"Ugh, humans." I growled quietly to myself whilst clutching my talisman as I walked back to our home. Or, dormitory as I have been told it is called... Nin had been insistent that I walk on my own to lessons after the first few days despite my justified protests. We had already spoken to the strange, always-noting human about the special conditions.
But, I still did not like it. I was so exposed to so many of these foul creatures and all I had was a talisman I barely understood. I had been practising with it, this place was apparently entirely built for this kind of thing. And, that at least made it enjoyable when it was a quiet affair.
There was so much technology here I was familiar with and some I was not. They had small, controlled pockets of reality casually available to such casual rabble... Foreign magic was integrated into some of this tech as well! So I could at least try and figure it out.
However, no one seemed to be able to figure out what my talisman did. And because of how special it was, it meant a lot more humans like those in the mountain were around... I hated it, it made me incomprehensibly uncomfortable. I couldn't even be near them without feeling a sense of terror build up inside me.
"Liada! Liada!" the blue-haired one called out as she danced up to me. Unfortunately, she was excluded from the rule most of this place had to follow. And, to my joy, I got to hear how much effort they put into enforcing that rule. Apparently, an entire 'club' had been shut down because they kept trying to avoid it.
"What do you want?" I asked her, borderline snapping the question out while I kept up my pace. I hoped she would take the hint and leave me be.
"I wanted to know what you have done today and to tell you what I have done!" she sang out before while also bringing me to a halt. She had danced straight into where I was walking and it made me jump with fright.
"Don't do that!" I growled before I regained my prior posture. A hand also went to one of my breasts as well when it began to itch. It was nearing that time of day when Nin was meant to help me. Which, thankfully, he was willing to keep on doing as I refused the help of this place.
"So, so, so, so? What have you done?" she asks me with a bright, welcoming smile. Yet, even her attempts to make me warm up to her did nothing. After all, she was still a human... A vile, cruel people.
Which, unfortunately, Nin seems to be on the receiving end of here. They might have been forced to stay away from me, but I could still hear them. All sorts of horrible things were said about him with open tones. How he stood for it, I could not fathom.
I did not have the patience to handle humans, sure. But how could he tolerate such behaviour? He was mighty and strong, he should be putting them in place! Not walking around them like a scared child!
"Hello? Anyone home?" the annoyance asked me as she got up in my face, interrupting my thoughts.
"If I answer your questions will you leave me alone!?" I demanded to know before another human came near me.
"She will if I ask her to." this one said with a tone that scared the annoying one off.
"Thank you." I begrudgingly let out as I came to terms with the fact she and I were on the same path.
"Don't mind her, she's just being friendly." she tells me as if I could not figure it out myself. Many things were beautiful so they could kill, after all...
"Then she can be friendly to someone who doesn't hate being near her."
"Wow, someone hates her?" she lets out, surprised that I had such an opinion of her.
"I hate all of you humans." I growl as I try to put some space between me and her.
"You can't seriously be this prejudiced given how different everyone is?" she argues as if it mattered. It did not, the scientists that tortured me were also different. Some were confident, others spineless. Many of their soldiers were like that too. All different, but, the same when I killed them.
"Can you not see the evidence of what your kind has done to me?" I asked her as I showed off the swelling in my breasts. They were big, naturally, but, they had been bloated far beyond their actual size by the injuries.
"My kind? So, what, you were enslaved by someone in the Grand-Kingdom?" she asked me as her hand did a familiar movement.
"Grand-Kingdom...?" I asked as I had never heard that word used when Tobaballe was mentioned. I was familiar with what a kingdom was, our stories mentioned them. But the scientists never once said anything about it. It was always Tobaballe on its own!
"Exactly, see! You don't know the half of it." she calmly told me before her posture relaxed.
"I know enough!" I snorted in challenge.
"No, I am sorry, but you don't." she said before she sat me down. A gesture that scared me as being here had made me more able to understand magic. I did not have a good grasp of it, yet, but I could now start to grasp how powerful the others were. It helped me respect Nin and cautioned me around everyone else.
"And I suppose now you'll prove me wrong, hm?" I asked her, trying to keep up the aggression. As I was hoping it would make her go away. It worked on some as they just did not like rude people. But, I could hardly care about rudeness when it came to humans.
"Has my sister ever wronged you?" she asked me after she had flattened her skirt over her knees.
"No... But..."
"Has her friend, Einervaene, ever harmed you?"
"She's provoked me..."
"No, she's given you a taste of what you have given her." she corrected me with, somehow. She was not there during our travels, so how would she even know that!?
"What's your point!?" I asked the light-blue haired human.
"Stop trying to prove something that doesn't exist. You are not with the people who hurt you, Liadanann."
"You just don't get it..." I mumbled as I started to feel uncomfortable for a different reason.
"I'm a foreigner living temporarily in a land not my own, one that does not have a good view of my people. Trust me, if you are nice to people, you won't see what scars you from them."
And, when I heard that, I got up and walked away, "As if that compares at all..." I muttered as I went ahead on my own. And, yet, I found myself thinking about her words before I got back to the dormitory. So, with growing frustration, I moved into Nin's room.
What does she know? What does she know at all!? I was completely justified in how I acted here... They were followers of a god who tried to destroy mine for the crime of defending his own...
"How're you doing?" a hearty voice asked me as it became clear to me that I had left the door open. Yet, despite this mistake, he did not enter the room.
"Go away..." I told him as a snarl came to my face.
"You don't have to worry, I can't even fit through the door, Ishea." he laughed out as he showed off how fat he was. And, in a way, I was entranced by it. Only the most powerful of our insignificant people were fat. Even then, they could not compare to how big this human was...
It made me envious, for our people had to be the very peak of political power to afford such feasting. Yet, here there was a simple, joyous human who was well-fed because he wanted to be. He didn't have to go days without eating because he couldn't find a safe place to settle down. He didn't have to go weeks without eating because magic was doing something to their body...
"It is an impressive gut, is it not?" he asked me before his chuckling sent ripples throughout his covered up body.
"I told you to leave..." I then reminded him before I tried to occupy myself with something else.
"You're hungry, aren't you?" he asked me all of a sudden with a serious tone.
"I'm not." I answer as I hold my empty, but not rumbling stomach. We ate to get the magic inside of our food, that is what the teachers here told me. And, because I was never a magic-user before... All this magic in the air was feeding me just fine.
"You are. Your stomach is empty and your tongue is bland and barren." he said as he stepped away from the door, gesturing the whole time.
"I'm not coming with you." I said to him with an aggressive snarl.
"Even if you choose not to come now, you will come with me soon." he commented with a knowing smile before he walked off down the hall. And, with some cautious curiosity, I moved towards the door to see where he had gone. Then, when I saw him again, he was coming back with a small box in his hands.
I looked into his eyes before saying anything, "What do you want...?" I cautiously asked as he smiled wide.
"I listened well when you first came here. And I have acquired you the materials for a banquet!" he cheered before he flicked the hook on the ornate box around. And, when he revealed its contents, I felt my mouth water. Because within it was a jar of golden flakes... At least, I hoped so, I could only tell so much when it was inside of a jar...
"T-This is for m-me?" I asked nervously as my body screamed to eat the precious metal.
"I've been learning what I can, and I think I can cook you a meal that suits you." he informed me before he suddenly shut the box.
"What's the condition?" I asked him with a growl as such behaviour only meant one thing.
"Ishea, I want you to join me outside for a meal amongst friends!" he enthusiastically cheered with a pump of his fists.
"No." I firmly told him as the mere mention of others put some spine back into me. But, all that did was elicit a smirk from him before he blew a cloud of something into my face. It was finely powdered gold and I could taste its sweet purity... It was almost like I was putting on a show when I started to breathe it all in.
"Come, more awaits you amongst the revelry!" he reminded me before he started to go down the stairs. And with each banging step, the sound got slightly quieter. A consistent reminder of how close I was to missing out on a meal I would enjoy and savour.
"W-Wait!" I ordered him, growling with displeasure as I looked at his confident smile.
"Ishea, I am an impatient man, you'll need to move." he told me with a coy smirk before he disappeared.
"I said wait!" I said again as I chased after him until I got near him. And, when I did, I followed him like a lost child. Then, with hesitation, I knelt down on the blanket that was spread out by a small clay kiln dug into the dirt.
"Now, I will need you to wait while I get the rest of the delicacies I shall be preparing." he said with childlike glee before he practically bounced back into the dormitory. However, before he got back out, the two from earlier came around and sat.
"Ooooo, Liada is outside! She's outside on her own!" the annoying one cheered as she rocked back and forth on the ground.
"Quiet!" the ignorant one demanded before ice scared the other off.
"What do you want?" I asked the pair once they were done messing about.
"Ombbo said he was making us dinner!" the annoying one happily informed me before she fell down onto her back.
"Right... Amongst, friends..." I bitterly said as I was reminded of what the fat one had stated. This was meant to be a meal for others with my tastes primarily in mind...
"Ah, wonderful! I have found another one too!" the fat one declared loudly as he came outside holding another human hostage.
"Let go." this human with demanded as he was pushed over and over by eager palms. Then, upon gaining his freedom, he wasted it by coming down to the floor. He crossed his legs and leaned forwards on one of his knees.
"Now, let us start." the fat one said with a soft smile before his sudden drop made me nearly fly up. Not because I was scared, but because he hit the ground with that much force! Then, he revealed the gold once again and unveiled that the kiln was in fact in use. For a strong, meaty smell wafted into my nose through the steam that was unleashed by the moved kiln top.
"Smells good, Ombbo!" the annoying one complimented as she started to use her magic to manipulate the steam slightly. And the other woman did something similar, only she turned it against the annoying one. And it nearly got me to laugh as I enjoyed seeing the annoying one pestered in turn.
"So she can smile without the bug." the recently taken hostage one commented before some water was squirted at him.
"Don't be so rude!" the annoying one chastised him with as her fingertip was flicked dry.
"Do that again and I'll hunt you, Harlot." the soaked one threatened with a straight face before he leaned backwards.
"Not when you blind yourself on your own, silly." she said with a laugh before the man displayed a crack in his apathetic facade.
"Friends, let us not fight like this, it is nearly done." the fat one said as he intervened to stop the bickering. Then, I saw it happen, I saw him use the gold powder in whatever this food was. I saw the dark, reddish-brown liquid take on a sparkle-like quality. With fine lines of golden powder forming amidst the steamy broth.
"Is it done!?" I impatiently asked as the food started to smell better than before.
"Not until all are gathered." he told me before he closed his eyes and breathed slowly. His right hand slowly rotated as well with a subtle, ruby glow surrounding it. The ground cooled down shortly after, so it was obvious what he had done.
"But there's no one else here!" the annoying one cried before rustling was heard behind me.
"I guess eating counts as something to do." Vadei said as she came crawling towards us with her nose held high. And, when she sat near me, the swishing of her tail calmed me. Because it was a reminder of what she wasn't. Even if her face might have fooled my instincts.
"Where's Nin?" the annoying one asked her as she flipped herself over the sealed up food. A dull thud marked her landing once she was done risking our meal.
"I don't know, I left him earlier as I was bored." Vadei told her, which in turn left me distressed as that meant he was a while away. I felt like he was doing it intentionally... He thought he was helping me by making me get used to the humans. But, he wasn't, he really wasn't...
"Oh, that's no good, then. Can't you find him, soft-tailed beauty?" he asked with charming kindness as his large body began to move.
"I could, but I don't want to."
"Then this smell you feel will never be tasted." he told her which made her reverse her tone very quickly.
"Fine!" Vadei let out in despair before she got up. Hands were then offered to me, much to my surprise.
"I'm not going out there!" I said to the pair as I recoiled away from their extended palms.
"The commotion you cause will grab his attention, so come on." Vadei told me as she took my hand and used her greater strength to pull me up. Yet, she stopped moving and smiled up at me when she got me to my feet.
"What are you smiling about?" I asked her as a sneer started to form.
"Nothing at all." she answered with a dishonest smirk before we headed out into the greater school.
"Now, you'll have to pardon our harsh plan, but, making yourself known will help him come to the table." the fat one said as he made referential gestures to how everyone else was viewing me as a curiosity. It made me uncomfortable, and, for once, I sought safety amongst these two.
"I'm not going to embarrass myself..." I warn just in case he wanted to be inspired by the annoying one. She always seemed to have obsessively out-there ideas in my experience...
"You don't need to, you just need to work your popularity."
"What popularity!?" I demanded to know as the fervour I have been seeing was not popularity. It was the greed of knowledge-seekers.
"A new species is discovered! One found in a distant land beyond the edge of the continent! Ishea, you are a curiosity worth more than all the gold in that distant city of clocks!" he told me with rambunctious applause before he swung an arm towards the distant city.
"And I wish I wasn't..." I mumbled before a feeling of safety washed over me.
"Oh lo, lo, lo, what is this?" Nin asked as he opened his mouth wide to yawn. And, when I saw him, I rushed towards him and held him to encourage him to hold me. I wasn't even doing it to annoy the one next to him which was often the case. I just wanted to hold him and feel some familiarity in an otherwise uncomfortable day.
"Well, that easy." Vadei said before she turned around on her heels.
"You don't often come by with each other, what's going on?" my rival for Nin's affection asked as she stepped forward.
"I have prepared the lshea a meal amongst friends, but the two who were missing are now back!" the fat one cheered as he took Nin's hand and tried to snap it off.
"Bit early for food, but, if it helps Liada here." Nin said as he combed his claws through my hair. A gesture that was soothing and relaxing despite the place we were at.
"Nonsense! It is never too early for a meal with friends!" the fat one said before his pat on the back sent Nin stumbling forward into me. And, as such, I was soon looking up at him after having fallen onto the floor. A blush was growing on my face but also a cocky smile as I had also annoyed the copper-haired one.
"Cut it out, both of you." she grumbled while looking away.
"Oh, nearly grabbing your tit reminds me, Liada, I still need to help you with your injuries, don't I?" Nin then asked me to which I nodded and laughed as his words annoyed the other one even more.
"Haha! I love you lot!" the fat one guffawed as he casually brought us both back up to our feet. And I only got back up because Nin's arms suddenly wrapped around me when he was picked up. Then, when we were back on our feet, I sighed happily against Nin as he made me feel safe. After all, he was the one who got me out of that place...
A place he was somehow from... It made no sense, but, the words of my eternal Lord, Iderim-Ovi said it was true. I just didn't get how Nin was nothing alike them. And, the more I thought about that detail, the more I thought on the words of the ignorant one.
"Come on, Liada, focus." Nin said as he gently tapped my face. And when I regained awareness of the world around me. I looked slightly up at his face before nodding. The way back wasn't much out of the ordinary, I stayed close to him and that was fine.
Then, when we finally got back to the spot everyone had gathered at, I sat down again. This time, between my saviour and his friend, Vadei. It was a better situation than last time, but it was still one I wanted out of. Even if I was willing to tolerate it just for a taste of that gold-spiced broth...
"Wonderful, everyone is here." the fat one chuckled out before he revealed the kiln's contents once again. And, I smiled when I smelled the scent it gave off once again. It was something I had missed dearly, the humans from Tobaballe not knowing what I ate... Not that they intentionally fed me anyway.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Nin asked me the moment I started to violent gag at the memories I just remembered.
"N-Nothing..." I quietly muttered as an answer before I rested my emotionally tired body against him.
"She may have not said it, but, I know what bothers her." the fat one said as if he had any idea about what I was thinking. And, mere moments after he said that, he presented me with a bowl. A reddish liquid rested on the inside. One that contained many lumps of meat and some veg...
But, what drew my attention the most was the golden lines in the broth. And, on top, unlike what the rest had, I had a small pile of powdered gold. Mostly untouched by the rest of the contents of the bowl. The sight and smell of the precious metal was driving me borderline crazy.
Yet, I was hesitant to taste the food as everyone was watching me. Some of them were smiling or making silly faces. The one with shining skin was just not interested. And, the one who cooked this food looked at me with an expression of utter severity.
"Go on, nothing is wrong with it." Nin whispered softly into my ears before his jaws quietly chittered against my head. It was a relaxing sensation. And, as he helped me calm down, I felt a peculiar warmth coming from the bowl. It was inviting me in...
Then, I picked up my spoon, and I stuttered before I moved it near my mouth. And the spoon rested in my mouth for a few moments before I started to become upset. Somehow, this fat human, this gluttonous, greedy human and made me feel nostalgic. It was just like my Nan's special soup in a way...
"I think she likes it." Nin comments to the fat one whose serious expression made way for obnoxious joy.
"Wonderful! Eat everyone!" he asked of the others as I lost myself in the meal I had been given. I even avoided chewing on the spoon as I just wanted to feel the flavour drown my tongue. But, all good things must come to an end. And I was soon out of this delicious food.
"Uhm... C-Can..." I struggled to say as I was just expecting a denial from the start.
"Of course, lseha! Eat til your heart can cry no more!" he cheered as he took my bowl and skillfully refilled it without wasting a single drop. And, despite how large and flabby his arms were, he somehow snuck in another sprinkling of gold powder.
"Feels weird having metallic food..." the annoying one commented before I snapped my gaze towards her.
"You just don't know good food when you see it." I snapped at her before I retreated into Nin's embrace to eat. He, however, denied any food offered to him and just held on to me. To my annoyance, however, he was using this moment to feed magic into my injured body. He wasn't even doing it properly, we had a way of doing this!
"Stop it..." I moaned to him quietly, knowingly smiling at what this meant for me. But, he just smirked back and kept it up, much to my disappointment.
"Oh, randomly remembered it, but, any of you lot interested in this?" Nin said and asked before he produced a piece of stone. I could not read it yet, but, I was starting to learn this language. Yet, it came a bit late as now I was no longer helping with the airship.
"Not this again..." the rival muttered before she got up and left abruptly. Much to the confusion of everyone else.
"The Inter-House... Hm, a place to test your skills as a hunter?" the one with shining skin asked as he suddenly took an interest in what was around him.
"Isn't that the big fight thing where everyone goes kabow!" the annoying one said with a loud noise at the end with her also mock fighting.
"Oh, that, I've already signed up." the fat one commented, much to the surprise of those who were with me on the way here to this school.
"They... Let you in?" Nin asked in confusion as he looked the fat man up and down.
He then chuckled, "Indeed they did, I have trained long and hard to prepare myself for the day such an event would happen!"
"But I've never seen you anything other than eat...?" the ignorant one commented.
"Then you still have much to learn from me, Tiyanat." he told her with a smile, much to the other's embarrassment.
"Tiya, how have you learned things from him but never seen him train!?" the annoying one asked the one with the freshly red face. A tone that only got darker after the question was asked.
"You shut up!" she nearly shouted, but it only made her situation worse as her red face only got worse and worse.
"So what is it?" I decided to ask Nin as the stone tablet was passed about. Its details were discussed seriously and trivially in a matter of moments.
"It's a tournament, uh... In a way... A more professional version of what we did when we met..." Nin started to explain fine at first before he started speaking in whispers.
"I see..." I muttered before I remembered the words of one near me, "But, it's different, isn't it?" I asked.
"It is indeed, under the cheering crowds and amidst your equals and betters seeking glorious combat and the fruits of honour!" the fat one answered in Nin's placed with a raised fist.
"Someone's enthusiastic for a bit of violence." the annoying one said with a squeaky voice before her mouth got covered and frozen over. And, thankfully, that gesture sent her running off in search of warmth. To my amazement, as well, she did not think to use the food or heated kiln to do so...
"Do remember where he's from, Larishazza." the one who had sent her running away snapped before she shook her head as her gaze returned to us.
"So where are you from?" Vadei asked as she started to carefully inspect how different the fat one was from the other humans. And, admittedly, I wasn't blind enough to assume they all looked the same. I could see how they all had different tones of skin, hair and casual mannerisms.
The fat one's following laughter, however, meant another would answer, "He's from Errakur. The Land of Eternal War, deepest of all the great peoples. Rulers of Fire and core-bound." the one with shining skin answered with a form of reverence.
"Oh, Quinshuu, don't say it like that." the fat one laughed out before he scruffled the hair of his shorter friend. At least, I assumed they were friends, the fat one had specified what this little event was.
"Would I be allowed to participate?" I asked. But, it made everyone quiet when I asked that. Even the annoying one stopped what she was doing to look at me. Admittedly, this sudden change of tone bothered me. Was there an issue I was about to be made aware of?
"Uh, Liada... Uh..." Nin stuttered out as one of his claws tapped against the earth below.
"You are weak, rare one, you would achieve nothing but your death." the one with shining skin told me as his eyes began to glow. In fact, this behaviour seemed to spread to everyone but Nin. A silent lesson...
"I would not die... My Lord would not allow it..." I mumbled as a counter, clutching my precious, holy relic tightly. My Lord, the Lord of the Ddrai'och would not allow one of his dwindling people to die. He was free now, free to protect us like the days before the Thunder Extinction.
"Leshea, faith in the gods will not protect you from scorching fire or shredding winds." the fat one ignorantly tried to inform me with. But, he was wrong, my talisman, His talisman, it could keep me safe from Nin's power. And I have seen first hand just how powerful Nin is, there's no way my talisman would fail.
"Okay, hold on for a moment. Can I speak to you in private?" Nin said to me before he took me away from the others. Then, when we got back inside the dormitory, I decided to let out my conviction.
"I could do it, Nin. I could prove myself!" I told him as I clutched the talisman.
"Prove yourself? Prove yourself to who?" he asked me, completely confused by what I thought was an obvious meaning.
"You! The one who saved me from that... I will also prove it to myself! That we ddrai'och are not forever cursed to run from the world!" I clearly said to him with a raised head and straightened back.
"I know I can't stop you unless I can convince you, Liadanann. But, I need to make sure you understand this. I have never done this tournament before, just to be clear. But, regardless, you are weak. Your magic is barely there to the point Vadei is able to casually overpower you!" he spoke with a raised, firm tone.
But, as I looked at a tool on a table, I was reminded of something, "I maybe weak physically, but what did our ancestors do when they found an obstacle they could not overpower?"
"Run away!?"
"No, they built something that could make them win." I confidently reminded him as I clutched the talisman that could be utilised in so many ways.