Chapter 40: Chapter 35 – The Nascent Fire

Ugh. That didn’t feel great.

Turns out Karine was serious. I literally only had two hours to practice using these limbs before she informed me it was time to get going and took me and Avilia to the transporter underneath the adventuring guild.

Two hours. Sheesh. Can’t say I feel super confident. Karine’s still sure I won’t have to do anything but just be there.

I’ve fallen onto my knees and stare at the ground.

I should’ve realized that traveling with these transporters would be rough!

Keep that lunch in!

“How’re you feeling?”

It's Karine’s voice. Right, she went through just before I did.

Is that concern in her voice? That’s so unlike her!

I’m being unfair. But honestly, she isn’t the type to get concerned over every small thing.

The transporter isn’t too different in aesthetic to the ones we had at home. But the actual mode of function… Yes, it has to be rather different, right? Magic and technology and all that.

“I feel sick.”

I try to resist, but I can’t keep it in.

I vomit.

Feel a lot better. Exhausted, but better.

I clean my mouth.

I look around. We’re in a tent? Looks like the only thing here is the transporter. Well, and us two. Looks like there’re a couple of guard stationed outside, too. The tent doesn’t do much to cover the sound of activity, either. On the positive side, with all this noise, I doubt anyone heard me vomiting.

And at least I just vomited on the ground. There’s no carpets or anything. That’s always a positive.

“Oh,” Karine says with the concern gone from her voice, “I forgot that traveling to one of these temporary things isn’t as smooth as between permanent ones.”

What? How’d that slip your mind? I haven’t even had a chance to do this with permanent transporters yet! You should know that!

I glare at her. “You only thought of that now?”

She tries to make a cutesy expression, bonking herself on her head lightly with her fist. “Teehee. Sorry!”

Ugh. What’s up with her?

Can’t really put all the blame for this on her. I didn’t really think about this too hard, either! Seriously, I should’ve tested how these things feel before doing this. I just assumed it’d be the same as back home, but I was wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Couldn’t have been more wrong.

But hey, at least I’m still alive, I have my sanity and my body’s intact! I’m going to assume the transporter worked perfectly.

Even Karine’s creations are still attached!

Got to stand up.

Careful! Support with my hands, push my body up…

Success!

I dust myself. Still feel a bit queasy and exhausted, but it’s not too bad.

“Feeling better? Should I get you some water?”

I nod. “Yes, to both.”

Karine steps out from the tent, leaving me to my thoughts.

I can’t remember if anything happened while I was being transported. But I feel…

I don’t feel quite the same as I did before. Was it actually just the travel that made me feel off? Just… What happened to me?

I stare at my right hand. The feeling in my limbs isn’t as dull anymore.

I feel more in control. I wonder why?

Yes. Something… Something is different. As if something has tampered with the very core of my being. As if there’s something just beneath that I should remember, but I can’t. I get close, but it keeps slipping away.

It's really unsettling.

Okay, that’s enough. Focus!

I need to calm down. No point worrying about things you can’t do anything about.

Karine rushes back into the tent and offers me a leather flask. “Sorry I made you wait!”

“Oh,” I mutter as I take the flask, “It’s fine.”

I needed some time to myself. Couldn’t have asked for a better time for her to leave.

I open the flask and take a gulp. Yup, it’s water all right. Not much reason to think she’d try to pull any fast ones at this point. She needs me more than I need her.

… I’ll have to ask Avilia if she has any ideas. Not going to tell Karine. She’d probably think this is some sort of proof of me being a summoned hero or something.

She really wants me to be one. I don’t need any more of that right now.

“If you’d come here,” Karine says as she grabs me by the arm and pulls me away from the transporter, “You’re slowing down travel.”

I stagger but stay on my feet. “Next should be Avilia, right?”

She releases my arm. “Yes. She ought to be here in a minute or so.”

I wonder if she’s had a chance to use these things beforehand. Wouldn’t want to see her miserable.

I take another gulp from the flask.

That foul taste’s gone. I’m feeling almost refreshed!

Almost.

There’s a flash of light, and Avilia stands before us. Smiling as she does.

She doesn’t look like she’s been affected by the trip at all!

I take a step closer to her, making sure I don’t step in my own vomit. “How are you feeling?”

Avilia stretches her arms for a second.

“Fine!”

I kiss her on the forehead. “That’s great. I felt…”

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“Alright,” Karine almost shouts, startling us two, “All the pieces are in place!”

I glare at her again, doing nothing to hide my contempt. “Is that all we’re to you?”

She shakes her head. “No, no! It’s just a figure of speech!”

I sigh. I know. I just wish it didn’t seem sincere, you know. I wish I didn’t keep getting the feeling that we’re just pawns to her.

“Anyway,” she continues, “It’ll take at least an hour before we’re ready to move. One of the guards outside will show you to a tent you can use for the time being.”

“Okay,” Avilia says before I have a chance to respond and starts pulling me by my arm towards the exit, “See you in an hour!”

Finally, outside.

One of the guards nods at us and takes a few step ahead. They must’ve heard what happened inside.

Makes things a little bit easier, doesn’t it?

An hour before we march, huh? That’s not a whole lot of time…

“Irene,” Avilia whispers.

“Yes?”

“Is something the matter?”

What?

“Not really, why?”

“I don’t know,” she continues, “You seemed particularly antagonistic towards Karine.”

“I did?”

“Yes. Definitely. I know how you feel towards her, but usually you do not show it quite like that.”

Really? Ah… Well. Can’t say she’s wrong. Dammit. It’s hard to hide your resentment when you’re feeling sick!

“Oh, the transporter just made me feel out of sorts.”

Avilia gives me a worried look. “Out of sorts? How, exactly, did you feel after using it?”

“Really sick. Karine implied it’s normal for first timers, especially with these temporary ones.”

“I guess it is not unheard of.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation,” says the guard, “But we’re here.”

He points at the tent, gives us another nod and walks away.

Avilia pulls me into the tent with her.

All that’s in there is a bed, a table and a couple of chairs. Not that you’d need a whole lot more with temporary lodging, I guess?

Alright. I don’t want people listening in on us.

Muffle. Area of Effect.

Gesturing feels… Better, somehow?

“Avilia.”

“What is it?”

“Could we talk for a moment?”

“Of course.”

I take a seat at the table, and Avilia does the same.

“It might be nothing,” I start, “But ever since I used the transporter, I’ve felt… Different.”

“Different, how?”

“It’s hard to explain.”

“Take your time.”

“Okay.”

I look at the table, and then at Avilia. “It’s like something reached into the depths of my mind… And did something. I can’t tell what. It makes me feel uneasy. Was something done to me? Or did I just dream it?”

Avilia makes a complex expression. I… Can’t tell what she’s feeling.

“I feel that I should remember something, but I can’t.”

“Have you noticed anything else?“

“Just that using these limbs feels a bit easier. Oh, and the sense of feeling is stronger.”

She sighs deeply. “It is as I feared.”

“What do you mean?”

She shakes her head. “Nothing. It is unimportant. I cannot prove anything, anyway.”

“Uh huh. I’d like to be the judge of that. What do you mean, exactly?”

“I already told you about this, but I think this is further proof that my fears are correct.”

“Oh, you’re talking about the seventh god, right?”

“Yes. The lack of a blessing. Your strange dreams. Now, this. I can think of only one reason why this might be.”

She places her hand over mine. “Be careful, my love. If I am correct, we are in truly dangerous waters.”

“… Do you think the summoned heroes would be able to tell?”

She shrugs. “There is no way to know. I only know that they can tell if someone has been touched by a god, not if they know which god they have been touched by. Vaqelin did not recognize your blessing, but it is possible you simply had not received it yet.”

“So if worst comes to worst and I have to fight a summoned hero, they might figure it out instantly?”

“There is no way to know before it happens.”

… This isn’t very reassuring.

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