Chapter 7: A Place to rest
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I exhaled, watching my breath curl into mist in the freezing air. My feet were itching to move.
The others were still talking in the main hall to debate rations and discussed plans, trying to establish order. I had no intention of staying with them and play along with their system.
I wanted my own place.
One for just myself.
The temple was massive, but most of it was open halls and stone corridors, offering little protection from the cold wind slipping through the cracks. If I didn't find shelter soon, I'd be shivering all night.
So I walked for a while.
Slipping away from the group was rather easy, as they were too busy talking, too focused on their arguments, to notice me leaving. My feet made no sound against the cold floor—Silent Frame, my trait, made sure of that. I looked back at them, only to sneer once as I continued walking in one direction.
The deeper I went, the quieter it became. The distant murmurs of the others faded behind me, replaced by the stillness of forgotten halls. Dust clung to the edges of the floor, untouched by movement. The air smelled of old wood and damp stone, carrying the weight of something long abandoned.
And then, I found it.
A wing of small rooms, their wooden doors still standing despite years of neglect.
Bedrooms.
I tried the first door. Locked.
The second. Same.
I clicked my tongue in frustration, moving further down the hall.
Then, finally, a handle turned. The door groaned open slightly, revealing the darkness within.
I stepped inside. The air was stale but not unbearable. Moonlight filtered through a small, high window, barely illuminating the space. A simple bed frame stood against the wall, its mattress thin and covered in dust. A wooden chest sat at the foot of the bed, its lid slightly ajar.
I scanned the room. No footprints. No signs of recent use.
This place had been forgotten.
Perfect.
I turned back to the door, my fingers running along the wood until they found what I was looking for—the key, still resting in the lock.
A slow grin crept onto my face.
I turned the key.
The lock clicked into place, sealing me inside.
I sat on the bed, ignoring the dust, and let out a slow breath. Finally, I was alone.
No one to argue with. No one to boss me around. No one to tell me what to do.
For the first time since waking up, I let myself relax.
My body was still weak, but it was mine. No chains, no obligations, no responsibilities.
I wouldn't waste this life like the last one. Never.
The cold woke me before the sun even tried to.
Even inside the room, the air was freezing. I sat up, rubbing warmth back into my arms. I needed clothes. Real ones. The thin, temple robes we had woken up in weren't enough.
I had enough food for a while, but it surely wouldn't last for long. The temple was nothing but stone and dust, clearly holding no future for me.
If I stayed, I'd just be trapped in another system of society. Another group of people telling me what to do while dragging me down.
I simply refused to be part of something that would only so harm to me.
I needed to go into the forest to be alone.
But first—clothes.
I pulled the door open, stepping back into the cold halls, my mind set with a goal.
I would find something warm to wear.
As my small frame moved through the temple's hallways, I discovered more and more rooms. Some contained more than others, but one room stood out.
A weaponry—inside a temple.
Armor, fitting for children, and all kinds of rusty weapons filled the space.
I quickly equipped myself with warm clothing, reinforced with leather straps, and took a cloak with me.
The selection of weapons was vast. But I had no experience with any of them.
Naturally, as a boy, I had always idolized swords. From the Roman gladius to the Chinese jian, I knew them all. And with that knowledge, I also understood that swords were never the main weapon on a battlefield.
As I walked past them, I instead picked up a curved dagger and a knife. Both had matching scabbards.
They were light to carry, and stabbing something didn't require much skill to begin with.
Lastly, I grabbed a backpack and stored my rations inside.
Then, I slowly made my way back to the main hall…