The trip back to town was easier than I had expected. It probably helped that, as if by magic, most of the mud had vanished. Too bad the mud covering me and my dress decided to stick around. And, while the mud slowly dried and flaked away, I was still decently covered by the time I stepped through the gate and into the city.
I wasn’t the only one either. Men, women, and even some older kids were just as coated. All of whom looked to be in great spirits. It was only as I looked over the crowd that I noticed a pair of guards pushing their way in my direction. As I hadn’t broken any laws, or at least I didn’t think I had, I was fairly sure they were after someone behind me.
Not wanting to get in their way, I, and many other people, moved to one side or another. Too bad for me, the guards changed directions until their path was back in line with my position. It was then that I realized that their eyes were locked on me and no one else. There was little possibility that they were after anyone else.
As I stopped, I ran through my options. Guards in a city were like modern police. While I knew I hadn’t done anything, that didn’t mean they didn’t suspect me of doing something. They would either ask me a couple of questions and move on, or they would ask for me to come with them to the station, or whatever it was called, to answer some questions.
Figuring I would try and get them to ask their questions here, I initiated the conversation as soon as they were close enough. “What can I do for you gentleman?”
One of the two hung back while his partner walked closer. “Kyren Vulpier?” His voice sounded rough from years of overuse.
“Yes?”
“We need you to come with us.” So much for getting them to ask the questions in a public setting.
Holding up a hand, I tried to at least get an explanation before agreeing to go anywhere with the two of them. “Sorry, but can I ask what this is about?”
He shook his head. “I am sorry but we are not at liberty to say anything.” That wasn’t ominous at all.
My mind offered up an idea and I went with it without a second’s hesitation. “I was heading to meet with some friends. Mind if we stop and let them know I am going to be late?”
“Our orders are to take you directly to the station.” He stepped forward, his hand reaching for my arm. As I stepped away from him, I noticed his partner’s hand resting on the pommel of his sword. A sword that I would have sworn hadn''t been there at the start of the conversation. We stood there for a dozen seconds while I went over my options.
Seeing how relaxed the two of them were, they were either confident I would be unable to take them on, or there was backup just out of sight. That fact, coupled with the amount of room the crowd was giving us, pretty much told me I was screwed. I would be going with them no matter what I did and there was nothing I could do about it. Well, short of death anyway.
Finally, I nodded. Gesturing for him to lead the way. His outstretched arm dropped as he pivoted around. His partner waited until I was past him to start walking. They led me across the main road and onto a side road.
It was one of those side roads no one notices. The only use the small roads had were for those people that lived on them or just on the other side. As such, the place was run down. Dirt and trash were piled up in corners while water from the last storm was sitting, stagnant, in the scattered potholes. Was it sad that the sight reminded me of the streets back on Earth?
The further we traveled, the closer the houses grew. In a fortunate turn of events, my feminine frame allowed me to walk normally while the two guards had to walk with their upper bodies slightly turned. Judging by the filth-crusted walls, I didn’t blame them for not wanting to touch them.
Light had issues making it all the way down into the alleys. Which was probably why I couldn’t make out what was beyond the last building on the street. It was like seeing the light at the end of a dark tunnel. Bright and completely washing everything on the other side out.
When we stepped through, I expected a small street similar to one of the first we had entered. To my surprise and confusion, the road was as larger than the one connecting the guild hall to the city gate. Well, I say the road was larger but the vehicles used were the same size. The extra space was taken up by honest-to-good sidewalks. If not for the anachronistic vehicles and clothing, I could almost believe I was back on Earth, albeit one of the old downtown districts of Europe used in various movies. Only cleaner. There was no dirt, mud, or stagnant water to be seen.
Did I say vehicles? Yes, yes I did. While there were a few carriages drawn by horses, there were also a few without. The sight of this had me wanting to ask so many questions. Too bad my two guards wouldn’t answer. We followed the sidewalk to a painted section of the road. Joining a little crowd that looked to be waiting for something. I took the opportunity to get a better look at the people living in this section. Something about the sight was bugging the shit out of me. But, for the life of me, I couldn’t place my finger on what it was though.
Every single person was dressed in fancy-looking clothing. Even the two men down the road loading a truck were wearing an outfit that looked expensive. If anyone looked out of place, that would have been me. The guards, with their clean leather armor, coupled with their polished metal pieces, allowed them to blend in better than my mud-covered self.
Hanging over the road, a small stone I had missed started to flash yellow. As one, the group suddenly surged forward, pulling me along for the ride. Only letting me go when everyone dispersed on the other side. It was then that I realized what had been bugging me about the place. Humans were the only species present in the place.
Now, I know the city''s population is predominantly human, but there was always at least one other species in view. They might be elf, dwarf, or beastman, it didn’t matter. There was always at least one in the crowds. That wasn’t the case here. This realization caused the pit of my stomach to drop out as potential reasons came to mind. While they would explain the undercurrent I had been starting to see, I hoped I was wrong. If I wasn’t, I needed to get away from this town before the situation escalated.
I wasn’t given any more time to look over the street as we came to a building with two soldiers standing on either side of the door. Neither said anything as we walked up and into the thin, grey building. The first room we came to reminded me of a waiting room. The dark wood floor looked well cared for. Coupled with the pure white marble walls, the room was a gross showing of wealth. I almost felt bad for the dirt I was tracking into the place.
Lucky for me, and whoever had to clean up the place, the two guards continued walking. Leading me deeper into the building. The place grew more used and less ostentatious the moment we passed through the first door. Dark stains covered sections of the worn floor and they didn’t look new. In fact, the marks looked to have been scrubbed repeatedly.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
I chose to ignore those stains and focus on the rest of the place. It was like the previous room was a front for whatever purpose this building served. The room was larger yet I almost felt a bit confined simply due to how full the place was. Given the amount of guards walking around, talking, sitting, and doing paperwork, I was fairly sure this was one of the city''s guard stations. Maybe even the main guard station given its location.
While a few of the guards glanced at me, the rest ignored us. Even as we made our way across the room and to the door at the end of the room, they ignored us. The woman sitting at a desk next to the door, however, stopped us. “Mr Morrowgrave is busy at the moment. Please have a seat.” The two guards waited for me to sit before turning and vanishing into the disorder that was this place.
Minutes passed as I waited. My eyes wandered around the room as I tried to find something to waste time looking at. Other than the people coming and going from the room, everyone and everything else was just out of sight. Blocked by mounds of paper, supplies, and even armor. I was so bored I contemplated asking my AI to play some music for me when the door next to me opened.
“I will make sure he gets the message.” An older woman said as she stood in the doorway bowing to the person inside.
“He better.” A hard voice I vaguely recognized said. “Send in the young man sitting in the chair.”
Back straightening, she turned and gave me a once over while lifting an eyebrow. Without saying a word, she walked away. While I had heard his order, she could have at least gestured for me to enter.
Standing up, I tried to smooth the wrinkles out of my dress. The gesture did nothing more than send dirt flying in all directions. For some reason, the slight frown on the secretary’s face made me happy. Which was weird because she had done nothing to me and I didn’t just hate people without at least some cause.
Turning, I crossed the threshold into the office to find that it was worse than the room behind me. Papers, weapons, shields, and bottles, some filled and others not, covered all but the surface directly in front of the man. A man that I recognized from the professor’s run-in with the city guards. He looked just as he had that first day. Unlike then, he looked perfectly at home in this deathtrap of an office.
As he looked up from whatever he was reading, his eyes locked onto mine. I was sure that I hadn''t seen them the last time we had met because I would have remembered the fact that they were an odd shade of purple. In the darker light of the office, it looked like they glowed from the inside. Maybe there was a skill that caused one''s eyes to do that? I didn''t know, and, at the moment, it didn’t really matter.
“Please come in and close the door.” His voice broke me out of the trance his eyes seemed to have caused. As soon as the door was firmly shut, he continued. “Do you know why I summoned you here?”
“Did the professor do something?” It was the first thing I could come up with that might have this guy asking for me.
“Who, oh you mean the sphinx that was once human?” he waved the idea off. “That creature took off before the festival ended.”
He went silent as if inviting me to try again. I shrugged. “Then I have no clue.”
“Truth be told, there are a few reasons I wanted to talk to you.” He steepled his fingers as he continued. “At first I was curious who it was that had convinced the elf Barti Vendlewood to train them. It wasn’t that long before my daughter started to rant and rave about a new person she had met. Someone she felt had decent potential.” He scoffed. “Imagine my surprise when I found out the two people were the same.” Something about his eyes made me think he didn’t find this to be all that surprising.
I didn’t know who his daughter was, so I ignored that part of what he said for now and focused on the training aspect. “The sub-guildmaster told them to train me.”
“Yes,” The guy nodded, “Ginny Metaleater. She has been known to help others she feels need it. Typically, though, she helps only those from a non-human race. Yet she decided to help you. Why is that?”
“No clue.” And even if I did, it wouldn’t be my place to say.
“Hmm. Well, it doesn’t matter.” Our eyes once again met. This time, I found myself frozen in place. “I need you to report everything those two, and their friends, are planning to me.”
It took a shit ton of effort, but I managed to get out a single word. “Why?”
His eyebrows lifted as he answered. “Because this city is at a turning point. Those two, and the group they are a part of, are trying to tip the scales. While they think they are doing what is best for the non-humans, their plans will kill hundreds of people.”
Whatever pressure was holding me in place let up, though not enough to move, it was enough for me to ask another question. “If it is that big of an issue, why don’t you go talk to them?”
He sighed. “They refuse to talk to me or anyone else from the city guard or even the government. There are plans in the works to force them to listen to what we have to say, but I fear it will be too little too late.”
“Hence your desire to get me to watch over them for you.”
His hand flicked out to point at me. “Do this for me and I promise you won’t regret it.”
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="102">
Quest:
</td>
<td width="522">
Watcher
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="102">
Quest Type:
</td>
<td width="522">
Personal - Unranked
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="102">
Description:
</td>
<td width="522">
The other races seem to be planning something. Watch them and report anything suspicious.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="102">
Requirements:
</td>
<td width="522">
For the next 72 hours, report any plan that you hear about.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="102">
Reward:
</td>
<td width="522">
Unknown
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="102">
Failure:
</td>
<td width="522">
Unknown
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Well, that quest was fucking vague. Seeing as I have no information to go off of, I couldn’t just agree to do this for him. But I couldn’t say no either. Something told me I wouldn''t be leaving the building if I did that. Shrugging, I said, “Sure, I can keep an eye out for you.” Of course, I would. The question was if I would tell you or not. But I wasn’t going to say that.
“I look forward to what you find. Dismissed.” He waved me off as he picked up the top paper lying on his desk and started to read through whatever was on it. I didn’t hesitate to open the door and re-enter the main room. Unlike a few minutes ago, everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at me. The synchronization and creep factor had me speed-walking out of that place faster than a juicy rumor could fly through the place.
And I didn’t stop until I was out of the building. People flowed around me as I tried to recall which alley the guards had brought me through. After a minute of wracking my brain for the answer, I gave up and just walked in the general direction I thought we had come from. Even if I didn’t find the right path back, I would eventually run into the wall.
As I walked, my AI prompted me. “You have an urgent message from your bank. Shall I read it?”
“Sure.” While it was weird for them to reach out to me, it wasn’t like I didn’t have enough to pay my bills.
“We regret to inform you that the check from Tracer Metalworks Inc. has had an indefinite hold placed it by the sending party. If you feel this is in error, please contact your local bank representative during bank hours. Thank you.”
“WHAT THE FUCK?!” I screamed into the air. The few people nearby didn’t bother to look up. Given the area and how it looked, I didn’t blame them. Then again, I didn’t care if they did try to get up and come see what the issue was. They couldn’t help me. “What is going on?”
“Searching.” My AI said before falling silent for a full minute. “Tracer Metalworks Inc. is in the middle of a legal battle with a number of your previous coworkers. They sent out a press release stating that, as the outcome would impact all local employees, past and present, all contracts and agreements will be put on hold until the court decides.”
The company was holding their final checks hostage to get the court to rule in their favor. It wasn’t the first time I had heard about it. Hell, it was becoming so common that I should have expected it. And, knowing the courts, they wouldn’t make a decision for months.
I had enough saved up to pay my bills for a little while, but no where near enough to pay for the pod. I was screwed and needed to find a way to make some money and fast. As I thought over my options, I resumed my meandering trip back to the guildhall.