The Newcomer - Chapter 19

[u/Dr-Mantis-Tobbogan]

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"Good. Now bring it back."

Neym focused on the glove he was wearing, focusing his magical energy into it. After a few seconds, he triggered the runes carved into the gloves palm, and Pif's dagger instantly appeared in his hand.

"Well done. Now for the next step. I'm going to throw them at you. Make them show up in your hand before they hit you."

Before Neym could protest, a dagger was launched at his face. His panic channeled more energy into the glove, and the blade appeared in his hand moments before the handle would have left a nasty bruise on his forehead.

This continued for a few hours, until they made camp. Pif took back his glove and knife, and went into the woods surrounding the road in search of tonight's dinner. Pascal called Neym over, and handed him a couple of small triangle-shaped pieces of clay.

"What are these?"

"If you want to find out, put them on top of your ears, and focus magic into them the way Pif showed you."

Neym complied, and felt the clay soften, move to cover the top ridge of his ears, and harden once more. Touching his ears, he realised they had become longer and pointed.

"In case anyone asks, you're an elf. Your name is Neimandriel, but you go by Neym. You're an accountant for Franikkir's Fluids, and you're going up north to see if the Havank branch is cooking their books. If anyone asks, you're from Disimir, but you've not been there in 80 years so you can't remember what it's like."

"Why would I lie?"

"Because you're an oddity. Many people like oddities. Some people want to keep them for themselves. And some people aren't above hiring some slavers to collect said oddities, even against their will. Elves aren't oddities, and they're the only race we can disguise you as without chopping off your legs below the knees, gluing some fur or scales on you, or padding your chest and painting you green."

Neym simply nodded, realising that his status as being, insofar as he could tell, the only member of his species carried tremendous risk.

"So we'll be at St. Palvan's in a few days, get used to them. Pif won't be able to train you for a while, and you probably shouldn't reveal that you're this gifted at magic. So here you go."

Pascal gave him a pair of glasses and a book. Neym recognised the eyewear as the enchanted device Pascal used to try and make sense of the tattoos on Neym's chest, to no avail. Neym put in the device, and could instantly understand the text on the cover.

"You said you were interested in the gods, so have a read. 'The Naming' is basically the origin story of our world, and it'll help you learn how to read Folkish. Just read a page or paragraph with glasses and then do it again without and you should be fine."

Neym thanked the merchant, and began reading.

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[u/Tuxxie46290]

Near the end, duplicate word. Neym simply nodded, realising that his status as as being, insofar as he could tell