A Fool's Goddess - Chapter Twelve
When my eyes opened again, I didn’t know what to expect. Following the common belief, I would have thought I was to be greeted by a divine light and hear the soft words of the Gods. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if I was instead dropped into an endless emptiness to drift for a silent eternity. It’s not like a letdown like me deserved better.
But I saw neither of those things. Instead, I found myself in what appeared to be the room of someone’s house.
Just like the moments before I passed out, I still couldn’t move, but it now felt like I was tied down rather than having lost the use of my limbs. In addition, I was warm and significantly more comfortable. In fact, it felt like I was lying on a bed. I still had a bit of pain from my head wound, but it was reduced to the point of negligibility, and even my stomach cramps had gone away. The air was pleasantly dry and smelled like spices and tea.
Honestly, this wasn’t half bad at all. Maybe I actually did die and go to the Pleasant Lands. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to investigate a little before accepting I had gone to the afterlife.
“Hello?” I croaked as loud as I could manage.
My throat felt worn and ragged, but at least my voice worked. I listened carefully for a response, but heard nothing.
I was stuck staring up at a wooden ceiling. I tried to move, but whatever had been used to restrain me was appropriately resilient. I still felt too weak for continuous struggle so I quickly dropped the idea. If I was going to get out of here, it would likely be after someone decided to let me free.
But if this was the Pleasant Lands, I could tolerate being tied down for a bit. Maybe I could finally meet with Tornara face-to-face like this, or even see Chen and Master Malka again. Hopefully someone would come along soon to clue me in.
“Hello? Is anyone there?” I called out again.
My throat caught on the last word and I fell into a coughing fit. I didn’t realize how thirsty I was. But amidst my hacking, I heard what sounded like a gasp, followed by a young boy yelling.
“Mama! The man’s awake!”
Before I could stop coughing and reply, I heard the barefoot pattering of a child running away. Soon after, a different set of shoed footsteps approached me. The steps’ owner didn’t enter my field of vision, but I could feel they were now standing next to me.
“Easy there, what’s the matter?” asked a woman, her tone only slightly tinged with concern.
“W-water…” I managed between convulsions.
“Alright, gimme a second.” I then felt the nozzle of a waterskin press onto my lips. “Here, drink.”
I latched on. Cool water flowed into my mouth, revitalizing my throat. I let go to cough again, sputtering droplets across my face, but then went back for another drink. The woman thankfully obliged me, and I ended up emptying the canteen.
I took a few moments to breath, then said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
I noted the woman had an accent I wasn’t familiar with, though I would assume I hadn’t somehow gone into another country considering we spoke the same language. And going from the timber of her voice, the woman couldn’t have been much older than me.
The room filled with silence. I couldn’t tell if the woman was trying to think of something to say or waiting for me to begin. Assuming it was the latter, I spoke first.
“Am I dead? Are you Tornara?”
There was a pause, then she answered, “No. To both of your questions.”
On one hand, I was relieved. On the other, that meant there were a lot of questions I now needed to ask, and taking into account how I was tied to a bed, I would guess I had an equal number of answers to give my unknown savior.
But at least I was still alive. That meant I had kept my promises to everyone. As problematic as my current circumstances might be, I took solace in that I hadn’t completely failed my friends yet.
“Ah. Where am I?”
“Tresety village. My house, specifically.”
“Tresety?” I had never heard of it. “Is that in Diesor?”
“Yeah, by the coast.”
“The coast? You mean on the eastern side of the country?”
“Yup. I take it you didn’t mean to come here?”
“No… well, maybe. I didn’t have a destination in mind, I just needed to…”
I trailed off. I still didn’t know who this woman was or what she knew. She could be with Asa’s group or perhaps dangerous in her own right. My senses felt dull, but I at least had the presence of mind to stop there.
However, I could tell my unfinished sentence didn’t go without notice.
“Where did you come from?” she asked, her voice now filled with suspicion.
“… Dostyn.”
“Don’t gods damn lie to me, son.”
“I’m not. What makes you think that’s a lie?”
“Dostyn’s at least a four day’s ride away from here, and we didn’t find any horse with you. How long were you on the road?”
“Hm… five… no, six days…? And I was never on the road. I was lost in the woods and trying to find my way out.”
“You were lost?”
“Yeah. I went into the forest and I couldn’t find any roads. I thought I’d find the highway eventually, but then I-”
“-passed out and were brought her by us,” she finished for me. “Why’d you run into the forest in the first place?”
I didn’t answer. I still didn’t know where this woman stood as an ally or an enemy. She picked up on that immediately.
“Alright, jackass, let me spell a few things out for you. You asked if you were dead? Well, you aren’t, and that’s because we found you and cleaned up that bump on your head. So that means you owe us. And in case you haven’t noticed, you’re tied to the bed. I would hope I don’t have to elaborate on how that means it’s in your best interests to tell me everything, and to do so truthfully.”
Well, that explained a lot of questions I had, though this woman could have put a hammer to shame with her bluntness. She might as well have told me I was her prisoner.
However, I could concede there was little point in being obstinate. Even if she was being rude, I did owe her at least a bit of honesty for saving my life. Moreover, I didn’t need to make her like me. We just needed to come to the agreement that I wasn’t dangerous.
“Sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean any disrespect. I just don’t know who you are or what’s going on. I don’t know if there’s something I’ll say that’ll get me killed, so I’m afraid of sharing everything.”
“I suppose that’s reasonable. But let me put it this way: saying nothing will get you into a world of shit. If you can’t tell me otherwise, I’m gonna have to assume you’re a threat and deal with you accordingly. Understood?”
“… Understood.”
“Good. Now, how about we start from the beginning? If I like what you tell me, I’ll consider untying your head. First, tell me your name. I’m Tzofiya, the mayor of Tresety.”
“I’m Lior, a sculptor from Dostyn.”
“Tch. Now see, you’ve already gone and lied to me again, son.”
“What? No, I didn’t! And I haven’t even lied to you once!”
“I don’t know if you think I’m an idiot, but I know damn well what a sculptor does. They make statues and such.”
“Yes, and that’s what I do!”
“You dumbass. Then explain why you were carrying a painting.”
I barely held back an exasperated groan. What kind of logic was that? There could be a million explanations for why someone was carrying a painting, so how did she come to the conclusion that meant I wasn’t a sculptor?
“That’s an important possession of mine,” I explained.
“That you painted, right?”
“No, I don’t know how to paint, not really. Look, where’s my tool belt? It’s full of chisels, hammers, and picks. With the exception of the one brush, those are all sculpting tools.”
A second of silence passed, then I heard Tzofiya take a few steps and rummage around in something, presumably my tool belt. A moment later, she came back to the bedside.
“Alright, looks like you’re probably telling the truth. Maybe things won’t have to go south here.” She sounded awfully smug for someone who didn’t think to check my things before interrogating me.
“Why would I lie about that?”
“You tell me. Moving on, why’d you leave Dostyn?”
Tzofiya’s high-handed suspicion was grating on me. If she wanted the truth so badly, then she might as well hear my cruel reality.
“The studio I worked at was attacked by religious zealots because they thought we were supporting the Ventilian faith. They were apparently attacking several places across Dostyn that day to expose “heretics”. They killed my master, my best friend, tried to kill me, set the studio on fire, and claimed doing all of that was the will of the Gods. They then chased after me when I managed to escape the burning building.”
I could just barely hear Tzofiya murmur, “Holy shit.” Then, at an audible level, she asked, “So how the fuck did you manage that?”
“I jumped out of the second story window onto a neighbor’s roof. From there, I climbed down to the streets, but the bastards found me immediately. I just started running after that.”
“How’d you end up in the woods by Tresety then?”
“I ran out of the city and into the forest. I didn’t know my way around there, but I needed to get away from the zealots. I then got lost and wandered through there for six days until I… passed out, I guess.”
Tzofiya let out a sharp laugh. “That was mighty dumb of you, son.”
“I didn’t try to get lost. I thought I’d find the highway long before I’d collapse.”
“There’s no highway to and from Tresety, unfortunately. It’s a miracle you ended up tripping on a rabbit trap one of our hunters set. You’d be vulture shit by now if we hadn’t found you as quick as we did.”
“How long was I out?”
“I’m asking the questions here,” she growled, before transitioning back to a softer tone. “But yeah, it’s been three days since we found you.”
Nine days. It had only been nine days since Master and Chen had died. It seemed like it was just yesterday that I had been in that burning studio.
“Where’d you get that knock on the noggin?” Tzofiya asked.
“One of the zealots, this bastard named Asa, hit me with a mace. He thought it killed me, but I guess it wasn’t enough. It only knocked me unconscious.”
“Thing got infected, though. It would have killed you eventually if it weren’t for us. At least your skull seemed to make it through in one piece.”
“Well, I guess it paid to be so thick-headed for once.”
“Snrk.” It sounded like she tried to suppress a laugh. “Ahem. So… why’d the zealots attack your studio in the first place?”
“Because I kept making sculptures of a Goddess they didn’t recognize. They thought she was the Ventilian god and assumed we were spreading their faith.”
I wasn’t going to bother hiding anything. It didn’t sound like Tzofiya was associated with Asa’s group, so I decided it would be best to out my peculiarities now. If anything, she’d probably let me go sooner just to get me out of the village.
“By Goddess, you mean this “Tornara”, right?”
I was a bit stunned she had figured that out. “Y-yeah, that’s right. Do you know her?”
“Some sort of sixth God of the pantheon, yeah? The “Goddess of the Afterlife”?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Where did you learn that?”
“I read it in that book of yours.”
“… Wait, you read the book but didn’t check the rest of my stuff to figure out I was a sculptor?”
“… Shut it, asshole, I’m asking the questions. So tell me, I’ve never heard of this Tornara, and your book made it sound like people went nuts over her a long time ago. Why the hell would you want to sculpt her?”
“I can tell you my reason, but you’ll definitely think I’m crazy then.”
“You can be bat-shit insane for all I care. It won’t matter while I have you tied down.”
“Fine then. That painting is where I first saw Tornara, at an auction five years ago. I was enamored by her image so I bought it along with that book. And as I learned more about her, I fell in love. Tornara lost her status in the pantheon because people misconstrued her wishes, so I wanted to help her regain her former glory by sharing her beauty with the world and proving she had always been a benevolent deity.”
“Wait, you’re in love with her? A Goddess?” Tzofiya chuckled as if she thought I was leading up to some kind of punchline.
“Yes. I know that’s baffling, but those are my feelings. Tornara led me to meet my best friend and my master, both of whom helped me understand myself and my love. She helped me find the greatest days of life and protected me through all the dangers I faced. Even after I blamed her for my companions’ deaths, she still watched over me and kept me safe in the wilds. I believe it was her who led you to find me and save me. So yes, I love her more than I can ever hope to express.”
Seconds ticked by in silence. It was a bit irritating that my head was bound so I couldn’t see what kind of expression Tzofiya had, or even what she looked like.
“Wow, you really are crazy, son. You sure you’re alright in the head?” she eventually mocked.
“I can’t see where I got hit, so you tell me.”
Tzofiya almost laughed again. It seemed she wasn’t very good at playing the hard-boiled interrogator, despite her harsh words.
“But no,” I continued, “I truly believe what I said. I don’t know how to explain it, but I can feel her watching over me. I know she’s done everything she can to protect me, so I can’t help but love her. And in a way, I feel like she and I are alike. We both have lost everything because people let their faith drive them into a frenzy. I was infatuated by her beauty, but I love her for who she is. She is, in a word, precious to me, beyond all measure.”
Another moment of silence, then Tzofiya said, “Okay. I believe you. I don’t think you’d say such weird shit if you were trying to lie to me. But now I get why you warned me first.”
“Believe me, it wouldn't be the first time I ruined my own reputation.”
“Alright, alright… Well, as promised, I’m gonna untie your head. I’m gonna keep the rest of you bound for now, though. You don’t seem like the violent type, so I’d like it if you didn’t make me regret this decision.”
“I won’t. I’d like to get out of your hair as soon as possible too.”
“Well, then let’s try and make that happen, huh?”
With that, I felt a bit of tugging across my chin and forehead, then loose ropes being pulled away. I tested moving my neck and popped a stiff joint. As she said, the rest of my body was still tied down, but it was nice to be able to move a little bit.
“I’m gonna stuff a pillow under your head, so you can finally look at me while we talk, alright son?”
“I appreciate it, thank you.”
An arm reached towards me and pulled my head up. A thick pillow was then placed under my shoulders, propping my neck up so I could finally survey the room.
I first noticed that everything seemed to be made of wood. The walls, the furniture, even the cups lining a shelf. Nothing like Dostyn or Unoph where ceramics and stone were the preferred style. The only familiar item was Tornara’s painting sitting on top of a dresser, which was quite relieving to see. Glancing down confirmed I was on a bed, but I couldn’t see the ropes binding me as I was covered with a thick, tartan blanket.
And to my left stood a woman, assumably the mayor of Tresety village, Tzofiya.
I had some suspicions based on the elevation of her voice, but seeing her confirmed she was rather short, up to my chest at best. She had curly blond hair that fluffed around her shoulders, and her face was round and friendly. Her eyes were narrow, but they shined with a bright hazel and had freckles dotting the skin below. She wore fur-lined clothes that bore similar designs to the blanket I was under, complete with a scarf hanging loosely around her neck.
Tzofiya stood there with her hands on her hips, thrusting her chest out. It almost felt like she was trying to appear more imposing for my first impression of her. Maybe it was her height combined with how she looked younger than me, but her pose came off more like a kid playing around than an intimidating power stance. I probably would have questioned if she was actually the mayor if I wasn’t still at her mercy.
“So, moving along, if I was to let you go, what would you do?” asked Tzofiya.
“Uh… hmm…” I would have said leave immediately, but then I would just go back to being destitute in the middle of nowhere. “I guess I’d see about getting some food for the road and finding the best way to get to another city?”
“Not a bad answer, but it’s the wrong one.”
“There was a right answer?”
“You bet your sweet bippy. The first thing you should be looking to do is pay us back for saving your dumb ass.”
I guess that made sense. They did save a complete stranger from death. However, I also didn’t ask them to do it. It was their choice to not leave me on the ground, not mine. Telling someone they owed you for something you forced on them just wasn’t reasonable.
But… I unfortunately had my decency. I probably could have made an argument about altruism to try and slip out of paying her back, but I dropped the idea. I just wasn’t keen on shorting someone who’d shown me goodwill, especially when death was the alternative.
“You’re right,” I agreed. “Sorry, I guess I thought it would be best for your village if I left as soon as possible. What can I do to repay you?”
“Huh. Can’t say I expected you to concede so quickly.”
“One good turn deserves another and such.”
“Looks like you know your manners. Good on you, son. Anyways, yeah, the medicine we used on your wound ain’t easy for us to get our hands on out here. We ended up using all we had, so we’re gonna need to buy some more to replace it.”
“What kind of medicine was it?”
“Some sort of salve that clears infections. Our shaman’s the one who deals with that stuff so you’d have to ask him. You’ll want to thank him too, since he’s also the village doctor and pretty much the guy who saved you.”
“Of course, I’d rather not disgrace myself. I don’t think I could handle a shamin’.”
I knew the pun was beyond awful, but I kind of wanted to see if I could make Tzofiya laugh again. While she didn’t make a noise this time, she turned away and I could see the sides of her face reddened from the effort at holding something in. She was probably a fun person to talk with when she wasn’t holding you hostage.
“A-anyways,” she said, “I’ll introduce you two later. First, we need to figure out how you’ll earn us back the coin we spent on you.”
“I don’t suppose your village has need of a sculptor?”
“Well, look at you, you’re catching on!”
“Ah… this was your plan from the start, wasn’t it?” Or at least from when you figured out I was a sculptor and not a painter.
“Precisely. I’ll be upfront, son; we don’t got shit to offer in Tresety,” Tzofiya tossed her hands up with resignation. “We’re barely a hundred strong and the only things people stop by here for are fish and directions to the nearest port. Because of that, we’re poor as dirt and can’t even afford pottery or such. Our only potter died a decade ago and he didn’t teach anyone his trade. Since then, most of the pots and stuff he made have broken. Storing food for the shittier months is damn near impossible like this, so you’re gonna change that for us.”
“You know, you don’t need to be so thuggish about it. If you just asked from the beginning, I would have agreed.”
“I needed to make sure you had some character first. I’m not about to let a robber or some other breed of degenerate loose in Tresety.”
“But you’re fine with a nutcase who’s in love with a Goddess.”
“Weeell, normally, no, but that’s another reason I’m gonna have you meet our shaman. He was the one who really pushed to keep you alive. He claimed he could feel some spirit watching over you, and that was long before I read your book or you spouted all that nonsense about your Goddess. He was saying you were special and that you were gonna help our village somehow. Now, I’m not big into this sort of spooky prophecy bullshit, but my people love the shaman, so I’m inclined to listen if he thinks you’re worth a damn.”
I would have wanted to meet the man just to thank him for saving me, but now I was thoroughly intrigued. Was he able to discern Tornara’s presence? I needed to speak with him, to find out what exactly he was feeling and if there was more he hadn’t spoken of yet. I had every intention of agreeing to Tzofiya’s proposal, but this only incentivized me further.
“Well, then I’m equally inclined to speak with him. Ms. Tzofiya, I promise I won’t do anything to harm your village. And I wholeheartedly agree to provide my services to pay for the help you provided me.”
“Huh. What if I’m lying and our shaman said nothing like that?”
“I don’t think you have a reason to lie about that, but if you were, that doesn’t really change my situation. I’m still indebted to you.”
“Not bad. Alright, then we have a deal. We can shake hands later.”
“Then, if I may, can you tell me more about this shaman?”
“Not much to say, to be honest,” she shrugged. “He’s been tending to our village for a couple decades now. Apparently, he comes from a whole village of shaman who wander the land looking for places to settle into and help out. He doesn't even have a name anymore since he gave it up back before he left his home. He even told me he had to make a bunch of vows and get castrated too.”
“Ouch. Sounds kinda extreme, but I guess he can’t be a dick to anyone like that.”
That one made Tzofiya guffaw loudly, and I smirked a little myself. It was nice to be able to talk to someone again, even in a situation like this, though it was especially gratifying to make someone laugh.
It almost felt like I was just messing around with Chen again.
“Okay, son, you’ve gotta stop with the damn jokes!” Tzofiya managed between bouts of laughter. “I came in here to grill you, not listen to your fucking comedy routine!”
“It’s not my fault you were more serious than you needed to be.”
“Well, what kind of man starts kidding around when he’s in deep shit like you are?!”
“A habit I picked up from an old friend, back when things weren’t going my way. When I left my first master, I was scared, but he taught me how to laugh in spite of my troubles. It helps me relax and handle things calmly, and apparently it can make other people smile too.”
Despite how I tried to explain things in an upbeat manner, Tzofiya seemed to pick up on the underlying heartache. She stopped giggling and lost her grin.
“… Was he one of your friends who got killed?”
“Yeah.”
“Damn… Listen, I didn’t say it earlier, but I am sorry for what happened to you. Losing buddies is never easy, and being chased out of your home to boot… shit just ain’t fair. You’ve got my sympathies.”
“I appreciate it. But it’s thanks to you, I can fulfill my last promise to them.”
“Oh? And what was that?”
“To keep living. To be honest, I wasn’t sure it was okay for me to survive when they hadn’t. But… it felt just as wrong to let things end there, so I vowed to keep living for my friends as well. That way, it’s sort of like a part of them gets to keep living through me.”
“You’re a bit of a poet, ain’t you, son? But yeah, only a selfish asshole would want his friends to go down with him. It doesn’t sound to me like they were those sorts of people.”
“They weren’t. Just the opposite.”
Master Malka stepping in front of me flashed through my mind. I winced.
“Then I think you’re doing what’s best for them and yourself.”
“I hope so. I still wish I could have spent more time with them.”
“Well, it might be the duty of the living to remember the dead, but at the same time, we can’t mourn them forever. It’s hard to see now, but they’d want you to keep living, not just surviving. Try to keep them in your heart while you continue to be the person they were so happy to have known, alright?”
I almost shot back with a biting comment, but managed to hold my tongue.
It was far too soon for me to think about moving on. Even if Tzofiya meant well, I didn’t need to be reminded that dwelling on their deaths wouldn’t change anything. They were the most important people in my life for the past half a decade, a week wasn’t nearly enough time for me to get over their loss. The holes left in my heart were just too great.
No matter her intentions, this wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have.
“… I’ll keep that in mind for later.”
“Alright. Just remember that staying miserable won’t bring anyone back.”
“Speaking from experience?” I bitterly sneered.
Tzofiya’s previously accommodating demeanor fell away, leaving behind a scowl that was one wrong word away from boiling over. She glared at me, daring me to say such a word.
“Sorry,” I said, looking away. “That was rude of me.”
She maintained her scalding expression for a moment longer. “Forget it. I shouldn’t have said anything in the first place.” Tzofiya then sighed heavily. “Anyways, since you agreed to help us, I’m gonna finish untying you. After that, we’ll go meet the shaman.”
“Alright. Thank you for trusting me.”
“Who said I trust you, dumbass? Just don’t be stupid once you’re loose.”
“Too bad taking the ropes off won’t make me any smarter.”
She didn’t laugh this time.
I cursed internally. It was obvious I had ruined Tzofiya’s mood. I wasn’t too happy after her attempt at counseling, but I didn’t mean to piss her off instead. It was especially frustrating since I thought we had otherwise been getting along rather well. I’d have to keep my eyes open for an opportunity to smooth things over. I had no desire to remain on the shitlist of the lady who was essentially my new employer.
Just like before, there was a tugging on my bindings, followed by sudden looseness. I then went to move my arms, but quickly learned that they hadn’t only been bound to the bed. In addition, my arms and legs were also tied to each other. Whoever had done this was cautious to the point of paranoia.
“One sec, I’ll get the last ones,” said Tzofiya.
Without warning, she reached over and pulled the blanket off of me. That shouldn’t have been a problem, but it made me suddenly aware that I was naked. I didn’t even consider that they might have taken my clothes. My face flushed as I involuntarily tried to cover myself.
Tzofiya, however, didn’t seem the least bit concerned with my nudity. She didn’t even look at me as she undid my last bindings. “Calm down, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”
“Y-you could have at least said something!”
“Why? It ain’t like you’ve got anything worth fretting over.”
Before I could try to defend my pride, my limbs were freed.
“There.” Tzofiya then dropped a set of clothes on the bed. “Get yourself dressed so we can go.”
I lifted myself up, stretching my back and rubbing my wrists before swinging my legs over to sit on the edge of the mattress. I grabbed the clothes and looked up at Tzofiya. She was still standing there, arms crossed and unconcerned with my privacy.
“Are… you gonna watch me?” I asked.
She simply frowned at me with annoyance.
“… Right.”
The clothes she provided were similar to her own, thick and lined with fur, the surfaces decorated with a colorful series of squares. The outfit she provided consisted of a shirt, a coat, pants, and a pair of boots. They were all a bit too large but wouldn’t have any trouble keeping me warm. Once I was fully dressed, Tzofiya grunted.
“Alright, follow me.”
With that, we left the room I had spent the last three days in. I followed her out into a hallway. Just like the bedroom, the rest of the home seemed to be primarily made of wood and decorated with similar items. Rugs and animal furs were laid out in certain places, but the only thing made of stone was the fireplace where a young boy was seated.
He looked a lot like Tzofiya, with the same freckles and round features, but his blond hair was kept short enough that the curls didn’t show and his eyes were a dark brown. He looked to be in his early teens at most. Though it was difficult to tell from here, he seemed tall for his age, at least as tall as Tzofiya. He turned and watched as we entered the room.
“Hun,” said Tzofiya, “this is Mr. Lito, and we-”
“Erm, it’s Lior,” I reluctantly corrected.
“Mr. Lior, and we’re gonna go visit the shaman. Keep an eye on the house while I’m gone, alright?”
“Okay. Are you gonna kill him?” asked the boy.
His voice was devoid of humor. I turned to Tzofiya, but she merely seemed unamused.
“If I was gonna kill him, why would I let him off the bed, dummy?”
“I dunno. Maybe you didn’t want to get blood all over the bedroom again.” The boy’s tone was still dreadfully serious and deadpan.
“Smartass. We’ll be back later.” She looked at me again. “Let’s go.”
“Sure…”
She led me to the front door and opened it, gesturing for me to go first. I obliged and stepped through, seeing Tresety for the first time. I heard the door close behind me as I gazed upon the village.
It only took a second to decide that “village” was a bit generous for this backwater.
True to the mayor’s words, the settlement wasn’t big. Tzofiya’s house was on top of a hill, allowing me to survey the entirety of Tresety. There were probably thirty or so wooden cabins arranged in shabby columns, several of them being out of alignment or placed in seemingly random ways.
On my left was a forest, presumably the one I was lost in, but I could now see several mountains rose out from the trees. To the right was a wide plain of grass, spotted with farmlands, with the smell of salty wind blowing across it. A few people were milling around in the streets, but nothing even close to the bustle of Dostyn’s market district.
“Welcome to Tresety,” Tzofiya said disdainfully. “Shaman’s on the other side of town.”
With nothing more, she started walking. I hurried alongside her.
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