Exodus

They entered the small but cozy shop, there were leather and hide armors from an assortment of creatures of varying defensive capabilities. Past the bar top where customers would purchase their items, was the workshop where the hides would be treated and designed into armor. Upstairs was the living quarters; a kitchen, bathroom, and two bedrooms. 

"You can put your stuff in Rachel's bedroom, I hope you don't mind bunking with her while you're here," Eugene offered politely. 

"Not at all I appreciate your generosity," she replied.

"Of course she doesn't mind we're besties now," laughed Rachel gleefully.

 Rachel took Vixen by the hand and led her upstairs to her room. Once Vixen had dropped her stuff into the corner of the room she turned to Rachel, "I'll have to catch up with you later there is something important I have to take care of."

"No worries, I want a proper bath anyway. I'll see you later," Rachel replied. 

Before making it to the door, Eugene addressed Vixen, "When you get back I'll need your input for your surprise. I know you'll love it."

She smiled and nodded before exiting the door. She walked down the cobblestone road towards the western edge of the city, and once she got off the main road she took off at a run. She ran so long and so hard she was wheezing, she ignored the frequent cat calls directed towards her.

"Whats the rush baby! Come back and play." Yelled some degenerates that were loitering on her route. 

After running for twenty minutes at that speed she stopped with her hands on her knees gasping for air. After a couple minutes she stood gazing at a mansion that had been fenced off and locked. It was her home, Cadel's home. The home looked like it hadn't been inhabited for at least five years, possibly more. The unkempt grass gave the yard a wild feel, the moldy brown color of the mansion was a start difference to the dazzling white it was in the past. The center fountain had stopped working because the water had been drained. Cadel had saved Runeford, that's why they gave him and his wife, Anneliese the house as a thank you. It seems like once the city discovered his death they repossessed it. 

'Cadel is dead,' she thought solemnly as a wealthy woman was passing by. 

"Excuse me," Vixen began to ask, "What happened to the woman that used to live here, Anneliese?" 

The woman gave Vixen an up and down inspection with her eyes and gave her a look of discust before replying, "She was sold." She started to walk again. 

"What the hell do you mean sold?" Vixen heaving from anger.

"You ARE a young one so I suppose you wouldn't know. There is only one is allowed to be gifted the class of hero, so when the hero Cadel died, another was able to take that mantle. The hero, Maxwell, came here seven years ago and told us that the hero tried to betray the grand magus Geoffrey over some artifact and were locked in a fierce battle. Maxwell had been traveling with them and grew close to Geoffrey, so when the hero's true colors emerged he fought alongside Geoffrey to subdue Cadel. Cadel was too strong and slew Geoffrey, but Maxwell was able to use that brief opportunity to kill Cadel himself and the Gods then granted the hero class to Maxwell himself. The Mages Guild and the Council of Magus' were furious at the betrayel and sold the woman into slavery. She was shipped off somewhere as a whore." 

'I will find you,' Vixen vowed through tears, the haughty woman continued her walk. Vixen walked back to Eugene's home deep in thought, she wasn't even really paying attention to where she was going. The more lawless streets live with activity from ladies of the night offering their services to blatant drug peddlers. Unlike on the way home from her old home, she had made sure her traveler's cloak was donned and her hood was up. A wispy haired man with no teeth tried to mug her but she cut him down without blinking. Her violent display dissuaded the rest of the nearby hooligans from approaching her and she made it back to Eugene's without further incident. 

Eugene saw her enter, but decided to not say anything after seeing the look on her face. She closed Rachel's door behind her, set up.her bedroll and went to sleep in the corner of the room.

That night she had the strangest dream. She was walking around a pure white room, "Hello?," she called out walking in no particular direction trying to ascertain what she was doing her. A figure appeared walking towards her, a tall muscular man. She briefly thought she should be scared but she wasn't. Cadel approached her a smile on his face, "Damn you look good," Cadel said.

"Isn't that a weird thing for you to say?" She replied, "You are me."

"I am and yet I'm not. Why should it be weird? You didn't find yourself attractive when we were one and the same? Yet, when I look into your mind, you're almost repulsed by yourself."

"I...I just want to be me." 

"You are holding yourself back, you're afraid to lose your manhood and your identity as Cadel when he is dead. Despite the restrictions placed on the abilities they're overpowered. You're embarrassed by them, but you have been granted a boon that if used right could make you far more powerful than you used to be."

"Damnit."

"You've already been through a lot there isn't much more for you to fear."

"Is there no way for me to return?"

"The artifact that changed you was so powerful, it was a one use item. There might be a different one but you have to find it."

"I still need time."

"Our conversation will end here, but remember be the best version of the current you, trudge forward utilizing your gifts and don't look back."

Cadel faded away leaving Vixen there to contemplate her own words.

Vixen woke up in the morning different. There was a pep in her step that wasn't there before and a little more sway to her walk, she started to walk naturally and not like how she did when she was Cadel. Cadel's influence had almost completely disappeared from Vixen's mannerisms. 

"Hey Eugene, let's chat about that armor design!" She smiled mischievously.