A New Life

Gerard spent weeks working with the villagers to help fortify the village and prepare the crops for the coming winter.

Within Scarlette's workshop, a display case stood as a sanctuary of craftsmanship and artistry. Behind the sturdy glass, an intricate iron mannequin stood. An awe-inspiring creation that transcended the boundaries of mere metalwork.

"That's it; it's here. Now, I've got to talk to you about something." Scarlette frowned.

Within the centre of the workshop, the display case drew their eyes like a magnet. It had a sleek body but was still big enough to look masculine. The intricate details of the mannequin demanded closer inspection. Each joint and sinew appeared so lifelike, as if the craftsperson breathed a fragment of their soul into the metal. 

"Something wrong?"

"Yes. You provided us with one platinum and a hundred and thirty gold coins. You do know that one hundred gold coins is a platinum coin, right? That's too much!"

"Think of it as compensation for the sword, and for your hospitality."

"Okay, but I'll use some of that gold to fashion you a new set of armour with material I've got."

"You don't have to. The money is a gift."

"I insist."

"Fine. Thank you."

"So, what do you think?" Scarlett stood tall, hands at her hips, smiling widely and looked at the mannequin.

[That'll be my body? It's not cute at all.]

*It is what it is. I didn't know you wanted something cute.*

[You never asked.]

"Crafted from iron gathered from deep in the dwarven mines to the north, the best craftsman in all of Solares put this beauty together. Your designs worked as a good base to work with, but after my alterations, this is the result," Scarlette said, flexing her arms proudly.

"We love it."

"We?"

"I mean, I love it. By we, I meant that it looked as though you liked it as well."

"You're a strange one... So?"

"So what?"

"What's this mannequin for?"

"I'll answer your question if you answer one of mine."

Scarlette nodded.

"What is the world's stance on inanimate objects being given life?"

"Like a golem?"

*Golem?*

[A golem is a being made from wood, clay, flesh, stone, or metal, and is then imbued with mana to follow a specific set of instructions until the source of mana is completed.]

*Thanks.*

[Please stop using me as an encyclopedia.]

*Sorry, but you're really handy to have around.*

"Similar to a golem, but with a sense of sentience."

"A sentient golem? Is such a thing possible? I would say that such a being would need to be hidden before the magical research institute finds it and uses it for their studies."

"So it would need to blend in, pretending to be a simple-minded golem?"

"That's what I believe. You aren't going to-"

"It's complicated to explain, but you'll see what I mean in a moment."

Gerard searched for the feeling that swept over his body whenever Sprite spoke to him. Somewhere close but out of reach.

*Transference!*

[Hopefully, I'll see you in a minute.]

Gerard felt his body struggle to hold its weight. Rena quickly pushed a chair behind Gerard before he fell. Scarlette and Rena watched in silence.

An intricate network of signals wove into being in his mind, and he focused on those that felt reminiscent of Sprite. Over time, the signals that resembled threads separated themselves into two colours. Red, which felt like Sprite, and a blue that felt familiar but not belonging to her.

Even as the spell worked, Gerard tirelessly sorted through those threads of consciousness within him. He opened his eyes as he fed the last of the red threads into the spell. The mannequin's fingers twitched. Its head rotated slowly, pulling itself free from the rack.

"Rena, Scarlette, meet Sprite, a dear companion of mine."

Sprite, in her new body, bowed before toppling over.

[This is a body? Why is it so difficult to control?]

"You'll get the hang of it, Sprite. Just keep trying."

"You can communicate with it?" Scarlette's eyes bulged.

Scarlette watched the animated mannequin without blinking. Rena smiled and followed it around.

"Yes, Sprite is what you might call a fairy, a spirit, or something of the sort, and I would prefer it if you refer to Sprite as a woman, not an object. She might not have a gender, but she sounds and acts like a female. I believe she considers herself to be a woman."

"Incredible. What can she do?"

"Well, I'm not entirely sure yet. I don't even know if she can function without me."

"That's not a problem! You see, in my changes to the blueprint, I asked for a mana conversion crystal to be installed in the mannequin's..." Scarlette looked at the metal creature stumbling in her workshop, knocking over items off the walls and tables.

"In Sprite's chest. As told to me by a wanderer once, the device will naturally absorb mana from the environment as living creatures do."

"That's amazing! Did you hear that, Sprite?"

[Sure did. I could have told you that, though. You never supplied this body with mana, yet I can still move.]

"Right."

"What is she saying? It feels like I'm missing out on something incredible here."

"She's basically calling me an idiot for not giving her any mana."

Scarlette laughed and stumbled before hitting the ground. She held her sides, and the laughter continued.

"That's... One... Interesting... Companion. You have there." She said, laughing between her words.

Sprite started to get a handle on her body when Scarlette found the strength to stand.

"What's next for the two of you, then?"

"Next? I want to convene with the gods. Is there somewhere that I can do that?"

"Convene? Like, speak to them directly? I've heard that people who touch World Totems can sometimes be visited by the gods, but that's just a rumour."

*World totems?*

He looked at Sprite, who was now copying Rena's simple and complex bodily movements.

*Too busy for me, now?*

"What's a world totem?"

"Seriously? I thought everyone knew about them. Even Rena does."

"Yes, I do, I do!" Rena grinned.

She was at least in her twenties, but had a very childish temperament occasionally.

"World Totems are where people who come of age all go to choose their first class. Adventurers, and other strong people with classes also go to them to see if they can change their class." Rena stopped trying to teach Sprite how to move.

[Sorry. I didn't realise you needed information. Unlike monsters, Humans, Elves, and Dwarves all have class systems. Most will typically receive a common class upon going to a World Totem, but some will receive rarer classes that provide incredible power. There are some who call these God Stones.]

*Thank you again, Sprite.*

"Oh, you meant God Stones. The village I came from didn't call them World Totems, so you lost me for a moment there."

"I see. For a researcher, you really need to learn more about the world you live in."

"Oh, I know. That's a fact which has been revealed to me too many times." Gerard laughed awkwardly.

"So, anyway, I suggest you visit a World Totem if you want to have a chance to speak to the gods. The closest ones are at a monastery deep in the western mountains, or Solares."

"How many days to get to the mountain?"

"On foot? Maybe two months on a one-way trip."

"And Solares?"

"You've made that trip yourself, so you should know. If you go around the forest south of us, it'll take the same amount of time, but someone like you can get there in a month by heading directly through the forest."

"I'd rather not head back to the city."

Scarlette frowned as she opened her mouth; Gerard spoke quickly.

"Due to personal reasons. Please understand."

"Of course. Well, stay in the village for a while. It's a long trip, and we've heard from travellers that demons have been sighted to the west."

"Travellers? Oh! Did a large group of people with three wagons come here?"

"Not that I know of, no."

"Oh."

*Maybe they didn't make it, or maybe they couldn't trust me in the end and went somewhere else.*

Gerard sighed.

"I thought some people I knew were coming, but I guess not. Thanks for the warning, Scarlette; I'll help out here at the village for a while and head out when I'm prepared."

"You know where we'll be."

"I do."

Gerard left the workshop, and Sprite shakily followed.

"Bye, Sprite!" Rena smiled, waving as though saying goodbye to a friend.

[I can see why you like her. There's an energy about her that makes me want to be around her. And she was teaching me how to move. Watch this!]

Sprite jumped almost a meter into the air before gracefully landing.

*You like your body, then?*

[You were right. There's just something freeing about having the freedom to move.]

"Gerard, what's this thing?"

Fletch bounded over, inspecting Sprite.

"This is Sprite. She's my new golem."

"She? I guess that's none of my business. Your golem, hey? I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you magical sort are very interesting. Come to the inn tonight, we're eating well from a good hunt, and some of Roderick's plants were harvested, too."

"I'll be there."

Fletch hurried off towards the inn. He looked back, peering at Sprite occasionally.

*Getting you a human body would have been better, because there's nothing like being able to taste, touch, see, and smell things. Not having people stare at you like this would be good as well.*

[That's the thing, though. I can see, and there's a faint feeling around my body that shifts when I touch something.]

*Maybe you inherited my Mind's Eye skill?*

[Perhaps. I don't have access to the system in a physical way like you. So, are we going to those mountains?]

*Demons were mentioned again. I think that's what destroyed that village. I have to make sure everyone here will be safe if I'm leaving for so long.*

[I'll continue to practice my movements while you're preparing. It would be beneficial to know how far our telepathic link reaches as well.]

*Then let's get to work.*