I wandered through the city streets, trying to hold my sense of direction true in my mind. It was this way, right? My spell had pointed towards the center of the city when I had last cast it. So I wove my way in that direction, ducking between the crowds of people and wagons as they all tried to argue their way past each other.
I noticed with distracted interest that this city had so sort of sewer system— drains were present every now and then, and there weren’t gross puddles all over the place like in the last one. It was still pretty gross though, with horses shitting everywhere, and people throwing their shit into the drains. I was very thankful for my expensive boots. I wonder how much they cost?
I had a few coins in my pack, but I had no idea what any of them were worth, so I’d mostly just left them there until it ca ti to help pay for things during the trip with Cad and Valda. They had known what to do with them. I was on my own now though, so I’d need to learn what they were worth eventually— but not now.
The streets beca wider, drains beca more frequent and the buildings beca larger, and everything was built out of more expensive materials. Where the outskirts of the city had been wood and thatch, that had gradually transitioned to stone and slate, this area was both, but at a far higher quality of construction. Signs had writing on them now too, rather than simple images, and the people who perused those shops wore nicer clothing.
Before long I found myself in a large market square that sat beneath a huge citadel, squatting like a supplicant at the feet of its god. The citadel drew my eye and my mind as one. It was utterly foreign to my eyes, not at all dieval in design, at least not underneath all the additions that had been made since it was originally abandoned.
It was several hundred ters in height, nothing but straight lines and angles all the way up. No curves here, but it nevertheless had an elegance to it, the way all the lines and angles flowed upwards to the peak. The great steel tower had been modified heavily since— the people who now inhabited it trying their best to add to the structure as space was needed. I could see a primitive crane operating off to the side too, pulling goods up to the higher levels.
Dragging my eyes off the very obvious evidence that whoever had once built this place might not be around any longer, I surveyed the market itself. It was a swirling mass of people and stalls, all trying to do business around each other. I saw people who had to be foreigners too. The city was living up to its na as a trading hub, that was for sure.
I began to wander through the crowds, trying to catch a glimpse of my friends. I cursed my new height as I did so, I couldn’t see shit over the top of all the n around who were now at least half a head taller than . I wasn't even that short, by the standards of won. n were just way too tall.
As I tried to figure out a new approach to finding people in a crowd, I watched as a group of n in great wraps of cloth argued tooth and nail with a rchant about so strange looking vegetable thing. Across the way I could see a gaggle of won who were obviously high in status, nobles or the wives of rich rchants maybe, their guards trailing as the won wandered aimlessly.
I needed sowhere higher, sowhere I could get a better view of this ss. With that in mind, I tried to pushed through the crowds around , but almost straight away I accidentally bumped into soone in a full suit of strange armour. It had a base layer of tough, roughly cured black leather, with badly forged plates of black tal across many vital areas. My eyes drifted up, an apology already on my lips, but it died when my gaze made contact with the cold black visor of their helt.
Where a normal sallet style helt like the one they wore would have had so sort of steel visor or slit for the wearer to see, this one had dark tinted glass. I couldn’t even see their eyes as they regarded with an impassive tilt of their head. Caught as I was by the uneasiness of their appearance, I stood stone still as they looked up and down.
Four others in similar armour slowed to a stop and watched the silent exchange, and I got a good look at them in return. Each of them wore one of those magical hand guns at their hip, and across their backs were black cloaks of rough wool.
Shaking myself out of my nervous reaction, I quickly raised my hands in an expression of apology and hurried onwards. I don’t know what it was about them, but they intimidated to no end. Maybe it was the helts, maybe it was the guns, I don’t know. With my heart beginning to hamr in my chest, I tried to put as much distance as I could between myself and them. There was sothing about the way the one I had bumped into looked at , sothing ominous.
When I turned back to check what their reaction had been, I saw the one I’d bumped into pointing at and gesturing with agitation. Then… then they began to move towards . Shit, did they know I was a mage? Were they Fennimore’s n? I picked up my pace, trying to lose them before a chase could really begin.
I bumped into a few more people in my rush to escape, each ti apologising profusely and then rushing off before they could make a scene, but it was no use. The black armoured n were spreading out, coordinating to try and cut off from any exits. I tried to keep my pace to a brisk walk as my panic began to take hold of my system, the worst thing I could do now was get the attention of the regular guards as well as the terrifying armoured n behind .
Sighing with a small sliver of relief, I made it to one of the many large streets that fed into the marketplace, and plunged down it. My breathing was already laboured with fear and adrenaline in equal asure by now, but surely I could lose them now that I was out of the market. They definitely knew I was a mage, there was no other reason for five heavily armoured n to be chasing down like this.
Turning back again to see if they were following, I saw them turn into the street at a run, and at that point I finally gave in to the insistent rambling of my fear. I barrelled down the street at a sprint and ducked behind a large wagon as it attempted to navigate the uncooperative crowds. With their line of sight temporarily broken, I dodged into an alleyway and almost imdiately slipped on sothing wet and gross. Shit! The grip on the bottom of the boots only just saved , catching on the cobblestones of the alleyway and keeping upright, if only barely.
With my balance regained, I rushed into another nook and began to follow it, plunging further into a maze of twisting and turning lanes between high walled buildings. A junction ford again up ahead, the path I was following blocked by an ornate wall with hints of a garden on the other side. I had a choice to make, two directions to go, each one turning a corner after several yards. I chose randomly, rushing down the right hand path.
A few more twists and turns and I was in a small courtyard with a well that apparently serviced a few of the buildings nearby. Shit, there were so many paths to choose from now! Which one did I go for? Had I lost them? What if I chose the wrong one and ended up back on the street where they could find ? I needed to get back to Cad and Valda, they might know what to do. Finding my friends had to co second to surviving long enough to be reunited with them in the first place.
I chose a path at random, a gamble, just bolting towards an opening between the buildings and hoping for the best, wanting to get even further out of the reach of my pursuers. I chose the absolute worst route to take. One of the black clad n was just turning into the courtyard, and we collided with a crash. Stumbling, I watched in horror as he did the sa, although his balance was far better than mine.
I backpedalled further, terror enfusing my bones now, they were hunting , they wanted . Why did they want ? Why couldn’t they just leave be? I just wanted to find my friends! Why was the universe doing this to ?
My heel hit sothing as I retreated, I don’t know what, but I went down on my ass with a heavy thump. My pack thankfully cushioned my fall, but it didn’t matter. They were surrounding now, all of them in the courtyard, their boots clicking on the rough cobbles. Each one regarded from behind their helts, impassive and arrogant as my own gaze flicked wildly between them, wondering which one would be the first to strike.
“I don’t know why we’re chasing this random chick, your friend is fucking dead, get over it,” one of them said with a note of frustration. I cringed at his tone, and tried not to look up. As I was right now, heated words sent my mind reeling with fear.
“Shut the fuck up dude,” the biggest of the n said, turning to loom nacingly over his comrade. Would they fight each other? Could I get away?
One of them stepped towards , and my panic finally hit maximum. I didn’t want to kill them, I didn’t want the blood of people on my hands, no matter who they were, but I needed to defend myself. Use the force push spell? No, it might hurt them. I didn't want to hurt them…
My telekinesis rushed blindly forward, twining around each to lift them bodily into the air. Oh my god, they… they didn’t have protections against this? But they were hunting a mage?
“What the fuck!” one shouted, while another began to thrash wildly, yelling at the smallest of their group, the one at the front, the one who’d moved towards . “I told you! I told you! We can’t just fuck with people, no matter what they wear on their damn finger!”
Wait what? I looked down at the ring on my finger, then back up at them in confusion. What did they know about my ring?
“Where’d you get that ring?” the one who’d moved towards ne asked with a high, almost cute grunt of pain, ignoring their comrade.
Wait, a woman? The one I’d bumped into was a woman… and oh my god, they were... they had all been speaking English! English, the language that only my friends would know around here.
“Grace?” I squeaked, staring at the woman in armour.
They all fell silent as soon as I spoke, glancing between one another, but I still couldn’t see their expressions because of the helts. Was I crazy? That had been her right? Her voice? Please be her!
“How do you know my na? Who are you?” the woman asked, her tone low and pained with emotion. “Where did you get that fucking ring?”
“It’s… mine,” I whispered, still staring at them with open shock. Not that they would be able to really see my expression either, I was still wrapped up in hood and scarf. Quickly, my mind racing, I told them, “I’m going to let you down, and you have to take your helts off. Try moving for those guns and I’ll immobilize you again.”
“Alright,” the woman— who I was almost sure was Grace— said with a nod, still sounding confused and emotional.
I did as I’d promised, carefully letting them down and retracting my telekinesis. As I did so, I levered myself up off the ground and watched them. Slowly— the woman first— they unbuckled their helts and lifted them off.
I swayed on my feet when Grace’s face ca into view, her hair ssy and a little sweaty from the helt, but I couldn’t care less, it was my friend! She was here! I felt tears spring into my eyes, raw emotion bubbling up and spilling out the only way it could.
“Grace!” I cried, taking a step forward before I rembered that she had no idea who I was.
“No, who the fuck are you, and how did you get that ring,” she almost growled, her expression terrible with wrath and confusion.
I flinched as her words hit , hearing her speak with that tone, directed at … it hurt, it hurt so much.
“It’s mine!” I blurted desperately, unsure how I could explain anything. “I’m… I’m Eli! Or, I was…”
“What the fuck does that an?” one of the guys asked with a snort, and with a jolt of excitent I saw that it was Adam.
“Adam!” I gasped. My friends were really here! I just had to convince them of who I was. I needed to… they wouldn’t hurt right?
“Guys, she’s speaking English,” one of the other’s said. I didn’t recognise him, but I could have hugged him for pointing that out. How were we all forgetting about that? Emotional turmoil? Whatever.
“Oh shit,” Adam blinked, then he really stared at , his eyes narrowed. I stood there and silently begged for both him and Grace to recognise sohow. “No one knows English unless they’re from Avonside.”
“Eli was a man,” she said sharply. “Do you think we’re idiots?”
I flinched again, my gut shrivelling with the pain of her words, and quietly I murmured, “Not anymore. I got changed, Grace, my body… it was...”
“She’s scared, Grace. Let’s at least listen to her,” Adam told her, his tone placating and rcifully calm.
She seed to finally ease as she took in the way I was very much terrified right now, cringing away from the five of them as they stood in a semi circle around .
Cocking her head, she gave a proper, long appraisal. “How? How could you possibly be Eli?”
Here we go, I had to… how did I even do this? Explain myself? Convince them it was still under the hood?
“Magic fruit,” I replied with an awkward smile, my nervousness speaking for before I could formulate a proper response. “It wasn’t… um, it wasn’t the Batronauts that got , though. It was a witch. Well, a mage, but...”
She blinked. Once, twice, and then her mouth opened even as her mind slowly churned. Finally, she barked a disbelieving laugh. “Batronauts… holy shit.”
“Yeah,” I nodded, hoping she was starting to believe , I an that had been our thing right? No one else had been in on that joke, just the two of us. “I was just like, schooped up into that fruit and then yeah. It turned into this,” I told her, gesturing down at my very, undeniably feminine body.
“It’s really you?” she asked, and there was a note of hope now, and I nodded, my heart racing with hope. She was starting to believe !
Wait, but she couldn’t see my face, she couldn’t see my expressions. None of them could. I quickly pulled off both my magical and physical disguises, throwing my hood back and unwrapping my scarf.
“Yeah, sorry, Hi uh…” I said awkwardly, giving her a shy, goofy smile.
Her eyes went massive as I uncovered my face, and one of the guys blurted, “Holy shit.”
“Oh, right,” I winced, rembering what they were seeing. “It’s though,” I barrelled on urgently, trying to drive the point ho. “I an, I just used magic on you all for crying out loud! And Grace, when all this shit started and we got nabbed from Earth, you were holding the umbrella because Bray and I were too weak to hold the damn thing up! Not that it mattered, because we were all soaked as it was.”
That did it— I watched as her blinking, huge green eyes finally ca around. She believed . Then she was coming at in a rush, her arms going wide to pull into a hug against her uncomfortable armour. Sohow, I didn’t care though, all the anxiety, worry and fear I had been carrying with eased with that simple contact. I relaxed into the hug, letting her stronger fra carry my weight for a mont. Tears sprung up all over again. I was finally safe.
“Oh my god, oh my god,” she cried, squeezing tighter. “I can’t… I thought you died! And I couldn't stop you, and...” she started, then pulled back just as suddenly as she’d hugged , her hands still on my shoulders. “How?”
“It was a mage fruit, a um, a kind of magical plant that mages leave around. If you pick it, it drags you into their… magical grove and turns you into one of them,” I replied, doubting that she’d understand even half of that.
She didn’t reply, just staring, her eyes roaming my face with open curiosity. Standing there with the rest of her band shuffling awkwardly, I beca hyper aware of how close she was. How strong her hands felt on my shoulders, encompassing them in a way that they couldn’t have if I’d still been in my old body. She was taller than now, if only marginally, and just kinda slightly bigger in every way. Which wasn’t hard, obviously, considering how slim my incredible new body was.
“You’re… gorgeous,” she whispered after a mont, too quiet for the others to hear.
“Yeah,” I murmured, glancing aside to avoid the strange look in her eyes as my cheeks flushed.
She kept staring for several more monts before she suddenly stepped back, her hands letting go like I’d just gone up in flas. “Sorry!” she gasped, and now it was she who was avoiding my eyes.
One of the n, one who hadn’t spoken and I didn’t recognise, stepped forward. He looked older than everyone else, at least mid thirties, but he was big and fit, clearly a man who could handle himself in a brawl. His tone was almost businesslike as he asked, “You’re really the uh, person known as Elias Belrose? A student of Avonside University?”
“Um, yup,” I nodded. “I was with you all for only a week before I got… taken.”
He nodded, thoughts whirring behind his eyes before calmly, he asked, “Date of birth?”
My eyebrows raised at that. What was this? A phone call to the tax departnt? “June, twelfth, year two thousand.”
“What were you studying?” he shot back almost imdiately, and I frowned. How on Earth would he know if I was telling the truth? How did he know the answers?
“Uh, the sciences, I intended to go into Ecology,” I replied quickly, watching his face, trying to gain answers as I spoke.
“Alright, I’ll believe you until we can get the full story,” the man nodded, then offered his hand. “Troy Wintringham, leader of this band of… explorers.”
“Thank you,” I said, breathing a sigh of relief and shooting Grace another smile. “What are you all doing out here?”
“Let’s find sowhere more secure, then we’ll trade stories,” ca his response as he turned and began to give orders.
Grace sidled up next to as we started to make our way out of the alleyways, her helt under her arm. She looked good in armour, very good. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her either, as if looking away for too long would cause her to disappear, leaving alone again. Would it be weird if I like, grabbed hold of her arm? Just to make sure she stayed real.
“You’re really Eli?” she asked again quietly, her eyes seeming almost to sparkle with an overflow of emotion.
“I am, except… I go by Ryn now,” I said shyly. “I um, yeah. I like that na better. Can’t really walk around with a na like Elias while I look like this. Well, I an I could, but people would look at weird. Even the mage woman said it would be weird, and she didn’t even… nevermind,” I rambled awkwardly, my hands trying and failing to find pockets. I was so nervous still, and like, what do you even do with your hands when you’re nervous? Hands can be so awkward sotis.
“Ryn? Your na’s Ryn now, huh?” she smiled, rolling the na around for a mont. “I like it, it’s cute.”
“Oh,” I blinked, feeling yet another awkward smile tug at my lips. Okay, what was going on here? Why was I being a total weirdo right now? I’d found her! Things were ant to be back to normal, but this felt nothing like normal!
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