Feste woke slowly, the aches in his rib a dull reminder of the alley and the fight that had almost killed. The safehouse the city guards had provided was small, quiet, and orderly. Sunlight filtered in through the thin curtains, illuminating dust motes that floated lazily in the air.
I survived... but now?
Feste thought, pressing a hand against his side.
I don't understand it. That man, his movements... something about him wasn't human. And yet I lived.
He sighed, letting the thought linger, the memory of the alley and the killer pressing against his mind.
The guards had found him shortly after the fight. They had patched up his wounds, fed him and asked countless questions. Feste had answered sparingly, careful not to reavel the fear and confusion gnawing at him.
"You were lucky to survive," one of the guards said quietly, adjusting the bandages around his arm.
Lucky? Feste thought bitterly.
It wasn't luck...
I just...
I don't even know how I did it
The rest of the day passed slowly. Feste moved carefully, testing his body, walking outside for the first time in days. He bought bread from a nearby vendor, feeling the warmth of the city around him. He observed the streets, the cadence of life, and the small, mundane interactions that made up normal existence.
It all seems... ordinary.
But nothing is ordinary anymore...
The guards occasionally checked on him, asking questions about his recovery, offering food or supplies. Their visits were gentle but persistent and Feste noticed the subtle glances they gave him, measuring, assessing.
Are they suspicious? Or just concerned?
He wondered.
Either way...
I can't let them see fear. I can't let them see weakness.
He spent time observing the guards, learning their routines, noting how they moved, how they interacted with citizens. Their discipline fascinated him, even as he remained distant.
Sometime, when he returned to the safehouse, he sat quickly, recounting each detail of the fight, replaying the movements of the killer. His mind cataloged every swing, every shift in weight, every subtle pressure in the air he had felt.
afternoon, Feste ventured into the city libary. The door's creaked as he entered, the air heavy with dust and the smell of old parchment. Shelves towered above him, filled with countless tomes chronicling the kingdom's history, geography and the hidden laws of the world.
Maybe knowledge is the only thing. I never learned how to read. But when I settled here, I tried to learn. I can't read perfectly, but I can manage to some extent
Feste thought.
He wandered through the aisels, fingertips brushing over the spine of books.
I see the word "Qi" everywhere, but I don't understand the context or why so many books have it in the titles.
Sais Feste.
He picked up a book and looked inside. The book was filled with sketches of people, each labeled with the word "Qi."
I don't understand a word, I can't make sense of any this. The only thin I got is that every person has a second heart, wich is probably the source of the "Qi". That's all I understand.
I thought my reading skills were a bit better than this, but I guess I was wrong.
He closed the book and took a deep breath in and out.
He put the book back and walked out of the library.
The following days were marked by small routines. Feste walked through markets, carried water and practiced his reading skill.
The guards occasionally stopped by to check him, offering simple food or asking if he needed help. Their presence was unobtrusive, yet it reminded Feste that he was not alone.
Even if they don't say it, I know they are watching. Every glance, every gesture... They're measuring me.
He welcomed these small interactions, talking briefly with the guards, learning about their lives, the city and sometimes about the outskirts they patrolled. It was mudane, but grounding - a contrast to the chaos of the alley and the killer.
I need this... this normalcy, however brief, to keep my mind steady.
While Feste was sat on the bench and enjoyed the sun, smelled the smell and the air he breathed.
But then a shadow fall across. He looked up, tension tightening his chest. A figure stood there, smaller than the guards he was used to seeing.
There's...
something different about him...
Feste thought
The stranger's eyes met his, sharp and calculating. Feste recognized immediately that this was no ordinary city guard. The air felt subtly heavier, charged with unseen presence.
"You've been recovering, observing and are sitting here" the stranger said, voice neutral but firm.
"I have a questions about the alley and your survival."
Feste's pulse quickened. He knows. Or he senses. He's here for a reason, not casual curiosity.
He rose slowly, mind racing, preparing to answer.
I have to be careful. I can't even reavel too much. If i survive all this here maybe... just maybe... I can start to understand the force of Qi.
The stranger's gaze lingered suddenly the atmosphere changed, suddenly it feel like the threshold to something far larger, for more dangerous.
This isn't over, Feste's heart pounded quickly.