Edited by: KenChi死

[Status Effects]Blindness

Confusion

Body and Mental Exhaustion

Yup; It’s there. I still can view status, it simply appears in my mind. Lucky me. Without my Status I would be left like a blind man in the fog… ya get it? Blind man… I will show myself out.

Let’s get this shit done. Traaaaansform!

… That’s the moment when I should grow eyes… I guess…

Shifting in processShifting failedCritical damage within [Eyes] [Optic nerves] [Occipital lobe] areas has been detected.Shifting [Wolfs Eyes] has been terminated with a failure

Huh?

~Ya though it would be THAT easy?

Why did it failed?

~ Kid… imagine… that you were walking through the forest…

~ No… Not this again!

~ Shut up! I will explain it to him! Okay, so you are walking thought the forest singing happily as you wanted to collect mushrooms for stamina potion so your lover would remember night with you till the end of time… and in that forest, let’s say… a witch hunter is waiting for you! And he is a sneaky bastard! He jumps from behind the bushes and aim his weapon at you! But you did not hear him, cuz you were singing! And he stabs you in your heart! Do you think that you can survive pierced heart just by shifting it into another? Changing the heart of a human into the heart of let’s say a boar? You see, the secret is that…

~ What Lust is trying to say, is that you can’t replace damaged body parts. That would make you immortal, and you are not. You have lost your eyes. Period.

So… like… lost-lost?

~ Lost-lost.

…And there is nothing I can do?

~ There is always something, that one can do. You are not human. Stop thinking like one. Think beyond.

…If I would find monster with an extraordinary healing factor..

~Indeed. That should be more than enough.

~YOU IDIO…

Wait a second sunshine; can we please wait with our conversation till we are left alone? Thank you.

“… So, how are you feeling?” Alesia asked with a concerned tone “Like a blooming flower. No honestly. I think I will go read a book or two, it usually helps to ease my nerves…”

In that moment the door opened and somebody else entered the room.

“The worst situation gets the worst jokes you’ve made. You haven’t changed… Zari, what happened? I came as soon as Daralon informed me what happened…”

That voice… can it be?

“Master Hanna!” I yelled happily “Long time no see!... oh wait…” “Young man… you have lost your bloody eyes, can you at least pretend you are concerned?” “But I am, teacher, I am. And I am already looking for a solutions… thehe… [looking]… I mean, um. Yeah. It may be a liiiitle pain in the ass, but it’s not the worst thing that could happen, I mean… at least I am not blind…” “What are you going to do now?” Hanna asked “You are still very special, if you would ask, for a favor or two a few individuals could help you…” “The adventure guild will fully support him…” Alesia ensured right away “We have contracts with a few healers, in case our best adventurers would get seriously damaged… but I think that with the help of the nobility, Zari can find better help… But indeed… we have to know… what are you going to do for now…” “What to do…” I wondered for a little while “… maybe… just maybe… I would grow wings and horns, then I would get myself two blades shaped like crescent moons, and would start running around the town yelling [YOU ARE NOT PREPARED!]… or something like that. Well, if not, I will have to do some researches on my own.”

~YOU IDIO…

Just a second more, honey!

“Researchers? What do you mean?” “First… if I can do it by myself, if not then what actions could help me with getting those back…if there are none, then I would start asking for help, but at the same time I will have to train my other senses… So, if you pardon me…”

I raised from the bed.

“Careful!” Both of them yelled. “I always am!” “Oh, you are? So, can you please remind me, where your eyes are?”

… Touché…

Anyway, let me see… hehe… what I can do. Smell? As good as ever! Maybe even better! Hm, the smell of some basic medicines, some herbs that helps in easing pain… yup. I am in an infirmary… well, where else could they put me? Hearing? Yeah still nice. If I focus I can ever hear their heartbeats. In a fight I could more or less locate my enemies, but fighting… it is completely different story. I will have to learn how to fight without my eyes…

There is also my echo of earth, will be even more useful in locating multiple living targets at the same time. I have also eaten a few bats, so with little work I should use echolocation… or at least that’s in theory. Getting used to SEEING with my ears will take some more time.

So where is my main problem? Moving within the city. I can’t simply grow bat ears and walk with them through the streets, I mean – I can, but drawing to much attention is something I would like to avoid. Especially when some people would like to see my head on their plate.

I can more or less sense life, smelly things and loud things, so I will pretty much stumble on every single furniture, walk into walls, fall in to wells and so on. Situations I would like to avoid.

I could use a staff to feel the ground in front of me and start walking in the direction where door should be located. More or less. The ladies were nice enough to help me a little by [Bit to the right, now a little to the left] and so on. I appreciated that they didn’t force me to move by hand. My pride would be even more damaged than my eyes. So, I guess that I can start with a little training with movements. I am sure that ol’ man Jericho knows a trick or two that would help with that. So… I think I will ask him nicely, I mean… he can’t possible refuse? Right?

….

“I refuse.” The guild master answered my request of lesson of movements “…But I am sure you are skilled enough to teach me that and…” “Oh, I am. I am simply not going to do so.”

Wait, what? Aren’t we pals?

“M…May I ask why?” I was really puzzled. “Sure thing. Because you are an ungrateful little brat, that does not treasure his own life. I have no idea what you played with, Daralon only said that something like [Arcana] and [dangerous magic]. He. Named something. Dangerous. Let me point out one more time. HE. I have heard a thing or two about the Curse speaker, he never named things as dangerous or irresponsible, more like funny or entertaining. Whatever you did, your actions even exceeded the insanity of that Dark mage. You didn’t need my advise nor guidance to bring yourself into this condition, so you surly don’t need it in fixing yourself. Yes, I am mad. I will train you, only when you either get your eyes back or when you learn how to move freely as a blind man. Until then I will also reduce the number of mission that you can take.”

Yup. I deserved that. The part with reducing mission choices is actually pretty logical. Until I prove that I can fight, he would never send me on a dungeon investigation.

“I am really sorry for disappointing you. Hopefully I will manage to ask you for training in no time. Till then, excuse me.” I began to leave “I had a few more students before you and Gis, you know? One of them, my favorite, was just like you, skilled, intelligent, talented… and overconfident. He wasn’t a fool, no – he always checked twice every possibility, he always learned about his targets first… yet he is gone.” “I am sorry to hear about your student death…” “Death? No. He is alive. But he did something unforgivable. He is gone from my heart, now if I would ever see him, I will do my best to kill him. If I would manage to do so, that is… Zari. You are too proud. Far overconfident. You are a man of great possibilities… but at the same time you were blind of what was right in front of you. You picked the decisions that you thought were best… and many of them were. But not that one. I can only hope, that your physical blindness will cure the blindness of your soul.”

Crap.

I moved back to inn section, stumbling a few, or a few dozens of, times. I went there to ask if some of them do not have too much free time and don’t want to bully blind kid to train his senses.

Adventurers are a nice bunch. Each time I would move past a few of them they would ask how I was feeling. I answered back with either [I see no problems] or [Mind-blowing]. Unfortunately for me, they didn’t want to train with me. No surprise here. A few probably were still afraid about my condition, some had no idea how to train with a blind guy and a few more had better things to do… Until…

A training staff was forced in my hands.

“O heard you were looking for a sparring partner. High time! You made me wait!”

A chuckle full of joy could be heard.

“Gisele?” “That would be me! Fear not! Blind or not I will not give you any handicap! I fought with one blind man before… it’s an embarrassing memory, I was pulverized into dirt… Well, but he was a monk of Whispering Stone… A..a..anyway! We will bring you back to your full capabilities! Just leave it to me!”

I wanted to thank her right away, but I couldn’t. No, not because I felt deeply moved, no such thing. She just grabbed me by the arm and began dragging me through the corridors to training room.

Was she humming? I have a bad feeling about this.

She made me wait for a few more minutes within the training room, and then as she approached me I heard silent ringing.

“A bell?” “Indeed! You may have problems with noticing your surroundings at first, so I will attach a few of them to my clots and two of them at each side of my staff. I will do some unnecessary movements so you can react… and then slowly I will increase my pace and remove bells.” “…Why are you doing this for me?”

She is so pure. Stupid? Sure, but in nice way. Always cheerful, confident but not a braggart. I though she wanted to fight with me to get herself better, but as I am blind… she would get nothing…

“Hm? What do you mean? You called me your big sister! And sisters care about their siblings! I always wanted to have a few brothers and one or two sisters! That would be…”

She began describing all kind of average daily tasks that she would love to do. That she could have finally learn how to cook, that she would help someone learn to write and read.

Such pure wishes. I understood back then, how lonely she was. Lonely in the crowd. She was respected, worshiped, feared, liked… but no really loved. I heard that she was taken by Jericho when she was young. Maybe that wouldn’t be nice, but I will make a little investigation later about her origins.

“…and then in the day of longest night in the year we would make a huuuge fireplace and eat sweets! That would be bliss!”

I was smiling all the time as she kept talking.

“Ok. If you would help me with my… condition… I would teach you how to cook.” “… you can cook?” “Yeah, maybe I am not some genius, but what I made is something between [edible] and [enjoyable] so…” “Very well, that’s a promise! If you are making fun of me I will break all of your bones!”

… Well, she is a bit crazy about that… what did I get myself into?

“Okay, here I come!” “Hm? No, wait!”

It was too late. She probably forgot about the part with making unnecessary moves, because a barrage of blows fell over my head.

I already regret my doings! Please! Show mercy!

The last few minutes of fight itself, she simply proved too much for me. She is both skilled, strong… and gets excited far too easily. As a result she began striking harder and faster making me move back and back, soon I stopped even considering from where blows could come, and I simply raised my staff horizontally over my head.

Training my ass! She used me as a punching bag! You are not pure! You are cruel! A monster!

“That was refreshing! We will see each other tomorrow!” She said as she was leaving the room.

Tomorrow my ass! I don’t want to see you ever again!... Uh… wait…

~May I know?

Ah sure. Feel free.

~YOU IDIOT! YOU DUMMY! YOU IMBECILE! BIRDBRAIN! I told you that I did not give you that skill!? Every NORMAL person would first ask, what is it, how do you use it, FOR WHAT it is used for… BUUUUUUT NOOOOOO! I am the all-knowing Zari! I will fucking do it by myself! If not for Daralon you would have had your brain cooked! Melted! Devastated! NEXT TIME AS YOU PLAY WITH ANCIENT MAGIC OF AN UNKNOWN ORIGIN ASK ME FIRST FOR FUCK SAKE!

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa(ED: I don’t know). I am stupid. You are smart. I don’t deserve to be together with such magnificent being like yourself. I can only apologize for my own selfishness and stupidity and ask you for your forgiveness, for you are the most wonderful being and…

~Stop that. Cajolery will bring you nowhere now…

It was still worth a try. So… what was it? The spell

~It wasn’t even a spell. It was an ability, not designed for mortals. Only those who exceed the magic arts can use it freely. And to be honest, I am terrified that someone gave you it.

Why is that so?

~Zari… Someone wanted you to see something. That’s the only purpose of this skill. The world is a map. All the time shifting, all the time changing, moving and twisting. There are many such maps! Someone’s life, life of the city, life of the country, life of the world, life of dimensions, life of universe and all creation. Maybe you could use it on a small arena, in the end you are a freak, but as you gave the skill no destination, you saw everything…. How your soul could be in one piece after that?! HOW!? You are defying the laws of physic and logic?! Repent for your sins and go die!

You are cruel, you know?!

~Silence!

Yes, ma’am.

~You ain’t going to use that spell until your spirituality is over 100. And even that will be done under mu guidance. Ya understand!?

Yes, ma’am.

~Zari.

Yes.

~Work over your blindness. I don’t care how. I need you to be fully prepared for what is going to happen.

And what is going to happen?

~That skill is from the Arcana domain. Tricky one. Few worship it, few hate it. Arcana is the beginning of magic. The domain of Administrators, or as you prefer, Gods. Someone will come looking for it. Daralon felt it, but he is a murderer and not a Watcher. They will find you, no matter if just to investigate or eliminate. Be prepared. The storm is coming and it will shake you to the core. It’s only up to you, if it would kill you, or make stronger than before.