Chapter 1: 1.00 Vel The Ragman

It's the end of the semester of uni, and Temujin is abso-fucking-lutely fucked, and that's not an overstatement. High school was a breeze as long as you buckled down and studied, but god the teachers, those beautiful caring bastards.

Compared to high school teachers, the "instructors" in uni courses were a bunch of louts too uncaring to learn how to teach, a skill Temujin didn't know a teacher could be appointed without.

From class to class all they did was watch youtube videos, look at pictures and talk, which was all part of their lesson plan. So during the semester active, every student thought they were fine. And though the assignments were tricky students could stumble their way through them, but those finals.

God those finals, stripped any sense of self-confidence and assurance Temujin had left and replaced them with spite and malice.

At least it was over now and they had the entirety of the break to look forward to. A whole free month, until they had to go back and do it all over again.

Temujin turns onto their stomach and groans into their pillow, their legs kicking their bed. Their mum hears the noise like superman would an ant fart and slams her hand against a wall downstairs. The sound reverberates up into their bedroom and is proceeded by the worst noise in existence.

"Temujin! Get down here this instance!"

You'd think the university would entitle a person to some modicum of respect, but not according to every Asian parent.

Buzz buzz buzz buzz, their phone begs for attention. It'd be cute if it wasn't so annoying.

 

The time is 12:05 pm, and it hasn't been even five minutes since they awoke, but the world is already closing in on them. A million dollars and a deadly snail was it?

They check which app alerted them, it's Messenger. They check which group and of course, it's their mates. Temujin Sighs and checks it.

"What about the bowlo?" asks Emilia.

"So our conversations can be broken up every time it's someone's turn? no thank you," replies Themis.

"How about we just go to the pub and figure the rest out from there?" says Salazar.

Everyone about agrees and Temujin is about to close the app before Themis interjects.

"Well well well, look who's up," she says.

"Oh hey Temujin! allg?" asks Emilia.

"whatup," says Salazar.

Temujin sighs and replies. It's not like it's a chore to have to reply but being caught like that doesn't feel very good. Like you're peeping, well they were peeping.

"Mornin, yeah I'm allg with the pub, cya there." They reply.

They shut off their phone before the barrage of messages traps them in conversation and get up from their bed.

No way they're going to the Bowlo. The last time they went they were already increasing prices, god knows how high it is now. Plus even though having to go have your turn would provide a break all the inane background music would just annoy even more.

Anyway, it's not like they dislike their friends, or even that they don't wanna talk, it's just not in them at the moment. After that hell of an exam, the period conversation is the last thing in their mind, not that their high school consolers ever understood that.

Because apparently their "anti-social behaviour" was inexcusable. Something to fix not understand. Temujin likens themselves to an old iPhone, they can do basically what anyone else is capable of, but after 2 hours or so they'll need a recharge.

They grab some clothes and give them a sniff, not rancid but nowhere near pristine, they'll do. They put them and some slippers on. Their mum is calling with increasing intensity, they reply "Gonna take a shower mum!". After a few minutes of chastising they let up. Mum wants the best but thinks of them as 13, not 19 and so micromanages.

After a quick shower and some breakfast, they'll make it to the pub in about a half-hour. For the first time in the morning Temujin smiles, they hadn't seen their friends in the whole two weeks that the exams were on. They were excited to talk and discuss everything that was happening, even though they had already been online, but it's just not the same.

Temujin turns their cramped room door knob and opens it.  They're hit with a gust of wind that throws them onto their back.

"Argh!" they yell. 

 

Temujin's a bit dazed from the sudden push but they scramble to their feet soon enough, but before they can wonder what just happened they notice something peculiar.

Instead of the usual eggshell white walls, their door frame was surrounded by a scenic view. They look to the frames surrounding and see sandstone monoliths protruding every so often from a desolate landscape. They rub their eyes and twist to get a better look at their surroundings.

Sand, sand and more sand surround them and as they twist to see. They reach as far as they can handle and fall onto their ass as they try to see if any corner of their room remained.

As if this was all just an incredible prank by some genius mentalist. They'd seen the shows, they know that it'd be possible, but those mesas dissuaded them from thinking so.

They protruded higher than any mountain they'd seen and were large enough to be considered proper islands in an ocean of void, but the cream at the top were the bleached white Aurelian walls that sat atop each mesa.

Finally, Temujin looks up and sees a familiar sight, the sun, but what was strange were the various dark dots whipping through the sky.

Their first thought was helicopters, then taking into count their speed, planes, but as one particular dot grew larger and larger there was no doubt in their mind as to what they were, wyverns.

Their flight or fight kicks in and they surely couldn't choose to fight, as they scramble to their feet and run in the exact opposite direction of the flying beast.

As they run they turn back and see a shadow in the distance, speedily closing in. they aren't exactly at the peak of health, but even they have a good sprint in them. They run as fast as their feet'll carry them.

They turn once again and see that their effort was for naught as the wyvern only picked up in speed as it swooped.

Temujin's brain goes a mile a minute thinking, devising, and planning, but their feet act before anything else. As the creatures closed in enough to be discernable, they jump to their left to dodge its avian claws.

In a split second they find out if their gambit worked, and as they see their door frame grow smaller and smaller beneath them they know that it did not.

 

A bandaged arm holds Temujin from the top of the creature's back. Their head whips back to see what appears to be a mummy dressed in roguish armament atop a saddle. The mummy, or rather fully bandaged man looks down and smiles.

"Peace be unto you, friend," it says in a deep growly voice.

A strange calmness suppresses Temujin's racing heart and instils serenity within them. Now calm they take a better look at the creature they were riding on.

Their eyes follow its red scaly skin down its back as it narrows into a tail that peculiarly bends up and into a grotesque snake's head. It bares its long dagger-like fangs and hisses at Temujin, black poison overflowing from its mouth like saliva.

"Ahh!" They scream, any sense of peace gone from their mind.  

They kick their legs wildly and try to wiggle for freedom, forgetting about their ever-increasing altitude.

One foot makes contact with its hard scale-bound face, but instead of deflecting the beast, it becomes lodged within its maws.

Sharp pains cry out from their foot as it loses all sensation. A sense of internal dread unlike that of which they'd ever experienced takes control of them. A sickly feeling of doom protrudes through their foot and into their leg. Temujin looks back in a cold sweat as visible black veins encroach on their body.

The creature looks at its handiwork with a glint of pride in its eyes. The man's grip on Temujin tightens as they look back and find the culprit for their screams and the subsequent lack thereof.

"Huliq! Stop that at once!" he yells.

Huliq lets go of Temujin's foot immediately and shrinks back like a dog caught on the furniture.

"I'm sorry for that my friend, you know how amphista are, it's always the smaller heads that are the most mischievous," he says exasperated.

"I am Vell the Ragman, and you are... human?" he trails off surprised.

Vell stares slackjawed at Temujin. In his stupor, he lowers the reigns he has wrapped around his hand and the amphista nose dives. He reflexively pulls it back up and it groans in anger. Vell looks at Temujin up and down and stops at the black veins now at their thighs.

"Wait, so then the poison will have an effect!" he yells.

The last thing Temujin hears are the twin roars of the amphista as their vision blots out into the darkness, and it jets through the sky.

 

"Human, do you hear me?" Vel's deep voice wakens Temujin from their slumber.

They instinctively try to open their eyes but their eyelids remain welded shut. A faint smell of ammonia permeates the room.

"Hear me now, you must not succumb to the darkness." Vel implores.

Temujin, now fully awake in mind, breaks out in cold sweat. What was happening to them? Why couldn't they move their body? Is this it? Are they dead?

"Human, I will not ask again," says Vel with a note of finality.

The growing smell of ammonia suddenly spikes as what feels like two daggers puncture through Temujin's nostrils and wash over their entire body with waves of disgust. Their lungs go into overdrive, then their heart pumps maniacally and finally their torso shoots up and off the rope bed on which they lay and their eyes dart around their new environment. 

It appears to be a large sandstone cave with one notable omission, the lack of a fourth wall. Instead, an epic view of the sand wastes is open and bare to see, free from any railing or guard.

Shelves, tables and furniture of all kinds are either carved into or out of the sandstone, even the rope beds frame which would normally need a material of greater shear force stays unperturbed.

"It is good that you are awake."

Vel puts a lid on the small jade cup in his hand and stows it away on a shelf, besides many other jade containers, all labelless. 

"If that didn't work I'd've most likely just thrown you out," he says casually.

Temujin stares at Vel, still trying to put themselves together again. Taking a better look at Vel, Temujin notices that his figure is very human-like, almost appearing like a burn victim; any skin visible underneath his bandages is a scarred pink. However, it is obvious from his pure black sclera and almost glowing emerald iris that he's very much not. They walk over to the bed.

"It's okay, peace be unto you," with his words an eerie calmness takes hold of Temujin.

Vel collapses into a chair next to the bed, apparently exhausted by whatever strange power he just used.

"D-did you just, force me to be calm?" Temujin asks.

Vel chuckles and says "I expend such efforts to save you human, and your very first words to me are not of thanks, but that of accusation? It is sad to see the old customs all but abandoned."

A thousand questions race around Temujins mind, what old customs, who are you, where are we, what are you, but one question reigned supreme.

"How do I go back home?" they say with a nervous twinge, already knowing the answer to their question.

For the first time since they'd seen him, Vel frowns. He contemplates the question for a moment, looking out into the sepia wastes. Finally, he answers.

"Home? You are far, far away from home human, but mine is welcome to you."

As calm as their mind may be, their heart shudders in grief. A feeling of phantom activity permeates through their chest as if a ghost were holding their heart in its hands. Tears flow unfettered down their face and after a moment of still processing, they break down into sobbing.

Their home is gone. Their mum, their dad, their entire family and then there were their friends. Emilia, Themis, Salazaar. They'd been inseparable since primary school, and now they were gone. It was only now that Temujin realised that they were more than friends or even best friends. They were their sisters and brother.

Temujin lets out a wailing cry that seems to shock Vel. He pushes himself off the chair and onto the be, then embraces Temujin. 

Temujin accepts the hug and cries into the cloth-wrapped shoulder of the alien. Uncaring of the impossibility of his existence. Reality is as you see it, and all Temujin saw was a man who'd taken them from a sandy wasteland to their home, even if they were poisoned on the way there. Vel was their saviour.

After ten or so minutes of crying and consoling both Temujin and Vel sat at a low table on a mat in the corner of the room. Temujin poked a spikey green cactus with an emerald green knife. 

"Whats that meant to do? Scare the cactus into shedding its skin? How ingenious!" says Vel with deadpan sarcasm.

As Temujin had been talked down by him they'd gotten to know his love of sarcasm. Which in all honesty was a favourite of theirs as well. They think that Vel would have been a natural fit in Australia.

"Why do you even want me to cut cactus? Cant we just drink some water?" asks Temujin.

After all that crying and running earlier, they were sorely lacking in hydration. They'd asked Vel for some and he'd directed them to a mat to sit at and plopped a green knife, cutting board and cactus before them.

"Water? Temujin you must understand that I am more of a pauper than a prince." he smirks and continues "Besides! Cactus tastes as delicious as the finest of cuisine if you're thirsty enough." 

Temujin wasn't much of a cook back home but cutting skin off is as easy as saying it. They take the knife to the cactus and it glides through as if there were nothing there at all. 

"No wonder knife geeks were always on about whetstones," they think  "his feels incredible!" 

They cut off each side, then it's top. Leaving the cactus looking like a melon with its rind removed. They cut off a small wedge of cactus, put the knife down and take a bite. 

Although hesitant at first they beam when they find that it tastes familiar. 

"It's like a cucumber! Only not so... cucumbery" they exclaim.

Vel smirks and replies "So it's like a cucumber, but not like a cucumber.".

"Yes!" Temujin replies.

They both smile and laugh, though Vel does more a hearty chuckle than an actual laugh. 

Temujin cuts up the rest of the cactus into bite-sized chunks and spreads it along the emerald table.

"Are you sure this is sanitary?" They ask.

"San-Ah-Tary?" Vel sounds out.

"Oh shut up." Temujin half-jokingly replies.

Vel chuckles and says "Yes yes, it's sanitary. Emerald bamboo is known for its resistance against sickness and spoiling."

He grabs a hand full of melon pieces and eats them one by one. Temujin looks up at Vel surprised.

"You know what sanitary means? Wait a minute, how can you even understand me?" Asks Temujin.

Vel's eyes narrow and he reinspects Temujin. A blue glint of light appears over his normally emerald green eyes and he replies seriously, all levity gone from his face.

"So you're from another world then. It was that, or you were some sort of elite human nobility who used a faulty, or perhaps tampered long-range teleport scroll."

Temujin blinks and his heart races.

"Please Temujin, I don't have the mental energy to pray for more peace for you. I'm not going to do a 180 just because your origin is a bit... unique," says Vel.

That calms them down. Vel waits patiently as Temujin works up the nerve to reply.

"How did you know?" they say finally.

"Well for one your arrival came with a huge burst of pure magic, haven't you wondered why I picked you up?" Vel says.

Temujin's foot aches with the memory of the amphista's bite. 

"Yes, with that... amphista, it's not here is it?" they look around warily.

Vel smiles and exclaims "Of course! Hul! Up!"

A colossal red snake with two tusks peaks up from below the room's open wall. Its head alone is the size of 5 men's. Temujin jerks back off their cushion and grab the emerald knife. They hold it shakily with both hands against the beast.

"St-stay back!" They scream.

Hul hisses at them and its head curls back with its neck. They peal pack their mouth reveal an array of dagger-like teeth supporting the tusks which were two sword lengthed fangs. A putrid black poison wells up from within its mouth and flows out like saliva.

Temujin is stunned by fear as the creature flaps its two arm-wings to fly up and show its full body. The serpentine wyvern's tail curves around and reveals a more grotesque smaller head, the one that had bitten them earlier.

Vel grabs two hand fulls of cactus and throws them out of the room with an insane speed. As the cactus bits fly towards the creature their heads bend out of their way to dodge it. After a moment of contemplation, the amphista stops flapping its wings, falls just below the room and blasts off the cliff face with a gust of wind.

As if this were a frequent phenomenon the room itself has a lip that curves up specifically to break the wind and not mess with it.

"W-what?" Temujin asks, the knife now sitting in their lap dangerously pointed at themself.

"Yes, sorry again about Huliq, Hul is a good boy though," Vel remarks casually.

"Why are there two of them?! What kind of a wyvern is multi-headed?!" yells Temujin.

Vel puts up their hand placatingly.

"Calm down, calm down, it's just an amphista and most definitely not a wyvern," says Vel.

"You keep saying that like I'm supposed to just understand what it is!" yells Temujin exasperated.

Vel sighs and says "Well, the main difference is that amphista arent unruly bastards that bite the hand that feeds them. They are loyal and trustworthy, a jinn's best friend as it were."

"Jinn? Wait, so you're a demon?" Temujin stares at Vel.

Vel just chuckles and shrugs the accusation off, "God no! Are you kidding me? The jinn wish they were me!".

"Wait, if you're not a jinn what are you?" asks Temujin.

That makes Vel freeze. He eyes Temujin and gives a short reply before changing the topic.

"Well, the jinn call me a ragman, I'd say it's quite apt, wouldn't you? Anyway, the main topic here is your arrival here. You see I picked you up because the burst of magic you came with was the highest density of mana I've sensed since I came to the void ocean. It's so high fact you could almost call it mythical."

"Mythical? So only talked of in legends and the like?" inquires Temujin forgetting about the question of Vels race.

Vel perks up and smiles excitedly "Exactly! You coming here can only mean one thing! The return of high magic to the world!" he exclaims.

Temujin just stares at him confused, he slinks back disappointed.

"If only you understood the momentous import of your mere existence," he says exasperated.

"Well, all you really need to understand are classes, levels and skills."

Temujin stops playing with a piece of cactus out of boredom and perks up, "Wait levels? Like a Litrpg?"

"Uhh, I guess?" replies Vel.

"Holy shit that's awesome! Can I pick any class or what? Is there like a class selection temple or something? Wait, do I get an interface? How do I activate it?"

Temujin blurts out sentence after sentence excitedly not noticing Vel's growing impatience.

"Does that mean I have to like cultivate? or is it straight like a video game with all the grinding and stuff? wait do I get a cheat power like being some long-lost super gods-"

"Enough!" yells Vel finally having enough of Temujins nonsense.

They shrink back as warmth fills their cheeks. They wish they had a deep dark pit somewhere to fling themselves into, well the wastes were always available. It hadn't even been a week yet and they'd already outed themselves as a geek.

"I'm sorry, it's just that you were going on and on about such nonsense," Vel says apologetically.

"I-its okay, I just got excited," Temujin says sheepishly.

Vel smirks "I could see that."

Temujins blush intensifies.

"Anyway, if you somehow know of levelling it's all for the better. If you're wondering about its specifics well, it works on your actions and accomplishments. Do enough of one thing and you may gain a class and do more of it to level up. Quite simple really." Explains Vel.

"And an interface?" asks Temujin?

"I'm sorry?" replies Vel.

"Nothing, it's okay," says Temujin disappointed.

They think for a moment and then ask "So what class are you?"

Vel stares at them pointedly and after a moment smiles, "So do you have a fetish for personal information or is it just a pass time?

Temujin blushes and stumbles over their words for a moment. They look around at the cave with a new perspective. Each piece of furniture is either carved from the same stone as the cliff face or into it, meaning that in case of a hasty move Vel needn't bother moving them.

The few objects of value that they could spot are all the small emerald containers and tools splain over the cave, plus the table. All quite easily packed especially with Hul and Huliq. 

Vel probably had quite a few secrets and him only meeting Temujin an hour ago probably doesn't help with trusting them.

"I understand. I'm sorry if I'm a bit nosey its just... I'm scared. No matter what happened to me it's always happened within the realm of possibility, but this..." Temujin trails off as they look out at the barren wastes, determination absolute in their steady eyes even as their lips curl into a frown.

From this higher view, they could make out tall buildings jetting out from within the middle and most proudly the centre of the mesas. The mesas were as otherworldly as any game or movie they had seen, but sitting here in person was completely different.

It was the difference between seeing the Himalayas in a picture and in person. Nothing, not even virtual reality could compare with the sheer majesty of their view. 

Vel looks up at Temujin with pity in their eyes, but as Temujin turns back to him it quickly dissipates.

"You could say im a sort of magician." he says as he grabs another piece of cactus.

Temujins eyebrows arch in surprise.

"Magic... is real?!" they exclaim "Wait is that what you used to calm me?"

Vel sighs and says "So your world didn't have magic?"

Temujin shakes their head.

"Nope, not a drop. Wait, can you teach me?" they say.

Vel eyes Temujin for a moment as blue tinge flashes on his eyes. Temujin notices and narrows their eyes.

"Did you just... inspect me?" they ask.

Vel shoots back a look of surprise, as they halt in the middle of grabbing another piece of cactus.

"Uh... Yes, yes I did. So you know about classes, levels and skills, but not magic? what a peculiar world you come from." he says as he throws back another piece.

"From what I sense you, up until very recently, have been almost completely baren of mana," he says.

"Up until very recently?" Temujin inquires with an upwards inflection, hopeful.

Vel smiles and says "It appears that the sheer amount of mana that you were teleported here with has saturated your body and far expanded it, essentially what mages do in mediation but to the power of ten thousand. As you are currently you should be more than capable of learning magic." 

Temujin breaks out into a giant smile and almost lifts themself up to give Vel a hug, before stopping themselves and sitting back down. They flush in embarrassment, but their smile doesn't waver.

After a moment they say "So you can teach me?"

Vel looks taken aback by that remark, shaken more by this single question than all the others Temujin had asked put together.

"M-me? Teach you?" he says aghast.

Temujin's smile lowers and Vel noticing this hastily follows up with "Not to say there's anything wrong with you! In fact, the problem is me. I am nowhere near the level that I need to be to instruct another, I've barely reached level 25 nonetheless 30!"

Temujin laughs and says "I don't need a master! Just someone more experienced than I am, and considering that I don't know anything about this world you'd be a good teacher!"

Vel stares at them dazed. After a few moments and Temujin eating several more bits of cactus he replies.

"Well... I guess I can see the logic in wanting someone like me to be your teacher, but I must tell you that I take apprenticeships very seriously. They are unbreakable contracts that bind two together, I wouldn't even consider it if it were not for your otherworldly status. Your unique views could certainly give me many insights."

He gets up from the mat and signals Temujin to do the same and they move beside the low table.

"Kneel," says Vel in an authoritative tone.

"Uhhh, okay..." replies Temujin timidly.

Temujin takes a knee and looks up at Val, certainly all too aware of his large stature.

"He must be 6'6 at the very least," they think.

Vel places a hand on Temujins head placing his thumb at the centre of their forehead.

In a booming voice he says "I, Vel Petillius Constans so solemnly swear that I will teach you..." 

Vel trails off realising that he didn't even know Temujins full name. He hesitates for a moment but before he cancels the ceremony Temujin Speaks up.

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"Temujin Esen Khan"

"Temujin Esen Khan" Vel repeats then continues.

"To the very best of my ability and will do all in my power to ensure your safety, if you accept my tutelage."

Temujin and Vel lock eyes at that moment. A connection occurs between them, not of emotion or understanding, but pure unadulterated power. 

As Temujin stares into his they suddenly feel like an ant gazing upon a titan. The world around them disappears and all that remains are the striking visage of emerald upon the void.

[You have been offered an apprenticeship by Vel Petillius Constans, level 25 sorcerer and level 1 chronomancer.]

[Do you accept?]

Cold words appear within Temujin's mind, halting the connection. The sudden break throws them into a bath of dry ice. Their skin screams at them to leave, to regain the connection.

"Yes! I accept!" They yell desperately.

[Congratulations, you have accepted the apprenticeship.]

[Do you also accept the oath of binding?]

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" They scream madly, only wishing to return to the previous power.

As the messages disappear the power does not, their sight clears and they see Vel's bandaged form towering over them. They notice their hands digging into his cloth vest and the lines of tears, drool and snot that've made their way down to their neck.

"W-what?" they manage to mutter before collapsing into a heap before him.

Vel just smirks smugly.

"Enjoy my power, did you? What am I saying, of course you did. I still sometimes dream of my master's but don't get any ideas. The only way I'll let you achieve it is through hard work." he says.

Temujin stays silent as they try to catch their breath from the experience. After a minute they collect themselves and sit up properly. They hug their knees and peer up at Vel.

"Chronomancer?" They mumble, but Vel hears perfects.

His mercy face turns sour as he stares down at Temujin.

"What did you just say?" he asks, anger apparent.

"T-the voice. It said you were a level 25 sorcerer and a level 1 chronomancer." Temujin replies.

Vel quietly sits down before Temujin and looks at them seriously.

"Temujin Esen Khan, I command you to never tell another living being about my classes, race, or level, nor to ever question them," he says.

"Uhm, excuse me? Did you just give me a command?" asks Temujin, baffled by the request.

Vel frowns, "Yes, though I am sorry for it. It's just that my privacy must be maintained."

"And if I don't? Like if for instance I ask why you have-" before Temujin can finish their sentence their mouth glues shut.

"Mmm! mm! Mmm!" they squeal in protest.

This lightens the mood as Vel chuckles and reaches out his hand for a piece of cactus.

"God I remember those pesky vows of silence. My master made them for every little thing as if a general vow was somehow lenient," he remarks.
"You can control me?!" shouts Temujin, finally giving up on the forbidden topics.

"Well not outright control, but I can forbid certain things and well, force a few others," he replies grimly.

"force me?! What the fuck! I thought I was just gonna follow you!" they scream.

"Well, now you can!" he replies with a twinge of guilt.

Temujin gets up and walks around the room exasperated, tempted to throw all of Vel's pretty little pots off the cliff.

Vel gets up and follows them, trying to calm them down.

 

"Temujin, you must understand I can't let anyone know anything about me." he says.

"No, actually I don't know! I don't know anything! That was the point of getting you to teach me!" They yell back.

Vel stumbles on their words for a bit, sighs and finally says,

"Well that's... urgh, please just sit down, let me explain. It's not like you can tell anyone now."

"Yes. I can't." Temujin retorts through gritted teeth.

They both take a seat on the mat and Vel gestures toward the cactus. Temujin picks up the emerald knife and Vel raises their hands placatingly.

"Okay okay, melon can't solve everything, but please just give me a chance." he says.

Temujin lowers the knife but doesn't let it go. Vel just sighs and accepts that's as far as he's gonna get. They start info-dumping monologuing in a wistful tone.

"As you should, or well, actually don't know. Humans are not native to the void ocean, but this was not always so. In the last high magic period the high equivalent of modern humans, what they would call high humans and the jinn call eldarin, were the natives of this place." 

Hitting a moment of contention for him Vel trails off, "Don't listen to the drivel both races get into dividing the two. Their only true differences were cultural, two different kingdoms as it were."

"What does any of this have to do with you?" asks Temujin.

Vel smirks and replies "Well, everything. You did want to know about my chronomancer class."

The dots connect themselves in Temujin's mind.

They shoot up, letting go of the knife in their hand in favour of putting both on the table.

"You're a time traveller?!" they yell.

Vels face contorts with panic. He immediately scans the room as if expecting intruders at any second.

"Shush! Not so loud!" he says in a loud whisper.

Temujin can barely contain themselves as they basically squeak out "You're a time traveller?!"

Vel sighs and says "Yes. Though an unwitting one,".

Before Temujin can interrupt again Vel puts up a hand and Temujin literally backs off. He then continues.

"I was just a student. I didn't know what I was getting into, worse I couldn't even ask even if I wanted to," he says, his eyes twitching as if holding back tears.

"Wouldnt know how that feels at all." thinks Temujin though they dare not say it. Vel looked shaken up enough.

"So what happened?" asks Temujin after some deliberation.

Vel smiles though his eyes remain wistful as he continues.

"A tale as old as time. A master who gains a powerful artifact, an apprentice who covets it."

"In my case it was an artifact rumoured to give insights. I was so pressed to reach level 20 before my cohorts that I activated it and honestly, it did give me insight. Just not in the way i bargained for."

"Do you understand now why I ordered you to keep this a secret?"

Temujin looks off to side, thinking. After a moment they say, "Honestly, no. And this all still doesn't excuse you letting me enter into... whatever this is without warning me."

"I understand that, but you must understand something as well Temujin. We are aberations in this world, with insights far diverged from its norm." Vel replies, he waits for a reaction but as Temujin still doesn't budge he continues.

"Mages, wizards, kings, emperors and all others that desire greater power will chase us. For those who've think they've reached their pinnacle would do anything for further insight, trust me on that."

Vels eyes lazily scan the room.

"So do you understand?" he asks.

Temujin mulls over his words for a minute. Although it follows litrpg plot convention that people would be chasing them, would that actually happen in real life? What insights can a first-year uni student really provide to ancient and mystical beings? How could they, out of god knows how many people on this planet, be that special?

Temujin stares at Vel. They wanted to rant at the man but after sitting still and listening to his story all the adrenalin from their system was gone, replaced only by the hollow realisation that their life was now in this stranger's hands.

"Yes, I think I do." they say.

Vel beams, but soon after he stifles his smile and replaces it with a solemn look. Though after conversing with him for a while, Temujin noticed how his cheeks are ever so slightly raised. 

"So then, do you trust me Temujin?" he asks.

Temujin reaches for a piece of cactus. Trust is a fickle thing. Once given not easily returned, but once received oh so easily spurned.

It was not lost on Temujin that Vel had a penitent for acting in his own self-interest. First by betraying his master for a chance at power and second by enacting this apprenticeship contract without fully informing them. They that know there will be a third but are not fully certain that they will be its victim.

Trust is not something they will simply give away.

Temujin smiles warmly and says "Yes, I do."

 

Vel returns it and reaches for the last of the cactus.

"Well then apprentice, it seems like we will have quite a lively time ahead of us," he says.

"One from another world and the other from-" Temujins mouth glues shut before they can finish.

Vel chuckles, "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

"Well, first things first!" he says.

Vel gets up and heads for a shelf. There he grabs what looks to be a broom made from reeds and holds it out towards Temujin.

"Get this place cleaned up before I return, I must alert the city of your presence, and get you a bed." he says.

Temujins eyebrows shoot up.

"Y-you want me to do chores?" they say flabbergasted.

Vel smiles brightly, obviously enjoying seeing Temujin's reaction.

"Well you don't expect to stay here for free, do you?" he replies.

"I... urgh, fine." Temujin gets up and snatches the broom from Vels hands.

Vel chuckles and walks off to the cliff face.

"Wait, how are you gonna get there? Arent Hul and Huliq off chasing cactus?" asks Temujin.

Vel puts a hand on his brow to shield his eyes from the sun. He looks out and sighs.

"You're right that they're still off, but they would have caught the cactus immediately. They're probably in the city as well." he answers.

"Without you? Wont they like, go wild?" asks Temujin.

Vel looks back at Temujin astonished.

"A gentle Amphista go wild like some unruly wyvern? You truly are from another world." he remarks.

"Well, Huliq did poison me." 

"Well he surely didn't mean to, he was just giving a love bite! Besides amphista venom is entirely ineffective on both me and the jinn. If you think about it's really your-"

Vel turns as he speaks and stumbles at his final few words when he sees Temujin unamused. He continues in a much more sympathetic tone.

"Bad luck that you ran into such a wyvern of an amphista! I'll be sure to reprimand him when I get to the city, now if you'll excuse me I must get going." 

Vel steps straight off the edge of the room. Temujin jerks forward as they process what Vel was doing, but as they notice that he didn't fall they stop.

"What?!" they yell.

Vel looks over his shoulder as smug as one can be, "I'm touched that you care Temujin, but I wouldn't throw my life away so easily."

Temujin sighs and steps forward to look over the edge of the room. just beneath the lip of the room is a protrusion the width of a foot going all across it. Temujin follows it left as it ends and another appears a bit further up. Their eyes widen as they realise what the protrusions were.

"Steps?" they question.

"Of course, how else am I supposed to get up?" asks Vel sincerely.

"Uh- I- just..." Temujin's mouth stumbles over their words, and their hands stumble over gestures.

"Fly?" they decide upon.

"Fly? are you serious? I'm not high level enough to fly even if this was still the last high magic era, but hey maybe by the next one I'll be able to. For now, the island steps are good enough." replies Vel.

Vel begins to shuffle along the steps, but Temujin grabs him before he can leave in proper.

"Wait, what if you fall?" Temujin says. If Vel died they'd be completely fucked.

"What if I fall? If I fall then I fall." He says without a hint of panic on his face.

He notices Temujin still ridden with anxiety and sighs.

"Don't worry, I was afraid once as well." Vel looks over the edge and all the way down the startling high mesa.

"It's completely normal, but as the jinn would say If you fall into the ocean, swim," 

Vel jumps off the edge, but much to Temujin's surprise he doesn't fall, instead he slowly but surely falls.

Temujin gasps and immediately pulls Vel back into the room.

"What?" they mutter. Vel just chuckles.

"It's an ocean of void, but still an ocean. If you apply magic to it you can swim, but unless you have a flight power never truly swim. Did you think the amphista just flapped their wings really fast?"

"Fucking magic," Temujin mutters in their stupor.

"It truly is incredible, isn't it? Researching this place's secrets is one of the reasons I was able to reach level 25 when before I couldn't even go past 20." he says.

He pats Temujin on the shoulder and heads back out.

"See you soon! And be sure to sweep under the furniture!" He exclaims as he waddles away.

Temujin stared at the sand-dusted room and rather stiff broom.

"How do you even get so much sand a thousand meters high?" they think as they get to work.

 

Temujin drags all the furniture onto the mat, uncaring for any scratches made on the stone. If Vel wanted the job done well he should have hired a professional. Back home their family was quite well off and so they never really had to do chores, apart from putting away their dolls and the like as a kid. 

Back home. The words reverberate in their mind as they sweep the gathered dust and debris from the room, they forcefully change the topic in their mind. They recap what happened to them so far, deadly flying snakes, an ocean of void and a 'high' human master. They shudder as they even think of Vel as their master. It's such an... icky, predicament they were in.

They remind themselves to check up on this whole apprenticeship deal when they get the chance. Do fantasy worlds even have public libraries? Probably not, but they might have an information guild or something.

They finish the sweeping and take a step toward the furniture when they notice more sand trailing behind them. They look behind them and see a small trail of sand wherever they stepped. They groan.

Of course, their clothes were covered in sand. They ran through a goddamn desert! They motion to take off their hoodie, it was quite hot anyway, when they notice that they're not wearing anything underneath.

Multiple alarms ring in their mind as they notice they were only in a hoodie and sweatpants for this entire time. No shirt, underwear, but most importantly no binder. Temujin cut their hair short and generally wore non-gendered clothing. Their hoodie just had their uni logo on it and their sweat pants were some shitty Kmart store brand. 

Did Vel notice that they were physically female? If so, that puts them in a lot more danger.  They grab the emerald knife and put it in their hoodie's pocket.

Temujin brushes off the sand from their clothes as best as they can and sweep it away. Then they look through the various shelves and cupboards that were built into the back wall. They quickly rummage through the shelves and noticing nothing of interest they rummage through the cupboards. 

In one they find spare clothing. On top of his bandages, Vel wore simple off-white peasant garments making him look like a mummy peasant.

They thought of wearing them, it'd be nice to get out of these old clothes, but Vel was damn near a foot taller than them. It'd probably make them look cutesy which was the exact opposite of what they wanted.

Even still the spare pair of boots tempted them, if only they would fit. Their slippers really weren't meant for any environment apart from a comfy home. Home.

They keep searching and give a sigh of relief when they finally find what they were looking for. Nestled away in a large emerald container are all sorts of smaller containers filled with all sorts of balms and medicines, but more important are the bandages kept next to them.

Temujin takes off their hoodie, letting their torso finally breathe. Their accumulated sweat calls out for the cold breeze. Perks of being a billion meters high they guess, nonetheless it was hot as shit.

They winch at the sudden release of their rank. Right, they were just about to shower even before being chased. They try to cut off some of the bandages with their teeth but the fabric just stretches.

After a few more attempts they cut it with the knife. They wipe themselves down with the piece and after giving it a sniff they throw it out of the room. Surely there would be no one to call them a tosser?

They take the rest of the roll and one more to bind their chest down. They didn't really mind not having their chest bound it was just more comfortable to them, but right now it was probably a necessity.

Vell seemed like a nice guy, but they'd only seen his surface. Who knows what was lurking underneath.

They put their hoodie back on and put the knife back in their pocket. They dutifully clean the furniture after dragging it back. A lot of the rope furniture they just turn over and hit a bit, but the fully carved stone ones were the trickiest. For those, they just do their best with the broom.

After all was said and done they surveyed the room with a glint of pride in their eyes. They don't know what their friends complained about, cleaning was easy though quite exhausting.

They take a seat on the rope bed, and then lie down. A quick nap wouldn't hurt, would it? To reinvigorate, and that's as far as their thoughts went as they drifted off into sleep.

 

It was camp, year six. High school was next year and so the kids were given this trip as a sort of farewell, though 'given' is quite a stretch thinking about how much it cost the parents.

Temujin is sitting next to Emilia, she nabbed the window seat before they'd even gotten on the bus. Themis and Salazar sat behind them. Themis pointing out all the errors in nature in the opposite window to Salazar, who to his credit wasn't totally checked out. He just seemed to enjoy putting his head against the vibrating window pane. Perhaps the buzzing deafness was only complimentary to her, and not an escape.

Lollies were being handed around friend groups as everyone happily chattered away about the five-day trip. Analysing, discussing the camp itinerary like wisemen with the words of God.

Temujin just sighed as they actively watched themselves go further and further from home. Emilia takes their hand in her own and as Temujin looks up at her taken aback, she goes in for a hug. Temujin reciprocates.

"Homesick?" asks Themis, watching the two scoffing down a plastic bag filled with popcorn. Salazar's hand reaches for it, but Themis slaps it back. 

"Just for that, you'll be the last to have some," she says, obviously taking glee in rejecting him.

Salazar just shrugs and goes back to his precious buzzing. 

Still holding Temujins hand Emilia replies "Of course she is. Who wouldn't be?"

Themis gives her that, but smiles mischievously, 

"How long you gonna hold hands?" she says in a rising tone.

Emilia doesn't let go of Temujin's hand, but instead retorts "Why's it matter to you? You jealous?".

Themis scowls and slinks back as well.

Temujin is thankful for Emilia. if only she could hold their hand now as she did back then. Who knows, maybe some of her confidence would rub off on them.

With that single thought, Temujin's ethereal form begins to unravel, as her hand's fingers peel off into oblivion.

Lucidity in dreams is a rare thing for them, but they wouldn't miss this chance to talk with their friend. No matter that it was all just them.

They needed to de-railroad the set path, but in doing so this would all unravel. If they just shut up and said nothing as they did back then they could see their friends again.

Seeing them, feeling them, hearing them they were all conditions lopped onto Temujin. If only they had the power to just reach out to them. if only they had the power, to do anything.

The bus is hit with an otherworldly push by Vel's slow falling form, he swims away as Temujin spots him.

The bus goes flying into the air and crashes into the nearby trees.

The now children stay deadly silent for a moment, but as soon as one breaks it the rest follow. Screams of panic hit Temujin like a rising wave, but before their arm is fully unravelled they tap Emilia on the shoulder.

Emilia is less filled with fear and more pure determination. 

"Are you okay!" she yells over the other screaming voices.

"Yes! Yes!" Temujin yells back louder. The screaming voices only increase in intensity even as the phantoms that spout them unravel.

"I'm sorry Emilia I'm sorry!" They scream.

The seat beneath Emilia disappears as she falls within the emerald iris of Vels contorting eyes. Temujin's face scrunches, pained confusion written throughout their bodiless form.

"No! Emilia! Where are you going!?" They scream one final time, just before their unravelling head dissipates.

"Humaria!" she yells back before the emerald lake consumes her.

[You have gained a class. Augur Level 1]

[You have gained a skill, Divination]

[You have levelled up multiple times. Augur Level 5]

[You have gained a skill, Dream Walker]

"No!" Temujin screams as they wake up in cold sweat, once more.

On top of them lay the top half of Vel, collapsed forward from the chair he's sitting on.

Temujin pushes him back onto his chair and readies to grab their knife, but as they put their hand on it they notice that Vel's bandages were undone.

They stare at his bare face, seeing it for the first time. Vel looked completely normal, save for the lightning-like patterns of green running all across his black skin.

The underside of the bandages by the wayside revealed complex interlapping runes, did he wear them to hide those emerald veins?

Vel's eyes open narrowly, only as he takes a deep gasp does Temujin realise he wasn't breathing previously.

He pants hungrily as if his lungs were starved of the air all around them. 

"B-bandages. Bandages!" He screams as the emerald veins on his face dimmed.

Temujin grabbed the bandages and carefully rewrapped them, it was surprisingly simple as if by just the appearance of his skin they knew exactly where to put the bandages.

A few minutes after fully rewrapping him Temujin finally calms down, though he still took long, deep and deliberate breaths.

"Apprentice..." he says in a deep breathless voice, "What have you gotten us into."