Chapter 7: The Life and Times of Iselia Village

Lloyd didn't waste time onto getting the mysterious person through the forest. Although carrying Shane on his back, his exsphere allowed him to easily move on throughout the forest. Genis however had a bit of problem keeping up with Lloyd's fast pace.

A few minutes later they arrived at their destination

Dirk's House

"Dad we need some medicine...!" Lloyd said with concern outside the front door. A small, brown bearded dwarf opened the door: Lloyd's dad Dirk. He was much shorter than Lloyd but a little bigger than Genis.

"Who is this?" Dirk asked "What happened?"

Lloyd paused for a moment. He couldn't tell his dad that this person got into a scuffle with the Desians. The non-aggression treaty with the village would be in jeopardy!

"Some mugger probably hurt him while he wasn't watching, I found him near the road. He's been poisoned."

Dirk thought for a brief second and then said "Very well, take him upstairs, I'll get the herbs." He then turned around and headed for the back. Lloyd carried Shane up the stairs into his room with Genis following behind.

After getting Shane onto the bed, Dirk walks up the stairs with some gel filled with a light pink liquid. "That's the right one is it?" Genis asked "Last time you gave me the wrong one…"

"It's alright, I made sure of it, tested it out on me self." Dirk responded

"Right…" Lloyd said allowing Dirk by to apply the gel. "How long do you think he'll be like this?" he asked

"A day at most" Genis replied "The wound was small, and it was a weak poison so he should heal quickly."

"Right then!" Dirk huffed "Let's all go down stairs and let him rest on his own. I'll get us some food." Lloyd and Genis followed Dirk out down the stairs, closing the door. The next day Shane awoke from his treatment and sat up.

"Uh… ok where am I…" he mumbled to himself looking at his surroundings "By the looks of it, it's probably Dirk's house" Shane reasoned as Lloyd was the last person he saw before passing out. His wound was bandaged and the poison had been nullified. "*Sigh* Great…" Then the door opened.

"Oh you're awake!" Lloyd said surprised "That was quick." He walked in with Genis right behind him. "I did say a few minutes Lloyd…"

"Yeah…" Shane said quietly

"I've got to act natural: I've never met them, I don't know exactly where I am, and I don't say anything about future events."

"Thanks for the help." Shane said louder this time

"No problem." Lloyd answered "My name is Lloyd, Lloyd Irving and this is my friend Genis."

Genis put his hand up in a wave "Hey there."

"Shane." He thought for amount as he rarely EVER uses his last name "Tyrith…" *Tir-Rith* he finally said.

"Where did you get your sword?" Lloyd asked picking up the extended katana.

"An old friend of mine" Shane answered quietly not wanting to reveal anymore. A few moments later he took the blade from Lloyd and unsheathed it. Wiping it with his sleeves, the blade was revealed to be a shade of dark silvery gray than that of a bright white blade. It seemed weird as though colors of red and blue danced in the details of it.

"Wow that must have taken forever to forge!" Genis noted looking at the details on the blade.

Shane inserted the blade back into sheathe and got up from the bed. He cricked his next to the left and allowed himself to stretch a little. "Well I think I'm all better." He said

"Great." Lloyd said "Let's head down stairs. I want you to meet my dad."

Shane followed Lloyd along side Genis downstairs where Dirk was laboring over a hot fireplace with a large soup bowl.

"Ah-ha so he's awake!" Dirk exclaimed turning around "So lad, how do you feel?"

"Fine, thank you." Shane said "You're a dwarf right?"

"A dwarf I am" Dirk responded "And right for me boy Lloyd to bring you here. Dwarven Vow #2: Never abandon someone in need."

"Oh…" Shane sighed knowing the mass amount of Dwarven Vows, but most of them meant well

"What's your name lad?" Dirk asked. "Shane"

"Well then Shane, welcome to our humble abode." Dirk exclaimed proudly "Where do you come from?" Dirk finally asked

Shane sighed for a moment. "Not yet… I can't…"

"I cannot say…" Shane said in a very low tone

"You cannot?" Dirk said in wonder "Why so?" The other boys too were now in wonder as well.

"You do not want to know…" Shane said rather coldly

"Well… I understand then, with them Desians around and stuff…" Dirk replied "Your welcome to stay here for a while."

"Oh… thank you, I'd appreciate that…" Shane said relieved

"But first, you two better get to school" Dirk said directing his attention to Lloyd and Genis

"Aww but dad…" Lloyd groaned "Professor is handing back our tests."

"You're only worried because you rushed on it!" Genis said giggling. Lloyd bunted Genis on the head for that comment.

"Enough of this, and show Shane around town while at it!" Dirk huffed shoving the boys out of the house.

Iselia Village

"Where is the professor?" Lloyd asked standing outside of the schoolhouse. "She is rarely ever late."

"Probably something with Colette, with her being the chosen and all" Genis answered

"The Chosen?" Shane asked knowing full well about it

"Oh yeah." Lloyd said "Colette is the Chosen of Mana"

"Ah never mind then" Shane said quickly. A few seconds later a tall woman with silvery white hair much like Genis came into view along side a blonde girl in a white outfit.

"Raine and Colette… about time." Shane thought

"Sorry we're late class." Raine announced to the small group of students. Professor Raine then noticed Shane alongside Lloyd and Genis. "Genis, Lloyd, who's this with you?"

"Oh Professor Sage!" Lloyd said "This is Shane, a new friend of ours not from around here. We were showing him around the village.'

"Oh well, a pleasure to meet you" Raine said

"Likewise" Shane replied back "And this must be Colette am I right?"

"Yup that's her…" Genis said "Our clumsy chosen…"

Colette merely giggled "I can speak for myself Genis." She said playfully

Raine then regained her position and began the class letting everyone into the schoolhouse. "We have a little quiz today." Raine announced much to the discomfort of the students."Don't worry it's just an aptitude test."

"A what?" Lloyd asked completely baffled.

"An Aptitude Test Lloyd." Genis corrected "It's a test that measures how much you know."

"Shane would you mind if you try this out as well?" Raine asked

"Alright then." Shane answered not having anything to do.

After sitting down Shane looked at the test: It was easy… too easy. A lot of questions but very little thought. Perhaps High School taught him more than he thought. At the end of the test period he handed the paper back to Raine.

A few minutes later Raine presented the grades

"Lloyd: 22/400" Raine said "Aww…" Lloyd groaned

"Colette: 140/400, Genis: 399/400" Raine then looked at Shane's paper

"Shane… you got 401." Raine said quietly

This surprised Genis the most as not only did someone get a higher score than him, he got an extra credit point as well.

Before anyone could say anything: "That's the end of today, Class dismissed!" Raine shouted causing most of the room to empty out.

But Raine however kept the three boys inside. Colette herself stayed in as well

"How did you do that?" Genis asked

"What?" Shane asked confused

"The test." Lloyd continued "I've never heard of someone getting over the top other than Genis"

"Where did you learn?" Raine asked

Colette was merely looking at him. Shane sighed

"I wish I could tell you…" Shane said causing most of the group to nearly go WHAT!?

"What are you hiding?" Lloyd asked "You don't tell us where you come from and now this."

Shane looked down and took a deep breath

"I am going to regret this…" He said in a very low voice. "I am not from Sylvarant…"

"WHAT!?" Lloyd, Genis and Colette said in unison

"Incredible…!" Raine said causing the others to look at her strangly with the exception of Genis

"How did you arrive here?" Raine asked

"I don't even know…" Shane bluffed "And frankly… I don't WANT to know…" He couldn't let the others find out about his little encounter with Zasalamel.

"So you are from some other world?" Colette asked curiously

"Yeah…" Shane said "Although with differences."

"What kind of differences?" Genis asked

"That's a topic for another time…" Shane cut off rather coldly "I've said probably what I shouldn't have… Don't tell anyone else…" and with that Shane walked straight out of the schoolhouse.

"Hmm… perhaps we pushed a little too far…" Raine said to the rest of the group

"Let's go find out where he's heading Genis." Lloyd said

"I'm coming too!" Colette let out following the two out the door before Raine could say another word.

Iselia Forest

"He could be anywhere Lloyd" Genis cried out "Its getting dark too."

"I know." Lloyd said back "But we can't just leave him out here… he could get lost!"

"Maybe he already is lost?" Colette said

"Who's lost?"

The Sylvarant group turned around to find Shane standing behind them leaning on a tree.

"Where did you come from?" Genis asked surprised

"Err…" Shane said "I was hiding in the tree…"

Lloyd stepped towards him but then realized there was a wolf's body next to the tree. It's head looked like it was bashed in.

"What happened there?" Lloyd asked

"A wolf tried to bite me…" Shane said "I rammed it into the tree several times."

"Much like a warrior would do." Genis analyzed

"From another world" Colette added

"Yeah… right…" Shane said

Shane gained the title: Warrior from another World

"Well my dad did offer you a spot at our place. Let's head back." Lloyd said

Shane took a breath and then smiled "Yeah, thanks."