A general description of Odyssia would be this: she was impassive and cold to those around her, no matter how deep their relationship went. Do note that she cared very little about anything if it was impractical, which she deemed to be a waste of her time.

And Odyssia Boyde did not like to waste time.

She only paused when she teleported to this strange world, allowing herself a brief moment to go over what had happened. Tobias had come home with the medallion, Ignatius had taken it, and now she was here.

Her understanding of the past events coming to an end, she moved on. There was no reason to focus on why she was here. Only that she was and she needed to do something about it.

Her quick but precise observation of her surroundings told her she was in a desert. She paused, again, because the sand was reddish-pink. She thought to herself, Interesting and moved on once more. She noticed the sky was a faded green and the suns-ah, yes, there were three of them-were odd shades of blue. In front of her was a cactus and a large animal slept by its side. It resembled a dog, albeit a very big one, with sleek black fur and large, pointed ears, like a wolf. Its paws were the size of dinner plates and its tail was very long, like a hose. It also had a big enough maw to bite her head off in one bite.

Odyssia considered this fact and then decided that bothering it would not be in her best interests, so she turned her focus away.

Observations done, she thought about what else needed to be done. And then the system interface came, integrated with her, and in a few moments, she woke up.

She noted that the animal was still in its original position and still dozing. Words drifted above its head that hadn't been there before: Legendary Grade, 7-Star Spike-Tailed Canooth. The suns had shifted a bit and with their movement came a slight increase in heat. She thought about taking her shirt off, but that would mean risking a sunburn, which wouldn't help her in the slightest.

Odyssia noticed the floating boxes in front of her face and did not waste time putting her hands in front of them, wondering what would happen. She remembered from one of the times Ignatius had tried to explain video games to her and that what she was seeing was called a HUD.

Again, she thought, Interesting. And then she set about finding how it worked. Thinking back to the 'mental recognition' screen and thought Inventory.

She was in a desert and supplies came first; she could worry about the system later. To her mild disappointment, she found nothing of use in her inventory. She closed it and brought up the system interface. She mulled over the options before selecting the interface option.

System Interface:

The Basics of Essence HUD/Status Options World Guide

Hmm. The basics of Essence, messing with my status, or looking through the world guide? Learning about where I am is more important right now. World Guide.

System Interface: World Guide

World Geography Beasts Governments, Rebel Agencies, and More The Stars and Beyond

Hmm, hmm, hmm. All very interesting. Let's see...World Geography.

System Interface: World Guide: World Geography

Important Landmarks on Mitochondrian Civilization Jungles Deserts Seas/Oceans Mountains Valleys/Plains/Plateus/et cetera

Odyssia silently relished the chance to learn more about this world. If there was one thing she loved more then sending popular cities into anarchy and training in the way of the sword, it was learning. She held off on picking 'Important Landmarks' as she wasn't sure there anything vaguely important about this desert.

Aside from the fact I'm in it, she thought. She grimaced, chiding herself from spending too much time in Penn's company. He was so utterly full of himself and it was starting to rub off on her.

Thinking about Penn brought an unexpected pang to Odyssia's chest. Yes, she was an emotionless being who wanted nothing more than to show the world its place beneath her feet, but there was something in her that cared about her family, even if she refused to show it. It made her wonder where they were right now...

And then that brought thoughts of Tobias. They had a very complicated relationship. She admired him for his leadership and hated him because he thought it his responsibility to keep an eye on her every move. It was annoyingly frustrating, yet somewhat endearing knowing that her brother cared enough about her to keep her from harming herself.

Or the rest of the world.

She let herself have that smug thought before she delved into the bountiful info on the deserts of this world called Mitochondrian. A small part of her brain thought about the endless jokes Tobias would make as she read and she let it stay there.

The heat was getting worse as time went on. Odyssia kept having to get up and walk as the hot sand made sitting a nightmare; it was good fortune that she'd been wearing slippers before the teleportation.

So far, she'd learned of the five prominent deserts―there were plenty more but Odyssia had skipped them has they were unimportant―the Red Desert, the Blue Desert, the Yellow Desert, the White Desert, and the Black Desert. Uncreative names aside, they were all vastly different. The Red Desert was the hottest and stayed hot, no matter what. The Blue Desert was an odd phenomenon; the dark blue sand resembled an ocean, as the farther you walked, the deeper you sunk in and only a pair of special shoes called 'Wave-Walkers' could keep you from drowning-no, suffocating in the mass of sand.

Then there was the Yellow Desert where everything was yellow and gave off this supposed 'cheery' vibe that gave you a sense of unease the longer you walked through the desert. Large, deadly, and smiling monsters roamed that place so it was best left alone. The White Desert was a winter wonderland with cacti and similar desert plants, which, she guessed, was the reason it was called a desert.

She didn't get much information about the Black Desert, only that if someone ever saw a vast plain of black sand, turn back immediately.

Odyssia was in the Red Desert, where it was hot all year round. The guide gave a few tips. A) the cacti held water that wouldn't turn her brain into mush, unlike the ones on Earth. B) food was always there for those willing to burn their hands digging a few feet in the sand where edible plants and small animals lay. C) bandits and other less pleasurable company laid their claims in the desert, so if she saw anyone, she should most likely avoid them. D) the monsters there are relatively harmless although there are a few high grades/star gems she needed to be wary of.

She looked at the Spike-Tailed Canooth and wondered what would happen if it woke up. She was strong, but not invincible and the Legendary Grade title above its head made her doubt her chances of winning a fight.

I need to get stronger, she thought, clenching her fist. To die by the hands of some unthinking beast would be humiliating.

With that in mind, she finally looked at her status.

Character:

Name: Odyssia Boyde Species: Human Essence: Level 1 Status: Copper, Rank 1 Class: (Copper Status, Rank 5 needed) Experience: 0/100

Character Stats:

(‡.‡) Total Regen Points Health (+15) 100/100 36/minute 0 Attribute points Stamina (+39) 100/100 36/minute 0 Path points Mana 560/560 7/minute 0 Tree points General Resistance - 36; Mental Resistance - 34 Attributes: Attributes: Attribute Points (0) Strength- (Increases Attack Power, Lifting Weight, Stamina Gained Per Level) 39 (+) Agility- (Increases Speed, Dexterity, Reflexes) 40 (+) Constitution-(Increases Weight, Density, Hardness, Health Gained Per Level) 15 (+) Endurance-(Increases Regeneration of Health and Stamina and General Resistance) 36 (+) Wisdom-(Increases Mental Resistance, Willpower, Mana Regeneration, Common Sense, and Intuition) 34 (+) Intelligence-(Increases Memory, Mana Pool) 56 (+) Charisma-(Increases Charm, Persuasion) 1 (+) Luck-(Increases Odds in Your Favor) 5 (+) Perception-(Increases Understanding, Senses, Awareness) 34 (+)

Skills: N/A

Paths: N/A

Trees: N/A

Odyssia felt pleased seeing her attributes. Yes, her training over the years had paid off. Honing her body until was a lethal killing machine and her mind to be a vast compendium of all types of knowledge had come to this very moment where even a system could understand her greatness.

She let herself bask in a moment of self-worth until she chided herself for thinking in that arrogant manner. Yes, she was great but there was always a way to be better. What she should take pride in was having the right mindset to see she could be better.

Odyssia decided to take a break from looking at her status; the heat was starting to get to her. Playing with the system could come later; right now, she needed to find food and water.

Eyeing the Canooth, she cautiously walked over to the cactus. 5-inch long spikes covered the entire plant; there was no way she could get to the water inside without pricking her finger.

I should be fine, as long as the spikes aren't poisonous. The guide never said anything about poisonous cacti. And I can always use my shirt as a bandage...But how would I cut the cactus? Perhaps I could pull a spike off...

"Human."

The deep, gravelly voice shocked Odyssia out of her thoughts and she spun around to face the beast. It had one eye open and was staring at her with what looked like amusement.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Odyssia felt the urge to ask the gigantic dog why it talked, but that would be stupid and focus on unnecessary things. It didn't matter why just that it did. And so she answered.

"I'm trying to find a way to open up the cactus."

It nodded and lifted its tail. It was around 8 feet in length and puffed out in the end; the puff was riddled with spikes, true to the beasts' name. "This," it said, "is very helpful with opening up cacti."

The tail moved so fast she could hardly see it, even with her high Perception. One moment the cactus was whole, the next, the top half was flying in the air. The bottom half shuddered and stilled after a moment.

Odyssia stared in wonder at the split plant and whispered, "Awesome." Then she dunked her head into the cactus water and drank with abandon, ignoring the way the spikes poked thin holes into her hands. When Odyssia finally got herself under control, her thirst was sated and she felt a little bit better.

The beast grinned. "I've taken a liking to you, human. What is your name?"

She inclined her head. "Odyssia Boyde. And yours?"

"My masters call me Durmyo."

"Durmyo...Thank you. For helping me with the cactus."

The beast grunted as it stood and stretched. It was around 7 feet tall on all fours. Odyssia felt a little jealous at its massive frame; she was only 5'3 and she didn't have any hope of getting any taller.

"Come, human. I wish to introduce you to my masters. They are not too far away."

Odyssia wondered if that was a good idea. The guide told her to avoid anybody who was in the desert, but was that right?

Anybody who could tame Durmyo is powerful, she mused. I wonder what I could learn from them...

"Can I ride you?" she asked, wiping some sweat off of her forehead.

It only smiled and kept walking.

By the time she and the beast reached wherever his masters were, Odyssia was drenched in sweat. She was quite athletic, but the three suns sent their unrelenting heat down upon the desert.

Odyssia was convinced she would be cooked alive until she gained the skill Heat Resistance. It gave her a tree point, which was interesting. It also leveled five times, which gave her attribute points. She hesitated to put them into Endurance, thinking that she might need something else along the way.

She was not idle while she walked. She had dived into the world guide, seeking to gain as much information about this world and its system as she could.

System Interface: The Basics of Essence

What is Essence?

Our Essence is not a soul, as some might believe. It is a part of our souls. A part that levels and grows stronger. Health, Stamina, and Mana our are sub-Essences. Attributes are another type of sub-Essence, which have the ability to affect other subs or be affected by others.

How do we strengthen our Essence?

To strengthen our Essence's level, we must absorb it from others or by Beast cores. Killing sentient beings to obtain strength is looked down upon by most peoples of the world, but moral issues are a grey area in this world. The system only cares for the strong, so do what you must.

How do Statuses work?

A Status is determined by the strength of your Essence. A higher level of Essence means you have a higher Status. There are eight Statuses: Copper, Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond, Platinum, and Deity (Diety isn't limited by 10 ranks; it goes on nearly infintely). Each Status has ten Ranks. Each Rank has a requirement of 10 levels to reach before you move on to the next one. Each Status has a requirement of 50 levels to reach before you move on to the next one.

System Interface: World Guide: Beasts

What are Beasts?

Beasts are mutated animals with cores inside them. Each of the four continents contain a different kind of Beast, although one remains present: Goblins. Goblins are little more than pests and any able-bodied and somewhat skilled fighter or mage could handle them. Unfortunately, when the little buggers gather into a Goblin Army, only the most skilled-or the most determined-people can stop them. Besides Goblins, there are two types of Beasts: Passive and Lethal. Passive Beasts would only attack if you do something to aggrevate them, such as disturbing their nest. Lethal Beasts, however, will attack as soon as they set their sights on you. One thing to note is that most Beasts, whether they be Passive or Lethal, are non-sentient. Exceptions are Goblins and their variants―Orcs, Hobs, and the like―as well as any Beast with an Epic Grade or higher.

How are Beasts ranked?

Beasts are ranked by Grades and Stars. There are 7 Grade (Common, Uncommon, Rare, Elite, Epic, Legendary, and Diving) as well as 7 stars for each. Beasts consume Essence just as people do, although some do at a much faster rate. A Common Grade, 1 Star Goblin could quickly become an Uncommon Grade, 1 Star Goblin in just a few months. Meanwhile, for a Blue Jumping Whaleg, going from Common Grade, 1 Star monster to a Common Grade, 2 Star monster would take months, at best. Unfortunately, they're giving a higher power boost for each Grade/Star they move up in. Although this is so, exterminating rapid growth Beasts, such as Goblins, are a higher priority.

Beast Types:

Water Jungle/Forest Desert Plains Mountain/Tundra Volcano Swamp Cave/Subterranean

There were a lot of desert Beasts, but the only ones she thought she'd have any trouble with were the Arid Harpies, Sandy Selkies, and Root Worms. The harpies and the selkies roamed in packs and, at the moment, she didn't want to deal with multiple enemies.

The Root Worms were a pain because they tend to live near a plant called the Mystic Bean Plant. Said plant grew 'magic beans' that helped fight the overpowering heat of the sun and replenished health and stamina.

When Odyssia tried to harvest the plants, the worms wriggling around the roots shot out and bit her hands. By the time she managed to kill all six of them, her hands were riddled with shallow bite marks that stung badly. Luckily, the beans healed them rather quickly. They were worth the painful ordeal.

She noted that she also got Essence from the Root Worms and money; the currency here was called 'credits' and each of the worms gave her five Coppers. Pleased by this, she went out of her way to collect the Mystic Beans and kill the worms. Four worms gave her loot after her last dive and each one was a masterpiece.

The Reaver, Divine Grade Essence Weapon-Shifter

The Reaver is a weapon-shifter created by an unknown Essence Smith who used three Divine Grade materials during the forging process: Insernum, Cloudight, and Caelium. Like many weapon-shifters, the Reaver can change from one weapon to another. Unlike other weapon-shifters, this one can copy weapons with upgraded attributes and skills.

Attributes:

Durability: 10,00,000/10,00,000 (All Weapons)

Damage: (Min) 200,900,00 - (Max) 555,000,000

+9,500,600 Strength (ALL Swords, Halberds, Axes, Hammers)

+9,500,700 Agility (Short swords, Staffs, Daggers)

+9,500,500 Intelligence (Wands)

Skills:

Invisible Severance - Weapon can turn invisible and reach up to 15 feet to cut an enemy (ALL swords, Halberds, Axes)

Blade of Sure Fate - 100% chance of landing a critical blow on an enemy. Every five strikes will deal double the damage. (All Weapons)

Touchy Tendrils of Doom - With a quick flick of the wrist, invisible tendrils will shoot out up to 20 feet and yank the target into the blade. (ALL blade weapons)

Razzle Dazzle - 96% chance of shocking an opponent when hit. (All weapons, excluding Wands)

Enhanced Electric Magic - Skill allows for greater ease when conducting electricity magic. (All weapons)

Blood Ownership - The Essence Stone inserted into the weapon-shifter the owner of the Reaver to form a blood bond with it. (All weapons)

Requirements for Use:

Status - Diety, Rank 10

Attributes - Strength (6,500,000), Agility (6,500,000), Constitution (6,000,000), Endurance (7,000,000), Wisdom (6,500,000), Intelligence (7,000,000), Charisma (5,000,000), Luck (5,500,000), Perception (6,500,000)

Handguards of Electium, Divine Grade Essence Gauntlets

A master Essence Smith, Thazzolian Steelhead, painstakingly crafted these gauntlets from a Divine Grade material of unknown origins: Electium. Not only are the gauntlets of the most superior craftmanship, but the dwarf also embedded Essence Stones into the gauntlet, giving it 5 additional attributes.

Attributes:

Durability: 9,500,500/9,500,500

+6,500,000 Strength

+6,500,000 Constitution

+5,000,000 Agility

Skills:

Flawless Flexibility - Allows the wearer the same amount of fine motor skills they would have without wearing armor.

Crushing Grip - With increased Strength, Damage dealt with the Handguards of Electium is increased by 5,000.

Shocking Bite - The wearer will produce deadly bolts of lightning at will at the cost of 100 mana per second.

Simple Disguise - At the wearer's will, the gauntlets will turn into simple gloves with half the amount of attributes.

Blood Ownership - The Essence Stone inserted in the middle of the gauntlet allows the owner of the Reaver to form a blood bond with it.

Requirements for Use:

Status - Diety, Rank 10

Attributes - Strength (6,500,000), Agility (6,500,000), Constitution (6,000,000), Endurance (7,000,000), Wisdom (6,500,000), Intelligence (7,000,000), Charisma (5,000,000), Luck (5,500,000), Perception (6,500,000)

Greatcloak of Hammers, Divine Grade Essence Cloak

The Greatcloak of Hammers was sewn by a master Essence Seamstress, who effortlessly used the wool of Hardwood Goat to craft something so stylish. Not only is it fashionable, but it'll save you from nearly everything with its many an Essence Stones sewn in its fabric.

Attributes:

Durability: 10,500,000/10,500,000

Damage Reduction: 9,000,000

+5,000,000 Agility

+5,000,000 Constitution

Skills:

Hammer Blow - When something hits you with the cloak on, it is rebounded with the strength of a Great Warhammer. Deals 30,000,000 damage.

Light as a Feather - When falling from a great distance, the effect 'Feathfalling' is applied. -40,000,000 Damage is taken when landing.

Weather Resistant - The wearer is protected from all kinds of weather, from extreme heat to cold.

Element Resistant - 99% Water Magic Resistance, 99% Fire Magic Resistance, 99% Earth Magic Resistance, 99% Air Magic Resistance

Invisibility - Invisible effect applied to the wearer when the great cloak's hood is pulled up.

Blood Ownership - The Essence Stone inserted in the top button allows the wearer to form a blood bond with the Greatcloak of Hammers.

Requirements for Use:

Status - Diety, Rank 10

Attributes - Strength (6,500,000), Agility (6,500,000), Constitution (6,000,000), Endurance (7,000,000), Wisdom (6,500,000), Intelligence (7,000,000), Charisma (5,000,000), Luck (5,500,000), Perception (6,500,000)

Rocket Boots, Divine Grade Essence Boots

The Essence Smith, Juccouse Hamstring, designed these magnificent boots. They let the wearer fly fast, kick hard, and look good while doing it.

Attributes:

Durability: 10,500,000/10,500,000

Damage Reduction: 9,000,000

Essence Stone Mana: 10,000,000/10,000,000

+5,000,000 Agility

+5,000,000 Constitution

Skills:

Light as a Feather - When falling from a great distance, the effect 'Feathfalling' is applied. -40,000,000 Damage is taken when landing.

Speedster - The wearer is propelled into the wair with bursts of Air Mana contained in the Essence Stones embedded in the boots.

Element Resistant - 99% Water Magic Resistance, 99% Fire Magic Resistance, 99% Earth Magic Resistance, 99% Air Magic Resistance

Blood Ownership - The Essence Stone inserted in the top button allows the wearer to form a blood bond with the Greatcloak of Hammers.

Requirements for Use:

Status - Diety, Rank 10

Attributes - Strength (6,500,000), Agility (6,500,000), Constitution (6,000,000), Endurance (7,000,000), Wisdom (6,500,000), Intelligence (7,000,000), Charisma (5,000,000), Luck (5,500,000), Perception (6,500,000)

Odyssia was amazed by the strength of her newfound items. Unfortunately, she'd have to reach Deity Status, Rank 10. She resolved to reach that level of power as soon as she could.

"Odyssia," Durmyo called, trotting over.

"Durmyo!" she exclaimed, genuinely excited for the first time in months. "Look what I found!"

The beast leaned down and sniffed the Reaver which was currently in the form of a katana. He recoiled and took a step back.

"These are very powerful weapons! I have only seen one item of this caliber one before; in the hands of my master, facing off a great army." Durmyo looked Odyssia in the eye and said gravely, "People would kill to have these weapons, girl. Hide them in your inventory and let no one know you have them."

She stared back. "Will you tell your master?"

He thought for a moment before turning around. "You are interesting, Odyssia. I find that you aren't all that you seem; I want to see you go far. If my master does not inquire anything specific from me, I will not tell them."

Nodding, she put the items into her inventory and followed him. She wasn't sure she could fully trust him, but he hadn't killed her so far, so she would take him for his word.

After an hour of walking, the pair finally reached their destination, which was a small village with a grove of tall trees. The sight of them shocked Odyssia; she hadn't seen any type of vegetation other than the occasional Mystical Bean Plant and the ever-present cactus.

When she asked Durmyo about this, he muttered something about a little mage who's worth nothing but mana and the thin meat on his bones.

She didn't know what that meant, but she took it that the mage had nature magic. Given that most of her items worked better with electricity magic, she wondered if she could find him and mak-er, ask him to teach her.

Durmyo let her take a small rest on a hill a few miles away from the village. He told her it was a 'military' camp of sorts. She studied the camp during the short reprieve. It was a cluster of squat buildings surrounding a much taller structure. There was a mess hall to the west side of the cluster with what she guessed was the training grounds to the east.

She noted that there was a small hut separate from the rest of the camp, but not too far off. Durmyo noticed her staring and told her, "That's where the mage resides. He's allowed his own house because he's free of the Red Army."

"Red Army?"

"What those crotch-suckers up north like to call us. They're not very creative when it comes to names. Our official name is the Red Legacy."

"Much better," Odyssia said drily. "And crotch-suckers?"

The beast made a shrugging motion and flicked his tail towards the village. "The humans have inspired me to call them as such."

"Delightful. They sound like lovely people."

Ignoring her sarcasm, Durmyo straightened his shoulders and started toward the camp. "Come, Odyssia Boyde. It is time for you to meet my masters."

Odyssia had expected there to be some fanfare when she entered, but the people milling about spared her little more than a glance. She was relieved as this gave her time to study every crucial detail about them. They looked to be Middle Eastern, though there were a few with much darker skin tones. She couldn't spot a single overweight person among them.

She'd lived in America for seven years and was accustomed to seeing the odd rotund man or woman roaming the streets. Of course, she wasn't expecting the natives here to be obese, but they all looked thin. Not malnourished; she spotted many people munching down on what looked to be glazed sticks of bread. No, they were fit, muscular, and well-built, like soldiers.

It was a military camp, after all.

Her observations made one fact clear: Odyssia stood out like a diamond glittering among dusty coals. She was half German and Scottish, complete with pale skin, auburn hair, green eyes, and freckles. She was also short for her age, just barely reaching 4'11. One could easily mistake her for a little girl, especially with her lack of breasts and youthful appearance if not for her well-defined muscles hidden underneath baggy sweaters and a powerful stride she'd formed while trying to match her much taller brothers' gaits. It hadn't worked as their legs only seemed to grow longer, which frustrated Odyssia to no end.

But for some odd reason, the natives hardly took notice of her. It was only when she neared the tallest building around, which Durmyo had dubbed the Pillar that her presence caused a reaction.

A small group of five individuals approached her and Durmyo. She expected the beast to growl like he'd done when some people had gotten too close, but he only gave the group a dismissive glance and paused before the giant doors of the building.

The leader of the group was the first to catch Odyssia's eye and keep it on him.

The young man was around Tobias's height, a little over 6 foot 7―she'd gotten used to determining peoples' heights by measuring them with her mental image of her brother who never seemed to stop growing. And he was gorgeous. That is to say, whoever designed this creature of elegance and perfection knew exactly what they were doing.

It would be a disservice to try and describe the fine specimen before her as words could do him no justice. But one were to try, they would say his cheeks are chiseled like a finely-carved Michelangelo statue. His nose is perfectly symmetrical. His lips are full; the kind that ends in a cute little smirk at the corners. The rays of sun highlight the dimples in his cheeks and chin.

Of course, that's just the best answer on Yahoo as nothing could ever really come close. But this man...this beautiful man captured the essence of what it meant to be tall, dark, and handsome.

Odyssia had never felt arousal before. Yes, she was a teenager and hormones and blah blah blah. But just how good someone looked never really filtered in with how she perceived them.

That all changed today.

He smiled at Odyssia and she felt like her heart might explode from the sheer joy that it felt. It was...an amazing feeling to be smiled at. To see his perfect lips curve upwards, flashing brilliant, white teeth. And those dimples. Oh, God, those dimples-

Stop.

That one word snapped her out of her daze, one small part of her consciousness realizing that something was amiss. Blinking, she tore her gaze away from his face and observed the rest of his companions.

There were two other men with him along with two women. One man, in particular, was huge, like a linebacker. The other one was smaller, albeit just as hardy as the former. The woman, she noticed, had slim figures and reminded her strongly of Penelope, with their elegance and beauty.

She couldn't say she was jealous―who had the time to be envious of something as arbitrary as appearance. And besides, being around Penelope desensitized her to such fruitless competitions.

Dimples clapped his hands together, drawing her attention back to him. He said something in another language to Durmyo who responded in kind. His smile grew wider and he drew closer to Odyssia, holding out his hand.

"Allo, gorgien, mo nym av Aestas. Un ya?"

The only word she understood in that garbled language was 'Aestas', which meant summer in Latin. Frowning, she reluctantly shook his hand and said, "Odyssia."

He tilted his head to the side and said, "Yar accue av dreccar. Mi I aque wai ya'r from?"

Odyssia scrambled to put together the words he was saying. The words sounded vaguely familiar with English, which made it somewhat easier. Hmm. That last part was a question...He said 'from' so that's something. 'Yar' kind sounds like 'your', just a bit. Mi I...That should be 'May I'. Perhaps...he's asking where I'm from. Yes, that must be it.

"...Far away." She couldn't trust these people just yet; she had no idea what they're motives might be and how they'd treat her if they knew she was from another world. It might've been a bad idea to come in the first place, but it was better than dying of thirst out in the desert.

When she spoke, he raised his eyebrows and repeated her words with an okay pronunciation. "Far...away. I do ny no thim wir. Durmyo, wai di ya frut har?"

The beast slapped his tail to the ground and growled something. Dimples raised his hands in surrender and backed away, that sly smile still on his face.

Glaring at him, Durmyo snarled, "Come, Odyssia. We have no time to dilly-dally."

With another glance at Dimples and his posse, she entered the Pillar with Durmyo.

A lot of things happened in the ten minutes Durmyo had led her through the building and to his Masters, a group of eight people who ran the Red Legacy.

It happened like this:

How Odyssia Managed to Offend a Group of Insanely Powerful Individuals in Just 10 Steps

1.) She entered a meeting room with Durmyo. The present Masters, only 3 of the 8, were sitting a round table with a hole in the middle.

2.) He told her to bow. She did so.

3.) The man sitting at the head of the table asked her something. She answered to the best of her ability; that is to say, she said nothing at all and stared blankly at him.

4.) Durmyo growled and told her to say something. When she kept quiet, the man spoke up again, in a slow, patronizing voice.

5.) Odyssia had scowled at him and said some horribly rude things she wasn't sure they fully understood but certainly got the meaning.

6.) The man got upset and said something equally rude. When Odyssia responded in kind, ignoring Durmyo's warning, she was dragged out of the Pillar and to the training grounds.

7.) An obscenely overweight man, the first she'd seen, who was called the Second Master, declared her guilty of slandering the Red Masters name in front of a large crowd, including Dimples and co. (Translation provided by Durmyo.)

8.) Odyssia, in a rare bout of impulsiveness, called them even more names and declared the whole thing utterly ridiculous.

9.) A woman, the Third Master, spoke up and said she'd best keep her mouth shut or bad things might happen.

10.) Odyssia dared that thing to come foreward.

And, just like that, Odyssia found herself facing off against four individuals in what they called the Trial of Arrogance. They were the same folks who'd been walking with Dimples. According to Durmyo, they were the newest recruits but, in his opinion, still enough to beat the crap out of Odyssia.

She was handed (see: rudely thrown at) a staff taller than her and told to prepare herself for what was to come.

For the first time in a long time, Odyssia smiled. Truly smiled. A group of so-called 'worthy' opponents was in front of her. She had a decent weapon in her hands. She was going to fight. And best of all? Tobias was nowhere in sight.

This was going to be fun.