Separate paths (part1)
He is not alone. That’s the first thing he thought, the first relief after being send to this world. And it even is a ghost who found him. She looks beautiful, only after some seconds he realizes what he likes about her appearance. She looks like mother with shorter hair.
He wipes his eyes dry and smiles. He takes in her whole appearance. She is mostly dressed in white, here and there are some specks of green and purple but overall she is mostly white. At least she was before she died, because directly where her heart should have been a giant hole can be seen. For most people it would be a disturbing sight, but not for him. What did his master once called it? I think it was „business as usual“.
The elf looks incredulous at him: „ Wait, c-can you actually see me?“
Without thinking he replies: „Of course I can.“ But he immediately regrets it. What was he thinking? In his old world it was fairly common to know that he could see spirits, titles like evil eyes and Corpse God basically hinted at it. But here everything is different - magic works different. So an ability for seeing and communicating with the dead may not be something common here. Even in his old world it was a special ability.
The elf doesn’t look alarmed, instead her face lights up: „Incredible! I have never heard of a divine protection for talking with the dead.“ Then like realizing something he face goes from happy to shocked: „Wait, sorry little one, everything is ok, I am not hurt.What are you doing out here?“ She forces a smile upon her face.
Is she worried she could scare me, he wondered. Well of course she is, I look like a small child. Ok, keep it together and think. It would certainly be safer to play the role of a child. I am Olmsted certain nobody in this world knows who the Corpse God is - it should stay that way. The last time my life was mostly ruined because people knew about my ability and either wanted to abuse it or were afraid of it. So I should keep it a secret here. But wait, she is a spirit and I am the Corpse God. In this kind of situation I hold all cards, I am in control. But I will be careful, if she believes I am a child, I will show her a child.
Sobbing loudly with a teary voice he says: „ I got lost. Where am I?“
„Oh no little one, do not worry. Everything will be alright. We are in Elior Forest. Do you live somewhere close? Where are your parents?“ the elf asks with worry in her voice.
„I don‘t know, nothing is familiar here“ he answers. Playing a crying kid is hard for him, he was a feared monster for so long that he doesn‘t completely remembers how being afraid feels. Acting is especially hard if you have no script to follow.
He slightly sobs: „ I am alone, I have no parents. Please help me.“ Then he crys. Tears fall down his cheeks. Unbeknown to himself, at this point his acting stopped. He doesn‘t want to see it, but in reality his cry for his parents is genuin, at least for his mother. And someone nice looking like his mother certainly doesn‘t help his fragil emotional state.
„Oh sweety don‘t worry, you will be ok“ she says. Carefully she reaches for his right hand and squeezes it softly. Her touch is cold, but a nice kind of cold. That is normal for a ghost, he has learned. Bearers of the evil eyes could not only see the dead they can also physicaly interact with them. Furthermore they can also form a contract with them, which is a possible way for a ghost to interact with the physicsl world. He has to be careful, he didn‘t even realize he permitted the ghost to touch him. He cannot let his guard down simply because she looks like his mother.
„My name is Fortuna, little one?“ she says with a assuring smile upon her face.
As usual he wants to answer with Corpse God, but immediately bites his tongue. That is not the name of a child, he thinks, it is a title, it is an expectation. Just this small question causes for him an extensial crisis. Who does he want to be in this world? A monster? Or something else? How are you supposed to answer such a question in seconds? Some people cannot answer it during their whole life.
He holds his breath. Then he remembers something his master once told him. „ You are what you make of yourself, not what others make of you. Look deep into your heart you know who you are.“ He remembers this moment clearly, going back it sounded like one of his masters drunken speeches. Sadly, he just now realizes the meaning of it.
He breaths out and smiles : „My name is Rizdilusia Redrazhalf and I am twelve years old. Nice to meet you. Just call me Riz.“
Fortuna smiles: „Well, it’s nice to meet you Riz.“
But before they could continue their talk he is forced to remember his plight. The coldness. Without wanting to shivers.
„Oh Riz dear, I am so sorry. No wonder you have to shiver. You only wear this thin sheet. Come with me, I will show you a place to warm up.“ Carefully she takes his hand and walks forward.
Riz smiles internally. He did it. He could act like a child without blowing his cover. He didn’t even need to practice. He doesn’t know why but he just feels a bit warmer. Is this happiness? But before he could dwell on this feeling a question builds up in his head, one that he shoved aside.
“Miss Fortuna“, he asked very quietly, the blowing wind nearly drowns out his voice.
„Yes Riz?“, she answers without looking back. She continues to lead him through the snow: „ And you can leave the miss part. Makes me feel older than I am.“
With a stuttering voice Riz searches for fitting words: „You said a word I didn’t now. What is a divine protection?“ He hopes he just didn’t ask something that could reveal that he is not from this world.
She stops. Riz holds his breath. He messed up, didn’t he?
“A divine protection? Well usually that is pretty common knowledge, but I don’t know you look like you have been grown up far from civilization, so it is no wonder.“ He almost wants to make an offended face, he did grow up in a town, he might have lived most of his life in a desolate coal mine, but he definitely was raised in a town. Did the coal mine really cause such an impression? Well at least she doesn’t chase him away for being an unknowing imposter.
„You see Riz, divine protections are gifts granted by the world, by the source of life Od Laguna. The mana flowing through our bodies through our gates sometimes can be used for special magic abilities. These are called divine protections. I believe you also got one, because you see, how should a say it…“
„Because you are dead and I can see and interact with you?“ That probably was a little bit to blunt, he realized. But his mind was elsewhere? What exactly is Od Laguna? Some kind of god or divine being? At least he now can assume that the filter in his body is called gate and the foreign energy flowing through it is called mana.“
Fortuna looks like a heavy burden has been lifted from her shoulders: „Thanks Od Laguna, I cannot imagine a more tense conservation than telling someone that you are dead. Maybe the talk about bees and flowers“, she jokes?
„What about bees and flowers?“, he asks obvious.
Fortunas eyes widen. „Nothing!“, she blurts out. Then she stops: „We are here.“
Riz looks behind her. A small cabin can be seen not to far away.
He walks forward and opens the door with a loud creek. Inside of it is a small room with all essentials, a bed with many blankets, a little kitchen and a table with two chairs. At the end of the room is another door, probably where the toilets are. There even is a small book shelve. He can’t read the titles. That would be an issue for another time. But the centerpiece of it all is a big fireplace with firewood already stacked in it.
„Do you know how to light a fire, Riz? There should be some matches in the kitchen cupboard.“
He nods and goes to the cupboard, carefully he opens it. Inside are not only the matches, but also some kind of canned food and beef jerky. At least he doesn’t have to worry over food.
Then he nearly runs to the fireplace and lights one of the matches. The fire quickly devours the dry firewood. The cabin is wrapped in light golden colors. The warmth feels heavenly to him. With a big grin he holds his hands closer to the fire. He is glad that he met Fortuna. He turns around and looks at her. She is still standing in the doorway watching him carefully, like he would blow over from a small breze.
„Don’t forget to close the door“, she reminds him.
Without a word he reaches for the door handle and closes it. This is when he asks : „Ah, Miss Fortuna, I mean Fortuna? Won’t the owner of the cabin mind that I am trespassing?“
A small laughter falls from her lips: „Don’t you worry, Riz. This cabin belongs to my niece Emilia. But now she lives somewhere far away from here, therefore this cabin is technically abandoned. And even if not she is so kind hearted that she would allow you to stay. Why don’t you go to bed, it’s been a long day. Not to long and it will turn dark. We can discuss your situation tomorrow.“
He wants to argue, but he feels how his body is feeling really tired. Damn you, mortal body, this never happened in his other form. So he just nods and climbs into the bad. The blankets there are really soft. Lying there felt nice, almost like being in an embrace. He closes his eyes and almost instantly falls asleep. Fortuna sits on one of the chairs watching him sleep. She smiles. He reminds her of Emilia.
In his dreams Riz stands in large mansion. His mother is hugging him. Next to here a person stands wearing some kind of weird orange suit. He feels at home and smiles in his sleep.
Subaru rubs his eyes. He struggles to open them. A sudden brightness forces him to close them. Strange, he thinks. Why is it so bright at nighttime?
Once he opens them and looks at the city before him his face morphs to disbelief.
„What's going on?" , but he quickly begins to realize: „ Nothing of this here seems fake. Which could only mean one thing…" The boy slowly blinks as his thoughts finally form a rational conclusion.
„I've been summoned into a parallel world!" He shouts out loud.
After a brief minute of shock and excitement he walks down the street. He looks around still holding his plastic bag. Even though he doesn’t realize it he holds onto it like some kind of lifeline.
„I guess I can assume this is some kind of fantasy world. With typical medieval-styleculture. A place where demi-humans are commonplace and many fantasy adventures take place.“
„WATCH OUT!" Suddenly turning to see what the shouting was about, his mean looking eyes quickly fall on a crowd in panick. A young boy had fallen right in the middle of the road and a carriage is speeding right towards the kid. It doesn’t slow down, it almost seems like the kid will be run over.
„This is my chance! This must be where I produce my first magic!“ Subaru yells out in excitement and started posing in place, it seems like he trained it in front of a mirror.
Shouting with all his might, Subaru holds his hands in front of him as he attempted to cast magic. Nothing happens. „What did you expect“, his mind tells him: „Once a loser, always a loser.“
The boy still is in danger, if nothing happens he will be killed. The crowd almost seems to be in some kind of stupor and is unable to help. Panic starts to form inside of Subaru. Luckily, an armored knight jumps over the road fences. He reaches for the kid, saving him seconds before disaster strikes.The crowds cheers for the brave man. The knight just happily holds up his thumb.
„What a dumb victory pose“ , Subaru thinks. Slowly he retreats embarrassed: „I guess I am not ready to use such powerful magic yet."
Subaru walks further until he reaches some kind of market district. In front of a small stand he stops. It seems like they are selling apples, he thinks
„You are traveling with some wired clothes, boy“, a tough looking man grunts from behind the stand. Subaru looks at the merchant and points at the apples : „What are those fruits?"
„Those are appas“, the merchant answers.
Relieved that at least he can be understood Subaru takes out coins from his wallet and places them on the appa man's palm.
„You can't use this in Lugunica. So you're flat broke, huh? Get outta here! Don't waste my time!" The man yells at Subaru and throws the yen coins at him.
Subaru walks along, his mind still thinking about the small exchange with the merchant.
„There's no other way, I'll just have to go around to gather more information first.The merchant said I cannot use this in Lugunica, so is that the name of the town or country I am in?“
He comes to a stopp in an alley. „This is not how its supposed to be! Wasn't I summoned into a parallel world for a reason ?Where'd my protagonist status go?!" Subaru whines.
Angrily, he picks up his phone and start looking at his contacts. His mom's and dad's numbers are shown: „Looks like it still works. But whats the point in having it! My starting gear sucks as well! Where's my Excalibur or my secret magic powers? Where's my cute girl that summoned me?“
He is about to fall into despair. This is not how he imagined his isekai adventure would play out.
The sound of footsteps interrupts his self pity session. His look almost turns hopeful , he looks down to the end of the empty alley where voices can clearly be heard from. With a small grin he calls out : „Is she finally here? The cute girl who summoned me?“
His smile instantly disappears when three thugs appear smirking down at him. And of course like a cliché mugging they say: „What are you blabbing on about?" and „If you don't wanna get hurt, cough up whatever you've got!"
Suddenly a voice shouts from behind: „Move it, move it! You guys outta my way!" A blonde girl runs through the alley, shouting in a panic.
„Is this finally the cute girl who summoned me?“ But Subarus relieved face quickly disappears as soon as the girl looks at him in confusion: „Summoned you? I dunno what you're talking about, but I'm busy! Sorry, live strong!"
The blonde girl is dressed rather revealing. She looks rather young, but also a bit malnourished. She shots him a small apologetic smile and jumps up the wall disappearing from his view.
„Hey that didn't make you decide to be less hostile toward me, by any chance did it?" Subaru asks as he now finds himself alone with the angry looking thugs.
One of them looks smugly at him: „Actually, it rained on our parade and made things worse."
Of course it does, Subaru thinks. He has to calm down. It is nearly an ancient law that a person summoned into a parallel world has some overpowered ability. He takes a deep breath and prepares for a fight. The dimension traveler quickly swings his fist and aims forwards the tallest thug.
„Taste my incredible power“, he shouts.
„That's the first time I ever hit someone, I didn't expect it to hurt me that much, seems like this world is not in beginners mode“ , he says with satisfaction. Confidently, Subaru turnsto the other thugs with a excited expression on his face.
But the thug isn’t deterred by Subaru’s action and reveals two blades. Seeing him reveal his weapon, Subaru decides to use his secret weapon as well, it is so powerful that barely anyone is able to use it in a fight. Like frozen he stops his charge and falls to his feet in front of the armed robber: „I'm sorry! It was all my fault! Forgive me! Spare me please.“
As an answer he is kicked in the face. As he lays on the ground in pain the two other men walk up to him. The look rather pleased and laugh while kicking and beating him. He tries to protect himself, but without anything to fight back and without anyone backing him all he can do is endure the pain.
„That's enough!“ an determined voice echos throughout the alley. As a reaction the thugs stop and look for the source of the voice. Even Subara in his painful state looks towards the entrance of the alley
A beautiful girl with silver hair and lilac eyes appears. While walking torwards them her hair slightly slips revealing pointed ears. „Is she an elf“, Subaru wonders. Then he instantly feels flushed. „She is a real beauty“, he thinks.
The girl looks disgruntled at them. She looks like she is in a hurry. She acts almost like the first girl.
„Who the hell are you?", shouts one of the thugs with an angered voice.
„Stop this now and I'll let this slide. Then return what you stole."
Just now Subaru notices the formal way the girl is dressed, she appears like some kind of royal or in Subarus opinion more like an otherworldly angel. With awe Subaru looks up to her.
„What we stole?", one of the thieves tilts his head in confusion: „ We haven’t stolen anything from you jet.“
„Now please“, she says impatiently: „It's important to me. I just need my insignia back, you can keep the rest.“
„You didn't come to save this guy?“, the small thug points at the beaten Subaru with a questioning look.
„What strange clothes he has, if you asked me if I had a connection with him, I'd have to say no", she says with confusion written over her face. She looks at the hurt boy and then says almost with a cruel speed back at the three thugs.
„Then you have no businesswith us. If someone stole from you then it might be that blonde-haired girl from before!", this time the big thug answers.
„Oh, they don't seem to be lying“, the white-haired girl realizes .Then she turns her attention to the other side of the alley. She passes the thugs and Subaru without hesitation.
„This can’t be real“, Subaru thinks, „Why is everyone in this world so cruel?“
But then suddenly, she stops in her tracks and turns around. With a stern voice she says: „I cannot let this slide either."
The elf raises her hand and shoots ice chunks at the thieves. They are pushed back. The only thing Subaru can ask is a weakly and surprised: „Magic?"
„For interfering with our business you will pay! You think just because you have magic you'll win! Three against one is still to our advantage“ , the small thug shouts angrily.
„You are right. Three against one may be unfair“, an unfamiliar voice answers. The girl smirks and from behind her a small white kitten flies to her shoulder. With a teasing voice the cat says: „You are right, maybe two against three will make it a bit fairer."
The triumphant faces of the thugs disappears replaced by one expression of terror:
„You're a spirit's arts user!“, the knife bearer squeals almost comically.
„Correct. Back off now and I won't come after you“ , she smugly threatens them.
„You evil witch! Next time we see you, you won’t be as smug as now!“
„Do anything to her and I'll hunt you forever," the white cat says with a threatening voice.
With that the three tughs slightly walk backwards before running of. They even started to scream clearly frighten by the threat.
At the word „witch“ the girls triumphant face vanishes. Now Subaru is alone with her.
Now free of torment Subaru manages to sit. Painfully, he looks up at her and says: „Thank you for saving me.“
But before he can continue he is interrupted by her: „Don't move!", she shouts with suspicion.
Subaru looks startled as the elf stares him down intensely.
As a result he starts to blush in an almost crimson red - or it might be blood from his wounds. Feeling slightly dizzy, he averts his eyes from her.
„Aha, See? You averted your eyes because you have a guilty conscience! Looks like my gut feeling is right.“
„I think it is just an instinctive reaction. I don’t sense any ill will or wrongness about his doing." The flying cat tried to reason with the girl. She frowns:
„Be quiet Puck. You know who stole my insignia from me, don't you?" Almost desperate she stares him down.
„Sorry but I don’t know anything about an insignia." He answers in a confused voice.
Starring right into his eyes, the elf steps back. Her purple eyes starts turning become worried: „Did I really just come the wrong way around?", she asks herself in an almost petrified state.
Worried, Subaru tries to get up: „But there was a girl running through this alley, if you hurry you can still reach her, wait I will help …“ But before he could finish he faints and everything turns black.
The last thing he hears is the girl and cat debating what to do with him.
Subaru strangely dreams of the girl or maybe about someone looking like her. He is in a mansion he doesn’t recognize and at the end of the room a little boy stands. „What a strange dream“, he muses.