in places and move in ways that would otherwise leave me writing in the ground with sore tendons and aching joints. Maybe even do a split. On the other hand, the satisfaction of popping and cracking my bones is lost¡­ It isn¡¯t exactly a healthy practice and I probably won¡¯t miss it much¡­ But it feels like, once again, another small part of me slipped through my fingers. I hear soft footsteps coming towards me. Just as I look over to my right, I see a door opening. Through it, I see that lab coat guy, looking a bit disheveled. He gets surprised seeing me awake. His name is ¡°Clauren¡±. He never actually properly introduced himself to me... But I had overheard it multiple times from people that were talking with him or passing by, and sometimes from Samyra too, who shortens it to just ¡°Clau¡±, so assume that¡¯s his name. Though, Samyra rarely calls him that, instead¡­ ¡­Instead she uses other words that leave him stuttering and bright red. Thankfully I don¡¯t know those words yet. ¡­Sometimes I miss my innocence. Just behind him, an old lady follows through the door¡­ who looks very much like a witch doctor. A casual witch doctor with streetwear. I mean, she looks fine, just a glance at her and all you¡¯d see is a little charming old lady with a spring on her step. Nothing to give a second glance. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s holding a huge scepter¡­ ¡­A staff twice her size with a skull on top of it. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. A. skull. An alien skull too, because I don¡¯t know any animal that would look like that. Way too many eye holes, what looks like a beak while also having things that look like whale teeth. Weird protrusions that I have no idea what they were for and I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s actually bone or shell, maybe both. It has glowing phantom eyes while leaking a hazy green smoke, it¡¯s made out of bones and some sort of blue translucent and opaque material, and has all these dangly bits and trinkets wrapping around it. I feel like I probably should be more alarmed, but the jarring difference between her and the very ominous thing she¡¯s holding like it weighs nothing just has me dumbly staring between her and the alien skull. The light inside the hollow fissures that I assume to be eye sockets twist and turn as I look into it, the way it¡¯s positioned making an illusion that no matter which direction you look at it it feels like it¡¯s looking back at you. ¡®Is that thing looking at me? It can¡¯t be looking at me right?¡¯ I start moving to fully stand up¡ª two hands softly stop me by my shoulders, gently pushing me back into the bed and tucking me in. A befuddled expression came to my face as the lady patted my head and berated me for something, saying something along the lines of ¡°Stay in bed¡±. I side-eye the staff that is floating beside her. Even after she let go of it to grab my shoulders. ¡®Ok then. I¡¯ll just¡­ stay here.¡¯ She turns to Clauren and they start to discuss something, most likely about me, but the reason eludes me. ¡®Um¡­¡¯ I think worriedly, looking back and forth between the two as the discussion grows into an argument, the scary staff being swung around as she gestures with her hands and¨C ¡°Whoa!¡± I sink further into the mattress, avoiding a swing aimed at Clauren. He tries to duck, but she clocks him in the head anyway, a dull and hollow gong sounds within the staff. Clauren nurses his head in pain, whining. She turns to me, fixing me with an undescriptive stare as she peers down into my soul with an intensity that makes me instantly uneasy. I squeak, ¡®¨Csqueak?¡¯ and try to hide under the safety of the blanket¨C Only for her to deftly snatch it out of my hands and swiftly throw it away. ¡®W-what the hell?!¡¯ I settled for hugging the pillow instead. My thoughts simmer with anxiety. I can¡¯t decide if all these elves want to. At one second, they have this serious hush-hush meeting with what looks like a bunch of ancient dudes who look like they own the place, and then, they throw a party for some reason. Now, I apparently went unconscious for god knows why, I don¡¯t remember. And now there¡¯s a voodoo woman along with a suspicious pharmacist looking at me like I just killed their favorite pet rock or something. I refrain from talking ¨C ¡®Though it¡¯s not like I could even hold a basic conversation¡­¡¯ ¨C and from doing anything reckless under their scrutiny. I have no idea who she is or what she is doing but she is being really scary right now. Her gaze hovered around my eyes for some time before traveling through my body, pausing briefly at my horns, and my tail that was peeking out under the covers. I shift awkwardly behind my defensive pillow. I pause. Then try to keep my skirt down as I shuffle my legs to a more comfortable position. My head wanders. ¡®I¡¯m grateful for these clothes, and I have kind of¡­ acclimatized. To feel the cold breeze on my body after spending months doing questionable things naked and covered in filth in the forest. But now that there¡¯s finally a modicum of normalcy back in my life, I¡¯m starting to very much miss wearing pants¡­ Having a tail that keeps lifting it up doesn¡¯t help either.¡¯ She swings the staff directly at me, the decorated skull suddenly stopping just inches before my face, locked in place in the air as if time stopped. And mumbles something that sends an airy whisper echo across the room despite how quietly she spoke. Then, I feel like the atmosphere suddenly drops and something wraps around my body like an invisible membrane with a strange numb and tingling sensation with a tinge of dull pain on my skin. It¡¯s kind of similar to when I ate something I was allergic to. Reminding me of some very not-fun times in the past. The piercing soul-stare she was giving me. Seems to deepen even further, and her eyes start to jump around my body again, and then, after some time, her eyes grow distant and she starts giving off a hundred-mile stare towards the ceiling above me. And then she stays there for a while¡­ Just standing¡­ Menacingly¡­ I turned to give the other person in the room a worried look. Unfortunately, he seemed as confused as I am. He briefly made eye contact with me, not taking his eyes away from the frozen pose that she was in. ¡®On the bright side¡­ at least it feels like body language is a universal way of communicating¡­ so far. I remember reading somewhere that some people, somewhere, use their lips to point instead of their hands.¡¯ Suddenly. The elderly woman jolts, rapidly blinking and shaking a shiver out of her shoulders. Retrieving her evil cane out of my personal space ¨C ¡¯finally¡¯ ¨C and the weird and uncomfortable sensation pulls back. She pops her neck, loudly. The sound of wet cervical discs and old bones making noises they most definitely shouldn¡¯t make. Made me and Clauren flinch and flinch in apparent disgust. Then she does some stretches and starts massaging her shoulders. Afterward, she and he had another discussion that I couldn¡¯t hope to understand. And then exited the room, walking and talking all the way, leaving the door open, and leaving me alone. ¡®. . .¡¯ I blink. ¡®Um. Ok?... What now? Should I just go to sleep again? Hello??¡¯ I wait for a minute or two to see if anything happens, getting anxious, I decide to see for myself after enough waiting. Silently standing up and getting out of bed. Pausing to fix up the ruffled blanket and pillows. I make my way to the corridor behind the door. I spot Samyra walking up the stairs, the worried look that was on her face easing somewhat after spotting me. *grumble* my stomach informs me. She paused, mouth open indicating that she was about to say something, and giggled. I look away, blushing. ¡°...I sure am getting hungry fast these days¡±. I grumble to myself.. ¡°¨COh.¡± I recognize some familiar things and furniture, and I see the tiny shack that I¡¯m living in outside. It looks like I¡¯m inside that apothecary¡­ on the second floor? She says something, and I translate one of the words in the middle of it to ¡°food¡±. We end up going together to the kitchen to prepare something¡­ Or at least, she is, apparently, I¡¯m not allowed to handle knives so I just end up sitting and watching. At least she isn¡¯t looking that worried anymore. Chapter 26-Requiem ? Sacrament 1.2 ¡£¡£¡£ It has been some weeks since I have been¡­ inducted? Into the village, which by the way, is named after the place we are located in. ¡°Daivette Village¡± in which ¡°Daivette¡± is the name of the giant forest surrounding the village. There¡¯s a whole story about how ¡°...It is an heirloom inherited by us from the era of¡± ¡­something, I forgot the name. And ¡°Is the forest named after us or are we named after the forest?¡± That still confuses me, both because of my lacking vocabulary, and a whole lot of mysticism that surrounds that story. I learned a lot these past few days. Well, not actually that much, because the elven language is a nightmare to learn to speak, and much less write. But I¡¯ve learned enough to be able to do¡­ very¡­ rudimentary conversations. This language is fundamentally different from any other language I know, having both straightforward words and terms with more than one meaning. Words with over-complicated terms and innuendos that change a lot depending on context or tone of voice. And sounds with phonemes that I¡¯m not used to making with my mouth. And that¡¯s just the language portion, their written system is utterly alien to me, who is used to the Latin alphabet and the straightforward way it is used to create words and sounds. No, their system looks like a constantly flowing cursive script that can change meaning depending on how you connect each ¡°character¡± to another, and doing differently can change both the meaning of the character and the word interchangeably. Not only that, but it can also change meaning depending on height, size, and DIRECTION. So you can write something backward, upside down, or curved and it will have a different meaning than a similar thing written in straight lines. Despite everything, even with all the hurdles I had, and still need to overcome. It has been quite interesting, fascinating even, and fun to study it and learn it! Even if Samyra can be a little strict sometimes, I, who practically already spent a whole lifetime dedicated to studying and long work hours, was more than ready to dive right into it. At first, the time spent learning was really short, which confused me a lot at first, with me being used to spending 4 to 6 hours straight studying all week. Compared to the hell of the university bachelor¡¯s lifestyle, a measly one or two hours was nothing. Which surprised her a lot, at first she was worried that, for some reason, I was starting to become a ¡°book fanatic¡± like ¡°a certain someone¡± and tried leading me to spend more time doing other things despite the somewhat pressing need for me to learn to be able to talk to people. Personally, I¡¯d rather just stay inside the whole day and steal her time to learn all the intricacies and neat details of the language and finally get over the frustrating back-and-forth miscommunication. Still, I managed to press the issue and convince her, somehow. Getting through to her despite the language barrier at the time. Unfortunately, she had other things to do, and we settled for lessons in the mornings and evenings, leaving the afternoon empty. I was not sure what she wanted me to do at first, and I ended up spending that time just lazing around, watching Clauren work (from a safe distance away, and then some more because despite his friendliness he still creeps me out) or taking a long nap until the other lesson. Fate had other plans for me though. By the time the whole tutoring thing started, the whole town was pretty much aware of me, the ¡°newcomer¡±. And that came with a fair quantity of nosy people, who kept visiting once they found out where the new girl was supposedly staying, which then led to people constantly knocking on the mine or Samyra¡¯s door, which then led to a very irritated doctor by the time the fifth person came by to do an ¡°obligatory visit¡± or ¡°checking up on you¡± in the same hour. Samyra found out how I was being ¡°an unhealthy mushroom¡± and, together with Clauren, dragged me out to ¡°be healthy¡± and ¡°socialize and not copy Clauren¡¯s bad habits¡±. Which led to a sputtering Clauren and a debate about how he was a bad influence on me. ¡®Which¡­ no. Just¡­ no. I get where she was coming from, but it can¡¯t be that bad, right?¡¯ Anyways. That¡¯s how I began to get mandated to be a ¡°mushroom¡± elsewhere, at the local town square instead of inside within the safety of four walls and a roof. Despite me wanting to just hide in the comfort of a real bed all day. Away from the dangers of the outside world... ¡­I didn¡¯t admit it then, but in one way or another, my time stranded in that forest had undeniably scarred me in ways that still went unnoticed by me until I took time to introspect. And, now that I was vulnerable and out in the open, everyone wanted to take a look at the weird stranger in town¡­ ¡­Especially the children. The adults at least kept a respectable distance and just judged me from far away with a glint in their eyes. The kids, however, in all their energetic glory, grabbed me and dragged me left and right everyday to do something and I had to reluctantly be sucked into whatever their whims demanded me to do. In the first few days, when I was still just starting to get used to the new language, my touch-starved self even enjoyed their constant buzzing and attention. It was a novel experience to have a bunch of kids fighting over who would drag me off to do this and that. There even had been a scuffle about it at one point. Though, when I say constant attention. It means constant. attention. They do the same things. Everyday. All the time. With little to no variation between everything. And they have a very limited repertoire of activities that they can do by themselves ¨Cat least, compared to the sprawling sea of entertainment options that I was used to.¨C For all that they are considered ¡°cute¡±, ¡°angels¡±, etcetera. Being amongst them just feels¡­ wrong, I¡¯m out of place, and despite my current appearance, I do not belong. All the playing and games can be thrilling and fun to them, and I can get some satisfaction from easily winning against them most of the time. But everything has a sharp tinge of guilt and dissociation. ¡®They are kids. You¡­ are not.¡¯ The realization took some time to sink in. The smile I gave them became fake, any effort and participation in their games already were half-hearted and lacking any real interest. So¡­ I avoid them, despite the prodding Samyra gives me to have some interaction with the other people in the village, though by now she has somewhat resigned herself. I feel more at ease doing something productive rather than¡­ playing¡­ with the children. I just¡­ couldn¡¯t. Could not accompany them and mingle with them without a creeping feeling of remorse. Every day, I¡¯d look at myself in the mirror and see a child, with someone else under their skin. I had already somewhat come to terms with that, despite the change of face, of gender, and species¡­ I alone am the one that defines me. That I could begin anew from the start, carry the memories of an entire lost world on my back. But then came the question¡­ ¡­Age. Why couldn¡¯t I be transmigrated, relocated, Isekai¡¯d, possessed, or anything else? With a standard reincarnation, I at least would be possibly left with a facsimile of a family and time to adjust. But no, I didn¡¯t get to keep my own body, didn¡¯t get to keep any memento of what I¡¯d lost¡­ I got the option to either survive or die trying, left alone, left with nothing but the weight that my own legs could carry me. I survived, I persevered, I only just started to begin to get comfortable in my own god-damn skin¡­ And then back all the way to ground zero. Having been barely an adult once, who has seen the depths and terrors of humanity, I am inevitably more mature than I look like. And now, saddled with a child¡¯s body, with all the hormones and disposition of one and a ¨CI twitch, unbidden memories welcoming themselves to my head.¨C considerable amount of memories and experiences that may possibly have traumatized me¡­. I can¡¯t, won¡¯t, stay near them. ¡£¡£¡£ After some time avoiding them, to varying degrees of success, I managed to get a decent amount of peace. Nowadays the kids understand me a little better and I¡¯m more often left to my own devices, after all the wonder wore off and I¡¯d been labeled ¡°boring¡± and ¡°cold¡± to most of them. I was¡­ glad that I didn¡¯t need to keep up with them all the time, I never have been good with kids, and acting innocent and happy took its toll on me. I finally got them to stop hounding me, but at what cost? It hurt just a little bit, remembering a time long ago when I had¡­ personally seen the way timid children got treated in a volatile environment¡­ These kids aren¡¯t so bad though, they are definitely way older than they look, because¡­ Well, Elves. Though I don¡¯t know if they have the same rate of maturing that humans have, honestly, some of them feel like they have the sort of experience you get for living decades, but still somehow retain that childish innocence and naivety. That happy ignorance of having lived inside a bubble. ¡®*sigh* On a positive note, I can have some simple conversations now! Despite my¡­ thoughts, on the matter. All of this gave me some good practice after all. No doubt my speech is incredibly choppy and broken, and I take a lot of time to remember the correct words and string them together to understand and reply to people¡­ but still. Progress!¡¯ ¡®Though I personally prefer to spend time around the older Elves, despite the apparent age and culture gap, they are easier to approach since I don¡¯t have to act gullible in front of them. Since I don¡¯t have anything to do during these times of the day, and felt antsy about doing nothing when I couldn¡¯t bring myself to sleep, I lately took upon myself to sweep the grounds around the town squ¡ª¡¯ ¡°AH! There you are! Hmph! Hiding again!¡± I¡¯m suddenly jolted out of my hiding spot. A hand softly lands in my head and I feel a light grip around one of my horns. ¨Cthankfully, they don¡¯t have pointy-stabby ends anymore since I began to blunt them. They are, well, not really that sensitive, but I feel them enough for it to be awkward and uncomfortable for someone to grab them.¨C I recognize the voice. ¡®Oh no¡­ it¡¯s her.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve been avoiding me again!¡± Her name is Sedia. A very enthusiastic, cheerful, and extroverted kid. The sort of person that the other children gravitate towards, making her an unofficial unanimous ¡°leader¡± regarding their activities most of the time. She is also the same kid who dragged me around in a flower crow the first time we met. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I grumble irritatedly at her, sprawling myself further so she can¡¯t pick me up. ¡®I¡¯ll admit that I was¡­ somewhat touch-starved that time. But after the first few days, she became a homing hassle that somehow always ends up finding me.¡¯ ¡°Come on! Up! Up! You¡¯re missing out on a bunch of things! Parnem¡¯s farm just got into harvesting season and Zenui is making sweets for everyone! Candy! Cookies! Pies! Don¡¯t you want some?~¡± She turns into a conspiratory tone in the end, trying to entice me. ¡°.....no¡­..want¡­¡­¡­..¡± She¡¯s dragging my boneless corpse through the grass now. You¡¯d guess she''d be pulling by my hands or feet, but no, my horns turn out to be a perfect handhold for her to leverage my weight around. ¡®She¡¯s a lot stronger than she looks.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sure tha¡ª Wait? N-no!? But everyone likes candy!¡± ¡®Bold of you to assume that¡­¡¯ I joke to myself, giving up the joke halfway. ¡®...Regardless, I already get more than enough sugar around Clauren and Samyra¡¯s house.¡¯ All this free time in my hands led to some developments in the kitchen when they left me to my own devices¡­ Safe to say they have one more reason to boot me outside the house.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°......hmm¡­¡­..want¡­sleep¡­¡± ¡°Hmph! Nuh-uh!¡± ¨Cdid she just ¡°nuh-uh¡± me?¨C ¡°Miss Samyra came by earlier and found out about how you keep playing hide-and-seek by yourself! and gave me permission to take you wherever I want! She also told me you are ¡°too smart for your own good¡± and said to not listen to you when you start complaining!¡± ¡®Oh no¡­ That woman has learned the power of delegation.¡¯ ¡°..........*whine*¡± I resign myself to my doomed fate. The plethora of different excuses I had in store thrown out of the window. At some point I finally got up to walk instead of being dragged around, not wanting to besmirch my already more-than-lacking reputation. I was led to that gathering place beneath the giant tree¡¯s canopy, where there were a bunch of people doing some sort of a mix between a free market with a bartering system and communal dinner. ¡£¡£¡£ They don¡¯t really have a ¡°market¡± so to speak here. There isn¡¯t any reason for a currency or for material accumulation since this whole place is rather small and insular. So things often get traded around with favors and barters instead, and even then, there¡¯s a strong community sense shared between all of them. Everything gets freely shared with everyone without much thought going on behind it. ¡°We don¡¯t live in the forest... We live for the forest.¡± They told me once. A rather simple answer¡­ But one that explained a lot of things. They coexist together. Why hoard things to yourself? These types of thoughts have never even crossed their minds. There isn¡¯t my house and your house, only our home. No division or differentiation between them. No insidiousness, no greed, no strife only¡­ peaceful perpetualness. It¡¯s¡­ quite beautiful, really. Though, I¡¯m unsure if this sort of community could work on a larger scale. Large metropolises divide and section themselves into parts out of necessity, after all. Not to mention capitalism. People chase after money and things, scrambling for happiness and sacrificing their bodies and health when just trying to live. Here, they don¡¯t have to worry about tomorrow, don¡¯t have to worry about losing their home, don¡¯t worry about hunger, health, or safety. They just¡­ live. Without a care in the world. Unbothered, flourishing¡­ happy. ¡£¡£¡£ I¡¯m shaken out of my thoughts as we approach one stall where a person is handing out fried¡­ roots? He¡¯s placing them inside a basket lined with cloth at the same time he is cooking them. They are first boiled, turning them soft and whitish, before being dipped into a pink syrup and quickly rolled around in a white and brown powder so the sweet-smelling substance doesn¡¯t drip down, getting trapped inside the powdery layer. They are set aside in line to get deep fried in a huge wok they are skillfully handling. ¡°Good afternoon! Mr. Zenui!¡± Sedia waves. ¡°....hello.¡± ¡°Hm? Howdy, children!¡± They greet us. After flipping the entire contents of the wok over like a pancake, somehow not getting any of the boiling oil to spill. ¡±Feel free to take one or two, though remember to leave some for everyone else.¡± They turn, going back to manning the fire pit. Sedia takes the initiative to pick up 2 wrappers and carefully hands the hot foodstuff to me. ¡°...¡± I turn the¡­ sweet stick? Candy root? Around and over, it looks like a mix of churros and a weirdly shaped corn cob. I give it a prodding lick. It¡¯s bittersweet and coarse. ¡­Right, it¡¯s just the flour layer. Tentatively, I bite into it, ignoring the wide-eyed look Sedia gives me as she¡¯s still blowing the heat of the stick. ¡®...oh¡­¡­..¡¯ I close my eyes, relishing the savory taste¡­ ¡¯...Oh, this is good.¡¯ I go to take another bite, but end up biting thin air instead¡­ and a mouthful of paper wrapper. ¡®Huh?¡¯ looking down, I see that I¡¯ve already finished eating it. I don¡¯t notice the shit-eating grin Sedia is giving me, nor the unbecoming noises I have made. ¡°......aw.¡± the food ran away somewhere, to the land of the fairies most likely. I¡¯m sure of it. ¡°HOhohaha! I see that you¡¯ve liked the breaded drasil quite a lot! ¡­though please wait a bit for it to cool down, you gave me and your friend quite a scare, suddenly biting into it like that, it came straight out of the pan after all!¡± The newly-dubbed Master of Sweets says. *giggle* ¡°Yeah! Your tail and ears were wiggling and all!¡± ¡°...¡± A moment to parse her words, pause. And think about what she just said again, pause again. Just to be sure, replay that in my head a third time.. ¡®w h a t?¡¯ I whip around behind me, covering my ears in embarrassment. I don¡¯t see my tail, then I turn around again, and again. I stop. ¡®Dumbass, your tail is attached to your back, of course, you can¡¯t easily do that.¡¯ ¡°~~~¡± I plead my case with a muffled noise¡­ Crouching down in shame. ¡­Both of them are snickering. I hide my face from view from both of them. ¡°By the way¡­¡± The sweets seller starts, not taking his eyes away from the scalding pot. ¡°I didn¡¯t get the chance to have a good look at you before, but you are that newcomer everyone¡¯s been gossiping about, yeah?¡± He said it as a question, but the answer was obvious. I¡¯m busy wishing the ground would open and swallow me forever. Sedia nods in agreement to him. A mischievous glint crosses his eyes, ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He puts another batch of the plants into the pot of water to boil. ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll let you grab one¨C no, two more! If you introduce yourself. I¡¯ll start first, My name is Zenui! Nobody in this town cooks better than me!¡± Someone in the distance shouts something that sounds vaguely accusing and threatening. ¡°*cough* ...At least when I¡¯m dealing with sweets.¡± He ends. While fishing another batch from the oil. ¡°She¡¯s¡­? Oh. I don¡¯t actually know! I don¡¯t think she ever told me her name, or anyone else. I and some of my friends have been just calling her ¡®Suu¡¯ because that¡¯s the noise she makes when she¡¯s sleeping!¡± *Guhak* I choke, eyes widening. ¡®T-they¡¯ve been calling me what?! And since when have they been watching me sleep?!¡ª¡¯ Sedia catches onto my thoughts. *giggle* ¡°I¡¯ve been living here a lot longer than you have! Of course I know all the hiding spots!¡± ¡®¡ªWHAT DO YOU MEAN I MAKE ¡°NOISES¡± WHILE I SLEEP?? AND WHAT HAVE I EVEN BEEN EVEN TRYING TO HIDE FOR THEN??¡¯ I sink further into myself, crestfallen. ¡°Aa. Come on now, don¡¯t be so harsh on her¡­¡± He looks down at me sheepishly, looking a bit lost on how to console the small child who¡¯s bordering on crying in front of him. ¡°Hmph! That¡¯s what she gets for being a stupid mushroom, did you know? There was even a time when she hid in the mud under the bridge! I¡¯ve never seen someone use that sticky and dirty place as a hiding spot before!¡± ¡°.....ugh..¡± My dignified response. ¡°*ahem*¡± Zenui averts that line of conversation. ¡°It looks like nobody really knows your name.¡± He starts awkwardly, not really having a good way to approach the subject. Everyone knows everyone in this village so it¡¯s not every day that they have to do this whole introduction thing. ¡°So?...¡± I open my mouth, trying to think something not my old name and¡ª ¡ªmy old name ¡ªmy name¡­ ¡ªwhat¡­ What was my name again? A sense of dread threads itself into me. I avert my eyes from the two of them, their inquisitive faces aren¡¯t helping. ¡®So¡­ So that¡¯s what I felt missing, that time.¡¯ For some reason, the assuredness of this statement is undoubtful in my head, I simply know that¡¯s the case without a shred of uncertainty in my heart. I can¡¯t even begin to try and understand how this came to be, why would I forget such a deep, fundamental piece of who I am¡­ or, was. I close my mouth, not knowing how to respond. Last time, with Samyra, the issue was avoided by me going into¡­ something. That then led me to suffering from a small coma, stopping any further inquiries. ¡®Maybe I could just run away now¡­ but¡­¡¯ ¡°............no.¡± ¡°¡±No?¡±¡± They both ask, confused. ¡°...no¡­¡­¡­.name.¡± *cough* Zenui¡­ thankfully doesn¡¯t say anything. ¡°...¡± The look on their faces right now doesn¡¯t help the mixed feelings churning inside me, I duck my head, try not to look, not to see. ¡°*gasp* Huh?! That won¡¯t do! Everyone needs a name!¡± ¡°S-sedia, come on now that¡¯s¡­¡± He takes a deep breath. ¡°...¡± ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t we come up with a name for you? I¡¯ve never named someone before!¡ª¡± ¡°Sedia.¡± She stops. Zenui takes a moment to get the Wok out of the fire, sighing. ¡°...Look, Sedia, dear, I understand that you are very excited and, in your own kind of way, concerned for your friend. But, you don¡¯t just decide like that for other people, understand?¡± Sedia reluctantly nods once, then nods again with more surety. ¡°It¡¯s one thing when parents name their child, it¡¯s their child and they have all the rights to do so, but¡­ your friend here, do you know her parents? Do you know of her or do you know her?¡± She looks a bit lost on that. ¡°...Names aren''t just names, they are the representation of someone, the epithet that is intertwined with people¡¯s very soul and being. Given that they adopt it for themselves, or in the case of babies, given.¡± He explains, putting as much emphasis on the words as he can. ¡°It¡¯s, well, not exactly one of the lessons I¡¯d expect to have to teach you, not now anyways, it¡¯s not something that always comes up¡­ You can ask more about your parents later.¡± He ruffles her head. ¡°Nicknames are okay, but names carry weight, something that they will carry for their whole lives, until the end, and then some more. And what you were doing is a responsibility that you don¡¯t understand, it¡¯s not just something that we use to call each other, it¡¯s¡­ more¡ª¡± ¡°I¡­¡± I interrupt, catching up with all the words he¡¯s saying. ¡°..........no¡­¡± searching for the right words, I take a deep breath and say. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± He looks me in the eyes, scrutinizing them deeply. ¡°You¡­ No, you understand better than anyone don¡¯t you?¡± He shakes his head, not quite sure how to deal with this. ¡°By the way it looks¡­¡± He thinks about it, the way that she was introduced to everyone, but from afar and nobody really getting much more than a glimpse at her, that no one but a select few really knows about how she arrived, and even the few people that do regularly take care of her aren¡¯t sure about it. ¡°Sorry for asking, but¡­ what about your family, or wherever you were¡­ before coming here?¡± He grimaces. I gulp down the torrent of memories that surge from the mention of family. ¨CGod knows the things that happened when I first learned that word¨C And I shake my head. I¡¯m¡­ I don¡¯t want to talk about it. He looks down at me in apparent sympathy, not drawing any conclusive conclusions, but understanding that it isn¡¯t anything good. ¡°Are you sure? Shouldn¡¯t we talk about this with Clauren or Samyra, it¡¯s¡­ a big thing you know?¡± ¡°...it¡¯s¡­ better, like this.¡± I struggle to put the words forward, rattling my brain for all the words I have learned so far. ¡°I¡¯ll name myself¡­¡± I decide, being named by the people I¡¯m living with would be awkward, and I don¡¯t want to feel even more indebted to them, but relying on a kid, even if older than me, to come up with a name isn¡¯t exactly¡­ the best choice. ¡°...but, help?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ *sigh* Alright, certainly not what I was expecting to do today.¡± Sedia isn¡¯t looking the best right now, having been chastised like that¡­ ¡­But she comes back around, her good-spiritedness unrelenting. ¡°I-I¡­ don¡¯t really understand why it¡¯s all such a big thing, but it¡¯s important to you yeah? So¡­ I¡¯m sorry for being so pushy, I know some people like being alone for some reason, and I thought that you¡¯d be more happy with this¡­ and, and¡­ sorry, I guess, for pulling you like that¡­¡± She pauses, looking sheepishly at us. ¡°Is it¡­ bad? That I already had something in mind?¡± Zenui gives her a look. ¡°*sigh* Well, since we¡¯re here. What¡¯d you have in mind?¡± ¡°W-well.¡± She flushes, looking at least a little ashamed. ¡°We¨C me and some of my friends, tried to guess what your name was, since nobody knew, we all came up with different ideas and we each asked Miss Samyra if we were right. Though she made a sour face and didn¡¯t end up answering anyone. And then we got all confused like, and got worried. And then we made a game of what nicknames would be the most cute, or more cool, and all that.¡± She scratches the back of her head. ¡°And then, uh, well, just ¡®suu¡¯ isn¡¯t much, and we already have another kid with that nickname, and nobody could decide on anything, so, I thought, why don¡¯t we combine nicknames then? And then we all got together to think about it.¡± One of Zenui¡¯s eyebrows continues to rise along with her explanation. ¡°So¡­ hum, you¡¯re always sleepy, or trying to sleep, and hiding away in faraway corners, and you came from the outside, where only the adults are allowed to go, and you are all different and pretty, and nobody really knows much about you and you are all mysterious, so we decided on ¡®sleeping fairy¡¯ because you are always sleeping, and came to visit after something bad happened to the village. And then we visited Grandma because she knows the most fancy words. So your nickname, or, ehe¡± ¨Cshe laughs nervously¨C ¡±name would be¡­¡± She clears her throat, straightening up... though, coming from the voice of a little girl, it doesn¡¯t sound all that impressive. ¡°...Syuufarin.¡± I take it all in. Slowly, take in the words she said, and¡­ ¡®I didn¡¯t know¡­ that¡­ well, maybe I shouldn¡¯t call them snotty brats too much anymore.¡¯ I suppress a quiet sniffle. ¡°.........................It¡¯s¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..nice¡­¡± I revert back to my slow speech, words are hard don¡¯t judge me. ¡°*Tch* Can¡¯t argue with that¡­¡± For all that the rocky start the girl had, it was actually well thought out. ¡°Though, as her ward, I reckon that maybe you should go tell Samyra.¡± ¡®That¡¯s fair, I guess.¡¯ I don¡¯t protest much, doubting I could ever come up with anything myself¡­ but before that¡­ I turn around. ¡°.....two¡­¡­..please?¡± ¡°...¡± He takes a moment to stare at me incredulously ¡°HA!¡± He loudly barks, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. ¡°Here, take your damn drasils, now go! I¡¯m not made to deal with for all this sappiness.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 27-Interlude - Embracing Embers + Omakes
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª A ¡°recruitment¡± pitch ¡°You cannot run. You cannot hide, the light WILL find you. Time will bring our enemies to the ground. You will not escape the warm embrace of the almighty lord¡­ Salvation is coming.¡± *cough* ¡°¡ªWHAT is it?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ captain, sir if you could please sound less¡­ ominous?... This message is for the people, not whatever you kill in your job. We are trying to make good publicity for people interested in our institution, not the other way around.¡± ¡°...*sigh.* fine, I¡¯ll read the damn script.¡± ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
¡£¡£¡£ ¡°So.¡± Clauren approaches her. ¡°It has been some weeks since. What do you think of her?¡± Samyra takes a moment to look at the child in question, leaning over a balcony, they observe her being dragged through the grass by two kids. ¡°For one, she is a fast learner. Eager to know more and very curious¡­ But sometimes she knows a little too much about obscure topics. And is clueless all the same of the most simple and commonplace knowledge.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± He nods in agreement, watching as the kid in question starts rolling away on her side with surprising speed while the others chase after her. ¡±I¡¯ve come to test her regularly, under the guise of lighthearted playing and little innocuous questions. She feels¡­ sheltered, for lack of a better term, understands too much, knows too little.¡± Syuufarin¡­ that the girl confided herself to another friend closer to her ¨Cnot age¨C, maturity, before any of them. It left a mark against their egos. Whether they weren¡¯t doing enough, or that she didn¡¯t trust them. It surprised them when one day she came home with a new name for all to see and say. I was even more of a surprise that she didn¡¯t have one¡­ or so she claimed. Despite her shy and silent demeanor, if you know how to read her you¡¯d see that she can be quite emotional... And she¡¯s very bad at lying. She rarely smiles in front of others, avoids eye contact, isn¡¯t very expressive, doesn¡¯t talk much, and tends to hide a lot, so much so that people made a game out of it. ¡°Where is Syuu Hiding Today?¡± ¡°It is like she is just a little girl at times¡­ But with a knowledge that was shoved inside her head, along with the unnatural consequential maturity that came from it.¡± She sighs exasperatedly. ¡±She is¡­ precocious, and is burning herself trying to catch up with everyone else.¡± She all but requires help with common sense¡­ things that everyone uses in their everyday life intuitively, using appliances, taking baths, and even living in general. Like a little fawn that is taking its first steps. And yet¡­ aside from history, she excels at mathematics, alchemy, language, and the basics of science. With a nigh-perfect retention of what she studies for the first time, with varying degrees of comprehension. It is a disconcerting dichotomy. They can only imagine what would happen when she starts on magic. ¡°Gods know if she¡¯ll ever confide the secret that haunts her.¡± Clauren shakes his head in dismay ¡°If I know only one thing for real, and she hides it well, it is that she is mourning for someone or something.¡± ¡°...¡± Samyra takes a disheartened breath. ¡°Any idea what could that be?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± He shakes his head ¡°Not with all that witchcraft we had found ourselves in, and even then, she doesn¡¯t talk about herself¡­ Not to us, at least. We can only hope she becomes more comfortable here, and if not with us, with the village at least.¡± She sighs forlornly ¡°And here I thought we could finally have an opportunity to raise a kid of our own.¡± ¡°Come now, dear¡­ Don¡¯t be like that, you know that is too much to ask for.¡± ¡°I know, I know¡­ but we have been trying for so long and¡­¡± She leans onto him. ¡°...Is this what other parents feel when they have to let theirs¡¯ soar for the first time?¡± He chuckled. ¡°Maybe¡­ but she won¡¯t still be a teenager, much less independent for some time yet, so we can set those worries aside and do our best at making her feel at home for now. I know not what she has gone through, only that she needs respite.¡± ¡°Does it not worry you?¡± ¡°...perhaps. Gaviel said she was lost, afraid, and aimless when he found her. Clinging to him desperately and begging for the slightest signs of affection. She has secrets, yes, but I do not believe that they would bring misfortune to any of us.¡± He wraps his arm around her shoulders ¡°There¡¯s still some lingering suspicion because of that witch and her unknown origins, but if anything, she has proven herself to be a good soul during her short time here.¡± They watch as Syuufarin becomes entangled in a rolling competition. The children around her are racing to see who¡¯s faster on the ground without using their hands or feet. She looks¡­ resigned. To say the least. ¡°¡°...¡±¡± A peaceful moment passes between them. ¡°...She¡¯s also exceedingly harmless, despite what Gaviel said of her accounts.¡± Clauren noted. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - -This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡Ë¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡OMAKE¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Ë ????? About food¡­ I¡¯m poking a slice of something with a brownish-yellow color in the soup everyone¡¯s eating. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I ask. ¡°A peron.¡± Someone beside me answers. ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®peron¡¯?¡± ¡°...¡± He stops mid-bite. ¡°...¡± I keep poking around the food, trying to figure out its ingredients. ¡°You don¡¯t know what peron is?¡± ¡°No?... Am I supposed to?¡± Aside from the more direct counterparts I found, like the ????????????, and some of the most basic greens, the majority of foods they have here are practically alien to me. ¡°Uh¡­ yes?, no?, everyone knows what a peron is.¡± He says matter-of-factly. ¡°U-um, o-of course I do! It¡¯s just¡­ I forgot the name of it, I mean.¡± ¡°Ah! I see.¡± ¡®He bought that.¡¯ I sigh in relief. ¡°By the way, where does the um¡­¡± I don¡¯t think I know a proper word for ¡°livestock¡±. ¡°Meat? Come from?¡± I don¡¯t remember seeing anyone raising much of anything aside from some chickens, and I doubt just that would be able to feed the entire village. ¡°I mean, I only see farms around¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that? I guess you wouldn''t know much either, since you¡¯re new and all.¡± He scratches his chin contemplatively and does a little twisting motion with his fingers even though he doesn¡¯t have any beard to speak of and his chin is as smooth as stainless steel. ¡°Well, from here you can¡¯t see it, but there are some people that raise chickens and some other small animals, and the few that raise the bigger animals don¡¯t do it for the purpose of slaughter, that only happens when they get really old, otherwise they mostly raise them for milk and whatever else¡­¡± Huh, that answers where the cheese comes from at least, but that still doesn¡¯t really answer the question of where the surplus comes from. I wait for him to chew a mouthful of a particular piece of stubborn fibrous meat. ¡°...The rest comes from the hunter teams, or rangers, whichever you want to call them. They do some foraging now and then outside. And, every few springs or so, they go to one of those tall-men settlements to get stuff that doesn¡¯t come by easily or that we can¡¯t make here, mostly spices and the occasional exotic thing we never heard about.¡± I pause. ¡°When¡­ exactly was the last time they went to a¡­ tall-men settlement?¡± With how skewed their sense of time is¡­ ¡°When? Hmm¡­ Maybe, I think it was about twenty years ago? They got this nifty thing called ¡®paprika¡¯, tall-men, they never got around to finding out a recipe for it.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¨C ¡®T-twenty years?! A few??¡¯ ¨C ¡°I see, thank you.¡± I leave it at that. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ????? About sticks¡­ I¡¯m boredly swinging with my wooden stick around, tapping it idly on the side of the chair, it¡¯s just the right height for me to prop it on the ground and rest my chin on the other end. ¡°Hmm¡­ Can I take a look at that?¡± Clauren asks. ¡°Mn, This? Sure.¡± He turns the thing around in his hands, giving it a few light knocks, trying to bend it and failing. Then he takes it closer to his eyes to inspect it and¨C *lick* ¡®What the fu¡ª¡¯ ¡°Did you know this branch used to belong to a treant?¡± He interrupts my thoughts. Successfully distracting me from his eccentricity ¡°A what?¡± ¡°A treant. They are big, walking trees with a penchant to eating dirt with the occasional critter.¡± He explains. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Is that a bad thing?¡± I ask trepidatiously. ¡°No, well, not usually.¡± He turns the stick around, placing it on the table. ¡°Leave one of these planted on the ground, and after some years they can grow into another treant¡­ If the branch isn¡¯t too dry and dead, that is.¡± My stomach drops. ¡®I had been carrying what around?!¡¯ The popular images of the dangerous tree monsters swimming in my head. ¡°And this piece, in particular, tastes like a red treant.¡± ¨C ¡®WHY does he know how a treant tastes like??¡¯ ¨C ¡°Or, blood treant, depending on who you ask, they like meat, blood in particular, very much, have a harder wood and greater strength than their counterparts, and their roots make for an excellent anti-coagulant. They appear very rarely though.¡± ¡°...Should I worry?¡± ¡°About those vicious monsters that hunt for the sole purpose of drinking blood? That could possibly appear inside the safe confines of our village because you brought this inside?...¡± He took a moment to stare into my eyes. ¡°*gulp*¡± ¡°...Nah.¡± He says nonchalantly ¡°You¡¯re fine. Despite this thing still being able to absorb blood, it¡¯s as inert as it can be, see how the core is all cracked and dry?.¡± I sigh in relief. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ????? About skulls¡­ Curious, I asked Samyra what¡¯s up with that old lady¡¯s definitely cursed staff that showed up the last and only time I¡¯ve seen her. ¡°...You don¡¯t wanna know.¡± ¡°But!¡ª¡± I have tried asking Clauren before, because he was present at the time, but he refused to answer. ¡°Look, you¡¯ve asked Clau, He asked Grandma, He told me, And now I¡¯m telling you. You don¡¯t wanna know.¡± She said in a tone of finality. ¡°B-but!... Argh, Ok¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ????? About time¡­ ¡°Say¡­¡± I pause, thinking over what I¡¯m going to say to try and not sound too weird, and for him to not become suspicious of me. ¡°Everyone else keeps track of time by using the sun as a reference, and refers to years as ¡®winters¡¯ or ¡®springs¡¯, but you are the only person that has a clock in their house and keeps track of time by hours and minutes instead of simply using morning, noon, afternoon, evening, and night.¡± There¡¯s Samyra too. Since she lives with him. ¡°Why is that?¡± I ask. ¡°...Quite the observant little one aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hgh¨C don¡¯t call me little!¡± ¡°But you are little!~¡­¡± I kick him in the shin, he ignores it. ¡°...anyway, it¡¯s because I need to properly and accurately measure time because of my research and all these medicines that need supervision. Exact times and dates need to be recorded for data and expiration dates.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I nod. ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re the only one that uses a clock? Why doesn¡¯t anyone else use it? I mean, keeping track of time is a good thing right?¡± ¡°You would think so¡­¡± He sighs. ¡°...But no, that is not the case, the most people worry about time here are when it¡¯s time to harvest something or when to get something out of the oven, and they can safely eyeball these things intuitively without needing to rely on too much precision. And the rest aren¡¯t like they have a schedule to adhere to, flexible routines at best¡­¡± He finishes placing a label on a jar, detailing its contents, fabrication and expiration dates, and a few instructions on what it is and how to use it. ¡°...Time is just not a thing most Elves worry about.¡± ¡°Where did you even get a clock anyways?¡± He tilts his head ¡°I don¡¯t have a clock, what do you mean?¡± ¡°W-what? But it¡¯s right there!¡± I point to the grandfather-style clock sitting at the back of the room. ¡°That¡¯s not a clock.¡± He affirms. ¡°Then what is it?¡± I question, skeptical. ¡°A cabinet.¡± He goes over to it, and the front part opens sideways, the face of the ¡°clock¡± included. Revealing dozens of different-sized hourglasses. ¡°This here is just painted on to look fancy.¡± He points to the clock face. ¡°...why??¡± He disregards the dumbfounded look I give him ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know what a clock is, normally only those weird rich nobles from the human cities have them.¡± He looks at me inquisitively. ¡°U-um¡­ tehehe~¡± I¡¯m caught like a deer in headlights. ¡°...Samyra told me?¡± ¡°...¡± He doesn¡¯t buy it. I shift nervously ¡°...¡± ¡°Riiiight¡­ Keep your secrets.¡± He picks up a long metal file. ¡°Since you¡¯re here why don¡¯t yo¡ª¡± By the time he turned to look at me, I was already out the door. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 28-Magical Maladies ¡®It¡¯s raining today¡­ ¡­I don¡¯t know how water even gets inside with that whole barrier thing they have around the whole village, but sunlight, water, and wind can enter with no problems even with the outside looking like a foggy dark place¡­¡¯ I chalked it up to magic shenanigans. Though, I¡¯m still curious about how it works. Twirling a fountain pen in my hands, ¨C¡¯with all the free time I have I¡¯ve gotten pretty good at it¡¯¨C I reminisce about the past few months beside my desk. ¡®It took a while to get used to¡­ everything. The people, their culture¡­¡¯ While I¡¯m more familiar with the more secluded units of households, here, they are much more carefree. There are still couples and some others that prefer to raise their own kids. But in all, the village functions as one giant community, or family, instead of separate groups with a governing entity, one of the reasons there are so many children running around unsupervised, it¡¯s because everyone, regardless if they are parents or not, keeps an eye out for them. ¡®¡­Though, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll ever manage to fit in, not entirely. This place is safe, yes, but¡­¡¯ There are still times when I wake up in the middle of the night unprompted, jump at the slightest sound when I¡¯m not paying attention to my surroundings, which is even worse than what someone would normally expect because of my enhanced hearing. I had gotten used to staying at high attention, never truly falling into deep sleep, every night I couldn¡¯t sleep properly, with nothing else to do I had started to go for walks in the middle of the night to take my mind off things, which left me sleepy and lethargic for the rest of day. But with time, maybe, I¡¯ll get better. ¡®A part of me still reels back in obstinate confusion with this sensation of safety, a churning sensation in my gut that makes me want to scream and hide¡­ But it¡¯s not like I have anywhere else to go to.¡¯ Though, despite it all. ¡®This peace¡­ It¡¯s nice.¡¯ I doodle in the corners of my notebook. It¡¯s chock-full of scribbles and annotations from top to bottom. While I have a decent grasp at speaking now, I''m not that proficient in reading their language yet¡­ So I¡¯ve been given this book that I¡¯m using to study. It¡¯s a children¡¯s book about a story of little kids getting kidnapped by six-fingered monsters in the forest. ¡®Not¡­ quite what I¡¯d call something suitable for children of all things. The story is foreboding, gory at times, and overall something that should belong in the horror section of a library¡­ But who am I to question them?¡¯ I¡¯m translating it word for word, transcribing each line of the book to mine with the corresponding translations in my own language. Plus many side-notes of questions about words I¡¯m not quite sure about. It felt weird, suddenly changing to that worn wax-slate to this. Curiously, I asked them what was up with that, and it looks like paper here isn¡¯t all that expensive to make, they have an abundance of trees and a good technique to produce them with high quality, however, they aren¡¯t on the level of mass-production that industries have, and someone still has to go through all the back-breaking work to make all of them. So¡­ while they aren¡¯t that rare, they aren¡¯t common either, it¡¯s treated as a somewhat expensive item that requires delicate handling so it doesn¡¯t go to waste. After getting a good enough grasp of the language, and more importantly, writing. Samyra, who apparently is an archivist of sorts with a side job as a teacher, gave me the ¡°next grade¡± of writing utensils, so now I have a book, or rather, a tome, given its size and girth, to practice in and take notes of the things she is teaching me. ¡®...Given my size, this thing is so big it looks like a book-shaped shield when I''m holding it. My sense of scale of how big or small things are is skewed sideways and to high heaven, given how enormous the forest is and how tall these people are.¡¯ Aside from the more mundane topics, math, chemistry and science, which is called ¡°alchemy¡± here. The things she is teaching me are very exciting to learn, especially geography and history which are kind of fused inside the same discipline¡­ Though, history is outdated by centuries at minimum, since apparently the last time someone bothered to go outside and actually bring back anything about what¡¯s happening outside is god knows when. Even the most recent archives are at most decades old and only from around the nearby area. As for geography, unfortunately they don¡¯t have a world map, and apparently, even though the village is a couple of generations old ¨Chuman generations¨C, it is considered a rather ¡°new¡± settlement, and the information they have stored, although vast and full of relevant things for the functioning of the village, isn¡¯t very deep. They have surprisingly advanced knowledge for their apparent technology level, though not anything like what I know about the things humanity achieved back on Earth. For example, they know gravity is a thing that exists, but there isn¡¯t any research on why or how it happens nor the more in-depth details of its inner workings regarding physics. Same thing for thermodynamics ¨Cnot that they call it that, I don¡¯t think they even have a word or studies for it.¨C I pause upon the doodle of a particular toothy animal, simplified in a chibi appearance so it looks less scary. Absent-mindedly I run fingers across my chest at the phantom ache from the memories of getting mauled by it. ¡®...I wonder where Gaviel went, I¡¯ve heard people mentioning him one or two times but¡­¡¯ After he dropped me off, I have never seen him around, not even once. ¡®It''s not like I miss him or anything, but at least¡­ I wanted to properly thank him for everything.¡¯ ¡®At first I literally couldn¡¯t ask, because I didn¡¯t know how to talk to them. Then, after finally learning how to speak their language¡­¡¯ I cringe, hitting my knuckles against my forehead. ¡®I got too absorbed into learning it to remember to ask, and even then I was¡­ apprehensive.¡¯ I didn¡¯t quite know why I felt this way¡­ I should be grateful, happy that he¡¯d saved me. But for some reason¡­ All that comes to my heart is guilt. *knock knock* My musings are interrupted by someone knocking on the door of my little house. Startled, I take a moment to gather my bearings, and translate in my head what word to say. ¡°....Wait!¡± I rush to put some pants on. Discarding my train of thoughts. ¡®Why would someone come here in the middle of this rain? I mean, it¡¯s not storming outside or anything, but very few people have a reason to visit, and even fewer would have in this weather.¡¯ My house ¨C¡¯It¡¯s really just a shack with a single room though¡¯¨C got the addition of a few more pieces of furniture, it wasn¡¯t really made for someone to live in, but with time and the contribution of people around town that didn¡¯t have anything better to do it has gotten some expansions and filled in with more things than just a lonely bed and a desk. And, through some strange looks on their part, I¡¯ve acquired pants ¨C¡¯YES, pants!¡¯¨C for me to use. I¡­ still have to wear their dresses and skirts and whatnot, because aside from one set of pajamas, I don¡¯t have any shirts, and they are the only thing I have in my wardrobe to cover my upper body, but I insisted on having at least something to cover my legs. The legacy of my manhood and shredded sense of shame still demands me to at least wear some modicum of clothing¡­ ¡­Though, because of a certain appendage I¡¯ll never be able to have regular clothing again, not to mention getting around women¡¯s underwear, plus the adjustments that need to be made just so they fit properly to not fall down. I swiftly put on a simple light beige dress and a short, buttoning a strap around the upper part of my butt behind me that keeps the shorts from falling off because of the adapted hole made into it to accommodate for my tail. Put on my sandals and walked to the entrance. Opening the door as I combed my hair out of my eyes, loose locks were getting tangled on my horns and being in the way of my vision, Standing there in the light rainfall, is Clauren, in his usual clothes holding an umbrella. With a sidelong glance, I notice that the usual rainbow of stains is faintly washed out, and that thick, plastic-looking stiffness that his clothes have is gone. ¡®Did he finally wash his clothes? Wait¡ª actually, have I ever even seen him with clean clothes before??¡¯ I stare at him in askance. ¡°Good morning Syuu!¡± He says with a grin that is a tad too wide and a silly salute that sends droplets of water into my face. I just look at him unblinkingly, and step back in a motion inviting him in, to shelter from the rain. ¡­He doesn¡¯t come inside. *cough* He makes a disgruntled sound. ¡°In this magnificent weather, today¡¯s a great day to laze about, aside from those muscle-for-brains rangers. So I thought that we could~...¡± He starts. He doesn¡¯t finish. I stare, waiting for him to finish that phrase. *¤¸¡ª¡ª¡ª¤Ã* A minute passes. Some rain gets inside through the open door. His smile falters a bit, and I see his eye twitch, but he patiently stays still waiting for¡­ something?. ¡°..........So?¡­¡± I finally say, indulging him. ¡°...so much for that joke¡± He mutters. *cough* He clears his throat, fixing his composure. ¡°So we have decided that, in order to not waste such a good opportunity, we could begin to initialize you in your first introductions to applied conjuration!¡± He ends with a flourish¡­ that ends up splashing more water on me as he twirls his umbrella. ¡°...¡± I pause. Blinkingly staring at him as the words settle in. ¡°...?¡± I haven¡¯t heard that word before, I wrack my brain for any information about it. ¡°I mean magic¨C¡± ¡°MAGIC?!¡± I jump, excited and positively vibrating in place, completely ignoring the soaked floorboards and the water in my face. Thoughts racing in wonder at the limitless possibilities of it. ¡°Y-yes!¡± He gets startled by my sudden enthusiasm. ¡°Magic! We¡¯ll be learning how to do all sorts of stuff! Casting! Enchanting! Explosions! exciting, yes? Yes.¡± ¨CI stop. His tone is¡­ a bit off. But I can¡¯t put my finger on it. ¡°¡­...What is wrong?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± He paused, weighing his options. ¡°Well, er, just me, actually, I¡¯m¨C hahah¡­¡± He rubs the back of his head sheepishly. ¡°...I¡¯m bored. Samyra would like to get all your bases in covered in everything else before doing anything, but that would take soo~ long...¡± He whined. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ So all of this is another one of his weird whims. ¡®There goes my hopes and expectations.¡¯ I give him the flattest look I can muster. ¡°...But I know you can talk with anyone already with little difficulty, if a little slow, and you don¡¯t need to get into all that fancy and formal way of speaking that she plans to teach you to be able to learn¡­¡± He confessed. I furrowed my eyebrows. This is starting to look more and more not worth-while at all, as much as I want to learn how to throw lighting around¡­ Samyra¡¯s wrath is not something to be trifled with. ¡°...please? don¡¯t tell her.¡± He bowed shallowly with clasped hands in pleading. Though, he was not looking apologetic for his actions at all. ¡°So?... Magic?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I swayed my head side to side, considering. ¡®On one hand, it¡¯s raining; Samyra will undoubtedly find out. It''s a perfect day to stay inside; And I wanted to finish practicing handwriting because their written form is ridiculously obnoxious and I want to be done with that book.¡¯ I closed the door behind me. Silently shoving myself under his umbrella in quiet confirmation. ¡®On the other hand¡ª Who am I kidding? It is magic!!! How could I NOT?!¡¯ I showed a rare smile. And that seemed enough of an answer to him. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡£¡£¡£ *THUMP* He plopped a thick tome down. I half-expected to see a cloud of dust fly as he did that but the book is in pristine condition, I guess that Samyra being the bookkeeper that she is also does cleaning and maintenance of them. ¡°Magic!¡± He exclaimed with glee. ¡°The mysterious yet not-so-mysterious mystical essence that everyone knows about¡­¡± He opens it and begins to flip across the pages. ¡­And flip across the pages. And flips some more¡­ He starts muttering to himself trying to find the right one where whatever he is looking for is. I sweatdrop. ¡®I¡¯ll be here for a long time aren¡¯t I¡­¡¯ We are inside another part of his house that is attached to the pharmacy. ¨CTheir house is deceptively big.¨C That houses, what I assume to be, their personal library and study room. I¡¯d asked why we didn¡¯t use this place for my lessons before, and apparently, Samyra prefers to do those sorts of teaching lessons outside rather than inside. For all that she is a librarian and scribe, she is rather fond of outdoor activities and doesn¡¯t like ¡°being stuffed inside¡±. My eyes drift to the stacked bookshelves behind him, there are many books of different shapes, sizes, and colors. Most of them don¡¯t have any titles on their spines, and the few that do¡­ aren¡¯t written in elvish. They look like some sort of alternative germanic font that isn¡¯t quite the latin alphabet. One of them is made entirely out of concentric circles and branching semi-circles that leaves me wondering what sort of place came up with that. ¡®I guess it¡¯s good to confirm that elven isn¡¯t the only language in the world¡­ Though if I ever wish to explore the world I¡¯ll probably have to learn those too¡­¡¯ The prospect of having to cram another language into my head isn¡¯t very thrilling. ¡°Aha!¡± It looks like he finally found it. ¡°...Ahem, as I was saying, magic, sorcery, witchery, mystical powers beyond our comprehension, etcetera, so on and so forth. Firstly¡­ Tell me, what do you know of it?¡± ¡®What do I know about it?... Um¡­¡¯ I tilt my head in thought as he waits for my answer. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡®Well¡­ I have absolutely no clue about it, or rather, I kind of do. Because of the dozens upon dozens of similar ¡°magic systems¡± from Earth and their arbitrary counterparts and inspired power frameworks, I understand the various possible concepts behind it. But it¡¯s precisely because I know of so many variations of this arbitrary power system that I can¡¯t really do any precise guesswork about it.¡¯ ¡°Sparkly?¡­ um¡­ buzzing¡­ shiny¡­ explosions? No¨C Life-blood? Not-normal lights?¡± I take a long pause, there are only so many words I can use to describe my perception, and they aren¡¯t enough. ¡°Like sun and wind¡­ it touches the¡­¡­sky and the deep¡­..earth?, living¡­..but not living, it is¡­¡­..friends? with the will of men¡­..kind?¡± I end up spouting some sort of strange and convoluted metaphor that starts making less and less sense as I talk before I think about what comes out of my mouth.. ¡®¡­I tried my best.¡¯ I wring my hands in frustration and sulk. ¡®I could do better if I knew more of the fancy words!¡¯ ¡°...¡± He certainly wasn¡¯t expecting much of a response like that. Judging from the pointed look he is giving me. ¡°*cough* You are¡­¡± I think I can hear his head trying to wrap around what I said. ¡°...not completely wrong?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± I cringe and place my forehead down at the table, though my horns make contact instead of my head. ¡°A-ah, we¡¯ll get to that in a bit.¡± He amends himself ¡°You are certainly at least a step above what people normally know when beginning this path¡­¡± If Clauren ever expected anything from the little prodigious student, it certainly wasn¡¯t this. He knows she carries herself with an air of experience unbefitting for someone of her apparent age, but he didn¡¯t expect this sort of somewhat in-depth perspective¡­ from what he understood of what she said at least. ¡°...Right¡± She is still getting there in the talking aspect, but from the looks of it she can listen and understand as well as anyone else, bar her little growing vocabulary. He can work with this. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s start with the textbook answer¡­. Magic! and its other counterparts, are types of essences and laws that permeate everything, can infect, imbue, alter, and interfere with many things in both the literal and metaphysical sense¡­¡± To demonstrate, he mutters something under his breath and snaps his fingers. My eyes focus on him in wonder as a tiny flame appears above his hand. It¡¯s similar to a lit candle, but the flames flicker and burst erratically and trail higher than a normal flame, there¡¯s also no smoke, but a very faint smell of ozone. ¡°To the majority of people¡ª mostly humans, because we make damn sure everyone here in this village is well educated about it¡ª magic is something that they know only of the barest surface of its incredible potential¡­ Those that choose to stay ignorant, anything that happens that is unexplainable to their shallow understanding, they often end up misinterpreting and connecting the phenomenon in question to either magic, spiritualism, or an act of a god or a demon¡­ There was a time where mages and sorcerers were enslaved, persecuted or killed for their ¡°heretical¡± existance or put on a pedestal for their ¡°miraculous¡± abilities.¡± He sighs, a deep sound and sloughing of his shoulders like he has had personal experience with the latter. ¡°...Which, very, very unfortunately, can be true. Since gods, demons, spirits and whatever do exist. And each of them has their own tree of academics and history.¡± ¡®Oh¡­¡¯ The revelation comes to me like a shock. ¡®That is¡­ certainly¡­ staggering information to which I do know what to do or how to deal with¡­ and a question that I¡¯ll shelve for another time.¡¯ It¡¯s one thing to know magic exists. But for my essentially agnostic beliefs that I had been living my whole life to get confirmation from someone that a hundred percent knows much more about this world than I do¡­ ¡®I¡¯ve never been a religious type before¡­ but maybe I should start praying just in case.¡¯ After noting my expression, he continues. ¡°...Fortunately, to those that are even half as wise as I am, such unexplainable occurrences can be succinctly and precisely explained by either science or the various areas of knowledge related to magic. And thankfully, the actual cases in which paracausal beings such as angels and ghosts are involved are very rare. Last I heard, the world at large stopped being so ignorant to the inner-workings of magic so the witch-hunts are a thing of the past¡­¡± He pauses ¡°...hopefully.¡± looking down at the heavy tome under him. ¡°But that is a topic for another time, today, we are here to learn how to cast magic!¡± I stand straighter and my eyes sparkle at the prospect of lobbing fireballs and lightning. Unseen to me, my tail swishes side to side in curiosity¡­ He stops for a moment, dispelling the fire that he had summoned. ¡°...That is, if we get past the theory first. Which in of itself will take quite some time and I doubt we will finish everything today.¡± ¡­And my excitement is promptly squashed, I slump down my shoulders. He chuckles, ¡°I know that this is terribly exciting. But if anyone, and especially Samyra, catches you practicing spells, especially the more dangerous ones, without supervision it¡¯ll be my skin and yours that will be at stake. If not done right, and without fail-safes and proper precautions, this can be a very dangerous, and potentially lethal, thing to teach you. It is a discipline that requires exceptional dedication and comprehension to safely handle, and it can become a tool both as deadly and miraculous as it sounds.¡± He explains. ¡°We don¡¯t have much of the history of magic since who did what and discovered this and that has been long since lost throughout the ages. What I can do, however, is tell you about the things that someone proficient in certain schools of magic can do, and show you what you absolutely should not do with examples of people that met bitter ends with the mishandling of their powers¡­¡± He flips forth and back the pages of the book. I notice, written in big letters ¡°Fundamentals of chant-assisted formulaic mana-casting and control for dummies part 1¡± in what looks suspiciously like his own handwriting. ¡°...So, to start with, let us discuss the nature of ¡®magic¡¯ and its different attunements. There¡¯s mana, prana, anima, ord, vita, eitr, aether, ether, arts, magicules, flux, light, darkness, focus¡­ Just to name a few, all of them are either variations of the same energy or different theories about the same mystical essence that affects everything. We¡¯ll go from the newest to the older definitions and explain why the people of the past called them so and such. Firstly, the most commonly adopted identifier and the one we¡¯ll use for the foreseeable future, ¡°mana¡±, describes the intraphysical energy that has the potential of affecting the surroundings through either applied willpower or pre-structured willpower¡­¡± The day was long with lectures and education. I was enraptured with wonder by the novel experience that would¡¯ve belonged in the wiki of a fantasy story, but instead, it is very much real here. And the potential things I could imagine doing left me itching for more and more as I learned¡­ *click* ¡°Heey! Clau? Are you here? I have been searching everywhere for you and¡ª WHY IS THERE A GODS FORSAKEN FIREBALL INSIDE THE LIBRARY?! YOU DAFT PIECE OF ROTTEN #$///¡ª¡± ¡­That is, until Samyra came through the door and the metaphorical ceiling came down on both of us. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡£¡£¡£ I asked Clauren why we haven¡¯t done this now instead of before starting the lessons. Thankfully, for me, I was left relatively unscathed by the verbal lashing we received. The blame had fallen mostly on Clauren¡¯s shoulders since he¡¯s the ¡®adult¡¯ tempting the poor ¡®child¡¯ here. Though, regardless, I still got some backlash from it. Samyra didn¡¯t want me going into these sorts of things until I was either ¡°older¡± or ¡°ready¡±... ¡­The thing is, she didn¡¯t know when to ever decide when those were. She was stalling. She was running out of things to teach me that weren¡¯t super advanced or highly specialized fields I¡¯d probably never use if not going into a specific career path. And she really didn¡¯t have any good reason to teach lost runes, theoretical textiles, or architecture to a little kid. And even if she did, they actually don¡¯t have much of anything about them. Only mentions of them in other books. Unfortunately for her, however, I was very interested in the arcane. ¡®And Clauren was there. I mean, he offered. And It¡¯d be dumb not to accept. And he¡¯s going to teach me magic!¡¯ I bounce my footsteps as I follow them. So there wasn¡¯t any good reason for her to keep me from going with Clauren anymore. In the end, she relented¡­ But only with the condition that she would be there to supervise us.¡¯ ¡®...They¡¯re a couple¡­ but she really doesn¡¯t have any trust in Clauren being a responsible person huh?... Though I don¡¯t blame her since he isn¡¯t anything of a model example.¡¯ ¡°Perhaps we could have done this first¡­¡± He answered me. ¡°...But I believe that being well informed about it would be better than jumping straight into it. Regardless of your talents, it is good to know about how a mage accomplishes their job...¡± And also knowing your enemies, in case I ever need to fight a mage, but that was left unsaid. ¡°...And it was raining. I didn¡¯t want to have to walk all the way out here in the rain.¡± ¡®Ah¡­ well, fair enough I guess.¡¯ He explained to me that right now we are going to do a test of aptitude, to measure the saturation of my mana, the ¡°attunement¡± or affinity of my mana, and get an imprint of its footprint or ¡°frequency¡±. This is all to see if I can be eligible to dive into the art of spell casting in the first place. Everything has some trace of essence inside it, but there are people with minuscule capacities of mana that can faint after casting even the simplest of spells. And also to see if I have an innate talent with an element that would qualify me to do sorcery instead. There are many other things aside from ¡°wizard¡± and ¡°mage¡±, the whole range of talents or specializations that work with mysticism range from purely scientific and artisanal professions to obscure and occult practitioners. And I say ¡°affinity¡± and ¡°frequency¡±, but mana is a sort of paracausal energy that can¡¯t be easily defined by these words, you could say ¡°taste¡± and ¡°color¡± and it would very well mean the same thing, mana is as measurable as we can perceive it, and as such things are, everyone can perceive and interpret differently, and because of its abstract and metaphysical properties, you can¡¯t let yourself be constrained by the words you use to define it, because there¡¯s always more behind what you actively use to frame your definition of mana. ¡®I learned all of this yesterday! Hm-hmph!¡¯ I mentally push my chest out in pride. ¡°*Sigh*¡± Samyra sighs, crossing her arms and resting her head sideways on her hand. ¡°They grow up so fast¡­¡± she says dejectedly. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you are so against her learning.¡± Clauren interjects ¡°I understand that I¡¯ve called her precocious before¡­ But isn¡¯t that a good thing? People who haven¡¯t lived or were raised with elves take a lot of time learning to even begin speaking fluently¡­¡± He roughly ruffles my head all of a sudden. Before I could bat him off he¡¯d already taken his hands off. ¡°...She¡¯s already plenty good at talking for the little time she has spent learning, and she¡¯s even already able to read and write! All of this in only a few months!¡± ¡°For you? Maybe¡­ But children ought to spend their time enjoying childhood.¡± She argued. ¡°It went by so fast¡­ I wanted to have had more time to spend with her and now you are going to hog her out all to yourself. Hmph.¡± She pouts. I decidedly hold back a shudder at the mention of childhood as I clench my hands and take a deep breath. The disparity of perspective and body coming to the forefront of my mind along with the maelstrom of mixed emotions. ¡°Aw¡­ Now you¡¯re just being jealous.¡± ¡°Says who?¡± She jabbed. ¡°I know you have been waiting all this time for this. Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t noticed you setting up all those training targets in the backyard.¡± He missed a step. ¡°Er, W-well¡­ prudence is a virtue.¡± ¡®...?¡¯ The meaning goes over my head, I don¡¯t recall ever hearing it before. ''...I¡¯ll make a note to ask what that word means later.¡¯ I still have a lot to learn. Despite the plethora of scientific and medical jargon my vocabulary has because of Clauren, my range of words is skewed between kiddy informal talk and academic jargon because of these two people¡­ Because of that many of the more complex words they use go over my head. We are making our way to unearth the tools needed to do the testing we are going to do. ¡°The last time someone needed to do an aptitude test was what¡­ 4? 8? Years ago.¡± Clauren explained. ¡°20. Actually.¡± Samyra said. I blanch from their collective broken sense of time. ¡°Regardless.¡± He continued. ¡°Since nobody was going to use all of those things anytime soon, they had everything stored away. It¡¯s been a long time since anyone ever touched those things, so we¡¯ll have to set it all up and calibrate it to use it. Hopefully we won¡¯t need to do any maintenance.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the measuring tool just a shiny ball though? How¡¯d maintenance even work on that thing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ very complex ¡®shiny ball¡¯.¡± He pinches the bridge of his nose. ¡°While the main component, the crystal, is very robust and just a focus, the peripheral components that make reading the results possible are fragile.¡± ¡°Ah, I remember now, that clunky, unwieldy thing¡­ I wondered what that was for.¡± She paused, furrowing her brow. ¡°Wait¡­ wasn¡¯t that ball being used as a paperweight by Dahlia?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Clauren didn¡¯t sound very assured. ¡°...Maybe¡± He rectified himself. ¡°I do not know, I am fairly certain that¡¯s an entirely different orb.¡± Arriving at our destination, a warehouse that is overgrown with vines and weeds located behind the giant pavilion where that meeting with the elders happened. You can see that this is the corner of the village where people dump stuff to never see the light of day again because there¡¯s other two warehouses besides the first one that are in similar states of disrepair. Though even with the creeping vegetation claiming the walls of the buildings, underneath it all I can see that they are made out of solid pieces of stone instead of wood, so maybe they disregarded cleaning up this place because there wasn¡¯t any need to. Claurne goes to grab the set of comically oversized handles embedded into the gate that leads inside and¡ª *clack* *shwiiish* He opens them in one smooth motion as if they weigh nothing at all. ¡°¡ªEh?¡± I was expecting to hear the sound of old unoiled hinges groaning heavily against the sheer weight of the gates but¡­ It¡¯s a sliding door. ¡°Guh¡­¡± He grumbles. ¡°We will have to sift through all of these piles of rubbish just to find one little thing¡­ Could they not at least leave the place organized when they use it? Who even is responsible for taking care of here?¡± I take a sidelong glance at the gates as we enter. There are lots of little cylindrical bearings under the rivet they rest on top of, and thick, robust locking mechanisms¡­ on the inside? ¡®Why would these latches and drawbars be on this side¡­ to keep something outside from getting in?¡¯ ¡°I do not think there even is anybody assigned to do that¡­¡± Samyra says offhandedly. ¡°And it¡¯s plenty organized, it is just you that has a problem with your perfectionism and your obsessive need to label everything you touch.¡± ¡°Said ¡®perfectionism¡¯ is what keeps my experiments and medicines safe for when someone¡± He makes a jab at her with his elbow. ¡°switches them out of place when I¡¯m not looking¡­¡± ¡®¡­And they start bickering. Again.¡¯ Sometimes I honestly can¡¯t tell if they are serious during these fights or if they do it lightheartedly and I just can¡¯t tell the difference. Looking inside I see a sprawling maze of objects and¡­ things that I can¡¯t identify, intermittently separated by shelves, balconies, racks, drawers or just laying on the floor for the bigger and heavier items. There isn¡¯t any obvious sign that identifies what is what. Aside from the loose grouping that they are organized in, there¡¯s a corner entirely made out of chairs, an enormous pile of various different sorts of knives and sharp things, 5 shelves just filled with unidentified bottles and drawers, and¡­ ¡®Is that a trebuchet in the back??¡¯ I keep my hands to myself and avoid messing with whatever I encounter. For the most part, I think I¡¯m just here so they don¡¯t have to leave me alone, so I silently accompany them from behind. Eventually, after they fell out of the jabbing match against each other into a comfortable silence, they walked and searched across rows of different shelves and piles of items, and finally found what they were looking for. It was under what I can only call the ¡°thing-a-majig¡± section of the warehouse, it was a large circular balcony full of knick-knacks, trinkets, and items with indiscernible shapes and unknown purposes. And the actual thing¡­ that has a long name I didn¡¯t bother to remember, looks like the love-child between an altar, a globe compass, a gyroscope, and a spirograph. There is a socket for what I believe to be the orb they were talking about later, and around it are so many moving parts and contraptions sticking out of it that make me dizzy. There¡¯s even a thing that looks like an upside down bird feeder made out of what looks like marble and amethyst attached to the base of it. ¡°Finally! This fuc¡ª¡± Samyra suddenly has a vice grip on Clauren¡¯s shoulder as she sends a thinly veiled glare at him. ¡°...I-I mean. *cough* This, um, fun, piece of masterful display of enchanted engineering is what we will need¡­ Though the focus crystal is missing.¡° ¡°I told you that I saw that ball somewhere else!¡± ¡°Oh quit it!¡± He throws his arms upwards. ¡°How could I possibly believe that the Chief is using that damned thing for such menial things in the first place?! Why, of all things, would she use it as a paperweight?¡± ¡°Point is, I was right!¡± She puffs her chest out while crossing her arms under her bosom. ¡°You!¡ª Gah! Let us just get this over with.¡± He grumbles all the way as he comes back with a wheelbarrow. ¡°Sometimes I question why I love you¡± He mutters under his breath. I just watch the two of them go at it again. ¡®Sometimes I wonder how you both even got together to begin with.¡¯ I¡¯d say that I wanted to help too, but I can¡¯t find the voice to interrupt them. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°¡ªNothing.¡± He closes his mouth. ¡°Oh my magnanimous spouse, would you kindly assist me with getting this unwieldy mana altar on this detestable thing?...¡± He dryly says. ¡°And what¡¯s the magic word?¡± She says with a taunting smile. He sighed. ¡°...Please?¡± ¡°Only because you asked nicely.¡± She pats me in the head as she goes to help him heft the altar into the wheelbarrow and mutters besides me. ¡°Please don¡¯t turn out to be like him.¡± I¡¯m took by surprise. ¡°Huh? Wha¡ª¡± ¡°What was that?¡± Clauren gruffly asks. ¡°¡ªNothing.¡± But the smile on her face tells him otherwise. ¡°If so, then¡ª¡± His grip almost slips.¡°¡ªGah! Help me then!¡± I end up helping alongside Samyra. We go back and forth for a while trying to put the altar on the wheelbarrow, it isn¡¯t particularly too heavy, at least for me, but the size and the non-euclidean weirdness make it a tough thing to hold properly, and because of it¡¯s limp mechanisms that spin and sway back and forth the center of mass keeps being offset, making us constantly need to adjust and hold it over the wheelbarrow. After saving the pedestal from falling 3 times, and having Clauren almost trip on my tail, Samyra left us to hold everything in place while she went to find a rope to tie it down. Then it was smooth sailing from there. Thankfully, the pathways of the village are smooth and bereft of any bumps that could shake the wheelbarrow too much, though we still had to hold the sides of it so it didn¡¯t tip over. ¡®Speaking of it, and now that I am not as illiterate as I was before¡­¡¯ We still had quite some distance to cover to their house, so I asked them about the roads. ¡°...Um.......¡± ¡®What was the word for ¡°road¡± again? I don¡¯t think there is one for infrastructure¡­¡¯ Correction: I tried to ask them about the roads. I got it, eventually, to send my inquiry across¡­ Though not with a plethora of corrections and anecdotes from Samyra as I fumbled my words. ¡°Ah! I see what you have meant now.¡± Clauren chose to answer. ¡°Unlike the rest of the village, the pathways that run across it are certainly unique compared to the more traditional construction used on the rest.¡± Samyra continues for him. ¡°The eldest elder, when he wasn¡¯t the oldest still, was beginning to suffer from the affects of old age, a natural malady that, well, not many of us can relate to. Since there aren¡¯t many elves that old in the village¡­¡± ¡®Huh¡­ Now that she mentioned, only some of the elders, and 2 more people that I personally met actually look old, like 70 plus human years old. Everyone else¡­ looks young, the only other person I have met that actually looks like an adult is Gaviel, but maybe that¡¯s because he has such an square face.¡¯¡¯ ¡°...He mostly complained about his knees and back¡ª¡± Claren interrupts her. ¡°¡ªHe complained a lot, too much, to everyone and every day.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± She concedes. ¡°He did. As I was saying, he complained a lot, so one day he woke up and decided that he would completely demolish and destroy all the village¡¯s pathways, stairs, and anywhere where there was a floor that people often walked on top of. And rebuilt his own ideal roads to be easy on his knees.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why there are ramps everywhere.¡± Clauren comments. ¡°....Waaaa?.........Everything? Did that not¡­¡± Words. are. hard. ¡±¡­...a lot-lot of work?¡± ¡°¡°If anything, He had a lot of time on his hands.¡±¡± They both say. In a way that sounds like they had this exact same conversation before with someone else. ¡°He used to be a carpenter before that debacle, but turned towards masonry afterwards, with how much experience he got doing his mad project. Nowadays you can always find him sitting somewhere carving something out of rocks.¡± Samyra says. By the time they told me most of an abridged version of the life story of one of the elders, we had reached our destination. And waiting there at the doorstep¡­ was Gaviel. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 29-Conditional ? Love ???¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡WARNING!¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡??? ???¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡SENSITIVE CONTENT¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡??? Allusions of depression, gore, and suicide.
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª[ ¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€??¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€ ]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°Have you ever felt for something, so deeply in your gut¡­ That your heart ached and your soul shuddered in fury?¡± ¡°Something so crushingly upending. That your skull felt heavy with the weight of decision, and your body fell limp with helplessness?¡± ¡°When the spark within your heart is snuffed out.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°¡­Is what I call the death of hope.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª[ ¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€??¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€ ]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª
The night is young. The skies are clear. In a world both blessed by interesting lives and cursed by ancient relics, time marches onwards uncaring for the supplications of the mortal men. In a world gifted with hope and haunted by despair, reality is suffused with meaning by those who wield it. May the souls of the lost find peace in eternal rest. And therein¡­ she. Who is burdened with experience. Clouded by the turmoil of a million tragedies. She, who wields reason and heart. Who legacies a cape of titanic magnitude¡­ ¨CThat nobody but she will ever remember¨C ¡­Weeps. +¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡+ ¡°Why save me?...¡± ¡°Why help me?...¡± ¡°Why leave me?...¡± The far away memories that slowly lose their color. Sharp as ever as they prick and pull the soul. Love. Hate. Gaze of a thousand miles, crushing. Smile as radiant as sunshine, blooming. Loss. Gain. A new dawn, bristling with wonder. Sunset tethers, blazing away. Hope. Despair. Guilty crown of abundance. Selfless heart of charity. Take. Return. Broken paradox. Dynamo of passion. ¡º Heart eat Heart. ¡» ¡°Where are you?...¡± ¡°...Please.¡± +¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡+ And yet¡­ ¡­Under the light of the night, protectors and nurturers, tethered and caring alike. Guide and cherish you unconditionally. There is light, even for thee whose lone flame struggles in the dark. Because you are not as lonely as you might think. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡£¡£¡£ ¡°Oh-ho? Fancy seeing you here.¡± Clauren points to Gaviel. He acknowledges Samyra with a nod, ignoring Clauren. ¡°Good afternoon, If I may speak with¡­¡± He pauses ¡°...her. For a moment?¡± He asks, not paying attention to the face Clauren makes at him. Samyra raises an eyebrow ¡°...Sure?¡± She obliges as she pulls the wheelbarrow along with Clauren. She is a little suspicious, Gaviel¡¯s sudden and unexpected visit is strange to say the least, but she trusts him as she would trust anyone else in the village. ¡°Wait.¡± She pauses, there¡¯s a nagging feeling that her intuition is pointing at. ¡°Did you forget her name?¡± ¡°Erm¡ª¡± ¡°On second thought, I do not recall you ever meeting her, not even once, since you brought her into the village, mister.¡± She jabs him in the chest with a finger. ¡°You are not quite the model example of responsibility, appearing and leaving like that.¡± ¡°I...¡± Gaviel averts his eyes. It is true, sadly, that he had gotten occupied and busy with other matters for quite a long time, though he honestly can¡¯t say if he forgot about ¡®the brat¡¯, as he had come to call her in his head, or if he was avoiding her. For someone that had gotten so attached to the girl in the short time he had worked to keep her alive, he was feeling guilty for how easily he detached himself. He had easily given the obligation to take care of the child as soon as he could, while he still felt some need to pick up the responsibility, for one, due to the nature of his profession that spends long stretches of time outside the village he wouldn¡¯t be able to properly care and provide for her, and even if he did end up taking her in, he does not know how to properly handle children. These are the reasons he convinced himself with, but even after the fact, there was still something lingering, a guilty conscience. Now that it was all said and done, with a couple that took her in and taught her what he couldn¡¯t, he heard that the little girl he¡¯d come to occasionally think about had already gotten proficient enough in their language to speak with other people, that had been a surprise for him, and now he came here to sort of redeem himself. ¡°Forgive me, I had been preoccupied with other matters that the Chief had tasked me with. And now I¡­¡± He had not put much thought about what to do after meeting her. ¡°I would like to see how she is faring.¡± She pauses, considering. ¡°...A lot of things have happened since then, you know?¡± The girl, for that she seemed to have settled in, slowly at her own pace, still has yet to feel comfortable around them, truly open up to her. Samyra did what she could but well¡­ she told herself that maybe these things take time. And wherever she came from, little Syuu, that¡¯s what she began to call her, could do so at her own pace¡­ ...Though she fears that pace is a little too slow. she sort of got mingled with the other children, and she has maybe one(?) friend, though that may be one-sided. That child hardly ever does anything that isn¡¯t reading or sleeping, gods knows why that girl likes to hang around her so much. They even named her, how it ended up happening is beyond her. There are rules and traditions that are usually followed that went completely and utterly disregarded, but this isn¡¯t an usual situation is it? Samyra had thought. And besides, the girl seemed to accept it. They all turn to Syuufarin, the little girl in question shrinks behind Clauren. ¡°I believe¡­ yes.¡± The time that she has spent in the village is as long, if not longer, than what she spent with Gaviel. Enough time for the little bond that the two mushrooms ¡ªquiet and anti-social the both of them¡ª built together to fade somewhat. And, while the little girl hadn¡¯t explicitly said anything, they could tell that she missed him. ¡°It would be for the best that you introduce yourselves anew.¡± Samyra tells him. ¡°...I¡ª Yes.¡± Gaviel agrees before he can think straight. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Clauren looks back and forth between Syuufarin and Samyra ¡°Well, we will leave you to it.¡± Clauren says. ¡°¡ªBut not for too long!¡± He adds. ¡°We still want to finish with this!¡± He slaps the side of the altar carelessly, eyeing between Gaviel and the kid. He knew little about whatever Gaviel and the kid had between them, but now he was curious. Very curious. He gives a wide, cheshire smile.¡°You know what it is for¡­ And hey! you can stay for a chat and tea later!¡± ¡°...Right.¡± Gaviel says in a flummoxed tone at the sudden invitation. He and Clauren¡­ They coexist, and better things could be said about their relationship. But one thing is that they are not close. So Clauren¡¯s sudden change is¡­ suspicious. He narrows his eyes at him as he saunters away. Samyra bows, and leaves the premises trailing behind Clauren. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - With them out of the picture, probably assembling the complex and fragile device inside. Gaviel took us some steps away to a more secluded area that isn¡¯t the front door. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. He stops, the silence is overbearing as he observes me with a glint in his eyes, though I can¡¯t tell what he wants or what he is thinking. I look at him. ¡°...¡± He looks at me. ¡°...¡± We look at each other. ¡°¡°...¡±¡± While all of this happens, there¡¯s a churning furnace of misaligned thoughts that boil and overflow inside my head¡­ ¡®I like that he is here. ¨CI hate that we met.¨C I was so excited at first. What do I do? ¨CI¡¯m angry at him.¨C Why am I angry at him? ¨CWe took him for granted.¨C Granted on what? what? why? How?¡¯ ¡­And I don¡¯t know what I should say. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you are well.¡± He starts, calling my attention back to him. ¡°And¡­ I¡¯m sorry, for relinquishing you so abruptly, I should have stayed, at least for some time, to help you get acclimated to our home¡­¡± He continues, crouching down to my eye level. ¡°...At the time, I was of the belief that was the most optimal course of action. I do not have the skills to care for you, much less teach you. Not in any way comparable to what other people in the village could be, so I had not fought the final say in the matters of your residency and who would be your guardian.¡± He fiddles with the straps that tighten his gloves around his forearms. A moment passes. ¡°Once¡­¡± He stands up. ¡°A time ago, a man met a child, lost in the forest, who knew nothing about anything. She was battered and bloody, clingy like the worst of tree-beasts, and had no-sense of self-preservation... Some time ago, a little girl met a forest ranger, tired of a long day of traveling, who did not know anything about what had happened to his village, who went out to find answers, but instead, he found you.¡± He looks me in the eyes. ¡°However¡­ despite finding each other, they had not met, not truly. They had only shallowly glimpsed what they could see of each other, for they did not know where they came from or where they were headed, as the man could not understand the child, and nor could the child understand the man.¡± ¡°Therefore¡­¡± In a quick, smooth motion, he clips his heels together, and bows with a hand over his heart. ¡°Greetings, I am Gaviel of Daivette. Ranger vanguard and appointed master of arms. I am fond of bows and I loathe slugs.¡± ¡®I¡¯m confused. My feelings are¡­ I don¡¯t even know where to start.¡¯ I look down at his feet, avoiding his eyes. There¡¯s elation¡­ I¡¯m so very happy to see him again. I wanted to do more than just speak, to talk, with him. I wanted to drown him in my gratitude, for finding me. I want to roll in joy that despite being a stranger, they have so easily accepted me into their home, though I¡¯m still coming to terms with accepting their home as mine. I want to cry and hug and drag him down with me and question the world. Tear apart the sorrow and the loneliness that writhe under my skin. There¡¯s resentment... Why had he left, why? Why no rhyme or reason or explanation. Had I been just a burden you found laying around in the path you were, to be so suddenly discarded? In your eyes, had there even been any value to be found in me to save me then? Doubt and anxiety festered within me each time I thought of you. There¡¯s guilt¡­ These people, this place, it¡¯s so bright, so peaceful, so much more vibrant in ways the World That Once Was had never been to me. There¡¯s a deep rooted sense of equivalent exchange in me. I receive this care, this love, I am provided for and am expected nothing in return. And yet I ask myself, ¡°Why do this for me?¡±, ¡°I¡¯m not deserving of these things¡±, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to give and even less skills to use, how could I ever repay these things?¡±, ¡°What could possibly make me worth it?¡±. Even amongst them, a stranger yet I remain. There¡¯s agony... Sometimes a thought occurs to me, that it would have been better to leave me to perish and rot, for an unwilling, unbelonging soul to return to the cycle of life. The loss ran too deep, the despair sunk too far. Mayhaps, could the sweet release bring me back to them? After all, the first time had brought me here. Had made me into this. Sometimes I think I have finally accepted it, got over it, but then I look at myself and there¡¯s a nauseating feeling of wrongness, and the memories of that place come rushing back¡­ ¡­And it hurts. It hurts so much¡ª ¡ª¡®Breathe.¡¯ I order myself. I don''t look him in the eyes. I notice that my throat is tight with tension, and my eyes water. ¡®Why? Why am I so emotional?¡¯ God knows. My hands tremble and this body shudders as I suppress a sob that rose up my neck. ¡®I¡­ I can''t do this, but I have to start somewhere¡­ A-and, I want to do this.¡¯ I resolved myself. And so, I bow. I bow deep. ¡°T-thank you¡­¡­.for..s-saving me.¡± It is the first thing I say, in all the broken elvish that I can muster. My voice, wavering with the emotion I pour into it. ¡°Thank you¡­..very..very much¡­¡­Gaviel.¡± ¡°...¡± He is silent. ¡°.........And¡­m-my name¡­is¡­¡­..¡± there¡¯s a lingering ache, from saying this thing, this name that substitutes something that, despite it all, I still hold dear, and probably will never stop holding it close to my heart¡­ But changing will never be easy. I pause to think, take in the right syllables and the intonation to get it right. ¡°...My name is Syuufarin.¡± An awkward pause passes by. He smiles. He pats me on the head. His heavy, gloved hand is warm. ¡°May the winds carry thy name, the earth bless our hearth, and the ancestral roots remember our passing.¡± Gaviel chants. ¡°...W-what?¡± He crouches back down to my height. ¡°Names are important, more important than you might think. On normal occasions, a proper naming ritual is made to name newborns, though it has fallen out of custom as of recently¡­¡± ¡°but I hope that at least this will suffice.¡± He explains. ¡°It is nice to meet you, Syuufarin, I hope we get along.¡± Maybe I cried, just a little, right there in front of him. Through tears and cries we exalt that which we are. However they may come, they are echoes of our emotions, and it¡¯s better for them to spring from joy than sorrow. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - By the time we headed back inside, the sun was setting. ¡®We¡­ talked¡­ about things. Lots of things. We talked about how we were doing, where we were going, what we would be doing, what is this and that, and many other things. I asked about him, he asked about me, and we just¡­ Talked. It was nice¡­ if a bit teary on my part. I¡¯m not¡ª All of this pent up stuff that I have, that I know that I have¡­¡¯ ¡ª¡¯Your heart thrums, it is filled with determination¡¯¡ª ¡®¡­I¡¯m not made for this sort of thing. I don¡¯t think I had ever felt like this, or done things like this ever in my whole life. ¡ªMy whole other life¡ª Maybe once or twice when I was little, when the world was big and scary. But never have I experienced such¡­ drowning emotions. Even now, after shedding a layer of the sticky feelings that clung to me, I still feel¡­ sore.¡¯ Sore in the soul. ¡®I¡¯m tired¡­ but happy too. I¡¯m not ready, I don¡¯t think I''ll ever be ready to leave it all behind¡­ ¡­But things feel a little brighter, a little lighter already.¡¯ And now. Erm, well¡­ ¡°¡ªYou WHAT?!¡± Samyra screams. Gaviel answers ¡°I do not see the problem here.¡± ¡°I do!... but I do not mind at all so carry on.¡± Clauren adds. ¡°Nobody asked you¡± ¡°Stay out of this.¡± Gaviel and Samyra rebuke him together. In the end. Gaviel did accept that offer to stay a while for tea. But not for whatever reason Clauren was concocting in his head. But to make an offer. He wants to teach me how to be a ranger. Or at least the basics that come with the job. As in, learn how to shoot a bow, handle knives and swords, wield other non-standard weaponry, know my way around surviving in the wilderness, and all sorts of other stuff. He said. I couldn¡¯t even begin to figure out where this came from. ¡®Well, actually, I can, but I am not sure. We are.. Reconciling, sort of.¡¯ I am already feeling quite at home, and I haven¡¯t even started to learn magic. I am looking forward to that. ¡®Though the part about surviving ¨Cproperly surviving¨C not just mucking about in the woods but how to positively thrive and live in the forest, interests me. If¡­ if I ever get lost again, though I hope that never happens, I want to learn how to not have a repeat of¡­¡¯ a sudden sensation of being covered in mud and grime and whatever that clung under the crevices of my everything covers me. It is not real. ¡®...that.¡¯ ¡°Absolutely not.¡± She argues. ¡°She has yet to finish her lessons with me, and she is!... Well I do not know exactly how old she is¨C but she is clearly too young for such activities!¡± ¡°Huh, good point.¡± Clauren turns to me. ¡°How old actually are you, Syuu?¡± ¡°....um..¡± How to explain this? ¡°....I don¡¯t¡­¡­.know?¡± ¡°And also¡ª humph¡± She sends a miffed glance to Clauren. ¡°Although begrudgingly, there is also the spellcasting apprenticeship she is about to start that I will assist her with.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Gaviel replies. ¡°So you must understand that¡ª¡± ¡°But who are you? To stifle the wings of the young? If there is one thing that we all have in abundance, it is time.¡± He interrupts her. ¡°And besides. It is her choice to make, you are not her mother.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That sends a sharp pain of resentment through her. For a long time, despite the plenty of children that exist across the village, she has wished she could bear a child of her own. It did not help that making kids between elves is already hard enough. Clauren and her have attempted numerous methods and techniques together so that she could finally realize her dream. Unfortunately, after years of searching and failed attempts, they could not do it. She is not able to bear a child. Clauren used to make jokes about it, to lessen her sorrow and try to change her mind. They had fought, they had argued. But she is infertile, truly and completely infertile. Even the old witch of the village was not able to do anything, and she is the foremost expert in the more esoteric and mystical arts of them all. ¡°I can brew luck and fold space. But I cannot cure what was never there to begin with.¡± She had said to Samyra. And all the other more¡­ unsavory options were far too risky and costly for them to accept doing. ¡°Ohh¡­¡± Clauren winces ¡°That was low, too low, even for you Gaviel.¡± He places down his teacup and places a hand over Samyra¡¯s. So when the strange and sudden arrival of a child that needed extra taking care of. She had jumped right on top of the opportunity, dragging Clauren along with her. She was elated. By that time she had already long since come to terms with her condition, but to get a small piece of that wish she had longed for so long¡­ she wanted to experience that, even though she was not truly hers, she hoped that the girl could be with time and love. ¡°Apologies it¡­ it was a slip of the tongue, I had not meant to aggravate you.¡± A silence passes by. ¡°...Um.¡± I voice myself. Noticing me, they ask. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­with it. I-I mean, I want to¡­learn.¡± I say. Not really knowing what to do with the atmosphere. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ tsk, there goes my little budding apprentice, taken away by the brute clutches of the rangers.¡± Clauren proclaims dramatically. ¡°I will ever wonder what is that you have against me.¡± Gaviel says, then gives a tentative look to Samyra. Samyra sighed. ¡°I know¡­ I know, I forgive you.¡± She answers Gaviel. Her tea is sipped. ¡°But besides that, I worry for her, aside from her age is she even able to perform the physical stress that you are planning to put her through in the first place? Would it not be too straining on her body? And with the lessons she is taking, and the other lessons she will be taking now, how would there be time for her to do anything else?¡± The little girl in question already had half of her day dedicated solely to these academic pursuits, and, to Samyra, she should at least spend the rest doing more healthy things besides sitting all day. Though¡­ she mostly just naps the day away as soon as she isn¡¯t permitted to study anymore, or is dragged around by the other children in their little adventures. Samyra had noticed that Syuufarin actually does nothing else than studying and that worries her. It is a commendable interest, but the way she is going with it¡­ if not for her putting hard limits on the time they spend on lessons she is afraid of her obsessive behavior of needing to constantly have something to do. No matter how much homework she assigned her, it would always be finished on the next day. And when she has nothing left to do she just¡­ goes to sleep somewhere, or just silently observes someone working. Sickness of the mind isn¡¯t something that elves often deal with. ¡°She then would spend all day working and studying, who does that?!¡± ¡°Is¡­that not¡­.normal?¡± I blurt out. They all turn to me. ¡°Huh¡­¡± I look left and right, they are all looking at me with faces of disbelief. ¡°Oh you poor thing¡­¡± ¡°Well if she enjoys it then it isn¡¯t really work is it?¡± ¡°Rest is important, Syuufarin.¡± They each tell me. In their mostly self-sufficient lifestyle, the elves spend little to no time doing things that they consider obligatory work, they wake up and sleep when they want to, and they do whatever they want to do, whenever they want to do. It just happens that a good part of them spend this free time doing activities that they both enjoy and that contribute to the village, but their leisure time is considerably big and there isn¡¯t anything that dictates a proper timetable for them. For Clauren and Samyra, even though what they do is considered their ¡°jobs¡±, they do it because they find interest and enjoy the activities and tasks that they took upon themselves to complete. So while it may look like work to people they are actually doing things quite leisurely and having fun while at it. Even the rangers, who are responsible to critical pieces of the village such as security and hunter-gathering, do so at their own time or if someone else asks them, their training routine is when they decide to show up or do it themselves, and they take care of necessities when they feel like or if it is running out. The only time that there is the sort of rigid and serious coordination that requires unity and preciseness is when the Chief or the Elders have a mission for them. After some debate, they came to the agreement that until I finish completely learning Samyra¡¯s curriculum and having a good grasp of their language. ¡°Eventually, her lessons will be completed, no?¡± They would suspend some of their time with me and Gaviel could have me only during the weekends. By the time they ended their discussion the tea and crackers had run out. ¡®I was the only one eating the crackers though.¡¯ They were dry and kind of hard, but tasty nonetheless. Clauren claps his hands. ¡°Ah! I almost forgot, with all these things you were discussing about.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk like you didn¡¯t keep butting your head in all the time¡± Samyra pokes the side of his head. ¡°While you were doing your little thing outside we had finished assembling the mana altar. Let¡¯s see what little Syuu has!¡± ¡°Was it not called ¡°the mana measurement and mystical attunement detector device?¡± Gaviel asks. ¡°Eh¡­ too long. Also nobody calls it that.¡± Gaviel gives him a deadpan stare. ¡°Nobody except you it looks like.¡± Gaviel sighs. ¡°Let us get this done with. I admit that I am somewhat curious.¡± The table, pedestal, pillar thing is set up in a corner of the library besides the large windows that cover one of the walls. If I were to describe it now that it is assembled, it looks more like a mix of a typewriter, a gyroscope, and a upside down chandelier at the same time along with bits and ends I can¡¯t make sense of. It is mostly inert, but the many arcs and legs shift sways in an almost sedate manner around the globe that gently spins near the middle of the altar. ¡°Just place your hand here and hold this part here, no not that, this one, yeah¡± Clauren explains to me how it works. ¡°Basically, this thing will suck a little bit of your energy with a prick, it will be a little sting but don¡¯t worry, and it will filter and sort the little energy that it extracts to tell the aspects of your mana. It can tell other things too but that would require both a larger sample extraction and for me to actively help operate it. Which I know how to¡­ but I forgot and there isn¡¯t any need to do so right now.¡± I have one hand placed in a secondary orb that is embedded into a thick slab that protrudes from the side of the other, and the other hand holding a cylindrical handle that is perpendicular to it. ¡°Now, you just need to hold that little ball tightly, do not let go of it, and pull the handle to your right.¡± ¡°....ok.¡± I had thought that I¡¯d first need to learn how to do some sort of shaping with that energy inside me. ¨CCracked bones. Splintered nails. Blood, too much blood¨C I shiver a little. I remember the first time I tried to mess with it did not end well at all. So I refrained from trying it alone ever again. ¡®And now here we are¡­¡¯ They are all waiting with rapt attention on me, Gaviel has that contemplating look, Samyra seems curious, and Clauren¡­ he is doing that thing where the light perfectly bounces off his glasses with a dangerous smile. I decide to pull the lever before I change my mind. In turn, I feel something tug me back in the orb my hand is placed in, a little prick in the middle of my palm, and I feel some of that flowing ether that I had forgotten the feeling of being attempted to be sucked out of me. I let it go. ¡®This feels like pissing air for some reaso¡ª¡¯ The world is drowned in light. ¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 30-Discrepancy at Eden
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª Contingency(NEPHILA){ Focus. The power of the sun¡ª Focus. The edge of shadow blending with the dreams of reality¡ª Focus. Cold, obsessive, the certainty of dark binds the between of that which has and hasn¡¯t wished¡ª Focus. | The lines the lines what do they MEAN¡ª > ¡°Turneth back, Thy doth not belongest here.¡± ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
wake up. ¡°...What?¡± I say blinkilingly. ¡®Did I black out for a moment?¡¯ For a fleeting, brief moment, I had felt a floating sensation. Serene, silent, but filled with a distant pressure that vibrated the air. It was¡­ familiar, for some reason. There¡¯s black spots in my vision and the shadow of a circle is burned in the center of my eyes. I blink again, they start to face away a little. ¡°Ouch¡­ That is certainly a strong reaction.¡± I hear Clauren beside me. ¡®Oh, right. We were doing the mana thing.¡¯ There¡¯s a faint noise similar to a gas leak inside my ears, I flex my jaw and feel a pop in my eardrums. Turning towards them, I see them all with their hands over their eyes. ¡°Strong is an understatement, that was¡­ what was that?¡± Samyra says, rubbing her eyes. Her glasses are hanging free down on her neck, supported by a slim string of chains that prevent it from falling. ¡°Grr.¡± Gaviel is furiously massaging his eyes. ¡°Are you certain you properly assembled it? Because It certainly does not feel like it and my eyes are agreeing with me.¡± ¡°*Cough*¡ª Yes, I am sure I had!¡± Clauren raises his voice. ¡°It must have blown a capacitor, with how old this thing is I should not be surprised, or faulty inscriptions, or maybe it extracted ambient mana¡­¡± He tries to look under the altar and around it, pushing and pulling pieces of the contraption. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know, I was not the one that built it.¡± Despite the slight smoking the altar was emitting, it looked intact and working seemingly fine, the multiple measurement gauges were a little offset but were properly displaying values and symbols that I do not know how to interpret. ¡°Regardless, it does not matter, see? The measurements are done.¡± He said, gesturing largely at the table. He pulls down another lever in the other side of the altar, the third one. ¡®How, exactly, he knows which lever is the correct one is beyond me.¡¯ There are two rows with 8 thin levers each, they are thin, crooked and look like gear shifts. With a resounding clunk, the altar makes multiple noises reminiscent of the sound of mechanical stamps, and then a thick card comes out. *click* *CLANG* It clatters into the floor and bounces a little, the noise is obnoxiously loud and sharp. ¡®Clang?¡¯ Kneeling to the floor, I pick it up. The card looks like it is made out of burnished wood, but it is way too heavy for its tiny size. I turn it over and feel the grainy surface with my hands. The surface on one side has words and pictograms burned into the slate, though there are some black lines similar to faulty printer errors on top of some, and others that look like it tried to print more than one character at the same location like when a typewriter gets stuck. Clauren reads it over my head. ¡°Ah, I had forgotten it did that.¡± He plucks it off my hands. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± ¡®Hey! I was reading that¡­ well not really since I don''t know what those words and symbols mean, but still!¡¯ I shout at him inside my own thoughts. ¡°...Oh.¡± He blurts out. He stands there reading the slab of wood in his hands¡­ He turns it over, turns it back, knocks on it, smells it, lick¡ª I bat his side with my tail. ¡®EXCUSE ME. Can you not lick everything that makes you curious??¡¯ I glare at him with an incredulous face. Samyra just squeezes her brows in exasperation. The rest of the room waits for him to continue. ¡°¡±Oh?¡± Oh, what? Clauren.¡± Samyra questions. When he doesn¡¯t respond, she marches over and takes the slate out of his hands. She reads it, turns it over, turns it back, puts her glasses back on and squints at it like it personally offended her ancestors. ¡°...Oh.¡± Gaviel too, peers over too look. ¡°Oh¡­¡± He takes it off Samyra¡¯s hands and positions it under the sunlight coming from the window to better look at it. He turns it over, turns it back, lightly throws it up and down to feel its weight. ¡°...I do not know what any of what is written in here means.¡± ¡°Just¡ª¡± Clauren sighs. ¡°Gimme that you uncultured animal.¡± He snatches the wooden plaque out of his hands. ¡°What¡­..is it?¡± I ask. The suspense is killing me. ¡®Is it good, is it bad? Is there something wrong with me? Or with the machine? Did this thing read something more than just whatever measurements they were going to take and exposed something I haven¡¯t told them yet so I will need to explain myself and then they will¡ª¡¯ ¡°You have extraordinary talent!¡± He interrupts my train of thoughts. ¡°Really?¡± I look up at him. Unconsciously, my tail starts to swish side to side. ¡°...Probably, maybe, I think so. The measurements are strange on some sections.¡± He adds. ¡°Really?...¡± I look back down. ¡°What he means.¡± Samyra stabs his side with a finger. ¡°Is that you are so special, that we never encountered something like this before.¡± She tells me as she crouches to my eye-level. ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ve yet to cover this, but not time like the present¡­¡± Clauren starts. ¡°To start, mana can be categorized in a few base components and properties, though keep in mind these classifications, while they work for most purposes, aren¡¯t definitive. There are still many things and characteristics of mana that are yet unexplored and undocumented. It¡¯s an energy always so full of surprises¡­¡± He hands me back the wooden card. ¡°To simplify the main theories, mana has quality, weight, order, nature, and origin¡ª Gaviel can you pull that blackboard over here? Thank you.¡± He pauses to find a piece of chalk hidden inside a drawer. Gaviel silently obliges him, with an ear open to the sudden lesson. ¡°There are more terms and components that change depending on the situation and ambient that is being discussed, but for now we will talk about what is currently relevant, that is, the details about the mana that resides within someone.¡± He starts drawing 5 diagrams with a humanoid figure in the middle. ¡°Quality, refers to the fineness, the purity, or the ratio of resistance that the mana has to affect causality. What does that mean? That the less ¡®coarse¡¯ and the more ¡®fine¡¯ someone¡¯s mana is, they need less effort to do spells and other things that require expenditure of it.¡± He draws a flowing symbol of water catching fire. ¡°Weight, refers to the density, the quantity, or the mass of the mana. A person can have the highest quality of mana and the most efficient use of it, but have little quantities of mana to make use of. But if the little quantity of mana is also dense, they can make use of the little they have as much as someone with normal quantities could.¡± He draws a rigid figure of stone floating in the air. ¡°Nature, refers to the attunement, the affinity, or the saturation of mana. Somebody, say, with an affinity for water would more easily deal with spells in that element than a person with earth affinity would. However, it is not as she is completely unable to handle spells in other elemental schools. And also, there are more saturations than the basic elements, such as more specific elements like ice, or abstract concepts like healing.¡± He draws a pictogram of plants and fractals. ¡°Order, is the polarity, the alignment, or the resonance of mana. Light and dark, entropy and stasis, spectrums and variables, mana can be either suffused with calmness or turbulence, or even both at the same time and neither. This is a more esoteric characteristic that is affected by and affects the subject or object. There are spells that work better and are easier to cast depending on the order that someone¡¯s mana is, or what they make it be. Sometimes it is even a rigid requirement to have or obtain a certain type or order to be able to do some types of magic.¡± He makes two pictures of a white circle and a dark triangle. ¡°Origin, is the frequency, the individuality, or the identity of mana so to speak. And no, before you ask, no, mana does not have a personality or anything of the sorts. Origin refers to the minute differences and characteristics of one¡¯s mana that makes and marks that mana as ¡®theirs¡¯. It is the footprint, the soul, or the scent of a person¡¯s mana, each one has their own. Beings that are related or have intrinsically intertwined existences usually have similar, but not equal, origins. This attribute of mana is often used in identification or tracking magics.¡± He creates a depiction of the silhouette of a man inside a globe. ¡°And these are a few of the many idiosyncrasies that the energy known as mana has. Any questions?¡± ¡°You draw really good.¡± I say. He used a thick piece of chalk to draw on the blackboard, and somehow he managed to do detailed linework and even apply shadows! ¡°Did she even pay attention to a single thing I said?¡± I hear him mutter under his breath. ¡°ANY. other questions?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± I shuffle my feet. ¡°...What does ¡°iidosincrazies¡± mean?¡± ¡°...right.¡± Clauren had overlooked that, despite her prodigious talent, she sorely lacks experience in their language. ¡°You can ask Samyra about that later.¡± Samyra raises her hand. Clauren does a long, stretched out sigh. ¡°Yes? Samyra.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Hmm, it is quite late, now that you have mentioned.¡± Gaviel remarks on the side. Clauren ignores him. ¡°But we just ate?¡± ¡°That was just tea and some biscuits, that doesn¡¯t count.¡± Samyra retorts. ¡°Well go eat something then.¡± ¡°You¡¯re hungry too.¡± She points back at him. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± He does a double take at her. ¡°No I am not, how does that even make sen¡ª¡± *gurgle* His stomach makes a pathetic, suffering sound. Clauren looks utterly stupefied. ¡°...how??¡± ¡°I know my husband.¡± She simply answers with a smug smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be making dinner downstairs¡­ Gaviel, would you like to stay for dinner too? Since you¡¯re already here.¡± She asks, standing up from where she had seated herself during Clauren¡¯s lecture. ¡°Oh, no. Thank you but I would not like to impose more than I have already. There are more¡­ things, I would like to speak with Syuufarin too, but that can wait until tomorrow. That, and I also believe that you three already have much to sort out among yourselves, I can ask the results of her examination later.¡± ¡°Oh well¡­ suit yourself.¡± Gaviel stands up to leave, she makes her way downstairs first.. ¡°Good night gaviel!¡± She pays farewell to him as she walks down the steps. ¡°Good night¡ª H-hey!¡± I also tell him as he passes by me, he ruffles my hair again as he crosses me. Clauren only gives him a nod of acknowledgement instead. We observe both of them go downstairs, a minute later the sound of the front door being opened and closed is heard. Clauren shakes his head and starts to clean up the chalkboard and organize things. I begin ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡®I understood half of what he said when explaining on the blackboard, but that was leading up to something wasn¡¯t it? About me, and the card?¡¯ Clauren reads me and answers before I can ask ¡°I¡¯ll answer what is wrong with the card¡­ later.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± I droop. ¡°A-ah, don¡¯t worry about that, nothing is wrong with you.¡± He amends. ¡°I simply need some time to figure it out, you see? I¡¯ll tell you when I do.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± I nod, a little assuaged, but still worried. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go help your m¡ª¡± He cuts himself. ¡°?¡± ¡°¡ªTeacher. Yeah, teacher in the kitchen?¡± Close, too close. Clauren thinks to himself. Samyra had her whole breakdown about parenthood already a long, long time ago. Though he can¡¯t say for certain that he was also not affected by it, when they start to become too comfortable around Syuufarin, some unintended things have begun to slip. This girl¡­ is special. In more ways than one, and in more ways than what he knows about her¡­ Or what the little girl lets him know about her. The thought plants seeds on Clauren¡¯s mind, but he exorcizes it. Mysteries aside, he knows for certain that the girl is as oblivious as him about herself. ¡°Mn.¡± I nod. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - That night, we ate a hearty dinner. The happenings of that evening still crowded my mind, but as time passed other things came to the forefront of it, such as where is all the food coming from? I have not seen much activity on the agricultural side of things in the village. Apparently, the entire village is being sustained by the work of 5 to 8 people, who decided they liked farming. And they have surplus even with so few people working on the fields. That¡¯s not accounting for the people with personal gardens for their own foods and plants that they enjoy using. So that¡¯s why a lot of people either loiter around or do other things that aren¡¯t crucial for survival. Hundreds of years of renewed and perfected technique made the elves really damn good farmers I guess. Apparently the process is pretty much entirely automated, they only need to plant the plants and harvest the harvest. With how safe and isolated the village is there isn¡¯t any need to do much else at all aside watering the plants a little when it gets too hot. They even have methods to drastically speed up their growth, though those come with some downsides. By noon of the next day, Clauren had called me to tell what it was that they saw in that wooden plaque. He and Samyra were both sitting at the dinner table. This time I even helped them with cooking, or at least as much as they allowed me to. ¡®Samyra, at first, she did let me into the kitchen. Only after a lot of stubbornness on my part she slightly relented to let me set the table and watch her cook. It is one of the things that I really need to get accustomed to, the ingredients may look and feel familiar a lot of the time, but the variety they have here is simply¡­ different from what I was used to. So I chased the opportunity to learn. Now¡­ they still don''t let me cook, not quite, but I can at least help process the ingredients. There are some that have poisonous and inedible bits, and I got to learn how to differentiate them from each other and how to separate them. There were even some fruits that I had already encountered before in the forest!¡¯ Though, those weren¡¯t actually for eating, they were for Clauren¡¯s concoctions. And I may or may not have eaten one or two at some point in time¡­ ¡­Now I know how dogs feel when they eat something they shouldn¡¯t have, and they end up having someone shove a hand up their mouth so they spit whatever it is they ate out. ¡°Syuufarin.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Yes?¡± I answer nervously. ¡°We¡­ Argh, how do I put this?¡± Clauren slides his hand down his face. ¡°How about beginning at the start?¡± Samyra advises. ¡°Right.¡± He enterlaces his hands together. ¡°I was not sure about the results I had found, so I went to consult with Miss Piyo¨C You remember that ancient and scary lady that took care of you?¡± ¡°...You shouldn¡¯t call people like that.¡± Samyra comments with a wry face. I nod, remembering that strange day and the lady with the skull staff. ¡®Ah, So that''s what her name is.¡¯ Clauren quips. ¡°You say that, but I know you agree with me... Anyways, that day, you had fallen unconscious, apparently because of something between you and Samyra?...¡± He inquisitively comments. ¡°...¡± I don¡¯t answer him. My stomach drops. ¡®I¡­ How¡ª There¡¯s just so many things packed in that question. How am I even supposed to explain what happened, let alone explain myself?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s something that will stay between her and me.¡± Samyra says with finality. ¡°Not that I intend to keep secrets, but it was¡­ a sensitive moment.¡± She is also not sure of what to make of that day, but she could not find in her heart the will to confront Syuufarin about it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¨C¡± He adjusts his glasses, they weren¡¯t misaligned, but he adjusts them again anyway. ¡°When I talked to her, she told me ¡°That her suspicions were confirmed¡± and that ¡°For someone so fresh out of the womb that little one has an old soul¡±. But she didn¡¯t explain to me what she meant with that.¡± He turned to me. My stomach drops so much that I think I felt it hit the ground. ¡°ah¡­¡± A long silence passes between us. Clauren weighs his options. On one hand, it could be important to the current subject, but on the other, He doesn¡¯t feel they are that close enough for him to have the right to demand this sort of information out of the child. ¡°Do you¡­ Do you want to talk about it?¡± ¡°...I¡± I say to at least reply to them with something, anything. ¡°Remembered¡­ things.¡± ¡®How-how-how¨C What am I even supposed to say, should I confess? Tell them everything, tell them about that place, Earth? About who I am, who I was, what I think I am? Or hide, deflect. lie¡­ again? How long will I be able to keep this facade?¡¯ I resolve myself that, despite the churning in the pits of my stomach, running away from it right now won¡¯t do anyone good. Nowhere to hide, nowhere to run, no one to face this problem but myself. ¡®I-I don¡¯t want to lie to them¡­¡¯ I keep talking. ¡°I came from somewhere, I don¡¯t know where, I think it is weird that nobody ever mentioned or asked me about it.¡± I take a deep steadying breath. ¡°That place is¡­ lost, no living memories, no people, no closure of which I will ever be able to find.¡± My voice quivers. ¡°I-I like it here, people are good, forgiving. I do not trust myself to be ever able to repay the gratitude that I have for you, for Gaviel, for everyone in the village that I have not met yet. But¡­ But¡­¡± I hiccup. I bring my legs to my chest and hug them tightly, squeezing and trying to occupy as little space as possible in the chair that feels too large for my tiny body. I had begun to forget how big I actually was before. They didn¡¯t know, they assumed, but they did not know of many things regarding this child. And they have done their best to accommodate her, but the gulf of secrets and distance that she put between them only made them slowly grow apart regardless of their efforts. And now¡­ They can only pay attention to everything she is saying with utmost seriousness. Clauren, he attempts to assuage her. ¡°I understand.¡± He didn¡¯t. He understood that it would not be something that she would not want to discuss in depth again anytime soon, but the face she is making right now¡­ Is something that a child should never deserve to feel. I caustically rebuke him. ¡°You don¡¯t.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Sorry. I-I¡­ I hid, I have felt like I was lying and deceiving you since I have stepped foot into this village. I can talk and listen and speak with everyone and I am thankful but¡­¡± I notice how tense my shoulders are unconsciously getting. I let them drop and I clench and unclench my fists. A deep breath. ¡°I guess, I have been delaying it, avoiding it, but I figured that I would need to tell someone, anyone, sometime, some of the truth.¡± ¡®Should I tell them the whole truth though? Or another lie laced with truth behind its mask? Would they call me crazy? Are there things that are better left unsaid?¡¯ One step at a time, I would have to trust, or else this place would only become a prison of my own making. Samyra and Clauren share a look. ¡°You don¡¯t have to if you want...¡± She tells me gently. They would admit that they are curious, but there¡¯s time, there¡¯s space, and right now there¡¯s nothing in the world that could make them feel any sort of disappointment with Syuufarin. In these short few months that they have been together, she has shown them how good she can be, in the little things, proven herself to be just and not a threat to the village for those that still had suspicions about her. But she has also inadvertently shown that she was hurting. Had been hurting for a long time. But they couldn¡¯t just up and expose her wounds like that. So they bid their time, and took whatever measures to help her on what they could. They taught, fed, accompanied, housed, and did many other things so she could heal. ¡°I want to!... I-I need to. It¡¯s for the best, if not now, when?¡± My tail accidentally hits the leg of the chair I¡¯m sitting on, I pick it up and hold it down on my lap. ¡°if I avoid it now¡­ I do not trust in myself to ever stop avoiding, to have the courage to speak about this again.¡± I admit, wrangling the stubborn words out of my own throat. It is all so liberating and frustrating at the same time. I feel like my head and heart are trying to split into two. That of what I am, and that of what I should be, could be. Twisting around each other in a tug of war¡­ ¡­And so, I tell them. About waking up one day, lost in body and mind. About the upending of an entire life, loved ones lost to unknown ends. About friends and family, places and sights, memories broken out to the weight of loss. The truth goes unspoken, however. I could not bring myself to have to explain technology, the fascinating and insidious society of humanity, or the virgin world that has not been touched by mana. ¡®I¡¯ve even forgotten my name¡­¡¯ A pange of mournful feelings cross me. It would have been nice to talk about a world that, compared to this one, is full of wonders and thousands of years of culture and history. But it would have raised even more questions than answers, and for all the possible stories that would genuinely spark their curiosity, there are ten more brutal, horrible pieces of information that this world could do without. The wonders of modern medicine, infrastructure, communication, that are built on top of the corpses of their respective ancestors. The path of blood and tears, the weapons, misery, and irreparable damage done to the world that came along with the advance of humanity? I was not sure about talking about sparking their interest in those macabre topics, and if I could keep that bleak future from this place, I reasoned that not mentioning it would be for the best. ¡®I don¡¯t know the reason or what is the point of my existence here. Pity? Fate? Destiny?¡¯ I scoff to myself ¡®To whomever or whatever has brought me into this new world, left me to die, let it be known that I make my own Destiny.¡® As I spoke and talked, it felt like a weight was being lifted off my shoulders. Slowly, timidly, carefully. Bit by bit the tension that coiled itself around my body began to unravel itself into fluttering motes of relief. At some point, I hadn¡¯t noticed it when I had unwrung myself from my shrinked form and relaxed onto the table. ¡®The only thing I know for real is that here and now. Is where everything that will make this life worth living is, in this beautiful, peaceful place¡­ home.¡¯ That last word traces the edges of my lips, and settles deep down into my heart. ¡®This time, for real.¡¯ I proclaim with conviction. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - The atmosphere had gotten¡­ not quite awkward, but the tension that was made during the conversation put other things during the rest of the day in a contemplating mood. Nobody had much energy left to carry on with the rest of the day, we needed time to think, and to let the eventful day with all the things I talked about settle in. In the end, the day became unproductive, and we shelved the deal with the magic aptitude test for tomorrow. Which brings us here. ¡°Yesterday¡­ Was¡­¡± Clauren has bags under his eyes. He yawns. ¡°Yeah.¡± Looking at him makes me want to yawn too. I try to fight it, I close my mouth and rub my eyes¨C ¡°*Yaaaawn¡­*¡± I don¡¯t even make an effort to cover my mouth. ¡®Hmhgh¡­ contagious thing.¡¯ I sluggishly think. The talk we had yesterday left me jittery, and nervous, and all kinds of other things and I did not have quite the best time falling asleep after that. Too many things crowding my head now that they know. Samyra, meanwhile, looks to be fine compared to us¡ª ¡®¡ªWait. Huh?¡¯ I turn to look at her with more attention. She is sitting perfectly straight, holding her breakfast with her elbows resting on top of the table and¡­ I see her head slowly bob up and down, going back up sluggishly so she doesn¡¯t face-plant into the table. ¡®Is she¡­ sleeping?¡¯ I watch her, up¡­ down¡­ up¡­ down¡­ she is alternating between falling asleep and jolting herself awake there in the chair. I start to get a morbid desire to poke her awake. Though I don¡¯t really want for her to lash out at me on reflex so I do it using my tail. *poke* ¡°hmm¡­¡± Clauren also opts to watch my mischief with morbid curiosity instead of doing anything else. *poke* ¡°Hgn.¡± *poke* ¡°Shhta¡­ Clau¡­¡± I look at him. ¡°Did she¨C *yawn* ¨Calways talked in her sleep?¡± *poke* ¡°Hgrr.¡± ¡°Sometimes.¡± He replies, also yawning in response. ¡°It has been a while since I last caught her so tired.¡± *poke* *pok¡ª* ¡°AH!¡± *Clatter.* She wakes up with a startle and drops the bread that she was unconsciously biting slowly into. ¡°Wakey wakey princess.¡± Clauren taunts with a mirthful smile. ¡°Hngrr...¡± She adjusts her glasses that got tussled in her stupor. ¡°Yes¡­ Good¨C¡± She yawns. ¡°¨Cmorning.¡± We yawn back at her. ¡°Why are we even awake at this ungodly time?¡± Clauren grumbles. ¡°It is almost noon.¡± He turns around in his chair, squinting outside. ¡°Oh.¡± I parrot him. ¡°Oh.¡± I had noticed it was bright outside but not what time it was, I woke up more out of hunger than anything, or else I would be still laying inside the veritable nest of blankets that I accumulated on my bed. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first, the rest we can do¡­ later.¡± Samyra tells us. ¡°Lazy day?¡± Clauren affirms. She nods. ¡°Lazy day.¡± There¡¯s an internal joke there that I¡¯m not getting¡­ but I also nod along. After breakfast, or brunch, I don¡¯t know. They asked me to go and do my own thing for a while. Clauren moves to his corner of the house to check on his experiments and make sure his concoctions didn¡¯t sprout legs overnight¨C and yes, that¡¯s a thing that can happen apparently. And Samyra squirreled herself away to the archives. The bigger, more boring library that they have in the village. ¡®Maybe I''ll visit that place one day, if only just to take a look at what is inside¡­ hopefully they have bookshelf stairs though, I can barely reach most things let alone the top shelves.¡¯ I¡¯m staying by the river again, letting the flowing water caress my feet as I lay down. I could be doing more homework or studying right now¡­ but I don¡¯t feel like it. Reading is off the list until I¡¯m able to learn how to read better. And playing with the other kids still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I don¡¯t think I will ever be able to feel in the mood to frolic with my fellow kids in the tall grass and be whimsical amidst the trees with them. It can be fun sometimes, but my perspective of their games will always be different, older, without the childish wonder they somehow still have. I don¡¯t blame them for their hyperfixations and repetitiveness, I was like that once too, but watching fantasy beetles punching each other gets old after the tenth day in a row doing the same thing. ¡°HII!¡± A shadow suddenly covers my vision of the clouds, interrupting my brooding. ¡®Speak of the devil and she shall appear. Ugh¡­ I don¡¯t wanna deal with this.¡¯ I whine internally. I try the complicated speech pattern card to drive her away. ¡°Begone, o¡¯ meddlesome pest whomst disturbs mineth serene peace with relentless fervor. Thy presence hath not been requested.¡® ¡°Eh? Ah! You¡¯re not speaking all slow like anymore! Does that mean that you don¡¯t have to keep locked up studying anymore?¡± ¡®Ah¡­ Shit.¡¯ My cover has been utterly blown. Smithereens scattered in the wind. ¡°...Um. Erm¡­ No?¡± Sedia sits down next to my head. ¡°Eeh?~ But then what was all that you just said?¡± ¡°...¡± I avert my eyes. She nudges me slightly after a moment of silence. ¡°...You ok? You look like you stumped your toe after someone ate all your cake.¡± ¡®Damn this over-perceptive girl¡­ And what is with that overly-specific example?¡¯ ¡°...Lazy day.¡± I answer, though I¡¯m not sure of what exactly I¡¯m referencing here. Somehow though, it seems to work well enough for her. ¡°Ah, I guess that makes sense. Hm.¡± She nods to herself. Just like that, she spends a while simply sitting in silence, watching the clouds and the stream of water rush by with me. I lazily trace the shapes of the clouds with my eyes and observe how the light reflects on the water. I close my eyes, breathing steadily in the smell of clean wilderness and stretching my legs. ¡®I was never one to enjoy nature that much, there¡¯s a limited quantity of it in the middle of urban cities and there was always something to do other than breath fresh air and touch grass. Now though¡­¡¯ I wonder if it is because of the utter lack of something to do ¨Cthough I can¡¯t say much for my lack of reaching out to search for things to do¨C or because of this¨Cmy body. Open air, the touch of sunlight, the smell of grass, the water running through my feet¡­ There¡¯s something inside me that really enjoys these things, is it unconscious, instinct, nature? I¡¯m not sure, but the feeling is nice, peaceful even, flourishing, perhaps¡ª ¡°Ah!¡± Sedia exclaims in surprise. I startle ¡°HM?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a pretty flower growing out of your head again?¡± ¡°Again?!¡± ¡®W-wait, did she see that last time it happened?!¡¯ I hurriedly stand up and look at my reflection in the clear water of the stream. There, on top of my head, is another bright yellow flower blooming with vibrant vigor. ¡®Does this happen every time I sleep under the sun by the river?? What am I, a plant now?¡¯ ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± She says curiously. ¡°It¡¯s very pretty!¡±¡® ¡°No!¡± I shout. ¡°I do not even know why this happens!¡± ¡®This reminds me, what did Clauren do with the last one? I don¡¯t think I have ever asked¡­¡¯ She pokes it and squeezes the petals with her fingers. Strangely enough, I can sort of feel her touching it, it doesn¡¯t¡­ feel bad. ¡°Hey hey, can I keep it?¡± ¡®She probably also saw that I could rip it off mostly harmlessly last time. At most I get a somewhat sore scalp.¡¯ ¡°What? Huh? Um¡­ Sure?¡± That is a weird thing to ask. The rest of the afternoon goes by with her dancing around how exactly she would keep the thing. She fussed about it for an hour before finally deciding to pluck the darn thing out of my head, worrying that it would hurt me if I pulled it out. And then she put it in a plant pot. ¡®I don¡¯t know what to feel about that. Really don¡¯t. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s keeping a lock of my hair¡­ but that thing is still also, somehow, a part of my body that grows out.¡¯ After that strange encounter I simply zoned out for the rest of the afternoon, contemplating what in the world my life has turned out to be. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°Ready to find out?¡± Clauren asks with playful suspense. They had thought long and hard about everything that Syuufarin had told them. After that they will inevitably see her in a different light than before, though, the only difference is that now they know more about her past than everyone else. At the end of the day, nothing really will change, she is still a little girl with nowhere else to go, and the village has been willing to take care of her either way from the start. ¡°Um¡­ before that¡­¡± I asked them about the flower that had sprouted on my head. ¡°Oh, that thing? I made tea.¡± ¡°...Tea?¡± I blurt out, flabbergasted. Samyra looks visibly perturbed, looking down at her cup with suspicion. ¡°...Should I be worried?¡± ¡°I looked into it and found nothing peculiar with it aside from an unusual concentration of minerals and vitamins. Medicinal properties aside, it makes for a pretty good brew.¡± He says nonchalantly. ¡°Did you¡­ um¡­ this?...¡± I pointedly gesture to the tea we are consuming right at this moment. ¨CI¡¯ve never been a fan of tea, but other than juice and alcohol that I¡¯m not allowed to drink is the only other thing they have, so I¡¯ve come to enjoy it with time¨C The notion of what he did makes my stomach do funny spins. ¡°Oh? No, despite the humongous size of the petals I ran out of it ages ago, why do you ask?¡± ¡°...nothing, just curious¡± I deflect. ¡°Very well.¡± He places the wooden plaque, the origin of my problems as of late, on the table. ¡°This¡­¡± He makes an annoyed face at the card, like it had personally offended him. Albeit with some slight nervousness, he begins to explain. It is not the first time he has done someone¡¯s first mana test, but this is the only time so many hurdles happened in the process, and there¡¯s a certain¡­ higher level of importance now that it is Syuufarin sitting in front of him. He does not wish to fumble or make this a worse experience than it had been these past days. Samyra, who is resting aside in the other corner of the table, listens with curiosity whilst also reading a book. ¡°We have already discussed all the different categories yesterday, as for your results¡­¡± Despite the looming dread and the nervousness, I bounce in excitement, this would be a big step towards starting to learn the magic I have dreamt about for so long. ¡°Starting with your mana capacity¡­ we¡¯re lucky that thing is able to get a measure of people¡¯s reservers, I heard that outside the village they have to self-induce mind-down on themselves to know their limits. ¡± he comments ¡°Anyways, the readings we got are¡­ weird, to speak is a diminutive way.¡± He slides the card to me, tapping the slot where it looks like the altar printed multiple times at the same place, making a blurry and scratched image. ¡°Honestly, you have an outrageous quality of mana and big reserves, but at the same time, we can interpret this as you having both dense, and light mana, as well as varying degrees of quality distribution because of that. Normally, or at least for elves because I never did measure someone from the other races.¡± He says to the side. ¡°There is mostly a constant rating of quality, with a negligible degree of deviation of the other attributes depending on the individual, their health, and other factors¡± He pokes the pointy part of my horn. ¡°You, however, from what I have been able to discern¡­ My hypothesis is that you seem to have two sources of mana, or possess some sort of condition that makes your reserves erratic or concentrated somewhere. How in the name of the gods that is I could not even fathom. You will have to be able to sense them yourself when you eventually learn how to be able to answer this. They are the only explanations I thought of that can justify the different saturations of mana.¡± ¡®That is¡­ concerning? Worrying? There are so many things I don¡¯t know about this body and this just adds to the list.¡¯ I fiddle with the hems of my clothes. ¡°Can I still do magic even with¡­ all this?¡± I ask. ¡°Yes, of course you will be able to.¡± He isn¡¯t actually certain about it, this is all new to him too, but nothing that can¡¯t be solved later, she¡¯ll probably just conjure magic a little differently from other people, hopefully. He thinks to himself. ¡°The bigger your quantity of mana the easier it is to use, though also harder to control. Think of it like a balloon filled with water, if you make a small hole it is easy to squeeze out and aim when it is full, but when the balloon is bigger than your arms it becomes unwieldy and difficult to keep a hold of.¡± He takes a moment to take a sip from his cup. ¡®Hm, that is interesting. It''s different and yet similar to the things I know about magic and mystical energies, given that they come from the ramblings of madmen and works of fantasy back on Earth.¡¯ I imagine that, according to what he said, I would have no trouble casting something like a flamethrower, but other things that require detail and finesse like enchanting or something would be more difficult. ¡°As for nature, if anything this proves that you¡¯ll do great in the path of a wizard. Though, again, I can¡¯t understand how the f¡ª¡± There¡¯s a very sharp sound of a book slamming close from the direction Samyra is sitting. ¡°Fffowlishing flowers¡­¡± ¡°...What?¡± He coughs, recomposing himself. ¡°Ordinary people have one attunement, exceptional people have at most two, and truly expectacular people may have three¡­¡± He explains, leading up to something. I can¡¯t help but fidget in anxiousness. ¡°You have¡­ four.¡± He says with a frown. ¡°...Four? Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± From the way he said it, it doesn¡¯t feel like it. ¡°No¡­ Um.. Yes. it¡¯s a good thing.¡± He ascertains somewhat indecisively. ¡°The altar has shown that you have a predisposition for nature magic, terra magic, solar magic¡­ and something else.¡± The wooden plaque that the altar spat out had her attunement readings displayed in order, the third was spilling outside the print area, and then there was a rectangular black that stretched until the card ran out of space. What that smudge represented in the card was a mystery to him. ¡°If it was simply some additional disposition for those elements it would not be something so shocking, people have varying degrees of aptitude for the elements with usually one distinct element that they may excel at¡­ If that were the case with you the card would not display those this way.¡± I numbly pass my fingers over the spot where the card displays my affinities, a square indent with three large symbols depicting the things he told me, some sort of plant, a geological silhouette, flames, arrayed in order inside a circular pattern¡­ and then a black stain that looks like it was smudged over the fire and nature symbols, but is set in a way that would be displayed as a fourth element. ¡°...the majority of people have only one affinity, as far as I know you are¡­ unique.¡± He taps his fingers along his crossed arms, conflicted. ¡°Affinities can play in wildly different ways with your magic and all other aspects that involve mana, people with one affinity have it fairly straightforward with only one aspect to develop and study in depth¡­ I can only guess what could happen, and not even accounting for that unknown thing.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± My ears droop in sadness. Clauren purses his lips at my apparent dismay ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, affinity isn¡¯t everything. Even without them you can be a force to be reckoned with your weirdness alone! It¡¯s a good thing that you have such an eclectic combination of affinities!¡± He assures me. Samyra clops him over the head. ¡°It¡¯s rude to call people weird¡± She admonishes him in a sharp whisper. ¡°Hm. I understand.¡± I reply, not very mollified. ¡®I don¡¯t want to be special¡­¡¯ Or rather, I don¡¯t want to stand out more than I already do. It feels like whatever made this body.. Me¡­ Did not leave anything normal inside it. I was grateful for my strange abilities that kept me alive, boons that I would have died without. Now, however, each day that passes I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb in the middle of this village. The only person that is not an elf. The only foreigner. The single individual that doesn¡¯t quite fit it. ¡®I am ecstatic about the news that I can be a prodigy at magic, don¡¯t get me wrong.¡¯ I straighten out my thoughts. Despite the giddiness that would make me want to positively shake in happiness. Is normalcy too much to ask for? I already have a supernaturally strong body, blood of unknown species running through my veins, probably an unknown fate waiting for me because why else would someone be transmigrated. I don¡¯t want to be special, there¡¯s a price attached to it that I don¡¯t know whether it has been already paid or not. ¡®All of this makes me think that this peace won¡¯t last much.¡¯ This place, this home, has rekindled what little hope I had after the forest, it seeded itself as a new place for me to be and to rest. I don¡¯t want to lose it all¡­ Not again. ¡°What about¡­ um, origin?¡± I ask after a moment''s pause. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± He circles around the table to grab a loaf of bread. He had been leisurely eating this whole time. ¡°The last two aspects I told you about are not very consequential in the grand scheme of things. Order, in a nutshell, is alignment. Though this ¡°alignment¡± can mean many different things. Gender, Mood, Health, Belief, Color, philosophy, Location. Depending on what is measured, what is thought, and what is brought to existence it can change erratically and completely ¡°change¡± to one thing or another.¡± He passes a fruit jam over a slide of bread. ¡°There are also ¡°orders¡± that are congruent to each other, and practically display no difference, it¡¯s all a very abstract thing you see? For example:¡± He lifts the other half of the bread he cut in two ¡°These two slices of bread are, for all intents and purposes, just bread. But this bread is not that bread, and that bread cannot be this bread. If you were to ¡°measure¡± them you would get the same results, but at the same time said results would be either unique or equal depending on how you look at it. You can see they are both slices of bread, but you may also see they are both two distinct existences, thus creating two ¡°orders¡± when you measure their location instead.¡± I grip and feel the radiating warmth around my cup. Samyra gave me this while he was explaining, I think it is filled with some sort of milk and honey. ¡®I feel ever grateful that they take their time to tell me things and explain to me what I don¡¯t know or understand. I don¡¯t think I had ever felt the fear of not keeping up enough with them¡­ though it¡¯s not like there is a schedule to keep.¡¯ A tangent though goes to ruminate about the failures of the mass education system supported by capitalism and the effects it had on my habits. He continues, bringing me back on track. ¡°The order that the altar attempts to quantify is related to someone¡¯s overall spirit. That is, a combination of body and mind, in other words health and sanity¡­ or the soul.¡± ¡°The soul?¡± I blanch at the implication of a machine being able to perceive something like that. ¡°Not really, actually.¡± He nonchalantly adds. ¡°Even one such as I has never been able to uncover the mysteries of the realm of spirituality.¡± He says with unnecessary grandeur. Samyra sighs. ¡°Don¡¯t start now¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± He withdraws playfully. ¡°You see, what the altar tries to do is combine the quantified values of your physical wellbeing, your mind¡¯s serenity, multiplied by the sum of the spectrum that is the imprint of the ¡°Origin¡± aspect of your mana, and give an arbitrary rating based on those.¡± He stands up to place his cup inside the sink. ¡°Yours scored a moss green italic eighth out of 10 celestes by the way.¡± There¡¯s a moment¡¯s pause as I register what he said. My face contorting into different expressions of incredulity while I make a meager attempt to comprehend whatever the heck that means. ¡°...Hah?¡± ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± He chortles. Dodging the stare I give him. ¡°I always loved this part.¡± There¡¯s a tired sigh beside me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, nobody knows what that means either.¡± Samyra comments, flipping another page. ¡°I do!¡± Clauren helpfully raises a hand. ¡°And you never explain to anyone who asks.¡± Samyra says to him unimpressed. ¡°That takes the magic out of it.¡± He replies conspiratorially. She goes back to flipping through her book ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Anyways, as for origin¡± Clauren proceeds without a single care to my palpable confusion. ¡±It¡¯s your ¡®signature¡¯, so to speak, besides being used in the previous part, it does not do anything else at all aside from marking you as the holder of this little plaque¡­ There are other uses with artefacts or enchantments, such as locks, bells, wards¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - I had asked what she was reading and told me that she was re-reading a copy of an old grimoire about a spell that folded clothes. I was taken aback that a simple thing like that required a huge book as thick as my arm to explain. She told me that nobody really uses it because by the time someone is finished casting the spell they could have already done so by hand, but with how a lot of the people that live in the village practically never leave some odd things end up being made by people with too much time in their hands. And that besides the spell, the book had information about all the essentials and the basics about doing magic so that anyone that picked it up could learn to cast it. The title of the book was ¡°Magic that folds clothes for you & magic fundamentals for budding beginners.¡± ¡°It is something simple and easy to start with that anyone can learn to do.¡± She told me, knowing that I would soon delve into the world of magic, she went and already started making plans to help me despite Clauren being the main person that would be teaching me. ¡°...Oh¡­¡­.Um¡­¡± That struck a chord within me... Though I tried to hide it when they started to tease me about it. She and Clauren shared a look that had a whole conversation inside it. Clauren is always prodding at new ways to get people riled up, and Syuufarin has proven to be not only a brand new target to his childish teasings but also a tough opponent at times, though he ever wanders how she is able to switch between serious and stoic to barely contained bubbleness. However, something that has been catching both of their attention and concern is how, without fail, Syuufarin crumbles with any acts of kindness or decency that they have long since taken for granted among themselves and the village. Which made them wonder just what kind of life the little girl lived. She is still slowly getting used to them, but they always see her being caught by surprise by the strangest things and having trouble expressing herself. ¡°Ooh come on, this is what gets you all embarrassed?¡± Clauren says, hiding his thoughts with a playful grin. ¡°What¡¯s the magical word we say when you are grateful?¡± ¡°T-thank you¡­¡± I stumble to get the words out, feeling my tail swishing behind me. ¡®Ugh, I already have a rough time with these appendages¡­ and then my ears and tail decide to have a mind of their own!¡¯ I turn my head away to dodge their smiles. I don¡¯t know whether I am happy that they are so accepting and helpful or sad that I still find it hard to get used to such things. Comparing them to most of the people I knew before I came here feels unfair, when I thought about it, sometimes if feet like that world lacked a lot of trust and love inside their societies. By the time we finished talking Samyra had finished her book and the sun was already setting. And since it was already late and they didn¡¯t want to bother with it, we all went to the main courtyard of the village. They don¡¯t really have much of a culture of cooking at home, considering that their houses aren¡¯t all that safeguarded against intruders, only for the bare necessities and privacy. After all it isn''t like there is danger inside this place nor any fear from the neighborhood. Clauren and Samyra are some of the few that prefer to have meals at home¡­ or at the place where they work. They do it because Clauren is a weird person that is always gravitating towards his lab and Samyra often ends up accompanying him, or maybe she just likes quiet. ¡®Their concept of home isn¡¯t just the house, but it includes the whole village rather than just the place where their things are.¡¯ I still feel the effects of whiplash no matter how much time I¡¯ve already spent living here. Whereas back then people barred their windows, locked their doors and gates, and built walls around them out of necessity¡­ ¡®Here¡­ There¡¯s so much more¡­ freedom. it¡¯s saddening to see how constantly unsafe I had felt despite all the security measures and the existence of police.¡¯ As a matter of principle, they don¡¯t measure trust or calculate risks, because they don¡¯t need to, not when they live in safety and abundance. ¡®Maybe I am repeating myself but it is always so jarring. Is this what they call culture shock?¡¯ I¡¯m shaken out of my thoughts when the hustle and bustle of the square becomes visible. The dark of the night is warded off by a multitude of torches and glowing things hanging off the tapestries that are hanging above some of the alcoves and tables. The loud noises of conversation, constant noise of clattering things and moving people, and bright lights start to become a bit too much for my senses as we approach. A grimace slowly makes its way to my face. ¡®I can already feel a headache coming¡­ Thankfully my eyes are fine and I don¡¯t get blinded by lights that are too bright, but I wish I didn¡¯t have my good hearing right now. Ugh¡­¡¯ I can smell many different things, the elves¡¯ bodies, the acrid smoke ¨C¡¯someone is burning incense too¡¯¨C, the perfume someone¡¯s using along with sweat. But on top of all these things¡­ The thick aroma of food was heavenly, a massive pot steaming with broth that is being mixed by a comically sized wooden spoon by a kid standing on top of a chair catches my attention. ¡°Why don¡¯t we come here more often?¡± I ask. It¡¯s basically free food after all. ¡°I dislike walking.¡± Clauren bluntly answers, and a sly smile begins to form ¡°That, and Samyra just loves to bake some surprise¡ª ACK!!!.¡± Samyra pinches and pulls his ear, lips pursed and a small blush on her. I tilt a questioning look at her as I incline myself away from them. For some reason I think we were on the same page on what he was talking about. There¡¯s a central place where food is made for everyone and by everyone, people can bring their own things if they want but most of the time they partake from the same pot. A huge, massive cauldron that is taller than me and even wider, if it were any bigger I¡¯d call it a pool instead. The cauldron looks and feels old, it¡¯s encrusted with layers upon layers of what I think is carbonized residues from both the food and the fire that gives it a sheen black shell from always being in use for god knows how many years or even decades. ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen them put out that fire, or take out the cauldron to clean it¨C Just how much does that thing weigh?¡¯ I wonder. ¡®I''ve come here a few times during the hours that people are usually having a meal together¡­ but all of the gathered up people¡­¡¯ I never liked crowds. ¡°A lot of people like to come here not only for the food but also because it¡¯s just where everyone else usually is at this time of the day.¡± Samyra explains to me. ¡°To mingle and have a good time, but there are good sides to doing things at our house too. Everyone has their preferences I guess.¡± She thought that Syuufarin could use something to unwind after everything that happened today, though honestly she was having second thoughts judging by her reactions so far. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have a little change of scenery every once in a while.¡± Plus it was late and she was not in the mood to cook something, and gods forbid she let Clauren touch the kitchen. ¡°You are all the scenery I need dear.¡± Clauren purrs dramatically.. ¡°...Ew.¡± I blanch at the blatant flirting. ¡®Normally I¡¯m the one that is clueless about these sorts of things but even I can detect the cheesiness.¡¯ ¡°Clauren.¡± She says a little harshly. ¡°Not the time. What¡¯s gotten on with you all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡± ¡°Right.¡± She sighs. ¡°Just¨C Oh look, there¡¯s Gaviel! Go bother him.¡± ¡°Aw, Am I a bother to you?¡± He whines. Even though he instantly locked on the figure of Gaviel in the distance when she mentioned him. ¡®Grown ass man¡­¡¯ I think to myself. ¡°You know what I meant, honey. Now go have fun and eat something, will you?, you are just hungry, not that bored.¡± She pecks him in the cheek before Clauren saunters away in the direction of his poor imminent victims. I look over to the somewhat long line of people waiting to get a large bowl of the soup. The long, long list of ingredients that end up inside that thing is beyond me but from what I gathered there¡¯s a little bit of contribution from everyone. ¡®It makes sense I guess, making something that huge would need the help of a lot of people.¡¯ And the person, a highly-regarded person from what I caught on to, who commands the pot is called ¡°the soup-mother¡±, though the word they use isn¡¯t quite ¡°mother¡± but has a meaning closer to something like ¡°progenitor¡± or ¡°caretaker¡± at the same time. They look like they have absolute authority around the kitchen-like space around the cauldron, apparently even the Chief defers to their judgment. ¡°Why is that?¡± I can only wonder why. ¡°You see¡ª¡± A white blur crosses my vision. ¡°HIEEEEE!!!¡± A high pitched scream sounds across the area after a loud thunk is heard. Oddly enough nobody bats an eye to the noise. ¡°GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY INGREDIENTS.¡± A deep, booming voice comes right after. ¡°He¡¯s scary that¡¯s why.¡± She tells me. Turning my head the first thing I see that there¡¯s a big white bone knife glinting under the light of the oven fires, bigger than my whole arm, sunken deep into a cutting board in the kitchen area. The man in question is actually kind of short, but what he lacks in stature he more than makes up with his bursting physique, the rippling muscles and the knife making for a fearsome appearance. There¡¯s also a teenager looking Elf on the ground on the verge of crying holding their hand like it just got cut off. I feel a shiver down my spine, suddenly very aware of my own arm. ¡°He¡¯s also the Chief¡¯s partner so there¡¯s that to account for¡­ But yeah, it¡¯s mainly because he is scary.¡± ¡°The chief¡¯s¡­ partner?¡± I voice. ¡°Why does he work in the kitchen?¡± From what I understand gender roles aren¡¯t really a big thing around here and I don¡¯t mind, but that guy looks more like a battlefield veteran than a housewife to me. And from someone associated with what I believe to be the Leader of the village, or the highest form of authority, I thought that their job would be something more¡­ grand. She opened her mouth¡­ and paused. Syuufarin was a curious child¡­ understandable, since she wasn¡¯t exactly from here and was getting acquainted with the village still. She liked to ask questions, a lot of questions, not only about all the things she sees and learns but about other people too. Samyra caught herself answering her a lot of the time, getting comfortable with having her always chase after her when she needs something. And though she enjoyed the bonding experience, now that she thought about it Syuu doesn¡¯t really know anyone other than her and Clauren, and maybe that kid, Sedia, that always pops up every now and then. Though this was not exactly the best occasion to do this nor the best candidate, it is an opportunity¡­ Maybe, maybe she could push Syuu a little bit so she can make some friends. She says gently as we walk up to him. ¡°Hmm, how about you try asking him yourself?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 31-Carved Lemonade
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª Believe Grand Elder ¡°Granny¡± And the oldest Elder sat together as they watched a particular girl from a distance away. Hot bowls of food sat beside them as they waited for them to cool down. She took a generous drag of her favorite vice. A personalized mix of fragrant herbs and compounds that kept her nerves relaxed and awake. ¡°You¡¯d ought to trust your gut more kiddo,¡± Granny gave a knowing side glance to the Elder ¡°with all the nonsense going inside your head you¡¯re looking more wrinkled than me!¡± She barked a mocking laugh, the laugh lines that wrinkle her face becoming pronounced. ¡°I am not a child! I have not been one in a long time.¡± The elder shouted back, petulant. ¡°When will you begin treating me as an adult?¡± He traced his fingers across his forehead, keenly aware of the many divots and the coarse surface of skin. A loud cough, along with a rhythmic tapping of an incensed smoking pipe. ¡°Brat, I¡¯ve known you since when you were this small,¡± Granny gestured with a hand lowering as far she could to the ground ¡°even changed your diapers! You¡¯ll always be a little rascal to me.¡± The elder scoffed, but didn¡¯t rebuke. ¡°If there is anyone that should be more wary it is you.¡± He said after a moment¡¯s pause ¡°After all, was it not you that told me that she is more than what meets the eye?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± Granny admitted ¡°But ain¡¯t nobody said that¡¯s a bad thing.¡± She draped herself backwards on her chair stretching. ¡°Lot¡¯s a great changes are coming, whether we like them or not. So I¡¯m ready to make the most of them, whatever they may be.¡± The elder sighed, a deep displeased grunt coming right after. ¡°I wish I could be as optimistic as you, time has taught me to expect the worst, however.¡± Granny chortles, throwing a piece of vegetable on him. ¡°Don¡¯t go spouting lines like you are some wise sage.¡± The elder sputters in anger. Granny interrupts him before he can say anything. ¡°Ya just have a massive stick up your butt you cheeky brat. Take it from me, and learn to live a little.¡± ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
¡°A-awawawawa¨C¡± ¡®SCARY!!! WHY IS HE LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT?!¡¯ The apron-wearing man stares down at me with a menacing glint in his eyes, he has a rugged appearance with a square sharp beard and a bald head that reflects the amber¡¯s glow, the way his large brows frame his face only makes him look more angry than he already is. His visage shrouded by the light coming from under the braiser is accented by the shine of the massive knife in his hands. He flips it around and starts idly sharpening it as I don¡¯t say anything. ¡®S-stop flipping that knife like that! W-what are you going to do with it??¡¯ I¡¯m frozen on the spot, someone would argue that he isn¡¯t any less intimidating than the monsters in the forest, but while they would just maul me to death I have no Idea what the man in front of me would do. ¡°A-a¡­¡­¡­.u¡­.u-um...¡± He suddenly interrupts, startling me. ¡°So you¡¯re the little sprout that everyone is always talking about?¡± His voice is deep, gravely and sharp. Like gravel inside a barrel. *HIC¡ª* My breath hitches. An awkward squeaking noise comes out of me. In my panic I make an attempt to hide somewhere, anywhere¡ª ¡°Yeah!¡± Samyra chirps cheerfully, rooting me in place as she places her hands around my shoulder. ¡°She wanted to get to know you!¡± Unbeknownst to them I was screaming inside. ¡®AAAH!¨C SAMYRA WHY DID YOU HAVE TO OUST ME LIKE THAT?!¡¯ I was a little curious about the eccentric guy that stood out in the crowd, since he is one of the few that actually has a beard amidst all the elves and isn¡¯t as tall compared to the others. ¡®It is one thing to observe and admire from a very healthy distance away from the crowd and the noise¡­ BUT WHEN I POINTED AT HIM I DIDN¡¯T MEAN THIS!¡® I avoid his gaze with a large berth. Looking away from him and to the side, I try to think of something to get away but all I come up with is a blank. He raises a judging eyebrow. ¡°So you say¡­¡± ¡°E-e-e-erm¡­¡± An awkward silence passes as they both observe me. I cross my arms to hide my fidgeting fingers in an attempt to do¡­ something. As my tail curled itself around my leg. My head runs frantically in multiple directions. ¡®Scary! Dealing with children is way easier¨C I mean, with them there isn¡¯t any danger and it¡¯s not like they can do that much, but why does this guy have to glare at me so much!¡¯ This is the first time I ever had someone glare at me this way, I was never the type to get into trouble before and didn¡¯t give many reasons for other people to approach me. I briefly wonder what is it that makes him so different from everyone else, it¡¯s not as if I have so much difficulty with speaking to anyone else. ¡®Though now that I think about it I never did approach anyone in this village out of my own volition¡­¡¯ The unfortunate fact of my introverted nature surges to slap in the face again, I try to ignore the twisting feeling in the back of my throat and the embarrassment twisting my tongue. I whimper, deflating against Samyra¡¯s hold. ¡®I wanna die¡­¡¯ Samyra nudges me ¡°Come on, did you not want to know about him?¡± She whispers surreptitiously in my ear, disregarding the state of my sorry corpse. ¡°He may be scary, but he isn¡¯t going to eat you.¡± ¡®SEE!? EVEN YOU AGREE THAT THIS DUDE IS SCARY¡ª¡¯ A tear forms in my eye, I gulp down the ball of frustration climbing out of my chest. ¡®AAH! SAMYRA I HATE YOU!¡¯ I shout curses against her in my own head. The man had uncrossed his arms while I wasn¡¯t looking. ¡°Goodness gracious the girl seems on the verge of crying¡­¡± I hear him mutter surreptitiously to himself. Samyra doesn¡¯t notice. He slightly bends himself to look me in the eyes, ¡°Hello child, my name is Crocus!¡± He says in a much softer tone than before, reaching down a hand to pet my head. ¡°I have seen you meandering around mine humble land before, but I do not believe we have been acquainted. It is nice to meet you!¡± His large hand bumps a little clumsy on my horns, he pauses a moment looking at them, but otherwise successfully manages to make a mess out of whole head. ¡°A-a.. y-you too.¡± I manage to cough up a response. Numbly touching my head and fixing the stray locks that got in my eyes. My thoughts still too jumbled and incoherent for me to do much of anything. As suddenly as he changed his demeanor it seemed like the menacing aura he exuded evaporated in the wind, leaving me somewhat perplexed. And just like that, now he simply appeared to me as a short middle aged man with a hearty smile, the ghost of the fanged beast I was hallucinating out of him fading into the background. At that comment I let a wet cough and my knees wobbled without my permission. My heart''s still beating frantically and in panic mode, but now that I look up at him again from a different angle he doesn¡¯t seem as threatening¡­ Though he is still scary. He stood back up, dragging a nearby stool for him to sit. ¡°Don¡¯t mind the kitchen, there are other people to take care of the food, please, sit.¡± He motions to the other stools that are stacked under the countertop. I hesitate a couple seconds, still registering the world around me, before I can wake up my mind to go and grab a chair Samyra had already picked up for her and me. ¡°She has only arrived a little while ago,¡± Crocus says, despite actually being months since I got here. ¡°Is this the first time you have brought her here?¡± He asks Samyra. ¡°Yes, though I wasn¡¯t aware that she had explored so far into the village, she¡¯s quite shy and likes to gather dust inside her room. I¡¯ve even had to drag her outside by her feet one time before she started to gather moss with how stubborn she was being¡­¡± I bap her leg with my tail in righteous indignation, making her chair shake a little. ¡®AGH! Too much! Too many details! Are you here to socialize or to lynch me?!¡¯ I visibly pout to the side, not voicing my anger at her. Much to my consternation, she doesn¡¯t even react. Crocus only raises a bushy eyebrow to my actions. ¡°...So it was a surprise when you mentioned that you had already seen her around here before.¡± She turns to me, expectant. I look down, not sure of what to answer. ¡®I¡¯m already tired and my social batteries have already expired before we even came here¨C Can we go now? What am I even supposed to do here??¡¯ A deep sense of tiredness seeps itself into my gut. "Great, good, we met this guy, Crocus, not that I want to be rude or dismissive of him, he seems like a nice person, it would even be¡­ nice to get to know him¡± I painstakingly admit to myself. ¡®But I kind of want everything to just end right now.¡¯ I already had started with a left foot in all of this and now I have completely no ideas on what to talk about. Seeing my shy silence Crocus comes forth to the rescue. ¡°Well, I am sure the lad had her reasons. It is not as if anyone can lock themselves in a room forever.¡± Samyra scoffs ¡°Pha! You¡¯d be surprised, have you ever even seen Clauren?¡± Crocus makes an unreadable expression ¡°Ah¡­ yes, that is¡­ you make a fair point. That rascal was one darn handful before you tamed him. What has he been up to these days?...¡± Samyra and Crocus spend some time talking to each other, about mundane things and the people they know in common. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Time passed and it soon became night, by now the dining area wasn¡¯t as crowded as before. A few times during their conversation Crocus had to leave to the cooking area, it is his job after all, but they kept leisurely talking to each other despite the increased distance. In the meantime, we had picked up our portions for the night. Clauren appeared somewhere in the middle after being allegedly kicked away by Gaviel to sit with us, joining the conversation. The soup has a creamy and thick body with an orange and pink tint to its color, it¡¯s full of chunks of vegetables and peppered with sprinkles of a variety of herbs along with thin strips of what I think is shredded meat. It smells like green and the broth looks delicious. I take a tentative sip¡­. ¡­And then take some more. Hungrily diving into it ¡®This reminds me of the noodles mom used to make.¡¯ The thought makes my chest feel hollow for a moment... A shaky breath brings me back from the brink. Along with the soup, there¡¯s also a loaf of bread they serve along with it. It''s not very soft, ¡®it feels very¡­ homemade compared to the bread I was used to.¡¯ and it smells somewhat salty. Taking a bite out of it I find myself with a tastiness filling my mouth, looking inside the bread from the part I took a bite out of it I see that there are little pieces of something dried stuffed into it. Something pokes my side. I turn to see Clauren dipping his bread inside the soup, deciding to take a page out of his book. I do the same. The somewhat strong consistency and saltiness of the bread is complemented by the relative sweetness of the soup¡­ I scarf down more of it and end up asking for seconds. Clauren chuckles to himself, while I was wholly unaware of the noises I made while eating.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. When I was about to finish my second bowl. Crocus appears again. Sitting back down on the stool he had been using with a bowl of food in hand, he scratches his beard, thinking. ¡°Putting that ungovernable menace aside,¡± He refers to Clauren like he isn¡¯t even there, who made a baffled face. ¡°Where does this little girl even hail from? I am aware with certainty that she has appeared unexpectedly with Gaviel and a group of rangers¡­ but all I have heard from this matter is rumors and baseless gossip, now that I am graced by the presence of the tiny celebrity herself,¡± He waves a spoon in my direction ¡±I find myself curious.¡± A painful silence comes across us, the sounds of the dining space around us suddenly filling our conversation. Samyra tries to deflect ¡°A-ahaha¡­ that is¡­ um, ask Gaviel about it?¡± She says, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly with a guilty face. Clauren half-chokes and makes a face like he was caught in the act, instead of recomposing himself he half-hides behind Samyra. I grip my arms, avoiding his eyes with puckered lips. I try to take a deep breath to calm down but it comes as a shaky exhale instead. There is only one word ringing across my head... and it is ¡®fuck.¡¯ There was an entire ordeal that was utterly painful and aggravating to me to explain this not too long ago and I don¡¯t wanna do it all again. ¡®Those are memories I would rather not remember right now.¡¯ Every time someone brings it up not only do I recall that life along with the glaring and unnatural holes in my memory but also the agonizing time that hellish forest gave me. Seeing both of our reactions to the question, Crocus abruptly stops. Leaning back, he takes a strained breath looking at the night sky ¡°Oh...¡± He makes a deep sound of understanding. I don¡¯t know how, but then and there, despite him not knowing too much. Somehow he already knew everything that he needed to know. ¡°I am¡­¡± Crocus begins to say, but hesitates. ¡°...¡± He takes a deep breath, ¡°It is a blessing, a great blessing, that you have been found when you were.¡± He says instead, more to himself than to us. Turning serious, he speaks to Samyra and Clauren. ¡°Both of you are still young¡­ take care of her, you hear me?¡± ¡°I¡­ Yes, I promise.¡± Samyra answers. Finally acknowledging his presence, Crocus turns to Clauren, giving him a stern, judging gaze. Clauren coughs, quietly breaking the atmosphere. ¡°Y-yes.¡± He, too, answers... While still clutching Samyra¡¯s arm. Who gave him an unimpressed glace. We all wait with bated breaths. Crocus holds his glare for a moment longer¡­ ¡­Before abruptly relaxing like nothing happened. ¡°Then all is well.¡± He says as he puts a spoonful of soup into his mouth. Clauren sighs, relieved. ¡°And you still question why I don¡¯t like coming here.¡± He grumbles to Samyra, who is still looking a bit out. I feel like the strings holding my body are cut. I let out a loud sigh along with Clauren while resting my body against Samyra¡¯s side. ¡®I just wanted to eat my food in peace¡­¡¯ My heart still palpitates with unbidden stress even after a while passes. A minute of destrangled quiet passes as we turn our focus back to our food. ¡°You were right, he is scary.¡± I say, Putting my bowl down. This time Clauren actually chokes on his food. ¡°Hah! Bold of you to say that to my face girl.¡± Crocus barks out a laugh. ¡°You are always welcome here, come again more often!¡± He ruffles my hair¡ª ¡°H-HEY!! EW! Your hands are smeared with oil!¡± His hands are oily and greasy and the damned old man is fu**cking vigorously making his hands'' presence in my hair known. ¡°I can feel them mucking my hair¨C HEY STOP IT!¡± I growl out half-hearted threats to him. Samyra laughs heartily. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°Uuugh¡­¡± I whine. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop him?!¡± ¡°In my defense, even if I wanted to, I would not.¡± Clauren puts his hands up in defense. ¡°And why am I the only one being singled out?! Samyra was laughing at you!¡± ¡°Wait, what do you mean you wouldn¡¯t even!?¡± I say incredulously. ¡°And Samyra already has retribution waiting for her so she doesn''t count.¡± Samyra misses a step. ¡°¨CWait what?¡± She says with a hint of fear and confusion. We are making our way back home. Today the sky isn¡¯t as bright so Clauren did something with his hands that made a little ball of light to illuminate our path. I am walking between Samyra and Clauren. He replies ¡°What would I even do? He¡¯s scary.¡± He says, crossing his arms as if that¡¯s all the reason he needs. ¡°Also, I want in with whatever ¡°retribution¡± thing you have planned.¡± Facing Crocus was something he said he¡¯d wish that didn¡¯t happen to him tonight. ¡°H-hey!¡± Samyra shouts, flabbergasted. ¡°I don¡¯t know? Ask him politely to stop?¡± I comb my hair with my fingers, fruitlessly trying to get the grease that is now also spread to my hands. ¡°And I don¡¯t have anything planned right now¡­ though I still will hold a grudge over her.¡± I say with crossed arms. ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you when it happens¡± ¡°What do you mean when?!¡± Samyra shouts again. Mouth agape. Clauren nods evenly ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡± Ignoring Samyra who is hitting him. Samyra sighs, despondently. And then softly bonks both of us in the back of our heads. ¡°Clauren¡­ you¡¯re a lost cause.¡± She says with some small disdain. ¡°Syuufarin¡± She emphasized, calling my attention. ¡°We know you are¡­ less than sociable.¡± I scrunch my face, pouting. ¡®She¡¯s not wrong, I know I am, but¡­ ouch. Do you have to say it like that?¡¯ She continues ¡°You can¡¯t lock yourself in your room forever, it¡¯s not healthy, you¡¯re a smart girl¡­ you know that. I don¡¯t like dragging you outside as much as you do.¡± She paused to measure her next words. ¡°You could, if you really wanted, stay in that little shack as much as you want¡­ But you wouldn¡¯t be living. Every elf here who is old enough knows, has seen what being like that does to someone, and you are so young¡­ and already like that¡­ I did what was best for you.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± A strange sense of nostalgia, paired with emotions of defiance mixed with ill temper. Begins to surge as she keeps talking. ¡®This¡­ this sort of talk¨C you aren¡¯t my¨C but I know that¨C I don¡¯t want¨C I know, I know I know that. I don¡¯t need to be told off by you. I¡­ I don¡¯t know. Sometimes, I just want to be left alone and disappear.¡¯ My throat contorts itself with a phantom taste of bitterness that makes its way down to my heart. It¡¯s easy to feel at home here. But it¡¯s also so very easy for that sweet feeling of hope to vanish in the dark. ¡®Sometimes, to lose myself in sweet memories of the past, I go down so deep in that abyss of dreams that I can¡¯t see anymore.¡¯ Living in the past gave me small moments of reprieve from having to face this uncertain future. Dreadful, intoxicating reprieve. I keep going back and forth from languishing reminiscence and progressive proclivities. Future, now and past all mixed up in a big, confusing mess that I occasionally drown in. ¡®I miss my mom.¡¯ ¡°...I know¡± I say instead, breathing harshly. ¡°Not that I have much of a leg to stand on this matter¡­¡± Clauren said with a hand on my shoulder, I hadn¡¯t noticed at all when he put it there. ¡°...But trust us when I say that this is what is good for you. You may not like it, I may definitely not like it, but it is the truth. You enjoy your peace, I can see it, but sooner or later you will need to learn how to expand the boundaries of that peace to include the space around you, rather than stay confined in that little room. Expand your sky.¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t really want to¡­¡± I mutter quietly. We stopped. By now we were already at the front door of their house. ¡°Syuu, dear.¡± Samyra crouched in front of me. Her face marred by an expression of worry. ¡°What is wrong?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - They had noticed. Samyra and Clauren both had an idea of what was ailing Syuufarin for a while now, though they also had little to no clue as to what exactly they needed to do to assuage her. They taught and lived with the village, sure, but they have never been caretakers for children before, much less guardians and definitely never parents. So, for a time, they had decided to do their best on what they could, and let time heal the wounds that made Syuufarin cry at night. It¡­ didn¡¯t work as well as they hoped. She didn¡¯t spend as many sleepless nights as she used to, and they know that her smiles and her laughter were genuine. Rare as they come, with how grumpy and sullen she was most of the time. So at very least something they have been doing has gone right, despite their errors. They¡¯ve left Syuufarin to her own devices, they expected her to go explore, maybe play with the other kids and do whatever it is that they thought children her age do. But she, to their surprise, had used what time she had to spend time with them. Which was well and good, they had fun, bonded together in surprisingly many ways. Syuufarin being a studious and hardworking little girl certainly helped a lot in that aspect. But they had noticed. As the days passed, and Syuufarin absorbed any knowledge from them like a bottomless sponge, they started to notice how she would retreat into herself and shut off the world more and more. And then she began to stubbornly isolate herself, began to speak less, and began to become listless. She tried to hide it, to assure them that everything was fine. It was time, they decided, that they must take action. Only, for as knowledgeable as they made themselves to be, they didn¡¯t know where to start at all. At least this made their efforts all that more genuine. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¡°We are here, always, with you.¡± ¡£¡£¡£ I throw myself into the bed inside the little house that they gave me, sinking my head into a pillow. Honestly, I barely remember half the words that we had across that conversation. Or maybe I can and just don¡¯t want to spend the effort to remember. We had an¡­ enlightening discussion yesterday. Awkward, too. I sigh, the sound comes out muffled by the pillows. One part of me jumps around in ecstasy wanting to learn new things and meet new people, to explore the world and see it¡¯s wonders¡­ the other is a lazy one that wants to become a tree in a desolated corner and exile itself from the scary unknown outside, too unwilling to do something to fill the hollow wound left from dying once. ¡®I¡¯m an adult¡¯ Something that is debatable, considering my body. ¡®I know what is good for me, it¡¯s just¡­ more often than not it is that latter side of me that wins.¡¯ I sigh again, turning my head away from the bed so I can breathe. I silently ruminate, staring at the strands that make the weave of the blanket. My tail flops from my right side to between my legs. ¡®I couldn¡¯t exactly say that I am still depressed to their faces just like that. They worry for me, and that¡¯s something¡­¡¯ I sigh, again. ¡®¡­something I¡¯m not all that used to. I used to joke about it all the time, as some sort of depraved dark humor but now that I¡ª¡¯ I tightly grip the bed sheets, feeling my nails digging into my palms. My tail violently hits the bed frame. ¡°I¡¯m tired...¡± my voice comes out hoarse. ¡£¡£¡£ When Samyra asked that question with a face that, above anything else, showed me how much she cared¡­ I had to tell them something. I couldn¡¯t deal with the fact that I was the one that made her feel like that. And so I did. ¡®I am not an extrovert, far from that. I remember being able to talk to people just fine before but now¡­¡¯ I told them, not the things that kept haunting my head, but more simply¡­ that I was scared. I did not enjoy a single moment of that conversation. It was embarrassing. It was hard. It was painful. It was a colossal exercise of effort to pry myself open. It was¡­ the truth. Above all excuses that I could come up with, I knew deep down that was I fucking terrified¡­ ¡­Had been since that day I woke up in the forest all those months ago, it¡¯s a feeling that has stuck with me since then. ¡®I tried to integrate myself into their village, to sit down and unwind, tried to accommodate myself, I tried¡­¡¯ Unconsciously, insidiously, experiences kept affecting me. I doubt myself and feel despair from a thousand different little things if I go to talk to someone I don''t know or trust¡­ ¡­What if they hate me? ¡­What am I supposed to do? ¡­Where do I even start? ¡­Do I even belong here? ¡­What if I fumble my words? ¡­What if I disappoint them? ¡­What if¡ª ¡­What if¡ª ¡­What if¡ª ¡äI feel like I am falling.¡ä Gaviel, Samyra, Sadia¡­ maybe Clauren, are all people that I trust. People that I''m somewhat acquainted with and comfortable with, even though one of them forced themselves into my life. Anyone else though¡­ ¡®There are times where I even thought I was having an anxiety attack¡­ maybe I even had one, once or twice... And I just couldn''t tell. I¡¯ve never had one before after all.¡¯ ¡®They pitied me, or sympathized, or empathized, or¨C something¡­¡¯ It¡¯s not as if they didn¡¯t understand. They did, but they just don¡¯t know what to do. ¡®Hells¡­ even I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡¯ So we came to a compromise. Clauren came up with the idea, I had cursed him a little bit then and there, because we can¡¯t really do magic lessons safely inside the house and they don¡¯t want me destroying anything just in case. And because Samyra is running out of things to keep my head occupied... We will begin to go outside more often tomorrow. Also, at least once a week, I would be dragged off to the dining grounds to socialize, if not then at least to get used to it. I honestly didn¡¯t think their ideas would work at all, but both of them, mainly Samyra, are vehemently against me continuing to rot inside my room. And despite my distaste for what they proposed, I also wasn¡¯t a fan of feeling like a hollow husk about to drown alone again. ¡£¡£¡£ I hug my quilt with my arms, breathing deeply. With my legs hug around my tail, that despite its sheen appearance is actually deceptively warm. ¡°...I¡¯m tired of lying here, despondent, doing nothing worth anything. When I could be so much more out there.¡± I try to psych myself up. ¡®It¡¯s all meaningless anyway, what am I even expecting to find? To do? I am aimless.¡¯ ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter? Who¡¯s to say what does and what doesn¡¯t?¡± I rebuke myself. I did not come here to rot, I am not here to meet my end, this is a journey, my journey, and I won¡¯t let myself end before I can even begin. I keep going. ¡°I can drown myself in the past, hoping that suddenly everything will be alright, that will accomplish nothing. I can frolic around and keep on living the rest of my days simply existing to eat, shit, and sleep, and that will accomplish nothing. Where was all that bravado? Where was that courage, that fierce flame that kept you alive? All of that indomitable hope that made you burst in the seams which kept me keeping on when I was at my lowest. What will I do now? Now, that there exists an entire world out there just waiting for me?¡± I shake off that sensation of dread. That sinking, gnawing, emptiness that had been creeping into my chest. ¡®Would I be a coward that is fated to wisp away into nothingness or will I stand proud and face the sun with a smile?¡¯ I stand. ¡°There is magic to be learned, swords to wield, and horizons to cross. Why would I stop now, what could hold me back? I came so far already, and I am not satisfied.¡± I take a deep breath, this time it fills me with determination. ¡°I despise socializing, but the urge to go beyond is bigger, grander, and more important than crying.¡± Tomorrow will be a great day. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 32-Babel’s Colors
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª Abacus Syuufarin felt that there was something strangely therapeutic in sitting by a window, the warmth of the sunset cascading inside as she finished her homework. She turned her gaze over to Clauren, he usually was occupied with other things, and left whatever education Samyra believed she needed to Samyra. But today, when he noticed her sitting there with a pile of papers he volunteered himself to help her. She nudged him to catch his attention, waving her papers politely to inform him that she had finished. ¡°Hm? Oh, you finished already? that was quick.¡± Clauren was surprised. He fixed his glasses. ¡°Sometimes I wonder if all this scholaring that Samyra is giving you is even necessary with how quick you go through everything. Now let¡¯s see here¡­ Huh?... Wait¡­ what?...¡± Syuufarin was beginning to feel worried and nervous. The homework was just some simple math questions, as she and Samyra had finished most of her lessons on their language, Samyra gave her a list of mathematical questions to have a measure of where she was regarding it. Clauren suddenly stood up, startling Syuufarin. He walked over to a cabinet that sat in a corner of the room, pulling out a board with rows of free moving wooden disks set in rows of iron rods. Syuufarin found the strange object familiar, an abacus, she remembered. Though she was still confused about what was happening. With dexterity befitting an experienced user of the tool, Clauren quietly sat beside her with her homework papers. The sound of clattering wooden beads being repeatedly flung across the abacus filling the room. ¡°These¡­ Where have you learned these mathematical structures?¡± Clauren asked Syuufarin, he could take a good guess on how they worked, based on how the tiny towers of numbers filled the margins of the pages. He thought that using an abacus was both faster and more economic since it used no ink, but he could see the ingeniousness of Syuufarin¡¯s method. He had never seen such a neat way to do calculations on paper. Syuufarin could only sweatdrop at his questions. Just how would she even begin explaining this?... ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
¡®I did not sleep well.¡¯ I turn left and right trying to get a crack out of my spine, unfortunately, my bones are flexible. I was so excited to start today¡¯s magic lessons that I completely missed the time and didn¡¯t manage to get any shut eye. And even before that there was the situation to clear with Samyra. ¡®Ugh¡­ Next time¡­ let¡¯s leave the giddy-jumpy imagination for anytime that isn¡¯t right before I go to sleep¡­¡¯ The most I get from stretching is a small satisfaction from loosening my stiffness. I don¡¯t really have the best sleeping postures. ¡®I miss coffee¡­¡¯ The closest thing I have found around here is a weird plant that looks like eyeballs when ripe, but they said that eating one of those raw will make you unable to sleep for 3 days. The elves don¡¯t really have a name for caffeine. ¡°Ready?¡± Clauren asks me. Right now we are in a backyard area behind Clauren¡¯s shop, nobody ever used the space in years aside from Clauren to dump unknown chemicals whenever he wanted, so he had cleared the area from tall grass while Samyra wasn¡¯t looking when she was tutoring me. There are three totem looking things covered with layers of wood and leather set at different distances apart from me, and I¡¯m standing in the middle of a chalk circle he told me to stand inside. There are weird gray spots in the ground devoid of any grass and life that I assume is his fault, but he clarified that there isn¡¯t anything to worry about since he had already dealt with everything. ¡°Yeah!¡± I answered him. ¡®...Honestly, no.¡¯ Despite all the preparation we had until now I couldn¡¯t be more nervous. I briefly remember the first time I ¡°tried¡± to do something with mana¡­ without any instructions¡­ That day I went to sleep with more blood outside my body than inside. ¡®Thankfully, I lived.¡¯ ¡°Okay! Now, just like I told you. This foci you are holding is a simple beginner¡¯s one, and we will be performing a simple spell that creates a harmless stream of water, I will channel mana through it once together with you, focus on that feeling.¡± According to Clauren¡­ Only masters are able to cast magic without a focus of some sort. Focus being a tool that can come with diverse shapes and sizes that Clauren insisted it is required to cast essentially any spell unless you want to rupture your own veins and die of hemorrhage. ¡®Which¡­ um, yeah¡­ Maybe I shouldn¡¯t tell him that that already happened once.¡® Clauren firmly grips a hand around my hands holding the wand, his other hand is placed behind me near my abdomen. ¡°I¡¯ll begin now. Empty your mind and relax.¡± He commanded. There is a¡­ not fuzzy feeling, but an indescribable sensation of presence invading my senses around the areas his hands are in, invisible through normal senses, but I can still feel it being there with my being, like a phantom feeling to the phantom feeling, it superpositions itself and spreads through my body like a sticky, but coarse vapor that leaves a inexplicably weird sensation of sweet chafing in my bones. As if I could put a flavor to the mana. ¡°You feel that?¡± Clauren asks. ¡°Y-yes,¡± I awkwardly squeak out ¡°It feels funny.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He noncommittally agrees. ¡°What you are feeling is me purposefully disrupting your channels. Now, pay close attention, I will be activating a spell with the wand.¡± Suddenly, like a strange sense of vertigo, but instead of dizziness it is focused and directional. An ephemeral sort of pull runs through my limbs that gives out a satisfyingly stretch on phantom muscle that has never been used before. A breath I had been holding leaves me as I feel the mystical energy inside me flow through my body to the wand in my hand. ¡°????????!¡± Clauren shouted a word that sounded like garble to my ears, fundamentally different from any other time when he spoke normally. It was as if I heard him speak, but the sound itself bounced off the walls of another reality. And just like that, a glow emerges in the space in front of the wand. From it a small gush of water started to come out from seemingly thin air like a faucet. The conjured water splashing harmlessly onto the ground. ¡°Look, we did it!¡± Clauren celebrates, even though I didn¡¯t do anything. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± I mouth, amazed. Though a thought hits me. ¡°How come you cast the spell, but I felt the effects?¡± ¡°Ah, you see, because of this particular way we are holding the wand, and because of my amazing skill.¡± Clauren boasts, saying that very few people can do a thing like this. ¡°Essentially, I¡¯m not really holding the want proper, but I am still able to somewhat access it¡¯s foci, so because you are in the path between me and the wand, I used your own body as a pathway to channel my mana to reach the wand, and complete the spell.¡± He lets go of my hand. ¡°But because I am, in a way, channeling a spell using your own body, there¡¯s a significant amount of resistance since I am pushing my own mana through you that ends up dragging an amount of your own mana in the process, which is what you felt when the spell was cast.¡± I pause at that. ¡°Is it possible to cast spells inside people?¡± I say with a disgusted grimace. ¡°Erm.¡± Clauren is visibly uncomfortable with the subject. ¡°No, not quite¨C Have I explained what foci are to you?¡± I run through my memories. ¡°...No I don¡¯t think you did.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Well I will have to rectify that.¡± Clauren begins explaining ¡°The mana that is present inside us, just like the mana in most other living things, wasn¡¯t really made to be extracted, expelled, or moved around willy-nilly, despite our abilities to interact with it, and being able to directly manipulate it with our own will¡­¡± ¡°...It¡¯s an energy that coexists, and sometimes enhances, the anatomy of the subject. While it¡¯s not an essential element to sustain life, its presence in the atmosphere has at least some impact on all lifeforms. In this case, mages are individuals who can harness this energy. The problem is, because it¡¯s such an intrinsically intertwined essence with the being, drawing it out can take a toll in the body. Forced extraction can lead to lethal consequences¡­¡± ¡°Foci, or focus gemstones, were created to serve both as a faucet that puts a hard limit on the ¡°flow¡± that a mage uses on their spells, preventing them from simply gushing mana all over the place and wasting it all, and as a catalyst or lens that makes spellcasting more efficient and easier to handle.¡± Clauren explained that focuses are like using a quill to draw instead of trying to write from spilling drops directly from the ink jar, and that only experienced masters are able to do the impossible without the metaphorical quill, at a great expense of control and power. ¡°Does that mean you are a master?¡± I ask, recalling that time he produced a small flame in the tip of his fingers. ¡°Ha! Of cour¡ª¡± *Bonk* ¡°Lying is a bad habit you know.¡± Samyra, who had been silent so far, said in a tired voice. She turns to me ¡°He has very tiny versions of his magic staff hidden on his sleeves.¡± She explains. She didn¡¯t want to miss my first lesson on magic¡­ and also she was here as a safety measure. So she had been observing from afar for a while now. ¡°Poo.¡± Clauren childishly grumbles. ¡°But you must admit that there is a high level of skill required to pull off my tricks. The spells may be pitifully tiny but making them appear on my hands at will needs no shortage of hard work.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Samyra hums. ¡°Dear, you are going on a tangent again¡­ what about the lesson?¡± Clauren sheepishly breaks off from what he was going to say. ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°To answer your question, yes, spells can be cast inside people, in fact there are many healing arts that do exactly that. They are specialized spells specifically made to bypass or penetrate the natural resistance living beings have against intrusive mana, so that they may reach inside and heal something.¡± He avoids mentioning that healing spells aren¡¯t the only thing you can cast inside people. ¡°Now¡­ wizardry. The quintessential and traditional way of spellcasting¡­¡± Clauren begins pulling out diagrams from somewhere deep in his pockets. ¡°...Utilizes incantations and magic matrices, all in a formulaic structure with a robust and well tested system that leaves little room for error, if a spell fails, more often than not it¡¯s the user¡¯s fault¡­¡± ¡®...Formulaic?¡¯ I question, beginning to sense dread. ¡°...All spells I will teach you have a basis on arithmancy along with a thirty-two glyph set layered into a magic matrix. The simple spell we just did only uses three glyphs with a simple single dimensional matrix without much math, for now though¡­ let¡¯s practice manipulating your own mana pool.¡± ¡®Math?! What do you mean Math??¡¯ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - # Artist rendition:
¡£¡£¡£ ¡°Aq¡­ um¡­ agk¨¹¡­ A¡ª¡± The chanting part of the spell, arguably the last piece of the puzzle, is a real tongue twister. Despite the diagram that feels like an overcomplicated physics question being annoying, it was doable, this however¡­ It''s not only partially a language in of itself, which I have to train to even pronounce the words correctly, but it is also like a muscle, something to take all that built up mana and ignite it, in a way. It is a bridge made out of meaning and word, built on the fly to deliver intent onto the material world. ¡°£á£ë£ö£ï£â£ï£ì£ô£ï!!!¡± I jump, suddenly startled, when water starts to spray like a hose from the wand. Like a heavy click from an old CRT, or a piece sliding into place, the chant triggered the spell sending a jolt through me. ¡°You did it!¡± Samyra exclaims. I stare dumbfoundedly at the spraying jet of water. ¡®Math¡­ was not something I had ever thought I would need to be reacquainted with in a world of magic.¡¯ I had to dig up some deep and obscure experience, including the things I had breezed through when Samyra was tutoring me. ¡®So much for thinking I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with it again¡­ I honestly thought it would be more along the lines of using my imagination¡­¡¯ I certainly had to use my imagination a lot¡­ for diagrams that is. Instead of the sort of instinctual magic I had in mind, the fundamentals of their magic follow formulaic rules of logic backed with principles of knowledge. Like understanding how to make water boil because of the scientific principle. The process Clauren uses to cast spells consists of using a power source, namely mana, to power a magic circuit, the spell¡¯s magic matrix, which then runs through the runes inside the circuit that, when put in a certain arrangement and orientation, produce various effects, and finishing it all, a chant that function as both a ¡°trigger¡± and focus structure to give the spell life. Theoretically, everything someone needs to do magic is mana and knowing the spell, the downside of this method is that there is little to no room to control the spell itself, only its output. ¡®...Though that isn¡¯t to say imagination plays no part at all.¡¯ Strangely enough, I¡¯ve found that using intent and having a good vivid imagination of what the spell is supposed to do helps to make it more easy to cast. ¡®And then there¡¯s a whole new other lexicon of words that magic uses¡­¡¯ I internally sigh. Not only there are a bunch of new symbols, each one with meanings and special effects, but also a sort of ¡°language¡± that the incantations use, Clauren referred to it as ¡°words of power¡±. A sort of separate language that holds the evocation power needed to spark the spells to life, and also to prevent accidental magic, apparently because using the language you habitually use to speak and think to cast spells can lead to spontaneous conjuration when your head is full of spells if you are not careful. The feeling of something being shoved under my armpits throws me off my thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re amazing Syuu!¡± Samyra shouts in front me. ¡°Huh?¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªAHH! W-WAIT DON¡¯T THROW MEEEeeeee!!!¡± lifting me up in the air she happily starts spinning around, the world around me blurs into a mess of colors. I feel my legs swinging wildly in the end so I try to tuck them to my chest in fear of hitting something. I feel my tail hit something as we are spinning and a distinct wet sound somewhere behind me. ¡®AAH, my tail!¡¯ I dismayed. Eventually Samyra places me back on the ground. I wobble on my feet dazedly. ¡°Casting your first spell on your first day too! It took me weeks to get my first attempt right!¡± she happily tells me, hugging me from behind. I feel uncomfortable from the sudden contact and try to squirm out from her grasp. I manage to escape once, but she grabs me again and begins to affectionately pet my head. I end up relenting. ¡®It¡¯s not because I like it, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m afraid of hurting her if I use too much force¡­¡¯ ¡°I-In less than an hour¡­¡± Clauren mutters, astonished. He is standing, but there is a very distinct red blemish on his face and dirt on his clothes. ¡°...I was planning to demonstrate meditation routines to you when you eventually failed.¡± He admits, a little guilty. I give him an upset glare. I had no problems manipulating mana, once I got down the sensation of having a fourth dimensional fifth limb. Though, right now I can¡¯t do much more than ¡°push¡± and ¡°pull¡± with it. He coughs ¡°You see, well, when I first started my path in the arcane a long time ago, I had struggled to properly cast my first spells, and my mentor had instructed me how to feel the flow of mana and create the proper mental image of the spell¡¯s formulas.¡± He sighs. ¡°Forgive me, I was honestly expecting you to struggle at least a little on your first attempt, what I had in mind was that when you first didn¡¯t succeed I would then proceed to teach you the meditation routine that I had learned to help me get a good grasp of my own mana.¡± I make a face of distaste. ¡®NOT a fan of sitting still¡­ much less sitting still and letting my thoughts simmer inside my head. I always end up going to weird places when that happens.¡¯ Sleeping was all fine and dandy, but sitting to think for the sake of thinking is something that I had been fed up with and out of patience for some time now, because when I have idle hands my head always returns to the past. ¡°However, now I see that it wasn¡¯t necessary¡­¡± He sighs. ¡°I will still make you meditate, however. So that you at least know how to do it.¡± I groan. ¡®I never found meditation to be fun, maybe a little interesting as a concept, but stilling my thoughts was never something I ever put much effort in before, neither ever succeeded at¡­ Maybe I can fake it?¡¯ ¡£¡£¡£ ¡®No, I can¡¯t fake it.¡¯ I sigh morosely. As it turns out, the ¡°meditation¡± Clauren was referring to, while it involves clearing your own head and all that, his version of it also involves stilling your mana. Something that I, despite having a moderate handling of my own already, really, really couldn¡¯t do no matter how much I tried. Apparently having too active thoughts makes my mana ¡°waver¡± or something, and despite me not being able to actually make my mana more ¡°quiet¡± he could tell when it was even more erratic than usual when I started to have tangent thoughts without intending. It¡¯s also, much to my suffering, something he can perceive. So he knew I wasn¡¯t meditating at all, everytime he noticed I was beginning to deviate he¡­ stuck a piece of paper in one of my horns, and I couldn¡¯t tell you enough how much it bothered me ¡®These horns are sensitive, you know?!¡¯ It was like having an earring, they got in the way and I constantly felt them rustling in the wind and I spent more time trying to ignore them than actually meditating. They were distracting, and uncomfortable. I said that they were getting in my way more than helping me actually finish this training we were doing, but Clauren just gave me a cheshire grin, justifying that it was a ¡°trial of patience and tolerance¡±. ¡°Well, it looks like my little prodigy has something she isn¡¯t good at after all. Don¡¯t worry though! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get it sometime!¡± Samyra tries to cheer me up, plucking the dozens of different pieces of paper out of my head. I glare forwards, silently grumbling more at myself than her. ¡°I assumed that you had a prodigious amount of control to cast your first spell so fast at first¡­ but it turns out you simply have an exceedingly large quantity of mana that you did not have to worry about efficiency at all,¡± Clauren tells me. ¡°Normally a mage would need at least a degree of finesse and clarity to do that simple spell but you simply shoved so much mana on it that it managed to fill all the empty spots in the spell¡¯s matrix that it ended up working¡­ somehow.¡± He says, rubbing his chin while intently staring at me from the chair he sat on backward, arms over the backrest. ¡°I¡¯m jealous¡­¡± He sighs. ¡°I wish I had ridiculous reserves that I could just throw around unconcerned like that.¡± He whines, gesturing widely at me. Not knowing how to respond to that I just hum while looking away. ¡®It¡¯s not¡­ I¡¯m not complaining... But I didn¡¯t have a choice to be this way.¡¯ I was grateful for these talents that I seemingly have, but no matter the praise they gave me¡­ it felt hollow, I wondered if I was even worthy of these things. ¡°Jealous of little girls now? Oh Clauren, how low have you fallen?¡± Samyra half-heartedly mocked. ¡°Hmph. As if you¡¯re better¡± Clauren turns to me and starts to talk in a conspiratorial manner. ¡°In my days as an apprentice she sulked and ignored me for weeks after she found out I was way better at magic than her. Despite what she looks like, she still flounders some spells to this day, it just isn¡¯t her strong point.¡± Samyra throws a dangerous look to Clauren. ¡°Hah? No way, it was because your arrogant younger self couldn¡¯t stop themself from pushing their accomplishments onto people¡¯s faces, you were insufferable.¡± ¡°See? She doesn¡¯t deny that I am a way better mage.¡± Clauren points a thumb to himself, proudly. ¡°Hmph.¡± Samyra scoffs ¡°Two can play that game, sir who can¡¯t even draw a bowstring, even Syuufarin is stronger than you.¡± She begins to idly comb my hair ¡°Did you know that he can¡¯t beat me in an arm-wrestling match unless he uses both hands?¡± ¡°I am a mage, and then a healer, muscles are not something that concerns me when I have magic and tools by my side.¡± I notice that Clauren doesn¡¯t deny Samyra¡¯s claim. Samyra rests her chin on top of my head, she is just high enough to comfortably do so without it being uncomfortable. ¡°Please don¡¯t turn into a deadbeat like him Syuu, it¡¯s bad for your health and then only weirdos would want to be friends with you.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Clauren yells, affronted. ¡®I¡­ what?...¡¯ I turn my head upwards to look at her, confused. ¡®Ma¡¯m¡­ you married him. What does that even make you then?¡¯ The rest of that day was filled with the lights of magic and the brightness of their shared banter. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 33-Meretricious Serendipity
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª St. Elmo''s Fire ¡°St. Elmo''s Fire¡± is a huge and mysterious bolt of lightning which strikes once every 32 years. There is no meteorological explanation for the lightning bolt, but it usually occurs sometime around late October and early November. During the Dark Age, the occurrence of St. Elmo saved the Averi population of eastern Toland when they were cornered by the Hollowed. The lightning fell on the army of monsters, wiping out a large portion of their forces. Since then, the Averi has celebrated the arrival of St. Elmo''s Fire. During its destructive power, easily capable of wiping out an entire city, Babel Castle was constructed atop the highest mountains as a lightning rod to attract it and protect the surrounding areas. ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
Days, weeks, and some months have passed. By now I think I¡¯ve been¡­ almost a year here in this village¡­ ¡­And I think, no, I believe that I¡¯ve come to accept this place as a home¡­ There are still times where I get bouts of depression. ¡®I miss them.¡¯ Family is¡­ Here and there. Left where everything was once right, and right here where I am left away. I am afraid of becoming too comfortable in this village, Daivette¡­ A name I still haven¡¯t gotten used to, it¡¯s foreign, it¡¯s strange¡­ ¡­not home. My heart still insists on lingering on the past, despite it all. I look over my drawings, piles upon piles of papers of half-finished drawings and discarded sketches. Some stained with tears, others crumpled and tossed aside in frustration. They were people in those drawings¡­ places, foods, friends, things that I loved, things that I lost. I am not an artist, maybe I have some talent with it, after watching all those tutorials online. But it was never something I put practice or effort into developing. I mentally scold myself. ¡®Why did I have to waste my time like I had? Now¡­ Now¡­¡¯ I pick one of them, longingly taking in all of the details of one of the few portraits I managed to complete to satisfaction. ¡®Mother¡­ Father¡­¡¯ I didn¡¯t include myself into the picture, I didn¡¯t dare to, It felt too wrong. After all¡­ I don¡¯t look like that anymore, and I am not there anymore. It doesn¡¯t matter how many days or years go by, I resolved myself to never, ever, forget them. It always hurts¡­ To remember, to reminisce. But despite the aching, I keep those memories close to my heart in a safe and dear place, and with time, I¡¯ve found myself being uplifted by those memories. ¡®...They would¡¯ve wanted me to live.¡¯ They will always accompany me, grief is bound to become a part of me, but I won¡¯t let myself be burdened by it. ¡£¡£¡£ Something pricks my ears, I hear someone familiar calling me. ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡± I yell back, a smile making its way to my face. I put down the drawing on top of my table. Pencils clatter and an inkwell is sealed. Beside the portrait of my parents, there were other drawings piled in messy piles. These, however, instead of that past, they depict the everyday life of the village¡­ Gaviel, Clauren, Samyra, Sedia, the cheerful team of cooks from the cantine, the village chief sitting with that granny, groups of familiar children, people who I never really talked with, but have always greeted me with smiles whenever I passed by. On the bottom of a picture portraying Clauren and Samyra merrily bantering beside a window, smiles on their faces with Samyra wiping breakfast off Clauren¡¯s face. Was written: What is left when you lose it all. What is right when this is all that''s left. Right here. Wherever I remain. Far from elsewhere I once had. Nowhere the end will I permit. Right here. In the middle of somewhere I shall prevail. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - I arrive at the front door, being met face to face with a Gaviel waiting for me. Gaviel has been visiting a lot in the meantime, whenever he isn¡¯t too busy. ¡°...¡± I greet him with surprise, and an inquisitive tilt of the head. ¡®Good morning! what are we doing today?¡¯ ¡°...¡± He pats my head, gesturing with a nod to outside. He implies for me to follow him. ¡°?????¡± Clauren just stands there. I follow, our tacit and silent agreement and acknowledgement going completely over Clauren¡¯s head who had called me over. He dumbfoundedly observes us as we leave. He¡­ if you wanted to talk to someone he isn¡¯t really the best person for it. Approach him with work or something that he likes and he will easily sink into his element, otherwise, there just isn¡¯t much talking that happens. ¡®A silent type of companionship. Comfortable, in its own way.¡¯ We ran out of things to share ages ago, and during that time we came to an agreement that every now and then he let me follow him and sometimes help with his more menial work because I was both curious and interested. And because I craved something to do and to validate my keep in the village. Sometimes¡­ I felt like a leech, and needed something to work to feed the irrational fear I would be kicked out. I knew that wasn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t be the case, they had made that clear, but I still felt a responsibility, a need to justify my stay. However long that stay may be. I was aware, that way led to ruin and bad habits, but I just couldn¡¯t help myself. Having spent my whole life worrying about the financial situation of my family led me to develop a deep rooted anxiety whenever I spent money for anything. Here, while there isn¡¯t really a coin system inside the village or loan sharks¡­ that anxiety hit just as strong, now in the form of resources. Someone somewhere built these houses, cooked this food, wove these clothes, and since I knew everything was specially handcrafted and not plagued by the clinical indifference that comes with mass produced industry, I felt the need to make myself worth these things twice as hard. Today I followed him to the local carpenter¡­ ¡­Or sculptor, more like. There isn¡¯t a high enough demand for the services of carpenters strictly speaking. The person in question is more of a master of all things wood related and carpentry and construction just happen to fall into their abilities, even their language reflects that, the profession¡¯s actual name being closer to something like ¡°Master Wood Shaper.¡± It encompassed not only carving, but also a significant proficiency in magic that manipulates wood. They often regrow and reinforce wood instead of repairing structures. Their carving skills only come in hand when creating things from scratch. Gaviel asked the carpenter for some spare blocks and planks of spare and scrap wood. We sat together not far from their house under a tree. In case we needed more wood later and to not disturb them. ¡°It¡¯s a nice way to pass time, when all you have is a good knife and you are surrounded by trees and wood¡­¡± He explained to me, slowly filing a piece of scrap wood into a shape, I see a tiny bunny the size of his hand being slowly brought to life as he keeps steadily sculpting the wood. Once he was done showing me, gifting me the bunny in the end, he taught me the steps on how to do it along with some tips. The carpenter happily provided some more appropriate tools he had to spare for me to practice instead of the knife Gaviel was using, which was a tad too big for me to wield. Besides that, Gaviel also showed me some useful tools that can be easily crafted. Arrow shafts, for one, and a bunch of others, like a bow drill, leverage struts that are parts of larger traps, etc. He didn¡¯t tell me how to make a bow though, because we had run out of time for the day, and apparently because authentic elven bows are superior and special in every way. But they need special methods to craft them that just aren''t possible to do with ordinary wood alone. ¡®Gaviel is¡­ a workaholic.¡¯ He has hobbies, he isn¡¯t a one dimensional pane. But being a ranger is kind of what he has his whole personality built around, his one grand purpose he told me. He has a lot of¡­ not loyalty, but I guess a lot of what he does and what goes inside his head is related to the village, he is always running around dutifully serving. That¡¯s how I found out that he actually is the handyman of the village. Officially, his main occupation is as a ranger, someone that keeps the surroundings of the village clear of most dangers (or at least the ones that we don¡¯t want near, some of them are used to keep the worse threats at bay from near the barrier) and occasionally is sent on expeditions to bring back items and ingredients people request. But in actuality, he spends the majority of his time doing odd chores for the people of Daivette. His obligations as a ranger take only a small fraction of his time. I ended up learning lots of little different skills and neat nuggets of knowledge from him during the times I ended up spending time with him while he worked. Like the different types of axes and the specialized one he uses to cut firewood, or how specialized knives are used to butcher and debone the animals people occasionally bring in. And a variety of little things. ¡®He¡­ has an excessive amount of bladed things now that I honestly think about it¡­¡¯ And I have a sneaking suspicion that he is sneaking in bits of the so-called ranger training he had wanted to teach me, disguising them as these leisure activities we do together. I knew that he knew that I knew what he was conspiring, but I didn¡¯t say anything, it was nice to relax together with him. He also taught me all the different knots with rope he uses, how there are different types and ways to make a campfire and how to make a makeshift torch from tree sap, he also explained how and why he built the campsites the way he had when we talked about our time in the forest long ago, along with the different monsters that reside in the forest ¡®I¡­ received a long overdue chastising on my eating habits in the forest. How was I supposed to know!? Everything was alien to me¡­ And I was really, really hungry.¡¯ The age disparity made it a little hard for him to treat me differently from a kid despite my apparent maturity, though considering he is actually several decades if not at least a century older than me there wasn¡¯t much I could do. Gaviel¡­ was also not the best at what someone would call parenting, I mean, I don¡¯t know much about elves but I certainly do not believe that showing a kid how to make and handle weapons and exposing them to the things he showed me is something a reasonable adult would do¡­ Nor letting the kid in question consume unholy quantities of snacks and sweets. ¡®He certainly makes a good uncle though.¡¯ I laugh to myself. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - My magic lessons have also been progressing nicely! ¡®Or at least, progressing in a way that there is some noticeable growth in my abilities¡­ Nobody told me magic was this hard! It¡¯s like¡­ physics two! No, physics three!¡¯ This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Thankfully it isn¡¯t all boring, but the learning curve is horrendous. The whole world of magic spellcasting has a culture attached to it. It¡¯s fun and all to see how the mysterious glyphs connect to make spells, and to unveil all the air of mysticism I had at first, but then each time the metaphorical veil is lifted there is another one under it! How someone actually managed to create spells boggles my mind. Besides the matrices and the runes, it feels like the spell itself is alive depending on it. Like Conway¡¯s game of life, the functions inside the matrix of the spell are all moving and interacting with each other in an enormous pattern of activity, nudging and triggering each other in a beautiful almost lifelike manner. The runes by themselves have very simple rules they function through, but when you merge them together in a spell¡­ ¡­It¡¯s as if they dance. Clauren himself admitted that despite having a huge amount of stuff to learn about magic, it¡¯s only a speck of what magic could be. The tip of the iceberg so to speak. The language used for incantation is the most ¡°stable¡± one he knows, but, maybe there are others of this sort of language out there in the world. The sort of spellcasting he knows and is teaching me is chock full of rules and logic, but, magic is by definition something that turns the impossible inside out. ¡£¡£¡£ I know lots of different spells now too! ¡®Though¡­ I can only reliably cast a few of them¡­¡¯ Anyways, I don¡¯t know anything cool like magic that creates a fireball yet¡­ I doubt that Clauren would even dare to teach me how, considering almost everything is made out of wood in this place. What I know how to do is a handful of what one would call ¡°lifestyle spells¡± like one to water the plants, to heat food, to sweep the floor, to lift things, and one that makes your clothes clean. Clauren doesn¡¯t really use any of them all the time because casting spells excessively and thoughtlessly would only lead up to him fainting in exhaustion. A condition he called ¡°mind-down¡± that happens when someone strains their mana too far. And also because he both didn¡¯t bother, and because he had better stuff to use mana for than chores. I, apparently, don¡¯t need to be so careful with my usage of magic because of my, and I quote: ¡°Stupid, dumb, excessively large mana reserves¡­¡± ¡­Clauren spent even more time sulking because of me. Again. Samyra¡­ though not really a full fledged mage, learned some things from Clauren through osmosis. And she has gotten down her proficiency of these little lifestyle spells down to perfection. She can¡¯t cast spells frequently, but if she wanted to she could send a magic burst of wind that would make the entire house spotless of dust in one go. The only spell I know that can be somewhat destructive is, surprisingly, the magic that water plants. It isn¡¯t supposed to be destructive, nor was it designed to anything beyond a light drizzle of water in a localized area¡­ But if I amped the output of it to exceedingly ridiculous levels¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - I¡­ essentially made a weaponized hailstorm of rain. It doesn¡¯t really hurt or anything¡­ ¡£¡£¡£ ¡°...And what do you have to say for yourself?¡± Samyra said to me in a disapproving tone. I flinched at her tone, she never talked to me with that tone before, or, never had a reason to before today. ¡°...sorry¡­¡± I answered, tightly clutching a broken wand in my hands while looking down. My ears drooped and I wrapped my tail around my ankles. ¡£¡£¡£ ¡­But it can flood a place really quickly. And flood isn¡¯t something you can hide¡­ ¡£¡£¡£ ¡°...And what do you have to say for yourself?¡± She turned to Clauren, entering an even more disapproving tone. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be supervising her?¡± Clauren opened his mouth to defend himself, but Samyra¡¯s laser glare dissuaded him from even trying. ¡°...sorry¡­¡± He mutters. ¡°...I didn¡¯t¨C I mean, I couldn¡¯t predict that she could push the boundaries of that spell so far.¡± He pushes his glasses up. ¡±I¡¯m impressed, even. Too much mana should have definitely overloaded the spell and broken the matrix but she somehow managed to have enough finesse to¡ª¡± ¡°CLAUREN.¡± Suddenly, Dahlia, the village chief, was here. Along with some people trailing behind her. ¡°HIEE!!!¡± Samyra and I jumped a meter in the air. ¡®W-WhatWhoWhen did she get here!?¡¯¡¯ ¡°Y-yes?¡° Clauren squeaked out, looking absolutely mortified. If someone asked me I would say that she was exuding a very heavy and threatening aura. The look of anger on her face was so bad that I wondered how she managed to frown her eyebrows so much. ¡°What did you do this time?¡± She said in an eerily calm tone for the anger she was irradiating. ¡°I got no less than six people suddenly barging into my room, at this ungodly hour,¡± She threw an arm to gesture to the people behind her ¡°demanding an explanation of why there is a flood around their houses, and demanding someone to fix it quickly before more damage occurs. And I know of only one exact person that has a reputation of creating disasters like this.¡± ¡°U-um¡­¡± Clauren glanced at me for a split second ¡°Y-you s-see¡­ I was doing some experiments and¡­¡± My eyes widened. ¡®Why are you taking the blame, you idiot!?¡¯ He kept talking and making something up on the spot. Samyra, too, looked surprised by him. ¡°I-I-IT WAS ME!¡± I end up yelling, cutting Clauren off. Everyone turned to me, somehow I shrink even more than I already was under their collective eyes. ¡°I-I-I a-am sorry¡­¡± I take a 90¡ã bow, trembling. Dahlia moaned a long, suffering sigh. Slowly dragging both hands down her face. ¡°Oh gods¡­¡± she hoarsely groaned. ¡°Now there¡¯s two of them.¡± ¡£¡£¡£ I¡­ had to fix the damages after¡­ And the wand Clauren gave me had exploded. And I got scolded by Samyra too¡­ ¡­And also the neighbors¡­ ¡­And then twice from the village chief. I had to spend what felt like forever kneeling in the ground while everyone took their turn. By the end of it all my feet were numb and my whole body uncomfortably stiff from sitting still in the same position. And then I also had to fix the whole mess, rebuild anything I destroyed and repair the damages. Clauren, being judged to be partly guilty because he is my master regarding magic, also was forced to help. We spent the whole day going down the trail of damage the flood left, thankfully I didn¡¯t flood the entire village, but since water has to go somewhere, and I cast the spell uphill, the damages were small, but very lengthy since the water flowed down through a bunch of places. ¡­At least I learned an earth spell out of it in the end. To fix my mess. Now I have to be really careful with my spells unless I want to bust another wand. Some days after the fact, word got around, and since I was going to be grounded for a long while¡­ I ended up being conscripted to the rice fields to atone¡­ Ergo, helping the people responsible for the farms. ¡£¡£¡£ ¡°Erm¡­ what¡­ exactly am I supposed to do?...¡± I meekly ask. I was still grounded, and with the Elves'' skewed sense of time, the last few weeks have been both rough and painstakingly boring. So my mood wasn¡¯t the brightest. ¡°Well ya¡¯ see lassie¡­¡± The man had a bit of an accent, ¡°I ¡®eard that it was you that made a downright mean magic that flooded a bunch of places¨C You still grounded eh?¡± ¡°...yes.¡± I sigh. ¡°So, here¡¯s a mighty deal for you. You¡¯re just a wee kid and kids are supposed to be free to do¡­ whatever it is that they do these days¨C anyways! Little ol¡¯ me thought that I could throw a bone over your way and help you out! People gotta work and little talents like yerself should be out there flourishing!¡± He gives me some aggressive pats on the back, I nearly fall from the force. ¡°So I asked around ¡®bout it, and the Chief told me to talk to your parents¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªPFFT!!!¡± *cough* *cough* I violently jerk away from him. ¡®PARENTS!? No no no¡­ yes? No! What the hell do you mean by that???¡¯ I was not ready for that type of thought to cross my head and now that he planted the seed I can¡¯t get the stupid, terribly embarrassing, and horribly stupid idea out of my head. ¡°You alright there?¡± He asks me worriedly. *cough* ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I deflect ¡°Just uh, I gulped down wrong.¡± ¡°Oh, ha! That happens to me all the time too.¡± He barks out a laugh. ¡°So, as I was saying! I talked to ¡®em, and they decided it would be a good um¡­ What did she say? ¡°An exercise of humility and conscientiousness.¡± And in exchange for you doing my job for a little while you can get ungrounded earlier!¡± He pats my head, hiding an ¡°ouch¡± when he accidentally misses his aim and gets the pointy end of my horn on his palm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry though, I¡¯ll help ya out!¡± I take a centering breath. ¡°...Ok!¡± ¡£¡£¡£ In the end, thanks to the magic that waters plants and the magic that manipulates dirt that I learned previously I didn¡¯t need to do much physical labor, instead what I ended up taxing out of my body was mental labor, doing these two spells all day. On the flipside, it was actually a fun experience, I got to practice magic, something I will never get tired of. And the people that owned the farm were quite welcoming overall. While they do know a little bit of magic. They use it sparingly on their day to day, and because they never paid much attention to the arts they are limited on how frequently they are able to use magic since they aren¡¯t trained mages. ¡®And well¡­ since I can basically spawn a flood of rain whenever I want with that supercharged spell¡­¡¯ Some crops that need a lot of water, like rice or watermelons (Or this world¡¯s equivalent at least, the ¡°watermelons¡± here have ridiculously thick vines and can climb up in trees.), began showing up around the village more thanks to me. Every now and then Clauren comes with me and lends me his staff to irrigate the fields since he doesn¡¯t want to go through the work of making another wand. He took the opportunity to show me the differences between casting with a tiny wand compared to a much larger magic staff. ¡£¡£¡£ ¡°...Are you sure this won¡¯t explode like last time?¡± I ask Clauren. ¡°Yes, absolutely, and this is the eighth time you¡¯ve asked¨C just get on with it!¡± He was pushing me towards the fields, and I had his personal staff on my hands. I was a big thing, taller than I was¡­ It was a thick and long piece of dark wood embellished with carvings and metal reinforcements¡­ Overall it was a¡­ Majestic staff... Streamlined silver¡­ Shining burnished wood¡­ Twin foci¡­ With twin exhausts¡­ stable build and perfectly balanced¡­ The more I looked at it the more I was drawn to it. I rubbed the gem embedded at the end of it, it was smooth and sent a funny tingling sensation on my skin. I kept rubbing it¡ª ¡°Ahem.¡± I jumped, startled. ¡°Y-yes?¡± I turned to him sheepishly. ¡°I know my elegant staff is a fabulous work of art.¡± He coughed, ¡°But please stop¡­ holding it¡­ Like that.¡± He said while grinning teasingly at me. ¡°Also you¡¯ve got a job to do and I got a lesson to teach so¡­¡± I flush red in embarrassment. ¡°Um, yeah. R-right¡­¡± Focusing myself and feeling the flow of mana through the staff I ready my spell. ¡°One, two, three¡­¡± I take a breath.¡°Here I go!¡± I shout. ¡°£Î£á£ë£ö£ï£ç£å£ò£í£é£î£á£¡¡± The staff¡¯s foci shines a blinding light as I conjure a supercharged spell, I carefully channel the mana so that it doesn¡¯t break the matrix while also overclocking its flow to empower the spell beyond its intended limits. I don¡¯t see it, but Clauren has an ear to ear face splitting grin while I am not looking. At first, a small, puffy little cloud pops up seemingly nowhere above the fields, but as soon as it takes shape more and more mass of clouds begins to surround it. And just like that the skies above are covered in gray and nebulous clouds, though if one were to be looking at it sideways, the thickness of the clouds is actually barely a meter tall. One. Two Ten drops. Not long after I finish the incantation and the staff stops flashbanging my retinas there is a light, and more importantly controlled, drizzle covering the fields. I exhale in relief seeing Clauren¡¯s staff is intact, only a soft glow being present on its stone. ¡°So, how did it feel?¡± Clauren asks me. ¡°It was¡­¡± I clench and unclench my fists, there¡¯s still an electric feeling coursing through my arms, and it feels like my entire body along with my mana just let out a long yawn that it has been holding for ages. ¡°...Addicting! And it doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯m trying to push clay through a straw.¡± He blinks. ¡°...I was expecting an ¡°amazing¡± but I guess I can work with this.¡± He comments. ¡°Staves, as the big brother of the wand, is¡­ or at least it should be significantly more difficult to wield compared to a beginner¡¯s wand. I must admit you have done quite a feat with it when you barely have any experience.¡± I beam smugly at his praise. Clauren continues ¡°They have a much larger limit on how much mana they can handle before suffering damage, and also a significantly higher efficiency¡­ Ho-we-ver¡­¡± He snatches the staff out of my hands, ¡°They enable you to cast bigger, more complex spells, the downside of this, is that any other spell takes longer to form. Think of it as a pipe, with a wand it is tiny and thin, but because of that when you channel mana with it, it has high pressure and speed. With a staff, the pipe is much larger, longer and thicker, you need to completely fill it and wait for the loading to complete before the spell takes effect. You felt how it took a couple seconds before the spell manifested after your incantation, right?¡± ¡°...yes.¡± Now that I thought about it, when I used the same spell with the wand the little clouds instantaneously formed and I could control it with much more responsiveness and speed. ¡°While wands are limited in their repertoire. they excel with the lower tiers of spells that are more menial in effect.¡± He makes an analogy. ¡°You could say a wand is a fine pencil, quick and nimble, but fragile. While the staff is a big flat brush, you can cover large areas, but when it comes to details it¡¯s easier to use the pencil instead of the brush.¡± ¡°Depending on what you are doing with the staff the difference isn¡¯t that big, some seconds more to cast and the spells are a little ¡°heavier.¡± But in a life or death scenario those few seconds are critical, and if you can¡¯t properly control the spell you are more liable to miss a moving target. That¡¯s why usually only established mages use a staff¡­¡± What went on afterwards was an extensive discussion on how magic staffs work, their composition, how they are made, and whatever came to mind about magic that we hyperfixated in. ¡£¡£¡£ ¡®¡­He, um, didn¡¯t let me ¡°study¡± his staff more. Though I tried really hard for him to let me have one¡­¡¯ I was told that I¡¯m not allowed until I was older. He said that he would reconsider if I proved him wrong though. Later, after I finally got ungrounded, Samyra gave a very conflicting proposition. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the festival!!!¡± She ecstatically yelled while barging in through my poor door. ¡°Hah!?¡± I blurt in confusion, also a little miffed that she entered without knocking. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the festival!!!¡± She repeated in the same cadence. ¡°Oh!, what are you doing wearing night clothes like that in the middle of the day? Come here, let''s get you changed. ¡± She said as if it was already decided that I would go. ¡°W-wait! Stop! I can change myself!¡± Her sudden actions didn¡¯t give me time to think. I backpelled frantically away from her until I hit the wall. Before I could say anything else her vice grip was already on my shoulders. ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry! We¡¯re both girls after all!...¡± To me, her smile felt like the end of days the moment as she pulled out a dress. ¡°Gyaaa!!!¡± ¡£¡£¡£ Clauren, already dressed and prepared to enjoy the party, was outside Syuufarin¡¯s abode. Though in his opinion he would call it a nest, with the way everything is a cluttered mess inside that place. He abruptly stopped, hearing the sounds of distress of a little girl and a somewhat familiar demented laughter. Now that he paused to think, this is the first time Samyra had ever let herself into such close quarters intimacy with Syuu¡­ and by the sounds of it she was having the time of her life finally being able to dress Syuufarin up however she wanted. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Clauren looked upwards in hesitant contemplation. ¡°...Should I help?¡± More cries of terror sounded from inside. That was enough for him to make up his mind. ¡°Eyup, nnope.¡± He said to himself, turning 180 degrees. ¡°Better not to involve myself in that¡­ Your noble sacrifice shall be remembered.¡± He made a gesture with his hands in a mock prayer. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 34-Silver Wings [Syuufarin POV] The Elven calendar (Or at least the one these elves have adopted) is a curious thing. Not because it follows different rules or because how many days a week has. But because¡­ It is eerily similar. As far as I¡¯m aware, neither the Gregorian calendar nor the christian faith exist in this world. The fact that they have an accurate 365 day year measurement is¡­ unsettling. I ignored the weird implications that came forth from this. As for what exact year it is¡­ They have something called ¡°the long count¡±. Which is an arbitrary number that is used more for personal and individual landmarks in history than actually something more global. For example, most of the people in the village use the village¡¯s own calendar, which is somewhere in ¡°more than eight centuries since Daivette Village was founded.¡± and there isn¡¯t much mention of what happened before year zero. That would be their ¡°long count¡±. Because they have a much broader perspective on the events that happen across the centuries, calendars, while used to keep a vague track of time, aren¡¯t really a thing. There is an understanding of the value of learning from the past, but the past in their case is considerably closer to home, compared to other races with shorter lifespans, what happened centuries ago is like remembering their childhood for elves. An equinox is an astronomical event in which the day and night cycle are perfectly aligned, and the day has an equal amount of time between day and night, there are 2 equinoxes a year, and the first one happens at the end of winter, and the second one at the end of summer. The reverse, if you are on the other half of the hemisphere. Anyways, why am I mentioning this? Because they have a holiday at the first equinox¡­ ¡­And I am being sequestrated to it right now. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Back to the present! ¡°Uuugh¡­ I should have refused when I had the chance¡­¡± I lament, pressing my legs together and walking awkwardly and self-consciously. I feel like everyone is staring at me. Somehow, Samyra had a dress that perfectly fit me that she aggressively suggested I use. Of which the skirt is really way too short for my liking. And I feel uncomfortably airy down there. ¡®It¡¯s one thing to get slowly eased into the idea of¡­ skirts. While in the comfort of my own seclusion... But IN THE MIDDLE OF SO MANY PEOPLE IS A DIFFERENT STORY!!!¡¯ I hide myself as best I can behind Clauren and Samyra, tugging the dress down. When Samyra nearly broke my door to get me to the festival I was thinking something somewhere along the lines of a bunch of stalls, a bonfire, fireworks, food¡­ I was, however, mistaken. While there are the aforementioned bonfires, food, and stalls here, the mood is more oriented to a reserved sort of festivities. Not a party per se, but still a holiday nonetheless. Much closer to a ritual of passage than a hedonistic commemoration. Time, for elves, is something that they learn the hard way how precious it can be. And the passing of the four seasons is commemorated to remember the fallen, appreciate the present, and hope for the future. Today is the day they take what they have spent their time in the previous year to share and rejoice with everyone. The farmers boast their harvest and compete to see who grew the largest crop, woodworkers bring their own little projects and pieces of art to display and to gift, leaders sit together in contemplation to discuss their decisions in the past and the future, athletic people duel each other in contests and sports of all sorts. Of course, it¡¯s not like everyone has such defining traits and professions to focus on, some people simply coast along with the rest, others prefer to enjoy the present instead of honing themselves. These people join in the other side of the festival, they dance, they relax, they eat and they mingle. It¡¯s a holiday of remembrance and rejuvenation. Where old adages are dusted off and new dawns are let inside. ¡£¡£¡£ ¡®Alright¡­ maybe this isn¡¯t so bad after all.¡¯ I think to myself while trying to wield a ridiculously long skewer. My arms are¡­ shorter than what they used to be, but even then the guy that was making these skewers doesn¡¯t know moderation at all. They¡¯re good, very good, but since the mentality of advertisement and selling more stuff isn¡¯t really present in this festival he makes them extra over the top and extra long so someone only needs to get a single skewer to enjoy it all. This thing is as long as my entire arm! ¡®I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m just not used to this.¡¯ I think bitterly. In my previous life festivals were a dime a dozen around the year. I never really found myself with any interest in them, I didn¡¯t like the loud crowds and most of them were more focused on making money than the actual cultural heritage. I simply never really wanted to go to them very much. I could be perfectly content inside my room and with plenty of internet. And now¡­ I sit here, feeling out of place with a strange sense of homesickness. ¡®Hm. This thing is really good.¡¯ I tear another piece off the skewer. ¡®I have no idea what exactly I am eating, but it tastes good so whatever.¡¯ At some point, I separated myself from Clauren and Samyra. Not that I am against their company¡­ I¡¯d say that I¡¯ve come to even enjoy it, but being Dragged around by Samyra all morning can get exhausting. After some consideration and trying to persuade them, they let me go to ¡°explore¡± after leaving to do their own thing. I used the opportunity to find a quiet secluded place instead. ¡°Enjoying yourself?¡± Someone asks me. I violently flinched away, almost jumping. Thankfully I had a secure grip on my food so I didn¡¯t drop it. ¡°Haha! What¡¯s got you so nervous?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sneak up on people like that!¡± I yell, only looking at who is talking to me after I had already spoken. There, I see it¡¯s that old lady who has the scary staff that I met in the healer¡¯s office, she is sporting a resting smile while holding her own share of festival snacks. ¡°Oh! It¡¯s¡­ um, it¡¯s you!¡± ¡®I never met her again after that¡­ thing. That happened after I fell unconscious on top of Samyra¡¯ I recall, suddenly feeling embarrassed. ¡®I forgot her name¡­¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s¡­ me!¡± she parroted back, amusing herself. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ you!¡± I repeat. She cracks a larger smile ¡°Indeed!¡± A moment of quiet passes by, I awkwardly look around as she simply stands there looking at me. ¡°...um, you can take a seat!¡± I sheepishly tell her after scooting away on the bench, trying to be polite. She took a moment to observe my face, an unreadable expression hidden behind her face, before obliging herself. There, we spent a while without saying anything as we ate, with me giving anxious glances at her from time to time. After a while, the old lady finally spoke. ¡°How have you been adjusting?¡± The question took me blindsided. ¡°Huh? Um¡­ I¡¯ve been doing¡­ fine?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± she mused. ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± she turned to observe the festival ¡°Yes, good.¡± Another bout of silence. ¡°...Why do you ask?¡± I am¡­ very confused about why she came all the way over here to talk to me. The festival isn¡¯t that far away, but we are in a place that you¡¯d have to purposefully go out of the way to reach. This time, she looked into my eyes, her gaze burrowing itself not only on me, but piercing through something inexplicably deeper. Her smile disappearing and the grandmotherly visage fading into an aura of an ancient, but sharp edge¡­ ¡­For all but a fleeting moment I felt as if I was below the crushing weight of a judge¡¯s gaze¡­ ¡­And just like that she flipped back to looking at the festival again, sedately taking a drink from the mug she¡¯s carrying. ¡°Clauren¡­ is a fool. Brilliant in his own right, kind-hearted when it counts, but nonetheless, a fool.¡± She points forward. Looking over at where she pointed, I see Clauren along with a bunch of other people drinking together, he looks like he¡¯s telling everyone something, waving his arms and making gestures. I note that the mug that granny¡¯s holding is similar to the ones they are also drinking from. ¡°He¡¯s been teaching you magic?¡± She asks me, though her tone is more one of confirmation than an actual question. ¡°Um, yes¡­ Is that a bad thing?¡± I ask her, apprehensive. She suddenly turns apologetic at my inquiry. ¡°Ah! No, no. It¡¯s not a bad thing for you at all I promise you.¡± ¡®...Not for me? What does she mean by that? If that¡¯s the case then it¡¯s bad for who? Clauren?¡¯ I think about why she came all the way over here. ¡°...Is Clauren in trouble?¡± She gives me a glance, ¡°...It depends.¡± she sighs. ¡°I didn¡¯t know he made you his apprentice, not until someone flooded 6 houses¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. I wince. ¡°Erm. Sorry¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, in these situations it is the responsibility of the master to bear.¡± She waved my apology away. ¡°That¡¯s what I came here to talk about¡­¡± She hesitates, and thinks for a moment. ¡°...You are experienced, in the ways of the world, are you not? Much more mature than anyone else your age, you¡¯ve seen things.¡± She ascertains. ¡°£¡£¡£¡¡± My tongue gets stuck in my throat. I start mumbling half formed words in panic. ¡°Huh?! Erm¨C I mean!¨C Wha¨C¡± I had forgotten, but it was her that triggered Clauren to prod me for details, and starting that whole embarrassing disaster that led me to open up a little about my past. ¡°That¡¯s why I am not going to make Clauren stop teaching you magic. I am placing my trust on you, that you¡¯ll be responsible for the power you are learning to wield.¡± ¡°£¡£¿£¡£¿£¡£¿¡± I look at her aghast. Seeing my confusion, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask you a question then, why do you think nobody else is studying magic?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± I become agape in realization. ¡®Now that I think about it, other than Clauren and this Grandma, I¡¯ve never seen anyone else practice magic like they do. There have been mentions of other people using it, but never to the scale they do.¡¯ I notice how the only real mages I met are actual abysmally small in number, most of the adult elves know about magic and some even know some spells, but nobody amongst those have what I¡¯d call offensive magic, they only know simple lifestyle magic, at best, the biggest mana intensive spell i¡¯ve seen them use is the one that conjures water, and the person that did it only made a tub worth¡¯s of water to wash clothes. Granny continued. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing he only taught you the ¡°safe¡± spells so far, they are simple, weak and not that dangerous. However, that does not mean they are harmless. You¡¯ve seen for yourself, in your recklessness, you flooded the entire area around Clauren¡¯s house. Now, imagine if you lost control of that magic, or used it maliciously, you could easily destroy a house if you knew what you were doing¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°...That is why magic, as a whole, is kept secret between masters and apprentices. It is a powerful, destructive tool that can do miraculous things in the hands of the proper wielder. It is a power that comes with responsibility, the slightest mishandling can hurt people irreversibly, and even kill the own caster if they are careless.¡± She places both her hands on my cheeks, forcing me to look at her. ¡°Magic, little girlie. Can kill.¡± A long minute passes as I stare at her, ruminating about what she said. Suddenly, all the wonder and giddy excitement that surged at the thought of magic vanished, replaced by the cold dread of the utter grim applications that such a malleable and mystical force could have. Gone are the sparkles and rainbows, and the thought of all the possibilities of what the ruthless side of humanity could make made my gut churn¡­ ¡°AAWHwwwwmhphn!!!¡± I reflexively squint my eyes as I suddenly find myself having both my cheeks pinched and stretched. ¡°See? This is what I meant when I said you are too mature for a tiny brat.¡± The cheek pincher in question sighed, only finally letting go of my cheeks after she felt satisfied pulling them in all directions possible¡­ While I am distracted rubbing the pain away, she lifts me up and places me on her lap, and starts petting my head. I blink in confusion. ¡°Eh?¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care where you¡¯ve been that you so deeply recognize and understand such dark, evil things¡­¡± She tells me in a disheartened voice. ¡°I¡¯m just giving you a friendly warning, that Clauren is as enthusiastic with magic now as when he was a kid just as tall as you so I don¡¯t blame him, but you must have in mind that magic isn¡¯t all sunshine.¡± For a while, I simply stayed in place utterly flabbergasted... Even somewhat enjoying the petting much to my own shame. There were so many confused questions running inside my head I just didn¡¯t know what to say. My perception of magic, and Clauren, were wholly upended in such a short span of time that I was having trouble coming to terms with my thoughts. ¡®I only¡­ I just¡­ I¡­¡¯ I take my time deciding what to do, lash out in frustration? Accept and move on? Seek guidance? Admonish myself? Fall into despondent self-judgment? Breathe. ¡°You just picked the worst time to say these things...¡± I simply sigh. Granny opened her mouth to bark a retort, but, ¡°...yes, perhaps.¡± She agreed, festivals are supposed to be fun, and her actions soured that spirit somewhat. ¡°You should go outside more often! I did not have even the slightest awareness that Clauren was apprenticeshipping you until I saw a flood burst out from his backyard, and only way after I heard that it was actually you that was the cause instead of him.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± I moaned. I really did not want to do the whole social dance with people, though I am more amicable to the idea now than I was a few months ago. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - I groan, hiding my face and turning away from the crowd of onlookers. ¡®I really wished I could be spending my day elsewhere¡­¡¯ I sigh, already regretting myself. In this festival, aside from the food, there are lots of ¡°contests¡±. Though they aren¡¯t held with the competitive flair that comes from the word, they possess a spirit that would be more reminiscent of a sports festival rather than a tournament. And, well. Grandmother Piyo (I¡­ forgot to ask her name. so I asked Samyra what her name was.) was right about nobody else apprenticeshipping under anyone, but she didn¡¯t mention that instead there are other people that are accomplished mages already. ¡°Come on! Show us what you got!¡± They hollered. I don¡¯t know why I was surprised, but I was far from being the only magically inclined person in the village. Every single elder. Along with Clauren, Granny, and other people I didn¡¯t know. Were watching me with drinks on their hands and expectant faces¡­ Samyra was there too along with another gaggle of people that came to watch. Clauren, especially, was very, very drunk. ¡®He looks really happy though.¡¯ I resent him a little from putting me in this situation in the first place, but he looks so genuinely proud of me that most of my angryness just didn¡¯t live long enough for me to care. It felt nice to have people cheer me on despite the circumstances.. To summarize, the social circle of the mages of the village usually hold a contest for this festival, and a plethora of people come to watch the displays of skill and technique that each magician has honed to show off in an elaborate spell. This year is special, mainly because of my unexpected presence, so everyone wants to see me do something first. And also, the fact that I have been learning under Clauren of all people is news that only recently has been spread out and everyone was both surprised and skeptical. I sweatdropped. ¡®Just what kind of reputation do you have that makes people see you like this?¡¯ The basic spells, while simple in design and function, boast a high degree of malleability. This means that they aren¡¯t as restricted as other more advanced spells on their free manipulation after casting, for example, the overcharging of the magic circuit I did back when I accidentally flooded the town isn¡¯t usually something that works, but due to the simple input / output nature of the spell it is a mechanic that exists intrinsically on it. And, because these simple spells can be manipulated so easily, they can be built on top of each other to produce special combined effects that work along with the own caster¡¯s innate ¡°molding¡± of the vectors of the spell¡­ ¡°Um, here goes nothing¡­ I guess!¡± ¡­And so, combination magic is born. ¡°£Í£á£ó£ó£á¡¡£Á£ë£ö£á£ò£á¡¡£Á£õ£ã£ô£ï£ò£á£¡¡± A deluge of water is summoned out of the tip of my wand, just like that time when I accidentally flooded the village, however¡­ ¡­Unlike then the water does not fall, bubbles and streams of water begin floating in the air as if gravity was a mere suggestion. With water still spitting out of my hands like a malfunctioning faucet, I lift my hands for a preliminary test. All the floating water twists and turns in an orbiting array around me as I wave my hands around, creating a hypnotizing display of refracted lights and an abstract dance of shapes. Clauren, looking sober all of sudden, stared at the display with a gaping mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t recall teaching her that¡­¡± My control isn¡¯t good enough to make straight lines or finely shape the floating water into constructs, really, what I am actually doing is manhandling everything through channels instead of the seemingly perfect control. Think of it like holding a drop of water still inside a straw, technically, you are controlling the water, but you can only pull and push it through the constraints of the straw. It¡¯s an utter bastardization of any notion of actual control, but it¡¯s just about enough for me to do this. I juggle water left and right with flairs of movement and rudimentary shapes, squares, pyramids, cylinders flying around in a show inspired by the modern water fountains I remembered seeing from a distance in my past life. Personally, I didn¡¯t think much of it, since it was actually deceptively easy with the right timing, but the crowd was doing ¡°Ohh!¡± and ¡°Whoa!¡± as the balls and streams of water barely missed each other or hit each other on purpose to create extra effects. After the show I got rewarded with a round of applause. ¡®Waah! I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ll ever get used to people clapping for me¡­¡¯ My legs are trembling after I finished the performance. I try to fight it down but slowly an involuntary grin worms its way up my face, I hide it with a hand and turn to look away from the crowd. ¡°That was amazing!¡± A familiar voice comes from behind me. Looking to the source of the voice I find it to be¡­ ¡°Sedia?¡± I blurt in surprise. ¡°It was so pretty! And the way those jets of water arched! And¡­¡± She went on gushing about various different parts of the spell I used. Though, I was more distracted by the wand she was holding. A wand¡­ Similar to the one I have. ¡°That was amazing!¡± Another, more familiar voice, shouts right in my ear before I am lifted up and swallowed between two mounds. ¡°MFF!?!?!?¡± Before I can protest I am already being spun around while being hugged in public by Samyra. She spends another couple seconds squeezing the breath out of me before something else finally puts me down, my face doubly red from embarrassment and trying to breathe. ¡°~~~!!!¡± I squirm violently as I aggressively rub my face. Inside my head a thousand voices are screaming. It was Clauren that had pried me away from being smothered, ¡°Let the girl breathe Samyra.¡± He said, sighing. ¡°Where did you even learn how to do that anyway?¡± Despite being my teacher, he didn¡¯t recall ever seeing Syuufarin showcase such prowess, nor did he remember ever seeing that spell she cast written anywhere. ¡®Ah¨C Ah¡­ This is the first time I have touched the bosom of another woman¡­¡¯ Completely listless, my previous train of thought was derailed as I stared wide-eyed into the horizon. The occasional petting and hug were¡­ tolerable. I understood they were simple gestures of affection and I would be remiss to deny them, despite my apparent dislike and aversion to those deep down I relished every time it happened. Now, however, I was dealing with the sudden awakening, or rather, remembrance, of a high awareness and self-consciousness of my own body, and more importantly, of other people¡¯s bodies. Perhaps, thanks to my childish body, those sorts of impulses and desires were nil. Regardless of that, however, I have plenty of memories and knowledge of the forbidden fruits. Experience that is currently giving me violent whiplash-like feelings and made some of the dysphoria I had felt come back from when I first started. Childhood, teenagehood, adulthood, everything coming together into an unholy package that made me cringe and feel a disjointed sense of disorientation. ¡®Don¡¯t think about it, don¡¯t think about it, don¡¯t think about it¡­¡¯ I repeated a mantra inside my head to make the thoughts of impending growth dawning on me. Idly, I looked down to my own body thinking on what I would look like when grown up. ¡°Erm¡­ Syuufarin?... Are you there?¡± Clauren asked while waving his hand in front of my face. ¡°Oh! Oh! I think I know!¡± Sedia ¡°maybe she combined parts of the magic spells that clean dust, lift things, and water things into something else?¡± That caught Clauren and Samyra¡¯s attention. ¡°How?.... I didn¡¯t know you were versed in magic Sedia.¡± Clauren said. ¡°Hihi,¡± Sedia giggled brightly ¡°yeah! Granny P. is teaching me!¡± I whipped my head towards her. My previous train of thoughts being raised from the dead. ¡°¡°SINCE WHEN?!¡±¡± Both Clauren and I yell. ¡°Since yesterday.¡± Suddenly, there¡¯s another voice that¡¯s uncomfortably close behind me. I jump, ¡°HIEEE!!! When did you get there!?¡± ¡°Hi Gramma Piyo!¡± Sedia merrily exclaimed, completely unfazed. ¡°Hello elder Piyo!¡± Samyra greeted her too, being the only one that saw her coming. ¡°You should work on your attention to your surroundings.¡± Granny quips, nursing her own beverage while leaning against her own staff, which was standing rigidly upright despite not being stuck on the ground. ¡°Wha¨C? Just¡­ How do you do that?¡± I question her, recovering from my startled state. ¡°Do what?¡± She replies with a faux clueless expression. I groan in disgruntlement ¡°¨CThat!¡± I say while pointing at her. Instead of answering, she takes a long drink out of her mug while knowingly smirking at me. ¡°Try to not give her attention.¡± Clauren advises, locking eyes with the elderly woman. ¡°Hello, master.¡± ¡°Brat.¡± She retorts. They both spend a moment in a staring contest¡­ ¡­Until Samyra slaps the back of Clauren¡¯s head. ¡°Come on now, are you still sour that she confiscated your research?¡± ¡°YES!¡± Clauren proclaimed with a little too much force. Samyra gaped incredulously at him. ¡°That was years ago!¡± ¡°And I will forever hold this grudge until I die!¡± He replied dramatically. ¡°Well that¡¯s your problem BECAUSE I AIN¡¯T GIVING IT BACK! That crap is dangerous. Be thankful I still haven¡¯t found a way to erase its existence!¡± ¡°Oh you¨C!¡± The trio of adults went on a protracted bickering war, though Clauren and Grandma were opposite forces Samyra played on a third front that tried to minimize the losses, though her efforts seemed to only prolong the conflict. ¡£¡£¡£ Having quickly gotten out of my previous weird headspace, I quietly teeter over to Sedia. ¡°Since when¡­ Just how did you end up with Granny?¡± I ask her. ¡°Well, they don¡¯t let us children start doing magic until we are 75! You know?¡± ¡®S-seventy five?...¡¯ ¡°But I really, really wanted to. So I asked my mom who is the best magic person in the village, and she said Grandma Piyo was the oldest person she knew, and usually old people know a lot about magic!¡± ¡°So, she accepted you as her apprentice?¡± ¡°When I asked her she said no!¡± ¡°Huh??¡± I stare at her in confusion. ¡°Then I started going to her house everyday to ask her to teach me magic!¡± ¡®I¡¯m so sorry Grandma¡­¡¯ ¡°And then, after someone flooded my house, she accepted all of a sudden!¡± Sedia said with a wide smile. I coughed. ¡®Aah¡­ um, the ground sure is looking interesting today. Hmm, yes indeed.¡¯ I avoid looking at her with a crimson face. ¡°It was really weird! She was being all shady like and made me make a bunch of promises! Then she said to become your friend and report everything you do with magic to her, but I was already your friend!¡± ¡®Oh¡­ despite everything she considers me a friend?...¡¯ I teared up a little¨C ¡°Hold up what?¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, OOOH!¡± She exclaimed with wide eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think I was supposed to tell you that! Forget I said anything!¡± Sedia waved her hands panickedly at me. ¡°Um, sure.¡± I reply monotonically. ¡°Great!¡± She went back to smiling as if nothing happened. ¡°Hey, do you want to go explore the festival? I haven''t had the chance to see everything yet and maybe the uncle that makes fried drazils still has some left¡­¡± Half remembering the delicious food I ate a long time ago I jumped at the opportunity to leave the adults to their own devices, ¡°Let¡¯s go then!¡±. I liked the idea of doing something at the festival more than getting involved in the weird past those guys that are still throwing down verbally have. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 35 - Omake - Sedia’s Induction Omake - Sedia¡¯s Induction Grand Elder Piyo seldom tutors others personally in the arts of magic. Though she has strict requirements for her apprentices, that''s not the real reason she''s had so few over the years... ¡°¡°One of us! One of us! One of us!¡±¡± A band of hooded and hat-wearing people chanted repeatedly as they threw Sedia up and down in jubilance, the kid in question laughing loudly with her newfound friends. ¡­The real reason is that more often than not, her apprentices end up as raving lunatics, obsessed with their chosen specialties. Piyo simply sighed at her pupil¡¯s antics.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Alright, you lot! Get the hell out of here before I knock the dust off my joints on your thick skulls!¡± she yelled, waving her staff threateningly. ¡°¡°Boo!¡±¡± The crowd jeered, though half of them were already running away with fire at their heels. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since we¡¯ve had a new sister! Let us enjoy this moment a little!¡± One of them yelled defiantly. ¡°Yeah!¡± Another woman agreed. ¡°Why the change all of a sudden? It¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve heard about this and you haven¡¯t shown any signs of looking for a new apprentice in years.¡± Grandma Piyo grumbled to herself, ¡°Unforeseen events forced me to play my hand¡­ And then Clauren happened.¡± ¡°¡°Ohh¡­¡±¡± They made a sound of acknowledgement as if that explained everything they needed to know. ¡°What did he do this time?¡± A short man who was wearing a safety helmet asked. ¡°Other than the usual?...¡± Piyo said, massaging her brow. ¡°...I only just learned a few days ago he is teaching the kid he is fostering magic, and when it comes to that I trust him as much as I trust my bones¡­ and that is, not at all.¡± ¡°A teacher? That Clauren?¡± Someone said incredulously. ¡°And also, well, it¡¯s about time those sprouts begin to learn the ways of the world. I¡¯m only starting a little early is all.¡± Piyo shrugged. ¡°I have plans for that troublemaker¡± She said conspiratorially, ¡°Sedia! Come here, I¡¯ve got something to tell you.¡± Chapter 36 - Petrichor
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª[ ¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€??¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€ ]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Lossless firmament, the day red turned black Exalt the flame of disaster Burden of freedom upended by compressed sky Inevitable despair, Unjust slaughter Hope extinguished, Always rekindled ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°We all carry on with our lives, living day to day monotonously. Some look forward to baubles and vices that spark joy, others trudge through the endless cycles with duty or apathy in their hearts, and happy few thrive on the never-ending engine of chaos and entropy that is humanity. Once, when we were younger. When the world was aloft with wonder and our stories only beginning to be written... Passion scorched our future. We were fools who planned to soar. And soar we did. Now¡­ Now only dreams remain. Humanity desecrated their engines of progress, reached for the domain of gods, and what have they brought? Nothing but treachery. We have been blessed so much that our fortunes have become curses instead. Illnesses rampant, not of the body, but of the mind and the soul. Strife is laced with greed and the righteousness of the ignorant. War is sold and calcified with indifference. The trademark of kindness has been commercialized out of necessity. Shall humanity fall to the weight of their sins? Or will they survive through the tribulations created by their own nature? Does hope truly die? Is despair absolute or a transition? It is an enigma then. How humanity drowns itself into the Deep, while triumphing over their own flaws with vigorous fervor. The end does not mean oblivion, and there is yet much to be written. Victors do not win with power. But by making the right choices. Time is Change, and change does not happen by chance. Take your chances. Make your choice. Fight forever.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª[ ¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€??¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€¨|¨€ ]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª
Sedia and I comb through the attractions across the festival. Or, more accurately, I kept following behind Sedia while she curiously explored everything everyone was doing. Just like I did a while ago when I was with Clauren and Samyra instead. I have¡­ conflicting opinions about the festival. I was reluctant to participate and wanted nothing to do with the crowds, the noise was unbearable and frequenting the different activities felt awkward at best. ¡®I¡¯d usually say I¡¯m the type to stand in a corner, but¡­¡¯ I was more invested in looking at Sedia rather than the festival. ¡­ Realizing the misleading wording of my thoughts I shake my head, ashamed of the strange ideas that spewed from it. ¡®...Is it really ok to leave her unsupervised in the middle of all this? Where are her parents anyways?¡¯ I thought to myself, ignoring the fact that I, in fact, was also an unsupervised child roaming around. Security isn¡¯t a problem, even then, accidents may happen. Looking around, I saw that there was always at least an eye or two watching us. This was normal, I thought, considering that in such a crowded place it¡¯s inevitable to cross paths and people, but those gazes were more observant compared to a simple passing glance. That¡¯s also when I found Gaviel, stoic as ever, surrounded by other people partying while stiffly holding a suspiciously untouched mug. Having spotted each other, he waved. Before I could do anything, Sedia was already walking away, I waved back to him a little shyly, and then chased away after Sedia. Across places, we passed by people I knew, and people I regularly saw from a distance everyday but never talked to. Sedia also had her fair share of people she is acquainted with, which is a lot more than me. And instead of passing by she went to greet and talk to practically everyone we came across. I quietly followed behind her, giving a small greeting whenever whoever Sedia was talking to took notice of me. ¡®Ah¡­ She is an extrovert¡¯ I realized then. In another time and place, I usually would grow impatient or tired from all this. Wishing to be somewhere else doing something else I liked. ¡®Oh well, it¡¯s not like I have anything better to do I guess.¡¯ Despite my growing desire to take a nap, it wasn''t so bad. Even though Sedia was enjoying the festival for both of us. Eventually the parties and all the noise began to die down as the festival neared its end. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - A few days after the festival¡­ ¡°Hi! Hiii!¡± A Sharp sound suddenly wakes me up. ¡°Mmmnyu¡­¡± I grumble while getting out of bed. It seemed like the noise came from Clauren¡¯s house. Without bothering to do anything, I go over to take a peek of what is happening in my pajamas. ¡°It¡¯s you¡­¡± Clauren says with a small glare. ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Granny replies with aggressive cheer. I had almost forgotten about it, but after some rigorous back and forth between Clauren and Granny, Sedia is now going to be tutored alongside me in the magic lessons. For today Granny would also supervise everything. ¡°Good morning Syuu!¡± Sedia loudly says while approaching me from behind Granny who was in a glaring match with Clauren. ¡°Hm?...¡± I was not quite awake yet ¡±Good morn¨C ING?!¡± Sedia was suddenly hugging me. The abrupt contact and the acute sensation of unexpected warmth on my skin woke me up. I did not believe that we were that close for the sudden upgrade in affection she was showing. The smooth and soft skin of her cheek was pressing against mine and the sensation of her slender, but somewhat strong arms behind my back were uncomfortably foreign to me. Physical contact at this level isn¡¯t something I do often, not even in the before, though I¡¯ve gotten somewhat used to it thanks to recent events. This is the first time someone of the same height as me hugged me. Faintly, memories from the last and final times I hugged my own family surfaces, souring my mood. I didn¡¯t let it show on my face. I just give two wordless pats on Sedia¡¯s back before she releases me. Granny just pats my head once as she unceremoniously heads inside, Clauren following after her begrudgingly. They headed to the training area, but before I could follow Clauren stopped me with a hand on top of my head. He would stop her by her shoulder instead, but with the height disparity it¡¯s easier to reach Syuufarin¡¯s head instead. ¡°*Ahem*,¡± Clauren coughed, ¡°maybe you should go dress yourself first.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± I turned beet-red. ¡£¡£¡£ ¡°I¡¯m back¡± I say, having rushed to and back from my room. Inside I was still feeling embarrassed from being seen in that half-dressed state though. Thankfully nobody said anything about it. ¡°What are they doing?¡± I ask Sedia. She tilts her head, ¡°They are fighting¡­ I think?¡± she says, not quite sure either. Granny and Clauren are butting heads again. By this point I gave up trying to keep up with what they are talking about, in the end I don¡¯t understand anything and there is a lot of context I am missing so it¡¯s a waste of energy. It looks like they are doing more grappling than fighting tough¡­ Either Granny is stronger than she looks or Clauren is pathetically weak. It looks like Clauren is losing?... Sometimes it feels like they are more children than I am. ¡®though I¡¯m a fake one.¡¯ I scoff to myself. I turn to Sedia, who is idly admiring her little wand. I smile a little. ¡®Looks like she is as fascinated as me.¡¯ ¡°Do you know why they are like this?¡± I ask her. ¡°Hmm¡­ Well, uncle Clauren used to be one of Granny¡¯s students a long time ago¡­¡± I raise my eyebrows ¡°Oh? I didn¡¯t know that.¡± I think I might¡¯ve heard it one or two times in passing though. But they never said this information directly to me so it went by me unnoticed. ¡°...And he did something that made Granny real mad, so mad that she made him not her student anymore.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± I can¡¯t quite wrap my head around it. I¡¯ve only ever known Clauren as a gentle person. He is unreliable, irresponsible, messy¡­ ¡®Now that I¡¯m thinking about he isn¡¯t really a role model¡­ but he means well most of the time. A little selfish, yes, but endearingly thoughtful in his own strange way.¡¯ ¡°Ah, and also,¡± Sedia continued. ¡°I wasn¡¯t born yet at the time, so I don¡¯t really know. But apparently they had to relocate the whole village because of the thing Clauren did. Everyone got really mad at him, and there is someone monitoring him everyday.¡± Jesus this girl does not have filters. ¡°What!?¡± I look at her, shocked. ¡°Where¨C who even is watching him?¡± She answered, ¡°That¡¯s Miss Samyra¡± It looked like Sedia held a lot more respect for her compared to Clauren.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡®Even the children think the creepy doctor is weird.¡¯ I sweatdrop. ¡°Her?... But aren¡¯t they, um, married?¡± She giggled, ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s funny right?¡± ¡°How does that even work?...¡± I ask myself, looking towards the windows of the house. There was nobody I could see, but the image I had of Samyra suddenly turned a lot different. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but since the Elders still let Miss Samyra do stuff in their office I think she can be both his guard and partner at the same time? I dunno. But since they started living together the explosions happened a lot less compared to before, and Clauren stopped to smell funny all the time.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Their quarreling was beginning to grow louder and more violent, I looked to Sedia and saw that both of us were starting to worry. At first it seemed like casual needling, so nothing too concerning, but as time went by it looked like they really couldn¡¯t stand each other at all. Abruptly, Granny spun towards me. ¡°YOU!¡± She shouted. I jumped in surprise ¡°y-yes?¡± ¡°Cast basic offensive magic for me to see.¡± Granny is looking a lot more grumpy and angry compared to when I saw her at the festival. ¡°...¡± I freeze, not knowing what to do. She impatiently says, ¡°So? I¡¯m waiting.¡± ¡°U-um¡­ I don¡¯t know any offensive magic¡­¡± I mutter. Granny just looks at me with a calculating look¡­ or is it a stupefied look? I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s hard to read her face with all the wrinkles. ¡°Scary kid¡­¡± She quietly mumbles to herself, massaging her forehead. When Piyo saw Syuufarin¡¯s display of skill at the festival, she was surprised by how good the girl was. So much so that she thought the girl had already a few years of training under her belt¡­ but that could not be possible, it was not that long since she started learning under Clauren. Unless she prematurely began using spells too advanced for her, which would explain some things, and if it were true she would strangle Clauren for letting the child near such destructive spells. But that was not the case at all. So Granny was left befuddled, and impressed. ¡°...¡± There was a silent moment as we both stared at each other. ¡°Become my apprentice.¡± I blink, ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°WHAT?! No! She¡¯s my apprentice already!¡± Clauren yells, standing between me and her. ¡°I already agreed to this stupid joint lesson thing, you can¡¯t just take her away on your whims!¡± He says while grabbing me and dragging me away from Granny. ¡°Clearly I overestimated you, I had thought you were teaching her things that are outside her range of skill and was worried she would hurt herself with knowledge too advanced for her age, but I was wrong.¡± She points her bony body finger at me, ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better I¡¯d say she was already a mage for some time, but she has only barely started training.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Argued Clauren, ¡°That¡¯s precisely why you can¡¯t have her!¡± he then turns his head away, muttering. ¡°...besides being a research subject and future assistant.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I pretend to not have heard his strange statement. Clauren opens his mouth to argue more, but he stops and becomes uncharacteristically quiet, instead of doing anything he pouts while firmly hugging me from behind¡­ Thankfully he isn¡¯t wearing that soiled apron he always uses when researching, or else I¡¯d be having an argument with his kneecaps. ¡°In the end, the decision is the girl¡¯s to make.¡± Granny speaks. ¡°So? Will you?¡± She directs at me. I look left and right, hesitating. ¡°Um¡­¡± I direct my eyes to Clauren, a question on the tip of my tongue. He shakes his head, answering my unspoken question. ¡°Despite my¡­ desires.¡± Clauren says somewhat forlorn. ¡°She is right, it is your choice.¡± If he could, Clauren would probably outright reject, and in an extreme case, deny Syuufarin this. He can be quite selfish when it comes to things he cares¡­ embarrassedly, he admitted to himself that the girl grew on him. She can be very intelligent when she isn¡¯t being lazy, something he realized he begrudgingly related with, and she made a good quiet company when she observed his research, a glint of fascination on her eyes everytime. ¡­But in the end he was meant to be a caretaker for her, he is not her guardian. Only responsible for seeing to that she did not die from the poisons she foolishly ate in the forest and then sending her off. But well, one thing led to another, and here she is living with them under the guise of some sort of probation. They weren¡¯t fooling anyone, she was as good as part of the village by now. And nothing is stopping Syuufarin from deciding one day to leave. At first they only kept her because the situation had become turbulent, suspicion and unrest were still slowly fading away from that weird event, but now they do not have any authority to confine or dictate her life. On these thoughts, Clauren could only hope that he wouldn¡¯t regret growing attached to her, Elves live long after all. I take a long minute to think. ¡­ A smile comes unbidden to me, as I remember an old but timeless joke. ¡°Why not both?¡± I say. ¡°I mean¡­ Clauren wants to teach me¡­ And Granny also wants to do that too¡­ Instead of competing, can''t we do things together?¡± I tell them while poking my two index fingers together, trying to mediate. They both turn to look at each other. Clauren distances himself from Granny with a face like he just sucked on a lemon, and Granny squeezes her eyelids in distaste while crossing her arms. After a moment, they both turned to look back at me¡­ and subsequently to Sedia who had sat down in the grass. Watching it all unfold. Seeing our expectant faces, they couldn¡¯t help themselves but to acquiesce. ¡°Fine,¡± Granny said with no small amount of consternation. ¡°But if he starts teaching you weird things I¡¯m going to torch his house down.¡± She casually points to Clauren. ¡°WHAT?!!!¡± Clauren screams in abject horror. ¡°Just kidding.¡± She simply replies as if she did not threaten arson. ¡°Actually, I think I¡¯ll rather enjoy this. Looking from a different angle you¡¯ll have to suffer my presence more than I suffer from yours.¡± Granny cackled in sadistic glee. ¡°This way I get you to teach both of them without having to lift a finger!¡± Clauren, completely done with his life, could only sigh deeply. He wanted to protest, but he knows it is a waste of effort to change the hag¡¯s mind now. He was already out of energy. Teaching two students¡­ He did not mind, not really. He was simply sad that he would not be able to do his usual research anymore in the presence of Piyo and her apprentice. Usually after the lessons with Syuufarin he would seclude himself inside his lab, but as Syuufarin had nothing better to do since she refused to go outside, they often ended up together with Syuufarin observing him. And as she was not particularly bothersome or distracting, while also asking smart questions to sate her curiosity. Clauren made her work as an assistant of sorts, with Syuufarin none-the-wiser. And gradually she became less of a spectator to more of a helper. If you asked Syuufarin she would say that she simply sits in a corner observing, but truth is she already had a frighteningly large knowledge about alchemy and the inner-workings of Clauren¡¯s job and his projects. She was already Clauren¡¯s assistant in all but name, only she did not know yet. But now with these guests in his house¡­ Clauren would need to be more discreet about his schemes, he thought to himself. After a moment, Clauren lets another dismayed sigh, slumping down his already bad posture even further. ¡°Haah!...¡± Sedia yawned. ¡°Syuufarin, there¡¯s always stuff like this happening around you¡­¡± She complained, while lazily draping herself over Syuufarin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Last time I saw Granny laugh like that was decades ago, you make this place lively!¡± ¡®O-oi oi oi! Aren¡¯t you being a little too crass kid?!¡¯ I scream inside my head as Sedia leans her body weight on me. It seemed like this child became way too comfortable way too fast with me. In my head the idea of friendship was much more reserved and took a long time to be built, but Sedia¡¯s style of affection seemed to be much more easygoing. In the end, after much more angry grumbling from part of Clauren, we continued with today¡¯s magic lessons. Comparing both mine and Sedia¡¯s progress along with Clauren¡¯s and Granny¡¯s teaching methods. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Some weeks later¡­ ¡°Stupid!¡± *whack* ¡°Foolish!¡± *bonk* ¡°Idiot!¡± *konk* Grandmother Piyo yelled while bonking her long staff on my head. ¡°Waah! Stop it! I didn¡¯t know I swear!¡± I yelled back, cowering. Granny was appalled when I told her the details of my improvised rain spell. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure of what I was doing, and I did what analogues to copy and pasting code from someone else¡¯s work. Though in this case, spells. The magic that waters plants is akin to a weak hose of water. The magic that made a storm of rain was less of an actual artificial weather phenomena and more pointing a very large and very potent hose upwards and mimicking rain with it. A few days after I got ungrounded, I decided to fiddle with the spell, I already knew most of the runes and had a somewhat good understanding of the fundamentals. It took some trial and error, while nobody was looking. Not having an affinity for the element made the process slow, though it wasn¡¯t like I couldn¡¯t do water magic. Not having an affinity feels like trying to write with your left hand when you are right-handed, it¡¯s not completely possible, and with enough practice it becomes easier, but the ¡°dexterity¡± of the spells is very bad. So, with effort and imagination, I transformed the ¡°very big hose¡± magic into an ¡°Actual rain¡± magic. The formula is a frankenstein of runes cannibalized from the spells Clauren taught me. The gist of it is that I make a sort of clump of magic and launch it as high as I can, then rain starts to fall. I probably did some very big logic leaps that would disgust Clauren if he saw the spell I made but if it works it works. After casting the magic I can¡¯t control it though, since I literally send the magic power away along with the rest, and I don¡¯t have the skill to manipulate the spell so far away. At least this time it doesn¡¯t feel like a high pressure shower like I made previously. Theoretically, I could make do with the overcharged spell I first used, but then it would be more like a water sprinkler than rain. And well¡­ I didn¡¯t admit it to myself but a part of me was excited to show off the work I had done to Clauren. ¡°You could¡¯ve died! You moronic child, don¡¯t you know what happens when you overdraw mana you don¡¯t have?!¡± Granny yelled again. ¡°Ouch! Owch mwwwwwwwnnnn!!!¡± I shouted as she pinched and stretched both my cheeks. ¡®It kinda of¡­ backfired on me.¡¯ I was really looking forward to their praise, or some sort of validation of my efforts. Despite it all, I wanted to be useful and quickly be put to some sort of work, there¡¯s only so much lazing around and studying magic that I could do before I started to get depressed. Idle hands lead to idle thoughts, and idle thoughts lead me to think too much about bad things that made me sad. I could handle it, after all it was not anything new at this point. Feeling down. But I¡¯d rather occupy my head with happier thoughts, so I began working on trying to be more proactive. ¡°Clauren what the hell have you been teaching this brat?¡± She whipped her head to Clauren. ¡°¨CRather, what you haven¡¯t been teaching her?¡± ¡°Look,¡± Clauren raised his hands placatingly. ¡°I had trust in her that she knows what to and not to do, she studies a lot after all, so much so that some lessons were skipped because she had already gone over the books we were using¡­¡± He trailed off while looking at me. ¡°Mnhfgahgafah!¡± I cried out, my cheeks beginning to become dull with the pain Granny was bestowing them. Despite my squirming she kept at it without remorse. ¡°Have you not even bothered to test her?¡± Granny said in an angry and resigned tone. ¡°Ah...¡± Clauren affirmed, nodding to himself. As if only now the idea came to his mind. ¡°No I have not.¡± He shamelessly said. Granny could have popped a blood vessel then and there, but she sighed deeply instead. ¡°How in the heavens are you even still standing after casting that abomination of magic?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± My head is blank. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know? I know the magic I made isn¡¯t the best but why would I faint from that?¡± Granny just looked at me like I had just committed the most stupid thing ever. ¡°Alright, Syuufarin sit down.¡± She said after coming to a decision. Then looked sideways at Clauren, ¡°You, on your knees.¡± ¡°But we¡¯re standing on gravel!¡± Complained Clauren. ¡°I don¡¯t care, you deserve it.¡± Granny replied stonily. ¡°As her master and teacher, the responsibility of her upbringing and education falls upon your shoulders, you have failed at maintaining that. Now I will teach you both. So, get. On. Your. Knees.¡± She said, the gravity and intensity of her voice so much that Clauren went stiff from fear. ¡°Yes ma''am¡± He squeaked. ¡°Right,¡± Granny Piyo clapped her hands. ¡°Magic comes in many shapes and forms, some more esoteric and others simple in their making and purposes. The very simple and beginner friendly spell that squirts some water is considered a manipulation type spell. Despite what it may seem like, the spell takes the humidity of the surrounding area to create a stream of water, because of that for example, it would not work if you were in a location devoid of water like a desert.¡± To demonstrate, she cast a magic spell, pointing her unreasonably spooky staff at me.. "£Ó£å£î£á£ë£ö£á" Abruptly, I feel like my eyes became dry and a weird sense of thirst overwhelms me. "Pbrbrtl" I blow out my tongue, which is also dry, the sensation very strange. *cough**cough* "I don''t like this spell, but as you can see it took the water of nearby things to create this." Granny voiced hoarsely and gestured to a very tiny water ball floating in front of her. It looks like she was also affected by the spell. "The difference is that this spell specifically drains water from the ambient in a much narrower scope. This is why you feel like that." "Why did you have to target me t¨C" *splash* "Bwa!" Clauren complained, then got the water ball thrown at his face. "You stay quiet." Turning her attention back to me she continued. "Now, these are magics that manipulate the physical things around you. But there is another type of magic. Magic that creates." She intoned heavily. "The stark characteristic of this sort of magic is that instead of pulling from the environment, you directly attempt to generate the material straight from your mana." Granny poked the tip of her staff into my chest, making me lean back a little. "Point is, it takes severely more mana to create something compared to moving around things, depending on the material, the cost becomes exponentially steeper." She retracted her staff, slamming into the ground with a sharp thud. "The ratio of converting mana to water, for someone who does not have an affinity for the water attribute, is twenty to one. And the majority of people would either exhaust all of their reserves or straight up faint from trying to create too much water. This is why the people that do know these sorts of spells and have an affinity for it only use it once or twice a day, because otherwise they would incapacitate themselves." She narrowed her gaze on me, ¡°Now, can you tell me what is the difference between the basic water magic I told you about and the disgrace you created?...¡± Granny squeezed the brow of her nose. "I saw the spell you created, and if it were a normal spell the entire area would be completely dry of humidity, we''d be lucky if the grass and plants didn''t end up drying out. That''s why what you have done is so dangerous, not only to yourself but the environment. Do you understand?" I wordlessly nod my head. Chastised and feeling guilty. Then, she asked with some curiosity ¡°And also how is it possible that you are still standing?¡± I looked at Clauren, uncertain on what to say¡­ He was crying... The stones digging at his legs. To his merit though his face was completely blank of any signs of pain. I felt bad for having put him in this situation. ¡°I¡­ have a lot of mana?¡± I say uncertainty. Granny looked at me like I was joking. "How much?" "Um¡­" I thought for a moment. "I don''t know, I never had problems with running out¡­ only running out of time of the day when it came to practicing¡­ I can do the rain magic about 10 or maybe 20 times in a day. I only didn''t do more than that because the ground began to become mud so I had to stop to fix it every now and then." Granny looked at me. Then she looked at Clauren. Then looked at the sky, as if asking the gods what the hell has this world come to. "Ok." Granny really wanted to swear right there but Syuu was still just a child, so she refrained from indulging that urge. "Clauren, you are dismissed." Clauren suddenly gained a look of pure relief. "But we are still having a discussion later about your teaching practices, you''ll also be helping Sedia in the future so I want to fix your bad habits." Clauren then gained a look of resigned dismay. "Okay¡­" He sighed, leaving to enter back inside. Granny turned to me. "...10 or 20 times you said?" She asked somewhat in disbelief. "Yes." ¡°I can work with this¡­ We still have what is left of the day to work on that. You don''t have anything planned right? I know you don''t¡± She said without letting me reply. "Follow me, we are going to see your limits." She turned away walking, after some steps she quietly muttered to herself. "...This kid will be terrifying in the future." ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 37 - Carmesim Luminaria "Haaah!..." I flop down in the ground, exhausted from exertion. Not caring at all about dirtying my clothes, the desire to just lay down and take a long nap is too big for me to resist. Across the field, multiple strangely shaped boulders littered the ground. They were all stark white and sunk into the ground, their polished and sturdy appearance gave off a strange sense of peace as they formed an orderly pattern around me. "I''m just going to¡­ *yawn* rest my eyes a little¡­" ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - POV: Grandmother "Granny" Piyo "Zzz¡­" The girl had fallen asleep almost immediately. Her soft breathing a total juxtaposition to the scenery around them. "I swear, this girl¡­" Said Granny, marveling at the area with apprehension. Earth shaping magic is one of the most arduous and strenuous types of magic that Granny thought of teaching Syuu, so they could test her limits. For a whole day, she made Syuu build large stone boulders from scratch, and it seemed like she could go indefinitely¡­ Then she put an order to shape and carve complex shapes on top of it, making the whole process more mana intensive while also lengthening the time needed to create a boulder. And then after that, creating multiple at the same time, further increasing the strain. It was incredibly slow, a one-meter-tall stone taking about 2 hours to create using magic power. But even then, after an entire day doing this Syuufarin had gotten tired, but not to the point of running out of mana. Granny had a hunch about what was happening after closely observing everything. Syuufarin had very large reserves, yes, but not to the point of absurdity, she isn''t a dragon after all. Instead, Granny theorized that Syuufarin recovered or generated mana at a rate that made it seem like she had a lot of mana. The rate that she recovers mana isn''t equal to the rate she uses on spells, but it is enough to drastically increase her total uptime. If this is true, it would mean that if a spell did not use much mana to cast, she could theoretically maintain its effects indefinitely as long as she did not get incapacitated or fall asleep¡­ "Truly impressive¡­ but also frightening." Granny shivered. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ''Warm¡­ Comfy¡­ Wet¡­'' A deep sensation of peace surrounded me, all worries and responsibilities gone. Nothing to stress about, only encompassing warmth and comfortable softness¡­ ''Wait¨C wet?'' "PFFT!!!" I jolt awake, abruptly aware of something drenching my face in cold water. "Ah, good, I was getting worried for a moment." I hear Granny''s voice as I rub the water out of my eyes and shake my head sideways to get rid of the water. I squeeze the water out of my eyes and wring my hair, then glare wordlessly at the elderly person.. "You weren''t waking up, I tried shaking you but to no avail." She shakes her head exasperatedly, holding a floral watering can. "I tried splashing some water to wake you up but even that took a while¡­" Granny trailed off, staring above my head. "...and something strange appeared too." I rapidly place my hands on top of my head, feeling the familiar but still weird feeling of a stem happily flourishing on top of my head. "A-ah¡­ erm¡­ sorry, this happens sometimes, I don''t know why." I flush. Forgetting that I was drenched in water. Though it had become somewhat of a rumor over the time I spent in the village, it is the first time Granny saw this. ''After it blooms it doesn''t go away, so I usually take it out¡­'' The bright yellow flower makes me stand out even more, so I don''t like it. Plucking it out of my scalp with some discomfort, I offer the mysterious flower to Granny. "...Do you want it?" Over time, I had begun to get a little used to this strange quirk. And ripping it off my head doesn''t hurt as much as it used to. ¡­ Granny looked bewildered. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before accepting it. In truth she didn''t actually want it, but the predicament was so unexpected that she couldn''t think what to make of it. For a minute granny just silently stared at the large flower in her hands. "Well, okay. I''ve seen stranger things in my time." Granny shrugged. Syuufarin was an endearing bundle of mystery that grew every time she saw her, but despite her growing concern of her nothing could be done about it right now. Not even Syuu herself knew the answers, and trying to explain it would be a fruitless endeavor that only led to unnecessary headaches. So Granny just accepted the, arguably pretty, flower and moved on. ¡­ "*cough* ¡­Thank you?" Granny confusedly replies. "Anyways," She casts a magic that makes a strong gust of wind at me, my hair flops around erratically and becomes a mess but in the end I become dry. "Now that you''re awake, can you tell me more how you felt?" I take a minute, making a show of swaying side to side to show that I am thinking. "I feel sore¡­" I massage my arms. "Everything feels sore, it feels like it is bone-deep but further than that. But my um¡­" I think of a substitute word. "...My tummy feels the worst, like it is empty and hollow too, but not because I''m hungry? It''s weird." "Hmm¡­" Granny seems deep in thought. She pokes my abdomen with the end of her staff, making me do a "bleh" sound. She pokes me again, but this time there''s a gentle surge of mana that I feel her pour through me. It tickles a little with a strange filling and emptying sensation¡­ and it kind of made me get an urge to go to the bathroom. "You are a very strange child, has anyone ever told you that?" I frown. ''Well¨C No, not like that, but I can''t help that my body is like this.'' Granny, seeing my sour face, chuckled. "If you keep doing that your face will get stuck you know?" She smiles. "I have a theory, but nothing conclusive." She explains her thoughts to me. ¡£¡£¡£ "That''s good, right?" I say. Granny makes an appalled face. "Good¡­ she says." She shouts at the sky. "A good mage would only be capable of producing three of those boulders in a good day, then they most likely will have run out of mana. It would take at least 12 mages working together to create so many like you did." She hit my shin with the bottom part of her staff, though she did lightly, so it hurt my feelings more than my leg. "Even a great mage such as I don''t have that ability. Not only that, but the 12 mages would be completely exhausted of mana. And you here are fine and standing with mana to spare, and even more mana rapidly coming back to you." Granny childishly sulks. "Honestly, I understand now why Clauren is envious of such a devious child." I look down at my feet. Tail drooping behind me. "It''s not like I wanted to be like this." I pout. A decidedly childish act that overcomes me¡­ but I feel at ease with her. In another time and place, maybe I would be very thankful that I had gotten a healthy and powerful body¡­ But the way it has been causing trouble for me and others has made my own opinion turn into something sour.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ''It''s not like I''m not grateful for it¡­ But there are already three people I¡­ care about¡­'' I flush at my own thoughts, and rub the self-induced embarrassment away. ''...that are knocking their heads together because of all the peculiarities of my body. If this were any other village or town I worry about what could happen.'' A blessing may as well turn into a curse if the wrong sort of dangerous people become curious. "Ah, don''t be like that, it is a good thing! " Granny says, throwing me out of my thoughts. "Don''t worry about what comes out of my mouth too much, and don''t even pay attention to what comes out of Clauren''s mouth either. We are just really happy for you." She pats my head. I only half-believe her words, knowing she simply wants to soothe me¡­ But the gesture calms my dark thoughts down. ''And no it''s not because of the head patting. I refuse to acknowledge that.'' I tell myself¡­ but no move to stop Granny from petting is made. "Still," there''s a melancholic cadence to my words. "I just woke up like this one day, sometimes I wonder if I deserve being special¡­" A stretching silence passes. "Hm? Granny?..." Only then the horror of what exactly I just said dawns on me, my expression widens in panic. "W-wait! Um, I meant¡ª" "There''s nothing to deserve you uncharacteristically gloomy brat." She flicks my forehead. "Gyah!" "What? Do you believe to be guilty of sin, or that some ill fate will befall upon you?." She loudly scoffed at my feelings. "You own every bit of yourself down to the last strands of hair, and that is all that should matter to you." Granny chastises me, "I would be worried if you fell ill, I would be happy when you achieve something, and I would be angry if you did a wrong thing. Just as would other people feel the same, Clauren and Samyra in particular. Hmph." She huffs in annoyance. I stare at Granny with befuddled wonder. "E-eh?... but what about?..." "You already told Samyra no? Hmm, I assume that maybe Clauren knows too?" She says with confidence. This surprises me. "How did you know!?" Granny grins. "You would be panicking a lot more if you didn''t. Feh." She pulls me in closer in a half-hug and gives me a noogie. "Ahh!" I flail around as she painfully rubs her knuckles on top of my head. "Stop it!" "I know you better than you think child, I''m old after all." She stops the rubbing, but doesn''t let me go out of her clutch. "A gentle girl like you would be killing herself with guilt by now." ¡­ Granny, for all her easygoingness and laid-back attitude, is one of the most knowledgeable people in the village. In her hundreds years of life she has had the opportunity to meet and deal with countless types of people. Syuufarin is a unique case, but there are many correlations to be made with a girl whose first attitude towards their village was the desire to help. Samyra and Clauren aren''t too informed on the details of where Syuudarin originates from, thankfully they were understanding of Syuu''s desires and privacy, but despite avoiding talking about the other world, they know a good gist of Syuufarin''s circumstances. One of the things Syuu vaguely told them that day was that after suffering a terrible fate, she ended up stranded in the middle of the forest, lost, and with "modifications" on her body. This explained the difficulties she often displayed with her tail and horns, as if she never had them before and was inexperienced. Which is true in a way, simply not exactly in the same way they interpreted. A white lie. And because of "The Witch" the unprecedented situation was deemed tolerable to their scrutiny. Something that to this day Syuufarn doesn''t understand very well. They spoke of it like a great disaster that happened not long before she appeared in the forest, even though everyone seemed unharmed and happy. When Syuu asked the adults about it they all avoided the topic. ¡­ "This child¡­" Granny sighed. "¡­" I flush in a strange mix of embarrassment and pride. My feelings on the matter aren''t going to change so easily¡­ but it''s refreshing to have someone validate their emotions. If nothing happened, I would slowly grow more and more anxious, and begin to doubt my own place in this village. People don''t know what you are feeling unless you tell them. Having Granny so boldly proclaim her own thoughts and feelings about me reassured me that everything was fine. And that gnawing sensation in my heart was nothing to worry about. "Haah, All this training made me famished!" Granny suddenly exclaimed. "We spent all day here, come, dinner is tastier when with company after all." ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - "Welcome, welcome!" Shouted Crocus, the cantine boss, as he skillfully sauteed four pots of food simultaneously. Granny raised a hand in greeting. Peering over the many incomplete plates, "Ho ho? Meat, that''s unusual. Perhaps one of the ranger teams brought a good haul?" she said. "How often do you guys get meat?" I knew that from time to time the rangers either hunted down prey as a mission or simply stumble upon an animal or two and bring what they can carry, but there''s not really a big indication of people that request meat specifically. With their rather advanced vegetable and plant recipes, they could very well sustain themselves with those alone if they wanted to. ''Never thought I''d turn vegetarian, but their food is so good¡­'' was one of my first thoughts when tasting their cuisine. "Full plates like this?" Granny said, gesturing to a platter full of an assortment of different cuts of meat. "Only when there''s a great catch and there''s too much to reliably put in storage, and it ends up here before it can spoil. Not very often." Looking at the generous plates of food wafting a delicious aroma I can''t help myself as my gaze lingers on them. "Do you like meat, Syuufarin?" She asks. I blink at the sudden question, then nod. She then proceeds to dump a large sum of her plate''s onto mine. "W-wa¡ª!" I exclaim. "You don''t have to!" "Nonsense!" Granny waves me off, "besides I can''t eat all of this. You need to eat a lot to grow up tall and strong." "Ah¡­" I shyly accept. The tempting aroma and the succulent appearance of the platter before me has an aura of enticement that leads me to stare at it for some time. I begin eating when Granny raises an eyebrow at me. It is delicious. It reminds me of¨C of¡ª¡ª I shake my head, and go back to eating. "What kind of food do you like the most?" Granny says. I pause eating. Her question made me think of many other tasty things I have eaten in the past. Despite the delicious food in front of me, my mouth waters even more. ''Sweets, desserts, barbecue, cakes, fish, pastries, drinks, fast-food, restaurants, home-cooking¨C'' My breath hitches. Along with those fond memories of delicious things, something buried begins to be unearthed. I take a deep, somber breath. The sound of my clattering spoon is the only thing I hear as I blankly stare at the steaming food in front of me. "Chicken hot-pot¡­" Unbidden, a soft, forlorn voice comes out of me. ''Why''d I have to recall this now, of all times?... I don''t want to, I don''t want to, I don''t¨C'' An old recipe that mom used to make, we couldn''t splurge too often, but when she found some ingredients for cheap we ate it when there was something to celebrate. Honestly¡­ it wasn''t even that good in my opinion. Mom has always put too many vegetables in the pot¡­ making way too much for us to eat at home. So we ended up giving the surplus to neighbors and family. I was a picky eater then. Those happy moments, sour memories, tainted recollections, slide inside my thoughts without my consent. Granny becomes quiet, her attempt at creating some conversation backfired unexpectedly. ''Ah¡­ don''t...'' I squeeze my eyes with both hands and rub them before tears appear. I don''t wish for her to see this side of me, rather, I wouldn''t want anyone to ever see this side of me at all¡­ ¡­It is too late, though. My eyes feel heavy ''Why am I being so sentimental all of a sudden?'' Perhaps¡­ because I felt safe, or because Granny had an approachable presence, but the things I struggled so much to avoid thinking about suddenly broke out. One thing leads into another, fond memories of tasty foods, foods I was too picky to eat, special memories marked by feasts and small significant candies. All too soothing memories of faces I am afraid to forget, people that despite my desire to never, ever leave them, became objects of torture to my psyche. I desperately kept dwelling in the past, afraid, hurt, broken. But a part of me began to gradually grow into wanting to gather the recollection of a lost world to lock it inside a box and bury it deep beneath inside me somewhere¡­ remembering hurt, it hurt in all new ways every single time the feelings of loss dug in deeper and deeper. So, maybe it was better to not remember at all, to move on and not dwell in those sickly sweet memories. In the past, I had resolved myself to become better. To try and stop the acute pain I had been inflicting on myself. To try and find solace in something, anything. If only it could have been as easy as I made it out to be¡­ The feelings of longing turn into feelings of mourning. A small sob. "...Mom¡­" The rest is left unsaid. "..." "..." "You are a very brave girl, you know?" Granny interrupts. I¡­ look up at her. Slowly blinking with an unbidden exhaustion that had suddenly fallen on me. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - "Your parents¡­ I think they would be very proud of you." Granny begins telling her. "You did your best surviving in the forest, and now you do your best to live. It seems to me you are grossly underestimating the significance of those achievements." She points at Syuufarin in a playful manner, but her eyes are serious. "Did you know? Not everyone is capable of enduring such things, even adults would break at some point¡­ but here you are anyways, and you are amazing for doing what even some adults couldn''t do at your age" She says, eerily sounding like it was from experience. She knows she is not in the close circle of people Syuufarin knows yet, but in the few things she has observed, she knows that despite their close proximity, Samyra and Clauren aren''t as close to Syuu as they might think they are. Doubts began to grow after Granny saw the way Syuu secluded herself in her own little house separate from the couple''s house. Or rather, Syuufarin hasn''t let them get too close to her. "...It''s¡­ it''s not like that," Syuufarin hiccuped "Nothing special¡­ I only survived thanks to my weirdness¡­" Granny has a keen eye for people. Syuufarin has immense gratitude for them, perhaps even some love, but not enough for her to depend on them unequivocally.The girl has been working tirelessly to fit in their village, as soon as she learned the language she began running errands with Gaviel and then alone without prompting, ande when she began delving into magic tomes her thoughts were still on repaying the villagers'' kindness. Her actions brought warmth to the hearts of many, and earned some respect from the Elders who were skeptical of her. The little visitor began to turn into an honorable member of the village. Despite her manners and shyness, everyone who has had the chance to meet her has the opinion that Syuu is a kind and hardworking girl, if a tad shy. But in hindsight¡­ Granny realized that perhaps she was a little too hardworking. A little too dedicated. Bordering to the point of obsession. If Syuufarin wasn''t helping out somewhere, she was either with her head buried in magic grimoires and tomes. She only saw the girl acting her age and playing around maybe only one or two times¡­ Granny flicks the girl''s forehead. "Kya!" "You tell yourself it was thanks to this or that, but never yourself. Isn''t your body part of you? Do you not stand up with your own two feet by your will? Do you breathe because someone else told you so? Do you run yourself ragged everyday for the sake of others because you want to or not? Decide for yourself." Granny clicks her tongue disapprovingly. She pokes Syuufarin''s chest, almost pushing the girl out of her chair. "Is it you that passed through hardship, or someone else? Huh?" "There are many people who feel proud of you. Whether you like it or not, Clauren, Samyra, Gaviel, and even I. You are strong in the ways that matter." "Maybe you could take a little pride for yourself, no?" ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - "..." a minute passes as I silently let her words sink in. Something shifts, something eases. That pulsating tumor of shadowed resentment recedes. It is still there, aching, longing, mourning, berating, crying acrid tears that tear into my guts¡­ ¡­But it doesn''t hurt as much as it did before. "S-sorry¡­" I didn''t know what to say. Having someone comfort you, whatever words they use, has always been an awkward affair to me. Perhaps deep down I already knew, but the fact that Granny came up and reassured me¡­ She raises her hand, stopping me. "I know, trust me. I know." Granny emphasizes, smiling. "..." Granny went back to eating as if nothing happened. In a way, her silence spoke more words than not. As if she was telling me "I am here", without needing a word to convey it. "Chickens¡­" She turned, changing the topic "Well, there is not anyone who has a chicken coop in the village, but someday you''ll be able to eat that again, i''ll make sure of it." ¡£¡£¡£ ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 38 - A girl named Sedia The Elves are a long lived mystical race that despite their isolationism, are often seen inside fairy tales and old legends. Due to their long lives, it¡¯s hard for them not to end up being embroidered with one historical event or two. Despite their longevity, encountering one is considered a sign of good luck. The size of their population is notorious for being small, and they rarely venture outside the area they live in. It¡¯s not unheard of that if someone passes by an Elf decades ago, there¡¯s a good chance they may find them still in the same area if they visit today. In their long, long lives, the instinct to generate offspring is not something they possess. When living in times of peace, some people even think they are slowly going extinct. ¡­But then, why are there so many children in Daivette? What could possibly make a group of them end up producing so many offspring? Elves are known for their lack of interest towards such things compared to the other races, oftentimes seen as solitary and apathetic beings when they are spotted while traveling, an activity that they seldom do. A long, long time ago, a lifetime even for the elves, a great conflict scoured the lands, leaving deep scars that are still found to this day. But for the people who survived it and are still alive now, it still remains as a fresh memory. Despite their isolationist nature, despite doing their best to avoid it, the elves had gotten involved one way or another. And when it all came to pass, too much too many had been lost. The dregs of scattered tribes, the leftover Elves sought out to rebuild somewhere far away from the land they had suffered in. And so the village of Daivette was born, a venerable haven for the lost, and home for the downtrodden. Otherwise, people wouldn¡¯t be as welcoming as they have been to that girl. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - One day, there was a big commotion in the village. This was unprecedented, even more so soon after their defenses were breached a few months ago. At first, some of the more guarded folk in the village stood up in alarm, fearing something bad was happening again, thankfully their expectations were subverted, though they could never have guessed how upending the news were. Amidst them all, the children who craved exciting things more than anyone were the most thrilled at the prospect of something interesting. Sedia, a young girl, grew curious, very rarely was there such noise in the village outside some holidays. She was planning on minding her own business, as she did everyday. Swiftly crossing through the gaps between the gathering people, she went to see what was causing everyone to suddenly stop what they were doing. The people around her spoke ¡°The rangers are back!¡±, ¡°Gaviel was still outside, since when?¡±, ¡°They are kind of late aren¡¯t they?¡±, ¡°I wonder what happened¡­¡±From what Jardim gathered, the rangers that occasionally adventured outside the confines of the village came back. There is always some movement when a team arrives from a patrol or a long expedition, but this amount of agitation is very weird, she thought to himself while moving closer. Finally getting to the front, thankfully without much pushing, she finally saw. ¡°Who is that girl?¡± Someone near her said. Her own thoughts mirroring the question. A small girl was hiding behind one of the rangers that just arrived, she hung her head low so it was difficult to see her face. Despite her small frame, everyone could clearly see her... Not because she was bad at concealing herself, but because of her¡­ tail? Sedia was having trouble believing what she was seeing. The little girl, who tightly clung to one of the ranger¡¯s pants, had a long, scaled tail jutting out from her back. She averted her gaze as she saw that the tail lifted the girl¡¯s oversized shirt, which looked like it was everything she was wearing. Not only that, but from the corners of the man¡¯s leg Jardim could also see something black and spiky jutting out, sticking her neck out a little she could tell those were horns on the girl¡¯s dark hair. Whether those were some sort of strange accessory or real horns she couldn¡¯t tell, or maybe she just couldn¡¯t quite understand what was happening yet. Enticed by the curious situation the rangers brought, she along with the crowd followed the girl¡¯s entourage. The whole time the little girl kept trying to make herself seem as small as possible as the people observed her. Then, as they approached the Chief¡¯s house, people began to disperse as the rangers and the Chief herself shooed people away. Sedia knew that trying to eavesdrop would only land her in trouble, so she also left. But that wouldn¡¯t stop her intrigue from growing. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - After the foreign girl disappeared somewhere Sedia went to play with the other children. ¨C "Who do you think that girl was?" ¨C ¨C "I don''t know, I didn''t get to see her¡­" ¨C ¨C "I wonder where she came from." ¨C ¨C "Maybe she''ll tell us more about the outside world!" ¨C Sedia''s friends were all curious too. "Huh who is that?" Down by the side of the river, someone was laying down. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Coming closer, they saw the horns, the tail¡­ It was that girl! Sedia was the first to step near her, the other children attentively following right behind her. "She''s sleeping¡­?" The girl was softly snoozing on the grass floor without a care in the world. Around her pretty insects fluttered, a dragonfly landed on the tip of one of her horns. "Ooh¡­" The crowd of children awed in curiosity. ¨C "Hey, isn''t she actually kind of cute?" ¨C A boy said. His shins were promptly kicked by another girl who was beside him. "Should we wake her up?..." Sedia asked tentatively. ¨C "Maybe?... Aren''t we supposed to leave her alone?" ¨C ¨C "The adults didn''t say anything though¡­" ¨C ¨C "I want to play! Hey hey, why don''t we invite her?" ¨C ¨C "Since you said it, you wake her up!" "Ah¡­" Sedia hesitated. After some back and forth, eventually Sedia carefully approached the sleeping girl. "Um¡­" She began. "...zzz" "Hello?..." No response. Gathering her courage, Sedia tried poking the girl''s cheek¨C Oh¡­ it''s so soft. She thought, repeatedly nudging her more and more. The crowd of children watched with growing curiosity. "Mnnyuu¡­" The girl turned left and right, Sedia kept nudging. The sleeping girl finally woke up after a minute of Sedia''s poking. "Wah!?" Sedia giggled. "Hello!" ".......Wah! ????????????????" "Huh?" It looked like the girl didn''t speak their language¡­ The children looked at each other, lost on what to do. Eventually though, they would have fun with the foreign girl regardless, despite the befuddled face the girl had during the whole time. One of the games they played was a special tag, when the game started, everyone was sneaking looks towards the girl to see what she would do. They tried to explain and show her the rules of the game, at first she just stood there looking lost, but eventually they managed to coax her into joining. ¨C "Whoa! She is fast!" ¨C ¨C "Catch her! I''ll circle from this side you do the other!" ¨C ¨C "Got you! Run!" ¨C But when the foreign girl went to tag someone else, the boy was launched into the ground with a loud sound. ¨C "Ow!" ¨C Everyone momentarily stopped to see what happened. The girl was frozen on the spot, opening and closing her mouth while wringing her hands. To everyone else it looked like she was on the brink of crying. ¨C "A-ah! Well¨C it''s fine it''s fine, see? It''s ok she isn''t hurt!" ¨C One of the older boys immediately tried to reassure her. All of a sudden they began to work together in panic. ¨C "Hahaha! That scared me, careful everyone, she''s really strong!" ¨C The boy that was tagged said, back sweating in nervousness. ¨C "Don''t worry It''s just a scrape anyway!" ¨C That seemed to calm the girl down a little, as she let out a nervous sigh. Despite the hurdles, the day was becoming one of the best ones Sedia had. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Later, she heard there would be a sudden meeting between the elders, and Sedia was sure that it was related to that foreign girl somehow. They would be using the great hall for the gathering, and compared to the Chief¡¯s house it would be much easier to spy on what was happening. With that in mind, Sedia rushed to the great hall. When she arrived there, it seemed like they had already begun discussing among themselves, she worried that she wouldn¡¯t be able to discover anything since there were already guards watching the perimeter but¡­ ¡°What is this¡­?¡± The guards were there¡­ suspiciously leaning towards the entrance of the meeting area¡­ ¡­They were eavesdropping too. Not only that but they were blatantly ignoring the dozen or so people that were also peeking in on broad view from the outside, some even standing on top of each other¡¯s shoulders¡­ The reality was, that everyone, including the people that were supposed to keep people away from disturbing the meeting, was dying of curiosity to know what was happening. The guards were tasked with keeping people out¡­ but nothing was said about people looking from outside, and there wasn¡¯t any worry about security anyways, what would people even do if they knew a thing or two about the meeting? It wasn¡¯t like there was any danger. So they turned a blind eye to the bunch of people peeking above the privacy panels that circled the meeting inside, they were also eavesdropping after all. Sedia took the opportunity to join them, finding a crack in between the panels she peeked inside. Inside, they talked about a bunch of things, which also answered some of her own questions about the girl, and created many more. ¡°What happened? Where did this girl come from? What are we going to do about it? Is she some sort of weird human? What race is she even?¡± Sedia wondered what all the fuss was about. ¡°Why not send her back?¡± One of them asked. The whispers of the growing crowd of eavesdroppers began to grow at the inquiry. Apparently, they did not know too much of the girl¡¯s origins, she does not speak any of the common languages¡­ so communication is difficult. As far as they knew, the girl was alone. Any family or guardian she should have is nowhere to be seen or heard of. With how young the girl seemed¡­ oh she is building a pillow fort in the corner of the room. The girl never showed any signs of having someone, what she was doing in the forest was anyone''s guess. "It can''t be helped, until the forest calms down someone will need to look after her. There''s also the situation with the Witch too." Gaviel, the stern looking ranger, pointed out. As the meeting went on, apparently the girl was going to be put under probation, she was going to be supervised by Clauren, the village¡¯s phony doctor, until they decided on something else. The girl was an oddity, they thought she should have died judging by the way she was living in the forest, she didn¡¯t. They thought the timing of her presence suspicious at minimum, but they let her stay anyway. They judged her innocent, but still kept their guard around her. Sedia was more worried if the new girl would want to be her new friend. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - The new girl kept showing up at the strangest of places. She appeared sleeping in various nooks and crannies, hidden in inconspicuous places. Sometimes they didn''t even find her. The children even made a game of searching for her everyday. But then¡­ "Will she be ok Grandma?" Sedia asked her grandmother. She was worried about that person, who seemed lost and spent their days listlessly staring into the distance. "She¡­" Granny wouldn''t say that the girl is in the best hands, gods know what Clauren has been up to these days. "She''ll be fine, but until she asks for help herself the best we can do is to keep supporting her." She patted Sedia''s head. "Hmm." Sedia hummed an inconclusive response, flopping down into her grandmother''s lap. "Still, what were you even thinking?" Granny chastised. "Giving her a name all of a sudden like that?" "Well, she didn''t have one! So I made one for her!" She happily said. "It suits her, don''t you think so?" "Kuh!¨C That''s not the problem!¡­" The elderly woman slapped her face. "Darn, it suits her alright, I can''t even think of her as anything else." She grumbled. "But permission or not, it''s not something to do so willy-nilly, girl! Names are very, very precious things¡­" Granny tried to drill the weight of the situation into her harebrained granddaughter''s head. She sighed, "What''s done is done, but now because of what you did to her, you must take responsibility. Understand?" Sedia tilted her head, "Okay!" she said, without really getting it. She didn''t understand why Granny was being all serious about it, she was already going to take care of that strangely endearing and lost girl anyways! Sedia wasn''t too acquainted with the newly named Syuufarin before, but as the days passed and she noticed the girl could use some help in making friends, she decided to take matters into her own hands. People always said they should help each other out after all. "I''ll be the bestest friend she ever had!" Sedia proclaimed with a beaming smile. ¡£¡£¡£ Granny Piyo observed the children from afar. "Oh dear¡­" she sighed, a tender laughter coming out right after. She couldn''t help herself, after seeing such kind and pure intentions, her heart was filled with a nostalgic hope and unbidden joy. Her little granddaughter never fails to make her proud. The infectious smile on her face was proof of that. "Ha ha! The future is looking bright! With all these blessed children, I can rest easy." ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 39 - Remembrance The age of Myth. A time filled with conflict, miracles, discoveries, and conquest. Good and bad, tumultuous times, buried secrets, upending catastrophes¡­ throughout the world numerous actors went to become either revered or scorned in history. Many ended up as fragmented fairy tales, and others, recalled as forgotten gods and ancient myths. The length of how much time since that age has passed made it hard to discern the truth from mere folklore. This happened millenia ago, some remnants of the old world still remain to this day, preserved through lineage and tradition. Much of the people have moved on, however. And the majority of the memories of those times have been forgotten, only the scars left on the surface of Terra remain today. Since then, even the few who had taken up the mantle of remembering have fallen, most of what is known from that era is from ancient depictions¡­ and the word of mouth passed down from elves. In their long lives, their longevity has allowed them to witness history repeating itself. The tragic rise and fall of kingdoms, the impending reclamation of nature, the ever revolving timelessness of life. And if there''s one thing that the elves believe is consistent amidst the denizens of this world¡­ ¡­Is war. Protracted conflicts that create generational trauma both to the living and the environment, the elves have always ended up working to restore the desolated lands whenever the short-lived races'' wars crossed their territories. Most of the time they stand by as a neutral party, preferring to weather the event instead of getting involved. This last war, however, has not been the case. More than four centuries ago, building tensions along with rampant discrimination across countries and races sparked a great war that encompassed the continent. And the elves that were unfortunate enough to be caught in between were forced to fight whether they liked or not. Greed, Hate, Justice, Love¨C the precise reason of why the war happened was lost to many. People were more concerned with recovering from the horrible catastrophe than to bicker with their enemies and doubt their allies. Murder, Slavery, Theft, Arson, Embezzlement, Desecration¡­ Innumerous crimes were committed, and went on to be committed before and after the war. People flocked together for safety, bands of vigilantes and bandits alike rose and fell during the chaos. And that''s not even accounting for the monsters that plague the livelihoods of everyone. Eventually, order was reestablished, slowly, bit by bit, people began finding peace once again. Through the work of their ancestors who suffered to rebuild modicums of peace across the land, people moved away from those dark times. Some stayed to rebuild, others left the continent entirely. The elves¡­ few as they were before the war, were now left scattered and fractured. Some, too broken to keep on. To the short lived-races, the war was already a tale of the past, a tragic thing their great-grandparents passed through. Most of the elves however¡­ The ones that survived suffered the full brunt extent from the several years of violence and bloodshed, followed by decades of a volatile and turbulent aftermath. The ones that survived, and held the willpower to keep on living, went on to become great figures to be both feared and respected. For they have learned and mastered the skills and experiences necessary to thrive in the conditions they had been forced to endure. A good portion opted to move far, far away from the land full of bad memories. The others that stayed, went on to create a haven for the war-torn and the forsaken. The great sanctuary of the Death Forest was born. Daivette. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - "In the beginning, there wasn''t anything, no houses, no gardens, just barren ground and a jungle. People had to sleep and eat together, there wasn''t room for all the buildings you see here today.Slowly, gradually, we expanded from that. Did you know that the cantina is actually one of the oldest structures in the village? Despite everyone having their own place now, the habit of sharing a meal with everyone together never faded." Granny regaled us with tales of the past¡­ "Hm! Hm!" Sedia nods, "The grand hall is actually the newest you know? It kept raining when someone wanted to do something with lots of people, so that huge thing was made!" She added after Granny. ¡­Or rather, I''m the one being educated in the history of the village. ''Since apparently everyone in this room already knows.'' The things I learned from Samyra during the period when she was also teaching me their language only generally covered what happened in large strokes. And when I say large strokes it means, Large. Strokes. Decades of history summarized into little things that end up jumping and skipping many details. We were talking to each other in the kitchen inside Clauren and Samyra''s home, and I actually was in the kitchen helping to make food. It''s a rare occasion where everyone is having lunch together. Unexpectedly, Granny and Sedia are also here. Samyra invited them¡­ on the basis that Sedia was my friend, and since Granny was there she also came. Clauren complained a bit at the start, he wanted this to be a "just us" thing, he made his point, and then got promptly shut down by the majority vote of Granny, Sedia and Samyra. To me, either way it didn''t matter much, so I didn''t say anything to his pleas. The topic of food came up when I was trying to recreate noodles. I don''t actually know how pasta works, or much of the details behind the dough''s ingredients other than that it becomes really stretchy. Then, one thing led to another, and the idea of showing me more of the elven culinary grew into this. "Are you¡­ sure you can handle a knife safely?" Samyra asked with worry, tying my apron behind me. "Mn." I nod. The ingredients were a little familiar, but also foreign to me. ''I know how to cook¡­ at least the basics only to not go hungry. Sometimes I helped in the kitchen back then, but I never got into making complicated or fancy dishes.'' Interested in learning more about it, I ended up helping to cook with them. "Even if she gets hurt I am here!" Clauren added. "Besides, she heals fast, and she has handled far more dangerous things before." "I''d rather you both to not get hurt at all to begin with¡­" Samyra sighs, protesting the callous disregard for safety by herself. "Regardless," She says with a little annoyance, "being careful doesn''t hurt, avoiding dangerous things is something both of you lack." "Here, you have to take off the head and cut off this part the roots grow out of up to here¡­" Samyra explained in detail how to prepare each ingredient along with some of their characteristics. "Hum." I nodded. "We use these herbs to season pretty much everything, but only the leaves. The stem can make you get a stomach ache." Clauren too, despite not being allowed to even touch the ingredients, knew a lot because of his job. So some things overlapped. "Mmm." I nodded. Throughout the process of cutting and preparing ingredients, I learned a lot about different ingredients and where they come from. It seems that because of magic, or maybe because this is a different world, there is a lot more diversity of life, and at the same time not. Some things I remember from earth may as well be extinct or never have been conceived into existence here, but there are also many similar if not identical things. Daivette doesn''t have any chicken coops, so I can''t confirm this, but apparently chickens in this world are larger, and¡­ can fly? When I had that discussion with Granny, the exact wording when translated would be something like "fowlbeast flesh" but when I asked about a tamed bird farm and similar things she got confused. ''Bird meat is a thing¡­ I''m pretty sure. But I don''t think we were talking on the same page.'' I know chickens are a thing because of an old book about humans that Samyra let me read¡­ so there was some confusion. Maybe there is another bird species? Other than chickens that are domesticated for farming. "Hoo¡­ This unfilial disciple actually knows something useful?" Granny mocked in a voice full of fake grandeur. ¡­It was hard for me to tell if she was just teasing him or legitimately surprised about it. "W¨C Of course I do! What do you even see me as?!" Clauren indignantly shouted back. "I know how to cook¡­ I just¡­" He coughed, "abstain myself from it." ''You can cook, yes¡­ potions, that is.'' I thought to myself. ''Not sure about anything else though.'' Sedia watched with interest from near me. Although she knows a decent amount about cooking, something inevitable after living so long despite her relative age maturity, people usually don''t let her use the kitchen unsupervised. Usually sensible people don''t let children handle knives¨C ¨CI cast a glance at the sharp knife currently in my hand, ''Sensible people¡­ Right. Ahem, maybe there are some exceptions.''This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. That, and also three people made the kitchen too crowded to work safely without bumping into each other, because both Sedia and I are small in size, but there was not a lot of space regardless. Eventually the food was done. "I''ve eaten this a thousand times before already, but maybe because it''s you it seems like a new taste." Granny praised. "Or did you put something different?" Clauren scratches his cheek. "Did she? I don''t taste anything differ¨C" Samyra slaps the back of his head. "Ehen," Samyra stuck her chest out in pride. "It''s because it''s Syuufarin after all!" She seemed unusually proud just from something I helped to cook. Or maybe it''s because it is the first time I ever showed interest in something other than books and magic? "...Um¡­ Okay?..." A lot of their recipes rely on the natural flavors of the ingredients, some go as far as to not use any seasoning other than herbs. And they surprisingly taste good. ''At most¡­ maybe I put too much seasoning? I barely know what half of these are¡­'' Instead of a precisely measured recipe I only followed Samyra''s instructions¡­ and she just eyeballed everything. It felt strange to be praised for something so mundane... ¡­It wasn''t all that bad though. ¡­ ''Wait if there aren''t any chickens here where in the world did those eggs come from?!'' ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - 2 Years since the death of ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ ¡­ "Should I cut my hair?" I think out loud. Quite a lot of time has passed, and looking back it doesn''t feel like it has been all that long at all. Any elf would agree with me, that 3 years isn''t anything to worry about. But to me, it feels strangely nostalgic, so much has happened, but the memories inside me, despite the clarity in their detail, all seem so fleeting. I lost everything, got lost in the forest, and then gained so many things in the village. An almost imperceptible smile makes its way to me as I reminisce. "Ehh~? But it''s so fluffy and pretty!" Sedia, who is with me, complained out loud. Bringing me back to reality. Sedia¡­ if I didn''t know her I would say that she has not grown at all, both inside and out. Another reminder of the mind-boggling longevity of the Elven race. She still looks exactly the same as when I first met her, and she still has the same temperament and habits. Other than her new prowess in magic¡­ and the increasing ways she knows how to tease me, there hasn''t been much change. Or rather, I couldn''t notice anything different when looking outwardly. Except for her magic wand. Beginner spells are prohibited, but little magic tricks for fun on the other hand¡­ safe to say that these days the children''s games have grown more complex. I cough, a little embarrassed. Having your hair complimented, of all things, is still weird to me. "I don''t mind it too much¡­ but it''s a hassle to keep clean and it gets in the way." "Everyone grows their hair out, why would you want to cut it?" She began to comb my head with her hands, instead of pulling my head down like one would expect, my hair smoothly passed through her fingers and her hands barely had any friction with my head. "Besides, Granny said it''s always useful to have hair at hand for magic." "Hmm¡­ I don''t know¡­" When I was¡­ born, for lack of a better term, my hair was already at waist length. And now when it''s loose it can reach my calves. Sedia loves to braid it and play with different hairstyles on me from time to time, since it''s harmless I let her do as she wants but I personally am not all that enthused about it. "Wait, but you keep your hair short!" I exclaim aghast at her. "That''s that and this is this! Dummy," Sedia says as if I am the one being unreasonable. "But you can''t cut your hair!" "¡­Why?" "Because I said so!" She continues playing and fluffing my hair. "???" I stare at her with an inscrutable expression. Then sigh. ''No use arguing with her¡­'' If it were up to me I wouldn''t do anything beyond washing it, but Sedia, for some reason beyond anything I can understand, has personal vendetta with how I care for myself. And now she''s always picking me up and going around like I am some sort of life sized doll that she enjoys taking care of. I don''t know where her behaviour came from, but ever since she named me she has grown to hover around me for some reason I can''t make heads or tails of. On the bright side, much to my dwindling masculinity''s chagrin, it feels nice to have healthy hair. But¡­ I sigh again, slouching forward while supporting my head with both hands with my elbows resting on top of my knees. ''I guess I understand why women take so long in the bathroom now¡­'' My appearance has come with a cost that I debate with myself if it''s worth it everyday. The bath-house, being the only place with the proper facilities for a good bath, is the go-to place that everyone uses to clean themselves. The rest of the village that doesn''t have plumbing manages with liberal use of magic¡­ but only to the level of a bathtub of cold water. Despite the elves'' high aptitude for magic, even if water is sourced the normal way, not everyone is adept enough to be able to heat so much water all everyday. In the end, why go through such a hassle when they have a perfectly fine place with everything already prepared? So everyone goes to the bath-house. ''And what does that mean for me?... Well¡­'' ¡­ Samyra. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN WITH EVERYONE?!" "We''re going!" "B-but! I mean¨C Um¨C I''m fine! You go first, I can wait until later!" Syuufarin stammered while being helplessly dragged. "No. I have not raised you to be the type of person who is filthy, don''t be like Clauren now." God forbid, Samyra doesn''t remember what went through her head when she was dating Clauren, but she remembers very clearly how hard it was to instill good habits into that poor sod of a man. Clauren would stay holed somewhere for weeks on end without even seeing the sun, much less a bath. He''s a lovely person, but by the heavens Samyra will not tolerate her little girl becoming like that. In today''s magic class, Syuufarin and Sedia managed to get themselves covered in dirt and grime from their practice session. Clauren somehow also got dirty in that lesson, but Granny is spotlessly clean. She had preemptively shielded herself with magic. Since it was already around that time, everyone decided to go to the bath-house. "But there''s too many people!" Syuufarin complains again. "Huh¡­" Sedia comments, "Is that why you take a bath so late? When there''s nobody in the bath-house?" "A-ah¡­ um¡­" "Aw, she''s shy!" Clauren ruffles her head. "There isn''t anything to worry about~" Granny intervenes, "Ahh, give the girl some slack. She is very different from everyone else, in appearance and origins. It''s natural that she is nervous about it, nobody else has a tail after all. And last I knew bath-houses don''t exist in the outside world." The rhythmic sound of her staff hitting the ground garnered everyone''s attention. Other tribes of elves might be different, but in Daivette they''ve grown accustomed to the shared bath-house. It was more convenient to build a large area for people to clean themselves instead of houses when the village was only at its infancy. Then after a long time passed, their descendants were taught to and grew up used to the same bath-house since it was a convenient thing that stuck around even after proper housing was built. "Ah, I had forgotten about that." Clauren rubs the back of his head. "We''re all used to doing it together, but I guess foreigners like to do it alone huh?¨C Gyah!" Samyra clonks Clauren''s head. "Wording. There are children here." "Hm? What do you mean?" Sedia, whose hand was held by Granny, said innocently. "*cough* Nothing important, y''know, boring adult stuff." Granny throws a very raised eyebrow over to Syuufarin. Syuufarin looks away. "Ah, okay then!" Sedia happily forgets about it. Samyra sighs, "Sorry, I didn''t know how you felt about the bath-house." Unknown to her, while Granny''s assumption wasn''t completely wrong, Syuufarin''s true motives were actually very different from their assumptions. Samyra pulls Syuu up and begins carrying her by her armpits. "But even so, that''s no excuse for being dirty!" "H-hey! I can walk by myself!" "I''m worried you might run away, so no." And that''s how Samyra started to make Syuufarin learn how to take proper care of long hair. ¡­ ''Uuugh¡­'' Words couldn''t describe the embarrassment I had felt that day, having somebody wash me is an experience that still makes me cringe in shame. And it''s another completely different, and worse, thing for that to happen with other people that know you in the same room. By the time I''m done squirming over embarrassing memories Sedia''s done playing with my hair. "Done!" "Oh, um¡­ thanks I guess?" I have a thought that Sedia actually wants to have stylish long hair¡­ but doesn''t want to go through the trouble of taking care of it. Because of that I ended up turning up like this. ''...I don''t mind it.'' I resign myself. But the feelings in my heart are light. ''In the end it''s fine, right? She''s my friend¡­ right? Mmm¡­'' I don''t think of my hair with any particular importance, but for the sake of my friend I''ll keep things as they are. Although I can''t call myself close to her, and our relationship is tenuous and one-sided at best, Sedia is someone deserving of love. That is my opinion of her. Even though she is older than me, I can''t help but to see her as something akin to a younger junior. She is friendly, naive, and innocent, but ultimately, I have never been good with children or relating myself with them. ''A friend¡­ is someone who you trust, and someone who you understand and they understand you. An equal'' Because of this, Sedia simply can''t reach the status of "friend" I have in my head. A metaphorical distance that is unbridgeable. I am affectionate to her, and she to me, but such affection is characteristically sullied by my perception of her "being nothing more than a child". Our preferences, experiences, behaviour, and thoughts are too far apart and different for a true friendship to be born. I sigh. ''I feel like a hypocrite'' As a child in body, I wondered if I should also be one at¡ª "Aah! Ahwwmmff!!!" *Mnyuu~* Sedia pinches my cheeks and stretches them. "You''re doing it again!" She lets me go. "Doing what?!" I complain while massaging my face. "Being sad for no reason!" "Eh?¨C I-I mean¡­" If there''s one thing that Sedia has become adept at, it is that she has a scary ability to instinctively know where I am and how I am from anywhere somehow. "...Sorry." I feel a strange sense of deja-vu ''Has this already happened once before?... I''m not sure.'' *bonk* Something hit me on the head, but it was so soft and without any force behind it so it didn''t hurt. "W-what?" "Don''t say ''sorry''! You should say what is making you feel bad instead!" Sedia says. "..." I look at her, Sedia is striking a powerful pose, legs apart and hands resting on her hips. She is looking at me with an uncharacteristically fiery glint on her eyes and a frown. "...You wouldn''t understand." I sigh. Maybe I could tell her, but then what would be the point? I fear that if I did she would only grow more distant. Or maybe instead, I would be the one growing more distant. "Of course I can''t understand if you don''t tell me!" Sedia becomes irritated. "I already get enough of this from the adults, they get all worked up because of something silly, but don''t want to tell anyone! And then when everything goes wrong, they find out there was no good reason at all to keep secrets!" Her frown becomes more and more deep. "I''m tired of being left in the dark¡­" She says with a much quieter voice. "So you''ll either tell me, or I''ll make you!" I stare at her wide-eyed. ''She¡­ sometimes I forget how old she is.'' I kept underestimating her, but she is much more mature than meets the eye. ''When you put it like she did, It''s a blatantly simple solution for a simple problem, her words have merit and a surprising width of emotional knowledge.'' The viewpoint of a kid, no matter if said kid is already decades old, is precious. ''Either that¡­ or she is simply saying what comes to mind, one way or another, she is right.'' ''My feelings aren''t changing anytime soon, but¡­ Yes¡­'' I laugh at myself. ''Maybe I am being sad for no good reason.'' I was not sure why, maybe I was afraid to make a new friend after getting cut out from my previous life, maybe anxious to let this bond grow closer only to become disappointed somehow, maybe I was trying to avoid getting hurt, or hurting her. How could I know? In the end, as Sedia said, what truly matters is if I decide to march forward towards this unknown ending or not, regardless of any consequences. "It''s nothing¡­ really, just¡­" There are too many things weighing on me, family, the future, the past, who is myself and I. Too many secrets, too much pain, anxiety, and guilt coming from many directions. They fade away with good and new memories of these precious moments of happiness, and they surge back unprompted and without warning, always reminding me and tinting my vision just that little more gray. But this peace, these people, are always splashing new colors along the way, covering up my torn and melancholic canvas. "...I''m glad I got to be your friend, Sedia." "?..." Sedia gives me a befuddled look at my answer. I haven''t given her a truly concrete answer, but seeing me smiling again she let the matter go away. "Hmph, yeah that''s right! I am too glad to be your friend!" She nearly shouts, before slinging an arm around my neck and making us both fall when she attempts to hug me. It''s embarrassing, it''s corny, it''s cringe, and I was half-expecting for her to also feel embarrassed by my sudden proclamation. But she just took it in stride and reaffirmed her own self-confidence. I huff half-exasperatedly, a light blush tinging my cheeks. Regardless of my origins, and regardless of my own shortcomings. Sedia is a steadfast person that never disappoints, and has always been honest and trustworthy. ''Friends¡­ they are equal without needing to be equal. It''s alright if we aren''t able to stand shoulder to shoulder'' in this contrasting inequality is where true friendship blooms. "But you still gotta tell me what is wrong later!" "Haha, Ok. I promise." I said, but inside I was fervently praying she forgets about it. ''I only hope that when the time comes, she won''t be too sad when I leave the village.'' ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 40 - Twice Fateless + omakes Sunset and sunrise. Tiny, insignificant ants fighting for food. Great kingdoms waging wars for territory, Pearlescent springs hidden in the depths of forests. Crimson blood flowing from unknown bodies, Fate twists, turns, and weaves itself in an unknowable tapestry, Destiny awaits the unforeseen and inevitable end, Beautiful. It is all so preciously beautiful. The catastrophe prophet thought to herself. Her body throbbing with joy and excitement. A fateless one with a paradoxically grand fate, soulless and yet brimming with otherworldly vitality. A dredgen one brought not from the depths, but from beyond the firmament itself, blessed by Those Who Watch. A being with endless possibilities and so much potential¡­ brought upon this cursed and blessed world by her own two hands. It took a long time for her ragged breaths to settle down. A failed whim, an experiment not intended to ever yield any results worth of effort. What she had done as a passing fancy while traveling turned out to be something she could never have imagined. At most, a strange and cursed creature was the most likely thing to come out of that egg. An unholy union of many different bloods supplemented by a disgusting amount of soul drained from the environment. Perhaps it would rage and bring forth destruction, or maybe it would die a pitiful death and die without achieving anything. Another thought would be if the creature would be able to break free from its destiny and blossom into something new and foreign. None of those things happened. Instead, interference. At first, unbridled rage. How could someone meddle with the creation of her beloved work? And then, surprise, love, excitement, and finally, encompassing ecstasy. Those silent beings who gently care for the world and bring ruin to the weeds and parasites who stain their garden. Precisely, those exact beings who many call gods of this world, have interfered. This was unprecedented. This was exciting. This was a sign. And, it could have been anywhere, anytime, but this, why this? Why out of everything that could have been chosen, was this place, with her creation, chosen? The uncertainty of it all, the hypocrisy, the irony, everything was infinitely amusing and deeply foreboding. The Witch of Decadence loved it all to the point of fainting. Something, imperceptible, invisible, and paradoxically so grand and large that it flooded all of her senses both natural and unnatural. An encompassing pressure that weighted and pulled at all sides. Coming from above and below. This something had been inserted on that very bloated and disfigured egg she had created. Fixing it, mutating it, transforming it, evolving it into a pristine shell that would hold the life of a mysterious thing that she could not wait to see. In fact, she did not wait at all. What at first would be simply a chaotic mixture of some creatures she had come across during her travels, now would become a refined existence. Whoever had meddled with her things wouldn''t mind if she added a little personal touch of hers would they? The Witch inserted the essences of other creatures and removed others she thought would be problematic. Measuring, balancing, and ordaining the life inside the egg to become closer to perfection. Some of those were very hard to get and she was storing them for later, what an opportunity to go all out! She thought to herself. Blood of Gaia''s agents. Bone of the Stone Guardians. Flesh of the Ancient Races. And the core of a powerful monster filled great quantities of "soul". She infused it with magic power, and made it bathe in spilled vitality to speed up the maturing of the egg. Improving its resilience and health so it does not become deformed because of the accelerated growth. And finally everything was almost ready¡­ but¡­ The Witch paused, pondered, and rolled around. Observing the silent egg, another intrusive thought appeared, one she hadn''t ever committed before, and one that held great uncertainty. So much uncertainty that even someone like her hesitated. But she loves uncertainty. And so, as a parting gift for the unnamed being yet to be born, she added a miniscule part of herself into the mix. What would happen? What could go wrong? She did not know, it was a gamble without reward, it was a promise without clauses, she was tying herself down with weights and throwing herself into the ocean simply to see what was going to happen. It wasn''t like the Witch had anything to lose. If she had, it was already lost long, long ago. It wouldn''t be far-fetched to call the creature inside the egg her offspring after all that. And actually, why not? The Witch thought to herself, a face-splitting grin crossing her face. Her beloved and precious child, borne out of mere casual whimsy and unexpectedly blessed by powerful beings out of her ken. But she would not raise it. No. She knew, after all, that would spoil the experience. She would leave her precious to the hands of fate, as she did for every other creation of hers. But she would be oh so closely admiring it, waiting for the climax with labored breaths. ¡­ She witnessed its birth. The cute and immature way it fumbled was endlessly endearing to her. It was humanoid. But not of any particular species. The creature¨C no¡­ It was a female, Perhaps she would call it a¡­ "daughter" instead? The thought sent fits of pleasure across her body. A new experience, one she has never had before, something unprecedented, something utterly preposterous for an evil being such as herself to have. The Witch adored these new sensations and all the emotions. Is this love? Is this despair? She looked forward to feeling them all. Were she a more ignorant being, maybe she would even pray for these meddling gods in gratitude. It displayed an exceedingly unexpected amount of intelligence for a newborn, she suspected something else was amiss with the interference. She observed her fumbling about in the forest like a fawn without guidance. ¡­Perhaps her beloved daughter was not as smart as she thought. She looked at her from a distance. Seeing her little adventures and discoveries day after day after day. Without blinking, without showing herself. One day, an elf appeared, perhaps it was one of those she had messed with recently. She was not sure, there are many things she has done in the past to bother remembering all of them. She observed her creation and the elf bonding with each other¡­ She observed her through the measly defenses that protected the small village¡­ She watched as her daughter grew leaps and bounds under the peaceful and isolated village. ¡­ One fateful day where the village was silent and everyone closed their eyes to rest under the moonlight, she could not contain herself. She craved to touch her little apple at least once. After all this time observing silently in a far away place, temptation grew, and the Witch gave into her sin once more. She would see her daughter up close. She wanted to see and touch and ravage and embrace and love her creation at least once with her very own eyes and hands and skin and body. But if she went too far¡­ She did not want to be ruining things before they could flourish. So she was gentle, careful, and silent as she loomed over her beloved creation. Even with the interference of higher beings, making the Witch not have as much claim to that title as she thought. The little girl would always be hers in her heart. "Beautiful~" She gently caressed the child''s face. Committing to memory every inch, every pore, every strand of hair to memory. "¡­So preciously beautiful~" She wanted to see her struggle. She desired to witness her achievements, to see her efforts bear fruit, to see her despair, her love, her hate, her sadness, her joy, her¡ª ¡ªThe child turned and tossed in her sleep, apparently enjoying a nightmare. The witch stepped away, she had spent all night appreciating her daughter already and morning was closing in. "I''ll be watching~" She kissed her. "...Waiting~" She blessed her. "...Looking right over your shoulder~" Dorothan, for the first time in her life experienced what it is like to care for another, in her own decrypt and twisted way. "Until the moment¡­ to partake in death. My little Apocrypha." ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - # OMAKES ¨C Little garden behind the dining place ¨CIf you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. [ Year one of Syuufarin''s arrival - Crocus'' kitchen ] "U-um¡­¡­. Can I¡­.?" "Hm? What is it, girl?" Crocus asked the girl who was timidly glancing around. "......Help?" Crocus blinked twice. "Help?... You? In the kitchen?" He said with palpable surprise. "...Yes." "..." At first, He wanted to laugh it off and send the kid away. But seeing her expression, it did not seem like she was here for insignificant reasons. Outwardly, it seemed like the kid was on the verge of running away judging by how she kept constantly shifting, but looking closely her eyes showed a great amount of courage was used just to come here. "What happened for you to come here so suddenly?" Crocus asked instead. No way he''d mock the poor kid that looked like they''d gone through so much effort. "...I, I wants¡­. Pay¡­. food¡­." She said, words full of lisp and speaking slowly and pausedly. It seemed like she was still trying to grasp their language. By the judge of her struggling and blushing face she was keenly aware of the fact too. "Hm? Oh¡­ Thank you but¡­ you know you don''t have to right?" "...!......!" The girl shook her head, paused, grinded her hands on her head as if trying to remember something, then just made a cute up and down gesture with her fists as if protesting. "...want!" ''Gods above protect my heart¡­'' Gaviel thought to himself. He coughed, a little embarrassed. "W-well, if you insist¡­" The girl brightened up. "...but I won''t let you inside." The girl dimmed down. "Instead¡­ Come here, let me show you something." Crocus gestured for her to follow. The girl¡­ brightened up? For as stone-faced the girl was, she certainly managed to loudly express herself in different ways. Clauren chuckled at her antics. Behind the bar where he served food, behind the open air kitchens, aside the ingredient storehouse, Clauren opened a door. "It''s not really a secret, but I like to think of this place as my special little haven. If you really wish to help, you can come here and help take care of it." Inside was a small greenhouse brimming with various plants. It was so cramped that even with Syuufarin''s size they couldn''t walk side by side in the narrow aisles. Herbs, spices, fruits, all sorts of things that are used in cooking were being cultivated in the greenhouse. "Here, you can use this." Crocus handed her a watering can. "There isn''t a lock, so you can come anytime you feel like it. Just remember to not leave the door open." The small girl left to work enthusiastically¡­ though she had no idea where to get water. Crocus went back to his workstation. Not long after Dahlia came by. "So¡­" She began, a tinge of worry in her voice. "That girl is still doing those things?" "Yes. I am sorry but," Crocus rubbed the back of his head. "I could not turn her down when she asked me so earnestly¡­ It should be fine I believe, what I told her to do is not anything too burdensome." Dahlia sighed. "I often wonder what sort of place she had lived in for her to end up in such a way." To them, such a concept of "repaying every debt" was foreign. They understood it to a point. They even thought it was noble in a way. But if every social interaction followed such a basis then society as whole would collapse, there are times where altruism is needed, and sometimes the "cost" of things are so high they cannot be paid. If the elves always worried about paying every goodwill and slight that has happened, Daivette would never be able to exist. It is a place built upon trust and camaraderie that doesn''t expect any sort of exchange from residents, the cost of living is practically free, as long as you contribute a little to the whole. And even then not much is necessary, since the output of resources is bigger than the demand necessary for living. That such an innocent and young girl spent more time working than playing deeply worried them. "I believe it is not something that has started with bad intentions, but¡­" Crocus scratched his beard. "...If malicious people wished to, it is an easy behavior to take advantage of." Dahlia nodded. "Too much gratitude can backfire on her." They decided to let things be for now. But in the future, warnings would be spread throughout the village for people to keep an eye on the precocious child, for the sake of her wellbeing. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¨C Where do these eggs come from? ¨C "Hey, I remember that you said there aren''t any chickens¡­ right?" "Hm? Yes. That''s right, why do you ask?" Granny replied. "...Then, where do all the eggs I see around come from?" "From the riverspawn beasts of course." "...what?" It was a name I had never heard before, I only sort of understood because the naming conventions the elves have for animals are fairly simple with a clear etymology. But still¡­ ''riverspawn?...'' "You''ve never seen them?... I''m pretty sure they are always chirping about somewhere." "...chirping??" I had thought she was talking about some sort of fish. Granny paused and took a long look at me. "...then again, you''ve never been the type to go outside much." "..." I wanted to be angry at her for that, but kept silent since there is no way to refute that. "Let''s go then! It''s a good chance to get you to walk a little for once." "Ugh, you don''t have to point it out like that¡­" We went to a far off corner of the village, one where I never even approached before. Even though I''ve been living in this place for a long time now¡­ I don''t think I have ever properly explored everything. Similarly to how some people could have never left their own cities or neighborhoods their whole life if they didn''t travel. I never wandered too far from Clauren''s house. As we approached a place that looked like a farm I began to see creatures that might as well be aliens to me. But to the elves they were everyday critters and completely natural. The first thing I noticed was the smell, like wet bird poop and¡­ hondashi? The next thing, I heard the sounds of chirping, but unlike chickens these were elongated and were more like sputtering whistling. And then, in the distance, I saw a herd of round and pudgy little things running about a green hill next to a pond. They looked like a mix of a dinosaur-era chicken, an axolotl, and a salamander. Walking in two legs with a big round belly and sporting a large mouth with a perpetually dumb smile. "whoa." They are cute. Seeing me stare so intently at them Granny simply picks one up and hands it to me without fanfare. "W-wait!" The suddenness startles me. Cats and dogs are one thing but I have never held another animal this big before. "Is it fine to hold them like this?" I glance at the¡­ lizard, which comfortably flops itself in my arms. They are as soft as they look and surprisingly flexible. "They are very docile," Granny chuckles. "Even if you shake it upside down at most they''ll avoid you for a while! Now, stay here, I will get some food for them." That day I spent the afternoon playing with the strange, but affectionate "riverspawn beasts". ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¨C Getting used to fruits, the artificial is more familiar ¨C I stared long and hard at a cucumber like fruit. Unlike its counterpart that I am familiar with¡­ this one is orange. It tastes like carrot, it has the texture of a carrot, but the shape of a cucumber and the insides have much more water. Also, it grew on the ground like a watermelon instead of under the dirt. The taste was surprisingly sweet with a satisfying crunch and a slight earthy saltiness. Despite being an ordinary vegetable, it would make for a decent appetizer even raw. The shape was convenient to snack on too. ''To think there would come a day where I would genuinely consider becoming vegetarian¡­'' The renowned healthy foods¡­ I had never been much of a fruit or salad eater in the past. Though I was not the type to eat fast-food all the time, I certainly gravitated away from the unappetizing foods more often than not. ''...Meat is still king though!'' It''s not as if I avoided eating my greens entirely, it simply was, that when you have the option to eat cabbage or maybe an apple, and then you turn your head and there''s the cupboard you know is full of cereal and other sweet and tastier things¡­ It is hard to be an upright person who always eats healthily, the temptation is simply too big. The elves though, as people that survive on plants more than meat, are able to make green foods very delicious without relying too much on condiments. Using many methods to bring the best of the natural flavors of each ingredient and extracting the most nutritional value and uses for them. A bell pepper, for example, can become sweet with the right preparation, and its leftovers can be dried and ground to turn into a rich and strong seasoning. ''My elevated senses make everything seem strong though¡­'' One bad note of getting enhanced hearing, smell, etcetera, was that palate got included as well. Even the most basic and simple of fruits has a captivating smell and taste, both in good and bad ways sometimes. ''Now that I think about it, I was much more familiar with the artificial flavors of fruit that came with all the industrialized and artificial types of food than the actual original flavors of the fruits themselves.'' Strawberry being a prime example, everyone loves an strawberry flavored candy, but when it comes to real strawberries, they rarely are as sweet as they are portrayed to be. Raw strawberries can be very sour in reality though. ''I was picky but¡­ hum, I guess it''s a good thing that I am able to enjoy various more foods now?'' I thought to myself. My feelings were mixed about it all. Nothing else would ever compare to the super bitter things I ate in the forest to survive. Though the burning sensation they had when going down my throat was funny. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¨C Really big potatoes ¨C After helping the farmers for some time, one day they called me over for harvest season, at first I wasn''t too interested but with how they were all gushing about it with excited faces I ended up coming over anyways. "Alright everyone, we pull in three¡­" 5 men were crouched around the stalk of one of the many buried plants in the field. A small part of me wanted to go in and join the fun, it felt like they were going to do a tug of war game with how they were doing things. Unfortunately there was no space for me to stand in between them, I was called over just to watch. "...one, two, three!" The plant didn''t even move. "Again!" I heard a thick thump coming from the ground, and a crack was beginning to appear. "One more!" The crack opened slightly. "Again!" This went on for 10 more minutes. I was beginning to feel a little worried, they looked like they were barely progressing at all. "...What about a shovel?" I asked. The uncle who had invited me panted in exhaustion. "There is a chance to damage the potato underneath¡­ so it is not a very good idea." "Oh¡­" The men continued pulling, also occasionally carefully digging with their hands. ''Wait a minute¨C All of this just for a single potato?!'' Before I could express my surprise the ground cracked again. A huge thing popped out of the ground. Shadowing over me, I had to look up to see the tip of it. "Eh?..." A humongous potato-like thing appeared, taller than I was, towering over 2 meters of height. Everyone was catching their breath. "Would you look at that! You think this will break the record?" someone said. Apparently, there are three types of harvests that the village elves do. The first one is crops that need to be harvested frequently every year, the second are ones that are fine if left for many years because they last long or take a long time to grow, and the third one are crops that refine over time and never are harvested unless a special occasion happens, they explained to me. And this "potato" in particular has been sitting under the ground for 5 years. "Why though?" I asked. "I thought they rot if you miss the harvest time?" "It''s more fun this way!" They answered. "Didn''t you see the huge Pumpkin my uncle got last year?" "I.. no, I didn''t." ''I was busy¡­ doing things. Yes, that''s right.'' Truth is that I had avoided the parties and festivals of the elves for the most part, I went to grab tasty food and left quickly to avoid being dragged in conversations. Through some special techniques that went over my head, they said that there is an ongoing competition to see who can grow the biggest crop of its type. And every year or so someone claims the honorary prize of having bested their competitors, the champion''s size is recorded, and everyone gets to enjoy something delicious at the winner''s choice food. Recently though, because of my intervention, everyone''s harvests were growing unusually large. Nobody understood why exactly, since this never happened before even if they watered their own crops with magic created water before. But this time after I went around making it rain on everyone''s fields something must have changed and the likely culprit is me. ''Wait¡­ Oh, oh no¡­'' Sweat began to fall down my face. I saw the gears turning from a distance. This probably meant that¡­ Day after day, one farmer or another along with gardeners, and even people that don''t even farm as their profession started to show up unannounced to invite me to see the big things they found growing in their backyard, thinking they could compete in the harvest competition. And they all said something in common ¨C""You''ve got to show up at the next harvest festival!""¨C ''Wahh!!! But I don''t wanna!'' A lone scream sounded in the confines of my mind. I ended up going anyway in the end. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ¨C How Clauren and Samyra met ¨C I am not a person who cares much for someone''s past, and much less their romantic lives. But Clauren, a very eccentric person who almost never leaves his house. And Samyra, a straight person that abides by the rules and is always holed up somewhere reading books. How could these two types of unsocial people have met? I wasn''t going to just ask them outright, obviously. That would be embarrassing. But then how was I going to satisfy this curiosity? ''Well, I don''t know either¡­'' I even ended up forgetting about it sometimes, but the nagging question always came back sooner or later. One day, after Clauren chased me again because he wanted to file some dust out of my horns again, I ended up blurting out something. "Samyra~" I whined, having resigned myself to appease the research beast. "How come you are married to this brute and insensitive person?" Samyra laughed at my plight. "Dear, you could be more gentle when requesting her to help you." "But she always runs away!" Clauren dramatically pointed his finger at me. "Because you handle me like a feral cat when you''re after me!" I dramatically pointed back. "Then don''t behave like one!" I opened my mouth, then thought about my behaviour. ''Fuck he is right.'' "...S-still!" I stuttered. "It''s uncomfortable!" "Does it hurt?" "No." "It''s for your own good, so don''t complain! My research of new compounds aside, your medical evaluation is all over the place with results I can''t wrap my head around, and also! I know for a fact that most horned animals can have a problem if their horns grow wrong or into their skull. I am simply helping you!" The comparison hit an angry chord within me. "When you put it like that¡­ I can''t really complain." I mumbled. After a moment, Samyra chirped back into the conversation. "And about that question, well, haha¡­" she let out an embarrassed laugh. "...It could be said that at first we were not married at all. In fact, it was mostly an accident, one thing led to another and¡­" "Huh?" I blinked. ''What a plot twist¡­'' "..." Clauren suddenly became very shy and mumbled some angry sounds that I couldn''t make out even with my good hearing. "He was so prickly at first, you know?" Samyra said with a much too happy smile. As if sharing juicy gossip. "He blew up his lab one too many times for everyone to tolerate. And since I lived close by and was apprenticeshipping under an Elder at the time, I got to be his per~so~nal overseer." She giggled. "Usually this job would go to a responsible and strong ranger, but I wanted to do it instead. Day after day I got to watch over him, of course, I had special privileges to do what I wanted with him." Clauren shuddered at that last line. "But who would''ve thought! The infamous and irresponsible researcher was actually very considerate! Everyone thought he had a screw loose," Samyra tilted her head with a furrowed brow "Maybe they were right. But the person himself took care to always protect himself and others when doing research, and he explained things so well! Almost like a teacher at times. With time I sort of grew to become lenient with him, of course sometimes I had to hit him in the back of the head, but my supervising job was very easy." "I did not think much of it at first, but one day Clauren started to try flirting with me! it was all so innocent and clumsy you know? I kind of pitied him at the time, there was one time where he even fell on top of¡ª" Clauren interrupted her with panic. "AAH!!! Unnecessary! Unnecessary!" "Ahem." Samyra let out a polite cough, silencing him. "Anyways," Clauren let out a sigh of relief. "He was cute, so I thought, ''why not?'' I pretty much already lived in his house and knew every corner of it. So I moved in before he could have a say in it." Clauren looked like he wanted to strangle himself by that point. Though I couldn''t even fathom what was going through his head. ''Ah¡­'' I thought to myself. ''So this is what a dangerous person is like.'' Samyra may look like a gentle and fragile person, but inside she can be surprisingly fierce. Chapter 41 - Find your one way The 6 Elders. Some would think that with such titles they would be the leaders of the village, while such notions aren''t wrong, they aren''t quite right either. The Elders have left most of the responsibilities concerning administration and management to the role of the Chief, who is currently being occupied by Dahlia. Instead of leadership, the Elders are in a position both at the same level of the Chief, and below it. They are figureheads of each branch of the village''s diverse professions. Saladin, the paranoid Elder, is a blacksmith and leader of defense and construction of the village, he oversees most if not all construction projects and mentors people in the arts of architecture and is the most experienced when it comes to strategy. In the past, he was one of the people to help in building the barrier that surrounds the village today. Caule, the gentle Elder, is a gardener whose main activities range from monitoring the village''s food supply and production along with decoration and planning of events and holidays. Though his authority as an Elder is minor at best compared to the others, he is the backbone of the village that helps sustain their self-sustainability. Wein, the foolhardy Elder, works mostly as a brewer of a vast selection of spirits, wines, and other fermented drinks. He is the leader of the rangers, due to his combat proficiency and time as an adventurer in the past, he is recognized for his strength and experience. Though looking at first glance he certainly doesn''t seem like it. Argos, the Wise Elder, a reclusive librarian that keeps to himself. His main role is as an archive keeper and manager of the main library of the village, aside from that, he serves as a mediator of the mage population of the village¡­ mostly because Granny Piyo couldn''t bother to do it and dumped the responsibility to him. Epoke, the serene Elder, guides the traditions and rituals of Daivette as a druid, the closest thing to a priest the village has. His duties revolve around education of the younger generation and being a spiritual leader. Although the elves do not worship a singular god, there are many facets of spiritualism, nature, and ethical edicts that they believe in. As a race close to nature, it could be said that they venerate the forest itself, but not with a relationship of worship, but of mutual respect and appreciation. Oberon, the eldest Elder, doesn''t have any particular profession or duties to do. It''s debated whether he or Granny Piyo are the oldest, but as the recognized eldest, he is particularly established with the older population of the village, few as they are. Due to this, though he wouldn''t call himself the wisest amongst them, he is treated as the final voice of reason, because as an Elder he has a right to veto the other elders in case he judges them to be unreasonable. He, however, rarely does ever participate in the meetings, opting to sit aside and observe the proceedings. Nowadays he passes time telling stories and fairy tales to anyone who is willing to lend an ear. The Elders have a mostly advisory position in relation to the Chief, who is responsible for leadership of the village as a whole. Officially, whether the Chief listens to the Elders or not is up to them, and in theory, the Chief alone should be able to know how to make decisions and gather information regardless of the Elders, making their existence as leadership obsolete. However, the position of the Chief serves another purpose besides leadership. The Chief is often if not always younger than the Elders, this is because the position is actually a way for them to nurture and test someone to either replace them or become a new Elder in the future. Such is the existence of the Elders and the Chief in Daivette. Therefore, it is because of such symmetrical relationships that both the Chief and the Elders may or may not be above each other in the hierarchy. Because while the Chief is a leader, the Elders are their mentors at the same time, with people supporting more one side or the other it''s natural that many confrontations appear if they disagree with each other. A strange system where people who value those with experience and those with skills clash. The oldest are respected and the powerful are admired. In a place like this, the elves could somewhat dodge becoming stagnant with time and complacency. Although innovation is scarce since they already live content lives, making the existence of elven researchers truly exceptional, basic skills and fundamentals have been honed for centuries. Even if elves are behind in technology and conveniences, it is indisputable that their craftsmanship and techniques are some of the finest. Unfortunately, perils that render skill and quality null are many and widespread in the world. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - 2 Years since the death of ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ A gathering with the village''s leaders is happening once again, only, this time there are many more people other than the elders. These participants for the most part were looking anxious, and some were even sweating from nervousness. ¡ª "So¡­ That time is coming closer¡­" ¡ª ¡ª "Yes¡­ But, is it really alright?" ¡ª ¡ª "I get it that we can''t avoid it, but I don''t like it." ¡ª They are the guardians of all the children and young ones of the village, parents, close relatives, and caretakers alike. "I don''t think any of them are ready, none of them are nearly as prepared or skilled in the ways that matter." Argued the wise Elder. In the village of Daivette, the children of the elves boast a good lifestyle free of responsibilities, being able to play and fool around all day. This is all thanks to the adults who cherish and protect them. However, this is only inside the confines of the village, a safe place built with the sweat and tears of their ancestors. A place that is home, but in a way, also a cage. As the children grow up, they are bound to wonder of the outside world. Some even are already thinking about going outside. "It''s a blessing that they were able to live carefree all this time¡­ but I suppose it''s time to begin their education." Said another. The children will always yearn for adventure. In one way or another, it is detrimental to confine them inside the village forever. They have tried to convince them to stay inside, where it''s safe, some agree, bound by their affection. But sooner or later, they all are lured by the call. It is better to guide and teach them how to survive than to imprison them. It has already happened once in the past after all. Those that left on their own¡­ their fate is unknown, and everyone has long since accepted that the worst has happened. Therefore, a tradition was born. Birds can''t stay caged, and they must first leap out of the nest for them to learn how to fly. Despite their fears, and the desire to keep them close and safe, the parents of the children wish to see them happy. So they make their best efforts to safekeep their children''s future safety in the case they decide to leave the village someday. When the children become of age, they wouldn''t be encouraged, but they''ll be permitted to leave Daivette, with the condition that they are required to pass a trial. To qualify, they must go through a long process of learning and honing the skills necessary to deal with dangers and to survive in the wilderness. Foraging, hunting, shelter, stealth, cooking, math, and most importantly combat. Along with magic for those with talent and will to pursue it. This is all done to increase the chances of survival. "Last time¡­ Only half came back, I hope they are living well, but the reality can be¡­" This was one of the main reasons why so many children lived in the village. Some come back to leave their offspring in their hands, others¡­ never came back at all, their fates unknown. And very rarely, a few come back to the village after finding love with another. Wild beasts and monsters, every elf learns how to deal with them. To live in the wilderness and prosper with the gifts of nature. If these were everything they had to worry about, there would not be a need to keep the village in such a remote and concealed location at all. However, reality is a much more unforgiving place... Elves aren''t the only intelligent race in the world after all. And dangers both subtle and grand that are far from being natural exist in the outside world. ¡ª "Humans are the worst." Everyone that has ever set foot outside agreed on that. The elves still remember, their wars and their sins are what brought them to Daivette. If they could, they would rather go somewhere else where they didn''t exist. Unfortunately, humans are the most numerous race that has spread all around the world. "Adventuring outside is great for growth. Meeting people¡­ Exploring¡­ The dangers though¡­" Dahlia, the Chief, said. It is undeniable that a necessity for diversity and updating themselves about what is happening around them exists. Dahlia wasn''t originally from Daivette, regardless of the hardships she endured in the past, she has no regrets. Otherwise how could she have met her loved ones? However an amount of reluctance is always present. "Is it not possible for them to have escorts? At least for their first time?" "Sadly no," Said the foolhardy Elder who was carrying a bottle of liquor, "I''d love to, trust me, but there aren''t many people interested in going that far outside the forest, even with the young''uns'' lives at stake. Especially the parents of children who are rangers, that lot believes in fostering independence in their kids, so they are definitely not going to help much." "And if we did order them to, the village would be left unprotected." Said the paranoid Elder. "We can''t eliminate the dangers human cities might pose, so it is for the best that we trust in our methods. We already possess a stockpile of protection charms and equipment to give them. The dangerous state the outside poses is unfortunate, but the benefits outweigh the risks."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Egh¡­" The foolhardy Elder made a sound of distaste. "I don''t like how you put it, but yeah, that''s pretty much it. Unless someone makes some sort of miracle enchantment or all the kids turn out to be super skilled there''s not much to do." "Still¡­" Dahlia sighed. "It has been so long, the short lived races'' disputes rarely last too long for us. Perhaps their nations aren''t as perilous now in comparison to our youth?" The wisest Elder said. "I understand your reluctance, but not all of humanity is tainted." "Pshh, yeah, maybe, once every ten years." Replied the foolhardy One. "You only care for the beverages they come up with," The paranoid Elder added. "Damn right I do." The brewer admitted without a shred of shame. "Come one now, don''t fight¡­" The gentle Elder, usually a quiet one, spoke up. The oldest Elder and the serene Elder remained silent, as they usually did. ¡£¡£¡£ "...With this I conclude this meeting¡­" Dahlia said, her voice a little tired from the whole ordeal. "Ah," Mouthed the druid, remembering something "There is one concern yet to be addressed¡­" This caught the attention of many, usually, the old druid did not interfere too much in their meetings unless it concerns the shrine or something urgent regarding the Children. In This meeting he''d spoken barely any words, having already known where the rote discussions would lead to nothing changing. So his abrupt remark came as a surprise. "The foreign child¡­ she is to become of age soon is she not?" Turning to a certain woman in the crowd, he addressed her. "Samyra¡­ As it concerns you, who has deeply bonded with that child¡­ Perhaps you should consider your future." Samyra, who, despite not being properly or officially a parent or guardian, was attending the meeting. Instead, her presence was justified because as a lorekeeper and assistant to Argos, the librarian Elder, she often volunteered herself to help with their younglings'' education together with the Druid''s apprentices. "B-but!" She stammered out nervously, recognizing the underlying meaning. "She''s still only a baby! There is no need, right?" Epoke, the druid Elder shook his head, "Do not lie to yourself" he reproached "The child is not an Elf, her race¡­" the man tilted his head in consternation for a moment. "...whatever her race is, it is with certainty that she does not have the same longevity as us, she is already growing, very soon to be an adult in the eyes of the short-lived races. I speak this for your own good Samyra, but eventually she will leave this village whether by her own will or not. " The druid never met the child in question, though that tiny bringer of joy has come to grow into the hearts of many people, she was never supposed to remain in the village for long in the first place. It is unfortunate that the child has no family left. And perhaps a different story would happen were she an Elf, but alas, she needs to go. "You will bear witness to her aging body, and then you shall fall into despair the day she dies here. You, her captor, after confining her here because of selfish desires." Epoke spoke with kindness, and yet his tone was harsh. "You will only end up hurting yourself should you keep her here. Now, ''only a few more years'' you''d tell me, waiting for her to become an adult, and when that time comes, when you either try to confine her longer, or that child decides to leave herself, what will do?" Caule placed a hand on the druid''s shoulder, "Epoke, I know you mean the best for her, but do you really¡­" The gardener Elder cringed, he did not want them to sour their relationship, and feeling the acrid atmosphere growing he felt the need to intervene somehow. "...your words, aren''t they too harsh?" "You all shy away and stand there looking at me with reluctance, fear clouding your judgement. And yet I know you agree with me." Rebuked Epoke. "All of you, do." He threw a piercing gaze that bounced towards all the Elders present. The librarian Elder sighed. "While I concede your point, must you sour the mood so?" argued Argos. "I am simply nipping the disaster in the bud." The druid huffed. "With how smitten Samyra has become¡­ It is best for her to face reality sooner than later." He spoke softly. Regret lacing his voice. He knew the values that all the elves here held in their hearts. Family and protecting their young being one of those important values that defined many of the people in the village. But here, a dilemma is forcing their hands to make drastic choices. It is essential to grant the children freedom and space for them to grow, but where does that unofficially adopted child enter? And Samyra, who is simply a young person to the eyes of the Elders, should they let her deal with the consequences of her actions, or try to prevent the bitter future she is heading towards? Epoke understood such things. And decided it was best to let the child go with a good note rather than the possible resentment that could stem from these conflicted people. Argos nodded, a pensive expression on his face. "I suppose. This conundrum has already occurred once before¡­" Daivette, in the eyes of the elves, is a relatively new village, but old enough for generations to pass to other races. Very rare visitors and friends from outside have come in the past, friends and partners from the elves who had ventured out. And similarly, they have long since faded away. Samyra, the subject of the matter, could only be feeling a gradual fall into utter helplessness. Deep down she knew already¡­ But the savory and sweet taste of those happy moments she has experienced were intoxicating. It felt nice, great even, her time with Syuufarin is filled with precious memories unlike any other. This was one of the times she cursed the longevity of her race. When it comes to the short-lived races, all becomes nothing but fleeting. Their time together was great, unfortunately the decision was already made. Samyra, devastated, left the meeting with a bitter smile. To the eyes of the Elders, it is no good for them to mingle too much with other races. Just like Samyra, they too had suffered much from such a disparity of age. Were the child actually an adult, they would allow her to stay, or send her back to their own civilization, they would have the right and maturity to make their own decisions after all. It is impossible to completely safeguard the child''s safety in the outside world, but they agreed it would be for the best that the Child learns to live inside where she belongs. And they already had indulged Samyra''s wishes enough. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Samyra''s been strangely gloomy these days. When I tried asking her about it, she deflected. ''It seems she and Clauren are hiding something¡­ but what could it be?'' I tried asking Gaviel about it instead, but¡­ "Hmm, I may have an inkling about what ails them. " He said. "But I believe that they will tell you in due time, those two hardly keep secrets for long after all." "Grr¡­" I angrily whined "If you say so¡­" I was someone who disliked surprises, when you are caught off guard it is really hard to adapt or respond properly. Unexpected things are burdensome and shatter any sense of peacefulness that could have existed prior. And even if it is with good intentions, if you don''t answer with what they expected the other party gets sad. ''When it comes to presents, food is the best.'' I thought to myself, silently brooding over the past. "For one as young, you are surprisingly patient." Gaviel said. I don''t know what was in what he said that was wrong, but somehow his tone made me angry. "For someone so old, you are very¡­" I went silent. Honestly I did not have anything I could come up with to jab him in any way. For as long as I''ve known Gaviel he has only been a good person, or at least I never saw him do unpleasant things. "...Um¡­" I looked at him, given that he is an elf he did not look old at all, his youthful but mature face filled with charm was not something that anyone could properly remark with mockery. "...I don''t know, handsome?" I ended up grumbling. ''What kind of reply even is that? Ahhgh!...'' At that, Gaviel laughed loudly. Enjoying my embarrassment. "I see, thank you for the compliment. But you are mistaken, I am merely 100 years old." "..." I blink twice. "...That''s still old¡­ right?" This hunk is surely older than Clauren and Samyra, otherwise I will begin to question everything I learned about elven biology. "Not at all, I am only 40 years older than your friend, Sedia." "No way." I interrupted him. "Then what does that make Clauren, or Samyra?... You look to be¡­ whatever age elves consider middle-aged." Gaviel laughs again¡­ though this time it sounds hollow. "My youth was beaten out of me when I became a ranger¡­" He says in an airy voice with his eyes looking at something imperceptible in the distance. He shakes his head, recomposing himself. "I am very far from growing grey hair yet. But yes," he sighed "I am aware that I look older than my age. If you did not know, that couple has lived for around four centuries, give and take some decades." "..." I close my eyes, lean back and take a deep breath. I exhale out. Slumping down in an act of me being utterly flabbergasted. Gaviel pats me on the back. "Yes, they certainly often act like fools, but I assure you that they are much more experienced than what they may appear to be." A thought pops up. "Wait, then how old is Granny?" If 2 people can look like that at four centuries of age, just how long has that hag lived? A thousand years? Even more? I thought the average lifespan of an elf was one millenia. "That¡­ is something unknown even to me." ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Dahlia, Clauren, and Samyra surreptitiously met while Syuufarin was being kept busy by Granny. Clauren hadn''t attended the meeting regarding the rite of passage of the younglings. It was only later that Samyra had delivered the news to him, and now both of them are meeting with the Chief at the request of Samyra. He went along with, clearly similarly worried. But not for the same reasons as his partner. Samywa was vehemently against the notion of sending Syuufarin away. In her eyes, the little girl was barely even a baby. Someone with a miniscule fraction of a fraction of her lifespan couldn''t be remotely close to being able to pass the rite of passage. Clauren¡­ He was sad to see the child go, but his main feelings on the problem were on Samyra, who he has known for far longer than the little girl. The prospect of getting a free lab assistant aside, as her one and only doctor who was monitoring her health. He knew, more than anyone, that the girl is growing older. And growing older means that one day she will die, and that day is much closer to her than it is for elves who live for centuries if not more. Cold hearted of him, he knew well enough about what he was doing and its consequences. But as elves with long lives, they knew that hope is one of the greatest drugs there is. And when you stop having it, the downfall can crush the spirit of even the most hardened people. Clauren does not want to see Samyra suffer like that. Therefore, the lesser evil was chosen. And then it came the time to break the news to Samyra¡­ "..." "Come on honey, look at me¡­" Clauren said. Samyra was absolutely livid with him. "It is¡­ we both know how this was going to end from the start. Look on the bright side! Syuu is already very good at magic, if she can get past all the trials there will be not one thing that will be able to hurt her outside." "That doesn''t mean it won''t be dangerous¡­" Samyra said back, pouting. Clauren sighed. Nothing he said is going to placate his wife. Dahlia approached the pair and put her hands on Samyra''s shoulders. "Samyra, rather than complain to me¡­ shouldn''t you be spending time with that child you love so much?" She shook her head. "I can''t change the Elder''s orders, and even if I could contest, I agree somewhat with their views. We cannot prevent dangerous things from happening, but coddling the kids forever is bad for many reasons too." "So, instead of talking to me, go talk to Syuufarin. Spend time with her while you still can." Samyra sniffed "...I suppose you are right." Clauren gave a look of thanks to Dahlia, though he was a smidgen miffed that she calmed down Samyra so easily after all his attempts. "Even so¡­ I can''t help but worry." Samyra continued. "That child¡­ She rushes as if believing she must handle everything on her own, or else she will be abandoned." "I.. I like to believe we dissuaded her from such notions¡­ But it certainly doesn''t feel like that sometimes." Even as they discussed this, the person in question was learning skills that no elf would bother themselves to learn. Contrary to those that specialize in one thing and stop at that, the girl was visiting people to learn magic, carpentry, cooking, farming, alchemy, smithing and all sorts of things. What scared Samyra the most was that Syuufarin was becoming good at all of those, despite stretching herself so thin all the time. The physical and mental fortitude the child has to do so much work without rest both appalled her and made her worry. "From what she had told us, it doesn''t seem as if she had lived in a particularly bad place. She had¡­ a good family from what I understood. But what sort of life did she have, for her to develop such strange habits?... I can only speculate." A minute of silence passed between them. "Well¡­ at least she seems happy. Despite being a workaholic." Dahlia sighed. "That may be true, but there was one time she had even come to me to ask if she could help with something¡­ I only came to know about the situation after that." She ended up being persuaded to teach the girl one thing or two about her work. Though Dahlia avoided giving anything for the child to do after that, not wanting to add another thing to her plate. Gods knows how much she wanted to relax every now and then¡­ And then a child comes that works even harder and even more than her, the Chief? Taking a break while a child of all things is working harder than her so earnestly¡­ her pride wouldn''t allow it. And it wasn''t only her, during Syuufarin''s stay, the whole village saw an increase in productivity. "Honestly speaking¡­ you aren''t the first person to come to me with this issue." Dahlia said, rubbing the back of her head. "Syuu has become cherished by many other people too, haha." She laughed sheepishly. Samyra and Clauren sighed in unison. "Knowing her, she will be more thrilled about it than otherwise, right?" Said Clauren. "She had that promise with Gaviel didn''t she?" Samyra just rested her head in her palms and sighed again in resignation. It all seemed inevitable now¡­ At least she would be able to savor what little time she still could spend with Syuufarin until she decided herself to leave the village or grew too old. She simply wasn''t expecting to get confirmation of her fears so soon. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Chapter 42 - Outcome of your love
¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª Shooting through boundary lines Passing a thousand stars Never ending fall Singing over and over in the language of sorrow. Looking back to our motherland It''s been a million, a billion light years Somehow I knew, I''m not coming back A little tast§Ö of your unconditional love You held me close Wickedly whispered in my ears "You can become anything you want to be" How could you be so certain? Cozy breeze, turquoise skies Honey flower, never-setting sun My skin, my eyes, my ears The world you left me are the signs you loved me Mommy look, I''m flying high ¡ª¡ª[ ?????? ?? ?????? ]¡ª¡ª
¡£¡£¡£sometime after Syuufarin began to learn magic. *Thump!* The heavy thump of a thick book being shut. "Phew¡­ That was the last one¡­" I look around me. The vast height of the bookshelves towering above me. And the dark atmosphere that is softly illuminated by rays of light and candlelight¡­ It all seemed so large. An almost unfathomable amount of stories and knowledge that fitted this strangely vast room. ''Now though¡­ honestly this place has fewer books than my old elementary school''s library¡­'' Maybe because of my drastic change of perspective things looked like they are more awesome and bigger than they actually are. The shelves are tall, yes, I could barely reach the fourth row from the bottom up. But if I were as tall as I was before I think I should be able to reach the top with only the help of a stool. The books in the library, not the one inside Clauren''s house, but one that was communally maintained for everyone to peruse, were ancient things that felt like they could fray and turn to dust at the mere touch. Many of the books here have copies made, so a good portion of them I had already found in Clauren''s house, with the exception of more special ones that I could only find in the main library. Thanks to magic, and many, many copies, no books were lost to the long passage of time. It was funny to think that elves are more likely to outlive any relics and tools they make than not. Eventually the weathering of normal materials catches up, so many people end up learning how to repair or craft one way or another due to needing to replace things. I sat down on the floor near the windowsills. Gazing at all the familiar titles and books with a strange sense of nostalgia and pride. ''I never thought there would be a day I would say that I read all the books in a library.'' Left bereft of my old forms of entertainment. Reading was one of the few ways I used to pass the time. I had even read the most boring and dull books simply out of boredom. I tried to fill my time with other things, like helping around the house whenever I could, and also in the village. ''Playing with the other children¡­ I admit it was fun, but everytime that happened I was left with a bitter aftertaste.'' Like an adult playing childish games, something that is fundamentally strange in various ways, made me reluctant to interact with the other kids. Then, thanks to the willingness of the elves, I managed to convince some people to let me observe them working instead of mingling with other kids. As long as I did not interfere or became too bothersome to them, I was free to sit by and curiously watch them work. One thing led to another, and¡­ ¡£¡£¡£ I observed the blacksmith working. Heating up the furnace, choosing the right materials, hammering down shapes and pouring liquid metal into molds, carefully tinkering and chiseling away the body of a red hot ingot¡­ Everything honestly reminded me of the variety shows I once used to watch on TV. Showcasing the work of various craftsmen along with interesting facts and stories to captivate the viewers. If I wanted to I could watch the methodical and repetitive work all day long. The old man set a round metal pot aside as he finished hammering into shape. ''Wasn''t he one of the Elders?'' I realize, suddenly remembering that serious and angry face I saw back then. ''Is it really alright for someone like him to be doing such menial work?...'' At the start, I came to this place curious about what people did in the thick and robust looking building, then was very surprised to see an elf of all things working with metal. Though, realistically speaking, it was obvious that for them to have reached the level of technology where they are now at least some sort of metallurgy must have happened, despite the abundance of wood present in everything. And then I asked if it was fine if I could watch them work. At first, they were reluctant to let a child stay near the dangerous forge, but after some convincing they allowed me. The image of a strong and burly man hammering swords was strong in my mind, but in reality the forge was rarely ever used, and when it was, it was because someone broke something that needed repairs or replacements. So, instead of racks of armor and weapons, the forge was actually filled with many tools and pieces of everyday life items, bolts, pots, kettles, hinges, rods, and miscellaneous bits and pieces. Although one or two other people also used the forge, most of the time it was this old man who spent his time here. At first I didn''t know very well who he was, aside from being some sort of master that everyone kind of obeyed. I had only seen him once before after all, and even then I hadn''t paid much attention to the meeting that was going on. Much to my embarrassment, it was only weeks after I started visiting that I noticed. I was feeling very nervous all of a sudden. ''Did I do anything disrespectful?... No, if I did he would have already kicked me out or something, right? What was his name again? He never said anything so it should be fine if I continue here right?'' Abruptly, the stern man talked to me. "Hand me the bending fork." He said without taking his eyes off his work. "E-Eh?! U-um¡­" I panickedly looked around me. "This one?" I picked up a pair of tongs that had a weird bent nose. "No," He briefly glanced in my direction. "That one by your tail, in the square box." I turned, now keenly aware of the position of my tail now that he mentioned. There, I saw a wooden box on top of a barrel with various metal blocks with forked tips of different sizes. Not sure of which one he wanted, I just picked up the entire thing and took out one that seemed like the right size as I walked over to him. "...Here?" He grunted something that sounded like thanks, extending his hand for me to give him. He also did a double take after seeing me carrying what was supposed to be a very heavy box full of metal implements like it was nothing. But didn''t say anything about it. After a while, the frequency where he asked me to fetch one thing or another increased. And I became more familiar with the different names and purposes of the mysterious tools around the forge. It took some time, but one day he tentatively asked me this. "...do you wish to try it?" "Huh? Try what?" "Blacksmithing, I mean." "..." To say that I was surprised would be an understatement. "Is that really okay?" The man''s constantly stern and angry face never even twitched out of place, if not for his tone of voice I wouldn''t know better. "Despite me never specifying, you always managed to grab the correct tool with the right size without needing to be told twice, and you possess a weirdly high strength for your size¡­ After observing my work with so much focus, are you telling me you are not interested?" "N-no! I mean, I''m fine with just watching you¡­ This is all unexpected. And don''t I need permission from someone?" He scoffed, coming off as amused. "I am the master of this forge¡­ my permission is all you need." ''Ah, right.'' For a moment I had completely forgotten the blacksmith was an Elder. He looked like the picture of a stern person, but I never saw him outside the picture of the forge, so the image of that imposing and important Elder sitting at a conference faded away from my mind. And, I was not sure if I wanted to try the real thing myself. When watching from outside, smithing seems like an interesting and fun activity. But it is also back-breaking work that can become incredibly dull if you are the one doing the smithing. "Um¡­. okay." In the end, I kind of wanted to try it out. "Is that a yes. Or a no?" He said imposingly. I replied a little scared of him. "Yes! I want to try!" I said with a straight back. "Good." It was only later that I learned his name is Saladin. He one-sidedly demanded that I call him "Master" while he was teaching me, so I never got around to asking his name. I tried really hard not to laugh, because his name resembled something else from my old world. ¡£¡£¡£ So I took the opportunity to learn since I was already there. And the same thing happened at the kitchen, and with the carpenter, and everyone else I had pestered to watch. At the time, I thought to myself ''Hey, isn''t this child labor!?'' But almost everyone seemed kind and enthusiastic about teaching me. Plus, I was also having a bit of fun getting to know how they did things first-hand instead of just watching from the sidelines. It reached a point where I could even do some of their work by myself, if it was simple things that did not need supervision. I sigh. ''Working¡­ Well, it''s interesting to learn how to do new things, and there was a time I had an incessant compulsion to devote my whole body to tasks¡­'' I reminisce with some bitterness. ''But then one day people began to stop me¡­'' ¡£¡£¡£ "Can I help?" "No." Saladin replied curtly. "Um¡­ okay?" People began to send me away. "I''ll take care of this for you!" "Ah, it''s fine! Really! There isn''t much to do anyways. Why don''t you go play with your friends?" The farmer I had helped previously waved their hands nervously. "But!... But!..." One after another, the places where I spent my time doing menial labor or giving a helping hand began to run out. "What will we do today?" Crocus, the cook, scratched his beard. "Ah, honestly we feel a little bad relying on a kid all the time¡­ you''ve been helping all this time for so long it feels like i''m losing my job haha! If we ever need your help we''ll call you, thank you, really! But you should let people do their jobs." "Oh¡­ I-I see, I understand." "Ah¡­ no. Don''t look so gloomy! You helped us so many times you could pass as an apprentice already! I wouldn''t be surprised if you could do the job by yourself without guidance¡­ You learned really fast!" He reassured me. "But quite honestly, there isn''t anything for you to do here today¡­" ¡­ Though it was true that I single handedly created a job shortage in the village, it was only later that I learned the truth of a big part of the reasons why people began to become reluctant to welcome me.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! It wasn''t anything bad, quite the opposite. After all, if a little kid suddenly starts to show up at your place almost everyday of the week looking for a job people are bound to grow some suspicions. Naturally, with time they spoke to each other and found out that the cute girl that is always helping around was actually working with and to everyone, all week, everywhere. ¡­And also that she had no friends. And so, they began to worry. In the beginning I spent most of the day studying and learning magic, which took a long time and people didn''t see me that often. It was after that when people began to take notice of my odd behavior. The turning point was when Sedia got involved, and started to physically drag me away. ¡­ "B-but!¨C" "No! I won''t let you!" Sedia yelled at me while pulling my hand. "What type of weirdo even wakes up at this hour to wash dishes anyways?" "W-weirdo?!..." I stuttered, suddenly feeling very sad. Powers beyond my ability to resist were working against me. I really liked the food from the kitchens, but I felt a little guilty from always eating there for free. So from time to time I helped them out as a form of payment, despite everyone telling me it was fine. "Also! Grandma said you were being a bad girl! So she told me to stop you from being silly!" "B-bad girl?! Huh?! W-what?! Why?" "Hmph!" She huffed, Sedia was visibly angry at me for a reason I couldn''t fathom. "Granny said you wouldn''t listen if she told you, and she told me to tell you to stop being dumb!" "Dumb?..." I looked at Sedia in confusion. ''What could she have meant by that?'' "Well, I didn''t really understand what she meant, but she said ''That penital child is going to burn herself to the ground whilst never becoming satisfied. Tell her to stop worrying about something that doesn''t exist or else I am going to hammer her head until she gets it.'' Granny looked really annoyed too." Sedia had stopped dragging me by now. "I don''t really get it, but even I can tell that you are doing unreasonable things for no reason! Weren''t we going to become mages together? How can that happen if I never see you? You are always working this and doing that¡­" "Bu¨C" She interrupts me. "No buts! Today we are going to do fun things! No working! That''s for boring people like Gaviel!" Sedia squishes my cheeks and harshly pulls them. "Mnnnyee!!! Ish urshs!" "You always say you haave to do this or that everyday but I don''t see you smiling at all! Are you telling me you want to become a boring and sad person? Hah?! Do you?! " Sedia was amazingly fierce all of a sudden. "N-no¡­" "Then good!" She exclaimed triumphantly, though her voice cracked a little. "Nobody is forcing you to work right? I don''t understand why you think fun is prohibited, you weirdo." "..." ¡£¡£¡£ "Haa¡­" I sighed, resting my head on top of my knees. I still did one or two odd jobs from time to time, as I genuinely am interested in some things. For example, woodworking and cooking can be very tiring, but the art of creating something is therapeutic in its own way, plus, I get to learn some nifty skills that are always good to have, especially in this fantasy world. But now that pretty much the whole village knows of my situation, I am in a sort of pseudo-blacklist that everyone created. If anyone, especially Granny, sees me doing manual labor, I get lectured and a restraining order is placed on me. That is, Sedia is dispatched to make sure I didn''t go off to do those things. And to make me actually relax and do things a child ought to do instead. I pause. ''Just when did I start thinking of myself as a "child"?...'' Despite my true mental age, I figured that after being referred to and being treated like one for so long, I may have been affected somehow. I shake that train of thought out of my head. ''It feels weird to have people telling me to not work instead of the opposite¡­ Capitalism is scary.'' It would take a long time before I completely let go of all the habits that were built during my whole previous life. ''I never thought that my diligence would backfire on me like this.'' Even Gaviel, who everyone seems to see as a workaholic, and whom I was often compared to. Told me to be more laid back. Everyone was protective in ways that surprised me, someone that was used to being indifferent to everyone except family. Being treated like a cherished person by people I saw as strangers was jarring. "¡­" For a while, I sat there just thinking about my life. These old books were precious companions during my time here. No responsibilities¡­ no work¡­ no expectations¡­ I had all the time in the world and then some more. On another note, I also had all the boredom in the world. Just to sate my need to do something, anything at all, I ended up reading a lot of mundane, strange, and questionable books in the library. My skills as a mage are only so-so. I only have an upper-hand because I can brute force most things, but when it comes to technique and knowledge I am not very confident. After absorbing so many books, far ahead than what Clauren and Granny had taught me, I gave myself an edge. A precocious and inexperienced edge, but an advantage nonetheless. Though without practice, all this reading can only get me so far. At least I have a good memory now, so I won''t be coming back to the same books too much. But despite my efforts, beating Clauren, and much less Granny in a contest is beyond my abilities. ''Didn''t Gaviel promise me that he would teach me after I''m done with magic?... Maybe I should take him up on that.'' There''s still a long way until I''m accepted as a full-fledged mage, but it wouldn''t hurt to get started on other things to occupy my time. ''I used to gloomily laze around all day, but after a while I saw how satisfying working can¨C'' "..." I blink twice at the absurd thing I just uttered in my head. A thought occurs to me. "Do¡­ Do I need a hobby?" I tilt my head, a strange feeling of dread suddenly enveloping me. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - ''What should I even do as a hobby though?...'' I thought to myself while idly carving a wood block. It was one of the few things I picked up along the way, I am just whittling away a vague shape without knowing exactly what I wanted to make. I laugh at myself. ''In a way, I''m like this unshaped carving, I could be doing anything that comes to mind. There are many options to choose from, but I get lost in all the possibilities.'' When it comes to fun or interesting things I used to do for entertainment, videos, games, and manga were the things I enjoyed the most. But such options are impossible to get here, even less in a fantasy world. I had managed with the small library inside Clauren''s house, but there isn''t exactly an influx of new books or authors in the village. So once I ran out of things to read monotony sunk back in. ''Drawing?... Music?...'' For trying out other artistic choices, I am reluctant. Painting or drawing needs lots of supplies, though the village is hardly struggling in that aspect, the quality of paper and different writing utensils are a major turnoff. There aren''t the easy to use graphite pencils and ballpoint pens I am used to, and wasting the hard earned ink for such frivolous things made me feel bad. As for music, I never had touched an instrument in my past life beyond the cheap flute they made kindergartners practice. Even though I was an avid listener to composers and singers in my past life, the fact that I have zero skill or practice in anything related to actually playing an instrument made me lose confidence before even trying it out. I sigh. ''Well, my time is already plenty full with all the apprenticeships I accidentally fell into¡­ But even with those things, when I have idle time like this I start to become anxious¡­ It''s not as if there isn''t anything to do though.''. I sigh again. By now the wood piece had become a weird shape full of cuts, pretty much unusable to shape into something now. I was actually doing it more for the catharsis of repeatedly stabbing something and carving pieces out than making something out of the wood. Looking down at my lap I see that I''ve made a mess of wood shavings. I put aside the defiled wood block and clean the mess I''ve made. ''...This should at least make for some kindling I guess.'' I go to the kitchen and open the tiny door under the wood stove and throw the shavings inside. I throw the misshapen wood inside too. The thing was also too damaged to do anything useful with it. "What are you doing there?" The sudden voice makes me jump, I accidentally step on top of my own tail and let out a noise of pain. "N-nothing!" I hurriedly turned around to see Samyra standing there with a somewhat dumbfounded face. "..." "..." ''Right, genius. Certainly not the most suspicious thing to say at all.'' I scolded myself. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - Syuufarin could''ve never guessed what was going through Samyra''s mind in that moment. ''They told me other races grow up much more quickly¡­ Is Syuu already at that age?...'' Samyra wondered. Half in horror and half in resignation. A part of her was genuinely worried sick, Syuu''s never hidden anything from her so far¡­ except for that one time when Syuu felt sorry for not telling about her own deceased family for some reason. Even so, Syuufarin is not very good at lying at all. Samyra stared at Syuufarin for a long time while pondering what to do. In the end, since Syuufarin hasn''t ever gotten¡­ in too much trouble¡­? In reality that is not quite true, but she was not the type to needlessly enter conflicts or cause an irredeemable mess. So Samyra let the suspicious behavior get away. There was only that one time where she made the other children cry, and that time she flooded the fields, or that other time Clauren''s lab exploded, or that other time¡­ In the end Samyra got even more worried now than where she started. "Anyways," Samyra shook her head. "I wanted to talk with you." ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - "You wanted to talk with me?" I blink twice in surprise. "Is something wrong?" "Yes¡­ No." Samyra fidgets and tosses her hair over her shoulder to her back. "Actually, let''s sit down first." I go along with her, and hesitate on the other chair. Samyra would usually wordlessly just pick me up and settle me onto her lap with or without my protests. The fact that she didn''t even move to do that habitual thing, despite my grievances about it, made me nervous. The abandoned carving is completely gone from my mind, the sudden shift in mood making me alert and worried. ''I''ve never seen her so¡­ pensive?'' Samyra''s always been kind of a mother hen, but this is something else entirely. "So¡­ What do you think of this village?" Samyra asked shyly. ''Is this some sort of test?...'' I look at her while suppressing the emotions on my face. "It''s¡­ a nice place?" "Right?" She says enthusiastically. "Everything you''d ever need is here." "Um¡­ Yeah?..." I laugh nervously. Samyra then asks fervently. "So you won''t be joining the others in the rite of passage right?" "...The what?" "..." "..." "Hwwwwww!!!~" Samyra whines loudly while hiding her face in both hands. She thought that since Syuufarin was living in the village someone would''ve talked about it, but it seems like she underestimated just how little the little girl went outside. "W-what?!" I shout, startled. "I-I thought you already knew about it¡­" Samyra sobbed. "Why did I even bring it up¡­" "Um¡­ If you want I can forget about it?..." Samyra lets out a long sigh. "...No, no. Sooner or later I''m going to have to face it." She says, mostly to herself, and recomposes herself. She explains to me what the rite of passage means, though the true name of the tradition is something that I didn''t really understand, that was essentially what I understood from it. I guessed it was reasonable, no way they were sending people outside without preparing them first, the forest is very dangerous after all, I know from experience. That I got to attend what I understood to be something of an elven exclusive ceremony was something that made me feel a little more grounded. Samyra also explained to me that before the tradition some level of education was expected. I had no idea what the elves did for education and just assumed everyone was either homeschooled or just learned things as they went on with their lives, but no, apparently there''s another person that is responsible for that. An Elder. I am a special case because it has been decades since that person needed to take any teaching position. There are many children, but none of those children are exactly what one would call new, maternity rates aren''t too high with elves after all and those kids have been living for a long time already after all. Because of my complicated position, Samyra was supposed to teach me the language so we could communicate at first, but one thing led to another and the full package ended up being dumped on me to learn. With exception to the more spiritual matters that the children are also taught. That was another surprise, although not a religion per se, the same Elder mentioned previously is also their spiritual leader. Samyra didn''t go into details, but it sounded like something along the lines of literal spirits and elven traditions instead of a god. I can''t say I wasn''t completely uninterested, from a completely theological and cultural standpoint, but I wasn''t about to enter some sort of cult and be submitted to preaching again. Either way I wasn''t sure if they would even let me inside in the first place, whatever stance that Elder had with me, an outsider, was still fuzzy to me. ''On another note, why is Samyra telling me all this?'' Well, because I asked, of course. But throughout the whole explanation she did not look me in the eye even one. That''s¡­ I honestly felt a little hurt. ''But¡­ it''s not like that, right?'' I can''t say we were close, but I wouldn''t say we were too far apart either. Samyra, to me, was a very nice person who took care of me. I am very grateful to her. And her presence became common in my daily life. To me she is a friend, and something two steps below an aunt. A sort of weird place since I once bawled my eyes out and rambled nonsense on her lap one day. But who is to say that such sentiments are shared? Samyra, she looked¡­ she looked like¡­ ''Why?... Why are you feeling guilty with me going? Yes I understand it can be sort of dangerous, and that I will need to train even more. But it''s not like I''ll disappear forever¡­?'' Then it hit me. Samyra looked at me, waiting for an answer. ''I¡­ expected that one day or another I would go and venture into the unknown outside world. Danger is scary, people are scary, the forest is scary, monsters are terrifying, and I know deep in my heart that at least some lingering trauma remains. I may have grossly overlooked and downplayed my time in the forest a little, but¡­ the darkness, the hunger, the biting cold, the never ending tension of possible dangers, jumping at every little sound. I''m¡­'' I take a shuddering breath. ''I''m¡­ fine, now. Not¡­ not completely, no, something like that isn''t¨C doesn''t go away.'' Even now I can''t sleep unless facing away from a wall. A habit ingrained from having to be aware of less directions while sleeping in case something appears. ''But I''m better, and stronger. Something, or someone, put me in this world. Maybe because of some grander purpose, or maybe just to let me be free and see what happens. Maybe it was all an incredible happenstance of impossible probabilities. Maybe I am just delusional and other worlds don''t really exist.'' My tail curled and uncurled. ''Regardless¡­ I want to see the skies, the ocean, the marvels of this mysterious and fantastical world. I''ve been training so that nothing bad ever happens to me, and¡­ though I am infinitely grateful for these kind and gentle people of the village, I want to be selfish like this.'' "Yes, I want to go." "...I see," Samyra said with a sad smile. She laid back on the chair and hung her head backwards, looking up at the ceiling. "I suspected that would be your answer¡­ but confirming it makes it feel different." "¡­" I hugged my own tail, pensively looking at Samyra. A long time passed where we just shared silence, quietly coming to terms to our diverging paths. "..." Samyra, although she doesn''t do anything or shift her posture, suddenly appears much more disheveled. "Pheh¡­ Dahlia was right after all¡­" She sighs, languishing. She doesn''t elaborate. ''I did it¡­ I finally said it.'' My wish to go outside was not a secret, or rather, I didn''t do anything to actively hide it, but as I had never mentioned it to anyone before, there was no way for them to know. They never asked either. But this has been a long time coming, the nagging thought has been always present and it only grew more with time. A part of me screamed to remain here, in safety, in the home that replaced your lost one. And another, bigger, part strongly yearned to see the world, despite the odds. Or maybe, one miniscule part, the one that whispered that I''d never truly belong here. Full of anxiety and traitorous thoughts, it never went away no matter how many times it was stomped out. It wasn''t with resentment or malice, but rather for the sake of the elves, and perhaps for my own sake. I couldn''t see myself living in the village indefinitely, it feels restrictive, limiting in a sort of way. The walls too thick and tall, the contents too shallow and dry. The people are good and kind, but the connection falters the moment they are out of sight. Perhaps it was precisely because I felt I was not truly caring for them as I should that I burrowed myself into their work, I''d mused sardonically. It was all too confusing and messy, the thoughts, the emotions. I tried giving myself reasons, tried justifying what I was doing, what I am. Only to end up feeling like splitting in two. My mental state certainly wasn''t the best. Maybe it still isn''t. ''I feel like I have done something irreparable¡­ What will happen now? I am going to learn things, hopefully be able to live on my own, but then what? At the cost of leaving all behind? It''s not like I have much of anything¡­ except¡­ ruining the relationship that happened to grow with them. Will they resent me? Will they accept my choice?'' I knew they wouldn''t, I knew they would. And yet it still felt like a mistake was being made. I couldn''t even fathom what Samyra''s thoughts said about all this. I only hoped, blindly, that it would all end up ok. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - - The mood the next day was unusually somber, and yet touched by a gentle air of forlorn happiness. Syuufarin woke up late as always, and after a late breakfast that almost bordered lunchtime she left for the main library again. As she had read all of Clauren''s books¡­ Well, with the exception of certain books that were purposefully hidden from her, she began to visit the other place full of books instead. That girl has a hunger for reading that rivals even the most unhinged of mages. Samyra sighed, looking at the distant girl''s back grow smaller as she walked away. "Is this the right thing to do?" She says. The rite of passage¡­ while a tradition oriented to foster talents and increase survivability, it is also a disguised deterrent for the weak and unambitious. Nobody really wants to see their kids going away to unknown places, but in an ironic sort of way the elves can''t force them to stay either, either because they don''t want to out of love, or because the younger elves enter their rebellious phase and decide to go regardless of other people''s wishes. For all the defenses the elves have, if a particularly determined elf wants to leave the only thing that can stop them is another elf. Simply speaking, "I cannot let you pass unless you defeat me!" was the consensus that came to be. After deeming the exodus of their people, especially the young ones, inevitable. They opted to prolong it as much as they could rather than confining their own people. Nobody wants to part ways in anguish after all. "I hope so," said Clauren. In his own opinion, they could stay in this dream-like existence for as long as they''d like. A harmonious family, spending days doing whatever they wished, repeating a peaceful cycle of idyllic days forever. He was very much more than content after becoming partners with Samyra, and Syuufarin was an unexpected, but joyful addition to their lives. It had been only a measly two years since they met her. A timespan of a blink to an elf in the grand scheme of things. But her presence has turned this short time very lively. But in the end, it was as the Elders said. While he would be content and happy to spend the next decades, even centuries, researching away and feeding his curiosity to his experiments. As did Samyra and her own work and hobbies. Syuufarin could not, both because of the intrinsic nature of her own biology, and because she is searching for something. He couldn''t tell what, exactly. It was only a hunch of his at first, but nobody that seeks power and knowledge so fervently like that child does so for inane reasons. She confirmed it herself to them yesterday after all. Syuufarin had been preparing herself to leave one day. There was also the strangeness about her interaction with the gate that Clauren had been looking into. The further an invader walks inside the reaches of the old spell, the more lacerated they would theoretically become. That is, if they are not one of theirs with shared bloodline, or if someone else from inside invites them in. Gaviel certainly did invite her in, though Clauren had some words to say about his actions that could make Syuufarin enter a dangerous spell just like that, when he heard that there had been no reaction at all from the gate towards her presence many eyes were turned. No warning signs, no barrier, not even a speck of fluttering mana or indication that the gate had registered the girl as a threat. Even with someone with a key to pass safely through it, if they were not a "resident" the gate would at minimum show signs of imminent activations, as if its hands were on a trigger. So it is very concerning that despite the girl being a complete foreign entity in the village, the spell thought of her as one of theirs. And he and many others trust the implied words of the magic more than whatever they could think up. Thankfully the girl is a sweetheart, but isn''t that a frightening thought? That there is a way to somehow bypass the wall that they thought to be the height of their defenses. By that point, it was indisputable that the witch had some sort of connection with the girl. Even though the girl herself looks to have no relation whatsoever with that enemy, and has proven herself to be nothing but altruistic in nature. The mark of suspicion never truly fades. The Elders hadn''t explicitly said anything about it, but then again, their attitude towards the girl was never welcoming to begin with. "If I am to be honest¡­ I am scared, more of her than anything else." Samyra tilted her head at him. "We both know that she is a fast learner." Clauren half turned to Samyra, still looking at Syuufarin who was walking away in the distance. "A very fast learner¡­ She will soon rise from being only a novice level mage and pass the trials before we can blink. Syuufarin runs fast and jumps high, I hope she learns how to land too before it is too late." Samyra exhaled, a long breath of concern and motherly pride as she looked ahead. "...Syuufarin has a good head on her shoulders. And¡­" Syuufarin had a demeanor of wise naivety that confounded everyone she met. That consistently threw people off whenever she would pronounce words that fit the age of an elder, and then be swayed by the mention of candy and treats right after. Not to mention that the girl lost her own family not long ago. They had been there for her, but aside from that one time Syuufarin avoided mentioning them again. "Yes¡­ I can see what you mean. But¡­ I''ll decide to put my faith in her." ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨C¨C ¨C¨C -- - -