Aidan studied his hand. The skin had no signs of any burns or marks he could see. He sighed in relief as he turned his attention back to the stone slab still sitting on the table. He reached out his hand again just as the door slammed open, making him flinch at the sudden noise. A giant beast of a man stood on the threshold, his eyes taking in the room before they settled on Aidan.

“You. What did you do?” Shouted the beast man as he pointed at Aidan.

Ignoring the intruder, Aidan focused his attention on the stone slab. A message was blinking on its surface. The text was bright red as it continued to flash. Aidan read the message, blinked and reread it.

The beast-man grabbed Aidan as he stared at the writing. His mind struggled to make sense of it. “Are you deaf or something? Noelle, is this a joke? I thought you said there was an emergency.” Said the beast man as he held Aidan. His eyes stared daggers at Aidan. “You. What did you do to Noelle?”

“I don’t understand.” Muttered Noelle quietly as she walked to the table. “I have never seen the Scrying slab not work. Aidan. Wha… No. No. No. It can’t be.” Noelle stared at the message on the stone slab before she looked at Aidan. Her face was frozen with something Aidan had not expected to see.

Fear.

She feared him. Whatever the message meant, she feared it—feared him.

Aidan looked back at the slab as he reread the message. It didn’t make sense to him, but maybe someone could explain it. Or at least give him an idea of where to look for answers.

‘Error. Unable to read subject. Error. The subject is protected from all Scrying attempts due to Admin protections. Only authorised personnel are exempted. Further attempts will result in punitive measures being deployed.’

“Zarok. L… Let… Let him down, please.” Stuttered Noelle as she backed away from where he held Aidan. “We need to get the guild master. Zarok, We need to go.”

“Huh. What. What are you saying, Noelle.” Replied the beast man Zarok. “This arrogant shit stain thinks he can pull a fast one? And you want to let him go? Why are you so afraid of him? I swore to protect you. He can’t hurt you.”

“Zarok. He is under their watch. Let. Him. Go. We don’t want to cause a fight with them. We… We need to tell the guide master. He will deal with this.” Repeated Noelle.

Zarok looked from where Noelle was backing away before his gaze followed hers to the table as he read the Stone slab on the tabletop. He dropped Aidan. Putting his hands up and copied Noelle. “Hey. Ahh. Sorry about that. No hard feelings, hey. I didn’t mean to offend anyone; I get protective of Noelle. Yeah. I didn’t mean anything.” Said Zarok quickly as he stepped back, pushing Noelle out of the room before closing the door behind them.

The room was too quiet, even with the soft hum of noise that Aidan assumed could only be the tavern downstairs, as he tried to process what had just happened. His mind raced with questions. Taking a deep breath, Aidan stood up and dusted his pants as he decided to focus on what he understood. He needed to learn more about these “Admin protections” and why they seemed to apply to him. He had stumbled upon something significant that had rattled both Noelle and Zarok.

Aidan reached out to touch the stone slab again, hoping that he might get something else from it. But before his hand could make contact, the slab’s surface shimmered, and the message vanished, leaving behind only a smooth, unblemished surface. He ran his hand over the surface; the smooth, cool stone felt like every other cut and polished stone he had handled.

His Frustration rose as he realised he wouldn’t get any answers from the stone slab. He needed another way to uncover the truth about what was happening to him. But for now, he had more immediate concerns. Aidan glanced around the room, taking in his surroundings as he tried to think. There was nothing in the room that he could use. The bookshelf held nothing besides a few books he couldn’t read. It was becoming clear that he couldn’t stay here any longer.

Noelle and Zarok’s reactions had made that choice for him. He was sure that meeting this guide master would not be in his best interests. He needed to find a place where he could gather his thoughts and make a plan. He needed to figure out how this world worked and get stronger so people couldn’t push him around.

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With a quick nod to himself, Aidan headed for the door, his mind racing. He didn’t know where he was going or what he would do next, but he knew one thing for sure: he couldn’t stay here. Not when he was surrounded by people who feared him. He knew it would only be a matter of time before they tried to kill him. It always happened; what people feared, they soon turned against.

It was a basic response when faced with something people didn’t understand or couldn’t understand. He had seen it far too many times back on Earth. Shit, chuckled Aidan to himself; some wars were fought because of someone’s fear of others.

As he stepped out into the second-level main area, Aidan paused, his senses on high alert. He couldn’t shake off the unsettling feeling after the encounter with Noelle and Zarok. Their reactions had left him with more questions than answers, and he knew he needed to tread carefully.

Whatever was happening to him, he was in uncharted territory, and he had no idea who he could trust. The second level was surprisingly empty. Aidan’s mind raced with possibilities as he descended the stairs to the main level. The ground floor was as lively as ever. The commotion he had made on the second floor hadn’t been heard here yet.

He made his way towards the front doors before he stopped. The guards at the temple had said that Lyra had left his pen with the guide. Aidan turned, quickly making his way back to the front desk. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down, not when he was surrounded by people who would most likely fear him for reasons he couldn’t comprehend. His instincts urged him to keep moving, to stay one step ahead of whatever threats lurked in the shadows.

Despite everything, Aidan couldn’t shake off his growing sense of fear at what he felt was coming after him. His heart raced as he whipped his hands on his pants again. The feeling still lingered after the encounter with Noelle and Zarok. He knew he needed to tread carefully. As he approached the front desk to retrieve his pen, every nerve in his body seemed to hum with anticipation as if warning him of impending danger.

Aidan took a deep breath in an attempt to steady his nerves. He had to remain composed despite the turmoil churning inside him. “Hi. I was told Lyra left an item of my for collection.”

“Hello again.” Said Ana as she greeted him again. “Please wait one moment while I check.”

Ana, the receptionist, disappeared out the back as Aidan looked around the room. He tried to calm his nerves, wiping his hands on his pants. A shout sounded from above as Ana appeared from the door to the back room.

“Yes. She left an item. Could you tell me what it is and I can give it to you. She already paid the fee, so there is no problem there.” Smiled Ana as she held a box in her hands.

“Ah.” Said Aidan nervously. He hadn’t expected the box. “She… She left me my pen.”

“Correct.” Ana smiled as she opened the box and drew the pen. “Here you go. Thank you for using the guide collection system. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

Aidan went to reply as a shout sounded from the stairs. Aidan’s ears strained, picking up every creak of the floorboards and rustle of fabric, amplifying the tension in the air. His heart pounded in his chest, echoing in the quiet space as if his own heartbeat dared not disturb the eerie stillness. It was as though the room held its breath, waiting for the next moment of revelation or conflict. Aidan didn’t wait to find out who the owner of the shout was—turning and running from the guide.

“Stop. Someone Stop him.” Shouted the same voice again. This time, it was louder. The voice didn’t sound happy. “Stop that man.”

Aidan Slammed his shoulders into the front doors as something hit the wall beside him. Glancing as he pushed through the doors, Aidan stared at an Ice shard embedded into the wall. Frost had spread from where it had hit. They had tried to kill him. The Ice shard was all the proof Aidan needed to know. It further embedded his belief that he couldn’t trust anyone.

Jumping through the doorway, Aidan rolled to his feet as he landed in the street. Not bothering to stop to see if anyone had followed him out, Aidan sprinted down the street, turning at the first chance down a minor side street.

Shouts sounded behind him as he heard others calling. Aidan kept taking turns randomly as he heard people searching behind him. The sounds of footsteps echo down the cobblestones as a chilly breeze sweeps through the streets. [Flee] Panted Aidan. The surge of speed and strength flooded his body as he pushed harder to distance himself from whoever was chasing him.

Aidan noticed the change in the buildings as he fled through the streets. Where once stood proud, sturdy stone structures now loomed weather-beaten wooden buildings, their facades bearing the scars of neglect and time. The streets narrowed, choked by debris and litter, their surfaces marred by potholes and cracks left untended. The ambience shifted from the orderly hum of a prosperous township to the hushed desolation of a forgotten corner.

As he darted through the trash-filled alleyways, Aidan’s gaze fell upon a particularly decrepit building, its timeworn facade sagging under the weight of years of neglect. It stood in the shadow of the town’s protective wall, its windows boarded up, its door hanging askew on rusted hinges. The air around it seemed to tell of its abandonment and despair.

With a quick glance over his shoulder to ensure he wasn’t being pursued, Aidan made a split-second decision. He veered towards the derelict structure, his footsteps echoing hollowly against the cobblestones. Determination etched into his features, he pushed open the creaking door and slipped inside, hoping to hide within the confines of its crumbling walls.