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  “You are not going to arrive wearing those skins.”

  She looked at his sneer, unlaced her clothing, and folded it, setting it on the floor. “Goodbye, Mom.”

  As she walked out of the chamber, she asked the elf, “Are you going to get the goddamn lead out, or are you going to stare at my ass all day?”

  She heard her mother’s laugh as she sashayed into the monorail capsule. Her companion stomped into the chamber after her, and he slammed his hand against a patch on the wall. The door closed, and she watched the troll settlement disappear in a matter of heartbeats.

  Habel looked at her companion, but he was digging through a box that was fixed to the front of the compartment. He pulled out a long swath of fabric that was nearly transparent. It was saved from that fate by a lot of embroidery.

  “Put this on.”

  She frowned and took the embroidered silk. “No.”

  “What?”

  “I said no. There is supposed to be another layer under this to keep the skin from getting scratched by the embroidery. May I look?”

  He frowned and then stepped aside. She found the piece she had been looking for in a few seconds. The small square of silk unfolded into a flaring chemise. “There we go.”

  She slipped the underlayer on and then the overlayer on top. He was staring at her.

  He cleared his throat. “How did you do that?”

  “I have siblings. Fighting is a normal instinct when dealing with them. I am Habel, by the way.” She smiled and took a seat on one of the four chairs in the compartment.

  “Artuan. You are Habel for this journey. You will be renamed when you arrive at the tower.”

  “I know. My mother told me. She also said that I will lose my memories of my home.”

  Artuan smiled. “You will have a new home with beauty and grace. The tower is exquisite and has withstood a thousand years since the cataclysm that shattered humanity.”

  “We know about that, too, you know. Trolls know where we came from. That is why we are all born human. The world rewrites us to her purpose.”

  Artuan was staring at her in shock. “Yes, she does.”

  “How long have you been at the tower?”

  “Six hundred years. You are the first call I have had in quite a while.” He sat across from her, and he cocked his head. “I do not recall a collection quite like this. Was that really your mother?”

  “Of course. She is our clan leader as well. She was my hero, my companion, my counsellor, and a great cook. She has three children—two daughters and a son. I was the youngest child of Haladen. I am the youngest child of Haladen.”

  He said softly, “Are you trying to tell me or remind yourself?”

  She looked at him calmly with her hands folded in her lap. “Both.”

  He laughed. “Fair enough. Well, we have a journey that will take a few hours. May I offer you some water or some food?”

  “Both would be welcome. I missed my transformation party... for some reason.”

  He nodded and told her about some of the beautiful sights she would see when they arrived at the tower. She watched as the green expanses passed the sides of their vehicle, and she wondered where the tower actually was. How far could they go in just a few hours, and would she ever find her way home?

  The food had been good. It wasn’t to a troll’s taste, but her new body decided that she liked the bright acidic flavours of the fruits and vegetables.

  She looked at him and cocked her head at his dark crimson locks. She held up a handful of blue hair. “Why did this happen?”

  He smiled. “You transformed. You changed; you just didn’t remain a troll. Elves wear all the colours in nature. You are wearing the colours of the sky. Your eyes are also remarkable. It seems like you won’t have a problem harnessing your light.”

  She paused. “Um, my what?”

  “The light. The power that we unharness in times of need. It is the power that all elves can summon to various extents.”

  Habel nodded. “Oh. That. Yeah, I think my mom mentioned that.”

  “Did she? How odd. I didn’t think anyone outside of our community was aware of it.” Artuan smiled slightly.

  “Well, my mother is chief, and she reads. She reads everything and has access to a lot of records and documents that others don’t.” Habel didn’t want to tell him that she had already found her voice and her light. Men weren’t generally fans of surprises, and strange men she couldn’t get away from were something she wanted to avoid irritating.

  She chose a distracting tactic. “How long did it take you to get to the settlement?”

  “From the time the chime rang out, it was two hours until the pod was outfitted to travel and then three hours to reach the settlement. We will be at the tower in under an hour.”

  Habel nodded. “Thank you. How often do you head out to pick up new elves?”

  He blinked. “You are the first one in over a hundred years.”

  She stared.

  Artuan smiled. “You will be addressed as Novice when your mind has been blanked. Your memories of your past life will be stored in our archive for safekeeping. You will be taken to your quarters, and after you have rested, your training to join our community will begin.”

  Habel smiled and looked through the windows as dawn raced them to the spire that she could see in the distance. That had to be the tower. The beacon of light blazing from the top kind of gave it away.

  “So, I just have to forget who I am and where I am from?”

  Artuan nodded. “Just as all of us had to give up our pasts to embrace our future. You will be cared for. No one will take advantage of your state as a novice. You will be with your people now. You will be safe to learn and flourish.”

  “As long as I forget who I am.”

  “Correct. Ties to the rest of the world will only hold you back. Think of it as a fresh start.”

  She watched the compartment they were in slow as they approached some kind of station. A large crowd was assembled, and they looked like a field of flowers. Hair in every colour in the rainbow was present. They stood together in small groups, and their clothing was graceful and vivid. Flowing lines and elegant gowns. Graceful tunics and high boots with some kind of legging for the men. It was almost a caricature of sexual dimorphism. The men looked like men and the women like women. Whatever had shaped them had used the same stamp.

  A man and woman waited nearest the pod as it slowed to a halt. The woman carried an orb in her hands, and the man waited with his hands folded.

  Habel ran her hands down her dress and got to her feet. Artuan smiled and held out his hand.

  “What am I supposed to do?”

  “Put your hand in mine or place it on the back of my wrist.”

  She nodded and opted for the wrist. “Ready.”

  He hit the door release with his free hand, and they stepped out onto the platform while the viewing crowd gasped.

  She waved at them. “Hello.”

  The man with the white hair stared at her. “You speak elvish?”

  “Um, yes. I speak six languages. I learned this as a dare when I was twelve, so my diction will not be good. I thought it was a dead language.” Habel smiled slightly.

  The man smiled in a strangely helpless way. “Of course. I am Joren, this is Niika, we will take your memories now.”

  She nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped forward, away from Artuan. Niika swayed toward her and handed her the glass orb in her hands. “Think of your life and your people. Tell it your name. It will do the rest.”

  Habel fought a tear, looked at the expectant crowd, who looked just as she did, and she looked at the orb. “Habel born of Haladen by Ormieth. Troll daughter and greeter of the sun.”

  The orb glowed, a bright rainbow began to emit from the crystal, and soon, a kaleidoscope of her memories played out faster and faster until the vibrating orb shattered.

  She yelped as her palm was cut, and Niika moved toward her with worried eyes. “Wha
t do you remember?”

  Habel looked at her and put a blank expression on her features. “Was I supposed to remember something? Excuse me, my hand hurts.”

  Joren smiled and took her by the damaged hand, holding the cut up. “Of course, it does. Come with me, Novice. Niika and I will help you settle once we repair that injury.”

  “Injury?”

  Niika smiled as they walked into the building. “Yes, Novice. You were injured.”

  She looked at her palm. “I think it is better now. It doesn’t hurt.”

  Joren looked at her, and he paused. “Lucky you. It has healed. Well, I suppose we shall show you to your quarters. You need rest after your trying day.”

  She asked Niika, “Who were all those people that we passed coming in?”

  “They wished to welcome you to our community.”

  “Oh. Well, I am glad I am lucky then.”

  Joren frowned. “What do you mean?”

  Novice smiled brightly. “I will get to meet them all over again tomorrow.”

  Her two escorts smiled and led her deep into the tower and her chambers halfway up. When they left, she walked to the balcony of the huge room and stared at the bright light of the sun, her skin easily able to manage exposure. Her balcony overlooked the track that had brought her here, and she could see the distant path that could lead her home if she could ever bring herself to return.

  For better or worse, she was now an elf; she just had to figure out what that meant while pretending that she didn’t know who she had been. Habel had her work cut out for her, but she could always rise to a challenge.

  Her dress fluttered in the breeze as she looked out at the landscape that she had never seen from this vantage point with light streaming around her. She was an elf now, but how long would she have to pretend that she didn’t remember her life from before? Well, at least time was on her side.

  Author’s Note

  This is the first of five chapters of the Habel Trollblood book, Born Human. I needed a project that would let me create instalments. This one seems to fit the bill.

  As a side note, each book is the same length as a comic book, so that is my current fascinated interest project... Habel may be showing up in a drawn format sooner rather than later.

  It wasn’t my intention to get all weird on folks, but I needed to do something in a different-than-usual style for myself, and this qualified.

  Thanks for reading,

  Viola Grace

  So, now she’s an elf with the memories of a human who wanted to grow up a troll. No one is going to notice, right?

  Habel is given the title of Novice, and as she is the only one for decades, she stands out. She is assigned a guide and steered around the morning events in the tower, getting a feel for the rhythm of life as an elf. There is a bit of work, a lot of play, and a lot of people staring at her.

  She is introduced to the elder of the tower, and he sees through her bluff about her forgetting her history. She is not the first to keep their memories, and he hopes she will not be the last.

  Part Two: Elfin Society

  A soft chime woke her out of her nap. Habel got up and wrapped a sheet around her, walking to the door. Niika was there when she opened the door. “Greetings of the day to you, Novice.”

  Oh, right, that was her name now. Novice. “Greetings of the day, Niika.”

  The woman smiled and lifted the tray she was holding. “I brought you breakfast. How did you sleep?”

  Novice shrugged. “Fairly well. I don’t remember much. Wait. Did you get shorter?”

  Niika laughed. “No, you continued to escalate your transformation over the first day. By tonight, you will have achieved your final form. It looks like you have been born to be an elder.”

  Novice looked down. “How can you tell?”

  “Your height, hair, the power behind your eyes. It is amazing, really. The last three elves that came in from the outer settlements were all simple citizens.”

  Novice went to wash her hands and then sat and lifted pieces of fruit to her mouth in turn.

  Niika smiled. “Well, you have good manners. That is certain. Surprising considering your origin.”

  Novice frowned. “Why are you referencing my past when I don’t know what it is?”

  Niika blinked. “Ah. You are correct. Apologies. It has just been so long since we have seen a new citizen that we are all a little shocked. When the signal went off, we just sat for a moment, staring at each other before checking the roster to see who was supposed to go on retrieval.”

  “Artuan.”

  Niika looked at her. “Correct. You remembered that?”

  Novice smiled. “A member of the crowd was congratulating him on his retrieval when we left the platform.” She reached for another piece of fruit, felt a flash of information hit her, and she extended the platter to Niika. “Elder, would you like some?”

  Niika smiled and took a piece of something white, sour, and sweet with a crunchy texture. “I see you managed to download just fine.”

  “Download?”

  “The orb, it gave you knowledge of the basics of our society. Manners. Knowledge of certain terms.” Niika smiled. “Have you checked out your wardrobe?”

  “My what?”

  “Oh, right. We didn’t show you last night. Come with me.”

  Novice grabbed a handful of fruit, and she trailed after Niika. The flat doors were across the room from the bed, and Niika opened them wide. There was a flat panel and a strange arm that extended from a few feet above Novice’s head.

  “We use molecular extruders for our clothing. There is a set range of clothing for your social status. It will measure you, and if you stand there without anything on, it will clothe you.”

  Novice looked at her and blinked expectantly before she said, “Would you turn around, please? I will ask for assistance if I require it.”

  Niika blinked, blushed, and turned. “Pardon.”

  Novice went to the screen, and it lit up. She tapped at the prompts and flicked through the designs. She sighed when all of the designs came up as gowns. She selected one with sleeves made of scarves pinned at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. It should be easy to move in. The colour was a deep blue with gold trim. The rest of the silk would simply fall from a slightly draped neck.

  “Would you like me to dress you?” the polite and masculine tone came from the unit.

  “Um. Sure.”

  “Please remove all clothing, clear the area, and stand with your hands in the designated zones.”

  Novice shoved the sheet out of the selected area with her feet and then turned to press her hands to the selected area. She heard a whir and a click, and then arms extended from the machine, and they went to work.

  A framework of netting was hung from her skin, and then, tiny spraying modules filled in the spaces.

  “I have taken the liberty to dress you in black as it is more flattering to your colouration.”

  Niika gasped.

  Novice remained with her hands flat on the marks to either side of her. What had started out as gel netting was now a heavy black silk that didn’t float but rustled as she moved. When the unit chimed, the voice announced, “The boots that complete this unit are in the left door of the closet.”

  Novice grinned. “I get boots?”

  “Boots are part of this ensemble.”

  Niika asked, “Fabric unit, who designed that particular gown?”

  “This gown was a custom design by Elder Acohar. It was designed for the next novice.” The machine paused. “This is the next novice.”

  Niika blinked. “Of course. Thank you for the information.”

  Novice looked over her shoulder, and Niika was looking concerned.

  The unit chimed again and said, “The gown is complete.”

  Novice stood straight, and the sleeves pulled her arms down. The wide panels would make everything she did controlled and serious. The dress was snug but comfortable. She opened the interior panel of the
left door, and there were the boots. Thigh-high and laced, they had soft soles that felt sturdy enough, and she loosened the laces as she walked to the bench at the end of her bed. “Thank you, fabric unit.”

  “You are welcome, Novice. I look forward to building your collection.” The doors swung closed.

  She spent the next ten minutes getting into her boots and admiring the side slits in her skirt that were hidden in the wide expanse of fabric. If she wanted to run in this dress, she could.

  “Who was Elder Acohar?” Novice asked the elder who was with her.

  “He was one of our first. Out of the seven hundred that live at the tower, he was the first.”

  “Where is he?”

  Niika cleared her throat. “We do not speak of it.”

  “Well, the computer did, so I can ask him.”

  Niika flinched. “Fine, he walked into the wilderness. It is what we do when the tower holds no more pleasures. His joy was in seeing new elves come to us and taking them through their first days. He has been gone for seventy years.”

  “Oh. He must be missed.” She finished lacing up the second boot.

  “He is. He was the greatest of us.” Niika’s eyes were tearing up.

  Novice put her hand on Niika’s arm. “Have some snacks. I will take care of my hair and wash my face, and then, you can begin running me through the introduction to the tower.”

  Niika nodded and snuffled. “Okay.”

  Novice went to the bathroom, drank some water, attended to morning functions, and washed her hands again before raising a brush to deal with her hair. The strands had gone from heavy waves to silky straight. The blue had deepened with purple hints. A weird iridescence made her hair shift in the light. The black definitely suited her more than the blue would do.

  She could do without the pearly skin, but her body hadn’t even noticed it when the dawn had touched her. It was strange to think that she had said her goodbyes to daylight, and now, she could be in it as much as she liked with no effect.