"You owe me your life. Your body, your mind. You are mine. I made you. I can unmake you." Dr. Stonefellow

Chapter 19: The Girl from Nowhere (part II)

Running around the estate black curls swaying in the wind having the time of my life the birds sang, the grass leaned, the trees stood tall. Run I did, until it was time to come in from the long haul.

Dusting myself off I ran towards the house that was waiting for my return. My parents were talking to each other in front of the back door, and feeling my gaze from the distance they turned in unison.

Their mouths moved, but no sound came out as their hands became elongated and outstretched. "They're waiting for me!" I need to make it home in time, before, it's too late.

The sun was setting soon blue skies would turn violet and- I have to get home!

I ran and ran, and ran, and ran until my stomach burned from a loss of breath. I was getting nowhere fast, at the rate I was pushing I would soon collapse from fatigue. So I took a breather in front of the same tree I had already passed. Looking up at my goal as I rested a hand on the prickly bark, I kept running only for the estate to move backward uprooting itself as I moved forward.

Father looked at Papa putting a hand to his beard, he looked worried, Why was he worried? Papa was making up his mind. I knew that face, soon his smile would fade as a once dazzling smile turned upside down. I hated it when Papa felt down, everything went wrong.

“Don’t leave!" I screamed. The house stopped moving when I did as if mocking me. But I kept running pretending not to know what would happen if I kept running.

My stomach was burning, my mouth ran dry, and my eyes ached but I wouldn’t give up.

Gazing upon the tree once again, I saw myself squatting on the branch. Were my eyes hidden by a tree branch or was it a shadow? How could look at myself- such pity, it couldn't have been me.

There was a boy much smaller than me, he wasn't a baby. He couldn't have been, the way his hair seemed to defy gravity Long black lustrous hair flowed back into the tree's shadow. The boy was talking to me without any concern, and his words reaching my ears became hollow without inflection or tone. “This is a cruel one, but you know Adena even dreams can be overcome, 'outmaneuvered', what would happen if you ran with your back turned.” Hearing the last of his words, I was ejected from my dream.

Something was behind me I could just feel it as my hand tried grasping the tree bark to keep me grounded. As my nails dug into the tree rough and hard to the touch. My hands were unclenched as the tree gave way to black sand. And In the darkness, I was flushed into a bright white light.

=====

“AHHHHH!” I screamed waking up to black and blue pupils staring at me as if inches away from my face.

I was overreacting more or less this happens now and then, so I brushed over it. I had a laugh putting a hand over my heart, nervous, and unaware of my surroundings.

"Everything is fine," Must have been my imagination. I thought something was standing at my bedside or hovering over me causing me to throw a pillow. This was practically the reason why my bed was on the opposite side of my door near the window.

I was still deluding myself choosing not to participate in a waking nightmare. But against all odds there, in fact, was a giant monster standing in the doorway. A door that was wooden but lacked engravings so it couldn't be mine. A door that was open instead of closed, how I liked it. There couldn't be, this isn't real. My senses are just out of wack from waking up that wouldn't be a big surprise. Why would a giant monster stand in my doorway to watch me sleep?

'Fine', hoping it was all a dream. I wanted it all to be a dream. "Fine," I opened my eyes lowering my arm to my side from reflexively throwing a pillow at the door.

A pillow that had hit the monster right in the face. The monster didn't react, other than picking the pillow up off of the stone wooden floor. I on the other hand chose to move from the matress 'cot' to the couch chair that sat alone in the living area resulting in this predicament. Walking past the Monster like it didn't exist, as it made way for my entrance. Sitting in silence on the couch I took a deep breath letting my eyes fall on the fireplace as embers flew up into the chimney.

'Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't say it.' I put my hands on my stomach and took another deep breath to ground myself.

The air smelled of ash combined with faint traces of food, wood, and lastly a Dog.

'A Dog?' Dang it, “Clivent?" I asked, trying to stop my embarrassment from showing. The wolfman to my right stepped back out of a nother room to raise his huge sharp-clawed hands and nodded in assurance. How the heck did Adi find this thing? I need to be more aware of my surroundings, especially for someone who can see through walls.

The Giant Wolfman was using his hands to communicate with me. My mouth almost hung open to release the faintest black specks as I understood every movement.

“I'm Clivent, I assume Adonin told you about me.” The wolfman pointed at himself once while making some other hand symbols like some kind of ninja.

His eyes widened like he somehow knew that I could understand what he was saying. My eyes widened in turn because 'What the heck, how could I understand what this Thing was saying?'

“No," Adi mumbled, answering my question for me. hearing his voice instead of a whisper I was just happy that I wasn't alone, it didn't even feel like It in the slightest now that I knew he was there.

Closing my eyes to come to terms with my new reality, Clivent stated "And you are Adonin's sister."

I being clueless as always responded with my eyes closed. "Yes, he’s my twin Brother, he said you'd be showing me how to use the system, and something about getting a firm footing.” I had already messed up. Would he notice? I hoped not. The Wolf put his right oversized hand to his chest making a strange nodding gesture. It was awkward, why wouldn't it be “Well, Clivent Bane it's nice to meet you too," responding to the Wolfman's awkward greeting.

He seemed nice, ignoring his teeth flashing now and then. Those things looked like they could successfully take off an arm. But why would he use his teeth when he could probably just pull someone apart with those huge arms, that's insensitive. Closing my eyes I blocked out those thoughts.

At least he has a personality, even though he doesn't talk much. 'I think he’s mute. Did Adi say that he was mute?'

“I'm hungry, do you have any food?” Holding my stomach without even noticing my growing hunger.

Clivent's eyes shot open as the lighthouse found another ship, pulling food out of thin air as he plunged his right hand to his left and center.

I watched in amazement as his arm disappeared. "So that's the spatial storage the System was on about." I shivered at my mention of the system and watched as Clivent took out a plate and utensils for me.

“No, I'm not cold, thank you for asking." We sat in silence eating sausage and something else that was cooked. It looked like it was once alive, maybe a huge worm or maybe a snake.

I didn't have it in me to complain my stomach felt off and my taste buds- 'I didn't want to think about it. Don't think about it

“Cry,” Adi demanded, and I did. The tears came flowing as I ate some sour meat I had to convince myself was a sausage. The saltiness of the sausage was below average Papa’s breakfast was- the flavor and presentation. "I'll give it a nice three out of ten." Father wasn't there to greet me with a good morning kiss on the cheek.

"A two out of ten it is." It's gone, my life was gone. The place that I wanted to escape to was nowhere to be found and here I was eating with a stranger who wasn’t even human.

I was wrong. The Wolf Man was trying to comfort me, and here I was thinking it was a monster.

"No, Clivent I'm fine just sad is all," I told him after wiping my eyes with my shirt and finishing the food I felt better. The Wolfman was about to reach for me but he was hesitant.

"Everything is fine. I didn't die and as far as I'm concerned my parents should still be alive. I'm not alone,” I'll be just fine.

After the meal was over, I walked to Clivent’s bathroom and cleaned myself off which was easy after asking him to turn the lone faucet on in the stone bathtub. With the size of the bathtub lever, I wasn't sure if I could turn it.

Three round knobs were color coded. If I couldn't see the outer edges of this apartment I would probably believe that I was somewhere on earth. I'm sure 'somewhere' on earth there was a stone bathtub smoother than glass with perfect arching curvatures to keep you comfortable and warm throughout the ages.

"I'm not on earth anymore," I whispered jogging my memory on the story of life.

If the giant dark furball wasn't proof enough. Before exiting the bathroom Clivent dropped a new pair of clothes and a set of brown boots at the door and walked back to his living area.

When I closed the bathroom door I sat on the rim of the tub and watched him sit on the couch and wait for my return.

Recalling the Wolfman on the other side of the door who was someone I was trying hard to convince myself 'wasn't a monster.' I wondered how Adi happened to come across such a 'person'. Sighing, I looked at the stone stink in front of me. I was expecting Clivent’s bathroom to be unhygienic and somewhat disgusting. I'd never been more thankful to be mistaken. It was tidy, free of grime, with not a strand of dog fur in sight.

“You're welcome" Adi added a lazy two words I guess to explain the bathroom's cleanliness.

As the bathwater heavily ran, I washed my hands in the hot water, watching as my hair fell from behind my shoulders. My black curls looked the same but they didn't smell like me. Or perhaps they smelled too much like me. There was that natural baby smell to greet me when I woke up, reminding me to start my daily routine. "My routine," There was nothing routine about this place. Tears once again started streaming one after another.

'Where the hell am I? What day was it? How did I even get here?' I had stripped down easing myself into the hot water, I found a box waiting for me at the bottom of the three levers, on finding a fresh bar of soap I cried some more. I'd forgotten about soap not seeing a bottle in sight.

There was nothing routine about my actions. I hadn't picked out a new soap to cover that stank newborn scent with Papa. I couldn't effectively hide the smell always drifting off of me with another of my choice. There was no routine for taking off someone else's large white linen shirt and brown leather pants.

"No," that's just great the 17th-century-looking clothes were mine.

Coming to terms, coming to terms, coming to terms with this messed up reality I sat there in the hot bathwater and cried. Somehow I found a white washcloth and shampoo waiting behind me as if this all was planned. Like someone had maniacally planned to turn my life into a living hell. And what was worst of all about this situation, I couldn't come to terms with what I was feeling. How could I possibly process a stone bathtub? Chuckling and in tears with one hand to my face simultaneously washing my legs.

"I had a stone bathtub at home" The only difference was that this giant square monstrosity wasn't mine. None, of it was mine but I couldn't shake the feeling that it was.

"I don't belong here"

=====

I made my way out of the bathroom after washing myself off, trying my best to clean my teeth with soap. 'The soap tasted offal, by the way,' turns out Clivent had toothpaste.

Clivent waited patiently on the couch doing who knows what with his storage. Seeing me exit the bathroom he gestured for the door ready to lead the way to the 'city' outside of his house's stone walls.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

A quiet Wolfman he was, with eyes that showed white wisdom and a body that from what I could see was in perfect condition. [Eyes of the Watcher] finally came in handy. Whenever I thought about my eyes I could feel the skill somehow. Like it was bubbling underneath the surface, not the surface of my mind something else.

'This place was weird.' Since that was the case, I might as well ask Clivent why he can't talk. It wouldn't be rude, right? Silence would prevail while I waited for Adi’s reply, but it never came.

"Clivent... Bane right?" I asked. Watching the Wolfman's ears perk up a bit as we walked along a stone road. 'The city of stone is just great,' more sarcasm.

A city filled with [Identifying...] [Citizen], [Merchant] that's, convenient. A system that states the obvious. Citizens went about their day, and if there was a merchant this had to be a market. A market in a way was like a 17th-Century Mall.

“So Clivent, Why don't you talk?” I asked Clivent slightly worried about being seen as rude. Too late for that seeing as I threw a pillow at his face and treated him like a ghost the minute I woke up.

"Sorry about treating you that way." Wait, did he just Ignore me?

*Ping!* [Identification] has leveled up!

Clivent signed as I paid attention to his hands, there was no harm in pretending. It must take years to understand whatever sign language he speaks. 'I've studied years learning whatever sign language Clivent speaks.' That's what I told myself knowing full and well that Adi was the reason I could understand him perfectly. The story was unclear, but Clivent was mute like I had thought.

I wonder if he knew that Adi somehow played a part in putting him in his current state of good health. I was confused and in denial since Adi and I didn't come from this world, how would Adi manage to learn magic in three days? four days?

“No." I heard in a whisper. There Adi is the Brother who acts of his own accord.

"Five days it is," Walking down the road from Clivent’s house, the few people that I used the skill [Identify] on, seemed unaware of me observing them. Then again, every so often strangers would look back in my direction. Useless system, I wasn't even turning my head to use [Identification] but using the skill at all gave away my location.

A few of those people I was sure I had identified, and the others were probably noticing that I traveled with a Wolfman at my side. A lone girl and a Wolfman, I wonder if they think I'm adopted.

What was common among the onlookers was that most of them were Dwarves. "Where are the other Humans and Beast-kin like you and me?” I asked waiting for Clivent to respond while giving him my whole attention so that I wouldn't miss a single hand movement.

“This is Fallohar city built within the Fallohum Mountains. I've told Adonin this before. Fallohum is home to tens of thousands of Dwarves who have lived here for who knows how long. There should be at least a couple thousand Beast-Kin living here somewhere and even fewer humans.” Wow, this wolfman seemed quite knowledgeable, if only he would answer my question.

"Where are the Beast kin and humans then?" I asked again.

His response was "It's complicated." I guess we'll talk about it later. Walking behind him at a moderate pace, I was slowly wondering how Adi got us here. 'I wonder if he wouldn't mind changing my location to some place with architecture made out of anything other than stone and wood. From what I could remember we were in a cave, right? And in just four days he had found civilization, how did he pull that off?

I'm quite curious about the Wolfman who fell victim to Adi. He doesn't give me the same vibes as 'Shit' makes my skin crawl. Wait, isn't that weird? It's probably a dog thing. No, it's still weird, Ignoring questions that were on my mind. I asked him for something easier to explain.

“How long have you been here in the City?, trying not to make it seem like an interrogation. The Dark blue-furred Wolfman with one white patch on his right eye turned and started signing with his hands again. I tried not to let my eyes wander off thinking about my worried parents.

“I’ve been here for fifty years now, as an on-and-off adventurer I just so happened to end up here I went where the wind took me. By the way, who taught you to sign?”

Woah, he asked me a good question. It kind of feels like this is the first real question Clivent asked me "What should I say?"

“My Brother taught me not too long ago.” A response I couldn't even believe myself, but it wasn’t a lie.

*ping!* [identification] has leveled up!

“You must have a skill so that you learn things more quickly” he signed, and I was amazed how he still knew which direction he was supposed to go even though he was now walking backward.

“No, we don't know much about the system.” I didn't want to say more information than what Adi said, “to hide our secrets." That’s what I'm going to do to the best of my ability.

“I'm quite curious about the two of you but I believe Adonin will tell me more about your origins in time.” Clivent turned back around, and I continued to follow not having a clue where we were heading. Minutes passed and we arrived at a ship-shaped building with the same color scheme as the rest of the city. A cohesion of woody browns, grey, and silver like the rest of this dull city. 'I wanna go home-' Don't think about it, and don't say it.

I was quiet until we arrived at what looked to be a shipwreck.

I opened my mouth to ask... [Adventurer Hall] The skill Identify seems to be working. And, that answers that Clivent had walked me to an adventurers' guild just like in the story. I didn't want to be another character in a fantasy novel. I didn't want to take part in any more isekai tropes.

'This isn't my life. Why does it have to be me.' Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it.

The Adventures Hall! It's not a ship just shaped like it in the front. It wasn't the tallest building I could see or the most pleasing to the eye, but I knew of its significance. There must've been more to it how long and horizontal it was.

I could barely gouge all the specks behind the Hull. I mean, the guild hall entrance.

*Ping!*[Identification] has leveled up!

Clivent was turning around to communicate with me “This is the Adventuring Hall if you're not a regular or a dedicated citizen you’ll most likely end up here. Everyone has to make a living.” I couldn't get a grasp on his facial expressions, him being a wolfman and all.

“Adi said that you work as a bodyguard. Do you adventure on the side or something?” I closed my mouth as my eyes widened from the slip-up. Me and my big mouth that was supposed to be a secret.

The buff Wolfman showed his man eaters I mean meat eaters. I think he was grinning a couple of seconds later when he started signing. “I don't recall telling Adonin this if memory serves me right, I'd only told him about my time as an adventurer and taking on mercenary work.” He didn't seem bothered from what I could tell.

“Yeah he’s quite the special, sorry didn't mean to pry.” It was my fault for oversharing. I need to think before talking this can't happen again.

“Don’t lie, Clivent has a skill I'm sure and he’s not the only one so be careful” Adonin decided to chime in at the last minute, sleep-talking much.

Shutting my mouth, I walked behind Clivent who was happy to take the lead. Opening the Gigantic metal door doors that looked like they weighed a ton. Clivent gestured me into the bustling establishment.

Well, the once bustling establishment as soon as we walked into the hall silence had descended. A flash of white light hit me that I immediately blocked out.

I could see that all eyes were on us. All eyes were on me, Clivent was just trying to stand in front of the spotlight, and that's something I was thankful for.

I was so nervous that I almost started the [Dance of Etiquette]. Oh, that's a skill now I need to open the system status menu again. The thought sent a shiver down my spine to think I was more scared of a silly page than these monsters.

“Adena, you wanted your memories back, you will have to live with them.” Right now standing in a doorway I imagined what Papa would say to me if he was here now, I realized that I was ignoring everyone in the room which wasn’t such a bad idea given the circumstances.

Clivent had walked around me taking the lead once again, hands at his side.

Was he used to this "silent treatment"? Taking my eyes off of his back and [Identifying] the people around sitting at tables, whispering about us. Was Clivent hiding something? They weren't green in any way so that was good.

Though I could see silver streaks of specks going from one person to another how much of those words could be about me.

Looking across the room as I Identified people they’d look back [Warrior] a Dwarf, [Hunter] a Beast kin with bunny ears that's cool, [Rogue] another Dwarf, [Thief] another dwarf.

Wow, that's called a "band" in Wandering Wendy.

[Adventurer] Another Dwarf.

*ping! * [Identification] has leveled up!

Very uncomfortable having so many eyes staring at me but I'm used to it by now they're just eyes, eyes belong to people. "Look at me learning to be more social." At least I didn't have to look at the city.

Almost running into the giant wolf in front of me I stopped mid-step. It was pretty smooth since I didn't fall over or run into his lower back. Thinking of his back.

I tapped Clivent’s lower back avoiding his tail to ask him why we were the center of attention. He was already signing anticipating my question. “Ignore them, you're a new addition and everyone probably thinks it was you who rejuvenated me, beast folk have extraordinary noses, also last but not least seeing a human on the outer level of the kingdom is a rarity, a human with features such as yours unheard of.”

“Outer part of the city and features such as mine, what does that mean?” I was a bit uneasy. This city seems a bit out of date and the last thing I need is to live in an early-century society. I only got to live as a twenty-first-century girl for a day. Please tell me I'm not that unlucky.

Clivent noticed me spacing out and told me about how Fallohar City had an outer layer for Beast kin, humans, and everything in between. This is what was considered Fallohar. While the dwarven upper class and royalty lived on the lower levels.

Fallohar City has a Royal family who enforces a majority of laws, and regulations that you have to uphold along with qualifications. Wolfman Clivent didn’t explain why the City of Fallohar was segregated.

Following his lead, we walked past the onlookers in the Guildhall to three receptionists. Me and Clivent were the only two people in line, the lanes were pretty empty. From the looks of it, Clivent seemed to have a receptionist in mind going right for the woman in the middle who was looking at him with a welcoming smile. The [Receptionist] was a Beast-kin woman. Her brown eyes were filled with light pink when she looked in our direction.

And I shivered again thinking about the second boy whom I'd encountered on my first day in high school. A six-foot-tall terror of a boy with a menacing seven-foot fox strapped to his back, looking at me like I was food on a platter, just another meal doused in pink light.

Why the heck is the light, pink? It’s suffocating if white light isn't enough. “Calm down, Adena, it's alright just smile and keep up with Wolfman,” I told myself.

The Lady receptionist was ready to pounce on Clivent but as soon as we got to the wooden counter her expression changed.

“Clivent, it's been a while since the Hall has seen you. How've you been if you don’t mind me asking? If I’m to go off appearances you’ve found the fountain of youth along with a mate and here, I was thinking you’d be single forever.” This feels awkward. Why is she turning a shade of green and looking at me waiting for the greens to clear up? Never mind man, this lady's emotions are everywhere.

Observing the interaction between Clivent and the receptionist. Who had a button nose with some type of animal ears, maybe a koala? I kept quiet not wanting to catch her ire.

“Nice to see you too Odesta, but don’t let your eyes and nose deceive you me and the young lass here don't have that kind of relationship her Brother would probably smite me.” Clivent seemed a little nervous talking about a six-year-old what the hell is the relationship between Adi and this guy he’s just a baby.

The attendant was in a bad mood and the green flared up on her body again before she spoke “Oh, I didn’t think you swung that way, you always seemed like a ladies' man. Come to think of it you don't talk much. Never seen you falling over a woman either, excuse me for my candor.”

Clivent was quiet like way too quiet Adonin is way too young to be in a relationship with anybody. Why the heck did he stop signing!?

“Excuse me, miss Odesta. Was that the name? My brother is only six years old. You must be mistaken.” That wasn’t English, what the hell is going on? I had thought about what I wanted to communicate and my tongue suddenly wasn't my own anymore. The lady needs to stop insinuating. She was getting on my nerves a little more than I liked to admit. For some Wolfman to know my Brother better than I knew him? Preposterous, no one knows him not even me!

*Bing!* You have gained the General skill [Taker of Tongue]!

“That's a nice tongue you have there you sound like a Tavarian Native. Young miss I apologize, I appear to have mistaken the stench our fellow acquaintance Clivent here is giving off.' Tapping her finder on the desk she changed the subject. "what can I help you two with?”

I felt better now that the miscommunication had been cleared up. If her eyes were white once more that was a go in my book. I turned to Clivent waiting for him to continue speaking, quite curious about this scent she was talking about. I wondered if I could see it. Never mind, I couldn’t exactly see the scent because I didn’t know what to look for, but the man's heart was beating like crazy.

'What the heck is wrong with this guy? Were we being interrogated and I just didn't notice?' We are in an Adventurers Guild after all.

Clicking my tongue and staring up at the Thing towering two feet above me. It finally spoke “Odesta, I would like access to the Adventurers Archive for me and my friend here if that wouldn't be too much of a bother. Also, I would like your most recommended books on the System, Classes, and skills." This guy, standing here with gazes on my back- " Adena, anything else you'd like to learn about?” He signed, putting me right on the spot. I didn't have a clue what to say.

Adonin for the save. “I would also like information on world Geography, main and previous historical events, info on Kingdoms and Cities such as this one, anything along those lines, Oh and also anything relating to Monsters and evolutions.”

Both Clivent and Odesta fell silent “My parents didn’t let me out much'' I threw in just in case the information was out of the ordinary. I didn't even expect that response it was like autopilot.

Odesta spoke up, cutting into the silence. "I’ll see what I can do. Clivent here is a good friend of Guild leader Gatarn so I guess this is on the house, follow me.”

Noticing that I was forgetting something. “Odesta do you have any books about magic, learning Magic!?!

“Miss Adena, I'll see what I can do. you two follow me." She seemed nice when jealousy wasn't clouding her judgment.

"It's just Adena," I responded trying to be polite.

"Adena it is then." She said walking ahead of us.

Clivent walked behind the counter like he was a regular. From there we went down a long flight of stairs, behind a locked vault door into a library. It was quite anti-climactic when she sat us down at a stone table.

The library didn't look like much. With all the bland-looking books and parchments one spark or flame and the place would go up in smoke.

Curious to see if we were alone inside the library I looked around seeing the specks. And to think every time I decided to look around using something more than my eyes, I was technically using the skill [Eyes of the Watcher], Funny enough there was one more person here in the room with us, but he looked to be reading alone, minding his business.

Didn't matter to me not like I would be bothering whoever found some sense of solace in this- that's not nice.

*Ping* [Eyes of the watcher] Has leveled up!