A Short Reprieve

Walking back into the cave behind Bernard, I wipe the sweat running off my brow. Looking at the skills I acquired over the last few hours, a smile creeps over my face. Looking over his shoulder, Bernard gives me his Skeleton grin again.

"You seem pleased, Oscar. I must say you did very well to learn all of those skills in such a short time."

"I had a brilliant teacher." Stopping in front of the door, he turns and bows to me.

"Thank you for saying as such, but it is not I who excelled here. I have met a few Outliers in my time, Oscar, but there were none like you. You are the first I have seen pick up skills that quickly. It almost seems like they are second nature to you. There is one thing I would like to know., how did you come to this world?"

"I'm honestly not sure. There was a magical flash, and my daughter Hannah disappeared. When I went to the spot where she had disappeared, there was a weird magical residue left behind, and a voice told me to reach out for the feeling inside my head and follow it. I did, and that's how I ended up here." As I finish my tale, he steps towards me so fast his bones rattle, stopping very close to my face.

"A voice called you here? Are you sure?"

"Positive. Why, what does that mean?" Ignoring my questions, he turns on his heel and dashes inside the room. Following behind him quickly, I see him already standing next to Elisaria, whispering in her ear. Soft enough that even I couldn't hear what he was saying. Looking over her folded hands at me, she smiles strangely.

"Interesting. Oscar, come here." Walking over at her summons, I look around for Ella but can't see her anywhere.

"She's gone to clean up after the fight. I will have you both spend the night here as neither one of you is in fit state to travel, but before that, let me look at you properly." Getting to her feet as I get closer, she places her hand on my forehead. A strange cold sensation pouring through me as it touches me, causing my knees to grow weak and my legs to buckle out from underneath me. Falling to the floor, her hand slides off me as I land on my back, breathing heavily. For a moment as the world spun, I saw a woman with brown hair and the greenest eyes I had ever seen, but it passed before I could focus on her properly. Standing above me looking down, an excited look crosses Elisaria's face.

"Very interesting indeed. There is certainly more to you than meets the eye, young man. Bernard, help him up. Take him to the bathing chamber. I think a clean and some rest will do you some good." Walking off as Bernard helps me to my feet, she disappears before I can even ask about what happened.

"Are you able to stand Oscar?"

"I am. What the hell was that?"

"It's best you do not know. Now come. Follow me." Following behind Bernard as he leads me deeper into the caves, I wonder about the secrecy of my Outlier status. Am I really that different from the others before me? I thought I had a grasp on this world, but every time something new comes along, it pulls the rug out from underneath me and turns everything I thought I knew on its head. Finally stopping, Bernard opens a door and walks through, holding it open for me. Stepping out into a beautiful cavern covered in glowing crystals, I look at a small, well-lit lake in the middle of the cavern.

"I see you like the bath. The water is warm. Strip your clothes off and place them to the side, then hop in when you are ready. I will be back shortly." Walking off through another door, I wait a moment before following Bernard's instructions. Stripping off the dusty Outlier's vestments, I quickly climb into the water, a relieved sigh escaping my lips as the heat from the lake relieves tension in my muscles I didn't even know was there. Turning, I stretch out in the water and float on my back, letting my mind wander. Just the sweet spot between coherent thought and the randomness that swirls through a person's head. Turning my head as a door opens, I watch as Bernard walks out with a towel and some spare clothing. Placing them nearby, he gathers up my vestments and bows to me.

"I will take these to be cleaned. Take your time and relax, Oscar. I assume you have not had much time to unwind since you got here." Twisting around, I move to the edge of the bath and take a seat so I can see Bernard properly.

"Not really. There have been a lot of incidents. And the time between has been so chaotic that I haven't really had the chance to just stop. It's just a byproduct of times like these. Until it's all said and done, there's seldom rest for those involved."

"Spoken like a man who has seen times like these before?" At his questioning tone, I breathe a heavy sigh.

"I have. You don't have them here, really. But on Earth, I was a police detective. Which is kind of like a knight, I guess, but more focused on law enforcement. We had a serial killer incident a few years back. Back when Hannah was just a baby. This guy, he killed sixteen over an eight-week period. He just kept taunting us, and he never killed the same type of person twice. He was smart and calculating. The worst kind of criminal to deal with. In the end, he made one mistake, and we pounced. There was a fight when we went to arrest him, and he was killed. Afterward, I took some leave. Quite a few of us did. So, I'm no stranger to hectic times. But they still don't get any easier."

"Well then, enjoy the time you have here. It is well-earned. I shall take my leave." Bowing once more, he heads back through the side door and leaves me to my thoughts. Tracing a pattern through the water with my finger, I move to the middle and float on my back once more, but the thoughts of that terrible day keep coming back. Finally, after a few minutes, I give up and climb out of the bath, quickly towelling myself dry and getting into the clothes that Bernard left for me. Looking around to decide where to go, my thoughts are interrupted as the door I came from opens and Ella walks in, drying her wet hair.

"I see you're out."

"Thirty seconds earlier, and I wouldn't have been."

"Damn. Ill time it better next time. Come. Elisaria has prepared a meal for us." Following her into the tunnel, I talk to her back as she leads me to another room I hadn't seen before.

"Did you get what you needed from her?"

"I did in a way."

"What did it cost you?"

"That doesn't matter, Oscar. All that matters is we have what we need." Reaching the end of the hallway, we emerge into a small dining area with Ellavessa and Bernard sitting at the nearby table.

"It's not all that matters, Ella. Whatever your deal was, it involves getting access to the Hall of the Damned, which directly involves Hannah. Stop beating around the bush with things that involve my daughter and tell me the damn truth!" rounding on me she pushes her finger into my chest so hard it hurts.

"What I had to do, Oscar, has nothing to do with you or Hannah. I would have told you at some point but your been a pig-headed ogre of it all so you can go to hell." Opening my mouth to retort, I stop as a blue arrow comes flying through the door, stopping in front of me. Grabbing the magic missive, I wait for it to unfurl and read the note written there.

'Oscar,

We need you to come to our location immediately. The Demon beast has proven far more of an adversary than we anticipated. I am not sure how much longer we can hold out. Hurry!'

Letting the missive fall from my hands, panic overwhelms me, and the entire world pulses. Stepping back from Ella, I turn and lean heavily against the wall, breathing heavily. Seeing her lips moving, I cannot hear the words Ella was saying over the blood rushing through my ears. In an instant, it stopped. Turning my head and rubbing my cheek at the pain radiating from it, I look down into Elisaria's eyes.

"You good now, boy?"

"I am. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologise for. "Here's your gear." Handing my clothes to me, she steps back as I take them and, with a wave of my hand, equip them from my inventory. Looking at the coat, I notice something different about it. A faint aura emanating from it. Looking at Elisaria in surprise, she laughs.

"Consider it a parting gift, Outlier. Now." Stepping forward, she places her finger against my forehead, and an image of the king fighting appears in my mind. As well as a familiar voice.

"Skill Acquired: Phase."

"Go. Help the king and his men. Do what must be done."

"Thank you for everything, Elisaria."

"Don't thank me, go, boy. Go!" Pushing me towards the open space in the dining room, I allow myself to be herded while focusing on the skill she gave me. As I turn to leave, Ella holds out her hand.

"Oscar, wait."

"I'm done waiting. Phase!" For a moment the entire world flexes and then with a pop it snaps. And standing in front of me was a giant. Like something crossed between an Oni and a werewolf. Seeing me, it snarls and, raising its shield and sword, stalks towards me, the ground shaking with every step.