Book One – Chapter One – Part Two – An Unforgiving World And An Unexpected Ally

Somehow, Servi felt calmer and more relaxed when she realized she was surrounded by protective and sturdy walls. Her emotional state somewhat calmed down, leaving her with a refreshed mind.  As such, she stopped running and slowed to a nice walk, taking in the stone buildings and other city-like objects with her crimson eyes.

Soon, she found herself in the middle of a small intersection. Including the one she just came from, there were eight roads she could walk down. The ones in the four cardinal directions were the biggest.  Those leading to the intermediate directions were smaller, but they were paved, nothing like the dirt road she walked on earlier.

The one she was traveling on previously was the west path, which led to the western entrance and exit. If she included the south, north, and east exits, the city had a total of four ways to legally enter and leave the city.  If one wanted to penetrate the city illegally, they could scale the walls, but they were constructed with that in mind.  The surfaces were totally smooth, leaving nothing for a would-be intruder to grip.

Many people shuffled through the intersection, using it to get to where they needed to go. Servi saw warriors with swords and women dressed in exotic-looking clothing that left nothing to the imagination, amongst other things. Her eyes soon realized she wouldn't see 'normalcy' anytime soon. 

Buildings were all around her, and they had signs, but she couldn’t read them. Servi walked a few meters down the northern road and peeked inside a store. There was a woman standing behind a counter in a blue and black uniform. Servi could make out a name tag on her chest, but that was useless because she was illiterate. She stepped out of the building and walked back to the intersection while sighing.  

Well, I made it inside the city, so that’s good, but I don’t know what to do next. Should I start walking? 

Servi had seven paths available to her.  

In case I get lost, I should look for a landmark or something recognizable. Now, what can I use? 

Servi scanned her eyes far and wide, looking at anything she could.  At first, she was upset because everything looked mysterious to her virgin eyes.  Her vision was full of otherworldly Demi-Humans, and Servi couldn't concentrate because her ears were assaulted by an unknown language. But then she saw it, something so particular and out-of-place she felt her heart drop to her stomach. 

It was a massive structure-- something that should not have been possible to build. It was hundreds of meters in length and width, not to mention the height. It was so high that Servi believed she could spot it from anywhere in the city.  The entirety of the building was splattered with a glitzy golden color, and it wasn't exactly subtle.

How can a building get that big? That’s incredible, but the color is making me sick. Okay, so if I get lost, just look for that... monstrosity. If I use it as a point of reference, I can find my way back here.

With a landmark tagged in her mind, Servi traveled down the eastern road, confidently smiling now that her feet had the comfort of a paved road. For some reason, having something man-made underneath calmed her. The scariness of the forest was now far behind her, and no longer would she have to worry about any animals or monsters, like those bees, attacking her.  

This city is going to be my saving grace. I know it! Now, I just have to explore around and find someone I can talk to.

As she walked, she took notice of the many people around her.  

Some had the pointed ears, like that girl with the red hair she saw before, and others were small and stout, with heavy and long beards.  

A gust of wind suddenly blew by, raising the skirts of those wearing them. A few girls cried out and smacked the guys they were with, who had gone red in the face.  

Of the people walking with weapons, nearly everyone wore a small silver necklace with a pair of dog tags attached to it.  

She wondered if the world was that dangerous. Was there such a need for so many people to be armed with dangerous weapons? 

I mean, there could be a reason... I'd feel much safer if I had a knife or something.  I might not know how to use it, but I just got to stick them with the pointy end, right?

Elegant buildings made out of a combination of wood and stone were surrounded her after a couple minutes of walking. Some had signs hanging from chains, and others had no noticeable features. One building, in particular, had a sign with three ‘Xs' hanging on the side.

Servi opened the door, walked in, and poked her head through a red curtain. She saw naked women dancing and smiling without a care in the world. A girl, probably a few years younger than Servi, waved her on over. Servi was hesitant to move forward, but her mind came to a decision a second later. The girl's body, naked except for heart-shaped stickers on her nipples, slowly swayed from side to side. Her ears were pointed, and her skin was the color of caramel. Oddly enough, her white hair didn’t look out of place. Beautiful was the only word that came to Servi's mind. When Servi saw what the girl's dripping honeypot was rubbing against, she rapidly shook her head and left, her face redder than blood and hotter than the sun.

There’s no way that thing could have fit inside her. It was so...girthy and thick... Servi shuddered, shaking her head and rubbing her eyes as she scurried away.

What Servi walked into was an open house brothel, which meant that there were no walls. Just one giant room in which sweat, passion, and fluids all intermingled with each other. It wasn’t the most hygienic, but it was the cheapest thing around if one didn't mind getting close and personal.

After she had some distance between her and the lustful building, Servi took a deep breath.  The warmness caressing her cheeks dissipated, returning them to her natural color.  Even after witnessing something lewd, Servi couldn't let that put a hamper on her ultimate goal, which was to find someone to communicate with.

Eyeing another store, Servi went inside with hope in her heart. This one had a horseshoe and hammer on its sign, signifying it was a general store. Many bottles, boxes, and oils ran down the wooden shelves, and people filtered in and out. Picking up a box, Servi tried to read it, or at least tried to understand what was inside without opening it, but predictably, it was useless.  

With a sigh, she placed the box back on the shelf. She turned around, nodding to the short hairy man sitting on a stool behind a counter. He raised a thick, rugged hand. Tugging on his beard, he spoke in an unknown language while nodding in return.  Facing defeat once again, Servi sighed for a second time and left, feeling afraid and alone.

Later, she found out that the man running the store was a Dwarf, a short and stubby race that enjoyed mining the ground for ore and forging weapons. The sun, now higher in the sky than before, was just a fragile dot. For some reason, it looked unnatural. Regardless, Servi moved a hand to her hair and pushed the black strands hiding her crimson eyes.

A gust of wind flew by, causing a much-needed coolness as sweat lightly dripped from her face. Tiny pebbles rolled down the street, only stopping when the wind did.  If only she had a napkin or rag to wipe away the sweat, glistening down her pale cheeks and into her mouth, filling it with the taste of salt.

I’m starting to get a little hungry. I didn't want it to come to this, but I might have to steal food...

After enjoying the breeze and pondering her odd situation for a few more seconds, Servi moved to continue walking down the street. But life wasn't so simple, and it had another obstacle to throw her way.

“Oops!” Servi said aloud as she turned the corner, bumping into something.  

“Ahhh!” yelped a quiet voice.

I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going! Come on, Servi, don't do anything to stand out if you can! 

A small child with dark skin and pointed ears, covered with wounds and scars, looked up at Servi. Blood dripped like water from a leaf after a rainstorm. Her eyes were as blue as the sky, but they were clouded by fear.  

“I’m so sorry! It was my fault!” Servi said as she put her hand out.  

The young girl looked up at the woman with black hair, meeting her red eyes. Her face lightly trembled as Servi smiled, and then the girl looked back at the outstretched hand. Her mouth opened, speaking something in a horrified tone, but it sounded more like a warning.

The young girl timidly reached out her arm out, but a loud noise reversed her progress, making her yank her arm back. She hugged it close against her chest. Servi looked behind the girl and saw a rather large man walking towards them.  

A vile smile formed across his face, and he brandished his weapon held in his hand: a whip, stained red with blood. The young girl on the ground looked back to the man and then back to Servi. Her blue eyes were full of tears, and terror blanketed her face. 

Servi looked around, and even though people were walking by, not a single person turned their head. They all looked down, ignoring the terrible reality happening in front of them. Were they were afraid of the man? Servi had no idea.  

The large man said something, and he lifted his arm up and brought it down. The whip made an earsplitting crack, forcing the girl to wail in fear.  

Servi didn’t need to speak the same language to understand the primal emotion oozing from the child.

The Earth Elf struggled to her feet and ran, running as fast as she could while crying. The large man followed suit, all the while laughing and cracking his whip.  

What do I do? I can either ignore it or do something. I don’t want to get hurt, though. Fuck, why am I even thinking about this? Think, Servi. THINK!!!!

“Stop!” Servi threw herself in front of the charging man, who brushed her aside with a heavy swipe. She slid across the gritty road faster than she thought. She pressed her hands into the ground to slow herself, but her gloves were far weaker than what she was led to believe. It couldn't endure the stress and ripped, failing to accomplish its one job.

“Ow!” Servi yelled in pain as she propped herself up. “Stop! Don’t chase her! She didn’t do anything!” unfortunately, her screams of protest were useless and fell on ears that didn’t care.  

Her hands felt like fire, and she saw bloody bits of skin on the road. Crimson dripped from her palms as she got up off the ground.  

The large man roared with laughter before continuing after the slave girl.  The sight of her brown skin becoming smaller and smaller in the distance tugged at Servi's heartstrings.

Shit! 

Servi looked around again and saw that a crowd had formed. But they didn’t help. They just stared and shook their head slowly, as if saying: That’s what you get for interfering in something that didn't concern you. With fear filling her heart, Servi ran.  

Fuck! He just tossed me away like a piece of garbage. I’m sorry! I’m sorry. I’m a coward. I’m sorry I’m pathetic. I’m sorry! Please be safe! 

The adrenaline coursing through her body filled her with strength as she ran. Countless people stopped and watched as this crying girl ran down the pathway. Though she didn’t understand the language, she was assaulted by various insults and slurs.  

It didn't take long for history to repeat itself as Servi soon tripped over a small pebble in the road. Dust and asphalt flew up as she slid across the ground for what felt like the twentieth time.  

“Ow….” she meekly said as she got to her feet. Not even bothering to dust herself off or check her wounded hands, she looked up at the building she fell in front of. Tears were still dripping from her eyes, and her sight was blurry, so she wiped them using the back of her hand.  

Now that she could see clearly, she noticed it was unlike the other buildings she had seen thus far. This one was constructed made of wood. Not a hint of stone or metal could be found. Even the steps leading up the building and the handrails were wooden. From what Servi saw by looking up, the building had to have at least four or five floors. Maybe more.  

Might as well pop inside... I don't know what else I can really do... 

Walking up the stairs, Servi reached out to grab hold of the doorknob, but before she did, the other door swung open, and out came two greasy-looking people with weapons on their back. A man and a woman. Both had black hair and a few scars that went across their nose.  

Matching hair and scars? That’s a bit scary.  

The man held the door open, and Servi slipped inside after muttering a silent thank you.  She wasn't sure if the man heard her.

Now inside the building, she could get a better look.  

The floor was spotless, not something she expected from a place as big as it was. Over on the left side of the room, Servi saw a wooden set of stairs leading up to the second floor. One wall had a massive wooden board nailed to it. It was divided into eleven sections, and each segment had multiple pieces of paper neatly stapled to it. A group of warriors with weapons was hastily and violently grabbing at documents filled with words she couldn't read. Servi stood there dumbfounded, only guessing what was important enough people almost came to brawls to get.  

Tables and benches covered the majority of the floor. Most were empty, but a few people were lazing about talking to their friends and family.  

Suddenly, Servi felt something cold touch her neck, and she moved out of the way.  A flash of red walked past her.

Wait, I know that red hair.  

It was the woman with pointed ears and red hair from the entrance to the city. She said something to Servi and laughed.  

“Why did you do that?!” Servi asked.  The red-haired woman puzzledly tilted her head.  She looked Servi up and down then walked away.

Was I in her way? 

Servi stared at her as she walked over to a nearby door near a corner of a wall. Next to the door, a large glass window spanned the entirety of the wall. It was separated into eight sections, with each one containing a door, a desk, a chair, a safe, and a few filing cabinets. From what Servi gathered, people would come up to the window carrying paper pulled from the wall with the wooden board. The bottom of the window contained a small hole, allowing sound and objects to pass through. 

To be honest, it was a queer design. There were eight doors for eight different windows, but the area behind the windows was all connected. Truth be told, it really only needed a single way in and out.

The woman opened the door, and a moment later, the door inside the leftmost window opened. It was the same woman.  Sliding off her grey jacket and putting it on her chair, Servi saw that she was wearing a uniform. A black blouse with a white button shirt peaked through. Black gloves and black pants covered her hands and legs. After the Elf sat down, she ran her slender fingers through her red hair, like she was parting a sea of flames.

It didn't take long at all after that for people to line up. Men and women were waiting to talk to her. They each had a paper from that wall. Next to her, there were seven more additional windows, but not including the red-haired woman herself. Only three were manned.  

The Elf looked over to her right and smiled at her co-workers. Her mouth was moving, but Servi didn’t know what she was saying.  

Well, it seems like she's popular enough. Maybe she can understand me? God, I hope so... Nah, what am I thinking?! If she understood me, then she would've said something.  But maybe there was a reason she stayed quiet? Maybe? I hope... 

Servi went and stood in line. Being the only one with no weapon made her feel out of place, and she felt her cheeks heat up at being the odd one out. But she stayed in line and patiently waited her turn, all the while hoping the Elf would be the one.  However, it didn't seem like her prayer would be answered this time.  Out of the people ahead of her, Servi only heard a garbled mess of foreign sounds.

Soon, she found herself in front of the woman and took a heavy breath. The Elf softly sighed as she picked up a pen and spoke to Servi. Her pointed ears were barely hidden by her red hair.  

“Um, can you understand me?  I don’t know where I am. Can you help me?” Servi pleadingly asked. “I’m completely lost. I really need help.  Food and water would be nice... Can you understand me? Please say you can!"

The woman stared at Servi before asking for something. At least, that was how Servi interpreted it.  She only had one thing she could hand over. 

“Wait, I know. What about this?” 

Servi spoke the word ‘Jōtai’ and handed the woman her tablet through the window's hole. Unlike the guard, the woman didn’t laugh. She confusingly accepted it and glanced it over before handing it back. Saying something else, Servi sadly sighed as she shook her head.  

With all options exhausted, Servi didn’t see a reason to stay 

With so many people in one place, I would have expected to find someone to talk to.  

She made for the door, but before she did, it flew open, and in came a group of three staring at the ground. Servi could see tears falling from their face. Their equipment was dirty, and blood dripped from their armor to stain the floor. However, anything that dared to soil the immaculate wooden flooring promptly vanished. Again, unknown to Servi, the entire building was enchanted with a cleaning spell that instantly removed any dirt, debris, or blood that came in contact with the walls or floors. 

The trio was crying, doing their best to choke down growing whimpers.

The biggest one, with red scales instead of skin, was a Koena. He walked over to a window and handed the man behind it a dog tag. The man looked at the name and sighed before taking it away. Just then, the door flew open again and in came a young girl barely on the cusp of adulthood.  

With wide eyes, she scanned the room. Once she found the red Koena, she hopped over. Servi couldn’t understand their conversation, but it looked like the big red one struggled to speak. Once he eventually got the words out, the girl's happiness drained like water in a tub with no cork. With speed, she raised her delicate hands and smacked the Koena in the face. Due to his scales, the girl suffered more damage while he didn’t feel a thing, but the girl didn’t care. That one slap had her emotions and hatred channeled within it, and for red-scaled man, it was the hardest he had ever been hit. The smack echoed loudly in the packed room, and all conversation just stopped.  

She yelled at the one she hit, but he stood there, looking downcast at the wood floor. With a final word, the young girl rushed out of the building, blinded by tears. She nearly knocked Servi over in the process.  

Of the group of people watching this, a few walked over and hugged the three.  

Servi, while a bit interested in the drama, concluded it didn't concern her. She left the building and walked down the stairs without a plan in her weary mind.

Which way was I going? I can’t remember. Well, I’ll just go this way.  

Servi chose a direction and walked.  

Eventually, the atmosphere started to change. The clean and tasteless air from before was now tainted with a horrible smell that forced Servi to gag.  

The air is so nasty here.  

Up ahead, Servi saw a wooden stall of some kind. It didn't have very many people surrounding it, but it didn't interest her.  She accelerated to a slow job, closing the distance but stopped once she sawn the sign hanging above it.

Seafood? I know I’m hungry, but that smell is making me nauseous. I don't have any money, anyways.

Keeping as much distance away from it as she could, Servi walked by it and kept going straight. Soon, she found a fork in the road. To the left, there was a large ramp descending down at a slight angle. From what Servi gathered, that led to a place she definitely did not want to go to.

Ruined houses and tents held together with frayed rope all littered her sight in that direction, but she did see something interesting. A woman with dark skin and pointed ears crouched down. A piece of bread was in the Earth Elf's hand, and she gave it to a small white dog in front of her. His tailed excitedly wagged as he chomped down on it. After he ate it, the two walked further down the ramp, with her canine friend following closely behind. Servi wondered if the two of them lived there.

That’s cute.  Servi then moved on, choosing to go the only other way in front of her.

And even more walking, Servi noticed that the sun wasn't overhead.  The sky had started to darken, but there was a bit of light left in the world.

How long have I been here? Hours? This doesn't look good for me...

She put a hand to her stomach, and the noise of it rumbling startled her.  

I really need to find something to eat before it's too late. 

With much less energy than before, Servi slowly forced her way down the road, only looking forward. Servi didn’t have any strength to waste by scouting around. 

I’m gonna have to result to stealing, aren’t I? I mean, what are the chances I’ll find money lying on the ground. Even if I did, I doubt it’ll be enough to buy food. What does the currency even look like?

As she was thinking to herself, the mouthwatering scent of beef and chicken filled the air, and Servi perked up a little. Up ahead, she saw a few wooden stalls.  Even better, the meaty smell erased the fishy aroma staining her nostrils.

She picked up her pace a little, and soon she found herself staring open-mouthed at the food.  

It looked delicious. A succulent, savory liquid dripped from a slab of meat as it sat against a wooden plate.  

The seller and cooker, a short dwarf with a black beard, had a grill next to him.  It sizzled and popped as he laid down a piece of raw meat.  Instantly, hunger-inducing scents flooded the area, which drew more and more people to his humble stall.  

He wasn’t the only one who had a food stall.  There were ten or eleven other Dwarves and Koena who commanded their own booths. Each one had their own type of food they specialized in. But out of all of the mouthwatering delicacies surrounding Servi, she only had eyes for the Dwarf and his meat.

With expertise, he flipped the meat over and began to cover it with sauce and spices. They sizzled as they landed, much to the enjoyment of the crowd watching closely.

How am I gonna steal this? There are too many people, and he’s right in front of it.  

As if someone was listening to her, a group of guards in full armor stampeded by. They were yelling and shouting, knocking those too slow to move out of the way.

Everyone, even the stall owners and those pushed down, all left and ran behind them.  

Well, I have a distraction now, but I can't help wonder what was so important? Everything was left undefended... Shit, I have to check it out now. 

Fighting off her hunger again, Servi picked up the pace and ran after the group of people.  If whatever happening was important, she wanted to see it.

Hollering and yelling, Servi had to force herself through the wall of bodies to see what they were staring at.  And she couldn’t believe her eyes. It was the Singi twins from earlier. 

She laid face down on the ground with a tiny stab wound that barely oozed blood. Her tail twitched, proof she was still alive. The boy had a bandage in his hand, but two guards stood before him, blocking his path to the girl. Both of the guards' swords dripped with blood.

One had black armor with gold writing. The other was bright silver with a gold flower etched in the breastplate. They both had on helmets, so she couldn’t see their faces. But still, it was two sets of armor that Servi would never forget.  

They stood there, laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world. The boy coughed, blood flying from his mouth. He bent down, making himself smaller as he tried to rush past the two guards.  His sister desperately needed that bandage his hands held, but he didn't have the strength to get it to her. Days without food or water were prone to cause weakness in an adult, let alone a child. He was effortlessly caught by the two guards, and they threw him back.  

The male Singi let out a primal scream of desperation, and he charged at the two guards, who just laughed and stuck out a leg. The poor boy tripped over it and fell. The guard with silver and gold armor sleuthed around while unsheathing a dagger. In a fluid motion, he stomped down on the boy's back and stabbed his foot. The battered and bruised Singi stifled a scream because he wouldn't allow the sadistic guards to hear it. His pride forbade it. The two guards laughed, but one of them sounded a bit odd.  The one in the black armor appeared to be forcing the chuckle, but Servi didn't catch it.  She was far too angry to realize something so small and insignificant.

Servi looked around at the crowd and was horrified. These people were cheering, especially the Dwarf responsible for cooking the meat that caught Servi's attention. He had a giant smile across his face like he was actually getting some sort of joy from watching a boy struggle. It made Servi feel sick to her stomach.  

Why would you ever cheer this on?! Someone needs to stop it! 

No matter how hard or loud Servi would protest, it would fall on ears that couldn’t understand her.  

But wait! I can use this as an opportunity to steal food. There’s no one at the stall right now. Servi eyed the Dwarf, whose shrill cheering sickened her.  I’ll make sure to steal his food. He deserves it.  

Servi looked one last time at the boy who fought against his cruel fate.  He knew it was impossible to give his sister that bandage, but he vowed to protect her. He couldn't stop when he was so close to his goal.

I swear I’ll come back to help you. Please, just hold on! 

With tears in her eyes, Servi made her way back to the booths full of food.

Oh, but if only Servi thought about the situation a little bit more. If she did, she would realize that there was a reason nobody needed to watch the food.