Chapter 8: Means To Be Human

"There! You're all neat and clean. But before you leave, I want your honest option." Mrs. Ocus shifted a long mirror in front of me.
I wore my old sunflower dress with and my hair was neatly tied up in a bun. I looked at myself in the mirror and give a fake smile.
"I love it, thanks so much, Mrs. Ocus." I lied.
The small woman laughed. "Please call me Neva and feel free to come to our home any time you want. I'm positive my children would be pleased to meet you."
"Yeah, I'm sure they will."
My smile fade when Mrs- I mean Neva came close to me whispering in my ear with a smirk. "You know, my oldest son is a guardian and he's a very fine swordsman. If he sees you, he might propose you to be his wife."
I felt my face turning red and my heart racing. I nervously laughed and tried to act cool, but the butterflies in my stomach wouldn't go away.
"Oh, wow, really? Are you serious?" I laughed. "Well, that's something! Anyway, I better get moving before the guild gets closed early."
As I opened the bathroom door she spoke out of team. "One moment, may I ask you this question: What exactly are you having trouble with?"
I stood struck by her words. My arms and legs felt numb as I turned to look at her. She was looking at me with an emotionless face. I couldn't tell what she was thinking. I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out.
"Should I tell her?" I thought. "No, I can't tell her not after what I heard from her. As a result, she supports her Lord, who wants to take over countries and violate human rights. Not only that, SHE HAS HER OWN HUMAN SLAVE! I can't tell her I'm from another world different from hers."
"I...lost my parents." I finally answered.
"Oh? How was that possible?" Neva asked, slowly walking towards me.
"My parents got kidnapped by bandits, so I'm on a quest to find them."
"Oh, I see. I'm sorry you got separated from your parents." She said coldly. "But there's another question."
Her hand grabbed my necklace and grazed the diamond cross before turning to glance at me. "Who do you belong to?"
I swallowed hard, my throat feeling dry. I knew I had to answer her, but I didn't know what to say. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.
Before I could respond, the maid walked into the room. "My lady, the young miss' vehicle is well fueled."
"Really? Li-Mei? That was fast!" Neva smiled.
"Yes, my lady. The motorhome is full of power and ready to start its journey. I also put her old clothes back in her RV."
"Excellent. Thank you very much, Li-Mei." Li-Mei bowed before leaving the room.
While I sweated, Neva stared at me and asked, "And you, Oddie...have a pleasant trip. I pray for your safe journey."
With a warm smile, she left the room leaving me to breathe deeply and relax. "Man, that was stressful," I thought. "I could have sworn she'd turned me in."
I was so sure I had failed. I felt relieved that I had passed, but also embarrassed for being so anxious. I took a few moments to collect my thoughts before leaving the room.
I walked down the hallway to the living room where I saw Mr. Ocus heading for the door. "Ah, Oddie- I mean Odette! Sorry, my wife keeps referring to you like that. She is just really terrible at name-calling but she called my name correctly."
"And she called the maid's name correctly?" I added.
"Li-Mei?" Ah, no. That is not her real name. Her full name is měilián Dǒng but my wife never got her name right."
I smiled and shook my head. "That's typical," I said. "But at least she can remember her nickname."
"So, where you off to, Mr. Ocus?" I ask.
"I'm off to the bakery where I work of course. Does bread can't heat itself!" I couldn't help but laugh at his joke.
"What time are you heading?" he asks.
"Right now," I replied which made the dwarf face fall.
"Now? Without the boy?"
"Uhm, yes?" I said firmly. The dwarf nodded and shrugged his shoulders. He gathered his things and gave me a long look.
"You know, that maid has been trying to convince the boy to join you on your journey. How about you let him come? He's a brave lad and he won't be a burden."
I looked at him and then thought for a moment. "Let him come with me? But does he have to?"
Then I remembered last night what he had said. "She was...everything I had left."
The only person he ever cared about was eaten by a dragon and had one to turn to. He had no one left. The loneliness and grief was palpable in his voice. He was so desperate for someone to talk to, to fill the emptiness in his heart. I realized then how much he was hurting, and I wished I could do something to help.
Like me losing my family.
I turn to Mr. Ocus and give him a nod. "Yeah, I'll convince him to tag along with me."
Mr. Ocus nodded. "Alright then, I'm off to work. Smell you later."
I smiled and waved goodbye to Mr. Ocus. I took a deep breath and walked toward Ax's room. When I reached the hallway, I saw Li-Mei walking out of Ax's room.
"Odette!"
"Li-Mei!" I called her. "Is Ax still in his room?"
"No, he just left. I just finished cleaning his old room. But when he was here, he wouldn't accept my proposal." She said sadly.
"I'm sorry, what?" I asked before Li-Mei blushed and moved her hands hysterically.
"No, no, no I didn't mean that! Li-Mei felt embarrassed for misunderstanding the context. She blushed and quickly corrected herself. "I mean, it would be safer for you to have someone accompany you."
"Yeah, I think it's a great idea for him to come along with me." I nod in agreement.
"But you're not listening to me. He's NOT interested in joining you."
I made a face in disbelief. "What! Why? Does he know humans are in danger in this country?"
Li-Mei shook her head. "He said he didn't need you. He's convinced he will be fine."
I switched my head furiously. "Agh! That's a stupid excuse!! We need him to come with me. He's not thinking clearly. I won't accept his refusal."
"Well, not me but you and I know how to persuade him to join you."
Before I could ask her how, she roughly pulled my dress collar, revealing my full chest exposed.
"If you show your cleavage, he'll come with you on your journey," Li-Mei said.
I looked at her in confusion, not understanding why she suggested such an idea. She smiled and said, "It's a way to get his attention. Men are drawn to women who are confident and willing to show a bit of skin."
I nodded and smiled weakly. "Or I could just talk to him myself."
She gave me a knowing look. "You'll never get the same result if you do it yourself. Trust me, this will work."
"It's fine! It's fine!" I proclaimed, covering my C-cup breast. "I'll tell him everything I can and if not, so be it."
"Ok but only if you can-"
Just then, Li-Mei covered her mouth then kneeled on the floor on one knee. I kneeled down for her, grabbing her hand. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Can you stand?"
"No, I'll be fine. It's just morning sickness. That's all."
I let out an O then helped her stand. I almost forgot she was pregnant. It must have been so incredibly stressful for her to be working as a maid in a stranger's home.
"Hey, um, I know this is random but what is your due date?" I ask.
She looked at me in surprise then smiled looking down at her belly. "August 15th," she said.
"Oh, wow, congratulations." I smiled.
She walked up to me and mumbled. "Now hurry up and leave. I've put the grimoire in your motorhome in the kitchen drawers. That way you can read the spells as you wish and practice as long as the wife realizes her book was taken away. And I also put a picture of the teacher who will be able to help you."
"Grimoire?" Is that what the book is called?" I thought. "And a picture of my tutor?"
"You have done so much for me, why would you do that?" I asked her.
She smiled and said, "You are a good person. I know you will use it well. After my husband was taken, I vowed to help others in need. You are part of that promise. That's why I'm helping you. Now, talk to him, before Mrs. Ocus checks her drawers."
She continued. "And here."
She handed me the glass staff with a smile. "You can use it to cast spells. It will help you on your journey. I know you'll be an exceptional mage."
I smiled at the staff. "Thanks, Li-Mei, but I'm not really planning to become a mage- I don't even know what "mage" is. I'm traveling with this stuff and learning "spells" because it's my ticket back home. This stuff I'm holding belongs to the country's ruler."
Suddenly, Le-Mei's facial expression fell. Her eyes were wide and filled with fear. "What did you say?"
"I said this core belonged to Lord Adabbon. It's a long story, but a friend of mine hid it away from everyone. As time passed, she grew old and trusted me to keep it safe from the Lord. I don't even know if I'll succeed in my mission. But I'm determined to keep trying until I find a way back. I have to believe that all this effort will pay off in the end."
I turn to her smiling. "Anyway, it's nice I told you. It feels great that I can get to talk to som-"
"Get out." She stepped back.
"Huh? What do you mean-"
"I SAID GET OUT, GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" She shouted, her face full of rage. Li-Mei ushered me out the door. I stumbled out the door, my heart racing. I was so confused as to why Li-Mei had suddenly become so angry. I had no idea what I had done wrong.
"Li-Mei! What's got into you?" I said trembling with fear.
"You must leave this city immediately! Take that demon staff and never come back!"
"But why?" I whispered still confused.
She shook my head and replied, "It's not safe here anymore. You must get out now!"
Suddenly, Neva's voice echoed throughout the house. "Li-Mei, have you seen my Grimoire?"
"GO!" Li-mei shouted at the top of her lungs.
Without thinking, I got up and dashed to my RV I quickly started the engine and drove away. I could hear Li-mei's voice fading in the distance. I was on my own now. It is unclear where I was going. I just wanted to get as far away as possible. I had no plan, no destination - I was just running away.
.
.
.
It's been hours since I left the dwarf's house. I can still remember Li-mei's anger. I can almost feel her piercing gaze on my back as I leave.
When I turn my gaze to the glass staff beside me, I ask myself, "Why did she chase me out? Is it because of this? Was it wrong of me when I told her the staff belonged to the Lord?"
In the driver's seat, I pull out a picture of where Li-mei left it and examine it. The photo was nearly forty years old because it was in black and white. It was a picture of a male in his 20s almost the same age as I am.
He had black hair, pale skin, and oddly sharp piercing in his ears, I looked closer and noticed sharp fangs. His eyes were dark and intense, and he wore a suit with a black overcoat. Judging by the clothing, it looks like an old fashion suit like it was in the early 1900s. His face was serious, but there was a glimmer of something in his eyes.
I felt a chill when I looked at it like a ghost watching me. I wondered who he was and why Li-mei kept this picture.
"Who the hell is he?" I asked myself before turning to the road until I spotted Ax walking in the distance on a sidewalk. "Oh my God, it's him!"
It's him because of the black jacket he's wearing. I honked at him hoping he would hear, but he kneeled down and covered his ears screaming in pain. Surprisingly, I got up and walked out of my motorhome towards him.
"Hey, Ax are you okay?" I offered him a hand, but he pushed it away.
"WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU HONK SO LOUD? MY EARS WOULD HAVE TO POP OUT!" He was shaking with anger.
"Huh?! What do you mean? I was just 20 miles away from you. How could you hear that so far away?"
That's because-" He stopped as if he didn't want to continue.
"Tch, it doesn't matter! I heard it and it was loud!" He yelled. "You need to have more respect for others and stop honking like that. It's unacceptable."
I called him as he began to walk away. "Wait Ax! You can't just leave me without-"
"AND WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" Ax interrupted rudely.
I froze, not sure how to respond. He stared at me, waiting for an answer.
"What? You don't remember me? I'm that girl who saved you from the dragon hunters."
He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm aware of that. I was asking your name."
I crossed my arms. "You should remember. I risked my life to help you. *Sigh* I'm Odette Miller. It's nice to meet you again Blayden Ax. Is it okay if I call you Blayden?"
"No." He replied coldly.
His response made me feel rejected and embarrassed. I slowly uncrossed my arms and looked away, my cheeks blushing. I felt a lump in my throat and had to fight back tears.
"Anyway, what do you want? I don't have all day."
He shrugged and mumbled something under his breath. I didn't hear it, but I knew it wasn't good. I glanced away, my heart racing and my stomach knotting up.
"I was just wondering if you would like to come with me? You know, like looking for your family." I mumble to the ground.
"HUH? You want me to hop on your snoopy van and search for my parents?".
"Yes," I responded. "I want to help you find your family-."
"I know where my parents are and I doubt you'll help me look for them."
I paused, taken aback. "What do you mean?" I asked.
He shook his head and said, "Nothing. Forget it."
"I won't forget it!" I yelled back. "Why won't you let me help you? We're both in danger in the crazy society we're living in!"
I put my hand against my chest, "I don't know how you lost your family but my family was kidnapped by a group of enemies and we were forced to separate from different regions and I have no idea where they are!"
"I still don't understand why you want me to tag along-"
"BECUASE WE'RE HUMANS!" I snap." We both lost family members and we're stuck in this hellish country. That's why I want you to come with me. We need to stay together and help each other. That's what it means to be human."
The male paused for a moment then looked up at me and smiled. "Odette...That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard."
I stared at him, taken aback. "Are you serious?" He laughed. "Came with you because we're humans?"
He then burst out laughing. I felt my face grow hot as I realized I was engrossed in myself.
"Listen, just because we're humans doesn't mean we're the SAME!" Ax said. "We live with our own lives, we have our own history and we have a different goal in life."
Ax stepped closer to me. "And my goal in life is to KILL that bastard who took my family away and the people of my own kind."
He moved his sleeves showing me a long sharp scar on his arm. "You see this scar? He did this to me, so I'm willing to do the same to him. Deep."
"But to do so, I need a trainer to teach me. I'm going to find someone who can teach me how to take revenge. I'm going to get my own back."
He clenched his fists and his eyes burned with anger. "And I'm doing that no matter what it takes." He said with determination.
He looked at me with determination in his eyes. He was ready to take action and get his revenge. I knew that nothing I said would change his mind. I mean of course why would he pay much attention to me when he was busy with his own life?
As I apologized, a wild wind blew out of nowhere and an old picture blew out of my pocket. "Oh my God, was that the old photo Li-Mei gave to me? It totally slipped my mind that I put it in there!"
I quickly grabbed the photo and walked back while Ax looked after me, asking what it was.
"Oh, this? this is a photo of a stranger that Li-Mei gave to me- if YOU remember her." I said waving my hair and walking off.
In a flash, Ax grabbed my hand and asked me to stop. He asked me why I had the stranger's picture and why Li-Mei gave it to me.
I looked at him and said, "It's because Li-Mei helped me find someone who could help me learn incantation and spells and THIS is the photo of him. Why do you ask?"
With wide eyes, he stared at me. "That's the guy I'm looking to train with."

Chapter end