15 Travel and loss

Traveling alone was both easier and harder than expected.

On the positive side, due to his new vision and mastery of echolocation moving around was a breeze from the moment he found a stick and began to move. Using a combination of the heat signatures he was detecting with his new eye and the small sonic waves created by him tapping his newly found stick against the ground and nearby trees he was easily able to direct himself and follow the scent of Alice.

However on the other hand he was experiencing great difficulty due to his new body. Its small stature and legs meant he crossed distances slowly and thanks to its low level of muscular density and growth he tired extremely quickly, it felt like he had regressed back to his newborn form!

However despite his frustrations and the clear painful ache in his one usable arm, he continued on, following the wagon relentlessly, rarely sleeping or eating despite the days that seemed to pass, he satiated his physical needs when possible, eating the few, sun cooked caresses on the trail, evidence of the wagons passing and drank from a few ponds and puddles he passed

It seemed that wherever he went all he ate was rotten, and yet it never made him weak, as if the rot were a part of him.

And finally, after what seemed to be hours upon days of constant running, walking and even crawling, he picked up a new scent

Something salty and fresh, something new…

He had arrived at the sea

And as he staggered over a final hill, panting and eyes watering from the screams of his body, he saw the market. The western sea market, people, far more people than he had ever seen, so many that they seemed like just a sea of orange and red, mixed with the lights of mana here and there, shining brightly

Closing his eyes, trying to block out the immense light of the heat signatures and mana he kept, walking forward, tapping the stick against the ground to light up his path, opening his eyes once and a while to keep track of the people and ensure he kept his distance

Thankfully he was soon able to find some clothes, stealing them from an unattended washing line and putting them on. From there he made his way towards the crowds of people, they were all passing in and out of one place in particular.

A gate of sorts

making his way forward, he walked forwards, keeping his distance from the mobs of people, to allow him to keep swinging his stick, apparently people had no difficult finding reasons to stay away from a blind child anyway, as he had no difficulty avoiding people

That was until he reached the gate. Stepping forwards he felt a large hand place itself on his shoulder, a man, mana sparkling slightly in him and marking him as different from the rest

"Name and reason for entering the market" he asked,his voice rough and lacking emotion

Name?

Sensing the strange look the man was likely giving him, he had to think quickly

He had never really put much thought into his name, and honestly he didn't feel like calling himself just "Bitesy" meaning he needed another name

….

"Name and reason for entering the market" The man guarding the entrance repeated, annoyance now leaking into his tone

"Krage" He Responded "Krage Bitesen… I'm here to collect a slave

****

(Alice Pov)

A hole

A hole had been dug in my heart

The moment I had lost Bitesy, my only friend and ally in the world, I felt it appear. It felt like someone had taken a shovel to my insides, digging a hole, while i still screamed his name, begging for him to not leave me

It had been the most painful experience in my life

All the abuse, torment and harassment had felt like nothing compared to it. Because back then, i had no one and nothing, my mother was burnt to ash the moment she gave birth and since then, i never had anyone

And he was taken from me

No

I Killed him

It was my fault

He was my only friend and i… I killed him. I broke him, and by extension myself. I had just… shattered, my legs falling without me, collapsing on the floor, unable to speak, unable to even breath, just… broken, like a puppet who had lost its strings

And when the baroness tried to calm me down, speaking words like "its okay" and "it's just an animal" I burned her too, turning the skin on the hands holding me to red and black burns.

She didn't understand

Bitesy was no animal, he was special, smart and kind. Smarter than anyone! And he protected me! And he was kind to me!

We had a bond that was unbreakable! And that transcended species!

If anything I was more his pet than he was mine. He talked to me, listening to my past and giving silent comfort, telling me truths and not lies! He agreed that the people of my village were trash and so were the slavers!

But now i realize!

Everyone i trash!

I'm Trash!

And Trash should burn

I should burn

I'm so sorry bitesy

It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault it's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault It's all my fault

Buts its okay, i'll join you soon

Then it can be just you and me

Together forever

(it took all of 14 chapters but the MC finally has a name! Also Krage is Crow in Danish"