Cux 29th,4288: 163 Days in the Mortal Realm
I’ve lost so much time! More than a month has gone by! I can’t believe it! Yet even more curious, how slowly my transformation has been.
I learned that bit of informations shortly after waking up this morning. First thing I noticed was I felt considerably better than having spent the night in the elements. I stretched and poked my head out from under the building I had slept. I figured it would be smart of me to explore a bit; continue to listen in on folk and their dealings. Perhaps I would find a child or some other folk that I would feel daring enough to try and talk with. With that thought I did slink back in and casted detect magic once more. It was quite difficult. Positioning my hands right and forming the words were tricky, but manageable. I still had a faint aura about me which made me wonder if the transformation was the cause of it. Something magical had to be happening.
Quietly I slinked out from under the building. I was near the entrance of Golden Spike. As I looked about, only seeing a few folk milling about the early morning, I figured I’d sneak along the buildings and find another hiding spot to listen at. I barely took a few steps when I felt a pair of hands wrap around me.
“Why hello there,” an old voice called out to me. I went rigid as I felt the man pick me up. “Suppose I ought to introduce myself to ya. The name is Gemmel little one. Now, I can tell you aren’t really a lizard,” the old man whispered, “How is it you ended up like this?”
At the moment I was certain he could be another person out for me. However as I looked him in the eyes, he seemed genuine and curious about my situation.
“That obvious?” I said, my voice sounding foreign and raspy. Gemmel chuckled.
“Not many things get by me these days.”
“Could we go somewhere private then?”
“Private?” Gemmel repeated.
“Don’t want to discuss me in the open,” I explained. Gemmel’s eyes narrowed on me before they brightened followed by a nod of his head. The building behind us had a sign on it saying ‘Magical Curiosity Shoppe.’ The very building Gemmel walked into. He flipped the open sign on the door to closed and locked the door behind us. He placed me on the counter where sales would be made. The shop was quaint. I could see the aura’s of magical items in there, nothing strong, but it would appear he specialized in potions. or, at least, favored selling the magical drink.
The building felt secure enough since I hadn’t detected the magical presences I was sleeping under until entering. Here was hoping whatever I disclosed wouldn’t end up being another pitfall for myself... literally.
“So, how did you become a lizard?” Gemmel asked once more. Before I could answer he pressed on, “Were you experimenting or something? I know I’ve turned myself into a cactus once before. That had me in a sticky situation,” Gemmel chuckled a little to himself.
“How did you dispel it?” I asked.
“What? Dispel? Oh that kind of magic wears off. In fact, how long ago did this happen?” Gemmel asked.
“What’s the date?”
“Cux 29th, 4288,” Gemmel replied. Like I had stated at the beginning, I was floored by the amount of time I had lost. I don’t reckon Gemmel noticed my shock, but my head realed a little. I worried about what Raæin must think but quickly pushed that aside. He’s dead for all I know or better off.
“Then this has been happening since Buq 19th,” I said bewildered.
“I’m sorry, something about 19? Like 19 days? The 19th?” Gemmel asked.
“Trans.for.ma.tion. Has. Been. Hap.pen.ning. Since. Buq. 19th-”
“Oh! Oh...” Gemmel’s face became suddenly passive, “My that’s quite serious. Now how did this happen?” he inquired.
“Was poisoned while out looking for a creature that could cure people. Then I woke up in a cave and I assume some guy put me there,” I explained. When I looked at Gemmel I forgot already that he was having a hard time understanding me.
“So you were poisoned while finding a cure? Or you were finding a cure for a poison?”
“I. Was. Poisoned-”
“Either way, if it’s a poison... then this is very serious,” Gemmel said gravely. Actually, now that I think about it, I don’t know why I was so set on believing I had been poisoned. I assume the bite wound I saw on my leg was from the creature i was searching for, but the fact is I don’t remember being bitten. I only saw the puncture wounds.
Gemmel turned around and pulled out a potion, “I reckon you ought to have some of this... you know I haven’t even gotten your name. Can’t even tell if you’re a boy or a girl. Not even a race, though I suppose if you were a dwarf you’d be a bearded lizard,” Gemmel chuckled to himself once more. I couldn’t help but smile myself. This kind of chatting was reminiscent of Bor. That made my heart ache as I felt myself already enjoying Gemmel. I recognized the feeling. I knew it as me wanting to cling to Gemmel, to fill that hole in me. Someone whom I could rely on to take away my pain.
I forced myself to not reflect on the past or make that connection between Bor and Gemmel. The man may be kind, but I shouldn’t over extend my stay either. I just met the guy too! And that metaphorical hole in me can’t heal if I keep placing things in it.
With those quick thoughts and emotions, I debated about whether to tell him my true name. Araja is dangerous among those who know me. I weighed the options; if I told Gemmel, I’d either be put on a pedestal or wanted dead. I opted to use my mother’s name.
“Ma.la.ney,” I lied. Gemmel eyed me for a moment as he processed what I said.
“Malagay?”
“Mal. Lan. Ney.”
“Maganays. Mayonnaise!” Gemmel said triumphantly, thinking he got it right, “That is a bizarre name I must say.” I shook my head, “No?” Quickly I said a different name I felt would come out easier.
“Sara.”
“Serrin?” I gave up. I nodded. At least Serrin sounded somewhat pretty even though it was a bit masculine. Whatever was in his hand had been long forgotten as he rested his hand on the countertop I was on, the potion bottle still corked and in hand.
“So where are you from Serrin?”
This would definitely be a test if he might have known my true name. France, having been renamed the Wetland Jungles for many generations of folk, Heinul having disguised the land to prevent the rest of the world from remember his works, wouldn’t be known by folk of the other continents.
“France.”
Gemmel thought for a moment.
“Is that over in the Elven Kingdom?”
I nodded. I wasn’t about to try and explain where France really was. It was already hard enough communicating. At that moment Gemmel remembered the potion in hand. He placed a plate down in front of me and poured half the potion out.
“This will hopefully slow the poison down. Don’t want to transform any further else you might start to forget who you are. But that’s about all I can do for you. Oh and no charge.” That was kind of Gemmel to not charge me. I lapped the potion slowly. It was difficult not having a tongue that could scoop the potion up nor lips that could suck it up either. After working at it for 10 or so minutes, I I managed to get the potion down.
“Gemmel,” I began, “Thank. You. By. Chance. Do. You. Know. Of. A. Per.son. Who. Could. Cure. Me?” Gemmel thought for a moment.
“Actually, I think there are some folk in the Elven Kingdom that might be able to fix this. I’ll be headed there next week to go to Carnival. You’re welcome to travel with me,” Gemmel said.
“I. Would. Like. That. Ver.ry. Much,” I told him.
Gemmel then spent some time with me chatting about Carnival and how the store he had set up in Golden Spike wasn’t where he made his fortune. It was the deep pockets of the folk in the Elven Kingdom that put out for his merchandise during Carnival that really helped set him up. Though he disapproved of those who bought things that made them more charismatic. Not that it’s a bad thing, but to use it to lie, eventually the lies would catch up. Made me wonder what corrupt ruling was taking place there if that was something on his mind.
He then went on about how the Man Kingdom hadn’t been trading or anything with the Elves and Gnomes for some months. However he had heard through the grapevine about how monsters were up there leveling towns. Large towns, utterly destroyed. I couldn’t help but cringe inside. He kept pestering me if I had heard anything from the Elves or if we had continued to try and send ships up there. I finally admitted I had started in the Kingdom of Man only 4 and a half months ago. He was very much intrigued and wanted to know if I had seen the monsters. I mentioned the werewolves which only flabbergasted him further.
“Werewolves?” he questioned, “Surely you’re joking. Those creatures are easy to take care of. Just throw holy water and silver at them and they’re dead,” Gemmel rambled on. I didn’t talk any further about the Man Kingdom. I didn’t want to admit to being the cause of some of that destruction.
I did however venture to see if he had heard anything about Lupik. At first he thought I was talking about a soup, but quickly he figured out I meant the dukedom in the Man Kingdom. He hadn’t heard anything particular other than it was large. Here’s hoping it’s not one of the leveled cities considering the Silver and Bronze dragons that had taken off to ‘take care’ of Lupik for corrupting their young.
Seeing I would be with Gemmel longer than I thought I would be, I offered to keep an eye out in the shop for those who might try to steal. Gemmel laughed at the notion.
“Don’t you be worrying about that, Miss,” Gemmel chuckled, “I have my way of preventing that. Perhaps you’ll see what happens while you’re here. Not that I think it will. Folk around here are generally honest,” he then trailed off about some other topic that didn’t interest me. I laid down on the counter to rest my head. It was going to be a long week, but I suppose I could take comfort in knowing I had a warm place to rest, pleasant company, and potential help to restore my body. I know one thing; I will repay Gemmel for his kindness someday. In the mean time, may no misfortune come to Gemmel for helping me.
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