...for someone to save me...

~

I'm glad I was right about Carla. She really was nice. We couldn't communicate a lot with words, but our gestures and faces got us by enough.

On the first night, she gave me the best bath of my life. I think I know how Lydia felt when I was giving her one, and I totally wish I took her up on her offer.

Granted I'll never get the chance to since it's my fault she's dead. But I can't go there.

I got a uniform identical to hers, and she had me helping with chores and stuff. I helped clean and organize things, ran documents to people and soldiers and stuff like that.

I grew comfortable in that office - it had a door that led outside 2 steps away from another door to Carla and I's room, which, while small, was pretty comfy too. So not only was it my home, but it was an escape from all the soldiers that would spit at me and give me disgusted looks and remarks as I passed.

It helped with learning the language, though. Especially all the bad words. When you get called them enough and add mocking and charades on top of it, it's pretty easy to identify what the words mean - like "shit" and "ass" and "trash."

I found that I was getting the hang of things. Carla and I could say some things, and when she gestured for me to do something, I figured out how to say "how do you say that?" in Elfish, so then she would tell me how and I'd try to remember.

Besides doing errands, Carla taught me a little more of magic and fighting. We did a lot of exercise in our downtime. Granted she was on the shy side and not really an expert on any of it, she still knew more than I did, and gave me the opportunity to practice, which at the end of the day is the best skill-builder when it comes to something as physical as fighting and using magic.

My abilities as a healer were sometimes tested when soldiers came back from confrontations with elves or demons wounded. I wasn't very good.

Not that I wanted to heal the people that were so rude to me in the first place (which they still were even while I was healing them), but I'm really not all that good at it yet. Finding the connection with magic, especially with the people I was casting it on was really difficult. And all the verbal abuse made it pretty difficult to feel the care and compassion that it took to heal others.

So of course a lot of people died or stayed wounded for a long while, which by no stretch of the imagination gained me popularity points.

But the one thing I didn't expect was the day the commander came in followed by two young soldiers and told me I was to lead a squad consisting of them and Carla...

~

Vincent

Benefit of being a shut-in who watches anime, plays games, and spends his time fantasizing imaginary scenarios all the time for comics: I'm not too bad at stealth.

I had the demon's sword sheathed to the side, and the former Demon King's knife in hand. I felt kind of badass, crouched down in some tall grass behind a low pebble fence clutching a knife and surveying what was happening.

I've spent the last several hours, maybe even day, in the shadows of this small little village in the middle of the cave. The veins were all over the walls here in this huge cavern, where a bright blaze, one more yellow than most fires, burned from something hanging in the ceiling. It was enough to brighten the whole cavern.

The veins spilled out a little near here. The plants seemed to feed off of it, which I thought was a little strange since their exposure to light didn't look like it mattered.

After a little while, I think I figured out what this place was: a research facility.

Though not large - consisting of a small handful of buildings, it had a few demons that seemed like soldiers, and then a bunch of other demons (and some Wood Elves) dressed in fancy coats who were conducting research (I could tell because they never carried weapons and most of them gave off an aura of being less brutish and ready to fight and more thoughtful and educated).

This cavern was a converging place for the glowing red veins I'd seen along the cave walls so far. What they were studying, I had no idea, but I could tell they were studying something and had been doing it for a while.

I found myself internally vomiting at the sight of people when I first got to this cavern. Already I couldn't help but wish I was in a bed or room somewhere that was not here where there was any form of sentience.

Being back here in this dark corner was really comfortable. Well, not physically. Standing still in the same spot for this many hours fucking hurts. But the only reason I've stayed here this long is because I need to figure out what's happening here so I can see if it clues me to a way home, and in trying to do that I noticed some of the researchers coming in and out of one building holding various scrolls and books and journals.

There was a library.

The bookworm habits from not only my past life but from Lydia are still alive and well by all means, but what I was really after was anything in those books that could help me in general. Help me get out of here, help me get stronger, help me find somewhere or some way to learn how to get stronger, etc.

Only problem was, the library was at the center of the little research village. Their security wasn't super tight or anything; nobody's expecting trespassers this deep in a cave, especially somewhere like a research facility with tents and wooden buildings where clearly not a lot of time or money was put in. But that doesn't mean there wasn't security, or at least people that would kill me in a heartbeat if I was found out.

Blending in was not only a bad idea because I'm horrible at people skills and fuck that, but that would require pretending like I care about what they're doing or the people doing it. I very much don't, and the idea of even pretending to made me a little sick.

So I was kind of stuck in a trap.

I don't want to try to play the distraction game because my options are limited and just throwing rocks is a horrible idea, because while they may not know where I am, they'll know someone's here who isn't supposed to be.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Shit shit shit shit shit!

A researcher and a soldier who seemed to be friends were eating what looked like a lunch and speaking in a language I didn't understand - probably whatever language demons speak - and coming this way. I guess this is their lunch spot or something. Not that I blame them but it's kind of occupado right now.

And as if my timing couldn't be worse, the phoenix in my pocket began to stir just as the two approaching people were only a few feet away from the other side of the very short wall, and when the creature crawled out of my pocket, it fluttered its wings a bit to stretch, which made a fair deal of noise.

The two were instantly alarmed, though they didn't start shouting. They were confused.

I had to act quick before that changed, though. The demon took a big step over the stones and peered over to see me chilling in the grass. Before he could react, I lunged at him with my knife and slit his throat open - which, let me tell you, all panic of getting caught aside, felt simply amazing.

The demon immediately fell to the ground with a thud, and I had to hop the wall and immediately bash the researcher in the head with my knife to knock him out because he was fixing to turn and get help.

I dragged their bodies a bit further back where it was almost completely immersed in shadow, and scavenged what I could from their pockets. Couple of coins and a broken compass, and some papers in the researcher's pocket that I couldn't read. Fantastic.

I took the coins anyways, and then decided I probably couldn't hide in the bushes much longer because people would soon realize that their researcher friend was missing.

So I devised a rather devious plan that felt like it would work well enough. I'd have to wait for any opportunity I could to make a silent break for the library, and snatch whatever books I could. Remember that thing I said about not using the stupid rock plan? I'm gonna throw a rock near the dead body and the knocked out one and hope someone hears and draws attention there.

Then I'll take the passed out person's coat and use the distraction and confusion to get away in one of the like 7 different tunnels that exited. I'll take the route that I've seen a few people leave to but not come back from and hope that means they went somewhere else or out of the cave entirely.

Before I did anything, I grabbed the phoenix by the beak and threw it at the wall so it knew I was beyond pissed that it gave me away. I might not be panic planning right now had it just been quiet.

I think the damn thing understood to be a little quieter next time, but didn't seem all too pleased with being thrown at the wall.

"Don't do it again," I threatened at a whisper after it'd flown back to my hand and perched on my wrist, its talons beginning to dig into my skin. "Ow that hurts!"

When I spoke, I nicked my tongue on my tooth, and felt a sharp zing, followed by the taste of blood and a pulsating sting. I cut my tongue on my tooth. My teeth were definitely not that sharp before.

I cursed a bunch because tongue cuts last for weeks and I'm always hyper-aware of them every time I get them. But either way I'm just gonna have to deal.

Now I had to gulp down my fear of all the people I'd be having to avoid and get to the library.

Starting to think some stupid books aren't even worth it.

Over here in my corner and in the shadows was quite comfortable and I realized that this is how I want things to be from now on. I'll stay here in the dark, out of sight and out of mind, and just observe. Or even better just not be near people in general.

Is it because I'm afraid of being betrayed again? Perhaps I'm just antisocial? Don't know, quite frankly don't give a shit. The why doesn't matter. What does matter is that I'm going to make a very big effort to not have to deal with being around people - and when I do, it's gonna be a "get your shit and get out" type deal.

Me, myself, and I all get along really well, and three's a very big crowd already, dontcha think?

With time no longer on my side, I gritted my (apparently very sharp) teeth and got up, the phoenix still resting on my hand, so I had to shake it off so it moved to my shoulder or somewhere else more convenient.

I got the sense the phoenix was annoyed. The phoenix got the sense I'd step on it in a heartbeat because I don't care if it's annoyed. We get along well don't we?

Finding a moment where the 2 or 3 soldiers that were walking around the tiny village weren't looking my way wasn't really hard. Once their gazes were averted, I hopped the wall as silently as I could, which is to say unfortunately not that quietly, and tried to crouch-walk towards the nearest building.

My steps were louder and clumsier than I hoped, so I had to take it slowly, which of course wasn't exactly ideal when you're trying to sneak around a handful of people looking around this little cavern.

In a way it kind of felt just like a stealth game, or like playing hide and seek, only this time I'm not just getting a pat on the shoulder while someone says "found you haha" I'm getting a gentle pat in the stomach with the tip of a sword while someone says "found you, you slimy bandit!"

"Bandit" does sound kinda nice though, I really can't lie there.

I kept peaking around the corner of this building like an idiot as my heart raced and I could barely keep my cool, but I couldn't get an opening to run up to the next before the library.

There was always a soldier or researcher facing this way. I guess I picked a hot zone or something.

One of the demon soldiers patrolling the perimeter was coming within sight, so I did the next best thing I could and layed down with my hood up. This side of the building faces away from the hanging fire at the top center of the cave, so the black of the cloak I stole from the demon I killed earlier should blend in with the shadow.

I'll just... become a shadow.

Yet another really appealing sentence. I'm getting good at this.

I held my breath as the demon walked by just a little too close for comfort. She stopped for a moment, though my head was buried so I didn't know why, and I had to hold my breath, which when you're panicking and internally retching at the sight of other sentient beings, is not easy to do.

But my luck didn't play me this time. Footsteps receded around the corner of the building and beyond.

I stood up as quietly as I could and then took my opening to the next building. I had to do this 2 or 3 more times, each time dealing with a new form of a hair-splittingly close call, until I finally reached the library.

I was worried about messing up a step or slipping and falling with how nervous I was. Sneaking around is nerve-wracking. Especially when it's a place full of scary demons and smart people.

When I was sure nobody was inside, I decided my best route would just be to walk in like I was a part of the crowd. If I was lucky then nobody would really be paying attention.

So I took a deep breath.

You're a nerdy research guy. You got this.

I left my slinking around posture, which immediately had me feeling exposed and extremely vulnerable, and left the small gap between two buildings I was in, and walked around the corner and into the library.

It was empty of people, and was a small but tall room that had its walls full of books and scrolls, though mostly the latter, and a small table with loads of maps and navigational tools and papers scattered over it in a total mess. A ladder led up to a balcony spanning around the room where one could get the higher-up stuff, though mostly items and small leather bags and jars of organic material were up there, like some sort of occult library.

Okay. Cozy, but not easy to hide in.

That thought crossed my mind just as I heard two males talking outside the door, and I had to quickly climb the ladder and then freak out again because I had no idea what to do.

I scrambled my way up and then sat in the back corner of the upper balcony, and then footsteps entered the room - only one pair. The owner was at the table looking over some of the papers on it, and I barely peered over the edge to see him. He was directly below me.

So I took out my knife which was still bloody from the demon I killed earlier, then had to extremely slowly go from a laying position to sitting up at the edge of the balcony.

It was painful and my heart was blaring like a marching band, and I probably took all of 2 minutes to sit up. Once I was finally there, though, I held my knife up and readied myself.

He was ripe for the picking, and I'm getting what I need and leaving straight after that.

So in one motion, I took a deep breath and dropped on the man, who was a researcher, with my knife held straight out and aimed at his neck.

It took mere fractions of a second for the man to step off to the side, chop my inner elbow to snatch my knife, and have it at my throat while he stood behind me.

"Who the hell are you?" He said in a grim voice.

Motherffff-