Date: September 23, 637, Time: 09:41. Location: Inside a strange structure belonging to humans.

The stench of the foul air assaulted my senses. It didn’t take me long to realize I was dreaming again. When I opened my eyes, I felt the force of a wind gusting at what seemed like fifty kilometers per hour. The clouds of dust carried by the wind tossed my hair where I lay. The wreckage I had seen before was nowhere in sight. Apart from the ground covered in sand, the dusty windstorm, and the small yellow disk of the sun appearing in the sky, there was nothing to see.

I tried to lift my body, but my right leg wouldn’t move. Using my hands, I attempted to sit upright. There was nothing to see in my surroundings, but lying there any longer felt unbearable.

As I straightened my back, I heard a sound. It echoed through the surrounding walls, distorted and delayed, as if I were in a deep valley. The reverberation made it impossible to understand what the sound was trying to convey. Before I could process it, the sound warped and was drowned out by the intensifying wind. The howling of the wind was so deafening that I instinctively tried to cover my ears. When dust began to fill my eyes, I felt a sharp pain. My vision blurred completely, and before me, I saw only those familiar numbers passing like a film reel.

Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes and found myself inside a strange structure belonging to humans.

While trying to steady my breathing, I looked up at a ceiling made of wooden planks. Tree trunks had been pruned and arranged to form this roof. This architectural style reminded me of what had happened before I lost consciousness. I had encountered some humans, and then… nothing. I thought I had remembered, but my mind held no trace of it. What was happening? This wasn’t normal.

Panicked, I tried to sit up, only to feel my right leg stiffen painfully. Unable to control myself, I let out a loud cry. My voice sounded unmistakably human.

As the pain gradually subsided, I composed myself and reached for the white covering draped over me to inspect my leg. I tore it off in frustration, and the sight beneath left me in shock. My leg was wrapped in some kind of material, reinforced with sticks and tightly bound. It was clear this was done to prevent movement because any attempt to move it resulted in unbearable pain. Of course, this wasn’t the only foreign thing on my body.

I wore a loose, soft, and comfortable white garment that covered three-quarters of my body. Various other parts of my body were wrapped in the same material as my leg. The pain was more intense in some areas. Lastly, I noticed something peculiar: metal objects were attached to my wrists and ankles, including my injured right leg. Chains extended from these metal pieces toward the corners of the room.

This technique was called chaining. Even if I could move, it was clear how restricted I was. Had the humans taken me captive? What could they possibly want from me? Yet they had also treated my injuries. My body appeared to have been cared for.

Questions swirled in my mind. The contrast between the comfortable bed I was lying on and the restrictive metal chains around my limbs was striking.

Trying to make sense of this contrast felt like a wasted effort. Instead, I decided to review the information I could gather. Slightly lifting my head, I began examining the room.

The space contained various objects: a cabinet, shelves, a few rugs made of animal hides, and items used for eating and drinking. All of it was beyond my reach. Upon closer inspection, I realized this was a human dwelling. The impression was reinforced by a wooden door and two large windows about five meters to the right of where I lay.

Just then, a shadow appeared in front of the door. Feet were visible beneath it. Someone was here for me.

I closed my eyes, pretending to be unconscious. If they had plans for me, I might overhear something useful. Humans were foolish creatures—they would undoubtedly talk. Closing my eyes, I focused on the sound of the approaching footsteps. They seemed to be heading for a seat to my right, based on the accompanying noises.

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After a moment of silence, I felt hands touch my body, mostly over the bandaged areas. Shortly after, I heard a voice:

“How much longer do you plan on sleeping, I wonder?”

Though quiet and somewhat unclear, the words were close enough for me to grasp their meaning. It had fallen into my trap, believing I was asleep. Perhaps it would start sharing its life story soon. I was certain it would reveal something about what had happened while I was unconscious.

Remaining still and patient, I let it continue touching my body. The voice spoke again:

“Ah… Why do you look so much like her?”

Her? Who was this "her"? Hearing this sentence made it difficult to keep my eyes closed. I was overwhelmed with curiosity but knew I couldn’t show it.

“You have the same white hair as she does. Your face… it’s just like hers.”

Voice trembled slightly, and it stopped touching me. Finally, muttered quietly:

“This must be my penance.”

I heard the sound of standing up. It seemed were about to leave. I kept my eyes shut until I heard the door close. Once it were gone, I opened my eyes and tried to make sense of its words.

This person had clearly been the one treating my injuries. But who had placed the chains on me?

The door suddenly slammed open, prompting me to shut my eyes again, anticipating answers soon.

Multiple footsteps entered the room, accompanied by the sound of a man and a woman talking. The woman seemed to be pleading with the man:

“Torsten, please listen to me. She’s not dangerous. Remove the chains, please.”

“No, Malle! She attacked two of my men.”

“Couldn’t she have acted out of fear? She’s been wandering the Great Oak Forest for days. She’s seriously injured.”

“How do you know she’s not an escaped Alphian concubine or slave? Some of the hunters’ bodies were found by the river near the village. Couldn’t she have killed them? And you know the rumors about the Alphians.”

The woman paused briefly—just for a second—before responding:

“Even if that’s true, isn’t it a good thing she escaped?”

“Stop this nonsense, Malle. We’re handing her over to the Knights.”

The woman’s voice sounded like the one from earlier—the one who had checked my wounds. So her name was Malle.

I didn’t like Torsten. While some of what he said was accurate, his tone irritated me. From what I overheard, he was the one who had ordered the chains. He mentioned something about "Knights" and a place called Alphia. I had no idea what any of that meant, but for now, I knew I had to keep my eyes shut. Opening them and revealing I was awake might cause trouble.

A question crossed my mind: why had they come to talk here, right next to me? Before I could dwell on it, I received my answer:

“The locks haven’t been tampered with. Everything looks intact, Torsten.”

The voice belonged to someone else in the room. They were likely checking to ensure I hadn’t attempted to escape. It was a logical precaution. Their fear of me might work to my advantage.

After inspecting the chains, Torsten and his men left the room. I heard Malle muttering to herself:

“So stubborn, Torsten. But I won’t let you harm her. Not while she’s under my care.”

This human didn’t see me as an enemy. She was trying to protect me. It didn’t make sense, though. Then again, humans acting irrationally was nothing new.

Should I use her? How long would it take me to achieve my goals on my own? Yet, using her would mean breaking the third rule. Was it worth it? I didn’t know.

“She couldn’t live, but you will. I’ll make sure you survive. You’ll have a long life ahead of you.”

Malle had approached me and spoken these words. Strangely, it felt familiar, as if someone had said something similar to me before. Had I remembered something from my past?

She began stroking my hair. For a few seconds, I let myself enjoy it too much. But I didn’t need the comfort of a human’s disgusting hands. They’re nothing but… humans!

“Hey, are you alright? You’re shaking. You’re burning up. What’s going on?”

She was likely referring to the physical manifestations of my thoughts. I couldn’t hold back any longer. With a surge of anger, I opened my eyes and thrashed against the chains holding me.

The rattling chains and the terrifying sound that escaped my mouth echoed through the room as I screamed:

“Get your filthy hands off me, you disgusting human vermin!”