“You are Lai Sen’o, aren’t you?” he asked, sternly. I nodded my head, holding the man's gaze, I could see the woman looking downcast. “Then you can leave immediately,” he said with finality.

“I understand, thank you.” I bowed again, and exited the house, remaining under the cautious eyes of the man and his wife until I’d closed the heavy wooden door behind me.

I could only shake my head, that was the coldest I have ever been treated and I am not even capable of feeling angry, if anything I am sympathetic towards them for harbouring someone like me and grateful that none of them turned me in.

I walked away from the house, it appeared to be mid-morning, there were a few people on the street outside, I was not somewhere I recognised so my first task was getting my bearings.

I walked until I found a street of stalls with a bustling street that was covered entirely by tarpaulin to allow the shoppers ample time to browse without worrying about the sun. I walked in, supposing this to be a good place to gather information. To start with no one seemed to recognise me which made me curious as to how the couple who had saved me managed to identify me.

Eventually I found a stall with a rather bored looking woman selling an assortment of hand carved sculptures.

“Excuse me, I was wondering if you could tell me where I am in relation to Fel Maer?”

“Fel Maer? We’re South of Fel Maer by about 12 kilometres,” she said with a questioning look on her face. “You gonna buy something?”

“I’m not, unfortunately. Your sculptures are beautiful.”

“Thanks,” she muttered, clearly losing interest.

“You’ve used Vern’s technique, haven’t you?” I asked, the woman went rigid. “It’s a wonderful display of the technique,” I continued. “This one in particular is almost shimmering.”

“What do you know of sculptures?” she asked a little frantically.

“Enough,” I stated simply.

“Can you sculpt?” she asked now with a little excitement.

“Not at all,” I said. She crumpled a little bit.

“Still, for you to know about Vern’s technique, you must at least know a sculptor?”

“Of course, although he taught me only to recognise good from bad.”

“So you have nothing to teach me?” she asked simply.

“Not in the way of sculpting. I may have something for you in the way of cultivation.”

“Cultivation?” she scoffed. “What could I hope to gain from cultivation?”

“Control over one's body and mind, alongside a longer life span. I think all of those things would be valuable for a sculptor. I wonder if you would enjoy the same technique I made for my friend.”

“Your friend, the sculptor?” she asked, a little interested.

“One and the same.” I confirmed.

“You know I have not much to give you, I am just a villager who’s Grandmother happened to know a high level sculpting technique. You are offering me something beyond what I can repay.”

“Five sculptures.”

“Just five?” she asked.

“Just five,” I nodded. “This is the first.” I said, holding up the one that I had pointed out before. It was a woman covered in clothing holding a newborn child. Her face was obscured but the child's smiling face set a positive tone and the bright wood it was made from made the sculpture shine with a hopeful light.

“Alright, it’s a deal.” she nodded. “I’ll carve four more sculptures at your request for the same cultivation technique you made for your sculptor friend.

I wonder what her reaction would be if she discovered just who my ‘sculptor friend’ was. I began to write the technique down on some parchment supplied by the shopkeeper.

“My name is Avery, by the way.”

“Ah, right.” I laughed at how we had managed to enter a business deal without even knowing each other's names, she had a giggle too. “My name is Sen’o.” We shook hands and she continued to watch as her future was written out in front of her.

After finishing the inscription and giving her some pointers I made my way out of the stall, northwards. Hoping that the walk to Fel Maer would go smoothly. It appeared the road was well travelled and safe so my travelling at midday should amount to a relaxing stroll. Albeit one that would last a couple of hours.

With a skip in my step thanks to a happy encounter my walk went wholly undisturbed. A few wagons passed me by whilst I hid my face as best I could lest they recognise it.

I arrived on the outskirts of Fel Maer in the early afternoon and walked straight to my household. It was apart from my family’s abode as they could not stand me living nearby.

The door creaked open after a light push. It was clear before even entering that it had been ransacked. I was unsurprised but thought to have a quick look around in case they’d left anything.

I remember specifically a gentle rock that I had used to wear around my neck as a child. It was given to me by my mother, I thought if I could find it I would wear it. In a confusing way it would make me feel like the Lai Sen O that got himself killed was different to the one that wore the necklace as I am different to the both of them.

I found the necklace in a rifled through draw, it shone as it did before. The string was now old and fraying but I pulled it over my head all the same. Searching the rest of the house gained me nothing apart from a strange sense of clarity. The home that kept the previous Lai Sen O safe was no more.

On a logical and spiritual level I was uncomfortable staying any longer than I already had so I left. Unfortunately all the effort I have made in this life could come to an end soon as now I have to face the woman I raped, and I plan on apologising properly.