Act I

  “I need you to keep hablando, chica, esto está taking a lot más tiempo para translate para mí.”

  The priest spoke oddly, he was speaking both Imperial and something else.

  I barely understood what he was saying as he pointed at the bracelet on his wrist.

  Still it was confusing, everything was, pat* pat* I felt my leather gloves on my face as my cheeks felt stinged and raw.

  The action made the priest step back, his words pausing as his pale face showed blatant concern.

  “It’s dangerous here! We need to go there!”

  I tried pointing towards Marble town.

  The priest nodded, as he looked out, following my fingers into an overgrown plaza.

  He looked back at me confused, as he scratched his brown stubble of a beard.

  “No! Not the plaza, we need to go around and . . . Hmmm. . .”

  I moaned out in exasperation trying to think of a way to make him follow me.

  There's too many monsters here, especially after that spell he just casted.

  “Ahem, Excuse me sister, can you understand me now?”

  The priest asked in a polite formally old fashioned imperial, as he crouched down to meet my eyes.

  “Ye-yes! Thank the Sun! Please, dear priest, we need to move.”

  The man looked at me and nodded as he held my hand and motioned me to lead.

  “I- i i - We don’t. . . need to. .”

  The girl’s cheeks reddened as she blustered out and stumbled on her words.

  “Ha ha ha! Sister, I need to do this or else I won’t be able to respond fast enough if we encounter more monsters, so go on and lead us to safety.”

  That man gently said as he pointed forward as I felt myself swallowing my own spit I would have used to argue.

  “Of course! Let’s go!”

  After my words I didn’t hesitate, as I started running.

  Surprisingly the priest was able to keep up even while wearing a robe.

  I wonder what's under. . . tap* I felt my boot stepping on a pebble as I slipped.

  “Woah, we don’t need to rush so much, please pace yourself sister.”

  The kind giant said, as he caught me in his strong arms. . .

  If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

  Quickly he sat me down on a pile of rubble as he checked on my ankles.

  “Does it hurt?”

  He asked with his soft amber eyes, so focused on my foot.

  As he looked up I immediately looked away and shook my head.

  Is he doing this on purpose? Here! In the ruins. . . is he really flirting with me?

  Act II

  Why is this girl so tense?

  It’s impressive for a girl her age to run that fast while wearing something so bulky.

  I wonder if I can convince her to let me hold her shield and sword.

  They look heavy and very, very cool. . .

  But that might set her off, and she might go all modern feminist on me.

  It wouldn’t be the first time, like come on if a guy opens a door for you.

  That doesn’t mean he wants to plow you, it just means he wants to see a smile or hear a thank you, from a pretty girl.

  My thoughts broke as the girl started pulling me again.

  I smiled as my experiment worked.

  If I’m close enough I can sense when someone else is in danger. . .

  “I wonder if I can enlarge the radius. . .”

  “Did you say something, dear priest?”

  I stopped as I realized I was mumbling, damn it.

  Never trust so-called survivalists videos, I guess. .

  “I was thanking my. . .”

  Patroness, it would be bad if the enemies of the goddess Hestia know you’re one of her priests.

  “Patroness, I was thanking my patroness for her help healing you.”

  My words made the girl look at me with her green jade like eyes.

  I didn’t understand what was in them, but she eventually nodded.

  Before we continued our jogging pace but then we stopped.

  Thump* “Please be quiet.”

  The girl whispered as I heard, those screeching voices again.

  Hear* Hear* Hear?* No* There* No* Here* No?* KRR*

  It’s those kubolts again, it’s odd how can I understand them so quickly?

  Is it because their language is simple?

  The thought came, as I realized it took seconds to learn their language.

  But for the girl trying to push me back on a wall?

  Her language took minutes to understand, while those lizards only took seconds.

  “Dear Hestia, let this not be a problem.”

  I prayed, quietly making the girl I was holding tremble in fear.

  No* No* Here* We* Go* KRRK*

  “They're going away now.”

  I whispered to her as I patted her head, making her loosen the grip on her gladius and buckler-like shield.

  Act III

  “Please! Please help us find her!”

  Yelling? I heard yelling as I and the elf girl named Elira walked onto a bridge over a rushing canal.

  Elira immediately let go as she ran forward.

  “You missed me so much that you're begging the guards?”

  Elira spoke in such arrogance that it stunned me in place.

  Is that really the girl that was crying earlier thanking me for saving her life?

  “Elira! You foolish. . .”

  As I thought of how the girl was so different when I met her.

  A youth, in his late teens came running and then hugged Elira, as she opened her arms.

  The reunion made me smile as I gave them time as I stood a little bit away.

  “Stop being a sobbing idiot, I still need to introduce someone!”

  Elira pushed away the crying youth, as he finally noticed me.

  That was when I noticed the tense armored guards with full helms looking at me.

  Danger, I feel danger from them. But why? Do I look like a threat?

  No, if this is some kind of medieval town they might just be cautious against outsiders.

  I was staring down the guards, as I noticed the elf girl was walking back to and she wasn’t alone.

  Elira was leading her friends, and within seconds the group of four was infront of me.

  Why are they so short?

  I thought as I noticed the spear holding girl looked to be the oldest.

  She was also the tallest in the group as her head reached the base of my neck.

  “Thank you for saving Elira! Thank you. . .”

  The male youth said as he bowed low to me, it made me reach out and pat his shoulder.

  “Never lower your head that much, unless it’s to your patron or your father.”

  I smiled at the youth as he looked up.

  “Your lucky kid, I never had girl that cared for me as Elira cared for you, she’s a keeper~”

  I smiled wider as I saw the elven boy redden so much that steam came from his forehead.

  “Ha ha ha! I’m Lazir Hearth, a wandering priest.”

  I spoke out loudly after my laugh and as I did.

  The sense of danger I felt from the guards faded, making me look at them.

  They lost interest in us, instead focusing on the other side of the long bridge.

  Into the dangerous ruins I just left.