Cael was actually a bit unhappy with the System too. It had suggested he take a specific Class and then restricted his skill options to being able to [Read]. In retrospect, he had been screwed by everything since the beginning. Maybe nuking his [Luck] stat had been a mistake. Not that the System had given him any indication there either.

They did eventually exit the woods. After another ten or so minutes of walking, they’d exited the treeline and Cael was no closer to his goal of burning holes into the back of Rocaren’s head with his eyes.

He was, however, completely exhausted. Being angry was tiring, and it seemed almost difficult for Cael to keep it up. He still did his best though. That head-hole wasn't going to burn itself.

He still hated the guy, but he couldn’t do anything about it anyway.

The changeling took a break from his glowering to survey the plain they had stepped out into.

Knee-high golden grass lay on a path toward a large town with high wooden walls. Just ahead, Cael saw a large gate and traced the road connected to it. His eyes finally stopped where the road disappeared into the forest, not even a minute's walk away. There was… a path… that they could have been walking on. This whole time?

Never mind, back to head-hole burning he went.

“Stop glaring at me like that.” Rocaren hadn’t even turned to see him before commanding him to stop.

Cael closed his eyes. To be fair, it was one of the only ways he could even follow the order. The other method that came to mind was to look away entirely, but this was much more passive-aggressive. If that’s all he had, he would use it to the best of his abilities. Thankfully though, passive-aggressive action wasn’t all he had. He could still talk.

“Just because you can’t glare, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be able to either.”

“Stop talking.”

And just like that, passive-aggressive action was all he had. Whatever. It was more than a little satisfying to patronize the guy. He hadn’t even said anything bad though. You’d think the whole 'eyes' thing wouldn't be a sore point for Rocaren. Cael was pretty sure he'd lived his whole life like that.

Naturally, Rocaren ignored the road leading up to the gates, opting instead to trample a line in the grass. Cael sighed deeply and made his way toward the path. He was sick of stepping on sharp things, and who knew what else could be hiding in that grass? Absolutely not. The well-trodden path was much more his speed.

He’d tested it out in the woods, and he could partially skirt around the ‘follow’ command.

As long as Cael intended to arrive where Rocaren was heading, he could more or less just wander wherever.

Another four minutes and he stood before the gates. Rocaren was already there, but Cael made sure to stand as far away from him as the grass would allow.

Eventually, the large wooden doors swung open. Cael was mostly impressed by how completely silent it was throughout the whole process. Those must have been some nice hinges.

“You may speak, but you cannot tell the truth or any lies.” Cael stared at Rocaren. What the hell kind of command was that?

“Entrance fee.” A woman called out in a bored tone. A guard of the town, no doubt. When Cael caught sight of her, he was intrigued to find that she was decked out in a full suit of plate armor. She reminded him of Arx if only a little. She was also massive. Towering over Rocaren, who himself towered over Cael. This was getting old really quickly. Unlike Rocaren however, the guardswoman was built broad and powerful.

“I don’t have to pay the fee if I come with a criminal,” Rocaren replied coolly.

“I’m not a criminal!” Cael couldn’t help his outburst and was met with the full brunt of the collar’s punishment for the truth.

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The town guard seemed amused by this, “Can’t even defend yourself without setting off your little collar, hmm?”

“Not lying.” he whimpered when the collar enforced the conflicting command.

“Oh, please tell me more.” She stepped closer and Rocaren watched without a word.

Cael paused to regain his breath, there was no way this was actually happening.

She chuckled at his silence and flicked something at Rocaren with a decidedly metallic resonance. A coin?

“If you transfer the collar ownership over, you can head on in.”

“Alright. Do not follow me anymore.” Rocaren gave his last command to Cael before turning back to the giantess, “It’s done.”

Frustration rushed through Cael as Rocaren just walked away. Was that really all this was about? The uses Rocaren had for him? He’d been summoned for the sole purpose of being labeled a criminal so Rocaren could enter a town without having to pay a stupid fee?

An uncomfortable burning feeling blossomed in Cael’s chest. Was that all he was worth?

“Cool it with the drama, kid. You can be mad in your jail cell.” She patted him on the back and lifted him by the hood and carried him off to a squat building to the left of the gate. He noted that his clothes refused to even stretch under his full weight. Clearly, they were more durable than he'd thought.

As they passed through the gates, Cael looked around. The town was more or less what he’d expected based on the guard’s armored state.

Stone walls and thatched roofs stretched along mostly-straight streets of cobblestone. He was pleased to find it clean and fresh-smelling. Oddly enough, the whole place was lit by a system of familiar-looking streetlights.

The guard pulled him into a nearby building, having to duck on her way in, so as not to bump her head on the door frame. The inside was cozy, with candles that cast more light than they physically should have. It was a reception area if ever he’d seen one. His mind blanked for a second before a dozen images of different reception areas and attractive receptionists flashed across his mind.

A reception room with a rustic theme, then.

Also, wow. Apparently, the whole memory-flashes thing could happen outside of his soul. Horrible news, really. Though at least this one hadn’t been as emotionally volatile as the last one.

The red-scaled receptionist eyed them as they walked in, or were carried in, in Cael’s case. Honestly, there was no need for that. She could have easily just told him to follow and he wouldn't have been able to do a thing about it. The receptionist's keen reptilian eyes flicked across both of them before they locked gazes with Cael. After another moment of inspection, they darted back to the giant guardswoman.

“Macera, what's with the kid?” The lizard-like person had a soothing melodic voice and a cheery attitude. It was somewhat at odds with the big mouth of sharp teeth, but Cael wasn’t going to complain about them not sounding like a growling or hissing animal. He totally understood why the lizard was working in customer service.

They also looked cool as heck. All his annoyance was quickly forgotten. He wriggled around in Macera’s arms. She held him out and dropped him pointedly onto the wooden floors. It was a message of course— Cael hadn’t escaped, Macera had let him go— but that was fine. He’d already figured out that he had no chance of overpowering the lady who'd lifted him so easily with one hand.

He dusted himself off, though it was more due to passive aggressiveness than any actual dirt. The place was spotless.

The changeling approached the lizard person. Gosh, they looked even cooler with how the candlelight bounced off their scales. Like a polished ruby.

“Hi, it’s nice to... hmm.” Cael managed to stop himself. There was no way the collar was letting him finish that sentence.

Macera snorted from somewhere behind him.

Cael settled for a wave.

Sure Macera and Arx were massive, and Rocaren had no eyes, but for the most part, they still appeared quite human. This reptilian individual was the most blatantly fantastical creature he had encountered yet! Now that his positive opinion of magic had been shackled, and collared, if you will, the existence of this species was all the more exciting. If he had been a biologist or zoologist or something, he bet he could have learned more about the individual before him. Hmm. Note to self: he had not been a biologist or zoologist in his past life.

“Careful, he’s a criminal.” The giantess stated though Cael did his best to ignore her.

“Why do you say that?” The receptionist raised a pretty good question.

“He’s a changeling.”

The changeling in question had no idea where everyone else was pulling this information out of. Did he have it stamped across his forehead or something? Rocaren hadn't even said anything about that.

“So what?” At least the lizard didn’t seem to think this automatically made him a murderer or something. Cael was growing to like them. Him? They certainly sounded male, but he didn’t want to assume, and he didn’t have any point of comparison.

“Just look at him. He probably killed that poor human whose face he’s wearing.”

Cael couldn’t quite find it in him to ignore that accusation.

“Excuse me?”