The trip back to the underground – wait, is this the ground? Under surface? Below surface? Whatever, anyway, it’s uneventful. I didn’t even run into my pets along the way, I’m sure they’ve wandered off and will be easy enough to find if I need them again.

(Either that or they’ve run for the hills, and I wouldn’t blame them,) Nyx interjects.

Well, sure, but I have a hunch we’ll see them again.

I dart around the entryway ward again and head for the town square, since it’s midday now and Nerin is probably working. And sure enough, there they are, so I drift my lure up.

Hello Nerin.

The eldra shrieks like I’d just hit them with a burning hot poker, flinging the produce up in the air. I can’t help but feel some déjà vu, and I manifest some feelers to catch the falling vegetables and –

They hit the ground.

Where are my feelers?

“GODS, don’t do that!”

Ah. Sorry.

I appreciate Nerin’s struggling to catch their breath and refusal to speak more, considering I’m suddenly in a crisis myself. What’s going on? Did I break something?

(Class and Skill changes.)

What?

Nyx tilts her head. (You really didn’t think that only names changed, did you? You don’t have your corporeal form Skill anymore.)

That’s... true. I haven’t tested the other one... I probably should.

(Dismiss your lure first, or at least don’t stand on top of it. At least pretend you don’t want to terrify poor Nerin.)

Ok, fine. I dismiss my lure, and activate Verum Corpus. My ash swirls, glitters, and compresses smoothly into a solid mass, starting at my feet, traveling up through my torso and arms, finally reaching the tips of my hair. I blink my unexpectedly material eyes, and take a breath of the air in the marketplace. It's rather stale isn’t it?

My next sensation, other than feeling the stone beneath my feet, is the coat Nerin has slapped across my front.

“Idiot! I was sure you lacked any form of common sense before, but I have no room to question it now.” Are they upset? Why?

(You just manifested a physical body, one that again looks exactly like me, completely nude, in the middle of town square. What did you expect?)

Ah. Nudity is a thing people care about, yes?

(Yes,) she retorts.

Ah, my apologies. This is a new Skill. I was not aware it would manifest without clothing, considering my other Skills managed that.

“You should always test your skills in a safe environment though,” the grocer scolds.

Fair enough. Now we know though. I guess I should probably get some clothing... I have funds.

***

The rest of the afternoon is a whirlwind of Nerin dragging me between a number of different shops – a tailor, a cobbler, a leatherworker, and a few others – as they insist on outfitting me “like a sensible person” as they so eloquently put it.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

(Don’t mind me, I’m just over here not being at all surprised that you can’t even dress yourself.)

Oh shut up.

(Have you tried identifying them? I bet they just show up as ‘clothes’,) Nyx sneers.

And, I choose to ignore her. I’d say I’m being the bigger person, but my body and hers look to be the same size now. Which I suppose makes sense.

After the shopping spree and Nerin’s extensive lecture on how I’m supposed to wear everything, including having me dress and undress multiple times to show I actually understand, I've got two changes of clothes that make me look like a low level adventurer and almost no enni to my name.

(You are a low level adventurer.)

Fair enough.

Thank you for your assistance.

“It’s no problem at all.”

I’m walking after them, since I’ve got nothing better to do for the time being. Which... hmm, the Skill changes... I can’t help but wonder.

“Can you understand me?” I ask.

My walking companion freezes.

“I have had many Skill changes. The description of one leads me to believe that I may be able to speak. Flinch twice if yes.”

They turn to give me an incredulous look before replying. “Yes, I can understand you. You definitely don’t sound human, or anything like it.”

“Then. What would you say I sound like?”

Nerin stands and thinks for a minute. “If I had to say anything specific, your voice sounds like the wind through the trees in the forests of the Greater Grove.”

“Fascinating. I have no idea what that means,” I reply.

“My homeland on the native plane of my kind. They say the spirits whisper to those who will hear, are willing to hear. Whether it’s to offer unexpected advice or to spirit away children who haven’t learned better.”

Well. That’s a thing to ponder.

(What they hear probably isn’t really with their ears.)

Why do you say that?

(The description talks about souls resonating, and that description was clearly something very personal to Nerin. There’s no way that’s a coincidence,) she says as she crosses her arms and leans on a nearby wall.

“I’ll need to experiment with this more. In the meantime, what will you do?” I ask the grocer.

“Well, I already closed shop for the day. I’ll stop at Meune’s tavern like I usually do, and then return home to rest. What will you do?”

“I will join you,” I answer.

I spend the rest of the evening drinking with Nerin and the rest of the regular crowd. It’s a strange experience to realize alcohol seems to affect me now, but I suppose it’s related to this being my ‘true body’ or whatever.

(Yes, that would be exactly why,) Nyx answers.

Now that I think of it, I keep thinking things in the form of questions or just generally wondering about things...

(Yes you do.)

Sorry.

(Whatever. Just don’t get so drunk we can’t get back to Philip.)

Sure, sure. One or two more will probably be fine.

And they are at first, but after a while, I feel myself starting to slip from consciousness, and the next thing I know I’m surrounded by people screaming and running away.

Ah, I see. If I lose consciousness, Verum Corpus ends?

(Looks that way. Idiot. This is why you always test things first.)

Also, I’m completely sober.

(Your normal form doesn’t have any biology to get drunk.)

Fair enough. Huh, looks like Nerin ran too.

I take a few moments to follow the routine the grocer drilled into my head for dressing myself, and then walk out the front door. Walking with this body is a lot easier than it was with my lure, almost like it’s reflexive or instinctual.

(Of course it is, this is supposed to be your true body. If it was a tentacled horror, you’d innately know how to move that instead.)

Interesting.

Anyway, I have no idea where Nerin lives, but I can taste their mana in the air. I follow the scent and eventually find myself at a small house with probably two or three rooms in total. They must be doing relatively well for themself if they can manage a home larger than a single room, especially in an area like this. I can feel their mana inside, huddled in a far corner.

I decide to project my thoughts like I used to, instead of speaking. I don’t want to terrify them more.

(So you’re learning then?) Nyx interrupts.

I sigh – physically this time! Wow, having this kind of body is weird.

I’m sorry. I didn’t know that would happen if I lost consciousness.

No answer. Huh.

(You should probably just leave them alone for now. If they’re going to come around, they will on their own.)

Alright. I can go along with that. I think now is as good as any a time to check those ghost traps...