Chapter 19

The sun rested high in the sky by the time Naro realized he was staring at his hands.

He sat in his home in a daze, the scene from yesterday replaying in his head as he stared at the palms of his hands. He barely remembered yesterday except for that moment, he staggered to the stream and he was sure washed the blood off, then he went to the Bazaar for some reason…and next thing he knew he was home. He remembered sitting in the darkness…and that was the last thing he could recall clearly.

His chest slowly rose and fell, he blinked and red plastered across his hands, coating the walls of his home, his breath caught in his chest and he blinked again only for it to vanish.

Everything was a blur except for Beso’s face, it echoed in his mind, the screams of his companions as they ran…and the feel of Beso’s life as it entered his body.

“Naro.”

A voice echoed in his head but it sounded so far away, he only stared eyes wide open at his hands, afraid to blink, afraid to close his eyes to that passing darkness again. He didn’t want to see it anymore.

“Naro!”

Naro jumped realizing the voice wasn’t in his head but outside, though he didn’t turn to look at the source, he knew Nefi’s voice at this point, he hadn’t realized the youth had entered.

Nefi stood a few feet away from Naro, his brows lowering as he stared at the strange human in front of him. Naro had always been strange…but he was extra strange today.

Walking over he took a seat next to him, and digging in his pocket pulled out a piece of bread.

“I’m here to deliver information.”

Nefi looked over at Naro, he noticed a small almost imperceptible nod which was enough reason for him to continue.

“Well I’ll get the most shocking one out of the way. Beso is dead.”

Naro flinched, his fingers curling inwards slightly as he sucked in a gasp. Nefi took a bite of his bread, oddly more patient than usual today.

“Do they….do they know who did it.”

The first words he could manage was a question he didn’t want the answer too.

“Nope,” Nefi said offering a shrug. “Dead ain’t talking, and his companions got eaten my monsters outside. Those fools ran out of the Northen Gate in the evening, plenty of monsters roam around at that time. Found their corpses next some Sand Wolves, chunks taken out of them.”

The boy tossed the last piece in his mouth before taking out a leather canteen.

“No one really intends on looking too into it either,” he added. “No one liked Beso, guards took his body and tossed it outside the gates. He had no family, no real friends, no one’s going to miss that guy.”

Nefi said this glancing at Naro who remained still staring at his hands. The Beastkin’s ears twitched slightly as he took a sip from his canteen. He averted his eyes before closing them and leaning forward.

“Personally…I’d thank the guy who took out Beso if I could.”

Naro’s eyes twitched and Nefi seemed to let those words linger before continuing.

“When sister and I first got here, we barely had anything to our name, just enough to get buy. I used what little we had to get sister some medicine…I figured I’d work out something with the money we had, we’d last a few months if we were lucky…but then Beso came and stole our home. Sister wasn’t bedridden at that point so she thankfully wasn’t home, I returned home first…and wasn’t able to stop him. I doubt he even remembers he stole from us in the first place, with all he’s taken.”

Nefi’s hands clenched into fists as he opened his eyes, anger lingered in his eyes but his quivering mouth showed the regrets he clinged to.

“I was always afraid he’d find us…that he’d take from us again…and maybe this time he’d take more…I’m not strong enough to deal with people like him yet…so whoever that person was… I’m extremely grateful to them…for giving me one less problem.”

Nefi unclenced his fists and stood up.

“Anyway I wanted to share that with you, that Beso is dead…and no one is going to look into it.”

“...I see,” Naro said. “Thank you Nefi.”

The boy nodded and though he hesitated for a moment walked out of the room.

“Go on in.”

Nefi’s voice came from outside and Naro hearing him talking to someone glance to the side before someone else entered his room.

“Venilis?”

Naro sat up slightly as the old elf raised a hand to him, he used a wooden staff as a crutch as he walked over and took a seat next to Naro.

“W-what are you doing there? The Old District isn’t exactly next door to the Bazaar.”

“Well…” Venilis said rubbing his beard. “I have a bit of free time while my stall is being repaired. Figured I’ve never visited you, decided to fix that.”

“It’s…being fixed already?”

“Well a kind stranger returned my pouch to me…so it was easy to buy the materials. Belik called in some favors and I should have it back up within a few days, mainly supplies have to get here.”

“I see…I’m happy to hear that.”

Venilis looked at Naro who gaze returned to the earth, his hands resting on his knees his mouth a thin line. The elf almost commented that he didn’t look happy but left the matter alone.

The two sat in silence, Venilis shutting his eyes and making no effort to converse or move. Almost as if he was waiting for something, he didn’t engage in idle chatter, only opened his eyes when the boy next to him spoke.

“Venilis…how do you know…you’re still you…and not something else?”

The weight behind that question wasn’t lost on the elder, and he could see Naro’s hands trembling as they gripped his knees tightly. Venilis resting both hands atop his staff he let out a soft sigh.

“I don’t know,” he said simply.

Naro’s shoulder slumped slightly and he opened his mouth to apologize for answering when the elder spoke first.

“Because I don’t get to decide who you are.”

Naro looked over at Venilis, the old man’s mouth curved upwards slightly into a small smile as he stared ahead.

“I…have lived a fair amount of centuries and I’m somehow still learning new things about myself. Thus I believe figuring oneself out may in fact be a lifetime pursuit. Which seems a daunting task…”

Venilis tapped his staff against the wooden floor a soft chuckle escaping him.

“Yet an extremely rewarding one all the same. Because we have the power to choose the kind of person we want to be, no one else has that right, the person we see at the end of that long road…we get to shape that person, all by the choices we make, the hands we reach out towards and pull away from. Whether we reach that ideal or not…well that depends on the person, but personally I like the pursuit…though I have all the time in the world to pursue it.”

Venilis turned towards Naro, his brows arching as he ran his fingers through his beard.

“Haha my apologies Naro, old age makes me wax poetic more than I should. I ended up not answering your question.”

“No you…you did,” Naro said straightening his body. “Thank you Venilis.”

Naro looked over at the old man and offered him a smile, the elderly elf returned the smile before going to stand up, Naro helping him before he offered a nod.

“Well I should return home, my family will be getting worried. The kind Beastkin said he would walk me back. You take all the time you need Naro for whatever’s on your mind. The Bazaar will be there to welcome you when you return.”

“Thank you Venilis…wait what do you mean Bazaar?”

With a soft chuckle the old elf waved before turning and walking out of the door, leaving his question in the air, soon Naro was left alone once again.

“This won’t do.”

Naro spoke the words as he watched the entrance of his home, he was making his friends worry about him.

“This whole time…I’ve been just living my life as Rhi…”

Walking outside he took a look around, at the people passing by, Beastkin and human alike, all going about their day, a few offered small bows to him as they passed and he raised his hand in response.

“I can’t think like that me anymore…I won’t live long if I do.”

Taking out his guild card he looked at the name and face plastered onto it.

“I need to change…in that one moment I wasn’t Rhi…I was Naro…that’s who I need to be. Not only to survive in this world, but to hold onto what I do have in this world.”

Naro took a deep breath and putting his id away made his way towards the Bazaar.

It wasn’t much but at least he had an idea on what direction he wanted to go in, and for the time being that was enough, he’d figure out the rest as he went.