Better than finding out how the bites feel

"So... keep my to myself, right?" I ask as the guards drag the man inside of the walls. At the same time two others take the sonies back around the cart and make sure that it's empty. No more sharp surprises. After the fox, things gave it the seal of approval another one grabbed the reigns and led the wagon into the village. After a few moments the line began to move again, seemingly more smoothly. Before long it's time for us to reach the head of the pack. As we did one of the guards walk up and begin to talk with the man. It's just a young man, not much older than me. His soft features are blocked by the well crafted armor. Even noticing his age does very little to quell the dangerous aura around him. Far from the young men of my time.

"So who's the human?" The guard asked gesturing to me. "I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that he doesn't have any papers?"

"Ah, no. I'm afraid not." The man replied. "I can't say much on him, unfortunately. I found him in the forest like this. Says he fell into the river and doesn't rightly know where he is. All he asked was some help reaching the village. I..."

Raising his hand the guard cut him off. "Can he speak for himself or is he mute as well?" He walked along the edge of the cart and gestured for me to get off. After a few moments I manage to do so without disturbing too much of the man's crop. "Raise your arms, human."

I follow his orders and lift up my arms. Feigning pain as I do so. Though I couldn't feel the wounds I knew they were still visible. I could feel the sticky blood still on my shirt. As I lifted my arms I made sure to wince. Trying not to ham it up too much. "I... I don't have any way to identify myself. Just my clothes and my word." In response the guard raised his brow. Seemingly as surprised as the man was when I first met him. I remember that he too was shocked that I could speak so well. Mildly insulting...

"Is that right?" He said looking me over. Using his blade to guide my steps as I spun around and let him inspect my being. "We aren't against your folk coming in. Simply need you to have some kind of papers. Do you have any? Or are you just a wildling?"

"I... uh... a wildling. This'll be my first time to a village of any kind. I'd be happy to comply with whatever you need me to." I say trying to be as unassuming as possible. Though I can't help him thinking that I'm supposed to be dumb.

"Good." He looked up towards the man and gestured for him to move forward. "Move up, I'll take your friend here. Better to not let him moving around too freely, yet." Admittedly I was alarmed by the guard essentially taking me into custody, however as he sheathed his blade once more my nerves calmed down. "You're gonna have to go to the Hux. He'll know what to do with you." I don't really try to hide my confusion but as the young guard takes the lead I follow behind him in silence. I turn back only once as the man is being inspected and he hands the guards a small scroll. I also make a mental note to find him once inside. Letting him guide me through the gate as we make a sharp turn once inside. A small alley way that separates the buildings from the outside. Along the dimly lit path there were lanterns glowing with a soft blue light. We only walk for a few minutes but it feels like much longer. Not knowing where we were going, or to who, worried me. Before long though we came to a stop outside of one of the many buildings. Grey stone work building the majority of the structures save for the top half which shifted into wood and stucco. "Go inside, sit down. The Hux will see you soon. After that... we'll see."

I didn't bother to reply before the guard left me alone at the door. I reached out and pushed it open, inside there were more strange blue lanterns dotted around the room. The floor was sequoia along with the pillars holding up the second floor. Not too surprising considering how close the village was to the forest. The room was mostly empty save for several benches along the walls. The torches lit the room well despite their blue hue. As I step into the building I feel a somewhat familiar sensation. Though I can't place it at first it felt like when Eros gave me his 'gift'. Also still an unknown to me. Thought it wasn't the same. It felt similar but in the same way that a water fall feels to sinking into a warm bath. I walk in after the sensation comes to an end and wait for whatever the Hux wanted me for.

As I sit down on the nearest bench I feel the same sensation come over me. Only a minute or so between them. The idea of sonar comes to mind, or that of being scanned. This time the 'pulse' only lasts a few seconds. Only a moment after a bright violet ball forms in the center of the room. It shines with a strange light but for some reason it doesn't illuminate the area around it. The ball hangs in the air for a short while before slowly floating over to me. Stopping just in front of me. I reach out, hesitantly but do so nonetheless. As I do the ball retracts quickly. Dodging my attempts. "Alright." I say more confused than ever. "Are you the Hux?" The ball doesn't seem to react to my question at first. "Great... I'm talking to a hallucination." This time however the ball starts to slowly leave me. Floating across the room before it stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "O-okay." I say out loud before following the ball now.

It leads me up the stairs. With each step the floor creaks quietly underneath me. As we climb the stairs the building slowly comes to life. Small paintings scattered on the walls, all lit with the same blue lanterns. Only climbing a single story made the trip very short lived. Before long I was standing on the second floor landing and now in a long hallway going in either direction. Far to far in either direction. I can see dozens of doors spanning either way in a building that should only be big enough for a handful. Each one of the doors in view being made of different types of wood. Some larger, some smaller. All of them some kind of unique that gives them a different feel. After a few moments the ball begins to move once more. Leading me down the left path. Further and further down the impossibly far hallway before coming to a stop outside of a sequoia door. On the front was a strange glowing emblem. An eagle carrying a snake of some sort. As I step up to the door the ball vanishes at the same time. Leaving me alone in the expansive space. I reached out and knocked on the door. Though I didn't get a response I didn't seem to need one. On the second attempt to knock the door creaked open. Letting me see into a large round room. Flowers and trees growing out of the floor. A... floor made of earth. Damp dirt covered the ground within the room and though I could see the walls of the space I could also see tree branches extending far beyond the wall. The only way to describe it would be to stick a branch into a muddy puddle. Though you can't see past the surface you know that the branch goes much further than your eyes can see. In the center of the room is an older man sitting at a stone bench. Ancient rock covered in moss that is carved into the rough shape of a desk. Complete with a large book and crystal in front of the man. Much in the same way that a computer would be used.

"Please sit, human. My guards say that you're something of an oddity." The old man says gesturing to a stump in front of his desk. "From what I can see you have no papers, no name, no clan, no hope. Yet... you could see my orb? You could feel the veil. So I ask, please, come in and speak with me on these matters." His voice feels nearly as old as he looks. Each word carrying a sort of gravitas that was hard to describe. Though I didn't feel threatened in anyway I also felt it hard to ignore his request. I made my way over to him and sat down on the stump he implied. As I did the stump started to grow beneath me, rising until I was nearly eye level with the man before me. "So, human. tell me. Who are you?"