Chapter 8: Korzon Island

POV: Zarenna

Why did I give them a shortened name? Also, holy shit I was tall. That might be a problem. I wondered why these people were here. Nearly three years of waiting and fighting to survive and I’m maybe about to blow it with the first people I’ve seen!

The platinum blond, Seyari, who introduced two of them looked at me with a neutral expression and asked, “Alright, Renna, so how did you survive here on Korzon Island? Also, how did you end up here anyway?”

Seyari’s eyes were a steely gray color which seemed jarring compared to her shoulder-length braided blond hair. She was half a head taller than Lorelei and athletically built. Her leather amor had clearly seen use before, fitting her well and covered in scratches and repairs. In contrast, Lorelei was all red hair and freckles in a pale green sundress.

I had to take an unfortunate pause to remember my story. The fake one, that is. No one would believe my actual story, and if anyone did, they’d be the type to want me dead.

So, I told Seyari and Lorelei about my journey on an exploratory vessel from the northern part of the Ordian Empire. With fire magic and smithing experience, I’d come on both as a skilled worker and for potential firepower. We’d caught a bad storm and been blown off course at night. While I was up on deck to provide light, a rogue wave caught the ship. I was swept into the ocean and washed up here.

Not the most plausible tale, but it was the best I could come up with. Behind me while I talked, three men unloaded the rowboat. One of them, in a full suit of armor with the helmet off, glared at me while he worked. The others seemed skittish. Except Lorelei.

Seyari looked at me with suspicion. “What year was your expedition? I thought Ordia was busy with the civil war in the Edath region until only recently.”

Civil war? What!? My brain stopped for a moment. How long has it been? Was Tania okay? How much of her life did I miss?

“Renna. Is everything okay?” Seyari’s tone was dangerous.

Lorelei started, “Oh Sey, don’t—”

“Butt out Lorelei, Renna was just about to answer.” Seyari’s voice ran down my back like ice water.

I became distinctly aware of the discomfort I felt from cramming myself into this human glamour. The cogs in my brain started again, and by some miracle I came up with an answer that was even mostly honest.

“I—I have family in Edath.” I honestly choked up thinking about Tania. “I hope they’re okay. You said the war’s over now? I, uh, washed up here about five years ago.”

It’s been so long. Five years was a lie, but three wasn’t much better and I hoped I guessed the date range correctly. I probably looked old enough to sell it. I couldn’t stop thinking about Tania. Was she okay? What about all the people I knew in Linthel? How much had they changed? How much had I changed?

“Alright,” Seyari’s tone was a little less hostile. “What about your clothes?”

I dimly heard Seyari’s next question and almost managed an answer. “Wreck,” I pointed at the base of my rock. “Found them there. Too small.”

“Plausible. Now, tell me more about Ordia’s intent in this region,” Seyari didn’t relent.

“Okay! That. Is. Enough!” Lorelei jumped in between us (though her height didn’t block eye contact). “Stop torturing this poor woman! She’s answered enough questions.”

Lorelei was pissed, and in the other woman’s face. Seyari looked like she was about to snap back, but she bit her tongue. What shocked me, however, was that I seemed to be able to feel Lorelei’s anger. It was like an amorphous blob that had grown sharply as Seyari grilled me. I felt like I could reach out with my mind and touch it, manipulate it. I almost tried to before I remembered where I was and what the feeling might mean.

“Now!” The small redhead continued. “Let’s find a place to set up camp while the boys go get the rest of the supplies.”

“Thanks, Lorelei,” I said softly, still recovering.

“Hey, no problem, Renna! Oh, and speaking of boys, the big one in armor is Markus, the quiet one is Salvador, and the other guy is just part of the crew. I think his name is Juan,” Lorelei pointed at the others. Juan was the only one who waved back.

“Weren’t you supposed to go back to unload while Salvador and I set up camp?” Seyari glared at Lorelei but kept me in her vision.

“That was before we made a new friend. As expedition leader I need to make sure she’s comfortable,” Lorelei replied and then shouted in another language, which I thought I recognized as Cavenish. “OYE SAL!” I wasn’t able to understand the rest of what she said.

The man I presumed to be Salvador shook his head and replied. His voice was careful and metered and a bit hard to hear.

Lorelei steamrolled over his reply and seemed to disagree. After hearing Lorelei’s response, the man’s shoulders slumped and I could feel the sigh from where I was standing.

“So, Renna, do you know any good camping spots?” Lorelei turned to me.

“A few. You could stay on my rock,” I pointed back over my shoulder and volunteered my safe haven before my brain could really process how risky of an idea it was.

“Great! You look strong, so you can carry a bunch of these crates, right?” Lorelei turned to walk toward the supplies stacked at the top of the beach.

“Lorelei.” Seyari’s voice was difficult to read. Her hand hovered near the peppy one’s shoulder. “Can you take a look at her aura?”

“Huh? Oh, sure I guess.” Lorelei turned around and her blue eyes started to glow faintly.

I stopped moving. Fear must have crept through my features. There’s no way Seyari would miss my change in posture and the way my face scrunched before I could smooth it out again. What would Lorelei find? Am I just screwed right now?

The strange girl in the sundress looked me over for a good solid half a minute during which time I believe I sweated more than I had since my days working a forge.

“Huh that’s weird,” Lorelei started after the glow in her eyes faded.

This is it. I’m screwed. Do I run away? Where to? Will they go back and tell others about me even if I get away? Should I try to kill them? Why did I even think that? Of course, I shouldn’t. Was there any way out?

Lorelei kept talking while I froze, “I can’t see any aura. She looks mundane. Probably just doesn’t have a lot of power behind those flashes.”

“Are you sure? Could this mean something else?” Seyari looked at me with confusion and a hint of fear.

“I may be a powerful user of holy magic Sey, but aura sight is something I sadly have not chosen to focus on,” Lorelei shook her head.

“Renna, can you cast that flare spell again?” Seyari asked me coldly.

I hesitated. If I did that and Lorelei saw, she’d know something was up and she just said she’s strong in the type of magic I should be very weak to. She might even see I’m a demon outright. But I couldn’t get out of it, could I? What if I said I was tired; would that just delay the inevitable? Thankfully I didn’t have to answer as Lorelei came to the rescue.

“Sey, I’m tired and you’re still scaring her. We’re supposed to be rescuing her. She’s fine,” Lorelei complained.

Seyari responded after a pause, “Fine. You’re probably right, but you know it doesn’t hurt to be paranoid.” She turned to me. “I’ll be watching you.”

The walk to the base of my rock was awkward to say the least. I carried three big crates to Seyari’s two while Lorelei just had a tent under each arm. She didn’t ask me more personal questions, but the redhead did tell me that the war in Edath ended in peace about two years ago. Thankfully after my shot in the dark guess for ending up here. My prior excuse was ambiguous enough to work regardless. I probably just got lucky.

I could still feel her anger, and Seyari’s as well, but it was difficult to focus on more than one of them. I left their emotions alone. Just the act of manipulating someone like that rubbed me the wrong way. Even looking felt like I was breaching someone’s privacy. I resolved to ignore the feeling as best I could.

From her I also learned that it was now 1358, nearly a decade after the fire. I missed the rest of Tania’s childhood and the thought ate at me. I should still be able to find her, however, which gave me hope.

Seyari actually participated in the conversation as well, and asked if I’d tried to escape the island. I, truthfully, told her that I’d tried rafts a couple times but almost drowned once and I could never build a good sail. Then, just as we got to the clearing at the base of my rock, she asked if there were any dangers on the island.

I thought about scars of an old battle I had here before I established my territory. Unconsciously, my eyes darted around the clearing. Thankfully the signs were hardly visible beyond some difficult to discern burn and claw marks on trees. I wasn’t sure how much I should say. In order to not have an aura, I have to seem weak, right? How weak is weak enough? Argh, I hadn’t thought I’d ever have to answer something like this.

I replied after some consideration. “The most dangerous creatures live in the jungle. Beasts that are supernaturally strong. I got lucky once and scared one with a flash, but I’ve kept near my rock since, especially at night.”

“Good to know.” Seyari looked like she wanted to push further, but she thankfully didn’t.

“Your camp is on top of this thing?” Lorelei looked up with a pained expression on her face.

Seyari pounced on her moment of weakness, “Oh, scared of a little climb?”

“Of course not! I just don’t usually have to carry heavy things is all,” Lorelei pouted.

Seyari motioned for me to start up the trail I’d made over time. The ascent was uncomfortable. Mostly for Lorelei, but my glamour was feeling worse and worse to be stuck in. I’d practiced it from time to time, but I still didn’t have the greatest control over my human form. The drain on my mana was slow, but constant and while I could sleep with it, I sometimes woke up again as a demon.

We reached the top. Lorelei let out a soft “Wow” at what had come to be my home the past three years. I’d built a modest two-room log cabin near the sheltered lip. The roof was a thatch of palm fronds. Nothing special, but something at least. Around the clearing I’d made was a fence designed more to make noise when broken than to try to stop anything that would come for me. I’d left the trees and some flowering bushes and the result was similar to a garden.

I had a fire pit near the center with a covered bench next to it and I’d managed to find usable barrel hoops in the shipwreck which I’d made new barrels for. These were full of water under a roof extension next to the wood pile. I had a shed for food I could store and an outhouse I’d dug near the edge where the dirt was deeper. Overall, I was pleased with what I had, but was in no mood to stay any longer.

“It looks so cozy!” Lorelei exclaimed. “Can we stay in your cabin?”

Seyari looked around cautiously before hearing Lorelei’s comment. The leather clad woman looked at her companion like she grew a second head. She didn’t say anything however and turned to look at me judgingly.

“Well,” I started. “The front room should be okay, but I don’t think all your stuff will fit. You’re welcome to camp anywhere inside the fence though.”

I tried to be as nice as possible. I’d be able to block the door and close the shutters I made in case my glamour dispelled while I was sleeping. I might even be able to be able to dispel it for the night and relax a little. I couldn’t see auras through walls and I doubted Lorelei could either.

“Thanks, but we’ll stay out in the garden,” Seyari replied before Lorelei could. “We don’t want to make you more nervous.”

Her saying that made me more nervous. Was she planning something? Just in case she was, I’d need to keep my glamour active for a while longer. Ugh.

At this point the ship ride back crossed my mind. Crap, I’d need at least some privacy every few days or I’d be exposed for sure. I’m not there yet, however, so for now I’ll just stay in my rescuers’ good graces.

Another couple trips and everything my rescuers had was up on the rock. I was introduced to Markus and Salvador, the latter of which spoke Ordian haltingly. Markus didn’t speak a word, but he and Lorelei talked and soon I was given a set of clothing to keep—including shoes that almost fit! It was still men’s clothing, probably Markus’. However, after changing in the cabin I found myself much more comfortable. If anyone had seen the conspicuous arm holes in my other shirt, they didn’t say anything.

While the expedition set up camp and talked to each other in Cavenish, I sat in my cabin with the door open and thought about their expedition and what I knew of the island. That feline beast was one of several spread across the jungle. It’d fought with me twice before I’d managed to kill it.

The beast had nearly killed me, and the experience had led me to train myself to fight. I’d learned a lot about fighting with my new body over the years. I’d evolved from just punches to working in slashing, kicking, and tail slapping as well. Grappling is something else I’d worked on recently. Combined with my seemingly unlimited tolerance for heat and fire and my own innate magic, holding something and heating it was a way to win a fight quickly, albeit one that left me tired.

The other monsters challenged me after the feline fell. While I still didn’t know if I could regenerate lost limbs, I did know that I could recover from having them nearly severed. My lower right arm still had phantom pains from time to time. I killed five more monsters ranging from lizards to a bird that I’d downed with a lucky shot. I knew of at least a couple others that had likely died fighting other monsters.

The problem was that I hadn’t slain all of them. The only remaining one I knew of, an immense red-scaled fire lizard, made its home on the north side in a cave system near the lava flow. Lorelei had mentioned they were looking for ruins earlier, and that was the only place I hadn’t explored. Unless what they were looking for was completely buried or small enough to miss, it had to be there.

The thing was immune to fire just as I was, and its physical might exceeded my own. The lizard seemed able to reinforce its scales magically, so I couldn’t do more than superficial damage. Thankfully, it seemed content to control the whole island while I had the peninsula and rock to myself.

If I warned my rescuers, they would find out I had encountered the lizard and at least lived. I don’t have a scale to understand how dangerous these things are though! The monster has to be at least somewhat deadly, but maybe fighting the creature will be a walk in the park for this group. If it’s not though, that could raise questions I can’t answer. I made up my mind just as the group finished making their dinner. The sun was setting and we, yes, we (Lorelei was very clear to Seyari and the others about that) were to head out at sunrise.

Despite my lack of notable magical aura, I was clearly physically strong, I knew the land, and I could cast a big signal flare. It had been decided I should tag along, though some in the group clearly just wanted to keep an eye on me. I didn’t argue against going with them. Lorelei at least seemed very nice and I’d not turn down a chance to make friends. Even if I had to constantly lie to them. The thought hurt, but before I could spiral down that line of thinking, Lorelei spoke up.

“Hey Renna, do you want some?” Lorelei invited me over to their dinner by the fire with a smile on her face.

The four of them looked over at me. Salvador looked wary, Markus seemed neutral, and I couldn’t get a read on Seyari’s expression.

“Some of this stuff is yours anyway, but you said that was okay right? I just couldn’t resist some fresh fruit after a month at sea,” Lorelei continued.

“Sure.” I walked over and sat down next to the slim girl who’d changed her sundress for practical traveling clothes.

It felt nice to move around in clothing that at least somewhat fit me. I had given up on regularly wearing the other set after the first couple days. I’m glad I didn’t develop a penchant for nudism. What they’d cooked up amounted to hydrated rations including dried meat and hard tack with a fruit salad.

I took the offered bowls. “Thanks, Lorelei. These ones are my favorite.” I pointed to the familiar white fruit chunks in the bowl.

“Oh, the northern mangosteen? Yeah, it’s great, and I also love the soursops you have. I’d read about them, but it’s my first time trying some,” Lorelei replied eagerly. “I think you had one fruit in there that went bad though. A durian I think it was called? The big spiky one.”

“It seemed ripe to me,” Seyari countered.

“Are you sure? I know you sailed around a lot before you joined on and probably ate a lot of fun things, but it was really rank,” Lorelei made a face.

“Durians, huh.” I was glad to have a name for the fruit. “They’re always like that. They’re great once you get over the smell.”

I’d thought myself they had gone rotten or were toxic for the longest time. However, after seeing about damn near everything on the island eating them, I gave one a try a few months back and found a new favorite.

“So, Renna,” Seyari changed the subject. “You’ve lived here for a few years. Have you seen any settlements or ruins on the island? Lorelei already told you we’re here to search for them.” The glare she shot Lorelei could freeze water.

Lorelei was unaffected. “Oh! Have you seen any demons? There are supposedly demons here,” she added before I could answer.

“I don’t know about any ruins. I haven’t been around all of the north side of the island though. There’s a big red-scaled fire lizard thing I saw from a distance that I think lives over there,” I replied.

“Fire lizard? Did it shoot fire, or was it on fire? What if it’s a dragon?” Lorelei was at the edge of her seat. An impressive feat considering she was sitting cross-legged on ground.

“There’s no way it was a dragon. No one would mistake one for just a lizard,” Seyari seemed interested.  “How big was it?”

“Uh, not quite two meters tall and the body was probably six meters long without the tail,” I responded, then quickly added, “and I’m sure it wasn’t a dragon, but it was on fire along its spine.”

Like most people, I’d never seen a dragon, but I’d read stories with dragons in them. If dragons were only the size of that lizard, those stories would have been a lot more comedic. What I saw didn’t even have wings!

“It might be a demon then,” Seyari said seriously.

“Wait, really?” I asked incredulously.

“Yeah! See, some animals have magical affinities, but it doesn’t sound like any species I’ve heard of. Also doesn’t sound like any monster I’ve heard of, but who knows?” Lorelei set her finished bowl down. I have no idea how she managed to make it disappear while talking so much.

“Why a demon and not a monster then?” I looked at Seyari.

She looked back at me, “Because our information was quite clear there would be at least one on the island, and it’s the most likely candidate.”

It didn’t take a genius to figure out what Seyari’s stare implied.

“Yeah! If it’s a demon, we’ll hunt it down no matter what! I’m sure you know, Renna, but demons are always evil and must be destroyed or they’ll cause more and more harm.” Lorelei’s look was completely innocent, but her zealousness sent shivers down my spine.

Conversation died down while the rest of us finished eating. Not understanding Ordian, Salvador and especially Markus had been left out, and I presume would be told the important parts. All of them at least seemed to be warming up to my presence. Markus particularly relaxed when it was made clear that Lorelei was comfortable around me. However, now I knew I needed to be careful around Lorelei. Before, I wanted to tell her what I was at some point to get help during the trip back, but I definitely can’t. I can’t tell anyone.

The expedition members returned to their tents and I retreated to my cabin. The fact they set a watch and that the watch included my home was not lost on me. I passed through the front room I used both as a sitting room for what little furniture I had built or scavenged, and entered my bedroom. The two doors in the cabin were by no means perfect, but the hinges I had looted from footlockers held up well enough.

The outer door had a crossbeam I put up and I closed the improvised shutters. Laying back on my bed of feather-stuffed mismatched fabric (I was lucky to find a needle on the ship and luckier still to have been taught some things by Abby years ago) I stared at the roof above me and thought about the day. Rescue was finally here. The day I’d dreamed about for years. Scratch marks on the walls told the days. I’d make another one tomorrow and it would hopefully be my last.

Perhaps I’d make a few more depending on how the expedition went. This should have been a moment of elation and celebration, but instead it was tense and nerve-wracking. I just wanted to be myself damnit, and not hide behind this glamour. Still, I couldn’t blame them for judging me. I’d never heard of a demon being anything other than evil. I thought about why that might be and how the truth might differ as I drifted off to sleep.