I return to the village just as a group of several male and female skaleans leaving, all equipped with basic metal-bladed daggers and wooden bows. They give off me than just a threatening vibe and some even glare at me as they pass. But they leave the village without any commotion and I return to the chief's hut feeling optimistic.

I push open the leather flap and surprisingly, the chief is conversing with a young female of the species through a manner of hisses. Judging by her size relative to the rest of the species, I would place her around 15 years. Still adolescent, but most likely in the skaleans version of puberty.

Before she leaves, she presses the bottom of her jaw onto the top of his head. Unsure of what the context is, I silently wait by the entrance for... something to occur.

The young female leaves without even acknowledging my presence and the chief ushers me forwards and indicates I sit again.

Was I interrupting?

(Not at all. I was just giving my granddaughter my blessing before she leaves with the hunting party.)

Ah, so that's why they were armed to the fang.

(You saw them, huh? Well, it's all I can do to give them a blessing of luck as I'm far too old to join them.)

They held only physical weapons, do none of them know magic?

(Not in any practical sense. I was gifted my magic by my superiors when I was younger and grew with the gift. I cannot pass it on, and so my magically challenged species must invest in their bodies rather than their minds.)

What do you mean by a gift?

(You have not encountered a gift from the gods? I assumed your soul was a result of direct influence.)

I lean back and consider it for a moment. Perhaps it was the influence of a god that has brought me this far. Maybe it's been the gods of this world, Senca specifically, that have allowed me to respawn so many times on earth and then brought me to Ledanen.

You know, that might just be true. Is it obvious when a god gifts power to someone?

(Not at all. The gift given to me was inspiration. It was only years after that I realised it was Meli that had made the source of my power. A book that could only be read once. I read it and learned truths I would never be able to pass on. Not only did the book disappear, but I was restricted by the gods to never communicate much of what I read.)

Interesting. Assuming that it really was one of the three gods that gave me the ability to respawn, then they must have some steadfast form of influence on earth. It seems ironic that what may be the true formation of deific powers is most likely one that the people of earth have never thought of before. But there's so much to Earth and likely Ledanen that cant be covered by the three gods alone.

(Reuben, is something I said troubling?)

Aside from using said in that way, no. I'm just wondering about the limit to the power the gods can wield.

(Ah, a good topic of conversation, but one that I have drawn a multitude of conclusions from.)

His casual mention of what could be a long-winded discussion makes me think I'm beginning to overstay my welcome in his hut.

Is it really alright for me to be here talking to you? I mean, I have no ties right now, but I feel like I'm overstepping.

Syzslic gives off a dissatisfied huff and tilts his head slightly.

(I love my people, but they are not... as intellectually gifted as you. And even then, you display far greater intelligence than your mana capacity would suggest.)

I open my mouth by reflex, needing to ask him about his ability to see my mana, but he holds up a hand, stopping me before I can even start.

(What I am saying is, that you have the capacity to learn what I have the ability to teach, a circumstance that I have starved for, for decades.)

I swallow, deliberately mulling over his words in my mind.

You want to teach me?

(My boy, your magic is fresh, it is wild and unruly. If I can watch you temper it under my instruction, then I will teach you all the magic these old bones can muster.)

I pause again, truly taken aback by his offer. I need someone to teach me how to use my spells properly. According to what Declan had told me, it can't be that difficult to learn magic. Besides, Syzslic seems to be hinting at how shapeless magic might make the process of learning easier.

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Well, I really don't have any ties to the world outside of this forest right now, and I could do with a change of pace.

The edges of Syzslics mouth curve up as I communicate my agreement, and he nods slowly when I'm finished.

(Excellent! We begin immediately!)

Displaying far more agility than I would have expected from him, Syzslic stands up, extinguishing his flame and throwing open the leather door flap with a wave of his hand. Which reveals the last dregs of light falling beneath the tree line.

(Ah. I suppose you lack the ability to see through the dark?)

I stand and look out into the rapidly darkening woods. There are no clouds above me, but there is also a lack of any bright constellations. I can make out several objects that could be moons, but all are smaller and reflect less light than the one orbiting earth. If I really strain my eyes, I think I can make out a handful of stars too.

(I'll take that as a yes. I believe we have an empty hut by the cliff's edge. I'll show you there if you would like.)

Syzslics words barely register in my brain. The sight of such an empty sky has really made me realise how far from home I am. I've considered so many places on earth my home, but now I feel like I've moved away from everything I knew. This must be how people feel when they first find their own house after growing up with their parents around. While new and exciting, it's all a little daunting.

Uh, yes, please. Are the nights much colder than the day?

(Not by much. I'll show you where you can get a drink too if you need it.)

Thank you.

Syzslic ignites another flame above his head without any visual effort. Using this magic light source, he gives me a brief tour of the village. Several huts of varying size, some of which extend into the ground for more space. The source of the cooling green drink I received before is a mix of ground and strained plant juices and some kind of very weak sap that they tap from the trees.

(The blasted trees underwent a dramatic change during the fight between the forest king and the female drake. The wild natural mana given off caused a chain reaction in the forest that made all the plant life more dependant on water, reaching deeper and wider to drink as much as possible. Streams dried up, so we adapted too and stole back from the trees what belongs to the forest.)

What do you mean by natural mana? And how does it cause the trees to change?

(Ahhh, it is good that you are so inquisitive, but that shall have to wait until tomorrow. For now, get some rest, yo have travelled from the crystal sea to here in one day must have been taxing. I shall send someone to wake you at dawn.)

He nods to me and walks away, letting his fire slowly dim as his own reptilian eyes apparently don't need it.

Sighing at the exhaustion that threatens to take me out at any moment, I feel around for the leather flap door and push it aside, collapsing on the floor which is pleasantly soft. Soft and warm...

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I don't dream. At least, not in the traditional sense. When I do dream, which is rare, its never something I've been able to understand. revenants of my past, personas I've adopted interacting with each other. A handful of random personalities, all fragments of myself. they share looks between themselves, no words pass between any two.  an entire conversation taking place silently. at my mental age, my ability to recognise my own mannerisms, emotions and intentions from subtle hints is flawless. but not for me, now. for me, its just a string of loosely connected memories. I'm only ever on this side of the conversation; the outside. 

They all turn to look at me as one. a dark-skinned woman dressed in tight furs with a bright red arrow painted on her forehead. a woman with a golden gown adorned by silks, black and blue make-up framing her face. a third woman, dressed in a loose beige suit protecting the identity of her gender with short hair and a short fake beard. if I didn't remember the times I disguised myself, I never would have known her true gender. and finally, a young man, his skin almost white. battle armour of woven leathers painted dark blue and black. his fur-lined armour intending to protect him from the elements as much as his enemies.

Not all of them had names, at least not ones I took. each was known in their own way. One a hunter that would usurp her chief, one an assassin sent to attend to a royal, one a novelist disguising her gender to force an opportunity, and one a young and frightened warrior facing a far superior enemy. I am them, and they are me, but in my dream, they are their own people. And they stare; their breaths and blinks in sync.

""Wake up, Reuben. Your soul will meet again. soon.""

----------------------------------------

*thwack*

-5hp

"What?! Wha- who?!"

I bolt upright, sharp stinging pain in my forehead. An annoying headache fading before it has the chance to fully form. 

My vision quickly focuses, the still-dark hut and slightly brighter doorway providing a creepy silhouette of some snake-man hybrid.

A few seconds of confusion and irritated hissing later, and it's all come back to me. The last thing I remember is falling asleep in a hut... after coming to a village guided by... the chief's grandson. I can't remember his name, but I recognise his glare.

I smirk, somewhat amused at how he's been sent to wake me up. For someone who is basically their version of royalty, a glorified wake-up caller is probably beneath him.

"Morning, sunshine."

I don't know if he picks up on the smirk in my voice, but he seems to be slightly amused by my shining candour.

I take a moment to relieve myself over the edge of the cliff, disrupting some birds that are nesting lower in the valley. They remain low to the floor of the gorge, staying far below ground level for whatever reason. Perhaps since there appears to be no way up or down the sheer rock faces, it's the safest place to be considering the ability of the predatory monkeys.

Smart birds.

"Ah, it was Alys."

I remember the name of the chief's grandson, a word that sounds foreign to my mind. That's the way it would be spoken in the human tongue, but the Skaleans way of saying it, and how it's interpreted in my mind must be completely different. I wonder how my current name would be pronounced in hisses.

Alys gives me an odd look at my outburst. I would apologise, but such an act would be pointless if he can't understand me.

Sorry, bud.

I feel strangely optimistic about where I am now. With no obligations or ties to the world outside of the forest, I'm eager to fall back to my roots and rebuild my knowledge through someone who wants to teach me without me having to fight for him. Declan was a fine teacher, but he seemed like he felt more obligated than actually willing to teach me. He was more of a leader, but Syzslic shows himself to be more of a teacher.

I'm ready for whatever he can throw at me.