Taking in the room now that I was alone and not so mentally overwhelmed, really taking it in. I watched colors flow here and there, overlapping not just the furniture in the room but its walls and floor even the air. Some were stronger than others, much of the room was awash with bright green and to a lesser extent a neon blue color. While there were other threads and patches of color, they were mostly faded and quite sparse.

I know I shouldn't be surprised, but it felt so new even with the memories, I'm still amazed by what I saw. With what I now know as mana sight, which is one of the most basic spells to cast in any path. Except I don't have to cast any spells to use it, I didn't just get heightened mana sensitivity from the o.m.s. I also Gained the talent to see mana, its properties, and traces, naturally. Turning down my perception of my talent, all the overbearing colors mostly disappear from my vision.

I was interrupted in my exploration of my talent, by the door opening quietly, as I heard two familiar voices arguing softly. The toneless voice of Alfred came from beyond the opening door. "Maddy, your parents are going to kill us if they find out we came here without their permission." "No, they won't, we're just here to see if Kyle would like to maybe, get cleaned up and get some fresh air. Stop being a stick in the mud. I can't imagine being stuck in this room for so long." She said irritatedly.

I couldn't help but laugh if this is what they call sneaking around, it could use some work. Their argument stopped as they came into the room, no doubt startled by my laughter.

Madison looks somewhat embarrassed, said, " Umm… we umm…" coughing patting her fist against her chest. She said, " sorry I had something stuck in my throat, what I was trying to say was. Are you interested in getting out of here maybe stop by the Marble halls for a quick shower and a change of clothes? Then we could show you around our little portion of the free city, just think of us as friendly neighborhood tour guides."

Hmm, let me think, on the one hand, I'm sure Daphnia and by extension Mancin, won't be happy about me leaving. But on the other, I'll be able to get out of this rooms stretch my legs a little, see some of the sites. Even my past self hadn't physically been here before. It could be fun and just the thing to unwind after last nights trauma.

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Getting up and giving my best smile, I said, "Okay, I'm up for a tour." "Yes, come on, let's get going." she said, nearly screaming rushing forward to grab my arm. Pulling back, I said, "Hold on, let me write a note to your parents. I'm going with you."

"Ugh! So boring, you sound like Alf." She said, rolling her eyes.

I barely had time to find a piece of paper and scribble out a short message. Before I was yanked out of the room by Madison, this seemed more like a kidnapping than a tour. I wasn't complaining. We might be in a hallway, but it felt less stuffy than that room, that's for sure. After several turns and just as many stretches of the straight corridor, we came out onto a busy side street that was bustling with people.

Giving my arm another tug, she said, "Come on this way, we're almost there."

Twisting and turning through streets, alleys, and even buildings, which I think I would have been surprised by if I didn't know that Free city, has grown through the years instead of building new levels all at once. It's more like a Hodgepodge of buildings smashed and stacked together using a variety of materials. It's rumored parts of the city are held together by nothing but a few runes and dense pockets of mana.

Just passing, through our twenty-ninth turn, if I was keeping count right. I noticed that the dingy grey cobblestone had cutoff, in its place was black and white marble. Looking at me with a proud smile, waving her arm in a showman style, Madison said, " Welcome! to the Marble Hall, the best place to get really clean and relax in the west-end of Free city." Turning to the ever quite Alfred, She said, "Could you show him to the stalls. I forgot to grab him a change of cloth?"

She didn't even wait for his response before she was running off, to who knows where. Alfred let out a sigh as he grabbed my already sore arm pulling me deeper into the Marble hall, what's with these two and the pulling.

At first, I was a little uncomfortable thinking we were going to the communal bathing area. But then we passed the giant water pools set in jet black marble, hidden behind gauzy drapes hanging from marble pillars. So the baths were out I wonder where Alfred is taking me then, I don't remember much of anything about this place I thought, irritatedly.