Chapter 123: Arrival

Ned knew the feeling well and he wasn't yearning for it. The feeling of heat building inside him. It was the same feeling when he, his former self and body, and Kamma took a turn and a liking in a place wherein lovers of earth tried to expose their cravings.

These were the moments that Ned decided to retain his memory even after it was transferred from his former body.

It felt yesterday, it was clear, the room, the soft flickering of lights coming from the lavender-scented candles. The smooth fabric of the double-sized bed. Their clothes were scattered on the floor. And the Eiffel Tower fading under the swooshing snow.

It was Kamma who took the led. He didn't push Ned, nor restrained him. Out of curiosity, Ned let himself free of any thoughts and embrace Kamma. Dark hair flowed behind Ned, her warm sweat triggered something inside of Ned. Steaming breath filled the room together with their thoughtful moans.

Ned wasn't yearning for it. Especially if the one in front of him wasn't Kamma or Toni.

Bones chuckled under its jaw, a green speck of light jumping inside its eye sockets, and hollow chest came into view inside Swift's—no, Toni's chest; if it was Toni at all. She screamed in joy, her eyes turned pale, and the bone-head inside her expelled a black mist. "Let me devour you, Ned!" the bone-head said, guttural and deep.

"In your dreams," Ned said, gripping the broken Butterfly and trusted it towards the hollow eye of the human-like bone. "Damn you Rassus!"

The tip of the broken Butterfly went deep inside Rassus's eye socket. Its eye spilled open, followed by a cracking sound, the bone fell one by one. But Rassus's in human-like form laughed, even harder. "Devour!" he cried. "Let me devour you, Ned!"

[Ned.]

First, her limbs, twisted twice, followed by her neck. Her head turned around like a wheel running late. Black clouds screamed out of her eyes, her ears, then her chest where the head revealed itself, even under her waist, black clouds started to enveloped her body.

Then, the smoke jumped towards Ned. Enveloping him with a wet and sticky feeling brushed Ned's skins.

She screamed together with Rassus. Even her eyes were dead. She twitched before she collapsed to Ned. The black clouds then carried Ned mid-air. He and Toni—she could hardly be called Toni with her neck cracking with bones, her eyes almost jumping out of its eye socket along with the oozing black smoke.

"Let."

"Me."

"Devour."

"You."

"Ned!"

The voice screamed. Then the black mist turned blazing orange. Followed by a boom, the cloud was split in half. Revealing Ned with the broken Butterfly and his hand raised after conjuring a spell.

She vanished by burning, and the black mist evaporated as the fire kept on scorching it.

"Ned."

Ned fell on the bed with a loud bang and opened his eyes after a soft touch took him by his shoulder. It was Fia, the curly hair attendant. She gripped Ned's shoulder.

"Ned," she said, rubbing Ned's shoulder. "You were dreaming."

Ned took a mouthful of gasped and raised his body. The sweat drenched him. He rubbed his temple and looked at the worried attendant. "More like a nightmare," Ned replied almost whispering. Ned looked up and he saw a black smoke with some sparks swirling at the ceiling made of orange bricks.

"Don't worry, " Fia said, retracting herself away from Ned, and gazed at the ceiling. "The room's array fixed."

"Did I?"

"Yes," she said. "Fireball. I was half asleep when I heard a loud noise coming from your room—"

She turned pink looking at Ned. She must have realized that she was wearing a thin undergarment. Her body curved against the unseen lamp coming from the open door. She raised her hand covering both her front and under her waist. She then rushed outside as her curly hair flattered in the air. "No damages were done," she said hurriedly under her blushing face. "See you tomorrow!" She then shut the door, and Ned heard footsteps fading away.

[Ned.]

ICE then prompted.

ICE, explain. I shouldn't have nightmares. So, why? Ned communicated within his thoughts and throw his damped body back at the bed. The sparks and smoke from his spell vanished.

Ned's body was a clone, even his mind was coded with different DNAs. Engineers made sure that his combat effectiveness was at full. But, even after he evolved and developed emotions. Ned had never had any nightmares. Not until now.

[You were not supposed to have one, Ned.]

ICE added:

[According to your brain activities. Your brainwaves were at perfectly normal conditions.]

Then, why?

[But. The nightmare was not yours.]

How? If it wasn't mine, then whose?

[It might have been the remains of Rassus.]

Might? Ned thought and frowned. I never knew you could have doubts.

[I evolve Ned. The same as how you would. My system cannot be the same as always. I need to evolve to complement with my host. Which is you, Ned.]

[There is some part of you. That I cannot comprehend, Ned.]

[After Rassus forced itself into you. Something inside you has been added.]

Or maybe lost. Ned covered his eyes with his arms. For a moment, Ned took a small glimpse at the window near his feet. And maybe, just maybe, he saw something that looked like the Eiffel Tower.

Ned shook his head while he thought: I'm far from Earth. Billions and billions of light-years away. By some chance that this world has space vessel—which I doubt—then maybe, I could leave and travel to Earth. "Kamma," Ned whispered and rolled to his side. His thoughts then went blank.

And was awoken by a knock. It wasn't loud this time. But Ned wanted to make sure. "Detect," he muttered, pulled himself up, and looked at the wooden door.

His senses detected a force, almost failing. Ned thought that after his sense of smell became heightened lately, he wondered if his detect skill would be the same useful.

The pungent smell crossed Ned's nose. The smell of old books, accompanied by a faint decaying flesh.

The person behind the door coughed and knocked.

"Ned of House Sskat," it was old man Deylan.

Ned changed to his mud-stained pants and welcomed Dey. "Is it now?" Ned said after he opened the door.

Deylan, who stood with one arm behind his back, and another holds something, a paper bag.

"I heard you won the game?" Dey said. He coughed after he said with a wheezing sound. "And, yes. It is time. Here take this."

Dey gave Ned the paper bag, which he said that it was from his attendant after he saw Ned with spoiled clothing. "It was a gift, she said," Deylan said. "She also smiled. Now, change. The caravan will arrive soon."

Ned wore the clothes Fia gave. And she seems to know Ned's taste of clothing. Black vest, laced with black leather crossing from top to his waist. Under was an undergarment, smooth and light. He wore it like the freeborn Ned saw walking in the city. Black pants, with a single pocket to his left, which Ned doesn't need at all since he got the pouch, and the brown bag. He wore the same boots, black, and belt. Ned looked like an apprentice with his new clothing. Nevertheless, he thought to thanks Fia before he left.

Which he did. At the furniture shop, there Fia stood smiling and blushed to see Ned approaching.

Ned thanked Fia by paying her one gold coin. Which she refused at first, but since Ned insisted. I don't want to owe someone, he thought after giving Fia the gold.

"The caravan will arrive an hour from now," Fia had said. Which made Ned decide to eat at a tavern not far from the furniture shop; a soup, coupled with roasted meat—which Ned guessed from Rabbi, he could never go wrong with Rabbi meat—and a slice of bread, which the attendant said made from the best bread shop ran by the best slaves. Were they hidden? Ned asked as he has never seen any slaves walking the city of Bogaressi.

Ned returned at the House of Woods, which he saw that the caravan arrived. Six carriages, All with assorted things hanging beside the wooden carriages.

The first four carriages were filled with different items, clothing, and cooking tools. The last two were where the people stayed. The carriage wasn't small, but not big either. Enough to fit ten people sitting elbow by elbow together.

But Ned was informed that he wasn't sitting inside the last two carriages. All thanks to Lord Sven. Even Dey was surprised that the caravan was supposed to be a normal crew of merchants. But when it arrived, Dey couldn't be more surprised as he saw caravans of the best merchants in the city of Bogaressi.

Ned bid farewell to Fia and Dey, and he was informed that if everything goes well. The caravan will arrive at the capital within four days, rest in every evening.

The head of the caravan, a man in his forties with a shiny beard and bald head, was informed that Ned of House Sskat was a guest of the city lord.

Ned was grateful for his current situation. None would like to talk to him, they didn't show any mockery or pity. At fourteen years old his body was that of a kid, despite that, none have the courage to talk to him. Thanks to Lord Sven.

Ned stayed inside his carriage. His bag under the wooden bench. His pouch hangs his waist, and his sweat dripped from his chin. "A hundred and fifty," Ned grunted after he finished his workout for the third day.

He took off the undergarment he wore to stop his sweat from accumulating

He worked out without wearing his tops, which made the other passengers, freeborn ladies who gave him food, looked blushed.

The next day arrived without any hindrance, it was the fourth day, the day according to Dey they will arrive at the capital.

After traveling forest after forest, swamp after swamp. Ned saw the capital's wall. At almost sixty meters. It was taller than the Bogaressi has, but it wasn't made with four sides, instead, the wall was lined with a single wall. No corners, no four edges According to the coachman, the capital stood at the edge of a cliff. The wall was made of bricks, the same as the one from Bogaressi but it was thicker and taller, and the wall was manned by hundreds of city guard, they were even visible even at a faraway distance.

The caravan waited under the sun, but the breeze was cool, which Ned reconsidered if he should take out his black in black cloak.

It was almost dawn when they finally arrived at the city gate. A towering gate stood almost thirty or forty meters high. Made of iron, lined to make a squire hole, at the side were the gears that used to lever the gate. The security was tight, and Glenn was right to have Ned his own House.

Everyone, even nobles of different degrees was asked to show their House identification. People without identification were asked to have a certification from neighboring cities, if one was a merchant, they were asked permits as well.

With a little talk and a gleam of gold under the setting sun, their caravan passed without any hindrance.

Aside from Ned. His carriage was stopped when one of the city guards asked for Ned's identification. Ned showed him the papers of his house which made the young city guard arched an eyebrow.

But, eventually, the young guard waved a hand and let Ned passed.

Ned stood and hoped to hear a crowned upon entering the city. But he also thought, that during this time of the hour, almost dusk, people should have settled down, with only merchants, some nobles, maybe hunters to walk the streets of the capital.

Ned was wrong, and Glenn was right one more. Even at Bogaressi, or in the capital. It wasn't nobles that roam the streets. It was hunters.

"Knights! Knights!" cried the man. Ned peeped in a small gap within his carriage, and he saw a man roaming the streets, crying only him knows, while a broad sword slung behind him. "Knights of Copper rank! Join and we leave now!"

"Mages! Guild Endeavour is looking for an extra mage! We prefer fire mages!"

A lady with a bird standing on her shoulder passed Ned's carriage. She wore loose garments and the staff she holds. She cried: "I need rouges! Anyone willing to enter the cave? fifty-fifty!"

"Grade D! Who wants Grade D quest!"

The crowd then ran towards the man who cried about a quest.

"Its Grade D. Should we join?"

"We should!"

"Porters!" cried a skinny boy running back and forth near the wooden billboard. "I can carry a lot! anyone wants a porter!"

Ned retracted away from the gap. He sat, and muttered as he looked the dimming lights the caravan passed: "Bogblot."