Chapter 17: The Stray

Phasing through the mountain's surface passing through snow and stone without a hitch.

'Too easy,' I grinned as I fell to what anybody else would see as death.

On my way down, descending faster and faster glimpsing ants in the furthest distance I realized that I didn't quite come up with a plan for what would happen after jumping up the mountain.

Now that I found myself falling... falling... and still falling. I was probably about to fall on someone or damage a road. I'd be a new addition to this kingdom of stone, hopefully, I'd be welcomed by any of these people. Going along those lines I wouldn't be too thrilled about a child falling through my rooftop. That's if I don't make one big splat.

'Oh look, pedestrians,' A street filled with them.

Dwarves from the looks of it, but I could see a couple of lizard people walking around with [Identification].

[Lizard Man], [Dwarf], [Dwarf], [Beast Man], [Dwarf], [Dwarf]

*Ping!* [Identification] has leveled up!

I’m such a cool big brother. The least I could do for Adena is learn a language from one of these cool Races.

It was all going to plan.

Find a way into a mountain, Check. 'It was,' as in past tense, everything would have gone as planned if only fifty wide-eyed strangers didn’t turn in my direction as soon as I used [Identification]. I guess these creatures had good eyesight.

I mean, I was waaaaay up. I didn't gouge the distance that well from the outside.

'Yikes is this where I start crying so I don’t get attacked and possibly killed, yes, this seems to be the place.' I'm just a normal six-year-old who fell from the sky.

“Please don’t label me a monster, please don't label me a monster, I haven’t even taken a Class yet!” Twisting and turning in the air presumably falling to an unwelcome end. [Performance of a lifetime] activated, as I fell towards a street filled with countless furries and a hand full of Dwarves.

Midair I tried to turn around, so that I appeared to be falling face first, and that's when I started bawling my eyes out in tears.

“HELP, Pwease, Pwea, HELP, HELP ME!!!" I screamed making sure not to tear my vocal cords again. Figured maybe I could 'try to baby-talk my way out of this one.' That's what I was thinking then it hit me. What if they could read minds, I need to become the part.

“Papaaaa!!!" Flailing and falling was quite fun, another first added to my bucket list. And out of nowhere falling to a fake death as my eyes closed with a forced fright, a [Beast-Man] jumped out of the crowd of onlookers and bystanders.

The Wolf Man shot upward as if levitating or flying off of the road to scoop me up out of the air like the momentum from my fall meant nothing. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, "you know other than a Giant Bipedal Wolf Man", someone had seen that I was a kid and took pity.

For a minute there thought the Furry bastard was going to slice me in half with its sword five meters or so, that or he'd try to eat me. Unsure of what would happen to me in his arms, I decided to ramp up the tears and hug his big furry chest. I'd never seen a Wolfman more helpless, figures.

The Wolfman mouthed words, but I couldn’t decipher whatever language he was speaking. Not yet at least. It looked and sounded like gibberish combined with whale noises which made people stop and stare at his pitiful attempt to calm me down. His vocal cords were out of whack which made me ignore the guy.

He was the only Wolfman around so I couldn't play a game of 'what went wrong.' Ignoring his whale noises.

His chest fur was super fluffy, so it wasn’t all acting when I calmed down and I let him take me wherever he was going.

As slitted eyes and burly short men took notice of us the Wolfman grew wary and started walking off as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. I obliged slowly stopping my tears from falling, I snuggled up close into his arms keeping my eyes shut. Such a hassle producing tears, my heartbeat would also pose a problem if it wasn't beating fast enough so I continued to calm down as I nuzzled under the Wolf man's big arms.

I was getting a mind full of his matter, analyzing every part of him with my eyes closed. I needed to be sure that I wasn't in the hands of a raging maniac or a psychopath. It would be fun in the long term, but I was getting tired of having my day in the sun. I could always use some peace in my heart, with a smidge of Nothing in mind.

My focus was primarily on the wolf man, the Dwarven kingdom didn't catch my interest. You see one stone you've seen them all. I found the medieval architecture of stone and wooden structures quite lacking. But not to worry, I had a suspicious wolfman to keep me entertained.

A Wolfman with a huge scar on his right breast, my bad, pectoral muscle. The scar or deep gash looked like it was from a fatal knife wound or some large sword slash. And his matter was dense but not denser than my own.

'Interesting or odd, why wasn't his matter denser than mine?' The wolf's eyes had a dull white light which was a good sign, not brighter than Papa’s in any way. Paled in comparison but I’m not going to be picky.

'I guess I could do him a favor for catching me.' These ugly scars were an eyesore even when I had my eyes closed. 'I wonder how magic worked in this world, matter manipulation was me and Adena’s own little Racial thing.' I jumped the gun coming across another chance to use my skill's, but I hadn't seen it that way. I wanted to continue scratching the surface.

Activating my skills, [Matter manipulation] and [Eyes of the watcher], I focused on the lucky Wolfman of the day.

How hard could manipulating this guy's Matter be? I could work with this, even if parts of what composed the Wolfman's body had been lost to time. I could see that and more noticing holes and grooves where matter once belonged. What could have glimmered and shined appeared dull, the Wolf's demeanor was dull.

'I can work with this.' That is all I told myself while giving in to my imagination. I didn't think about how unethical it was to use the Wolfman as a practice dummy.

Didn't take long to make him my coloring book manipulating his matter was like drawing inside the lines on a piece of paper. He was like a puzzle that had broken off pieces, a statue that had been cracked and chipped away over time.

The thing with Matter is that it’s always moving. If you know how to manipulate it, you can patch anyone, and or anything.

'How the hell do I know it’s only been a day since I got here?' Everything always seemed easy to me especially with [Memories and more]. Taking in the knowledge from [Eyes of the Watcher] while observing this wolfman's Matter. I became wrapped up in my thoughts.

'This is a wolfman, yup, he smells like a dog, definitely, a wolfman he’s so fucking lucky. He’s lost organs. I'll help you out, this once, you better count yourself lucky and help me out in return.' I’m even restoring one of his testicles oh my god he doesn't have a penis. Enraptured by his skeletal structure and sheer mass I couldn't help but wonder.

'How are you alive?' in my head I was taken aback by this guy's practically dying state.

How was my so-called "Rescuer", still alive with the current state of his body?

Using [Memories and more] I started focusing on what the Wolfman was missing, it was all color-coordinated in some way when overlapped with Nothing. With little to no thought I started wrapping tiny amounts of free-flowing matter along the street in Dark matter as if I'd done it my entire life. Six years, a lifetime for me, a lifetime of Nothing.

'I couldn't hold myself back. Why would I hold myself back? Why should I hold myself back?' I don't know this Wolfman so what's the harm in helping him out? 'Without a doubt, I can fix this guy or at least undo what time has done.' That's what I told myself from the farthest reaches of my mind. It never took long for me to find justification.

He was just another late-night game of operation. Everything inside the Wolfman could be found outside the Wolfman. It was natural to try and fill in the blanks. All I needed to do was Will some of the surrounding matter towards his body using [Dark Matter manipulation].

'I felt like a God but hadn't I always even without [Eyes of the Watcher], this task was beneath me as was everything. A minor problem, the Wolf himself was a minor problem. And in this world, all minor problems could be fixed, I could manage that much.

"If I don’t know something or can’t find what I’m looking for, I put Nothing behind it. And it more or less glows any shade but nothing signifying that the solution has been found. 'It glows' that's not accurate. Nothing shows me that It's all trivial, I can't see in Nothing, as I don't see Matter. Not with my eyes or using my mind. The Brain is a prop just another way to limit and confine myself to this world, to problems of an earthly domain, problems can be solved when you remove yourself from the equation. Why can't problems be solved by someone outside of the equation? It's easier to judge on the out looking in. The equation is an equation because you've put in time and effort to create something you believe has meaning. There is no need for meaning in Nothing. Time is an illusion; you delude yourself into creating this equation. Why waste effort? How can you waste effort that is meaningless and without purpose? Now you misplace your time."

The equation has no time to be solved, come to remember that Nothing Matters. Nothing is all that Matters, "Nothing is all that will ever Matter."

*Ping!* [Material Regeneration] has leveled up!

*Ping!* [Miracle Maker] has leveled up!

'Huh? I’m getting insanely good at this. Don’t look at me like that wolf boy, lose an organ again and you're on your own.' The Wolfman was looking at me unaware that I was looking back. Eyes closed and using [Performance of a lifetime] to pretend to be asleep the wolf man was about to lick me, and I was about to rip out his stank tongue. After a bit of finesse and racial skill usage. The Wolfman was born a new even his fur had regained its shine and took on a darker sheen. It's so lustrous almost like my hair.

"My hair?" Now that I think about it, I look like a mess. I'm so used to the length of my hair. My curls are just an extension of me these days. I should clean myself off whenever I get the chance. I’ll get my appearance in order sooner or later.

'Papa wouldn’t like a mess on top of my head,' but I do love a good mess as much as the next person.

'What the hell is this guy doing?' I frowned, as the Wolf guy hastened his pace.

The Wolfman walked in circles after I restored him to his prime. At first, I thought I had broken him. But you know, I'm astonishing. What I'd done was beyond rejuvenation, after all, why wouldn't I be able to do better than some silly wizard in a book? I'm amazing! I would be brimming with pride if I didn't have to keep up the charade of being sound asleep.

He looked practically unrecognizable on a material level. The Wolfman's veins and blood vessels were flowing like forbidden rivers, and his eyes were a shade whiter still nothing compared to papa's but they would do. His missing organs had returned whole and refreshed missing kidney and damaged intestines had returned from nothing, also his testicle and penis had been reattached, not to mention his ears almost forgot about that.

Never seen a wolf man's body before today but it's way sturdier than a human's even in that crummy state, Denser as well. Now that I think about it, that must've been a really painful experience.

'This guy must have a Third-tier pain resistance like me,' doubt it, I'm the Special boy.

'Why the hell is he walking in circles and his tail Is wagging like a damn propeller. You seven-foot bastard better not take my kindness for weakness, I’ll disintegrate you.' I'd find a way to eviscerate him if he so much as thought about taking advantage of me.

'How would he even find out that it was my doing?' Good question Adi.

The Wolfman was staring at his penis while he held me in his hands, all the while I was hoping that I didn’t give a fucking rapist his weapon back. Who knows with my luck? And as if making a spur-of-the-moment decision he decided to turn away from the shabby-looking inn down the road.

'Hmm, could that be an adventurer’s guild like in Adena’s book?' Smelled like one, looked like one, left like one.

'Did I mess up? I didn't give him experience by using my abilities on him or something wild like that did I?' He does look significantly denser Material-wise. Did I go overboard? At the moment, he seemed like a perfect test subject.

The skill [Performance of a lifetime], masked my thoughts of unease. Not that I needed the Skill, I'm a brilliant actor even without.

"What is this guy doing?!," It would be a bad idea to cause a scene in the current situation. Hate to have to strangle one of these reptiles passing us bye.

With an undertone of pep in his step it hit me, 'Fuck, he’s going to take me home isn’t he, this isn’t what I signed up for!'

===

“Hi, I’m Adonin the six-year-old boy sitting in a bathtub with a giant Blue and black-eyed wolfman.

'Are we shocked? I am shocked.' Besides the seven-foot giant stranger at my back pouring hot water over my head, I’m fine.

'He hasn’t done anything questionable I would’ve slit his fucking thick throat if he so much as tried.

He seems like a decent person, maybe taking himself to be my Dada. I can't possibly see how he came to that conclusion as I glanced cluelessly at the huge paw claws this guy had for feet, not to mention the big ass hind legs this thing has.

'Nope, I can't come up with a reasonable explanation.' But yah know at least someone was making an effort to clean me.

'I'll sit here and clean my nails while trying not to float to the top of the tub.' I'm not thinking about anything in particular. They've grown exceptionally long after the system's initialization. Climbing up a Dungeon pit, you would think I'd break a nail or two but nope. They were jam packed with dirt, but hey, they didn't break or bend.

'Great idea Adonin, maybe you can use them as weapons.' I could use a couple of knives right about now, just in case... I don’t exactly know what’s going through the Wolfmans' head. Besides being grateful for the miracle that is me, there shouldn't be much in that thick noggin of his.

'I got an amazing idea! This guy needs better soap.' That's not the idea. I wonder if [Matter Manipulation] allows telepathy. 'Hey, why the heck not? As if getting whisked away to some fantasy world isn't odd enough.'

Let's conceptualize while he’s brushing my hair.

Nothing is an actual place behind everything. Here, there, Candralt, Earth? Wow, I’m really slow on the uptake. It took me six years to figure that out. Is it another dimension by chance? No, that’s impossible, a dimension can’t love.

I’m thinking about the skill [Loved by Nothing] would that mean Nothing has sentience? Dead-end, there’s no way it’s sentient, it's just too far out.

'What would happen if I opened up a pocket of Nothing inside my head?'

*Ping!* [Loved by Nothing] is maxed!

'Oh, it worked, what are your thoughts? What is the process of thinking? How can humans think? Where does thinking take place?' Dead-end again. I'll let the skills fly, imagination is a gift, so let's take advantage of that. I'll create a tube of dark matter to connect both of our brains. Think outside of the box literally. I’m a genius! Speech is another way people communicate, sound is needed to make the voice travel, but I don’t think there’s an explanation for thought transmission.

'Brain neurons, electricity?', that sounds more like it, but let's try the tube idea.

'First time the charm. Wait slow down Adi what if Dark Matter harms anyone besides Papa? Then again, you could always just restore him.' I was caught up in thinking about the effects of my latest experiment, it was time to act. I could think about the "what ifs" later.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Creating a tube of incredibly thin dark matter using [Dark matter manipulation]. Compacting until I couldn't anymore. I connected the tube to my brain on one side and the wolfman’s brain on the other. I still needed to keep up the skill [Performance of a Lifetime] to continue the dance of innocence.

“Hi, I’m Adonin,” I thought trying to send a message. The skill [Miracle maker] activated and the wolfman's eyes shot open, his knee-jerk reaction was enough for me to know that I had been heard.

“Can you hear Adonin?" I asked in the cutest voice I could muster. 'Do people even think in English?' Can feelings only be transmitted. I was mistaken about feelings being transmitted.

Feeling a small shock at the top of my head like a needle prick. A thought dropped into my head almost like a raindrop against a pond.

As soon as this 'raindrop' hit the pond. There was a foreign presence, a sign of response.

“Is that you...little one?” Woah, his inner voice was deeper than Father's speaking voice. The guy's voice makes me feel morbid. 'Is that the feeling?' Yes, I think that's the feeling.

"I’m Adonin, the special boy” I responded, cheerful and aloof. Putting on my big Adi shoes.

“Are you... a God... boy? " The Wolfman asked.

“No, I’m a good boy, Papa says. What's a God?” I asked trying not to lie, I had no clue what being a God in this world meant nor would I pretend.

“A God is someone who has ascended some... grant miracles." This guy had knowledge that could come in handy. Maybe I’ll stay with him and trust Adena to him, just maybe.

“Papa is Human....miracles sound cool!” He’s not getting me caught up, and I’m not taking any chances he might have a lie detector skill.

“You healed me, didn’t you?” the Wolfman asked.

“Heal?” I countered looking up at his round snout in confusion.

“I was beyond repair before you... Before you, fell from the sky. I connected the dots,” the tone of his voice, weak and remorseful. This guy was questionable I’m not dropping my facade anytime soon.

“Adonin, isn’t a healer. Adonin, doesn’t know magic.” His eyes shot up in surprise again. I guess I was right about the lie-detecting skill. He had no clue that I could see his changing facial expression. The way his eyes shined a light onto me, it was enough now. I had grasped his intention.

If he had those lie-detecting skills, I would have my own. It's an equal playing field from the looks of it.

“Mr, what’s your name?” I asked, looking down at my naval feigning innocence. It never hurt to act a bit timid now and then.

“You are right. I haven’t introduced myself. Clivent Bane of the Beast tribe,” he said.

“What’s a Beast man? And what’s a Tribe?" I asked. Leaning back on his restored private area. I made myself comfortable, the Beast-man’s fur was exactly that.

“A Beast-Mannn is a species, one of the Elvenoid, we take on animal characteristics, and a tribe is where I originate from. Beast-Kin tribes are scattered across the world.” I can work with this. There was a slip up when he said the word Elvenoid, but we can't all be truth tellers. 'Yup, he’s genuine' I’ll stay with him I thought.

“COoool!” I said, making sure he heard my excitement.

“Clivent, why did you ask if Adonin was a God? I don't feel like a God” I said, sounding worried. He rubbed my head with his hairy beast palm/paws that had five fingers like a human's but were way beefier with sharp nails.

“Little one, when I identified you, you were labeled “Being” and something about you screams, I don’t belong.” His speaking voice would take some adjusting too. It was slower than molasses. Is that the right term, of course it is.

“Was it because Adonin was naked?” I asked. He laughed “No, little guy, most Beast kin here love to show skin. Or the lack of. Humans on the other hand.” He has a way with words I'm pretty sure he sees that I'm not of this 'Beast Kin' descent. I had a lot of questions, but I wouldn’t be able to get them all out just sitting here in a tub. So, I remained silent, turned to my side on the wolfman's pelvis, and closed my eyes making sure that when I breathed in, my heart rate was synced with his.

Clivent was letting his guard down around me, faster than I expected. It was what I had intended, but there was no way I was letting him off the hook. He had information, information that I needed.

Sending my thoughts across the Dark matter line “Papa, always said to stay away from strangers. He was an amazing singer. What do you do Mr.Clivy?” I rubbed myself in his fur, getting his scent all over me. A Wolfman is still a wolf if the name has any connotation. 'Wolves are territorial they work under a hierarchy, Mammalian, led by chemicals and pheromones.' He didn't stand a chance.

“I was an old wolf, a Mercenary, an Adventurer. I came to the city of Fallohar to retire.” The missing organs were evidence enough, but that wasn't the silver lining.

“Is this the Fallohar City?" I was unsure if this was the actual city. I just happened to stumble upon some hidden figures inside a mountain.

“Yes, inhabited by mostly Dwarves this place goes deep into the Fallohum Mountains,” thanks for the information, good sir.

“Hmmmm,” I said out loud making it seem like I had something very important on my mind furrowing my eyebrows.

“What worries you?” Clivent asked, washing off his arm. I was about to say I’m alone and lost but then I’d slip up. I was never alone. “I'm lost,” I said, telling nothing but the truth.

“Where do you come from?” Clivent asked, sounding concerned for me falling into my trap. I got up using Clivent’s huge thighs to push me out of the sitting position turning to his snout. I touched grasped his snout and looked deep into his eyes.

“I come from Nothing.” the way I said it made it seem like I was drop-dead poor, and Clivent didn’t miss the tone my voice took.

“That's too bad. Little one, what happened to your Papa?” Clivent responded. Oh my god, I can’t wait to return to Nothing feeling the length of the long day while keeping that thought to myself.

“We got separated,” I said letting my eyes water.

*Ping!* [Performance of a lifetime] has leveled up!

*Ping!* [Performance of a lifetime] has leveled up!

“I don’t know how long it’s been, but the system is so new to me everything is.” I stopped talking midway letting my heart rate increase to create the feeling of anxiousness and the sense that I was being overwhelmed then I sat back down on his lap.

The Wolfman was at a loss for words, and I knew I had caught a good fish, my bad a good Wolf.

“I’m alone, for the most part, you can stay with me Adonin, if you want.” Clivent was feeling sorry for me, and I could work with pity. It's settled I'll show him a card.

“Can’t.” I said looking at the left side of the stone bath and nothing else. Was the tub glass or stone, meh I'd find out later.

“Why not?” the wolf asked with caring eyes being most polite.

“Dada said strangers are an unknown and I can’t trust them with Adena.” Replying to him he would have no clue that they were different people and if he did, it wouldn’t matter.

“Who’s Adena?” Clivent asked, wondering in curiosity.

“She’s my sister, we’re always together,” I said, letting my voice fill with longing.

“Where is she now?” Clivent asked without much change in heart rate or facial expression. He was warm towards me; the color of his matter only spoke of familiarity and loyalty. I had given this wolfman life and it showed.

“It's a secret," I whispered putting my right hand over my mouth and letting my index finger hover over it. He didn't hide his curiosity or care too, while I was starting to wonder about his exact age because the man seemed like an open book.

“How old are you? I'm six.” I asked, waiting for Clivent to follow the routine we had created.

“I'm one hundred and fifty-nine was at the end of my rope until I met you little guy.” he seemed to cheer up and the third arm never lied. Wondering how I would look with a tail I remained silent he hadn’t asked the question I was waiting for yet.

“So little guy, what are you doing after this?” Clivent asked. I pulled his snout downward so he could hear me better. I took the time to admire his sharp teeth making sure he noticed.

Spreading my arms out like I was hugging an invisible world I spoke with confidence.

“I’m going to explore, make new friends, learn about the system, and make magic so I can get back to Papa.” Putting a hand on my chin made it seem like I was making a big decision for the first time. A minute there I thought I saw his eyes turn a warm shade of pink, maybe it was a dog thing. He was staring at me aimlessly. And I was left to wonder if [Performance of a Lifetime] was doing its job.

*Ping!* [Performance of a lifetime] has leveled up!

We had been in a bath for about ten minutes having a conversation and it didn’t look like we were getting out any time soon. I sighed out loud trying to force a reaction and then continued the performance.

Laying back on his midsection I asked, “Where’s your family Mr.Clivy even Adonin has a family?" His heart skipped a beat which told me we were getting somewhere.

He was oh so silent. So, I synced my heartbeat up to his and placed my head against his stomach back into the soft hair that covered him down to his pawed dog-like hind legs. I got a hint of sorrow from the tears that came to his eyes but never fell “It’s okay, Mr. Clivy, sometimes bad things happen, are you okay?” I was trying to console him, like I'd learned from Papa.

Papa would probably have a word with me for toying with this guy's feelings.

*Ping!* [Born Assassin] has leveled up!

*Ping!* [Performance of a Lifetime] has leveled up!

'Woah, I’m not going to kill the man,' I thought to myself. He could be useful. Why is he so quiet?

Come to think of it, he never really questioned this whole telepathy thing. 'Could be a great way to learn a native language.' Another ten minutes of silence had passed, and he’d picked me up out of the water and dried me off. Clivent hadn’t looked at me even once after that last question. I didn’t think of myself as being too forward; kids ask a lot of questions. I was trying my best to be a normal kid.

Taking in the living area he had here. The place felt lonely, I could tell no one besides him had been staying here seeing one couch, one cup, one plate, one spoon, one two-pronged fork... Interesting, fours a crowd huh? Two rooms, interesting... very interesting.

*Ping!* [Loved by Nothing] Is at Max!

We were still in the bathroom. I was spying using [Eyes of the Watcher] to survey Clivent's home more thoroughly.

The guy washed off his lower body and shook off the water like an oversized dog making his fur look like a huge wet cotton ball. It would've been a cute sight if I wasn’t a baby compared to him and he didn’t look like the wolf that ate the three little pigs.

Thinking to myself in silence. 'Wonder if I could read his thoughts if I worked on this skill. Nothing seems like it has an endless amount of use. It could also be an amazing spying. Oops, wrong word, 'disgraceful', invasion of privacy.'

Clivent came out of the bathroom bringing back a huge shirt for me to wear right after drying me off. He seemed to enjoy taking care of me and I didn’t want to rob him of that rush of dopamine by telling him I could dress myself and walk on my own.

I'm pretty self-sufficient come to think... If only. In time...lots. Better that than to turn this into one of those child abduction horror movies.

I was more likely to do him in than he me. I had no clue where this was going. My goal had been to get into the city and throw Adena’s sleeping body at the nearest woman capable of taking care of her. In retrospect, a horrible idea she was changing slowly for the better but in my current shoes she’d sink instead of swim.

What the hell is this guy doing he’s been super quiet; I’m taking a chance 'being this malleable and going with the flow isn’t my strong suit.' Right now, I was looking around the room so he could see curiosity in my eyes.

Twenty minutes had passed, and Clivent still hadn’t said a word.

“Mr.Clivey?” I spoke up, but he was lost in thought. Holding me in his arms near his neck. Trying to get his attention I hugged his wolf-like face and scratched the back of his giant ear. It seemed like a good idea at the time until he howled in pleasure almost falling over on his stomach.

“What the hell? Should I [Dark phase] out of here." I thought not knowing how to react.

'Wait, I think I see the problem.' Clivent's mind had been filled with Dark matter from the tube I had created. Maybe, I should clear it up.

'Yah, think!' First times the charm.

*Ping!* You have unlocked a new skill [Nothing Matters]!

I had overloaded his brain with dark matter, and it must have had an effect. Clivent seemed to become more aware of his actions after I scattered some of the dark matter obstructing his thoughts and clouding his mind.

“Adonin, I’m so sorry I was lost in thought” Clivent finally spoke after thirty minutes of silence.

“I’m sorry, that was unmanly of me.” He had finally realized that we were on the floor wiggling around. He probably would have crushed me if I was a normal child.

“It’s okay Mr.Clivy," I said with a warm smile. "About my question.” He recalled the last question and his mood shifted back to sorrow and disillusion.

“I’m what, some would call a special case, my tribe had met its end some century ago. I'd been wondering until I settled down here injuries...” Clivent went reminiscing and that wasn’t ideal if I wanted to extract information.

“How bad were the umm, injuries?” Evading his truth detection skill was becoming a hassle but I had to be smart about this.

“It’s all in the past, I didn’t get here by my tendency to dwell.” Clivent was now evading my questions, and I was becoming suspicious about why the hell would someone cut off his penis.

“How about this Adonin, you can stay with me. We can find your Papa together.” He was putting up a proposition, but nothing came free. He was also still an unknown variable, and I couldn’t afford any risks.

I told him “No, I can’t” and he almost became possessive of me. I knew this, seeing the white in his eyes turn a shade of pink, but it wasn’t a problem. He was aware, lessening his hold on me that had tightened.

“Mr.Clivey, do you like Adonin?” I had nothing to lose by asking and it was the safest bet to see who this guy truly was.

Clivent had stopped himself from thinking and I could see his eyes warm with a shade of pink.

“Adonin, you're a smart kid, it’s a large city and I’m not the most talkative outgoing man. The years haven’t been kind to me it seems” he had said his peace as I rubbed his furry head hugging his neck.

“For a moment I thought you were a miracle but maybe I’m getting ahead of myself, I have nothing to offer you.” This would be the moment to reel in the catch, but I needed more than words to soothe my mind.

“Offer?” I spoke looking confused. He looked like he was on his last leg and his heart rate had even increased. Why the hell is he so desperate to keep a kid by his side? Reason one is he has a suspicion that I’m the one who restored him and plans to use me, and reason two is he’s a lone wolf desperate for company. I’m thinking the former.

“You can stay here with me!?” This guy is something one hundred and fifty-nine years old and he acts like a child.

“No thank you,” I thought, sending the reply over to him.

His ears had lowered showing his discontent and all I did was wait for the “Why not?” That was to come.

“Why not?” Clivent asked, giving his best puppy dog eyes. All the while I was thinking about how I’m a sociopath, but a kid has to make do.

Dodging the question for a minute “Mr.Clivy you don’t act your age” The wolf's enormous heart shook at those words.

I’m not sorry what type of Adventurer/Mercenary acts like this. He's a big kid. His ears had lowered even more than they already had, as he looked in the opposite direction of me.

“Okay, what's the offer?” I asked taking pity on him.

“You can stay here with me, and I’ll teach you about the system.” Eww, the guy is an open book and has a bleeding heart. 'I’m being insensitive. I can work with this.'

“Can’t, my secret.” I said looking into his blue and black eyes. This interaction was so taxing.

“If you tell me your secret, maybe I can help.” Clivent was trying his best to dance on my string.

“Fine, I’ll tell you,” I said watching his eyes shoot open in surprise. I had made it too easy.

“Adena, you know my sister she's a good girl. I'll need you to take care of her by treating her with the utmost respect, obeying her privacy, and teaching her how to live here. You also won’t see me around by day or maybe night. Depends, on the time.”

“What? Where is she? “ Clivent asked as I watched every part of his body down to his last cell. He wasn't pretending to be concerned, that much was true.

“A secret,” I said, covering my lips with a finger. It had occurred to me that he stopped calling me boy and I considered Clivent having mood swings, which was highly possible.

He breathed out and I told him, “If I am to stay, my sister is to stay in my place it shall be no other way, you will treat her with respect. Papa says that she is a growing young lady.”

He seemed confused but I could tell he was lonely and desperate for my company. The guy hadn’t put me down the entire time we talked. He might be the perfect guy for the job, if not I could just 'Off him'... I mean leave. He was thinking about my side of the proposition, and I’d let him. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

In the kitchen, Clivent had taken out a knife with me still in his hands pulling food from what I assumed to be his spatial inventory.

The guy even fed me after taking out a two-pronged fork he pulled from an empty cupboard. I had to point at the sink, so that he'd wash it off.

By the end of the meal, he’d looked at me in his oversized shirt and agreed to the deal. To confirm what I had told him I asked him if he remembered the conditions. Clivy responded like a good dog. No really, he seemed somehow obedient to what I told him.

A real oddball this one. “Take care of Adena by treating her with respect, obeying her privacy, and teach her how to live here.” He had repeated my directions exactly as I gave them, so I threw in, “Don’t touch her If it’s not life or death.” He nodded and carried me around his home, everything lacked color and was aged.

'Depressing,' to summarize Clivent's demeanor. Light had a hard time reaching this side of the neighborhood from that much I could see.

In the remaining hours of the day, he asked me when Adena would come and when I would be back, I told him I’d be back every night to check in on him.

It took me about three hours to grasp the BeastKin language, hearing it I admit the language at first sounds like growling, but an alphabet was hidden in the sound's pronunciation. Clivey also took his time teaching me the language of the Dwarves of this city and their number system. It was a challenge I admit, spending three days without sleep. I could go back to sleep but there was the possibility that Adena would wake up. The Wolfman spoke elven as well for some reason. I was starting to wonder if Clivent even had a job the guy didn’t want to let me out of his sight, but he did eventually.

He had to go back to his job as a bodyguard for some Dwarf, I think.

He would leave me at his house for hours a day while he worked not knowing that I could see him wherever he went in the city. Each day he'd come home to teach me how to read and write. Still taking Clivent as a learning experience I'd noticed how the matter in his eyes burned a brighter shade of pink each time he placed his eyes on me. Every time he walked through his metal front door.

Today was the day I’d switch with Adena I’d been sleeping in the same bed as Clivent and that would have to change when Adena got here.

I’m pretty sure it wasn’t normal for Clivent's heartbeat to be synced up with mine, had a great effect on getting my way. Stomach rubs were his love language and I'd always wanted a Dog.

Adena wouldn’t be able to sync her heartbeat with the Giant Wolf-Man. AndI knew it would be torture for her to sit around doing nothing, so I’d been patient living here for a few days observing the ongoings of Fallohar City from Clivent's lone brown leather couch. I would let Adena learn about the system for both of us there was no need to be impatient. It was up to me to rest in Nothing and think of a way for us to get back to our parents.

Adena would prove herself capable and I’d be there by her side so that she couldn’t prove me wrong. We've got a long way to go, to get back home.