'I need to stop waking up like this, okay quick check... still a girl, still seeing weird shit, not a dream I take it.'

  "Hey, Nav, where are you?" met with only silence

  "So much for always being by my side" I sit up and look around... there's a girl lying on the floor over there... she appears to be in early teens, better check on her... she's breathing steady pulse... how did she end up here?

  'I look around and notice there's no light good thing I learned how to use my eyes. we are inside or underground. what is this place? I should look around, but I'm not leaving a defenseless girl here, better carry her, and up you go. now unto the surroundings, let's see...'

  'Three rooms connected to the last one, that's the entrance, nothing of note in the three rooms it goes' out into a wooded area, better find my way out of here. boy am I glad this bodies strong, this is going to be a lot of walking huh? welp nothing more to it...'

  'Well, it seems sleeping beauty here isn't waking up anytime soon, I'm going to have to make sure there is food when she does, I'll keep an eye out for anything that looks edible...'

  'Well, that's that, as long as I'm right these berries and nuts should be edible...'

  'This is peaceful...'

  'Man, this girl must be tired she hasn't woken up in several hours...'

  'Welp, the sun's starting to rise now, is she okay? It's been over sixteen hours since I have started this walk and not the slightest stirring, like a sack of potatoes.'

  'I'll check on her when we get to safety, she's still breathing and seems untroubled, so I'll leave her be for now'

  'Hmm seems like she's finally stirring, been asleep for over a week at this point, she hasn't been losing any fat, so I have to assume this is due to some mystically stuff, hope she'll be alright.'

  'two more days and she's barely any further along she's moving now and mumbling incoherently, honestly it kind of reminds me of spencer... I really hope he is all right...'

  'Another day, honestly I don't think this girl needs to eat either...'

  'Okay seems I've found my way out of the woods, found a river now I'll just follow it upstream and hopefully find civilization.'

  'She's started talking in her sleep, it's kind of cute... wonder what dreams are causing these thoughts to spill out of her...'

  "Welcome to the world of the living.", I said

  Random girl: "Huh, and here I thought I was dead, disappointing really, though I do seem to have found a piece of heaven" The girl replies and after a short pause "You're very comfortable, almost a shame to have to walk given how nice this is..."

  "Well I've been carrying you this far not like you need to start walking now just 'cause you're awake."

  Random girl: "That does beg the question though... why are you carrying me in the first place?"

  "I found you where I woke up and figured since nothing was around, better bring you with than to leave you to the elements."

  Random Girl: "Well, I knew where I went to sleep at, and I have no idea where we are now so... where are we?"

  "Honestly? trying to figure that out myself."

  Random girl: "So we're both lost? alrighty then seems like you're following this river to get us to civilization, right? well the nearest settlement is downriver."

  "How do you know?"

  Random girl: "Maybe I'll teach you how to know yourself later... if you want... and maybe I'll want something in return."

  "Fine then keep your secrets for now, but I do want to know how you know."

  Random girl: "I suppose we should introduce ourselves, normally I do that before someone picks me up, but I didn't have much choice here..."

  'Hmm, what name should i use? old name? nah, new body, new reality, new name. should i use the only name i know for the old owner of this body? probably not, living up to the legacy of the Ninth seems like a tall order especially since they seem to have been functionally a god.'

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  "Guess I'll go first, call me Seras."

  "Nice to make your acquaintance Carmine, You may refer to me as Carmine."

  The two fools continued on their merrie way for quite some time in complete silence Carmine guiding Seras to the nearest gathering of lower life... I mean sentient and sapient beings who most definitely are worth more than the oxygen and time and space they occupy.

  Seras: "Impressive trick you have, it's like you knew exactly where to go."

  Carmine: "It sure is useful, took me awhile to get it to where it is now."

  Seras: "So any ideas where this is?"

  Carmine: "Nope"

  POV - Carmine

  'What the fuck is this thing carrying me? if it wants me dead, I'm dead, It looks somewhat like a human, but its aura, most definitely is not, I'm just going to pretend to still be asleep and hopefully it will lose interest in me'

  'I have no idea how long I've been in this things arms and I'm too scared to pretend to wake up now, what if it wants me awake before it does it's thing? what if this is some sort of trick? it seems like it's benign so far but what would change that? this thing could do anything it pleases based off the strength of its aura... and it's carrying me around? does it think I'm a flower or something? is this payback for my sins in it's eyes? why wont it just set me down? what does it want?'

  'Alright moving didn't cause it to attack me, speaking didn't do anything either, and why am I not getting tired? or hungry? or bored? or frustrated? does this thing just like carrying people around? is it feeding me with it's magic? why would anyone learn such a spell? wait... magic to sustain life... that is pure stuff... why would a spirit decide to steal me away?'

  'Okay time to bite the bullet and 'wake up'.'

  'Wow this thing is either looking for other victims before killing me... or is just very nice.'

  'All right there is the next settlement other people are in site, now is the time where it's likely to betray me... and I'm not dead, I'm happier with this outcome'

  Narrator's - POV

  'Glad to have a city in sight, though I don't think this place is quite large enough to be considered a city... still larger than some places I've been too, and it seems to have public lighting so it's not doing too bad for itself, no walls so clearly defense isn't a concern here... I don't think I'm going to stay here' are the thoughts of my Dear friend Seras

  "Welp, are you alright? do we need to get you to a doctor or anything?" Seras is speaking this to Carmine out of concern for her

  "I am perfectly fine, you don't have to worry about me" this is a lie, but only inso far as emotionally, psychologically, intellectually, spiritually, and Mystically.

  "If you're sure" Seras is Deciding to trust in Carmine's ability to assess themself.

  Now they begin heading towards the settlement, those poor bastards.

  Seras - POV

  "This place is kind of nice, wonder what all they have here, and if they use the same naming conventions I'm used too."

  Carmine: "Let's explore a bit then, shall we?"

  "That would be wonderful." 'Seems she's going to be staying with me for while.'

  Carmine - POV

  'I'm not going to feel safe letting this thing out of my sight'

  "Would you please follow me?"

  Seras: "Sure."

  Narrator - POV

  "And off to the rat race they go, round and round again, hope they have fun while it lasts."

  ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL

  End OF - POV

  And off they go on their little get together, this isn't what I put all my effect into to make reality, but I am very patient, i can wait until the time comes. you all want action? bloodshed? romance? well so do I, it is a shame that that is not here yet, allow me to intervene.

  There It's coming, this was boring but now the real deal will show up rather soon.

  Now it's time for my turn Old Friend, oh how fun this shall be.

  As our two actors travel across the stage Seras find's nothing to sate the needs they've been looking for, Carmine is growing more comfortable in their judgement of Seras.

  Occam's Razor achieved now can you calm down?

  The towns people either ignore the strange pair actively or passively, all who are afraid to confront the pair recognizing the danger, and the rest remain apathetic meandering through their lives like they're better than them... DISGUSTING

  Narrator - POV

  It's kind of funny you know... Why am I alone again? when she doesn't even really want to be there? she doesn't trust them? fine... I'll handle this myself.

  EXECUTING PARADIGM SHIFT, ASSUMMING DIRECT CONTROL OF TARGET: CARMINE "THE WOLF IN SHEEPS CLOTHING"

  "Hey Seras? I think I know where we are now... this is a town by the name of Rederick's refuge, it's named after the first name of it's founder whose family was given lordship over the town for a few generations before power struggles cause his descendants to fall from grace, the last three generations of his house were utter wastes of breathe and so, they lost all privileges, any way's i believe that i can guide us anywhere you'd like to go... so anything in mind now that my built in Navigators back online?"

  Seras: "Nav? is that you?"

  "Is that what you'd like to call me? if so then that would work bee-tee-w, Carmine was a fake name she gave you."

  Seras: "Given the fact that I'm a stranger she woke up next too i can understand her being reluctant to share personally details with me"

  "You're not mad are you? I'll have you know she does the same thing but worse, i can at least reverse the process whenever i damn well please but she tends to kill people in the process, so what If I'm the one controlling this body for the moment It's not mine i just wanted to talk with you and experience this in person, while she didn't"

  Seras: "What do you mean she didn't? didn't what want to be here? who's holding her hostage?"

  "She was holding herself hostage because she was afraid of you"