Chapter 4. Flaming Eyes
Every minor detail could help Aira to survive. So, she observed the preparations this group of people made with militaristic precision. They were well-trained, and each of their actions seemed to have a purpose. Every person knew their role, and they didn't have to consult with each other.
Overall, they didn't look any different from the humans of her own world. Both males and females were present, with the leader being a man. The most intriguing team member was, of course, that green-haired woman. She exuded confidence and passion and was able to influence the opinions of her peers and the commander.
And even during the march, the group was as efficient as before. They picked up a brisk pace despite having to carry Aira along. She noticed how vigilant they were, constantly tracking their surroundings. Even after capturing her, they didn't plan on shirking their duty.
So, they didn't give Aira many opportunities to learn even the simplest words. Not that it was easy to guess them without any context. They just didn't talk much.
But now, she couldn't help but feel determined to crack the code and understand these strangers. The only thing she needed was time. Time to forge a connection with them. Time to learn their language. To ensure her safety.
These people were hardened survivors. And that was what she had in common with them. Perhaps that would help her to build trust and start a dialogue.
After a couple of hours of being carried by the humans, Aira couldn't be happier that she didn't have to walk that distance on her own. Remembering the previous day, it would take her at least thrice the same amount of time. Still, it felt like the trek through the forest would never end. Maybe the fact that she was immobilized made her suffer this journey so much.
But no struggle is endless. The forest became less dense, gradually giving way to a more open area. Morning light shone brighter and brighter between the trees until, finally, Aira saw the edge of a field. Soon, they followed the forest fringe to a dirt road that promptly brought them to the outer edge of a fortified settlement.
Wooden gates loomed large. Sentries patrolled the walls and checked everyone who wanted to enter or exit the town. It wasn't hard to guess that her captors were familiar with these men. They exchanged warm greetings and jokes with the group that probably spent days in the wild. Even though she did not understand the language, that exchange was self-explanatory because of the smiles she saw and the laughs she heard.
The leader of her captors spoke briefly with his colleagues and gestured for his group to proceed. However, Aira couldn't help but notice guards eyeing her warily. That made all her instincts scream. There was some trait that marked her as a foreign element. It didn't seem to be the color of her hair or skin—she already saw even more peculiar shades among the people surrounding her. Could it just be the fact that she wasn't someone they knew? Or did they see something else in her? Something in her looks that distinguished her so much?
She'd have to wait before she got any answers to her questions. The brief inspection she made when she found herself in this new world didn't reveal any significant changes to her.
By the time they passed through the gates, the sun had reached its zenith. The settlement was a complete change of scenery for Aira. After a day in the wild forest and a night in a ruined hovel, this town couldn't be more different. It was bustling with activity, with people moving in all directions. Vendors offered their wares to passers-by, and children ran around, laughing and shouting. Everything one would expect in such a place. The streets were neatly paved, and each building seemed to have its designated purpose. It felt like a place where she would be happy to stay for a while. At least, if she wasn't a captive. But now she would stay here, no matter her wishes.
As someone who had traveled extensively, Aira had seen all types of settlements—from makeshift refugee camps in times of war to bustling metropolises, enjoying their golden age. But of course, the most typical was something like what she saw before her right there.
This town wasn't too large, probably housing only a couple thousand people. Yet, it exuded a sense of history and longevity. It wasn't just some makeshift assemblage of random structures. There was a sense of intelligent design behind it. Many of the buildings had withstood decades, perhaps even centuries, with marks of the passing time visible on the walls and roofs. Still, they were well-kept and looked after. However, the town probably wasn't as old as the ruined place where Aira spent the previous night. Not that she had a lot of experience with places reclaimed by nature.
Besides seeing so many humans pursuing their everyday chores around her, it was an excellent opportunity for Aira to evaluate the technology of this world, the tools people used, and their daily activities. Before, the reference group was limited by her captors. And they didn't offer anything out of the ordinary. Anything she wouldn't expect to see in a warrior's hands. Mostly, these were blades, with the addition of some peculiar ranged weapons. But here, behind the settlement walls, there were many more things to explore. Still, to Aira's despair, nothing hinted at any use of magic.
Promptly navigating the streets, the captors carried Aira to a building in the central part of the town without any delays. It loomed larger than anything around it, and unlike most smaller houses, it was built with stone.
After walking up the grand stairs and passing through multiple corridors and halls, the group entered a well-lit room where several figures were waiting. Was it a military or a civil council? Whatever the status, by their bearing and the respect the armed people showed them, it was a group of local decision-makers. At least Aira could confirm that these things didn't change much from one world to another. However, if they were similar in different societies in her homeworld, why would they change here? Almost always, there were the ordinary people and the leadership.
Aira was finally let off the stretcher, but quite prudently, her hands and feet remained bound. The report of the leader of the reconnaissance party didn't take long. He pointed at Aira and the green-haired woman several times during his speech. The woman wasn't requested to give a report, though. But Aira could swear she even heard some familiar words. At least one of them was repeated multiple times during her capture, the march, and now, in front of these distinguished men. And while it didn't help her to understand the whole meaning of the discussion, it made her a bit more optimistic. She was already learning something.
Skepticism, interest, outrage, indifference—Aira could create illustrations for an article about emotions by drawing the faces of the people she saw in front of her. But one of them was more prominent than the others. An older man with a stern jawline and piercing eyes stepped forward and cleared his throat before delivering a short speech. Most of the others nodded in agreement as he spoke, their expressions softening with understanding.
There seemed to be a consensus. But when Aira thought the decision was made, another person—a younger man with a fiery gaze—stormed forward, showing obvious disdain for her presence.
He paced and stomped, pointing his finger in Aira's direction. He even passionately addressed her armed captors. However, while some of the men surrounding Aira grunted as if agreeing with some points and showed concern, the speech didn't seem to affect the council members.
Ultimately, even that agitated speaker had to bow to the majority's decision. Despite his visible displeasure. All Aira could do was feel lucky he wasn't the only person deciding her fate.
***
The appearance of the mysterious person in the town kindled a flurry of intrigues and debates all over the settlement. On all levels. From people gossiping at the market, to the highest levels of top decision-makers. But Aira wasn't aware of any of this. Besides that heated interaction during the Council, she only experienced short interactions with the guards who passed her meals, water, and herbal tea in the upcoming hours and days. She was quartered in a different part of the same building where she met the Council. Compared to her previous lodging in the forest, it was almost like a palace. And anyway, she didn't need much at the moment.
There was something, though, that disturbed her during the first days with humans. They served her with food as she would expect the hosts to serve their guests. She couldn't complain. And initially, her brain told her that she had to be quite hungry after a whole day and night of fasting. However, now that she recalled her previous hours, she realized that she never really wanted to eat or drink, not for the shortest moment. It was more like a consequence of a habit she had for decades. Now, in her quarters at the town hall, she accepted everything they gave her. But she didn't feel much need for sustenance. It seemed that her body's demand for that source of energy had decreased drastically.
During their hike, her captors chewed on snacks and drank water from their flasks. Their habits were just what she expected them to be from her experience of past marches and hikes. The green-haired woman even offered to share some food with her, to the consternation of her ranger buddies. And Aira, not wanting to antagonize her captors, accepted it. However, it felt like she was stuffing herself, not really needing anything.
She had to add this observation to the constantly expanding list of things she had to explore about herself. So many things have changed for Aira in the blink of an eye. It was overwhelming, even without having to deal with eating issues. But here she was, adding one more problem to the long roster of things she didn't know how to resolve.
Magic, food, sleep, language, humans, other beings of this world, and her differences from any of them... What else? She expected to expand it even more in the upcoming days.
And, yes, one more thing. Aira finally got an answer to what had been bothering her since the moment she passed the town gates. Among the other amenities she had in her room, there was a mirror. She could find many changes in the constitution of her body. But that wasn't new to her—she had checked herself in the first minutes after appearing in this world.
What unnerved her quite a bit when she first saw her reflection were her eyes. Previously, they had a green color. They retained that shadow even now. However, that wasn't their most striking property anymore. Aira's eyes now had an ethereal glow to them. They shimmered and constantly changed their color from green to blue and back. The light they emitted wasn't too bright. But still, it wasn't something one would typically expect from a human.