The Wanderer's Rebirth: Other Paths

*Day 25*

What had awaited him was another expansion to his bedroom.

After he’d completed that work, and had had to endure a myriad of questions from both Fyrellia and Erys, he had expanded his bedroom so that it was about eight metres wide by twelve long, and another seven tall.

He’d also been practically gang-pressed into using [Fission] again so that everyone could at least get some cuddle time with him.

Which had been on a level of weird that he couldn’t quite describe. That he had basically cloned himself so that more women could cuddle him was probably the wet dream of too many men to count. That he was still… the same person, experiencing everything that the [Fission] did, well, that had been a bit of a sensory overload that had required each of his selves to use [Schism] and assign two Minds to keep [Clear Mind] running.

He’d also spent some time calculating the resource expenditure needed to keep up his [Fission] and realized that it was indeed possible to do, with Power to spare even. Which then had Asami poking and prodding him until he agreed to put the augmentation for more clones higher on his priority list.

Probably due to her wanting to claim at least one of him for her exclusive use….

Which, really, was understandable…. Just… exhausting to contemplate. If he’d already been… active, with the women sharing his room, he was sure that he’d need to invest more into [Endurance] and [Regeneration] if he hoped to survive through it all.

Which brought him to the present where he was sitting across from Lory in her clinic.

“Are you with me?” Lory asked kindly, having recognized that his brain had wandered off at some point.

“Sorry, yes,” he said, feeling sorry for having not been able to properly concentrate.

“It’s understandable, dear,” Lory said with a warm smile that reminded him of his grandmothers. “I hear that you now have a few more… concerns on your mind,” she said delicately.

“I… that’s an understatement,” he said after deciding to not just play it off as an inconsequential issue. “I’m not sure that I can… reciprocate their feelings,” he said, frowning slightly at the thought of leaving anyone hanging like that.

“You’re aware that polygamy is an acceptable practice in this country, yes?” she asked, seemingly trying to get a feel for where his discomfort originated.

“So I’ve been told,” he said wryly, reflexively falling back on his wry humour to deal with overly-complicated emotions.

“None of them seem to be unattractive,” she said, continuing to prod him along.

“Any one of them could cause a war to be fought over them,” he said, nodding as Lory tried to hide a smile behind her hand.

“You’re also quite young…”

“I… I guess I am,” he said, once more deciding not to argue the point seeing as how he was effectively just a few months old, biologically-speaking.

“I am obviously missing something here,” Lora said, giving up trying to prod it out of him and instead choosing to chop down the proverbial bush.

“I…” he started, not sure where to start because it was a whole cargo-plane of baggage that he’d need to open up about. “I was married…” he started, then proceeded to give a Coles Notes of, well, everything that led to him being in Kirkwall. Well, on Iria, anyways.

After a good two hours of speaking, Lory was silent for a while as she continued to study him. At length, she spoke.

“That’s more than what most need to go through, but less than others,” she said, shaking her head slightly. “Not that I’m comparing, nor should anyone compare their lives with others’ lives. No, that would be foolish.

“I’m just struck by how well you’ve aged,” she said with a glint of mirth in her eyes, letting him know that she also seemed to have the same humour habit that he had.

“I’ve been told,” he said, now smiling back at the kind woman.

“I can see why you’re hesitant to start anything new,” she said, now back to her ‘therapist’ self. “But both time and life tend to help a person heal. Not only that, but new experiences help to not only build you back up, but also help to… put things into perspective, as it were.

“Emotional and mental trauma are very difficult to deal with, let alone help someone though. But let those around you help you as much as they can. Take your time letting people get closer, but also consciously try to let people into your heart,” Lory said, making him recall the many bits of advice he’d been given over the years.

Not that they were any less valuable, far from it. No, the fact that he was now living on another world, likely in another universe entirely, really helped to add weight to her words. Heck, you could even say that he was living a new life, given what Altaea had done for him and all.

New world, new life, new circumstances. Old insecurities, anxieties, and traumas. Perhaps [Psychic Chirurgery] was going to get pushed up the list of Powers to research….

“Thanks, Lory,” he said quietly. “A person doesn’t quite get over losing their children, though. But I’ll try to move on,” he said, not meaning for the words to sting, but he did see her wince slightly.

“Nor should a person forget their children,” she said, nodding gravely. “Nor should a person let that loss drag them down forevermore.

“Do what you can and come back whenever you need to talk,” she finished with a warm smile that managed to also warm his heart a bit more.

“Thank you,” he whispered, not quite trusting his voice.

After a brief goodbye, he left Lory’s clinic and took a deep breath of fresh air. Then he looked down at the skulk of spirit foxes that had once more gathered around his feet. And in the case of Harumi, at his side.

“Hey,” he said quietly as he gave her head a soft pat and scritch. “Let’s go for a walk,” he said, then led the way south towards the centre of Kirkwall.

It had been a while since he’d really walked through the village, practically a town, he supposed. Anyways, he took his time as he went, making sure that he wasn’t going too fast for the kits that had decided to follow him. That, and the kids who had a habit of following along as well. That much fluff and fur was hard to resist for a child, after all.

The rest of the day saw him buying snacks for the kids and kits, and maybe a few for the older foxes too, but he knew that they would be fine doing without. Well, he did give a bit to Harumi, his oldest fox friend, as she curled up beside him on the village green as he told a few stories for the children.

At the end, he finished off by using [Summon: All] to bring forth a few tops to give to the little ones, aweing them in the process. Not a few hugs later, he was up and heading home, a small smile softening his features as he walked.

* * *

Ilyana continued helping Ilyenna place her needles, pinning the two pieces of cloth together so that when she started sewing everything would stay in place.

It was harder to do than most people thought, as just a slight variance in length on one side or the other would ruin the piece. Well, make it look bad, anyways. Effectively ruining it, as her pride as a [Seamstress] wouldn’t allow for such a thing to survive.

Then her thoughts turned back to the events of the day before, and she promptly poked a needle into her finger.

“Are you alright?” Ilyenna asked, eyes wide.

“I am well,” she said, smiling at the little girl. “That’s why [Seamstress’ Fingers] is such a useful, albeit painful, Skill to acquire,” she said, showing her unblemished finger to the young girl.

Ilyenna’s eyes widened again, this time in amazement, then concern as they turned to regard the needles that she was working with.

“I’ll do my best!” Ilyenna declared, her blue eyes shining with determination as she picked up a needle.

“Not right now, sweetie,” she quickly said, stopping the poor girl from purposely pricking her finger. “The best way is to have it happen naturally, by accident,” she said, easing Ilyenna’s little heart before she got her back to work.

She’d always known that the Spirit Foxes were special, having lived in Kirkwall for a few decades already. But the revelation that they had [Spirit Communication] had been more than a little bit shocking. And embarrassing.

On one end of the embarrassment were her own thoughts and feelings being read by someone. On the other end of the spectrum laid her embarrassment over having her feeling outed to so many people at once, especially Joram! It had been the hardest thing she could do to hide it from everyone after that, though she was sure that now that both she and Joram knew how she felt that things were likely to get awkward.

Not that he’d acted any differently afterwards, thank the gods! But at the same time, she wondered if she was truly in love with Joram, or if it was something else. She was surely impressed with how fast he learned and picked up the trade. She was even more impressed with how he could not only create cloth from what looked like trees, but also how he brought it all together to make something wondrous.

Even that old grump Magmyr was impressed with Joram’s progress and learning speed. Yes, the old dwarf constantly interjected that Joram still had a long way to go before he could make truly wondrous items… but she wondered at that. If he was already so good with the art of the needle, then he was surely making similar progress with the art of the anvil.

He surely had the physique to be a [Blacksmith], that was for sure….

She quickly looked down at Ilyenna and suppressed a sigh of relief that the child hadn’t seen her face go red. What would she think of her mentor if she found her to be so… flighty. Like a young maiden again….

Ilyana quietly cleared her throat, remembering that for an elf, she was still quite young. It was just that spending time living amongst the shorter-lived races threw off her inner sense of age. Heck, she remembered Celys as a teen, years before she’d gone off adventuring with her friends to escape the boredom of living in a small village.

She turned her head to look over at the viewing booth, an alcove with mirrors on three sides to help her clients get a better view of their commission. To her eyes, she didn’t look any older than when she’d arrived, though she knew that that was just a trick of her memory.

Her cheeks had smoothed out, her baby cheeks turning into the smooth, gently curving cheeks of adulthood. She looked down a bit and nodded, knowing and seeing that her cheeks weren’t the only change in her. She’d “filled-out”, as they called it here; her hips and chest gaining what men called “appealing curves”.

Not that she could compete with even Myra, but for a High Elf, she thought that she would be considered “curvy”. Well, she knew that she would be considered curvy, given that she’d trained as a [Seamstress] before leaving home.

Then her thoughts turned to Imryll, barely an adult, though already more… shapely than she was. She sighed, knowing that Night Elves had different body types than their High Elven cousins. Though, Shae’ra’s curves were unusual….

She shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts, but then thoughts of the “three gals” dropped in to replace them.

Unlike the rest of the continent, elves knew that Dark Elves weren’t “demons”; just that they had settled on the Demon Continent many, many centuries ago. For all that, she couldn’t help but envy Arise for having grown up there, a place where people were mostly left to just be people. Even slavery was next to non-existent, making her wonder which continent was truly more civilized.

Though, with what she’d heard of the new Queen of Muryn, the country they resided in, perhaps the Kingdom of Muryn would lead the way to a more civilized way of living. That said, she also heard many awful rumours about the young queen, so she kept her expectations tempered.

Then her thoughts turned once again to Joram, thinking about how unusual a young man he was. Not only did he treat “demi-humans” like anyone else, but he also seemed to hate slavery. Then her heart warmed as she recalled how he’d started the orphanage for the younglings, but also paused when she recalled his [Aura]. Then she recalled how incredibly remorseful he’d been afterwards and couldn’t help but smile.

That he had such power and still cared about others was a bit too rare for her liking. She’d heard that he was only about Level 20 now, though she found that number highly suspicious given his incredible repertoire of abilities and strength, let alone his mana pool. And that he’d somehow claimed a [Small World] of his own.

Even though she’d spoken with Avi in passing, she’d found the young woman to be incredibly… awe inspiring. From her lovely figure that she practically drooled at being able to make clothing for to her sheer presence and confidence in everything that she did. And she was also kind like Joram….

Which threw her emotions into turmoil once again as she thought of just how perfect a couple they would make, both practically pictures of physical perfection. But then again, Joram was surrounded by incredibly beautiful women. And from all accounts, he hadn’t been with any of them yet. Though, she wasn’t sure if anyone would tell even if they had been….

Ilyana came out of her thoughts long enough to help her apprentice with the next part, then promptly dove back in.

So, do I like Joram that way? Or do I just admire an exceptionally gifted [Crafter]? She mused, trying to examine every thought as she would a new bolt of fabric showcased by a trader. And as she continued examining those thoughts, she couldn’t help but feel that she’d indeed begun to think very fondly of Joram… as well as admiring his body….

This time she did sigh, though Ilyenna was too focused on her work to notice. She would need to speak with others about this to help her work through everything. Even being over 140 years old, she was still inexperienced when it came to the matters of the heart, after all.

Thus determined, she got back to work.

* * *

“So, ah… what Asami Miki said yesterday…” Qyress said, looking at Arise and Fyrellia as they all relaxed on one of the balconies facing south, facing the mess hall and new dormitory.

“Mmm?” Fyrellia hummed, looking incredibly pleased as she continued playing with the staff that Joram had given her.

“I’m sure Asami Miki misread things,” Arise said with a light sniff. “How could so many women fall for such an odd human?”

“He’s not, though,” Fyrellia said, now fully engaging in the conversation. “High Elan, I believe he said. Though, I’ve never heard of an Elan before, High or not.”

“He is nice, though,” she said quietly, wishing that Arise wouldn’t be as stubborn as usual.

“I’ll admit, he’s treated us remarkably well,” Arise said, turning away slightly as she did. “I would hate to imagine what someone else would have done to us if we hadn’t been bought by Joram,” she finished, shuddering slightly at the end.

“Well, I can imagine what would have happened, and I much prefer what’s going on right now,” Fyrellia said, nodding to herself. “Seriously. Where else would we be allowed to level up, basically walk around free, and get amazing cuddles with the very distinct possibility of more happening in the near future,” she said, practically drooling as her eyes grew a bit distant.

“I’m happy,” she said quietly as she pulled a wing forward and hid behind it slightly, embarrassed to share such a thing with others.

Arise looked at her, but didn’t say anything, which was a bit of a shock, for she normally had something so say about everything. Fyrellia, though, leaned over and gave her a one-armed hug.

“I’m sure that the young master will continue being kind to us all,” Fyrellia said with a bright smile. “And now that he can [Clone] himself, well…” she said, trailing off with a lascivious gleam in here eyes.

Qyress did blush then, imagining being able to get more than an arm to rest on. That there had been two Jorams last night had weirded her out a first, but she’d been more than happy to claim a whole side of Joram last night.

“So, are we just going to ignore the Elder Dragon in the room?” Arise asked suddenly, reminding her of the ridiculously proportioned dragon. “She’s a [Dimensional Guardian]. They don’t normally just wander around willy-nilly. What do you suppose brought her here?”

“Mmm, could have been Joram experimenting with [Dimensional Manipulation],” Fyrellia mused.

“I know that Joram is incredibly powerful, with a mana pool to back it up comparable to the [Demon Lord]. But still, that shouldn’t have attracted a [Dimensional Guardian] from so far away…” Arise said, looking a bit concerned about Erys’ presence, and what it meant.

“Wasn’t there a Dungeon Overflow incident here a while back?” Qyress asked, remembering how the Kirkwallians referred to the young master as a [Hero] for dealing with it for them.

“But why would she show up months later?” Arise asked, shaking her head. “There must be something else we’re missing. Or, rather, that we don’t know about.”

“Well, [Dimensional Guardian]s will sometimes show up if…” Fyrellia started, but stopped as her eyes grew wide. “You don’t think that they’re doing that already, do you?” she asked, now very concerned.

“We were sent out to scout things out,” Arise said, nodding slightly. “If they’re messing around with that magic, then that could explain Eris’ presence in the region,” Arise finished, making her heart go cold.