(1) Rise and...

Ourayo's first sight as they woke up was a room with minimal furniture but plenty of plants. It was a pleasant room with exposed stone and mossy wallpaper that grew at random. There was quite enough sunlight, and even a view outside which led into a courtyard if one were to walk down a flight or so.

From this view, they could ascertain that it was around noontime, and the summer.

They looked around the room to see vines creeping up the walls and a bed made from what seemed to be a tree that grew from the ground. Upon further inspection, it was carefully carved to the shape of a bed, and was even attached to the ground and the wall.

Overall, the room was enjoyable, even though they didn't particularly know where they were.

All they could move were their eyes at the moment, though. Those silver eyes that seemed to peer into the depths of one's soul.

In the months that they'd slept, their muscles had atrophied and even before that, they were at a disadvantage, being capable of lifting only one stone. Even the weakest newborn would be capable of lifting three stone, and much less grown adults would easily hover around the range of mid-twenties.

Ourayo could only lay there as their body had to actively get used to the environment they were in.

They lay in the bed, numb and struggling to move limbs that wouldn't respond as their body automatically drew in enough energy to give them the ability to move for nearly a half hour. Or at least, long enough for them to make it to the river and soak up the qi of their natural home.

'Rivers are my home? Why was that my first instinct?', they wondered as they continued to cultivate unknowingly.

Unable to find an immediate answer, however, they dismissed the concern with a frown. Of course, it would be on their list, but prioritizing their safety should be more important. No matter how welcoming the room or the environment was, there was no guarantee that the people would be friendly.

They stood shakily, unable to find a complete sense of balance as qi pulsed unevenly throughout their body. It didn't matter, because as soon as they threw off the covers and made it two steps to the door, a violently oppressive aura preceded the door opening to reveal an old woman with a dagger pointed at their stomach.

Ourayo screamed in surprise and fear as they fell on their ass, and then blinked confusedly as the old woman chuckled and put the dagger away with indecipherable intent.

"So you're awake. Good. If you were asleep any longer and I would have declared you dead." She stated. Suspicion tinged her voice as she glared at the... well... monster. She considered Ourayo a monster, given their recovery speed and unique attributes.

Ourayo glared right back before using their proper voice for the first time.

"Dead?"

"..." there was no answer. She answered with her silence, and Ourayo seemed all the more confused. Why wouldn't the old woman affirm it or deny it? After all, they were alive at the moment.

"...um. Okay, well hi, I'm pretty sure I'm not dead."

The old woman's upper lip unexpectedly twitched and then morphed back into a scowl, "mhm. I'm the one who took care of you. You can call me Inin for the time being. I assume you're not going to attack me now that you know the vast difference between us, so..." she trailed off and stepped over to put out her hand.

Ourayo was now able to get a good look at her now that she wasn't actively threatening them, and they could see that she wore her age well. Lines creased her face, but more noticeable were the scars which looked like the product of numerous battles. Her hand was as smooth as it would have been in her youth, and her ensemble of purple and gold robes gave her a majestic and knowing aura.

They took her hand and she lifted them up easily.

"Well Ms. Inin, you can call me," a word flashed through their mind and they blurted it out, "Ourayo. I'm... Ourayo?"

Inin looked at the monster with a mixture of pity and confusion, but accepted it without comment.

"Well, Ourayo, welcome to Inul Castle. This is my villa, and I decided to bring you in when everyone else suggested that we kill you to be cautionary. So you're welcome, you can thank me later. As for how you'll repay me, I'll determine it later. For now, follow me."

She turned around without another comment and walked out of the door while expecting Ourayo to follow even as their head reeled. The identity crises they'd put off had reared its head much sooner than they'd expected, given that they knew basic information but nothing about... where they came from. They knew it was missing, and that Inin shouldn't be so powerful in their mind, but that was their only clue.

Shit.

The old woman had made it more than a dozen steps before Ourayo realized that they should've been following.

Stumbling, they rushed to catch up.

…

The two walked around the second floor of the courtyard and Ourayo's body began to assimilate to the new gravity and their lesser strength. Unseen to the monster but noticed by Inin, the qi was drawn into their body and reinforced their physique.

This walk continued as the old woman began to explain the situation to her new guest:

She was looking for an apprentice and perhaps an heir, because such an oh so lonely woman had no interest in doing things the normal way.

Therefore, she would provide housing to Ourayo as long as they promised to take her on as a teacher.

Hesitantly they agreed.

The walk continued until the two of them reached the nearby river and Inin waved Ourayo on to allow them to gather its qi while she mused at the peculiarity.

But as soon as the monster touched the flowing water, their vision darkened and everything faded away as all they remembered was falling, a muted rushing noise, and more falling.