POV: Zarenna
Another couple trips and everything my rescuers had was up on the rock. I was introduced to Markus and Salvador, the latter of which spoke Ordian haltingly. Markus didn't speak a word, but he and Lorelei talked and soon I was given a set of clothing to keep—including shoes that almost fit! It was still men's clothing, probably Markus'. However, after changing in the cabin I found myself much more comfortable. If anyone had seen the conspicuous arm holes in my other shirt, they didn't say anything.
While the expedition set up camp and talked to each other in Cavenish, I sat in my cabin with the door open and thought about their expedition and what I knew of the island. That feline beast was one of several spread across the jungle. It'd fought with me twice before I'd managed to kill it.
The beast had nearly killed me, and the experience had led me to train myself to fight. I'd learned a lot about fighting with my new body over the years. I'd evolved from just punches to working in slashing, kicking, and tail slapping as well. Grappling is something else I'd worked on recently. Combined with my seemingly unlimited tolerance for heat and fire and my own innate magic, holding something and heating it was a way to win a fight quickly, albeit one that left me tired.
The other monsters challenged me after the feline fell. While I still didn't know if I could regenerate lost limbs, I did know that I could recover from having them nearly severed. My lower right arm still had phantom pains from time to time. I killed five more monsters ranging from lizards to a bird that I'd downed with a lucky shot. I knew of at least a couple others that had likely died fighting other monsters.
The problem was that I hadn't slain all of them. The only remaining one I knew of, an immense red-scaled fire lizard, made its home on the north side in a cave system near the lava flow. Lorelei had mentioned they were looking for ruins earlier, and that was the only place I hadn't explored. Unless what they were looking for was completely buried or small enough to miss, it had to be there.
The thing was immune to fire just as I was, and its physical might exceeded my own. The lizard seemed able to reinforce its scales magically, so I couldn't do more than superficial damage. Thankfully, it seemed content to control the whole island while I had the peninsula and rock to myself.
If I warned my rescuers, they would find out I had encountered the lizard and at least lived. I don't have a scale to understand how dangerous these things are though! The monster has to be at least somewhat deadly, but maybe fighting the creature will be a walk in the park for this group. If it's not though, that could raise questions I can't answer. I made up my mind just as the group finished making their dinner. The sun was setting and we, yes, we (Lorelei was very clear to Seyari and the others about that) were to head out at sunrise.
Despite my lack of notable magical aura, I was clearly physically strong, I knew the land, and I could cast a big signal flare. It had been decided I should tag along, though some in the group clearly just wanted to keep an eye on me. I didn't argue against going with them. Lorelei at least seemed very nice and I'd not turn down a chance to make friends. Even if I had to constantly lie to them. The thought hurt, but before I could spiral down that line of thinking, Lorelei spoke up.
"Hey Renna, do you want some?" Lorelei invited me over to their dinner by the fire with a smile on her face.
The four of them looked over at me. Salvador looked wary, Markus seemed neutral, and I couldn't get a read on Seyari's expression.
"Some of this stuff is yours anyway, but you said that was okay right? I just couldn't resist some fresh fruit after a month at sea," Lorelei continued.
"Sure." I walked over and sat down next to the slim girl who'd changed her sundress for practical traveling clothes.
It felt nice to move around in clothing that at least somewhat fit me. I had given up on regularly wearing the other set after the first couple days. I'm glad I didn't develop a penchant for nudism. What they'd cooked up amounted to hydrated rations including dried meat and hard tack with a fruit salad.
I took the offered bowls. "Thanks, Lorelei. These ones are my favorite." I pointed to the familiar white fruit chunks in the bowl.
"Oh, the northern mangosteen? Yeah, it's great, and I also love the soursops you have. I'd read about them, but it's my first time trying some," Lorelei replied eagerly. "I think you had one fruit in there that went bad though. A durian I think it was called? The big spiky one."
"It seemed ripe to me," Seyari countered.
"Are you sure? I know you sailed around a lot before you joined on and probably ate a lot of fun things, but it was really rank," Lorelei made a face.
"Durians, huh." I was glad to have a name for the fruit. "They're always like that. They're great once you get over the smell."
I'd thought myself they had gone rotten or were toxic for the longest time. However, after seeing about damn near everything on the island eating them, I gave one a try a few months back and found a new favorite.
"So, Renna," Seyari changed the subject. "You've lived here for a few years. Have you seen any settlements or ruins on the island? Lorelei already told you we're here to search for them." The glare she shot Lorelei could freeze water.
Lorelei was unaffected. "Oh! Have you seen any demons? There are supposedly demons here," she added before I could answer.
"I don't know about any ruins. I haven't been around all of the north side of the island though. There's a big red-scaled fire lizard thing I saw from a distance that I think lives over there," I replied.
"Fire lizard? Did it shoot fire, or was it on fire? What if it's a dragon?" Lorelei was at the edge of her seat. An impressive feat considering she was sitting cross-legged on ground.
"There's no way it was a dragon. No one would mistake one for just a lizard," Seyari seemed interested. "How big was it?"
"Uh, not quite two meters tall and the body was probably six meters long without the tail," I responded, then quickly added, "and I'm sure it wasn't a dragon, but it was on fire along its spine."
Like most people, I'd never seen a dragon, but I'd read stories with dragons in them. If dragons were only the size of that lizard, those stories would have been a lot more comedic. What I saw didn't even have wings!
"It might be a demon then," Seyari said seriously.
"Wait, really?" I asked incredulously.
"Yeah! See, some animals have magical affinities, but it doesn't sound like any species I've heard of. Also doesn't sound like any monster I've heard of, but who knows?" Lorelei set her finished bowl down. I have no idea how she managed to make it disappear while talking so much.
"Why a demon and not a monster then?" I looked at Seyari.
She looked back at me, "Because our information was quite clear there would be at least one on the island, and it's the most likely candidate."
It didn't take a genius to figure out what Seyari's stare implied.
"Yeah! If it's a demon, we'll hunt it down no matter what! I'm sure you know, Renna, but demons are always evil and must be destroyed or they'll cause more and more harm." Lorelei's look was completely innocent, but her zealousness sent shivers down my spine.
Conversation died down while the rest of us finished eating. Not understanding Ordian, Salvador and especially Markus had been left out, and I presume would be told the important parts. All of them at least seemed to be warming up to my presence. Markus particularly relaxed when it was made clear that Lorelei was comfortable around me. However, now I knew I needed to be careful around Lorelei. Before, I wanted to tell her what I was at some point to get help during the trip back, but I definitely can't. I can't tell anyone.
The expedition members returned to their tents and I retreated to my cabin. The fact they set a watch and that the watch included my home was not lost on me. I passed through the front room I used both as a sitting room for what little furniture I had built or scavenged, and entered my bedroom. The two doors in the cabin were by no means perfect, but the hinges I had looted from footlockers held up well enough.
The outer door had a crossbeam I put up and I closed the improvised shutters. Laying back on my bed of feather-stuffed mismatched fabric (I was lucky to find a needle on the ship and luckier still to have been taught some things by Abby years ago) I stared at the roof above me and thought about the day. Rescue was finally here. The day I'd dreamed about for years. Scratch marks on the walls told the days. I'd make another one tomorrow and it would hopefully be my last.
Perhaps I'd make a few more depending on how the expedition went. This should have been a moment of elation and celebration, but instead it was tense and nerve-wracking. I just wanted to be myself damnit, and not hide behind this glamour. Still, I couldn't blame them for judging me. I'd never heard of a demon being anything other than evil. I thought about why that might be and how the truth might differ as I drifted off to sleep.