Adrian had found a restaurant that was open and looked like it had some homey stew. Only to realize that he needed money and so here he is, in front of the crafters guild to sell the materials he had gathered as a by-product of his stress relief. Learning new things is comforting, even if that thing is as grizzly as monster biology.

Stepping inside the large building I find five counters with lines of people in front of them. The building was illuminated by warm light from crystals hung from the ceiling 

 

I stood in the shortest line of them. Only to be called out to from my left side.

 

“Hey! Big guy in the blue armor!” It was an energetic female voice.

 

Looking at its source I find a woman with emerald long hair and deep green eyes, she was lithe and tall. She wore a sleeveless white metal-reinforced vest and shorts. Extending from under her armor was only what only he could explain as a skin-tight bodysuit made from a cold-resistant material, she also wore a cloak. Under it, he could see a bow and a quiver of arrows

In her arms, she held a sack.

 

She had quite a bright smile. “If you are looking to sell some materials, you do it in this line.” she said while pointing at the sack she held in her arms 

 

I take a look at the long line and see that it is made up of fighters. 

 

Seems like I am going to be here longer than I had hoped.

 

I leave the line I was in and go towards hers and stand behind her.

 

“Thanks for the heads up I would have wasted a lot of time on that.” I thank her with a quick head nod

 

“It's Okay felt that you are new in town and wanted to help you! My name is Luluae” she said with a smile that would have done things to me.

 

 “My name is Adrian, nice to meet you Luluae.” I replied with a polite smile, a smile that seems enough for Luluae’s smile to deepen.

 

We both take a step forwards in the line before stopping to talk again

 

“So where did you come from Adrian? It’s my first time seeing someone like you around here.” she asked with a smile, clearly eyeing my hair and blue-ish skin.

 

Ah, it’s that dreadful question. And I have a very simple answer.

 

“My first breath of this world was from the air on top of mountain Zianforz.” there the straight answer.

 

It’s not like I am so weak that I will fear being exploited, neither do I have someone or something I love that can be held hostage. It may sound sad but this is great.

 

“Oh, If you are going to be honest then I too can skip the boring hiding and analyzing shit.” She said with a joy-full smile. “This is great!”

 

Uh, what?

My confusion must have been apparent. 

“Oh, why else would you phrase it like that if you aren't looking for others like you?”

“Like me? You mean that there are others from other worlds?”

“Okay let me explain” all the jolliness is suddenly dropped as she becomes serious “Sometimes the gods will pull people from wherever and throw them in an impossible situation where they are forced to evolve or die.

 

Those who die are forgotten, while those who survive become powerful beyond comprehension.

 

we call ourselves the touched, and you Adrian are the ice touched.”

 

“And you are?” I asked preparing my cold to attack if she proves herself an enemy

 

“Oh no need to be so tense Adrian” She said with a warm smile and all the cold I prepared was elegantly scattered as if it was never there. . “I am the wind touched, and I am here for you.”

 

“For me? What do you mean? How did you know I am here” I ask while calming down, yet remaining cautious. Nothing will come out of antagonizing her.

 

“you see, we look out for each other, and a lot of us when we are newly born need someone to show us the ropes, and from what I see you need someone to teach you some very important things, and as to how we found you, that information isn't really mine to give .”

“What do you plan on teaching me?”

“First things first I will teach you how to hide the effects of your curse, anyone who looks at you will be able to tell you aren’t normal, I mean if the paladins saw you they are totally hunting you as if you are a new undead. Second, I will teach you how to solidify your control over your element, you are using it as well as monsters do and that just won’t do, I mean any half-decent mage will be able to block and sense your attacks from a mile away, don’t get me wrong you are powerful but brute force won’t get you very far angst a vampire lord”

“And you are telling me that you are going to  do this from the goodness of your heart?” I asked her looking her in the eye, She stared back with a breathtaking pearly white smile “Yep!~”

 

Fuck, do I trust her? 

“Next!” called the guild staff.

 

 

“Well looks like it is my turn Adrian, let's continue this conversation in some tavern.”  Saying so she turns and takes her turn in front of the counter leaving me to digest my thoughts

There are others like me, we are the touched.

I do not know all there is about my power and Luluae the ‘wind touched’ was chosen as my mentor, or exterminator, to teach me more about aspects of my power I do not know.

 

that gives me more questions to ask.

Like who are the other touched? Why do the gods make us?

Anyone has rules that bind them, then what rules bind me and who enforces them? 

Am I going to be pulled into a conflict? Are there people who will seek me out because I am a touched?  

“Next!” the voice of the receptionist broke me out of my brooding.