Humans do exist!

At an Arms Length

*Image created by the official Palia team and rights to Singularity 6. Image was obtained off Pinterest, posted by Palia References, a fan account. Their accpunt is small and older but is such a great source of image reference! Please go check them out!*

With all the worry about the human artifacts Kenyatta got, I've been a bit preoccupied. Weeding the garden, I don't even notice the lonely hunter had made his way onto my housing plot. With an annoyed huff, he taps my shoulder, startling me out of my thoughts.

I jump at the touch, pricking my hand on the knapweed. I shake my hand, sucking on my finger as I turn around. Hassian crosses his arms and glares at me. My heart drops.

"Hassian! S-sorry! I completely forgot about the lesson today! Ah gee, I'm such a dunce-!"

I slap my hand to my forehead as he rolls his eyes.

"You're lucky I came looking for you, human. I wish to talk to you about... serious matters, but I fear you will turn our conversation into another one of your jokes."

I am a little surprised he'd come to me about something serious. I stand from the garden and dust myself off.

"Oh...uh well I'm all ears."

He pulls a piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to me. Eyeing him curiously, I unfold it to find a strange symbol doodled on it. It's foreign to me but reminds me of some of the symbols on the ancient texts.

"What am I supposed to-"

"I saw that symbol carved into a pine tree while I was out hunting. It looks like that human text from the ruins but I'd never seen it before. I know everything that goes on in the valley. Everything. But this... is different."

I try to remember where I might have seen the symbol or anything similar to it. What if it has to do with the valley's recent behavior? Who could have left a mark like this in a tree? Was there a specific reason?

While I continue to stare at the symbol as I walk into my cabin, wracking my brain. I search through the mess of the artifacts I'd been studying, frustrated not finding a match. A faint red glow catches my attention. I uncover the small tablet pulling it from the pile.

My thumb rubs over the grooves of the rune, matching the sketch Hassian gave me perfectly.

Looking back and forth between them, I leave my cabin, holding them up to Hassian. The faint red glow reflects in his emerald eyes that widen in surprise. He gingerly takes the small rune piece in his hand.

His expressionof wonder tyrns dark as he glares up at me through his eyebrows.
"...that's exactly it...... you better not have something to do with this or I swear I'll hunt you like an azuer chapaa and-"

"Am I interrupting?"

Startled by the cold, annoyed tone in Eshe's voice. I quickly hide the stone tablet behind my back and face her with a wry smile, hassian mirroring me with his own scowl.

"N-no! Not at all, Eshe," I laugh nervously as I greet her, "What a wonderful surprise!"

"Hmm yes charmed I'm sure." She rolls her eyes and gently touches the puff of her finely fixed hair. She groans, seeing the drab state of the mud and weeds strewn across my garden and clothes, not hiding her look of disgust. She inhales and shakes her head before relaxing against her cane.
"Oh good, the hunter is here. Well, I suppose I could ask you both, but I hardly care for the trouble going through you, Hassian."

Hassian lets out a huff and crosses his arms.

"I'm in need of some quality furs and leather. Jel's supplier is late for his shipment so I've come to you in hopes you could procure some for me. In Kenyatta's most recent stunt at the ball, she damaged a pair of lended riding boots, from my cousin."

Listening to her, a wave of panic washes over me as she mentions the ball. Her face twists into one of confusion as she gives me a once over, taking note of my discomfort.

"Are you alright? You've gone a little pale."

"Nope, nope, I'm all good, Madame Magistrate! Just ahem uh thinking about my chores is all." I lie, pulling my arms tightly behind my back in an attempt to hide the rune behind me more.

She glances over me once again before brushing it off and continuing.

"Right. Well, rest assured I'll pay you my usual rate for my daughter's, ughhh insolence. Human. Hunter."
She bids us farewell, stealing one last curious look before leaving.

Once she's gone, I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. Hassian snatches the rune from my hand and holds in front of my face knowingly.

"You stole this, didn't you, didn't you!"

I try taking it back, him holding it just out of my reach.

"N-no! I just- well- b-b-but if you just listen-!"

"We don't steal, human! Are you kidding me? It obviously ancient, I can't believe I asked for your help!"

"No Hassian please, I was just borrowing it! Besides when you think about it, I'm technically the best hands it could be in, being human and all!"

His face falls, a mix of a deadpan and disgust.

"You mock your ancestors and your descendents should someone be unfortunate enough for you to bare any, will prune you from your family tree."

I snatch the stone back from him and inspect it carefully.
"You forget you're the one who came for my help in the first place. Wanna protect the forest on your own, nature boy? Be my guest. I have gold to make."

I turn to open my lock chest for the furs I have listening to Hassian groan behind me.

"Fffffine. Yes I would like your help. Great Phoenix that hurt."

"Good, I'm glad. I'll help you but we'll knock out two birds with one stone here. Hunting lesson and the quality material for Eshe."

I smile smugly as I grab my gear for our now rescheduled hunting. Now on a short mission he clearly wants to be over with already, I think it'd be fun to poke at him.

Casually scooting closer as we start off to Bahari, he gently pushes me away.

"This does not make us friends."

"Oh come on, and are i thought you were starting to warm up to me!"

"Do all humans do this or just the annoying ones? Until further notice your at an arms length minimum."

*(hello lovely readers! Omg I am so so so terribly sorry! Last chapter I promised more but literally the next day and since then, I've been doing double shifts at both my jobs and caring for my brother with pneumonia. I'm going to try and get better about writing but until then, forgive me for such a scattered upload schedule. As always, I'm going to try and stay as game accurate to the game as possible while making my own story. If you have any suggestions please let me know and thank you so much again for continuing to enjoy the story and for all of your support. Stay tuned!)*