Aurora sat at the fountain, dangling her feet, and watched the crowd around her tentatively. From observing interactions with merchants, she had learned that the smaller bronze coins were the smallest denomination of one currency here. There were more types of coins than she could have imagined. After eight new currencies, she lost count. People traded in different coins of different sizes and metals. There were even coins that were square and some that looked like strips of metal with text engraved on them. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she seemed to remember learning that trade during medieval times included the currencies of many kingdoms, dukedoms, and so on. Counterfeit currency was a significant problem, but here, the merchants put the coins on a strange symbol etched into a piece of wood. Moments later, a light would emerge; a blue light seemed to mean that the currency was real. No light was usually followed by shouting.
After hours of eavesdropping, she learned that she was in the empire of Solvita, but the name gave her little information. Her stomach growled. Aurora sighed; if survival was a priority, she would need to find food. Aurora considered if she could try her hand at hunting but shook her head. She would need a weapon to hunt, and she glanced around- she'd need to get out of the city. Would she even be able to kill an animal? But…maybe getting out of the city would do her some good. Then she could find a place to wash up in and maybe scavenge for some food. There was little knowledge Aurora could use from her life on Earth. However, maybe she could use her herbalist and gardening hobby to her advantage. That was if the plants here were similar to those back home. She watched a rat run by, and her stomach growled again. She shuddered at the thought of eating the rodent. Scavenging was better. Aurora wasn’t sure if she could start a fire, but finding something to eat out in the woods would be easier and more appetizing than that; she glanced at the rat once more.
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After what seemed like hours of walking, Aurora made her way out of the city gates. She felt almost like a ghost. The guards did not move to notice her as she left.
“That thing is finally leaving,” one of the knights whispered.
She looked at them, but they avoided making eye contact with her. Clementine seemed to have lived a long life of being ignored wherever she went.
“Don’t look at her. Don’t you know who that cursed child is?” another knight elbowed him.
He whispered, “They say she is the daughter of the Trelz family. ”
“Then why-” the other knight had started to ask.
“They say she is cursed; she was born without an affinity for fire.”
Aurora did not stay around long to listen to them. She made her way past the drawbridge, unsure what to do with the information. It opened more questions than it answered. What was an affinity, she wondered.
To her luck, the city was surrounded by forests and mountains. Great mountains whose sides peeked with snow surrounded the city. In comparison to them, the city seemed small. When she was inside, the streets seemed almost endless, and the houses grew high above her. Now, the city was smaller than the snow-peaked mountains. She had been so busy that she did not even look up to notice the mountains around them. The air here was also fresher.
Looking at the woods, which seemed to swallow almost all light, she wondered if there were wild animals in them. On Earth, they had bears, wolves, coyotes, and the like. Maybe, if she didn't venture too deep into the woods, everything would be alright, Aurora wondered. With a sigh, she entered the dark woods.
The canopy of trees shadowed the surroundings and hid her from the sun. It was cooler here, and the air filled with more moisture. The smell of decaying leaves and the soft ground of the woods gave her a clue that she might be able to find mushrooms here. A fire she probably could not start, but food she would be able to find.
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Aurora began scavenging as soon as she could. She had found a few mushrooms, trying them on her tongue. The ones that didn’t give a bitter jolt she kept.
Lost in thought, Aurora wandered through the woods. She did not have shoes and was thankful for the soft blanket of pine needles on the forest ground. I’ll have to get some shoes, she made a mental note.
With a full skirt of mushrooms, she searched for a water source to wash in. The air carried the sound of a river, and she followed the sound.
The forest opened to a cold river, probably flowing from the mountains. Aurora had never needed to survive in the wild on Earth before, so her knowledge of the woods wasn’t great. She scanned the area and was satisfied that she was surrounded by nothing but the woods. It meant she would be able to bathe in peace. Aurora slipped the dirty dress off her body. She stripped naked and proceeded to wash her clothing in the cold water. Scrubbing to the best of her abilities. Without soap, reaching the level of cleanliness she wished for was impossible, but after she was somewhat satisfied, she wrung out of the water and hung her dress and underclothing on a branch near the river bed. Then she went to wash. The water was freezing cold. Apprehension was won over by a pure desire to get clean. Her body felt grimy; it was a feeling she did not like. Somehow, Aurora was even able to wash her hair. Loosening some of the knotted strands.
After the river bath, she lay on the grassy bed and let the sun dry her. Today, she would camp out by the river. Maybe she would try to start a fire. Although not often, she had seen a few survival shows in her past life. People started fires by quickly twirling a piece of wood against another. A lighter would be nice, she thought.
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Aurora stared at the massive monster in front of her. The thing looked somewhat like a wolf but was much larger. Muscles rippled on a humanoid body. Red eyes filled with hunger looked down on her. Saliva dripped down from its jaw, which was sneered, showing teeth sharp like daggers. It growled. She was paralyzed with fear. A fear which made it hard to breathe. Aurora forced out labored breaths. Her breathing only became more shallow and quicker until she was hyperventilating. Her body shook, and for a moment, she considered curling up on the ground and closing her eyes.
Please move, she begged her paralyzed body.
Please, she begged.
The monster moved in. Hot breath washed over her. The smell of rot and decay. Aurora pissed herself. The warm liquid staining her newly washed clothing and forming a puddle around her. It bellowed out, a roar that shook her to her core. Birds flew out from the trees, and the lively forest instantly became quiet.
No!
Please move!
Her useless body remained shaking, glued to the ground beneath the monster in a puddle of her own pee. God, please, she prayed. I’m sorry for insulting you.
It got lower to her, its face almost touching hers. Its head was as large as half her body. She tried to breathe, but fear wrapped its fingers around her throat, suffocating her. Aurora couldn't even muster out a sound.
The thing lifted up a first. She closed her eyes tightly. She did not want to see it pillage her to death. Maybe death would come quickly once more, but something told her it wouldn't. The monster looked like it would enjoy playing with its prey. It let out another cry.
A heat collected in the pit of her stomach and seemed to burst out. It was adrenaline, she told her.
Aurora waited for the impact.
And waited.
And waited.
But nothing came. Opening her eyes, she looked at the creature to find that she was surrounded by a barrier—a dome barely visible to the eyes. When the monster brought a hand down, it bounced against the shield, its walls rippling with a glowing blue.
Aurora let out a laugh and then another. The adrenaline faded, and the laughter soon became maniacal. She could not stop herself, laughing like someone, as if she had lost her mind as this thing kept trying to get to her.
She was alive! With shaking hands, she touched her body up and down, checking if she was truly alive.
I’m alive, she yelled internally.
As the adrenaline faded, so did the momentary joy. She was still under the monster's powerful gaze. The creature pounded over and over. Aurora was still not out of death's way. Now, she was stuck.
How long would the mysterious barrier last around her? She gulped as she looked up at the thing. Hot, putrid salvia dripped down on her through the barrier wall. She let out a nervous laugh.
Aurora opened her mouth to scream, but the sound was muffled, pushed back by the same force that kept her from speaking. She could not even yell for help.