《A Glimmer in the Dark》


 Prologue

    It Begins.


    Near the summit of a mountain covered in green, the winds howl as they pass through a hollowed hall that cuts the whole lenthg of the of the base of the mountain''s peak.


    The wind was not the only sound, as water drips from cracks in the ceiling and walls of the hall and the water slowly trickles out of the hollow in small streams. Even the minute sound of plant roots cracking stone could be imagined as the green enters through both holes.


    Between both openings of the hall is an indentation in the rock, the size of which could be comparable to a grotto for a statue, though in this case, there was a stone stand that had an ovate shell, the size of a person, with cracks running all over its surface. Across it was a mirrored indent in the stone which was of the same size but instead of a shell, a semi-circle shape was there and was coverd in curved rectangular tiles, some as wide as a dinner plate and some as small as a palm mirror, and scralls of script in between them.


    "zhzhzhzhz" the sound of light snoring and deep but slow breaths came from a hole where the cracks converge over the shell.


    A presence stirs within and the shell slowly breaks like a dried cocoon falling away, readying for what''s inside to come out.


    The hole gradually grew and to reveal a face which showed signs of awakening as small twitches signal the opening of its eyes. The skin of it was cracking and flakes peeled off and give way to the supple flesh around the pair of eyes.


    A mismatched color were in its pupils that had their gaze fixed outwards. On its left was an obsidian lens with flecks of gold and the right had a silver lens with bronze fleck and both had a metallic radiance shinning through. Both eyes were set on a face with gentle features, that were neither masculine nor feminine.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Shifting its torso upward, a pair of hands move through the crumbling shell to grip fimly on the edges of the oval and the eyes continue gazing picking out details in the walls, on the floor and all around the ovate plain it was resting on as it saw etchings and odd shape in the gray stones. A gray layer of cloth clings to the form like a second skin and covers the nape of the neck and ends in a "v" shape just before the colar bones.


    And as it moved it legs near the base of stone, the shell peeled away and as it set its foot unto the stone floor. The gray "skin" covering it down to its ankles and had lines running throughout it that gave off a sense of support while accenting the androgynous form.


    Ridges and gooves run acroos the whole floor and walls and converge on the bed of the figure and a closer look into the lines reveals glints of gold running through them all. The lines themselves follow both an organic shape with a controlled growth and direction, like a gardener would help set vines to direct its growth to a desired form.


    The figure stood up and turned to face the remains of the shell that was slowly turning to dust. Bumps could be seen comming out of the floor around the reclined stand where the shell once was. There were also "vines" moving towards the bumps clustering together and radiating outwards again. there were even some that were left clumped on the are where the shell was before that might have been covering its surface.


    Symbols were all around the floor, on the bumps and the surface of the vacant seat and the figure wondered what the symbols were for as it, curiously, already knew what they were called "Runes" though the meanings to them escapes it.


    The figure shrugged away such thoughts as its gaze rested on its self, just two arms and two legs, and a lean but muscular form could be seen from its veiw towards its abdomen. Again the figure showed little hints of masulinity or femeninity but gave out a sense of athleticism that balances speed, strength and flexibility.


    Picking a direction at random, the figure made its way to one end of the hall. The darkness did not bother it and the light at the end the hall gave of a welcoming feel. Then it found the metallic shine from its eyes growing stronger with every step it took moving ever closer to the opening as a bright light was seemingly radiating from its gaze.


    The brilliance rose to such a level that it even rivalled that of the sun and a pillar of light shot out from where it was standing as eight other pillars of light were "sprouting" all throughout the planert.


    A strong and calm voice entered its thoughts "Welcome to your new home, progenitors"

 Prologue 2

    The light did not fade but it was neither blinding nor glaring to the eyes. The brilliance slowly filling the body and stipping away all the loose "skin" that had started peeling of when it left the shell, even dirt on its bare feet was falling away. The light then was working its way into the body of the figure and it made the figure feel lighter and lighter, until eventually the figure was floating a little off the ground.


    The voice returned, this time with a bit of a chipper tone. "You may feel a little discomfort but it is time for us all to meet."


    And the figure''s body began to float away from the hole in the mountain and started to pick up speed. The wind did not hit it as the pillar of light became a large teardrop shape that covered the figure as the voice was speaking and was flying through the sky as the ground speed off from under it. A see of green with an occasional blue, brown, yellow and grey spots were also zipping in and out of view but they were all mere smudges below.


    The ground then disappeared, giving way to a vast blue and slowly other tears of light were coming into view. As the tears came closer to one another they also began to climb higher and higher and they took up a circle formation as they swiftly spiralled into the clouds. Yet higher and higher they continued and the clouds were left far below them and the blue of the sky grew darker as it gave way to bleakness of the void.


    The figure tried to see what others were inside the tears but the view was obstructed by the brilliance it gave off. This just sparked curiosity as the thoughts came of what could be the reason for all of this to be happining yet worry and fear was the least of the things that came to mind as the radiance each tear exuded was both comforting and calming.


    The figure then trained its gaze forward still in "calm wondering" when a sudden shift in feeling came, like that of a ripple on the surface of a body of water. It was as if time had stopped and there was neither up nor down, no hot nor cold, all that could be felt was a sense of being, just being there. Then the awarenes of the other 8 presences near by came and it realized that it was now sitting with the other tears around it and the light receeding.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The others became visible and the figure looked around, taking in the forms of those it was with as another thought donned on the figure. It was now seated. But what was it sitting on? So it looked down only to find nothing but the same light that covered it in a pillar and then a "tear" before, a light that now stretched throughout the whole space it was in. Looking at the expression of the others it saw the similar thoughts and realizations coming forth from the company it was with.


    All the of them started to make a motion tospeak, moving their respective mouths and lips, or lack there of, only for themto discovered that no words nor sounds were being produced. A short panic insued but was quickly calmed as their thoughts were being directed into the center of their circle.


    "Greetings progenitors. Welcome to your new abode, you may call it Haven." the voice said is the sound was coming from a form similar yet diffent to all of them as it was basically featureless. "I am but a consciousness of this space and a guide to allow you to adjust and now of why you are here." the voice continued. "The world you were in is but a clean slate, though not entirely barren as you have observed. There is only a most basic forms of flora and fauna that lives on its surface, kinds which are no taller than a leg and some so miniscule for naked eye to see, yet that is not part of the point."


    "The purpose of you all being here is simple, a clean slate is there to be filled, and you are the ones to fill it."


    the voice declared.


    "All of you will be granted power and the unlocked knowledge to be able to use this power. You are then to "release" in unto the world until allof it is expended. And at the point of expending its entirety you will be returned to places you first gained consciousness. Now then, it is best that you begin." the voice ended


    As the voice ended speaking, knowledge came rushing into the figures mind, its thinking changed and it looked around to all those in attendance and then found out that all of the others'' gazes now shone with and intelligence that wasn''t there previously. The feeling of the "shift" came as pillars of light were covering all the forms that were present.


    A ripple radiated from it and then it was then returned to a familliar secne, the mountain it had come from so it decided to look at where it came from and then inspected to shell and the "things" that were across it.


    A story unfolded into its mind as it absorbed all to meanings that the scribble actually had and then it floated out up to the green peak of the mountain and released its power with a single word "Life."

 Prologue 3

    "Life....."


    Across the planet 8 other Words of Power were spoken. "Strength", "Valor", "Craft", "Harmony", "Wisdom", "Pride", "Change", "Flow". Each word seemingly spoken in turn, all bringing forth the touch of creation.


    With all words spoken, the sparks of life from surrounding the progenitors soon grew and a multitude of motes of light were taking the element around them as materials and energy to shape a new existence.


    Over fields, and plains, under the waves and above and under the ground, on peaks and mountain ranges, around rivers and lakes, creatures took shape and gained awareness, a primal will and the order of nature instilled in all of them.


    The simple life of the planet had burst into rapid growth though only to the eyes of the progenitors. From where they stood light fadded to dark and then light again, passing as blurs in the sky. Over and over the scenery turned from vibrant shades of nature, to gentle green, then brown, red and orange, to a blanket of white and grey. All the while the 9 beings stood, or a better word, suspended in place at where they had released their voices. Eons passed as the whole world changed before them with the scene only broken by a familiar feeling, a sound.


    The voice had returned and once again they were coverd in tears of light and brought back to the place they had met the holder of the voice.


    All the figures turned to the center as they found themselves arranged in the previous manner. All nine of them had roughly the similar forms, lithe yet muscle, but then it differed.


    From the first one that came from the cave, with one look at it and see a sense of balance. Now on to its right and onwards, the second was very similar, practically the same only with the distinction of having an almost soft light blue film exuded from its presence and a greyish tone to its skin, with the same golden hair but in a brighter contrast to the first and a sense of wisdom and curiosity could be felt from its brown eyes with flecks of green.


    Next to it was a bit taller form, more robust around the chest and it had a long slender tail. Instead of skin it was covered in what seemed to be scales, very fine in the front and wider at the back. Its coloration ranged from brown, cream and green throught is body. It had a longer face, almost like a snout, with eyes that had double eyelides and a reptilain glare and a presence that felt both confident and a strong sense of pride but no hint of arrogance.


    Beside it was almost monstrous in appereance with feathers round its angular face like that of a main, talons on its feet, a leather hide on its arms, a long tail like a cat''s and fur over its body. It was quite colorful with each part having its own gradient, all the colors could be seen from animals but the combination of these gave a sense of unnatural existence. The eyes again mirrored the imbalance with what seemed to be keen eyes of a bird of prey on the right and the docile but powerful eyes of a large herbivor. The gaze of the being were that of one that commands and respects others, both a leader and a warrior.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The next one was a tad bit shorter, a whole head shorter than the last. It was more muscular than the other three and a bit stockier. It had long gray hair witch was set in a neat and impressive braid. Looking at it, one would feel that they were gazing upon a body earned through labor and toil. From the critical and calculanig look in its eyes came a suggestion that it also possessed some form of considerable skill.


    The one that followed was almost twice the size of the last figure and about a head taller than the rest. It had a green tinge to its skin and was muscled like the last one which gave it a brutish appearance and gave of a sence of power and force though its gaze gave off a feel of control and prowess.


    At half a head shorter that the brutish figure, the one next to it had a leaner shape that gave of both a feel of grace and agility. It had sharper features than the others, with a piercing gaze, pointed ears and raven colored hair.


    What followed it was a smaller figure, much like the one before the brute, but this one was just as lean as the pointed-eared one and it to had a slight point in its ears. It was covered in a soft glow between yellow and white, small motes and whisps were exuded around it and the skin it had seemed more like that of fruit than of flesh. On its head were long strands more akin to small vines than hair.


    The last person, the one to the cave figure''s left was quite stricking in that it was like a reflection of the one to its right but had a smoother texture to its skin which was colored to a bright cerulean. It had small points at the end of its fingers which had webbing between it, the same as those it had between its toes. Its spine had long point that also had a webbing between the and at the end of it was a muscular tail could be seen extending from its lower back that reached all the way down to its feet with a foot more to spare. The thought of being at home in the water was clear from looking at it.


    "Thank you for manifesting the power of creation." the voice said. But now it was not alone as "the voice" came from three identical figures and instead of the inital bright cloak of light, one of the speakers was gold, the next was silver, and the last obsidian.


    It continued "I, We are the three facets to all the things. All of you are here as the starters to a race, progenitors, and also as their guides. You will lead them to survive, to grow, and to flourish"


    The three cloaked figures locked gazes with each of the indivdiuals before continuing "Competition between one another may be as much a part of it as the struggle against the wilderness and savagery of this world. All this comes as plainly as the fact of life, for the goal of all life is to survive. For that one must grow and gain the strength to overcome the adversities that come and be ready for things that have yet to come."


    After the three beings released those words, some of the flora and fauna noticeably became twisted. Many were just like the now common creatures but now having more violent and or more brutal forms. Unseen changes also came about with regards to the energy that flowed throughout the world.


    Then the tears of light covered them, becoming brighter and brighter and eventually fading to total darkness.

 Chapter 1

    In a dark, torch-light hallway, a gentle clink and clank of metal jingling rings out. Sure and heavy steps accompany the sound and dull thuds of wood on stone intermittently join the simple symphony.


    Slowly and eventually the sounds grew closer and closer, until falling silent upon the last door, the last cell in the prison.


    Within the room was only a small hole for air flow, and the inner-most half of it was covered in shadow. The cell was neither damp nor smelly as in one dark corner of it was a toilet, a simple thing luxury. It was just a hole in the floor with a lid which had smoothened stones which allowed excrement to pass smoothly outward with the help of a some water in a bucket beside it. It was regularly cleaned and always usable, so long as the occupant bothered asking for a fresh bucket of water.


    On the right side of the room was a bed of raised stone with rushes and straw free from bugs, covered in a rough but serviceable cloth and a thick blanket on top. Opposite to the bed was a table with a few things on it, in the form of a candle on a stand, a quil and an ink well, and a few sheets of writing paper. The chair by the table had a thick leather belt with tools held firmly slung over.


    All in all the prison was not a terrible place to be in and arguably was like one of the lesser quality inns town. Prisoners would even have clean water to drink and, though meager, two meals a day. Part of the intention it the seeming luxury given to petty law breakers was to treat them in a civil manner as dispel aggression and facilitate personal reflection. In cases of repeat offenders, a series drill session with the Vice Captain of the City Guard instills discipline back into them or more serious punishments are dealt accordingly.


    The door to the cell was unlocked and then opened and a voice half grunted "Its time to go runt!"


    Then a gentle shuffling came from the top of the rushes as a person sat up and slipped on a pair of heavy leather boots by the side of the bed.


    "Come on I don''t have all day!" the gaoler complained, though in truth he did have all the time in the world as this was the only prisoner that was in the jail that whole week. There were others that came and went but they were just drunks that needed some sobering up and paying fines for their damages.


    The lawbreaker here was a familiar face and had not failed to be arrested every year for the past 5 years and had already become an almost quarterly occurance. The person had stayed at least a few days at a time for one charge or another every time they were arrested.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Fine. Fine. Just let me fix up my my stuff." the person weekly said, pulling a boot to fit then patting himself off. The bending over and letting out a "Hup", the person picked up a misshapen lump of unrefined metal about the size of his head and put it under one arm and, in a smooth motion, gracefully slung the belt over the shoulder on the side where he held the lump.


    The gaoler eyed the lawbreaker, snorted and said "Your other things are at the barracks, as usual, you know the drill."


    "Yeah" the response came a bit too high pitched and then a bit of throat clearing another short reply was given, in a lower, steadier voice. "Okay. Lets go."


    In the light of the hallway, it was made clear thatthe regular prisoner was wearing a leather appron over a plain coal-stained shirt that was formerly white and a brown, heavy pair of pants. Looking at the person, one could find a face with the soft features of youth slowly giving way to a mix of lean muscular features and a short orange stubble over a sharp chin. A head of autumn-orange hair in braids that reached the base of the shoulders. The youthhad eyes thatwere in a green like that of spring grass. To add to all this,were small points on the end of the ears which rested on a lithe frame with a bit of muscle even under the heavy clothes could be seen.


    The two of them made their way out of the prison building which was 2 stories talland also had a basement for more special accommodations. Then entering a building across from it, they went of to the inside and took a left to a heavy metal door with a barred window with a smal counter.


    The gaoler made a gesture to the armory attendant and then to the youth. The attendant just nodded, stepped away from the window and came back shortly with a cloth that he then layed on the counter. In the bunddle were a 2 pairs of tongs in different sizes, a large hammer, two medium ones with different shapped heads, a smaller hammer, a couple of chissels and a set of four rasps, all stringed together in pockets and straps of leather. There were also a pair of coal-stained, heavy leather gloves.


    The youth gave everything a "once over" and recieved a scoff from the gaoler that was supposed to be growing impatient and a shrug from the attendant. This was just a habbit of the youth whenever slinging on tools and getting ready for work.


    Again, the dou made their way together but this time it was towards the gates of the walled compound.


    They both stopped at the guadhouse by the gate then the gaoler gave the youth a little push and grunted "I don''t want to see you again here boy." A little bit hoping that it would be true.


    "That isn''t a certainty I can keep Goran. I needed the rest anyway and say ''Hi'' to the missus and the little one for me, okay?" The youth said with a friendly and familliar tone.


    "Hrmphh." was the only reply Goran gave, which sounded like it was between a grunt and a sigh and was accompanied by a ''shooing'' gesture.


    "Okay. Time to get back to the smithy then." the youth mused in thought.

 Chapter 2

    The young lad made his way to the "artisan" area of the city with a familiar sense of direction and at a leisurely pace.


    The city he was in was named after its founder and chief architect, much against his last wishes, the Free City of Trask. An outpost village turned town and formed into a self-sufficient city. The life''s work of the travelling merchant/architect Trask of the Waytreader Tribe. Its original intended name of the architect''s masterwork had been lost to the passing of time.


    The formation of the city was influenced by the nature of said the travelling tribe, a curious bunch not in the nomadic nature they had. The Waytreader tribe was one known for trade, friendship and hospitality which was not expected from one greatly composed of Orcs with some Goblins in the mix. They were a group that liked the allure of finery that most Goblins had but with the business sense like that of a Gnome, which gave them an eye for treasure gained by the means of trade.


    Yet they also retained the Trait of Strength that Orcs, Goblins and Trolls commonly upheld which was to hone and prizethe power that an individual held.In the tribe''s case, this was used in yhe protection of their treasure and family rather than the breaking of foes and rivals.


    They travelled the land in search of ways to test theirmettle in bouts of friendly competition and also carried with them the finery that they desired and were often also used for trade or wagers wherever settlements that may be on their route.


    Those above qualities were such what made them an often target and subsequent bane to foolish bandits that wished to take the bounty that the tribe carried with them and also a welcome travelling companion to a caravan thatasked for their services as an escort.


    The Waytreader tribe was even an appreciated and relieving sight to all travelers which were in need of assistance or protection on the road as they were friendly to those which were less fortunate, exposed and unused to the difficulties of a life of travel.


    The combination of Orkish battle prowess, a head for trade and a friendlydisposition to fellow travelers made them a welcome and profitable presence in the areas which they were passing through.


    But this was not an easy life, not in the slightest, as more than a few occasions have they had that their protection was used in factional disputes or made to bring wares which were illegal in nature or acquired by questionable means. Their honor did not permit them to show weakness when confronted by the so called ''justice'' of some groups and they lost a number of their people as the times had passed.


    The life of his people weighed on the young successor to the Tribe and his father allowed for him to gain the tools to steer them to security and safety. The youth of Trask was marked with scholarly learning, most unusual to an Ork and supplemented by the Strength the upheld as he was trained in dealing with merchants and taught in ways of administrating a city and the building of one on the many travels he experienced in his life, a life which was also riddled in loss and difficulty.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The semi-permanent settlement of the village they frequently passed through for many long years had become a town when the New Chief of the Waytreader tribe made his decision and to break the few centuries of tradition, Trask had made the choice of settling down the Tribe''s roots. It was not an unwelcome conclusion to the long weary members of the tribe as they would rather have security for their family more than the riches and adventures their travelling lifestyle had given them.


    A city was to be built, and such a city was envisioned to welcome all fair travelers. It was to be a place one could call home, for the weary warderer to find a place to rest, for trade to prosper and exchange and above all, a place that honors strength, hospitality and friendship.


    No kingdoms nor empires did bother the growth of the city as it was nestled in a valley that hardly any one dared to traverse, unless desperate or sure of their strength as it was nestled between two mountain ranges, one through the whole of its north and the other to its south-east, with the road that cut through it from east to west. Crossroads to other locations lie on both ends over a few day''s ride on horseback and this road which passes through the city connects both junctions.


    Much of the western side of the city is a plain covered in grain and produce, wide enough to feed the whole of the city and then some. Streams of snow-melt feed the western plain and provide quality water to the city and the fields ensuring both a bountiful growth and fresh drinking water to the population.


    Both the south and parts of the east are heavily wooded portions of land which house quite a few nasty kinds of flora and fauna. The residents of these areas even reach the locations of the crossroads which makes them a more challenging point in routes that pass through it as both of these intersections allow one to cut the travelling time of two months in half but at the cost of three times the danger with beasts and monsters that call the area home.


    The city had maintained a perimeter around it, just up within a short distance to the crossroads. While the city grew the resident forces even cut away a bit of the forests around to establish a safe zone that is constantly patrolled to keep the more dangerous wildlife away.


    The Artisan area of the city that the elf/dwarf lad was going to was on the North-eastern side of the city, along the main road. Much of the Eastern portion of the city has many shops specialized in carpentry, masonry, tools, armor, weapons, and even has stores for art and jewelry.


    His destination was quite near, considering he only had to go around the Martial and Magic Academy which was just below the city guard''s barracks and detainment center.


    One may think that placing a prison beside an area full of young students would be a possible threat to the students'' safety but the fact that guards within the city are of a higher level and quality that they are said to rival that of royal/elite forces of the neighboring countries. Another point is that there are rewards to the trainees when they able to track and subdue escapees though one would not want to run from a group of young and excitable individuals which still haven''t fine-tuned their skills and abilities for capture and not elimination.


    The stated facts did not bother the young man after his 2-day stay in the prison and his colorful record, as there were quite a few students, teachers and guards that avail of his services.


    "Well this is it." He now came to a stop in front of a smithy whose wooden sign was the silhouette of an anvil with a pair of bunny ears on it and the words Long Ears Smithy. Noticing the soft and constant bellowing of smoke from the chimney, he made his way through the door as a pair of bells jingled to announce his entrance.

 Chapter 3

    Goran Norag went home that day tired even though he had little to do earlier and since the whole week. He went home to the Southeastern quadrant of the city near the more modest residential areas.


    His station as the prison warden and the second vice-captain of the city guard, the responsibilities of which were the training of recruits as opposed to the first vice-captain being in charge of the city''s internal and external security, afforded him to have a house nearer to the more affluent residential areas on the southwestern quadrant of the city but he never was one to play with the shows of wealth or influence. He was more along the lines of living a simple and responsible life with his family while squirreling away some money for a rainy day, though it hardly rained in the area around Trask.


    Knocking before entering "Hello Dasha. I''m home." still grunting but only lightly.


    "Daddy!" the cheerful and bright voice came from a more slender version of Goran with his raven black hair, dark brown eyes and small nubs around the sides of her lower lip and only came to half his height.


    "Welcome back Honey" followed soon after from Goran''s other half, she clearly was the source of the fairer features of their daughter.


    It was astriking disparity between the two as could infer from the pair''s daughter who only had a slight green to her skin tone which was balanced by a light grey rather than Goran''s deep moss green


    "Now. Now. Rhana, sweetie. Let daddy rest. We still have to finish with dinner, okay?''" Dasha smilling and giving Goran a quick peck on the cheek. "So anything exciting happen?"


    A mix of a sigh and a grunt came out before Goran spoke "The little runt sends his regards to you dear and to you too baby." his hand ruffling the little girl''s hair a bit.


    "You got to play with big bro again?" Rhana puffing her cheeks and pouting, which elliceted another sigh from her father.


    "Oh. So the Carrot got in trouble again? I see." Dasha nodded and smilling in amusement. "Well at least you got to spend some time with a friendly acquaintance."


    "I just don''t want to keep seeing the lad in trouble okay. It gets annoying how often I have to drag him in for all the messes he gets into." Goran spilling his complaints like a man having to do the same repetitive and fruitless job over and over again, Rhana poking his cheek as he vented.


    "Come on Sweetie. Let daddy be for now and start setting the table would you." Dasha getting a nod from her daughter and made her way to the kitchen and dining table. "I know Honey, I worry about the young man too and that''s what I love about you, your concern for the good of those around you."


    Goran moved himself over a hardwood sofa covered in a few cushions and dropping his weight on in. "It''s been like that for the past five years. I know the lad is an honest one but itss been like a regular thing for him, getting arrested. Yes, yes I know he isn''t the one solely at fault but he could learn to handle things better and not charging through carts just to catch a pickpocket or socking a swindler in a tavern full of drunks leading to a full on bar fight...."


    Gorantallied through the many offenses the lad had made through the years. If anyone else but the captain would hear him, they would think this was uncharacteristic of the strong, silent and intimidating second vice-captain and jail warden of the city of Trask.


    Dasha simply nodded and listened to her husband''s rant, simply sitting beside him and admiring the features that would lead others to be intimidated but to her were more endearing especially with the disparity of his image to his personality.


    The truth was Goran had a difficulty in expressing himself in words to others, a trait he gained from childhood being the only one of his peers with Orcish features which scared the other children. He was twice the size of those his age and three times stronger. The combination of both previous factors made childish arguments into something of a life-changing and traumatizing affair for the other children.


    The situation also wasn''t alleviated by the fact that the parents of most of the other children were not there to help their young be more understanding of the disposition of the Orcish youth and some were often non-friendly in addressing the young Goran.


    His parents were a kind of celebrity in the security and protection business as they worked as armed escorts for VIPs travelling to and from the city which left Goran in the care of a friend from the City Guards, the current captain''s Uncle, a half-human, half-troll, but to the man''s credit he just looked like a taller human with a little green to his skin, arms which were curiously longer than one would expect fromthe averageand a more sturdy yet leaner physique than an average man.


    The Guardsman became a mentor for Goran and allowed him to be more in control of his apparent growing strength. His parents did try their best to alternate their schedules and had arranged for one of them to be with Gorana couple of weeksat a time in between their jobs. It was a risky life they led but it was a fulfilling one that allowed them to live a modestly stableone and eventually allowed Goran to be schooled in the city''s academy and later proceed into becoming a City Guard and his current station now.


    "-I mean it''s only you, Rhana, the Captain, the Old Guardsman and my parents that understand me. The Captain sometimes even uses me to whip the snotty recruits into shape, beating them around and putting them in place, I know it''s necessary to discipline them and all but that keeps my bad reputation as a silent and violent but just vice-captain up. Whenever I try to talk to the young ones, they wouldjust cower in fear or avoid me unless absolutely needed. Huh...." Goran ending his tirade and Dasha stroking his head as it now rested on her lap.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "Oh Honey, I understand and remember that is how I came to be with you." smiling and gently letting her hand through the orc''s course and neatly trimmed hair as she reminisced their first meeting.


    Their first encounterstarted out assimply routine as part of the guards'' duties in patrol of the city andthe occasional investigation of prevelant rumors and occurrences that residents would report or complain about. Goran, at the time, was just freshly promoted as squad leader of one of the patrol groups.


    It was run-of-the-mill illegal activity tracking that they did as the reports on the move of armor theft and smuggling had become more common but the curious thing was that the stolen wares would often resurface in the exporting caravansand were then found to be engraved. Yes the city was a commercial hub that boasted diplomacy through trade and that allowed many kinds of specialized products to be found in it but it lacked an established engraving guild and the quality and style of the said works were of those that could only be found from Erun engravers.


    Following the search for the stream of wares with the specialized engraving eventually led the City Guard into a kind of forced-labor camp that masqueraded as a studio for sculptors and jewelers near the wealthier quarter of the city. The facade was complete with a small gallery room after the entrance that served as a lobby for the commissioning and purchase of products. A raid was conducted and those involved in the indentured labor camp were charged and arrested for theft, smuggling and inhospitable working conditions, then sent of to serve in a mining penile colony near the base of the mountain just north the city.


    The forced laborers were healed, housed and further interviewed by the city guards and judges which later compiled their testimonies and found out that most of the laborers were from different travelling groups that were learning to advance their craft. They were then subsequently allowed passage to their home cities along with outgoing merchant caravans which had friendly diplomats in them along with a pair of escorting adventurers.


    There were eight Erun in total but only seven went home as one young lady, around the age of 17 had insisted on staying. Her story was a bit more tragic in that here parents were with her in the labor camp but died shortly after as they had tried to escape by killing a few guards and in the process ruined a lot of the products the group were forced into enchanting which angered the slavers. The incident then employed the use of compulsion collars unto the remaining Erun. The girl, along with three other women of the group were not violated as the quality of their engraving is greatly affected when placed under duress to the body, which they were already suffering from with the menial and just bearable working conditions, and that affected the profitability of the illegal business.


    So now an Erun maiden was left alone in a city in which she knew little about. The matter was approached to the Mayor and the city council in what they were to do. Present in the gathering were the Captain of the City Guard and all the Squad leaders involved and a decision was made to allow her live with a host family of one of the Erun residents within the city, as her skills in engraving were also a mark of interest. The maiden waswelcoming of the decision and agreed to it and was then assigned to a family only after she gave her one condition, that she have the choice of the guard/s whichwere to act as her guide and observer for her adjustment period. Said condition was welcomed by the City Council and the Captain at the time.


    Her choice that day came as a shock for those present and later became a talk of the town for the following months, as a fair maiden of light grey skin with eyes that shone gold and silver and lustrous black hair which glinted regardless of the light of day or darkness of night was seen strolling through the city with a toweringdeep green statue of muscle and hostility that was a head and a half taller than her. That was how Dasha chose the man that had saved her and protected her in the moments of grave peril she had experienced.


    As from her own memories, with the start of the raid triggered the henchmen of the slavers into disposing of the evidence which included the scrapping of the wares and turning all the slaves to ash, a popular feature in compulsion collars in case disposing slaves. An armored figure quickly eliminating the threats with directed violence that came at a speed that was deceiving of its frame. She was the last one to be saved as being farthest from the entry point of the suppression squad and saw the figure take a mace to shoulder and a dagger to the armpit, the mace logged into the pauldron and the dagger into the gaps of the armor managing to slip through the mail and into flesh courtesy of the piercing engraving she had been forced to make.


    Red slowly bloomed unto the cloth below the mail as a pair of soft brown eyes on a rough, green face locked with hers with a look of relief and concern which was barely visible beneath the helmet.


    A large hand slowly reaching towards her which she took and then picked her trembling and weakened form into a gentle carry and eased out a few rough but soft words of "It''s alright. It''s all over. We will protect you." and her barely letting out the words "thank you" before letting her exhaustion take her to sleep. She searched for her savior during her recovery asking some of the healers and guards that watched over the laborers and found out that there was only one name which fit her description and that he had a curious reputation. So when the time came she was given the choice by the council, she voiced her decision and gave her condition as a way to know of the man which saved her anda chance toshow her thanks.


    Goran and Dasha married a year after their first meeting and they were an interesting tale that was often shared by the residents of the city. Goran rose in rank with many of his deeds and Dasha had accepted commissioned works from home through the Merchants Association as the city has still yet to have an established engraver''s guild. Then a few short years later their love has made for a new member to their family.


    "Mommy I need a little help with the stew." little Rhana''s words pulling back Dasha to the present and smiling again as she looked at her husband and went to the kitchen to her daughter. "Coming Sweetie."


    "Dinner, Honey." pulling Goran from almost dozzing off. He thenlookeddown a brooch in his hand before pocketing it. The trinkets grey jewel had gently which been glowing in his hand now turning back into a nuetral state and him seating himself on the table as Dashsa was done setting it up. Rhana was to his left smilling and boasting about being the one to mostly cook the dishes before them and Dasha was to his right smilling and praising the little cook with a brooch on her dress identical to the one Goran had save for the jewel which was currently giving a soft, glow of deep green.

 Chapter 4

    The jingling of the bells announced the arrival of the half elf- half dwarf and a pair of rabbit ears perked at attention that were barely sticking out behind the counter in the inner half of the smithy. The walls were lined with sample armors and weapons as this smithy was not one of mass production butdid business more along the lines ofrequests and commissions.


    The pair of fluffy grey ears with an inner lining of white fur had then straightened as the sound of light wiping of cloth over metal stopped, a head soon followed that was covered with the same grey fur but there had as short mop of hair that framed the furless face in a bob cut. The face had the accent of youthful features sharpening into maturity as a small feminine voice escaped the lips of the bunny before coming to a sudden stop. "Welcome to the Long Ears Smith-"


    The young man then waved with his free hand as he set down the chunk of ore in under the other one and said "Hi."


    "You''re back!" A gleeful declaration made as the bunny girl made her way over the counter in a single jump and landed in front of the young lad.


    Cracking a smile and with a sigh "Yes Glen, I am back." He then opened his arms as to welcome a hug which the bunny girls simply jumped into and squeezed her arms around the young lad''s neck.


    "Welcome back dummy. What did you get into this time?" But without waiting for a reply Glen just turned to the slightly open door behind the counter and shouted. "Hey dad, your apprentice is back and he has the material you asked him to get 2days ago!"


    Turning back to the young lad that hadset the bunny girl''sfeet set back down on the floor, "You took your sweet time?" The bunny then patting herself of and wiping away some of the oil off her hands that she was using on the bits of plate armor she was polishing earlier. Some of the oil was now on the young lad''s neck which shetried to wipe away with a clean rag.


    The young lad, not even minding the oil, just bent down and let Glen get it off him and noticed the exit of an older bunny from the now fully opened door behind the counter.


    "Hello Dale." This bunny had stood a little taller than Glen whose ears, at their tips, could only reach the bottom ofthe lad''s nose and her head was just below his collarbones. The darker grey Dale''s head was at his chin and his ears were longer as they were level to the top of his head and the his general build fits that of one working as a smith with strong rippling muscles under the similar attire that the young lad was wearing.


    "Carrots! What took you so long? ''You fought a monster on the way back from the other side of the city?" Dale sarcastically remarked


    "Sorry Dale, had to spend the night in jail after I got into a ruckus in the markets." was the plain reply with no hint of apology or regret.


    "Let me guess, after you got the merchandise, someone tried to pick it from you. You then gave chase and got it back but the thief got away with a broken hand and you leaving a trail of collateral damaged in your wake." was the strangely accurate assumption made by Dale.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Oh that just sums it up pretty nicely." The lad said with a bit surprise.


    "Heard it from Old Man Grant. He saw you barrel through a few stalls chasing after a masked, hooded runnercarrying a bulging pouch over their back that was trying to give you the slip." Dale paused as he eyed the young lad from head to toe. "Thought you''d have that elven grace in you, with your whole build and all?"


    Shrugging, the young lad replied. "Turns out charging through like an axe splitting wood feels more natural to me. Just like how smithing came better to me than archery and forestry did."


    The young lads statements were half true as Dale thought back when the lad was still learning from the trades before settling on his current one. The young lad showed promise in archery, forestry, foraging, hunting and trapping the same way he was good at ores, mining, metal working and smithing was, though he was visibly more at ease with the later set of skills.


    "Yeah but your good at both those things and you even have that strange graceful touch whenever you were finishing the metal." Glen had countered the lads remark and ended with, "Don''t put yourself down too much."


    "Thanks Glen." came the reply as the young lad patted Glen on her head and letting out a small smile.


    "Come on Carrots! Bring the ore out back. We still gotta get that refined and the last order to fill." Dale snorted as the young lad picked up the hunk of ore and Glen setting back down to finish the piece she was polishing and placing it unto a pile of finished pieces and reaching from a different pile of unpolished armor.


    "Could you please stop calling me that Dale. I''ve been your apprentice for five years now. It was a bit funny at first, though now it''s just annoying being called that." an almost defeated voice came with young lads complaints.


    "I''ll consider it after we finish this last request, run the armor and equipment through their paces. Then you have time to bring me your ''finished product'' and we''ll see if that is enough for you to graduate as an apprentice." the declaration Dale had made about 2 years since the young lad started complaining about the nickname as even Glen was stuck to calling him that whenever her father was around.


    The deal the lad had made was when they were out in the market meeting with a supplier of ores and Dale called him over with the nickname which was heard by not a small number of people in the market on a busy day. The nickname had elicited quite a few giggles from the female half of listeners, stifled laughter from some but rowdy hollering from a few boisterous laborers and merchants. Glen was also with them back then and was embarrassed for her fellow apprentice but could only stand witness to it all as she knew there was no easy way to change her father''s stubborn ways.


    The agreement they had made was that his nickname would never beno morewhen he was able to impress his mentor, which in itself would be a difficult task counting that the times he was really amazed in his life could be counted with both hands, a trait he was well known for by friends and family. Dale then made the condition more realistic by defining it as when the young lad would finish his apprenticeship and become a full-fledged smith or by producing a set of equipment ofcomparable make than the bunny was able to.


    "Fine. I remember that condition. So what are we waiting for?" the lad becoming excited with the nearing prospect of ridding himself of the embarrassing name.


    Dale just gave a stern look to the motivated apprentice which was already rushing into the inner workspace. He then looked back to his daughter Glen as he observed the almost finished polishing work she was diligently doing. After that Dale then moved to check a list on the wall after the door noting a lack of a few more pieces that were needed.


    Glen then promptly put all the pieces she had finished in an area below the counter after covering it with a clean cloth as she placed a ''closed'' sign on the outside of the smithy''s door are followed after her father.


    Later that night, with the embers glowing into a slow smolder, the last sounds of hammers falling could be heard. The smith marks were struck into the finished pieces, the proof marks of Dale Greenfield over those of his apprentice Felnar Orefist.

 Chapter 5

    The sun had already risen an hour ago as the morning sky was colored with bright and soft shades of blue. The clouds were scant, and slowly rising were steady pale grey streams of smoke, the usual black smoke long since gone from the city of Trask as all chimneys were set with a kind of filter which removed most of the burn residue that would have been released into the air. This was one of the living conditions of concern made by the founder for the health and future of the city, one of the many hallmarks that Trask was known for.


    One particular stream ofdirty white reaching into the sky was slowly but steadily belched by the Long Ears Smithy. A continuous tempo of hammer falls ring out from the building though one might think thus melody was a bit too quick yet that thought would be clarified with a simple look into the workshop. The continuous tempo was maintained by two strikers as a third person was focused on steadying the metal being worked on. The strikers matched the force of their blows and alternated their hits which naturally blended into one sound if listened to from outside.


    One member of the three man team raised a hand and the work wound down with the din of metal striking metal coming to a halt. The drawn out blank had then taken the rough form of rectangular bar long enough for it to be a dagger but wide and think enough to be a sword hilt.


    The dull glowing ingot was gently placed on a cooling stack of greatly similarly sized bars of dull silver metal. The pair of strikers set down their tools before looking to the one sitting infornt of the anvil


    The gruff soot covered bunny started. "Before we turn over the whole order we have to put the new equipment through the ringer." He then nodded to his daughter and his apprentice.


    The duo looked at Dale, then to each other with a slight curling or their lips. The trio then moved to a side door of the forge which lead into a walled off space that was behind the smithy. Racks upon racks lined the area with an assortment of weapons lining the wall. If one were to compare the selection in the gallery of the store, which only presented base designs, to the pieces in this area one would find a large disparity with the plethora of variations for all the displayed pieces.


    Most customers would bring their requests with an image already in mind but only a few clients are made aware of the special catalogue that this smithy keeps. The weapons range from staves to spears, axes to polearms, swords to daggers, lances to maces. Then there were sets of armor with leathers covered in studs or rings, interlaced with mail or hiding thin plates embedded between layers some were overt and others were concealed betraying the misconception of others that thinking they were just plain leather. Full metal armor wererarer,with mail, and rings accompanied plate and gambeson each with their own variations for purpose and design. Another thing of note that there were even replications of a few sets and pieces but were made of different compositions or combinations.


    The catalogue if you will was not made solely by Dale and his apprentices, but was a collection formed by those who came before him, his father, grandfather and great grandfather. And if one might think these were show pieces then they might be forgiven in doing so. Though these were most assuredly used in one time or another with most of these pieces outliving the ones that commissioned their creation or were later traded in as to ask for a ''fresher'' set made clear by the faint traces use and experience in battle with the scratches, patches and dents in the equipment. The place was further made special as it was a dedicated storage space for the functional antiques with special care against moisture and humidity and was also greeted with the occasional oiling and cleaning.


    This was not the trio''s destination as they made their way to the far end of the roomwith a stairway to a lower level of the building which then emptied into a training hall and practice range of sorts.


    A few targets with alternating colored rings and dummies with humanoid or beastly shapes and distance marking on the floor and a layered construction of the walls to dampened sound and impacts. Blunted and sharpened forms of some of the weapons were also on the many hooksand racks and different pieces of armor were mounted on some of the targets. The said room was their own testing facility which only a handful of individuals know asides from the trio present.


    Again the fact that the catalogue, the testing facility, and commission only nature of the smithy painted a specialized and exclusive look to them and might make it difficult to support a living. But they need not worry as they were an established name only known to special circles and only recommended to other people by the arms masters which know of the family''s reputation and the regular production of some affordable and practical pieces help form their facade as a great quality forge with wares a little over common market pricewhich also regularly accepts special requests.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Felnar and Glen were already changed out of the forge clothes as Dale spoke. "Glen pick a set from the smaller sized gear and Carrots take on from the other size."


    Thepair did so and suited up in similar but ultimately different pair of dark grey, almost black mix of plate and mail armor, helping each other at times with the fittings and straps. After a dozen or so minutes, they werekitted up, with both of them having a light layer of padding over their shirts, sleeves and pants, then a layer of mailwas covered the padding. Finally, there were greaves, gauntlets, pauldrons, half plates over their chest and upper half of the back, segments of plate on their upper arms and an armored skirt which covered justbelow their knees where the greaves ended.


    The whole set of armor the two wore boasted a high quality of protection with the multiple layers armor but were a bit more affordable than just having a whole set of pure plate, also the liberal use of mail also afforded the different body shapes that might use the armor.


    "Okay, time to check the motions." were Dale''s words which launched his apprentices into a set of exercises to check the range of motion the sets they were wearing.


    The pair went into sprints, rolls, jumps, footwork and basic unarmed striking and stances, and after the half hour routine they took a break. The activity then resumed as the picked out three weapons that were made to go with the sets of armor, a spear, a mace and a dagger, which they then used practicing through a few forms and then a light spar against one another.


    Nearing lunch time the tests came to a close and both the apprentices were asked to remove their gear. The pair wiped theirown brows and the clothes they wore were moist with perspiration.


    The now unarmored bunny girl, which easily caught most bystanders eyes, revealed a frame with fine and lean muscle tone as the fabric of her shirt and pants stuck to her arms, chest and legs, a look that young lad also mirror. Theother youth also looked more like a lean and exercised human whose form was built from hard labor and toil with only the short nubs on his ears betraying the elven side of his origin.


    The two were not embarrassed with the sweaty look of exertion they both had as the apprentices were like siblings in how they treated, chided and worked with the other.


    The older bunny, now free of soot as he cleaned himself while observing the pair asked, "Your evaluations?"


    Glen started, "There were no problems with the motion and weight even taking into account the doubled padding around my torsowith the Goats being a bit larger than me. The weapons are also of appropriate size and balance. Only problem I have is with the mace."


    "And why is that?" was the gruff question Dale made.


    "The damn things look so freaking gaudy! I know they asked for these embellishments and all. But really!? The fleece pattern on the plates, the ram horns and spiked hooves on the mace, even the spikes and studs on the helm for the rams'' horns look so damn tacky. Don''t even get me started with the name and motto of that unit, Black Sheep, Ba-aad to the bone. Fuck! Damned lame ass puns! You won''t catch me demeaning myself with that kind of shit like calling myself Bunny Hop or something like that." Glen ended with almost a shout but Dale simply listened to her tirade and shrugged as Felnar just stood only nodding from time to time.


    "Customers orders." was the curt reply the young lad made which Dale just nodded to. "Hell! They''re the ones paying and were here to make them and ensure the stuff works fine. Well mine is also well balance and even counting for the forward weight it has, no problems, though I think a different liner could be used as to accommodate the colder bodies of our reptilian clients." he added.


    The young lad''s set also had a set theme to it, and looking at the helm for the set, where the smaller helms had an allowance for horns to pass through, Felnar''s gave off the feel that his were for a much larger creature with an indentation for a thick tail at the back and scale motif throughout the surface of the peices of plates. There was even a mixed mail and plate sleeve for the tail and said sleeve had an allow chain links which could be removed for adjustment and could then be attached to underside of the armored skirt.


    The smaller set Glen had tested were for the unit called Black Sheep which wasgroupof special guards belonging to one of the Four Courts of the Signab Alliance otherwise known as the Beastkin Alliance, the court of the Horns and Hooves. While the set Felnar had was for the an Honor Guard of a Noble from the Khar Kingdom of Sherenash. The Khar were a reptilian people that looked similar to geckos, lizards and crocodiles, the main difference to the reptiles beingthat could stand upright and that they were on average the size of a full grown human, if not a little leaner or thicker and taller depending on the type that they were.


    "Get the gear straightened out and just place your observations in the notes. We already added the extra mile for adjustability of the pieces, it''s their concern for all those peripheral things that weren''t accounted for." Dale said as to signal the rest of the workload for afternoon


    The three of them then made their way back to the storage area of the smithy and did with the finishing and crating for the equipment.

 Chapter 6

    Glen and Felnar were systematically checking all the crates that the armor and weapons were pack into. The ones Glen were checking had the mark of the smithy, the long ear over and anvil with a hammer and below it was a heater shield divided into 4 with checkered arrangement 2 kinds of horns, spiral horns and antlers, and 2 kinds of hooves, split and whole. While Felnar simply had the same kind of boxes and smithy mark but the crest below it was a reptilian eye in a triangle made of three lizards.


    "Can you believe all that crap!? I mean look at the stuff you tried." the bunny girl said as she picked up one of the spears Felnar was packing. "At least the Khar are a bit more mild with the decor." using the spear to point to the mace that was a plain and simple 8 sided bludgeon with a point in the middle and the upper half of the handle having a ''scaly texturing'' as her other hand traced the same kind of texturing on the shaft of the spear that had a trio of scales where the metal met the wood.


    Felnar just appreciated the challenge of adding artistry without impeding the equipment''s functions, well for a reasonable price.


    "Dad doesn''t really mind the stuff, you share that bit with him about being paid the right price, also the bit about ''looks are only secondary to function''. Mom might like this though. She might even laugh her ass of and roll with the lame jokes, maybe even add some off her own terrible puns." Glen remarked with an almost defeated tone.


    Felnar grinned as he heard his co-apprentice and sister make a remark that just showed how well she knew him. He then turned to the older bunny that was checking off and marking out the equipment they were crating. "Hey Dale, that reminds me, where is missus Greyfoot?"


    "Thought you''d already remembered this by now, she''s with the twins back home taking stock of the leathers and padding. Both of you gotta get the fresh batch cause the shop is running low after the recent orders." Dale gestured to a small cart in the corner of the room near the back door, said door was a plain looking hardwood piece on the surface but was reinforced on the inside and covered a metal frame.


    "You kinda forget dad that this metal freak only really pays attention to all thing metallic to smithing, ore acquisition and refinery next, armor and weapon designs next, then how they are used and function next, and only after that would he consider leather and cloth ---"


    "And only after all that do I worry about looks and other peoples business" Felnar finishing Glen''s expounding of his priorities, the lady bunny just shrugging and a small grin on the elf-dwarf''s face.


    "Fair enough Carrots. Go take the chest out, its near closing time anyway, and tell Clare I''d be home shortly after closing shop." Dale gestured for them to go ahead.


    Glen jumped unto Felnar''s shoulders as he was standing up from putting down a crate and Dale just shaking his head seeing the two.


    Felnar ducked through the door leading to the shop part of the smithy and Glen jumped off and made her way to the corner under the counter and picked up a loose plank while taking out a key. Felnar was used to this sight and just received the planks until a chest covered in chains was revealed as Glen put the key she had inside her inner pockets into a lock on the chains. The chains fell off in a neat pile as she turned the key and Felnar picked up the chest and moved back to place it on the cart that was already out the backdoor as Dale held it open expecting them.


    "Damn this thing is heavy." the young lad said as he hefted it unto the cart and Glen placing herself to the front of the push cart.


    "That''s why dad hardly uses the thing. I mean we could manage to get it out with the two of use but it''s nice to have someone else pull it out." with her sleeves rolled up the bunny girl flexed the toned muscles as she pushed the cart with ease.


    The chest Felnar took out was about a meter long from left to right, two-thirds a meter tall and also two-thirds a meter wide from front to back. The ''strong box'' was reinforced with iron bars on the inside and the outside and the whole described with just one word would be ''secure''. The secret to the box was the spatial enchantment it had that functioned as a transport and storage item that was a quintessential item to traveling merchants and store ownersas it negates the weight of the items placed into it, though the item does come at a price that only wealthier merchants and nobles might be able to afford, with having a premium kind of engraving and limited amount of these storage items.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Hmm... So we did use up that much of the leather and linens." the young lad said more as a statement than a question. "Well its good to go home once in a while."


    "Yeah, Rush was so annoying without you around but at least mom''s got him busy with other stuff." Glen huffing lightly at the end of her reply and a sheen coming of her face as she continued to push.


    "Don''t worry I''ll be the one to push it back." Felnar said as he used the end of his sleeve to wipe off a bit of the sheen away from her forehead.


    The strong box''s spatial enchantment allows for the space within the chest to increase by a hundred times but it can not completely eliminate the weight of stored items, only decreasing it so instead of carrying the full weight of one hundred pieces of armor you only carry the weight of a single piece. The weight of the chest is more than that of the usual ones of the same size because of the reinforcements which are there to protect the delicate engravings as these inscriptions lined with special materials are gravely delicate. Another factor which limits the chest, is the need for the enchantments to be charged with energy on a weekly basis lest the enchantments deteriorate in efficacy or fail completely, spitting out its contents with relative force as the storage space collapses.


    A whole half hour passed as the two reached their destination, all the while engaging in small talk with their thoughts on what the gear they made would be used for and what other orders might they get in next.


    The house the reached was plain and unassuming which was two stories tall with white wall and wooden beams and windows and wooden slats for a roof and slightly wider at that top than in the base much like the others of similar residences in the neighborhood.


    Felnar knocked on the door as Glen caught her breath and a quick moment passed as an older bunny with slightly lighter grey fur opened the door and took a quick look before saying, "Oh Carrots and my girl." Then the older bunny with the shoulder length ponytail was taller than Glen but a little shorter than Dale saw the cart before continuing, "Ah, yes. The leathers and linens. Rush! Lily!"


    "Hey, mom." was all Glen said as she hugged the lady bunny and the resemblance hinting that she looked more like her father than her mother.


    Shortly after the call of the name anothr bunny, younger and a little shorter than than Glen, followed out from the inside of the house. Then saw the two and jumped towards Felnar, which he then caught and proceeded to ruffle his hair.


    "Hi Flare. Hey Rush.''" came out as Felnar was holding the smaller bunny boy that had the same black hair with white tips that was similar to Clare''s but his was kept in a short cut.


    And another bunny girl followed that had the same fur and hair as Flare and was it as tall as Rush. She meekly smiled while seeing both Glen and Felnar. Her gaze softening and lasting half a second longer which both Glen and Felnar had noticed. She then looked at Clare while gesturing for them all to get inside.


    Felnar, now putting down the chest at the back of the kitchen near the cellar door while Rush jumped down from his shoulders. He then took a seat at the table with Clare across him and Glen at a seat to his side.


    "Rush could you start putting in all the pieces we''ve finished. Only take those bundled and tied together." Clare said


    "Yes mom! I mean ma''am." came the reply with a quick salute and zipping right down the stairs into the basement.


    "Lily dear could you get some chilled juice for these two." were Clare''s words as the bunny girl nodded and went down to the cellar as Rush zipped past her and came back with a pitcher and two cups that she gently set down on the table and sat primly to Felnar''s vacant side of the table.


    "Have a breather while Rush gets to packing the merchandise up." Clare said as she poured the contents of the pitcher into the two cups, not minding her other daughter shifting her chair closer to the young lad.


    "Thanks." the two said in unison.


    "Dad is still finishing up so he''ll be home after we bring the materials there." Glen spoke, not minding her younger sister pushing her head into Felnar''s hand that was lightly patting it.


    "Hah! I already know how much of a workaholic he is. We were partners in crime since he asked your grandpa for lessons in smithing, even back then, I was the one in charge of cloth and leather pieces." Class said with a laugh and tone of reminiscence as a grey bundle of fur picked up something that cluttered unto the floor.


    "Careful don''t rush too much." Felnar spoke with a concerned tone and Rush just skilled not minding the pun.


    "Don''t you damn start with that!" was the threatening response he got from Glen.

 Chapter 7

    A little over an hour later, after quite a few shared chuckles between the mother bunny and the young lad and some groaning form the older daughter, Rush joined in the four with a short huff as Lily set out a fresh pitcher of carrot and turnip juice with a zest of lime.


    "Done." the bunny addressed his mother with a grin and partly serious salute.


    Clare gestured the energetic bunny to sit and have some of the juice which he gladly did with his usual quick pace.


    "Hey kid, does Dale still call you that nickname?" the question replied with a defeated nod "Ah well, Carrots it is then. So you going to sleep here or will you be staying at the shop again?"


    "The large orders are already done and aside from the maintenance jobs, the only thing I''m really working on is the my personal project." Felnar said ang gaining a excited look form Rush and gaining a firm hug from Lily with her chest on the side of shoulder and her arms around his neck.


    In almost a whisper the younger lady bunny said, "It''s still too soon."


    "Oh! I thought you''d do that after a year or two more? You''re still young in context to either sides to your heritage and all. I think its about twice the for the elf and you''re around two-thirds for a dwarf?" pulling from her prior knowledge and experiences.


    "Well I did grow up here but I do remember a bit from the stories mom and dad told me about their respective traditions. I think it''s about 40 for an elf and around 30 for dwarves and well to beastkin and humans I''m already at 3 years past full grown at 19." The young lad had recounted and grinning at the bunny hugging his neck and eliciting a full blush of the cheeks.


    "W-well I''m already an adult too." came a slight stutter from Lily.


    "Don''t forget about me!" a lively follow up Rush.


    "Yeah you two are already fine adults for 2 months now, you can even do equal mom in amount of work output." Glen remarked with half-sarcastic and half encouraging tone.


    "Oh! Baby don''t tease your siblings like that. I know you take more to your father in more ways than one and them to me but remember we run a family business. Okay?" Clare said as part joke and partreproach to all three of the younger bunnies.


    "Yes mom" in unison the trio replied all backing down which clearly showed the mother bunny''s position over the three. All the while, Felnar trying his best to stifle a grin that the trio failed to notice and was mirrored by Clare as she had noticed his effort.


    "Well enough of that you two still have some stock to bring back to the shop before closing up." Clare urging the two apprentices back to their duties.


    "Come one Fel, let''s get this done. I want to get back here before sunset." Glen quickly recovering from the previous situation.


    Felnar nodded and then turned back to Lily which was now easing in her own seat. "Don''t worry I won''t be going anywhere without telling you all."


    "Yeah and if you do I know Dasha would kindly inform me whenever you are in Goran''s care." Clare digging up the almost regular jail vacations the young lad spent.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Felnar simply laughed, "Well at least you know I would be in capable hands."


    Rush simply smiled as Lily had a look of concern on her face, while Glen was shaking her head and their mother was laughing heartily along with the Felnar.


    "Go on and get back here by dinner. And I insist that you stay here for the night Felnar." the whole statement started jovial and ended menacingly as Clare had emphasized her words with a strong look to the young lad.


    "Yes ma''am." was Felnar''s response with drooping of the points on his ears and Glen quickly pulling him out.


    The two were now walking back with their positions changed as Felnar now pulled the cart along as Glen was matching his pace.


    "Its been a while since I last saw mom ''insist'' on something." Glen said with a shudder of fear on the end.


    "Me too. Last time I saw that was when were deciding between both orders and Clare ''insisted'' to the representativesthat we would take the total 30 sets eachorder both at the same time instead of handing it to another shop." Felnar to shuddering at the end as he recalled the ''persuasive'' methods implored by the older bunny he recognizes as family.


    "That reminds me. The pick up for the orders would come in three days. How about you and that project when would that be done?" Glen trying to get more info out of the young lad.


    "I plan to get it done in about the same time." he said plainly


    "Huh? What!? But I haven''t seen anything in the shop even when you were gone." her sudden response betraying her curiosity and apparent snooping while he was away.


    "Hmmmm..." was the only sound the he made as a smirk formed on his lips as only a slight level of exertion could be seen on his face.


    "I knew something like this would happen so I made preparations before hand so that no one would ruin the surprise." he said while giving a soft and short chuckle and Glen feeling a little miffed and guilty with blurting out her actions.


    "Well at least I get a break tonight before putting the finishing touches for the big reveal. I''m also really excited to have some more of Clare and Lily''s cooking." he stated to no one in particular.


    And true to his word he returned with the father-daughter pair and had dinner with the people he calls family and turned in for the night in the guest room near the cellar doors. He lay his head on the pillow atop the bed that was now only barely able to hold his full height and he looked back to a decade when he first called this house his new home.


    The next day Felnar was early to rise as he readied to make his way to the tanner cum tailor''s cellar when he noticed that Clare was already preparing breakfast which was a stew of vegetables and some hard bread. He decided to help set the table and shortly was greeted with the sight of the two sisters making their way down already dressed for the day ahead. Clare motioned for both of them to the table and told Lily to call Rush down and for Glen to call Dale up from the cellar which had surprised Felnar as the patriarch bunny was already holding a rolled up bundle under his arm.


    They then all had a happy and simple breakfast together as a thought that had long come and gone in Felnar''s head had returned. He had always cherished this family he had even before he started living with them but there was always the thought of the source of his heritage and the only few memories he had of the teachings his mother and father had taught him.


    The days passed and the cleints'' representative had arrived at the smithy around the time as the sun was at its peak in the the sky.


    A cloak covered the person from head to the back and ended only slightly before reaching the ground. A pair of clawed hands covered in vambraces deftly pulled the hood down to reveal a mane of fine green hair that reached the bottom of the hood and green feathers continued after that. The claws on the hand resembled talons on a bird of prey with yellowish scaled skin covering the forearms and this was mirrored on the feet of the person as much larger talons adorned the place where toes would have been and the same skin had covered the whole of the lower legs. A plain brown shirt whose sleeves were rolled up to the elbows and pants extending only to just below the knees clothed the figure. Instead of a beak, a mouth with an easy and pleasing smile, albeit sharp teeth, could be seen on a face most races would call handsome.


    The figure simply signaled for his driver-less wagon to move to the rear of the show and two burly beasts of burden had seemingly dipped their heads and obeyed the gesture with a clear amount of intellect and understanding.


    "It has been a while sire of the "Orefist'' and the ''Quickflecther''." the figure simply mused himself.

 Chapter 8

    The figure smoothly turned the door handle and entered the Long Ears Smithy in a fluid motion with the bell letting out only a soft jingle. The small sound did not escape the grey ears behind the counter though and their owner simply turned to face the customer with a relaxed smile and a greeting.


    "Good day to yo--- Oh! Sir Swift, welcome back." was Glen''s cut short upon seeing a special but less frequent client and friendly acquaintance.


    "Hello miss Greyfoot. It''s nice to see you again after quite a while. What was it now, almost 6 months since we last met?" the charisma of the birdman was clear and formal delivered with a friendly disposition.


    "Why yes, that was since the placement and finalization of the order. Dad is out back. Come on in while I lock up the front door." The birdman took in the familiar and not so familiar items on display as the bunny girl put a plaque on the outside of the door before locking it and turned to usher the client towards the back of the shop.


    Sir Swift made his way through the familiar layout of the smithy which he had already been in a few times before. On his way he noticed newer pieces and admired the well maintained nature of all the equipment present which never did fail to amaze as the sheer amount of the collection may be able to outfit a whole company of a hundred soldiers of varying shapes and sizes.


    The two made their way past the forge and to the back of the storeroom where Felnar and Dale where restocking the area for pre-assembled materials with the finished leathers and linens that were retrieved two days ago.


    "Ah, Corban! It''s good to see you again. I take it that the wagon is already out in the alley behind the shop? The gruff bunny stretching out a hand that was met with the taloned fingers in a handshake.


    "As perceptive and straightforward as ever Dale, yes, the wagon is already there waiting." The near laughing face of Corban Swift met the older bunnies smile before moving on to the last person left in the room and his other hand reaching out in greeting. "Long time no see Felnar, or is it still Carrots?"


    "Yes Sir Swift, it has and yes it still is, though not for long." Came the frank and welcoming reply of the apprentice smith.


    "Oh what is this, will you be moving up to a full-fledged smith soon?" The laughing smile now painted with interest as Corban moved his gazed back and forth between the master smith and apprentice


    "Well seems as best time as any. Would you be willing to serve as a witness to this one''s test Corban?" Dale further pulling Corban''s curiosity into the situation.


    "Why yes, old friend. It would be my pleasure to we what this young one has to offer in the art of smithing. And I expect no less from your own apprentice." Mr. Swift''s words hardly moving the relaxed expression on Felnar but also stoking Glen''s own curiosity.


    Felnar never did show Glen what he had finished in the past few days and Dale never pried since Felnar told him over two weeks ago.


    "Before that let''s get these loaded up outside." Dale addressed both his apprentices as he pointed to the several crates they had packed a few days ago.


    An hour later and with the load up done, the four of them where now in the testing area of the smithy and there were two sets of similar style armor were put on a pair of dummies. A noticeable distinction between the plain, dark grey sets of mixed plate and mail armor were their sizes, one was about fit for the young lad''s stature and the other was a match to Dale.


    Then Felnar took a little time to present the parts and pieces of the armor. The gauntlets had articulate fingers and allowed for precise and fine control and the covering over the wrist extended unto the bracers as the elbows were capped with overlapping plates with the insides having chain. The overlapping extended up to the pauldrons which also had the same style and the armpits were protected by chain. The whole cuirass was just as fitting as it was wide at the top and tapered towards the waist and was covered also by the overlapping plates and was covered by and armored skirt that touched just above the knees. The thighs were not neglected as they had an mix of chain and plate under the armored skirt and the knees were protected by the greaves that ended in a subtly and rounded pair of sabatons.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    One look at the 2 sets screamed an amount of protection that was for the thick of battle and would make some think could only be afforded by nobility or high ranks, only the plain satin grey of it betrayed that presumption. The pair''s construction showed an emphasis on protection without a compromise on mobility as the plates near the joints showed an amount of overlapping and supplementation by mail.


    After the quick inspection of the respective parts, the armor was reassembled on the dummy and the apprentice made a motion of Dale to begin as he took a step back.


    The older bunny eyed an onix warhammer with a wicked looking spike that has clearly seen use in battle set aside on a rack. He then turned to their guest and said "How would you like to do the honors Corban?"


    Quickly containing his grin, the birdman nodded and took a few step towards the dummy. He then shifted into a kicking stance as his expression turned grave and calculating and with a rush of wind and a smooth and fluid motion his whole body blurred in a backwards rotation as his left foot led the strike. Then the distinctive sound of metal being struck wrung out and him settling back into his previous stance before straitening back up as two revers talons were now visible on the back of both of his legs.


    Corban took a short look on the 2 new dents on the left side of the armor, one on the middle of the cuirass and another on the temple region of the helmet. Puncture holes could be assumed with the amount of morphing of the metal of the feedback he had felt from the armor''s materials.


    "Direct and critical strikes." was the remark from a clapping Glen


    "Again sir." Felnar respectfully motioning towards the smaller suit of armor.


    Croban simply nodded and repeated the actions with ease and the results were spot on replicated, though the smaller dummy was ever so slightly of kilter compared to the larger one. In both cases Corban was assured by the familiar feeling of metal being pierced by his specialized attacks.


    Felnar proceeded to remove the impacted pieces of armor and laid it on a table near the viewers. He then inspected the underside of the mail shirts to the surprise of the three others as they noticed fine sheets of paper speed taught on the heads and bodies of the dummies. The paper was clearly crumpled in the places of the strike and stretched in places where the armors'' harness rested on the body but not torn or punctured.


    "This will do." were Felnar''s few words that pulled the audience back to their senses and then towards the pieces laid on the table.


    Both helms and cuirasses were clearly punctured in the center of the dents but they were smaller than one would expect from the precise and violent strikes. All four pieces only showed holes slightly wide enough for a whole writing quill to through.


    "Hmmm..." was the only sound that came from the audience, namely Corban. Glen''s jaw hung loose, her eyes practically buldging in shock and disbelief. While Dale only nodded in approval.


    Rather than disappointment in his performance, the birdman was actually thinking about the extent of abuse the armors before him were able to endure. If he were to use more than 30 percent of his ability and skill would the armor then crumple more and the puncture points widen?


    Felnar simply turned the pieces over while reviewing the extent of the damage and made his way back to return the armor unto the dummies. He stopped at the larger set and proceeded to take it of the dummy and then put it on himself. Once he donned the helm, he then held the smaller helm in one hand and the cuirass in the other.


    He then took a few deep and audible breaths as Felnar began to speak in a barely audible stange tongue. A smooth glow begun to radiate from him and slowly settled to the damaged areas.


    After the fading of the light, the puncture points were no more and the plain gray facades were restored and only a small hint of lightening where the damage used to have been. The wearer then slowly sat himself down on the floor and stretch his hole body out as ragged breaths escaped after removing his helm.


    "A successful prototype." escaped from Felnar''s lips between breaths


    "The hell was that!? Ough!" Glen exclaimed and receiving a strong tap to the back from Dale. "Sorry. I mean what did you do Carrots and how were you able to get the armor to do that?


    "Ah yes the skill developed by you''re father. It is a good thing to learn that the knowledge of it was not lost along with his passing." Corban declared solemnly, also with a clear tone of appreciation and delight. "I do believe that Dale knows how to do this too?"


    "Nope. I only know that his Pops was the only one who could do it, and even when he did explain and try to teach me on how it was done, I never had the talent and ability he had." was Dale''s frank response.


    "I do say. It isn''t everyday to find a piece of armor able to stop the blows of a Silver Talon and of one specialized in piercing attacks too." Corban mused in acknowledgement to Felnar''s skill.

 Chapter 9

    The sun had crested and was well on its way to its peak spreading a comfortable warmth over the populace of a particular city. In this city there was a certain building, quite a large structure and within its many rooms, the gentle and not so gentle, lewd, muffled sounds of flesh on flesh grinding, pounding, slapping and shuffling against each other were contained by the special way each room and the totality of it was constructed.


    A plain and solid facade of plastered walls and wood made up the face of the structure as the interior of it was of a harmonious mix of wood, stone, brick and mortar. The whole thing gave of the feel of an inn, though more of the building was below ground than what could be seen above.


    The top two levels clearly the one serving as the venue for the activities of carnal knowledge and had enough rooms to allow 50 couples to engage in such study. Under those two was a floor which had the function of reception and gatherings and the like and even had an are for refreshments and small meals with enough space to feed all the guests up top. Next is the first underground level which served as a clinic of sorts filled with a staff of people specialized in healing, medicine, apothecary and childbirth that had the responsibility of taking care of the couples up above. The second lower level is an extension of the first with a store of supplies for the whole building and an office known as the "matchmakers" to the common people as they deal in the bringing together of the couples. Officially though, this was an extension of the Ministry for Populous and Health that specialized in said topic. Finally last level has more stores of supplies and an area of research for the purposes of the "Matchmakers".


    This occurrence, a breeding period of sorts, was not an uncommon thing. It was actually biannual and was set in the third weeks of spring and fall. As the vast majority of the peoples of the city belong to a certain race that has these particular cycles of fertility. Though they are able to reproduce during other seasons, it is only in spring and fall that they are most fertile, both the males and females. This peculiar reproductive disposition is one of the few characteristics which sets them apart from both humans and elves that they share greatest similarities to, aside from the natural greyish undertone to their skin and muted gloss to their hair.


    In one particular room of this structure was a lone person, one who''s partner had failed to appear. As "matchmakers" take the data from the quarterly census of the territory and the submission of entries by those who which to participate in the pairing process.


    A pale metallic grey underlies the soft brown flesh which had a mop of muted auburn hair with strands of dark brown that roughly reaches the nape of the neck. A single glance of the person''s face gives one the impression of youth ever so gently giving way to more mature features, a subtle mix of both soft and sharpening countenance. For now though, youthfulness dominates and given that such person is alone in one of these "special" rooms simply gives off a sense of improper desire to partake and violate the innocence of the image.


    Sitting atop a chair between a dresser and the bed, in a dark tan shirt with sleeves rolled and in a loose pair of brownish-grey breeches and dark brown ankle length boots of supple leather the person was breathing softly. The chest rising and falling gently suggests the clear and developing characteristics femininity of the person in focus and then she begins to stir and blinks open to reveal a blue, closer to teal hue of gemstones, in her eyes. She proceeds to look around the room and let''s out a half expected, defeated sigh. Her gaze then shifts towards the other side of the room and lands on the open window with the curtains parted showing the view of the city outside.


    "Hmmm... No luck this year too." She said as she stood up to stretch and limber up, willing the drowsiness away.


    "Well time to get back to work then." She said as a matter of fact manner to no one in particular and opened the bottom shelf of the dresser. Pulling out a large satchel, she turns her attention to another item and picks up a cloth-wrapped bundle leaning in the corner on the side of the dresser.


    Untying a line of string and unwrapping the bundle, a pair of belts were slung crossing her pelvis. Each belt held a sword on either side of her hips. After adjusting them and finding all her other gear in another neat bundle by the foot of the bed, she simply slung it over her back like a sack and made her way to the office area at the below ground floors.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Pushing the door open swiftly, the apparent person of authority looked up from behind a desk and gave her a thoughtful smile. "No luck?" Came the older woman''s question and followed up with the remark. "That''s the third one this season. I''d never thought I would meet a youngen'' such as you to have all three choices fail to commit after consecutive 3 years. I don''t even know why a pretty little thing like you hasn''t been snatched up by anyone yet."


    She simply gave a sigh and a shrug in reply to the well-meaning remark. She wasn''t from a well to do family but they never did go hungry. Her parents were even earned enough to send her school for the full six years of basic education and even gotten her two years more for specialized skills training. Though counting that the city subsidised the cost for training of all youth in basic education, which entails reading and writing of letters, arithmetic, skills in hunting, gathering, and production, history, and combat discipline. The two additional years she had were for added training in martial prowess and magus craft.


    Yes in case of a state of war or crisis a militia will be formed from the people and conscription will be done which then leads to the training of the citizenry. But in her case, she was enrolled into a program which allows for even children to be prepared for the onset of such scenarios. If the youths then reach maturity and have undergone said training, they are will be prepared for integration into ranks of proper soldiers, mage units or other specialized staff or combatants.


    "Well deary, don''t let that get you down. You''re still young and a bud like you will bloom to an amazing sight to behold and I doubt the boys would be able to resist you by then." The kindly doctor said with a smile with equal parts concern and encouragement.


    "Thank you aunt Audrey. I never was really into it too much. Mom and dad were the ones who were really for it." She replied answering with her own appreciative and thankful smile.


    Most of the clients, patients and even the younger staff called the older lady as aunt. Though this was not in the extended family''s sense but more of the kindly and motherly way she interacted with others. Not many would expect such behavior from the actual head of the Ministry of Populous and Health meeting face to face with clients and patients, though in truth and in part of her own preference, the interaction was the most she could do to make use of her time as major decisions and meetings with other major and minor heads were the only other responsibilities she had. Part of her personal outlook was that it never hurt to treat those she met and were under her with the kindness and concern a caring aunt would.


    As the young lady got up and made her way out the door she said "I might not be back in a few years for the festival aunt Audry. Gonna try my hand at a little more learning the craft while travelling. ''Might even bring someone home, hopefully." a playful and mischievous grin flashing as she closed the door.


    "Hmmm.. That girl, Miss Heran of clan Fairhand. First time for everything I suppose. 3 years with 18 potential partners and no definite pairing. I never thought the stigma of being direct descendants from those that survived from the lost city could still be so bad even after 25 years. That''s already a generation''s worth of separation from the ''Calamity of Living Decay.''" The doctor softly voicing her thoughts and taking a rather decorated writing stick that she lightly dipped into an inkwell, as the etchings began to ''drink up'' the fluid. She then scribbled unto a ledger of sorts as the ink uniformly and consistently flowed unto the paper from her precis strokes.


    Audrey Hearthkeeper added the page of her notes unto a file specially marked within a separated group of files of about 1367 children of the survivors of those from the lost city. The files were classed and marked 2nd generation and even includes those who died before reaching the census age of 15.


    "How could I face them again after this one?" Heran asked herself as she was walking home which was about a 10 minute walk out of the city''s walls by the southeastern gate. The Ministry building itself was between the administrative and trade, commerce, production and entertainment quarters of the city, just within sight of the western gate, the second of the only entry points in the inner walled area. Though the city itself extended outwards from these two gates, with only half of it within the inner walls and the other half was then protected by the lower situated outer walls which started from the steep dropping off in the northwestern point up to the eastern point of the city.


    The elevated nature of this Erun city was from the simple act of it being built atop a rise on the of a mountain range that cuts off at the edge of a cliff. The aforementioned cliff offering the whole city a view of the World Tree The name of the city itself tied to just one of the ways to describe the view, Gravitas, one of the five surviving Erun City States.

 Chapter 10

    "I''m home! Mom? Dad?" Heran not quite shouting had said as she had entered their wattle and dorb house. Tapping the dirt of her nicer pair of leather boots and putting them to their place behind the door and slipping on an older pair of well-worn leather shoes for indoor use.


    The hard packed soil was what made up the floor of house and wooden planks were for the floor above it. In common style its outer side of the walls were seal with white plaster and the insides were a bland light grey. More common features of it were the larger second story covered by a triangular roof with greyed wooden tiles. The house itself was a modest size for a family of 5 but a little large for only three people.


    After putting away her swords, belt and all, she noticed gentle shuffling from above, on the side of her parent''s room. She moved towards the kitchen and looked over to a pot and confirming the contents were in a light simmer, she tasted the porridge and mulled over the flavor. Reaching into her satchel on the table nearby, she took out a few pieces of dried meat and added it to the pot as she brought the embers back to a blaze. After a several moments with the occasional stirring, she added a handful of carrots and one handful potatoes before letting the flame fall back into embers as she allowed the root crops to soften.


    Once done, she placed the pot on a base on the table, set out bowls and spoons, a larger bowl with half a dozen pieces of some hard bread and finally a smaller bowl with pickled vegetables. She proceeded to sit down when she noticed her parents walking down the stairs and she smiled while waiting for them to take their seats.


    "So... How''d it go? Will I be expecting a sibling?" Heran grinned as her father almost chocked from his own spit while her mother just waived her off.


    "Thank you for asking dear but let''s have a meal first before talking about the day''s business." was the reply she received from her mother which then gave thanks and proceeded to serve them all before sitting down to eat.


    Bowls cleaned and the cutlery set aside. "So? Oh! Before that let me just say this year was a bust." Heran said a little disappointed with a mix the expression ''can''t be helped''.


    "That makes it three consecutive years already." Heran''s mother mirroring her expression


    "Don''t be too down Nads. You know it isn''t her fault." Heran''s father said as to comfort Naddy.


    "I know dear. I know. Seems that over two decades and people still hold the stigma against us, Ren." Nads replied hanging her head showing a hint of sadness and Oren showing the same expression.


    "Mo..om! Da..ad!" Heran dragging her words as she hugged her parents. "I know you keep trying. I know mom only has a few years left. Don''t be sad. You''ll make me sad too." Heran trying to hold back the moistening in her eyes.


    Heran knew her parents were aging and the next few years meant were the dwindling time for her mother could still be fertile. Her parents had her in their mid twenties and that was already considered a long time, especially with the fact that they were matched when they were both 16. But both of their bodies were affected by the event known as the ''Calamity of Living Decay'' as they both were residents of the now lost city and recorded as survivors of it.


    Most of the other survivors or the said calamity were afflicted with similar problems which ranged from decreased fertility to infertility, multiple miscarriages and still births, strange growths and organ failure, a general weakening of the body and loss of health and vitality, worst cases were of a ''living rot''. The afflicted of such a disease was non transmittable to others and was characterized by the eventual dying of body parts as if they were actually rotting off the still living person. Cases of the living rot were even observed in animals and even monstrous creatures which were caught within the proximity of the destruction of the lost city.


    The family held their embrace for several minutes and only separated just as they went to bed. The resemblance could be seen in the auburn of her mother''s hair and the dark brown of her father''s and the moments before her mother''s eyes were a pale blue while here father had an olive green. That night all of them had a dreamless sleep and slept together as a family with Heran in the middle, Nads to her left and Ren to her right, even though Heran had her own room and bed.


    Heran woke first the next morning and set about to prepare breakfast which was a thin soup of vegetables and beans. She was joined shortly after she was setting the table by her mother as her father made his way to the back of the house and finishing a bit of last touches on a carved door ready for it to be passed on to another craftsman for the inlaying work a client had requested. Shortly after calling up the neighbor which was the one to do the inlaying, said neighbor also a survivor form the lost city, Oren made his way back inside to find a breakfast ready and his lady and his little girl waiting for him.


    They gave thanks for the meal and proceeded to eat the soup of vegetables and a bit of the leftover bread. Heran faced her father with a serious expression, stern and decided.


    "Dad I''m going on a journey." Heran told her father as her mother, sitting across her, grabbed both her hands and facing Oren.


    "Well its about time we talked about this again." Oren facing Nads and then Heran.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "I''m going to go north to Trask. I will take a route through the western most borders of the Khar and eventually through the Signab Alliance before making my way into the Free city. I hear they already have a settlement of Erun there and I might as well try finding a match with someone there far from the judging mindsets here." Heran declared softly yet firmly.


    Oren and Naddy exchanged glances, concern in both their eyes, worry more obvious in Nads while contemplation in Ren''s.


    "Okay baby. We will let you do what you want." Nads barely holding back the water building up in her eyes.


    "Never forget to send letters whenever you can." Oren last said as they finished their breakfast in silence.


    "Thanks mom, and I will dad. I will." Heran said as she returned the loving gaze both her parents gave her before continuing. "Before that, I do still have 3 more days for the end of the matchmaking and lockdown of the city and about a week for the caravan I would be travelling with sets out."


    The days went by with Oren working with his fellow carpenters, a shop of half a dozen men a quite a few more apprentices, patching up houses and preparing wooden posts, planks, shingles, stakes, the like and the odd bow stave and or spear pole every now and then. Naddy did her thing as helping tend to a garden a rich merchant''s wife fancies keeping in the backyard of their large estate, said gardening skills were well enough as both the merchant and his wife were people that grew from the toil of their own parents and grandparents but never forgot to appreciate and often practice the skills and trade which brought them to a better station in life.


    Heran went about finishing her own preparations with accepting a few gathering jobs as she herself was an adventurer registered to the guild in the city. Her own rank being just above initiate as a second level iron allowing and limiting her to the simpler assistance and gathering jobs. Mentioned assistance jobs were kinds of labor or services oriented tasks made by requesters the guild certifies and moderates and the gathering jobs are of varying degrees of difficulty with acquiring or accompanying a group that will.


    The ranks of adventurers were iron, copper, steel, silver, and gold in ascending order and three levels in each rank beginning from third to first. The respective ranks allows registered adventurers to take on jobs of varying types and difficulties and also serves as a form of identification that can be used in travels beyond borders and also marks achievements and even past offenses.


    Two of the few jobs Heran took were even connected to her parents line of work as one had her protect a few loggers out to acquire a distinct type of lumber with unique properties that made it harden to the point of unworkable a few hours after felling and only reworkable after exposed to a certain mix of alchemical compounds but was then turned the lumber fall a bit in general quality. This made the it a priority to process on site with haste and needed the woodworkers utmost attention thus the greater emphasis on security and was also a valuable and controlled resource needing permission to gather and was often only procured under specially made requests. The wood was called slagwood as it was trash when wrongly prepared and not much used once it dried and hardened but its value lay in the properties it gained when correctly processed. It was light and hardy and had little give but resisted impact and compression more than many other hardwoods of the same size or weight. When its drying was slowed by a different alchemical mix the wood became practically water resistant and make it just as difficult to burn as iron was to turn malleable. It was specially turned into planks, staves, poles rods and even rods and shafts making it greatly important in making tools and implements for war, like in arrows, bolts, shields, polearms and weapon handles. Another popular product was for wooden tiles that was both porous and highly resistant to rot in addition to its good durability which gave it a myriad of other uses though it was only really affordable to the better off. One of the 2 carpenter''s workshops in the city which bothered to post process slagwood was on where her father was in.


    Another job was for picking up several wild herbs in the forest whose request was made by the merchant''s wife which her mother often helps. It was as for the welcome party for the pairing of her oldest son which was to inherit his father''s trade to a nice house-trained girl from a branch of an old and wealthy family within the city. She was just as old as Heran and the lad was two years younger than her though both were ''a match made in heaven'', were the words Heran''s mother had often repeated when describing the young couple.


    The day finally came for Heran to leave and her parents were up and early with her at their usual time for breakfast. They had a hearty meal together and shared no words as their emotions were clear on their faces.


    Heran was solemn and decided. Her father, Oren, was concerned but also supportive giving a ''be safe in your travels'' look. While her mother, Naddy, showed an ''I respect your decision'' kind of expression.


    After eating Heran began to pick up the dishes but was stopped by her mother as her father picked up a sackcloth covered object sitting beside the tables legs and gave it to her. Her mother also shortly got a new leathern pack which rested on a hook by the wall that Heran didn''t remember being there just now.


    She received both objects and found that the covered object was a round shield made of slagwood with a band of metal covering the rim and had few bands of steel covering the inside where the forearm would be strapped to. It extended half a foot from the front and back of her hand and was of comparable make to one ranked soldiers would have for war and also had her fathers mark on the inside just in front of her hand. The pack her mother gave her was filled with the contents she placed in her older pack but had an addition of another small bundle of smoked and salted meats and dried fruit, and another pouch of coins.


    All three of them shared a hug and Heran squeezed Nads and Ren more than she could ever remember which the two reciprocated.


    It was a hard choice to make but one she chose regardless as one of the Erun that has failed to be accepted by their matches was often marked by other members of the community as a dead end to the continuity for progeny. They were still useful in the roles and tasks they are in or will have and are even considered as likely partners for the quenching of sexual thirst. And when an Erun, be they male or female, fails to produce or sire a child in the prime years of 16-25 had the unfortunate fate of becoming near infertile for the next 20 years where they loose all reproductive potential. Only rare cases have ever been observed and recorded to Erun people and those born to these ''unproductive'' couplings had inferior qualities in strength, health, magic potential and lifespan, but possessed great intellect. So the quality, importance and timeliness of childbearing became so important that it had shaped the culture or the Erun and they are uniquely known for these peculiar characteristic and mindset.

 Chapter 11

    In the end, "Thank you" and "Be safe" were the only words the family exchanged that morning as her parents walked her to the square within the outer walls were the caravan was set to gather.


    Heran waved to a team of six individuals she often encountered and work with at one time or another. She was a part of their group as a second line vanguard with her flexibility with throwing knives, slings, two-handed swords and shield and sword.


    "Hmmm. No luck was it?" The eldest-looking member of their party asking Heran which had replied with a sigh and a shrug. "Well its good to have you with us young lady." He said with respect. The gentleman was about half a head taller than Heran and already had a few strands of silver in his greying hair which had been raven black in his prime. He would have been several years older than her own father but treated her as that of a younger subordinate and comrade. He was geared like that ofsoldierwas, which wasn''t far off as he had been one in his younger years, plate greaves and vambraces were on his limbs, a surcoat split at the hips covered the top of his torso all the way down to the middle of his shins. A whole suit of mail extended from the ends of his vambraces to the tip of his greaves and even sabatons over his leather shoes. To his hip was a short sword with a handle that could fit both hands and stapped to his back was a heater sheild which was the same dirty cream color of the surcoat and had the same light grey trim.


    "Elo there girly. Don''t let the old wrinkled sack get to ya." A bright and hearty greeting a squat and smaller man gave her which lightly bumped a fist with hers. "I tell ya Dren, the lass is still young and a little bit of travelling would help her find that elusive lad that might help her settle down." The smaller man was similarly decked out with the older man which was called Dren, one difference being that instead of a surcoat he had a doublet covering his torso and what looked like a heavy cloth skirt which covered up to the shorter man''s knees. Another difference was that the vambraces had a fingered gaunlet which allowed more protection to the fingers while not inhibiting dexterity in the Polearm that was strapped to his back and a conical-styled helm with a mail veil for the back of the head hung from the pole''s end.


    "You know what I mean Veren." Dismissing the banter the dwarf made and turning to Heran. "I trust you already know the rest of the team." The older Erun, Drendle Glover gestured with his bare hand to the other four members of the party as the other one held an open-faced basinet.


    "Mala, Oleg, Gale, Renas." Heran named each and they in turn nodded and smiled or made a welcoming gesture as their names were called. "Good to see you all. Nice bow Mala, is it new? Oleg you have to lay off on the food and drink your armor looks a little tight over your previously loose robe. Gale you finally bought that crossbow you were eyeing for so long. Renas, I see that your scales are a bit more glossy now, have you gotten taller again?" She addressed her kitted out comrades on by one.


    Renas went first "Thank you Lady Heran and yes this body of mine seems to have lengthened a bit more." He said with pride in his voice and happily swishing his tail from the praise with a soft, muffled clink of mail. Renas himself had much little armor compared to the previous two as the scales oh his body were enough to glance blows at the right angles and he opted for a mix of mail and plates which were sown into a shirt to cover his chest vambraces for the arms and half greaves for his reptilian lower legs.


    He had a lot exposed of his body unarmored and covered only by plain clothes though he did have a padded mail coif for his head which had much thicker scales and bone. This was not a problem for the scaly man named Renas for his style of fighting with his curved swords were more in lines of agile dodges and quick, exploiting cuts rather than the hard trading of blows that the previous two clrealy prefered.


    "Yes Renas we ge'' ''t. More of you'' scaliness to admire isn''t it?" Oleg sarcastically remarked as the target simply considered it as additional admiration. "Aye lass, I have been putting it on and sadly enough the only way for me to ge'' all refitted is back ''ome on dwarven lans, even me robe and such has to be replaced ''ere." The grinning Oleg dismissed the worries of his tightening attire with a wave of his muscled arms as the robes sleeves hardly concealing their outlines. Heran nodded to his reply, already used to the quite thick accent of her comrade in vocation.


    Oleg was slightly thicker than a Veren covered in armor and he was just wearing a robes which hid a shirt and pants of mail and finally with a large on his head which concealed a padded skull cap underneath. His role was in the rear as to provide healing and strengthening with the occasional offensive spells and the armor only really served as a last line of personal protection with the help of a mace as his not so delicate staff wasn''t exaclty suitable for brawling.


    "I got the old one replaced cause of a misstep on an extended quest. Broke a string and bent the stave but the wood was still good so I just split it into a few more bits and hardened them for tent stakes." Pointing to a set of several stakes in a bundle on the side of her pack a few noticeable newer one with no signs yet of being hammered on one end.


    Mala, herself was clothed in loose enough clothing which concealed her slender, womanly figure which was then accentuated by the a leather jerkin with shaped plates on the outside. She also had splits of plate covered in leather over her forearms and lower legs.


    "Gale. Gale?" Mala having to call to her friend''s attention by giving her shoulder a few taps.


    "Oh. Sorry Heran." Gale broke her coddling over the new weapon. "Just excited to finally having my own crossbow." She said smiling and a little embarrassed. Gale was identically dressed as Mala save for the difference in colors as Mala had a more leaf green toned set as she had one closer to browns of tree trunks.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    All three ladies had an open-faced helm with a bit of a tail that extended over the back of the head.


    "May both your new tools serve you well." Heran addressing both Mala and Gale with the two nodding in affirmation and the others sharing her sentiments.


    "We''ll, with all of us here, let me tell you all our posts for this escort job." Dren stated in a formal and professional manner that the rest were already accustomed to. "We are given the middle of the line and we have a total of a 6 merchants with 10 wagons and 6 other teams and with a total of 57 members not counting the personal guards of the merchants at 20 strong and other travelling companions of 10 more people. "


    "Will we be riding then or just walking?" An unamused Oleg asked and a well armored Veren just shrugging to the question tough he was considerable more weighed downvas he was in a kit of mail with a plate gauntlets, greaves and a solid front chest piece which was segmented in the back to allow mobility. The fact was that both dwarves were the shortest of the bunch with all three ladies at the close second with a head taller than the two.


    "We are in luck, as it stands one of merchant is in line with the mount breeders and has allocated 2 mounts per group and the rest can ride along with some of the wagons as the pace they aim to take is more than brisk walking but just at a steady trot." Dren answered eliciting a sigh of relief from all members.


    "Let''s move out." were Dren''s last remark that got the group to move to the gathering point outside the city walls


    Later they were given the assigned pair of mounts. One was a large flightless bird with a beak as large as its head, a long muscular neck, a body with a pathetically small pair of wings and thick, powerful legs with talons that could pierce and grasp a piglet or other dog-sized prey. The plumage was in interesting shade of yellows and oranges with highlights of blue and red on the head, neck and tail feathers. The other mount was a large warhorse of great physical condition of lean and rippling muscles that allowed it to carry a fully armored rider along with gear and supplies. Both mounts displayed great discipline in allowing the party members to ride them with little fuss after an introduction and feeding by their would be riders.


    The mounts were to be delivered to a different stable in the destination of the caravan and a few groomers were there to tend to them every morning and night.


    And so they had set of for their journey. It was rather uneventful for the first week on the road and they encountered a couple of Erun farming villages by the road along their route where they had spent a night each in. The start of their second week was the beginning of their change of pace.


    The morning of the start of the second week of travel the caravan head had met a pair of broken carts with no beasts pulling them as the lashes and reigns were empty but intact. The carts had damaged coverings and were each missing a pair of wooden wheels and those which remained were lacking the metal bands, bolts and axles.


    The sight itself was a curious and unsettling one as the lead merchant, the leaders of each party and the head of the security group of the merchants moved ahead of the column and convened to investigate the seen as the whole caravan was made to wait just before the scene. The heads of each group looked, prodded, sensed and pondered the scene and afterwards shared a few words and after an hour of wait had decided to let the caravan move on until they set camp.


    That night the whole column was informed of the findings of the different leaders.


    "Okay. As you all can see, we have gone of the road and set up camp below and out of the line of sight of the road where even our fires could hardly be seen." Dren began as the other members were listening intently. "There was a distinct lack of all the bits of metal on the wagons even the buckles on the reigns, no blood, no bodies and the damage to the wagon could be likened to a large mass barrelling straight into the side of each wagon." Every one nodding as they all noticed it upon passing by the wrecked things


    "Come on now out with it." Veren eagerly coaxing the words out of Dren''s mouth


    "That group was attacked and there are evidences that it was used by a few groups of laborers as both carts had a lightly faded etch of the Adventurers guild branch of Gravitas." Dren letting his words sink in for a moment and continued before anyone could ask. "We suspect the ones which had used the carts were the coop job of two parties sent to investigate a report of aggressive encounters made by local peoples of the mountain mining village, half a day down from where we are and a few days off to the forking road to the left."


    "Mana signatures f''r identity." Oleg stated rather than asking.


    Dren nodded. "Two mages and 3 mages, 2 combat types and a healer, and a warrior caster were part of the group. They were all fairly known and were even familiar to most of the everyone here and the other mages confirmed the distinct "flavor" of their power was there. Another strange bit of it was how clear it was just as though you were standing beside them and they were preparing to cast spells. The thickness of it was even like they were still there even though there were no signs of bodies, armor, gear nor blood."


    "We turnin'' back?" Oleg asked.


    Dren shook his head. "No. But a servant from the merchants is being sent back to bring the news along with a letter explaining the findings and the marks of each of the merchants and party leaders. We continue with the travel and bring the news to the next villages and towns and to the set destination. So all of us are on alert and the night guards and to be doubled beginning tonight and that makes us pair up so Oleg and Gale, Renas and Heran, Veren and Mala and I''m paired up with a guard from the merchants'' group. Any other question?"


    Another three days ride went by till they reached the next settlement and this one was less Erun and had a mix of a few humans and Khar. They informed the village elders to be watchful and ready to send for help if need be. This went on for the next 3 villages in about 2 weeks and they were able to reach their caravan''s destination.


    "Well nothing overly interesting disturbed our travels. Now I ask you all any plans before going back?" Dren asked his party members as the conversation was held in a tavern with only a few patrons as it was only an hour after noon.


    "Looking to restock on supplies and maybe get a job in before setting back home." Mala had gestured to herself and Gale.


    "Apologies brother, I will be joining Oleg back home on a group going Breakers Keep in a weeks time." Veren stated as Oleg was grinning fiercely from beneath his well kept beard.


    "I too will be visiting a relative in the city and shall join ladies Gale and Mala in their seek for employ afterwards." The earthy green and scaly Renas stated matter-of-factly.

 Chapter 12

    ¡°Care to share a bit more, I know it''s been hard at Gravitas young lady but why Trask and it''s fledgling Enchanter¡¯s guild?¡± Dren showing genuine concern for Heran, the kind a doting older relative would have for a niece.


    In all truth Dren was a family friend and himself was already a grandfather though unfortunately was living alone by the fact that both his daughters had married into a different branches of a prominent family in another Erun city. He had been living with his wife 10 years after their youngest daughter was married and they at least visited them about twice a year with their own families when his wife Lena passed from ill health. Close friends would say it was a miracle that she lived to see her own grandchildren as her health was never great since she was a child and each birth of their daughters was an emotional ordeal of her frail health.


    Lena died at 45 years of age, a week before their daughters¡¯ visit. They were shocked at first but had already understood their mother¡¯s delicate constitution.


    Afterwards, Dren¡¯s girls were kind enough to offer him a place to stay at either of their homes which he gently refused by saying ¡°I made a promise to your mother to give something to the grandchildren and I¡¯ll be true to that wish.¡± It has been 3 years since then and he has reached the ripe age of 50 and according to his words, ¡°Only a year left to finish it.¡± though whatever ¡°it¡± was he never told his daughters and they never forced him to.


    ¡°Well simple story is, I''m planning a fresh start there.¡± Heran stated but seeing Dren and the rest of the group still confused she began to elaborate. ¡°As you all know, I was born to parents who where as young children were both exposed to the calamity that brought about the affliction called ¡°Living Decay¡±. From the moment they moved away from the Fallen City and into new different Erun settlements they were marked as survivors and afflicted with the unusual conditions, in their case, both were considered infertile and no other Erun would have them until they met on another. I was of a few rare occurrences in the many survivors who were able to marry and not have children. They were able to have me but no more and even now the few children who had grown up healthy are being ostracized as also an end to our line by being unable to sire and conceive.¡±


    ¡°Aye Lass. Ya live in a hard society. We dwarves had always extolled the value and achievement of our ancestors and strive to bring praise to our family but to you and Dren, family and blood is the core to existence.¡± Oleg shared his sentiments to everyone.


    ¡°Thank you. But I am not done. I wish to make my way to Trask as news of the Head enchanter there was an Erun by the name of Dasha and she to was born to parent who were survivors of the Living Decay and the word is that she has a child which shares qualities to both parentages.¡± Heran ending in almost a soft whisper only enough for the group to here.


    ¡°It may be just Human and Erun. I mean all humans are apparently compatible to the other enlightened races.¡± Gale plainly said with a shrug


    ¡°You mean the rumored Orc-Erun hybrid?¡± Dren matching the soft whisper Heran ended on and setting the rest of the parties eyes wide.


    It was a fact that humans were able to procreate with all of the other enlightened races and even to some monsters but it was near impossible for most of the enlightened races to be able to procreate with one another, save for the Fae, though theirs is an entirely different case. Hybrids were extremely rare, much more so as compared to the cases of half humans.Births for healthy, same raced couples produced upwards of at least 2 children. A human with a different raced partner would successfully have at least one child per couple though might increase if the other partner was half-human to begin with. Then the case of different raced couples the possibility of having young came to 1 child for any 10 couples and that already accounts for a coupling of over both partners¡¯ reproductive lifespan.


    The children of these mixed coupling were like weakened copies of their other parent as per example of a male human and female troll or vice versa. Their children would gain the slightly shorter lifespan of a human and their flexibility to sire other offspring of a different parentage and barely a third the strength and vitality a troll would have of the same size. Their arms would be a bit longer and they were slightly taller but when they say have children of another human they would lose all traces of troll traits or if they were to have children with a troll, then all those born were trolls with a slightly lessened vitality.


    The lessened possibility of having better qualities of the non-human parent would decrease dramatically the stronger the traits became and may reach a point of like one child for every hundred couples and the miniscule chance of a child having both its parents traits were then a hundred times less likely than the previous case.


    Using the example in the previous paring of troll and human, this would mean an adult retaining the form of the human parent but having the strength and vitality comparable to an adult troll or in the other case a troll gaining the ability to have offspring with decreased traits of other races while still having the troll¡¯s own characteristics.


    There are varying degrees to changes in appearance in every case and all the previous knowledge has been recorded in many an oral tale for the common folk but in more detail in scholarly learning.


    ¡°This news is slightly dated, over a few years already. But the fact stands that she had found compatibility and I wish to ask her about it. And maybe bring more information on this case for the Health Ministry¡¯s notice or simply live my own life there and find a good man who doesn¡¯t know of my affliction.¡± Heran ended with a little glisten to her eyes as the two other female members of the party came hug her from either side. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Mala, herself was half elven from her mother and half human from her father and was as sure a shot with a bow as any human marksman only in her case it was with greater ease and consistency as she was able to pull a bow twice the draw weight one might expect of her lean build and moving through the forest was as easy as a sprint on open ground, though seeing as her father was an talented enough of a human to become an Elven Rangers apprentice also helped.


    Gale on the other hand had an Erun father and Human mother and she has a way with imparting power into projectiles and blades even though her father was never talented in enchanting and worked as a logger and her mother was a fairly competent seamstress. Gales talents lay in enhancing the effects of her attacks by means of inscriptions to her tools, said inscriptions were imparted with a bit of her own energies and needed only to be activated when in use.


    This was the same in all Erun. Though enchanting can be done by any skilled member of any race, Erun Engraving was unique in that their enchanting had more permanence as it did not need to be re-etched after a few uses like how a blade would dull after vigorous use, and that their enchantments were the only ones able store energies to power the effects before actively drawing on the user once the stored energy runs out and after use the enchantment could then be recharged.


    ¡°We wish you luck then sister.¡± Gale said as Mala nodded in affirmation.


    ¡°Hmmm. I understand the sense to your humble reason Lady Heran. I admire the way you value life and family and I wish you well in your plans.¡± Renas humbling himself with a curt bow and a hand over his heart. ¡°To us Khar, those that survive the first 2 years as hatchlings are only then named and considered completely part of a family.¡±


    The Khar had young in clutches of about 4-6 at a time and are cared for like that of any infant but by two years only 1 or 2 may survive due to many different reasons as they live in a swampy or waterside land. One may argue to move the young immediately to a different location or have a pregnant female lay eggs in a safer area but the Khar eggs will only hatch and the young only grow properly from food from places with the most inhospitable of swampland or rugged of seashores.


    The egg laying, birthing and initial raising of Khar young could well be likened to that of migratory animals such as ocean fish spawning in freshwater lakes after a grueling upriver journey. Some Khar from long ago had tried to defy this fact of nature to little success. Yes the were a handful of other viable places to nest and rear their clutch but only to the hundreds of failed attempts and subsequently weakened or inferior generations produced or lost from the attempts of expansion. There were also three main kinds of Khar but that is something for a later tale.


    ¡°So Lady Heran, when will you be embarking unto Trask?¡±


    ¡°Renas, my friend, no need to rush. Maybe after a two weeks as I have yet to arrange my means of travel and for now I will apply for a license to be able to accept work and move through the Khar boundary.¡±


    This was a fact and function fixed by the different branches of the adventures guild that as a great number of individuals with military potential and even a few with kingdom theatning might needed to be properly accounted for and their credentials be vouched for. Badges are used for identification with marks of rank and professions practiced or skills possessed and there is even an imprinting system which allows each branch to input titles and achievements unto the badge which can be read by every branch but only edited and amended by the branches guildmaster with the precense of local governments representative. Also in some countries the guild may be so named as the freelancers, laborers, pioneer, mercenary or even problem solver¡¯s guild. The only thing that carries over all different iterations of the guild is that all their operations conforms to the laws of the locality they are in and they will abstain in all military conflicts and move more towards relief and rebuilding functions though any members who do align with the local military shall lose their neutrality.


    ¡°I may be able to help you there Lady Heran, I have contacts in the next Khar towns.¡±


    ¡°How about you Sirs? Have you set your own plans for the following days?¡± Renas asking the rest of the men.


    ¡°Well both of us shall join up with the lass for the weeks she''ll be here as we would wait for the seasons to change. The routes to Dwarven lands would still be closed with the rains and rock falls as summer changes to fall and the we''ll bide our time here on the border before getting some ponies to take us to the mountains down south.¡± Veren answered for both of them.


    ¡°Me, I''ll be going back with the return group of the caravan in about two days, Gale and Mala are coming with me.¡± Dren answered as Gale nodded and rested her arm on her.


    ¡°Well as long as you all are here in town, I will welcome you to my cousin¡¯s house. He was left to care for the house as the rest of his family are traveling to Scar¡¯s Edge for his brother¡¯s wife will deliver her first clutch and they would stay there for a while. I was asked to accompany my cousin as he waits for other relatives from Scar¡¯s Edge to move here to fill in the opened work.¡±


    Heran looked to the Oleg and Veren which both gave approving nods. ¡°Thank friend Renas. We will take you up on your offer.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Renas but I would kindly decline the offer as an I will be staying with an old friend in town.¡± Dren replyied and looked towards Gale and Mala.


    Gale made a motion to speak but Mala spoke first. ¡°Thanks Renas we will take up you offer.¡± Mala grinned and Gale was helpless to her side simply nodding.


    Her reasons simply wanting to continue talking to Heran before they would part ways and it allow her a little bit more coin for souvineers to bring back to Gravitas. Khar houses were known for their hospitality to guests and especially so in Renas¡¯ case as his family was one of the martial oriented Khar and worked as arm''s masters, soldiers and officers for the Khar armies.


    ¡°Now then friends, how about I bring you to my family¡¯s abode.¡± Renas showing a wide and toothy grin before and walking out the tavern with a joyous sway in his tail.


    Once outside, they all saluted Dren before they parted ways.

 Chapter 13

    A fortnight after Heran first arrived in the border town named Scaleshard Heran, Oleg and Veren were out in the woods which was a 2 day walk north of the small city¡¯s wall. This was now Khar lands and they were out in a part of the forest which was partly swampy moving more and more northeast.


    ¡°Hraaa!!!¡± came the bellowing sound of a large bear-like creature three times the width of Veren even in armor and twice his height as it stood on its short hind legs but instead of fur the creature covered in fine, hard scales and only had a short mane around its neck partly alluding to its name, Manegators. The particular specimen was 3 yards tall and just as wide which made it at three-fourths of the larger end of the spectrum.


    ¡°Come ¡®ere¡¯! Come and fight beastie!¡± Veren taunted the beast with a slew of words empowered by aura. Oleg stood a few paces behind him muttering the end of an incantation moving and shaping mana into a spell which shortly produced a flash of light just before the manegator¡¯s eyes.


    The beast was dazed by the flash but continued to charge while shaking its head as it opened its large maw which was shorter than an alligator¡¯s but longer than a bear¡¯s snout.


    Veren held his ground and lowered his the tip of his pole arm and steadying it by digging the other end into the ground. The offending tip had a boarspear¡¯s style of blade but instead of langetes it had two enlarged studs that looked more at home on a morningstar but with rounded ends that allowed for bludgeoning.


    ¡°Now!¡± Veren shouted as Oleg was partway through another incantation and a log the the width of a mailed fist swun down with a sudden velocity connecting with the beasts open mouth nearly tearing the beast¡¯s open maw off its head and rupturing some of the soft flesh within while tearing the log off the ropes.


    The manegator¡¯s head began to drop as it was knocked unconscious by the blow but a foot before its head reached the ground a stone spike burst forth just rightly to catch the beast by the throat , impaling it and slumping the tip of it¡¯s snout to the ground. Even through all this the beast was still breathing though it might bleed out from its impalement through the jaw.


    ¡°Finish it!¡± Veren roared


    ¡°Hyah!¡± Heran shouted as she jumped down from overhead hidden in branches unto the creatures back guiding an rough wooden shaft with a strange stony tip. With a thud then a squelch she landed as she held fast unto the pole driving it through the exposed back of the beast¡¯s neck and the tip breaking jagged and met brain.


    There was no more fight as whole mass of feral beast spasmed for a few moments before falling completely still.


    ¡°Great work you two.¡± Veren said after pulling off his helm and the sweat was pouring of his brow


    Oleg huffed while giving an approving nod as sweat poured from underneath his own helm as he slumped over while gripping his knees.


    ¡°Thanks for the clear shot Oleg.¡± Heran complementing the barely recovered dwarf as she held the rough pole now lacking its stony tip as the spell came undone and the bits of rock were left in the wound.


    ¡°Both of ya really got me haggard on this one.¡± Oleg said with a slight tremble in his voice. ¡°Ya truly gave me a challenge with the precision bit.¡± he half complained and half joked. ¡°Whole body was it or just the head and mane?¡± Oleg then asked.


    It wasn''t difficult nor particularly uncommon as dwarves are often intimately associated to three kinds of magic, namely earth, fire and light, by the nature of their partly underground living culture though they can take two out of three as is the case with all other races save for dryads and fae able to master 3 elements and humans able to master one or have over 4 at a just over basic level. Earth is obvious with their preference for stone construction for dwellings and may even touch on minerals making them sensitive to purities of metals or soil for farming. Fire is for the smelting of metals and allows them intense levels of heat kind of spells. While light is like an offshoot of fire and mainly used to light and even grow some crops underground but also giving them an affinity for healing and restoration.


    ¡°Whole.¡± came Heran¡¯s answer


    ¡°Here''s the chest.¡± Veren said as he laid down a strongbox on a one-man push cart. The particular box was barely the as wide as the thickest part of the manebear¡¯s head at a foot and a half wide, a foot from front to back and also a foot deep.


    ¡°Let me.¡± Heran told Veren as he laid the box just before the beasts snot.


    ¡°All yours.¡± Veren taking a few steps back from the chest after opening the lid.


    Heran placed a had on the front of the box and another on the beast. The chest then began to glow from the inside which then traveled across Heran¡¯s arm crossing to her other hand and shortly covered the whole beast. The glow faded over the beast and with it the body began to vanish until the glow returned to the strongbox though now the light seemed to be ¡°full¡± before dimming completely and Heran shut the lid and closed a pair of latches. The whole display only took a moment but always became like a prolonged experience to the one utilizing the function of enchanted storage items.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take it from here lass.¡± Oleg said as he and Veren took a side and hefted to box back unto the pushcart which gave a clear sound of strain as it was placed back down.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    The enchanted strongbox was lended to them by the client which had made the request for the acquiring the body of a whole adult manegator. Said request also placed a grave penalty to any takers who would rather run away with the considerably valuable storage item, which is equivalent of being stripped of an adventuring badge, a heavy fine for damages incurred and or the temporary enslavement of parties involved in the crime to work of the debt and so on. This was a common punishment for adventurers taking off with lent items and in cases of damages or loss of the items, unless without proper reason and witnesses.


    The bear-alligator creature was both a form of delicacy and a trove of raw materials as all its parts and even bodily fluids and secretions could be of great use. The flesh and many of its organs would be turned into food and foodstuffs. The hide of scales could be turned into a lightweight and durable armor. The mane could be a luxurious, cold resistant and even blade hampering accessory. The bile, blood, urine and even fecal fluids could be turned into components for many different kinds remedies, tinctures, salves, potions, cures and even cosmetics.


    The problems to gathering the valuable creature was the location where it lived was a combination of inhospitable and difficult to traverse terrain, the inherent, danger of facing the beast, the need of killing it and transporting the body or that the environment would taint the materials as the creature had a habit of swimming in the swamp and the water, mud and dirt would allow taint to enter the wound and ruin the flesh. Also if left to fester too long, and in that case one would be resorted to an on-the-spot butchering which might attract other predators and a general loss of profit for the endeavor.


    A storage type item solves the ¡°freshness¡± issue and mostly eases transportation, as at best, it cuts the weight down to a tenth of what the creature was. To avoiding the tainting part while killing the beast was solved by the use of a magically created stone-tipped weapon as mana cleanses any material it takes from the environment and at the same time the breaking off of the tip into the wound then seals it.


    Still, the team of three had taken a full two days to acquire the requested item. Half a day was for the search of an adult beast and the other day and a half was for setting the trap and leading the target into it.


    Often these hunts would have needed at least six people to, two vanguards, a trapper, an agile flanker, a spellslinger with disabling skills and a backliner/look out. Some could do with less only that it becomes more and more challenging and dangerous. So a group of just three was not unheard of and unlikely to hear from again by trying these kinds of missions with the lack of proper numbers. But a team of two dwarves and an Erun were able accomplish it by their teams¡¯ preparation and synergy.


    ¡°That was a terrible chore.¡± Heran grumbled as their band of three re-entered the city. Their return journey became interesting as the night before leaving the forest a group of seven bandits had attempted to steal their luggage.


    ¡®Attempted¡¯ was the word as the group had attacked them an hour near midnight but were unfortunate to encounter a field of caltrops dispersed over a patch of gravel which made short work of their cloth-covered feet as they took off their leather shoes as to avoid alerting their targets which camped just beyond the small rocks inside a semi-circle of thick and thorny bushes.


    Said field was prepared by Oleg by simply drawing up the gravel from the soil and the caltrops were sharpened and provided by Veren. The screams from the first three bandits were compounded as Oleg casted a flash of light and with the bumbling confusion were tripped over by wires set by Heran.


    The trio simply waited several paces from where the caltrops ended behind the relative cover their round shields provided.


    Moments after the tripping over, there were ?two heavily bleeding would-be assailants and three others lightly wounded as one was left relatively unscathed while still trying to force his eyes open.


    The bandits cursed as they retreated and further aggravating their wounds but their plans and intentions were thoroughly directed away from loot and wholly towards self preservation.


    The three didn''t bother on pursuing the injured, would-be-thieves even with the prospect of possible income as some bandits may have bounties on them or some may even be sold to slavery but was a practice the three did not really align with.


    ¡°Well lass, this is the last one as Oleg and I chanced upon an acquaintance also traveling along the same road¡±


    ¡°Aye. The ponies ¡®ave been waiting near a week now and our traveling companions ought to ¡®ave their own matters settled.¡± Oleg almost lazily remarked


    As it was Oleg and Veren had met these fellow travelers by means of the wanderer¡¯s corner of the adventurers guild posting board. They could have chosen a caravan but that group was to leave in 2 days time and a heavy fine was the stipulation for dropping an already accepted request, one which would have cost them the amount for the ponies.


    The main difference of these wanderers groups over caravan were that wanderers were often strictly made up of adventurers and maybe an odd acquaintance or companion and the caravans were populated by more than half of merchants, their servants and personal security and then the hired squads of adventurers.


    ¡°So this will be our last day then my friends?¡±


    ¡°Yes young lady of Fairhand.¡± Veren said with a bow


    ¡°Aye lassy but don''t be sad, we still have a feast to attend for tonight.¡± Oleg almost drooling at getting to eat manegator meat again in a long while.


    ¡°No need for all that Veren.¡± Heran smiled before continuing ¡°And you are right there you old glutton.¡± a remark she directed to Oleg which he didn''t mind at all.


    Part of the request reward was a meal from the catch and it was to be prepared by a skilled cook as the meat was for a private feast of sorts in celebration of a local official¡¯s talented son which had just came of age and had also been awarded with a rank of captain in one of the city¡¯s guard squads.


    The three of them proceeded to deposit the strongbox with the whole carcass and received a the request maker''s mark on the actual request letter as a confirmation of completion and were reminded to return for the night for a nice meal. They claimed the reward from the guild and returned to their friend¡¯s relatives¡¯s home and the rest of the day was spent resting and maintaining their equipment.


    Renas was there to see the dwarves off the next day and Heran they day after that. Both times had an exchange of promises of an adventure together with friends.


    Heran too had found a group to travel with though just to the next town over which was almost a week away on foot and was on the Signab Alliance¡¯s side of the border. A week was already the quickest they could go as the more popular and much safer route took more than two weeks as it circled round a dense forest which was home to many a dangerous flora and fauna.

 Chapter 14

    ¡°What do you think girl? Should we take it?¡± a hooded older man that looked to be near fifty as the blond hair of his eyebrows were graying asked a woman which looked to be about half his age.


    ¡°We might have to wait a little more.¡± she had pointed to the unfolding seen of a predatory cat, a lynx, facing off with a mother boar with her piglets cowering in the hollow of a tree''s roots behind it.


    The sow itself was as large as the man and maybe weighed double his own as the big cat was also his size, only leaner.


    Both the man and woman wore a similar kind of dark brown cloak with a hood over their heads and armor underneath which was comprised of splints of plate across the forearms and shins held fast by leather and cloth. Their chests and torso were also similarly protected as the plate across the front and back were partly sculpted to their form and some light padding was worn underneath all of it but only enough as to not constrict motion.


    The younger lady with brunette bangs visible from under her own hood, not minding being called a girl made a gesture to another pair in cover, just out of sight of the sow and to the flank of the snarling big cat.


    Heran had caught the signal which meant ¡°to nock an arrow¡± which she mirrored towards the canopy of a nearby tree as her partner kept a lookout around them.


    This time Heran lacked her chain shirt and salet which was stowed in the branches of a nearby tree along with some of the groups effects. The clinking of the mail would have alerted the animals, especially the ones they were staring at not but it also left her a little bit exposed in terms of defense.


    An uncovered head of leaf green hair and yellow eyes caught the gesture and began raise a bolt to crossbow string which was also being done by the older man from the first pair as Heran and her partner were placing rocks in their slings and were at the ready.


    The two animals were about to clash as a bolt just pierced into the back of the big cats head which caused the sow to freeze in place. A different bolt then met the sow in the side of the ribs as a pair of stones followed and snapped from the other side of it and into its head, knocking it over and making it land on the bolt that was further pushed into the wound. From one lung, it was driven into another and the barest tip of the fetching was left.


    The three crying piglets were shortly captured and secured with a simple net over the tree''s roots and a swift blow to the head with a cudgel when they tried to scramble out.


    ¡°This catch gives us with more than enough for the rest of the journey and some extra. Won''t you say miss Fairhand?¡± came the remark from the slender female figure climbing down from a tree.


    ¡°Yes it would Tula. More than enough when counting the piglets and the forest lynx and again Heran is fine.¡±


    ¡°That it would ladies and this is just how we are miss Heran. But first we have some butchering and cleaning to attend to before we can preserve some of the meat.¡± said the partner than Heran had which also used a sling.


    ¡°I know Elna, so I leave that to you as I found a patch of wild vegetables a little bit ahead.¡± no sooner did she say this that Tula was already turning to the direction and was out of sight behind a few trees.


    Elna simply sighed with her older sister''s behavior though she did welcome the thought of having some wild greens as they ran out of their pickled vegtables a few days ago. She then turned to see the other pair as they dragged a sack while a trail of blood dripped through it.


    ¡°Why did you do that for Flinel, you old man? And why¡¯d you let him Rina?¡± Elna near shouting at the pair.


    ¡°No use in wasting time.¡± the older man, Flinel replied now with his hood down and revealing short cropped fading blond hair and a pair of long pointed ears and his partly gray and pale brown complexion.


    ¡°I couldn''t stop him even if I tried, you already knew that, sister.¡± Rina stated as a fact which just got Elna to sigh again.


    Elna¡¯s hair color was a little in between her older and younger sister as it was a brown with green hue though all of them sported a tied back ponytail and similar length of hair ending at the shoulders.


    ¡°Fine. Fine. Now help me here and Heran with the sow and the lynx before the blood attracts anything troublesome.¡±


    ¡°Here.¡± Heran handing the pair a nice sturdy pole to hang the sack of piglets from.


    The two pairs then slung their catch between the poles with Heran and Rina carrying the Lynx and Flinel and Tula with the sow and sack of piglets.


    They all stopped at a stream which was just outside of view from where the face off took place and they began to dress the bodies.


    The carcasses were skinned and then hide was scrapped and thinned. The bellies were opened and the innards removed. The organs, viscera and blood were washed by the water¡¯s edge though a bit of the fluids were collected. Stomach, liver, intestines, lungs and heart were set aside as the rest was piled up and placed a few paces away on the ground. The heads were removed, skulls were then cracked open and brains collected in different vessels for the pigs and big cat.


    By the end of a good couple of hours, there were headless bodies free of most of their blood and organs, some collected and some placed on a pile along with the skulls which were missing some tusks and some teeth. The pile was left to the other residents of the forest to partake in and draw away attention from them.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Truth be told, magic could have made the whole ordeal of capture to campsite easier but the issue of this forest was also part of the strange distribution of mana in it or the lack of it. This causes all the mana-sensitive creatures to be keen to any magic used within the forest and trigger a predatory hunt for the casters as they feed off of mana which strengthens them, even plant eaters and docile animals turn rabid for the nourishing energy. Aura is a little less detectable but cases the same effect on the animals.


    Elna had joined them halfway on the second hour with her own small haul of wild roots, herbs and bunches of berries. She had cleaned these by the stream before helping with the rest of the group.


    It took near an hour of walking back to their camp which was only a little ways upstream. Once there, they proceeded to cut the meat into parts with some skewered for cooking and others placed on a rack for smoking. The hides were stretched and strung unto frames and a concoction of brain and other viscera was used to tan it.


    Elna was the one leading the cooking. Tula and Rina took care of the smoking. Flinel cleaned off any drops of blood that might lead others animals to the camp and then checked on Heran who was tending to the hides.


    ¡°Your doing good for someone who hasn''t tanned anything larger that a rabbit.¡± Flinel complimenting Heran¡¯s progress.


    ¡°Never had the time to practice the trade. Just had chances to help out here and there but I was really on the acquiring the materials.¡±


    ¡°Explains the way you were proficient with the skinning and rending steps.¡± Flinel¡¯s statement bringing a grin to Heran¡¯s face.


    ¡°Thank you Flinel. So isn''t it about time for dinner?¡±


    It was around noon when the group happened on the scene and took most of the rest of the days light for them to finish preparing their haul.


    ¡°Yes it is. Again, good work with the skins.¡±


    Flinel gave Heran¡¯s work a quick once over before walking to the fire only several paces away.


    The group chatted as they at the feast of roast boar piglet and skewered bits of innards and some wild roots and greens and left the sow and lynx to dry in the smoke. They set watches for the night and tending to the smoking. The next day they had leftovers from that night¡¯s meal as breakfast.


    They stayed another day to finish off the smoking and the tanning. After that they broke camp and got to a beastkin village after a few days of careful hiking and stopping only for meals and rest. This made the week long trek a day longer as they chose to dash through on the first two days and slowing on the third, taking a more reasonable pace on the fourth for a hunt on the fifth.


    The group was welcomed by an older farmer with a bit of gray in his dark brown coat. The farmer was a large thing as it towered a head taller over tallest of them which was Flinel making the farmer over two heads taller than Heran.


    ¡°Haloo travellers! I see you pushed through the quicker roads. I guess you all might be from the direction of Scaleshard.¡± the large bipedal ox warmly stated.


    Heran remembered the manegator she and her Dwarven friends last hunted and the person greeting them looked to be the same size of the beast.


    ¡°This one is called Cern and I judge you all might be looking for the village chief?¡± Cern had said with a parting of his large lips showing a nice pair of rows of flat teeth.


    ¡°Thank you Cern for your welcome. My name is Heran and these are my companions. We are simply traveling through though yes we are also wishing to meet the head of this haven before we pass.¡± Heran answered for the group


    ¡°You are most welcome travellers. Now please follow me.¡± Cern said smiling the whole time and shook and patted some bits of dirt and dust of him as he began to lead them into town and stopping several huts into the walled area.


    ¡°Here we are travellers.¡± Cern softly said as he knocked on the door and announced himself shortly after.


    The door opened to reveal a graying of the same height of Cern though was quit leaner but not gaunt. ¡°Welcome travellers and thank you Cern.¡±


    ¡°It is my pleasure Mother Ara.¡± Cern bowed to the noticeably less harry and strangely shapely ox lady as Cern wore only pants and a belt as his fur was thick enough to not warrant a shirt but the lady was more clothed with a matching pair of a roughspun white blouse and brown pants and an ornate open vest that covered half her upper torso.


    Turning to the 4 Elves and one Erun, Cern said¡°I leave you to her good travellers as I have to return to my field.¡±


    ¡°Thank you again Cern.¡± Heran said as their group all nodded to him.


    ¡°Come in everyone.¡± Ara directing the whole group into the large circular hut.


    The hut had just one entrance and two windows halfway up the roof. Immediately in the door, the first half of the space was a gathering area of sorts with a fire pit in the middle and cushions place around it for seating. The other half had a curtained partition closing it off. The curtains had the ornate pattern and color which was the same with the vest Ara wore. Only some of the floor was covered by mats of woven straw over the hard packed ground.


    ¡°Please everyone, sit.¡± Ara motioned for them all to sit around the fire pit with the cushions on the woven straw mats.


    The group sat themselves in the order of Flinel on one end, then Rina, Elan and Tula, and Heran on the other end.


    Ara returned from the other side of the curtained partition with a small jar and a kettle she placed on a hook over the firepit and she sat herself in front of the group. She proceeded to stoke some embers and then fed the fire up to a steady flame bringing the water the kettle to a boil before placing in the herbs from the small jar she brought.


    No sooner did the steam escape the spout that the curtains parted revealing the form of a much larger person. He was dressed similarly to Ara down to the vest except for the addition of a row of jet black curved spiral tips sown on the hem of the split of the vest and round the collar. He had a pair of horns on his head which was different to the smooth ebony of Ara and Cern and most of the other oxen beast kin. His were pointed in a slight split and had a spiraling texture and jet black color identical to the tips sown unto his vest.


    He sat down and his head was at the height where Flinel was before sitting and his horns extended a half a head over that. He bowed to all of them as Ara poured some tea into the cups she laid out for all six of them.


    ¡°Welcome to you all. This one is called Arbao and I am the chief of this village named Oohma.¡± a low and regal tone clung to his words, one which did not go noticed to the group.


    ¡°Many thanks for having us Sir Arbao of the Clovenhoof, Auroch of Gold and High councilor of the court of Horn and Hooves. ¡± this time Flinvel was the one that spoke with a tone of respect for a superior, a straight back and a salute in the form of the right fist over his left chest.


    The ladies of the group were slack-jawed in Flinel¡¯s pronouncement as Ara gave a soft smile which did not reach her eyes that were in an easy yet keen appraisal of Flinel and the rest. Arbao was also smiling and his was one which was clear in his gaze and shortly breaking him into hearty laughter

 Chapter 15

    ¡°Well it is ¡®Former¡¯ High Councilor now Sir Flinel Linfil, Silver Ranger of House Linfil of the Woodelves, Master Ranger and Trainer of the Woods.¡± Arbao giving a curt nod in acknowledging the rank of the other man.


    ¡°I take it that these are some of your students currently? Well aside from you young lady. Hmm. An Erun traveling with elves.¡± the dominating presence of the Golden Auroch turned lighter and more inquisitive.


    ¡°It seems that the High Councilor turned to village chief knowsy of my own¡­ more modest reputation.¡± Flinel almost chiding gained a chuckle out of Arbao. ¡°Yes and no to your question, sir. These three are sisters of the of the Quiver and not by blood but they treat one another closer than such.¡±


    As Flinel had said things about the three they all nodded with straightened and readied expressions that replaced their previous awed ones.


    Heran proceeded to speak as Flinel gestured to her. ¡°Yes, sir. I apologize for my lacking in courtesy.¡± she bowed low in her seat


    ¡°Raise your head child. You are not at fault for this old ox¡¯s want for anonymity.¡± Arbao said amused with the near reverence that the guests had shown him.


    It was true that he held such a position before and was more of a combatant than an administrator, though many of his constituents did admire, respect and fear him for his skills in both the field and the office.


    Heran did as she was told before continuing to speak which now with a bit more ease. ¡°Heran Fairhand of Gravitas, an adventurer, or to the Signab Allaince, Quester, by trade and skilled in many odd jobs. I had joined Sir Flinel¡¯s group by means of a Wanderer¡¯s board posting and am traveling with then since Scaleshard into the first town in Signab Alliance territory.¡±


    ¡°May I ask where this ¡®next town¡¯ may be?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I''m not sure as I am simply passing by as my true objective is ultimately to reach the Free City of Trask, sir.¡± Heran answered the interjection with no hesitation.


    ¡°I take it all the rest of your group know of this?¡± Arbao looking at the group responding with nods of affirmation.


    ¡°Simply put, you are still some time away from there. I would say here is about half way towards there, if you could fly over the rest of the forests northwest of this village. But I''d rather advise against that even if you are able to and rather take the roads town to town for near two months at the quickest and three and a half on a more reasonable pace and those are both counting that you ride a carriage.¡±


    ¡°I will take that to mind sir, and thank you for the information.¡± Heran mulled over her future travel plans as she had considered taking the town to town route for gathering more info and chances for employment.


    ¡°Now, let''s get back to more relevant topics. I take it you are all passing through to the next town?¡± The village chief now returned to addressing Flinel


    ¡°Yes we are and it was a wonderful surprise to have met a man of your repute and even to have graced the elusive ¡°Shadow¡± you had for the administrative half of your career.¡± Flinel facing Ara and giving the soldier''s salute of standing straight at attention with one''s right fist on their left chest as the arm lies horizontally across their torso and the left hand tucked unto the pit of the back.


    Then the elegant and soft nature that Ara had while attending to the whole party of people strikingly changed into one of refined and precision with no waste of motion in mirroring the salute.


    ¡°Seems like nothing escapes you Sir Linfil.¡± a genuine smile replacing the courteous on she had. ¡°There is no need to worry of addressing me anymore than the host''s help. It was my pleasure to have served under part of the General and fully of the High Councilor¡¯s time in action.¡±


    Ara was never truly named or gained fame in her service to Arbao, a service which had started shortly after he became a general. At the time she had lived through a dozen winters and he had lived just short of two dozen. She was the daughter of Arbao¡¯s much older second in command and an average trainee in terms of skills in combat but excelled in subterfuge and logistics. The fact was discovered when she was brought by her father as an assistant, which all officers had rights to do, on a campaign in subduing hidden tribes of feral beastmen.


    Their force of two hundred strong were about to assail a village which had been turned encampment by the mix of feral canine tribes when Ara had strongly objected in the pre-battle council where slimmer frame and small voice defying preconceptions as she gained the attention of the officers before her. Others fumed with the outrage of a paige speaking out of line while her father stood resolute and gazing with a battle hardened resolve as all the others quited at the call of the general for her to proceed. She simply ask for an audience and called for a guard to bring into the command tent her a pair of canines, a fox and a wolf from the village. They were dirty with matted fur, their clothes were loosely fitting but clean as they were given extras from some of the soldiers¡¯ surplus supplies. Both then slowly brought up an account of how their tribes where forcibly coerced and turned to a feral state by means of concoctions by a third party in order to sow discord between the alliance.


    They had seen the so called perpetrators but they were not able to identify any of them as they were introduced, half a dozen of them, as guests. The guests were introduced as traders that brought a wealth of materials for barter though curiously, no matter how much the two witnesses tried, they could not remember the faces of the people that came even the race they belonged to. Their own chiefs had asked them all to a feast of sorts to welcome good relations and drinks were generously provided by the traders.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Afterwards many of their respective tribesmen fell limp but were fully aware as they saw strange people in cloaks take some of their youths away, those around eight to fourteen, and any of the younger children were brought in front of their own families and were slaughtered and gutted. The scene was turned more horrific as these children were also affected by the the loss of mobility only slightly as they were methodically skinned alive and were only able to yelp and scream as the furs and skin was removed from extremities to torso in a fashion where blood hardly flowed more than a mere trickle. Any of the hides that were able to move, received a swift and precise severing of tendons that brought made them less troublesome.


    Pelts were collected afterwards in full view of their parents, relatives and fellow tribesmen. It did not end with that though as the cloaks proceeded to collect fangs and claws that brought on more pain reflected in the eyes of the pups. Some of the more exceptional even had their eyesight taken from them as samples were washed and collected in jars before ultimately being left in a heap in front of the witnesses, breaths barely being taken as tears and resistance were all lost.


    The violent and utterly abhorent acts set off a mix of dispair, rage and bloodlust to those who where powerless to stop them. An insanity settling in the minds of these beastmen as the sight had triggered the want for vengeance for their kin and young. A haze of red and gray fell over their minds as another kind of liquid was splashed into their partly foaming and gaping maws. Then they stood and could not recall any more until the sensations of coughing up water and heaving it out of their lungs brought their consciousness back and the sight of an oxen beast man in armor loomed over them made the aware of their bound paws and then the horror that had occurred before the hole in their memories bore its weight on them.


    The operation¡¯s focus had changed as a hope of saving rather than slaying their fellow beast men was possible.


    The wood elves were partly aware of these activities as these happened near one of their settlements on the border to the Signab Allaince. The settlement itself was one for trade and commerce and was informed of the dangers of feral beastkin and even had a sizable presence of beastmen traders, warriors and residents. One of the elven defenders was Flinel and the elves cooperated with the beastmen in ensuring the safety of the people and the solidarity of their ties.


    Flinel worked as part of the logistics and recon for the relief and supplies the elves gave the beastmen as the General of the beastmen force had stated ¡®I would rather not let allies be hurt the bane of beastmen, the ferals. Better that our own be the ones to put down their comrades and tribesmen that fell to their base and savage nature.¡¯ He was also shocked in the sudden change of orders and was amazed at the resolution that the beastkin were able to achieve as the they had managed to save over half of those that went feral with minimal loss on their forces though it was also quite unfortunate that many had to be put down for falling to far and their minds and sanity could not be recovered.


    There were a few more times that these induced feral had occured years later but never of the same scale or degree. These ¡°induced ferals¡± were identifiable by marks similar to substance abuse that manifest in dark or colored circles around the eyes and the presence of occasional shedding of tears along with the foaming at the mouth.


    Investigations were made of the true identities of these perpetrators but there were no leads to be had. The most recent of the ¡°induced ferals¡± or ¡°drowning ferals, ¡± as they were called for the method to stop the and attempt to recover the person''s sanity along with tinctures against toxins and poisons, occurred just over a decade ago and it was within elven territory. The operation to stop the dozens or so feral individuals was successful but a few of the elven rangers had paid the ultimate price as these ferals were unexpectedly more powerful than previously encountered and there has been an unfortunate strain on the friendly ties of the Woodelves and Signab Alliance ever since.


    The conversation of the group then moved towards directions to the nearest towns as the retired Sir and Lady Clovenhoof assisted them in whatever they can. Arbao had even bought the lynx pelt from the group at a reasonable price while denying the offer of Flinel that it was a gift and making a point that one should earn what they get and that gifts were best given between close friends and family or as charity to strangers.


    They had accepted the invition to stay the night and was welcomed to a dinner of a bowl of spiced pickled cabbage, a small loaf hard bread, a creamy wedge of crumbling cheese and a tankard of mead each. Breakfast was a salad of blanched string beans and carrots,sliced fresh tomatoes and lettuce and brew of local tea which was from some strange sweet pine needles added with some mint leaves.


    Ara Clovenhoof was the one to talk to the group as the chief had to attend to matters on some of the farm plots neer the forest edge of the border and was confident that any more questions the group had could be answered by Ara.


    ¡°The next town to here in the direction you are headed to miss Fairhand would be the Fort City of Crackedhorn. To get there would take half a day on foot up the northwards road and then at the fork, turning east for another full day passing one more village before reaching the fortified city. Another city is to the westwards turn in the fork of the road and that would lead to the small yet known woodworking of Liloch after half a day''s march.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality Lady Ara Clovenhoof. I hope we may might again someday.¡± Heran began as the rest of the groups also expressed their thanks.


    ¡°Here. Bring this to Trask and present it to the Enchanter there named Dasha. This will help with your introduction into the guild. ¡± Ara handing over a small sealed box. The size of it was just a foot long, half as wide and a quarter foot thick. A white cloth ribbon which looks almost fused flush to the rough unlacquered wood bore the striking etchings of enchanting runes though these were something Heran had never seen in combination. ¡°You need not worry of losing this and if you are ever assailed by thieves and this may be taken, just break the seal. If fortune does not turn on you, simply tell Dasha ¡®A favor left by your parents bears fruit and there are still those that wish to thank them.¡¯¡±


    Heran accepted the item and wrapped it in a scarf she took from her pack and placing it securely inside. ¡°Do not worry Lady Clovenhoof, this will reach its destination. And thanks again for trusting me with such a thing.¡± she curtsied instead of saluting and Ara mirrored the gesture.


    The group set off for Crackhorn midmorning and Heran wasn''t the only one to receive an item to deliver as each of the elves were given a fist-sized gourd which were quite durable, water resistant and air tight, each of these contained contained dried, pollen-laden flowers of different kinds of plants. Two contained a local variety of medicinal plants and could be crossed with their related varieties of flowers which were native to the Woodelves territory and the two others were for fruit trees that improved the flavor and health of the following saplings and their fruit born from the mixing. In the previously constrained tension between the Woodelves and Signab Alliance the trade of such cross pollination was forgotten and recently rediscovered by the ¡°Former High Councilor¡±.

 Chapter 16

    Upon reaching the fork, group had encountered a considerably sized caravan of 8 large carriages pulled by pairs of large draft horses all belonging to a single company, made clear by the markings each on the tarps that cover them. The company itself was familiar to Flinel as the leading woodworkers of Liloch and they cut and process the wood as well as making furniture and tools out of them. The only bit of woodworking they do not solely control are carving and etchings.


    Tula began to break into a run as she wanted to join up in the middle of the caravan but Elna stopped her while saying, ¡°Hold it you idiot! We don''t have permission to walk with them.


    ¡°But I think I saw a sister of ours there with the guards.¡± Tula was struggling under the Elena''s hold of her but only got more discomfort as her wrist was being twisted behind her back and ankle the arm was blocking her collar.


    ¡°Just hold and wait.¡± were the words Flinel gave.


    Heran was taking in the view of the diverse procession.


    The merchants were clear with their fineries as their servants wore a kind of uniform where men wore plain cream shirts with soft straight brown pants and trim gray vests and the women had a cream blouse and wide and long brown skirts with a gray bodice over it, and all of them either kept their hair short or were kept tied or braided.


    There were also a uniform set of reasonably well equipped guards of two for each carriage, one having a crossbow and the other a spear and both with a sword and knife at the hip and armored with open-faced helms and padded jacks, gauntlets and greaves. The company of merchants, servants and guards were already at around fifty individuals and there were an addition of thirty differently armed and specialized individuals some in heavier armor, others in lighter ones and a few in plain or colorful robes.


    Apparently, the merchants, servants and guards were a mix of different beastkin with bovine, swine and equine and few others. While their armed escorts were at around half being various beastkin and the other half were elves, humans and the odd dwarf and khar.


    At the tail of the procession, three people met the group, and were made apparent with their attires as one merchant, one guard and one heavily armed individual.


    ¡°Haloo wanderers! The name is Bren of the Mailed Fist. Care to join us on the way to town?¡± the heavily armored boar-man inviting them with a bright smile as the two others were also in approving expressions.


    The group moved closer and gave the three a modest bow before they introduced themselves.


    The equine merchant was named ¡®Clarence Wraft¡¯, an accomplished carpenter turned merchant and looked to be quite strong for his age in early 40s. While the bovine guard addressed to himself as ¡®Henry¡¯ looked just out of being a trainee with a pair barely growing stubs sticking out of his helm but he had a stern and disciplined auburn gaze which betrayed his youthfulness.


    Their journey was uneventful but quite informative as the hired escort of adventurers were open and welcoming after Bren introduced them. Advice on further routes, hunting grounds, delicacies of different towns and cities they may encounter o want to go to, and the like.


    Adventurers, pioneers, mercenaries, or whatever iteration they are called, these men and women who chose such a life and profession have a kind of competitive and supportive form of rivalry/comraderie that is shared between them. And such a thing has now been fully realized in Heran¡¯s thoughts as at her own experiences with working in teams of mixed peoples back at home had been normal for her but seeing it first hand from total strangers has established it in her mind.


    Halfway through the caravan¡¯s travel, they made camp just off the road and within sight of a small stream. The different parts of the group began to separate as others came together to socialize. The merchants and servants set up their tents beside the carriages while the guards covered the roadside part of the perimeter and the adventurers took the other side.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while sister, Freni. It''s so good to see you again after so long.¡± Elna greeting one of their sisters while Tula jumped with arms wide open even with Freni still in armor as their helms and mail clinker and collided with one another.


    ¡°It''s good to see you too Elna. Tula please settle down. I missed you too. Oh! Rina! The three of you are all here.¡± Tula rellenting her grasp as Freni gave them all a hug each but was startled by the sight of Flinel which she hadn''t noticed earlier.


    ¡°At ease child. You already graduated from the training and I''m not here to take you back prematurely. There''s still two years for you before you need to report back home, so don''t worry and bring home the skills and knowledge you''ve gained.¡± Flinel had returned the quick but formal salute Freni made before breaking into a smile and giving the Ranger a few moments to slip out of old rolls and she turned to the last member of the group.


    ¡°Hello there. Heran was it? I am Freni Eridin, a Ranger yet to be ranked and an older sister to these three you have been traveling with and a former student of Sir Flinel.¡± she stated while giving a curt nod to Heran.


    Heran noticing that Ferni also had the same surname as the three which was previously explained by Rina as all traveling elves use a common name for their travels and it determines their station and from where they came from. A single syllable name is for civilian laborers, two are for artisans, three for combat related professions and four for those of noble descent. Though once they return home and or receive rank, they are given the choice to keep the common surname, have a different one of their choice or return to their given names.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Greetings to you too. Yes, I am Heran Fairhand, an adventurer by trade and generalist in vocation. I met these three in Scaleshard and am traveling with them up to Crackedhorn as per the wanderer¡¯s agreement.¡±


    ¡°Let us get along then.¡± Freni offering her hand to Heran which was firmly taken and shook. ¡°Just like how Flinel said, I am still learning and after three more years I am returning to elven land for my mandatory service. But for the time being, it''s good to meet new friends and learn new things.¡±


    Flinel¡¯s group joined up with Freni and sat together for the dinner sharing what each group had and trading stories for a good hour before they retired to their tents and a few to guard shifts.


    Morning came with no fanfare and the caravan had breakfast before setting back off. The most exciting thing of note in the day was when they were nearing the Fortified Town, others may call, a small city, that they encountered a slaver¡¯s booth just beside the punisher¡¯s gallows. The slaver and his wares were unremarkable as he simply said he was out of tradable goods and was waiting for criminals which chose to serve out their sentence as slaves. He said he was there as transport to bring these criminals to a penile colony in the next town over.


    A post was there detailing the crime of the person in the stockade and written on it were the words Sentenced to Death on the Crimes of Rape, Infanticide and Inducing Feral Regression. A guard house was beside the stand opposite to the slaver¡¯s tent. They to were there waiting with the slaver for the hand off and were serving as escorts.


    Bren moved to inquire about the Ram Beastkin whose horns were broken of at the middle. And after a short exchange, returned to the column and shared what he learned.


    He turned to Flinel and started, ¡°The bloody bastard over there was found in his him bloody one day by a nosy neighbor which complained about strange bucking and clacking noises which called in the guards. The guards caught the ram washing up and were greeted to the scene of another Beastkin naked, bloodied, tied and tethered to stakes driven into the packed earthen floor. It turns out the Doe was beginning to foam at the mouth when the guards were about to free her and the Ram was a previous suitor that thought of wanting to be her lover in place of the one that hadn''t returned for the past year and a half. The bastard killed the child in front of the mother after raping her in the child''s view promising that if she submits the child wouldn''t be hurt, though he still beat the kid to death from the frustration remembering the kid''s dead father.¡±


    Bren let out a long sigh looking at the his listeners¡¯ souring expressions. ¡°They had to put down the doe on the spot after trying and failing to calm her and bring back her consciousness, as grief had broken her. She was put down as per law regarding untreatable ferals and the cause of it was shamed for three whole days of the attempts to treat the victim and before being left out here for another three and after all that will be put to the axe back in the public square.¡±


    It was a truly gruesome thing, the cure, more difficult and near torture compared to the pushing of a beastkin into feral nature. Heran later discovering that the same kind of turning feral was present in the Uruk, the collection of Orcs, Goblins and Trolls, and the way to push them over the edge was a different kind of detestable and vile process. Both Beastkin and Uruk sharing the stigma of being a step away from degenerating into monsters.


    At the gates the merchants presented marks of business and badges of trade and travel, while the adventures showed their own badges of profession. The badges of traders and hired workers both showed names, ranks earned, and trade practiced or professions/vocations offered. Traders would have the seal of association to a company, workshop or group and may even be used to identify their entourage of servants and guards. Adventurers on the other hand, had a list of skill sets they can offer which is certified by the guild, though most either try to fill up or put as little as possible.


    ¡°Well, this is goodbye for now.¡± Freni hugging the her sisters and saluting Flinel.


    ¡°Keep growing young Ranger and we will see each other again back in the Elven woods.¡± Flinel replied as the other sisters lined up to salute her.


    Heran also received a hug and gave a salute as Freni addressed her.


    ¡°Newfound sister and friend, Lady Heran Fairhand. I wish you safety and success on your journey and mission.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Ranger. To you too I wish you a keenness in times of lull and peace and calmness in testing and trials.¡±


    Bren stood within earshot of the group and gave an approving nod and waved goodbye As Freni rejoined their Adventuring party as the new friends parted.


    Heran and the rest had gone to the Adventuring guild as caravan were off to report to the Merchant Guild first. They sold the rest of the skins, teeth, bone and herbs they had gathered and split the coin they gained, even some of the rations were divided and Heran was given a bit more than was prior agreed upon.


    ¡°This a bit much for me.¡± Heran looked to Flinel


    Rina was quick to reply. ¡°Think nothing of it. We already gained much from stopping over at Oomha village and truth is we are strictly out for testing our skills and resourcefulness, not for building up coin, though the rare curiousty or artifact is a welcome companion to have.¡± she said making Flinel grin.


    ¡°Think of it of it more as a little something to help you get started when you reach Trask.¡± Tula remarked in the same stern and concerned expression she had when Heran told her at a few nights out of where they first set off.


    ¡°May success be with you.¡± was all Elna said as she had the neutral and confident look which Heran just somehow knew was filled with the same concern Tula had expressed.


    ¡°One last thing.¡± Flinel placed a scroll on the table gesturing for Heran to open it. ¡°A route premarked from my last travel to Trask which I reaffirmed with that Bren fellow leading Freni¡¯s party.¡± Flinel¡¯s finger tracing a faint line of ¡®mana¡¯ drawn on the parchment. ¡°Wait for them here as it seems the caravan they are in will continue eastward and Freni said Bren would welcome you as a temporary addition to their party. They can get you halfway there in another two weeks to walk the roads before they turn northwards on the caravan¡¯s last stop before setting back towards Liloch.¡±


    ¡°Thank you again sir.¡± Heran bowed before continuing. ¡°I hope to meet you all again someday.¡±


    The Elves took their leave just in time for Freni to enter the tavern portion of the Adventurers Guild. The elves acknowledged each other and they greeted one another with a simple yet graceful display reserved only between elves and those they have welcomed.


    After the fleeting image of grace, Freni made her way to the table Heran sat in, stood, smiled and extended her hand before saying, ¡°Welcome to the Mailed Fist, Miss Fairhand. I believe it''s best to continue with getting to know the members of the party, so shall we?¡±


    Heran nodded and took the offered hand firmly and followed after Freni.

 Interlude

    An expanse of white spreads out in all directions only to be broken by the occasional pulse of power. Each pulse came from the cracks and veins running through the entire space breaking up be lack of color of the space. The whiteness itself was neither glaring nor dull as it felt almost warm and gave off a stable and comfortable feeling to it.


    Gold and silver could be seen from the veins with each ebb of force, revealing the shapes of some of the features within the expanse. One such feature was a round table with and indent in the middle which had a conical pedestal. Suspended in space mere inches over the top of the pedestal was an orb. The orb had a kind translucency that made its existence feel ephemeral but that too was also broken by the pulsing of an intricately complex web of same kind of gold and silver veins running all throughout its surface and interior, a pattern full of a chaos that gave of an almost ironic feel of total equilibrium to it.


    Nine identically indistinct seats were also arrayed round this table equi-distant from each other. Upon each seat were beings of similarly different traits and characteristics from one another and each was a pinnacle of perfection of the races of the sentients which bear their likenesses.


    The were three figures standing, also equi-distant from one another, behind the round table and the seats of the beings, which then began to speak.


    ¡°An eon has passed as the seeds of life you all had imprinted and released into the world have sprouted and had begun to bloom.¡± A wave of the figures¡¯ hands caused the orb over the pedestal to glow and an image of the world.


    ¡°They have been scattered by the wind, grown roots, and began to reproduce. Some have crossed expanses and set themselves far and wide, encountering one another, finding commonality, mixing and intermingling. Inevitably, conflict arose and lives that bloomed were withered and after a time, cycles of growth and culling have changed their populations. Now many have come together in peace, cooperation and affinity. While a few others have chosen the path of isolation for reasons of, defense, fear and loathing against the rest.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    A barrage of images flashed through each and every mind of those seated. The perspectives gleamed from certain individuals that were at one point ¡°imprinted¡± by the progenitors. The ¡°imprints¡± just mere pins on the individual beings bringing no consequence to them though giving a slightly higher perception and sensitivity to the senses, greater vitality and health, and increased intellect.


    Experiences of hardship, success, suffering, bliss, destitution, indulgence, serfdom, privilege, discrimination, parity, sorrow and joy, and all states in between and along with the emotions carried in them were transmitted unto those seated.


    The three figures opened their mouths once more, ¡°The time draws near as a tumult is coming to the whole world. The change back then has brought a renewal to lands and seas and the lives that populate it now have become as a moving force of the flow of this world. The cracks that could never be sealed over remained inert for near an eon and have recently trickled over letting out an agent of potent power which may distort, corrupt, empower or or enhance any life that bathes in it.¡±


    The round table and the pedestal vanishes as the image of the world remains and cracks of putrid and ominous red and black snake across through the lands and under the waters. The three figures now stood in front of the seated nine between the image of the world with eyes glowing with speckles of light like the stars in the pitch night sky.


    ¡°Champions shall rise now as to bring balance to the seeping out power of the world. A group for every race is to represent for them, as their strength is best brought out together and not alone, for by themselves each may be more than a match for a dozen of the best of their own race but working together they are able to face armies. Abuse of this power shall bring downfall and ruin far quicker so now each of you shall take up a more active role in guiding the sentient races.¡±


    Three hands pointed from one side to the next, passing over each of those seated and causing their eyes to glow the same radiance of the standing three and a resonance with those ¡°imprinted¡± occurred.


    To the nine, all these events are merely long moments, perfectly recorded in their memories, but to the world two and a half centuries has passed since the rise of such champions.

 Chapter 17

    A young man already in his early twenties hurriedly made his way to his next job. The young man was not handsome in any way and was a little on the heavier side but the muscles to his frame balanced it out, if only slightly. On the other hand, that also made others assume him as one that works with their strength which indulges in food and drink afterwards.


    His raven black hair stuck to his forehead and ended just short of reaching his deep brown eyes. He arrived panting as he readied himself, wiping his brow and fixing his shirt and hair and with a small gesture and a barely noticeable swirl of wind, he was fresh and set. Once he was done, he took a breath and entered the door to the small building.


    A few hours later, he exited said building as he made his way to the yard beside it and took something out from his pack. It was a bundle of leaves made slick and glossy as it had been held over coals, only long enough to make the oily surface like that of waxy paper but not too much that would cause it to blacken and burn. He unfurled the bundle and there was a block of cooked white grain with a line of finely chop meat and bits of steamed vegetables ran the middle of it.


    He happily held the bundle which was as thick as a bar soap and made a gesture of thanks before biting into it. A content him escaped his lips as he slowly took his time to eat the contents even discreetly licking it clean before he neatly folded the leaves together and returning it into his pack.


    He stood and strode back into the the building, to the room he was in earlier that day and made his way behind a table in the front of the room. Behind him was a slab of smooth dark slate covering the wall behind him and several smaller tables and chairs arranged before him.


    A dozen youths dressed in similar garb made their way to the chairs in a familiar manner and settled upon seeing the man at his station. The group was divided equal parts male and female and they all wore rough spun white shirts with sleeves ending at the wrist, loose brown pants wide at the thighs and tapering on the calves and simple leathers shoes with an added toughened leather sole. The similarities ended there as some wore sleeveless vests over their shirts, others wore leather doublets, another group wore a kind of harness of leather straps, while a pair had a kind of cloth vestments and a last one having a "decorated" form of vest with a crystal on a point right on the throat area between the collarbones.


    "Now everyone let''s all get back to the topic before the break?" The young man, a decade senior to all the students, asked as he pointed to one in a leather harness.


    The blond female student, wearing a leather doublet which had her hair in a ponytail shot her hand straight and quickly responded, "It was about solo survival scenarios days away from any civilization, Sir."


    "Thank you Lainey. " as the answer was followed by another question. "Now how about the common wild environments found around the Rothram Kingdom?"


    Another student, this time in a harness of leather straps, with a head of brown shortly cropped hair and pale brown eyes with hints of gold raised an arm strong with lean muscles responded, "Most of the east are planes of long green grasses that stretches to the sea, while the west are covered by forests and a few mountains up to the border with the Free City of Trask and goes on to partly covering the northwest, the north and northeast has evergreen forest and a snow peaked mountains of the Elves of the Crag, and the whole of the south is covered by a scattering of sparse forests and farmlands until the border swamps of the Khar, and with us at the center in the capital city Rothram, with a smaller city in each cardinal direction, namely Greyrock, Daybreak, Fullfields, and Greens End, respectively , each about 3 days ride with open roads and some more farmlands between all of these areas.


    "A good answer Norman. So from that we can find at least 3 kinds of wooded areas, light forest, older forests and evergreens respectively, the sea of grass, mountains and the transitions between them." the instructor had stated.


    The discussion continued with the recounting of some confirmed and well known adventuring missions for the next couple of hours. Afterwards the students were dismissed and tasked with preparing their answers for more survival scenarios. And as such the classes went on for another two whole weeks before moving on to practical application of solo skills evaluation and team dynamics, a set of exercises and training that wasn''t as rigorous as say full military standard but was comparable to that for city militia, lless the organized marching formations and patrol though replaced with the addition of bushcraft, threat assessment and the procedural works of an adventurer.


    "Good work to all of you. Thank you for submitting to the novice program of the guild. This goes without saying that you are all now less likely to die out there in the wilds from a lack of knowledge and skills but never forget that the threat is always there." The instructor was stern as he praised their efforts and improvements those past three months and the students were congratulating one another while in their seats.


    "Okay now after this you will receive your adventurer''s badges and the choice to participate in a mission, said mission being a caravan escort to the border town of Split Timbers in the west. This is about a month''s hike of forest crossing from here to there even counting on the maintained thoroughfare that is the King''s road. And mind you all, this doesn''t take into account any possible encounters with wildlife and other creatures. Now any of you that choose to take this on, you are to report to the Administration building up until tomorrow afternoon to confirm and prepare the necessary gear for the caravan departs at daybreak 2 days after this." The instructor ended with another round of congratulations before gathering his things and setting for home.


    On the day of the travel, he went through the list of adventure groups that are part of the caravan escort. His eyes went through it a few times noting the names and compositions of the groups, mulling around the reputation and specialties of those groups. Then his eyes settled on the group named Grindstone, named as such being made up of an instructor and freshly trained adventures which are up for "honing" and finding half a dozen names of his former students.


    "Well this lineup seems more balanced from the last. Lainey Fairweather, Brent Crags, Norman Holdfast, Cedric Strong, Elharin Melvas, and Orna Erand, a good mix of a fencer, two vanguards, a rouge, a ranger and mage. Hmmm... That leaves a hole in the supporting role, well that''s fine." He was quietly speaking to himself while waiting at the rearmost of the caravan, where their group had been assigned to along with a senior group called the Blood Hounds, a collection of 7 individuals with just the rogue profession but specialized in different skills that made them a self sustained and balanced unit that is known for their tracking and perimeter security skills in addition to their standard scouting, hunting, infiltration, and information gathering repertoire.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    A few moments later the 6 six former students arrived and gave him a quick salute which he waived down after reciprocating theirs.


    "Good to see you all and thank you for participating on this mission. As this is your first quest may I ask for you complete attention and full cooperation as it isn''t the fiercest beasts that kill the most adventurers but the underestimated ones that do" he said as he gained the nods of his former students.


    "Haloo there Clain!" Waved a man with a light brown main of hair with a sharp face full of hard and weathered features, and dark brown almost black eyes with a glint of careful analysis as they scanned over the party.


    "Well it''s good to see a fresh batch in Grindstone. You always have let out a competent bunch ever since you started with the mentoring course." The other man now shaking hands with the instructor named Clain Crispin, said instructor was known for his methodical methods in teaching and the eccentricities in the gear he uncannily has at times when out in the field.


    "It is always great to be working with you again Geren. Thank you and yes these are from my last set of students, for a few years anyways. Though I would say it isn''t all to my credit for my students'' performance, all I do is look for what they lack and help them make it less of a problem and drilling cooperation while being self sufficient into all of them." Clain said, gaining a rolling of eyes from Geren.


    "No need to go into you explanations friend. Introduce me to your party, we will be on this trip for the next month or so." Geren warmly telling Clain as he looked over each member of Grindstone.


    Words of greetings and some handshaking were exchanged and Geren moved back to his group as the caravan was about to set off as a horn was sounded.


    The respective groups broke apart and moved to their assigned stations. There were a few seats in the some of the wagons which allowed all of the walking security to ride most of the way, only getting off for the occasional clearing away of obstructions such as aggressive animals or the more difficult uphill portions.


    For now the caravan proceeded out of the city at a steady pace with the guards and escort mostly on foot though at a brisk pace as to not disrupt the ever-present foot traffic of Rothram.


    They quickly reached the city''s border farming village by mid day after mounting up right outside the city gates. They didn''t encounter the usual refuse found outside of large cities all through their trek though Rothram was blessed with neither a large flowing water source nor a strict refuse collection, but an intricate system of sewage and fresh water treatment by way of magic and slime monster cultivation. Yes, there were times where the slimes escaped and ate things with actual value and the odd pet or so but these were quickly resolved by the ¡®Cleaners¡¯ and rules for communal lavatories and waste disposal were made, enforced and ingrained into the citizens for over a hundred years now. Myths of ¡®disposing¡¯ people by slime were also common but hardly practical or even possible as these ¡®flesh eaters¡¯ and ¡®metal melters¡¯ are kept specially under strict control by a group directly overseen by the Royal Capital¡¯s Administrators and answer only to the Royal Family. The secret of creating the specialized slimes were lost to time making the humble balls of runny goop were a commodity more precious than its weight in gold. Many more tales of these special slimes are best left for the expert handlers officially known as the Waste Disposal Officers or simply called the ¡®Cleaners¡¯.


    The only other city known to employ the ¡°Slime Sewers¡± was the Free City of Trask from which Rothram based its system upon. To a different extent some of the Dwarven and Elven cities have their own refuse-eating/eliminating creatures.


    They had a quick break and then picked up their pace, and at day¡¯s end they had reached a large traveller''s tavern with a barn and stable. Afterwards they set aside their carriages and made camp some paces away from the structures as some merchants took rooms while others slept along with guards and escorts in the camp surrounding the carriages.


    The travel went smoothly along the King¡¯s Road as the occasional patrol of soldiers roved through the length between every garrison. It was an uneventful week after leaving Green''s End as they took on more carriages which were an advance part of their employers carriage train bringing the total up to 10 carriages, 8 merchants, 20 attendants, servants and assistants, 20 personal guards, and 30 adventurers. The considerably large column of armed individuals was both imposing but necessary as beyond the border was an almost ancient forest full of wonderful and dangerous creatures and plants.


    Finally at the western end of the Kingdom''s border, they reached the fortified keep, aptly named, Ironbark though not because its wooden walls, palisade and keep were made from the mythical lumber but more along the lines of the amount of weapons and armor it had in contrast to the wooden structure.


    Looking towards his former students, ¡°This is where things go from scrapes and bruises to possible death.¡± Clain sternly meeting each pair of eyes in the group. ¡°Beyond this fort is the Deepgreen where the innocuous could be fatal. Remember your lessons and be vigilant. Keep to the road and watch out for each other. Along with the risk is the probability of great reward as the same abundant ambient mana that twist flora and fauna into these terribly effective bringers of death also transforms them it sources of valuable raw materials for almost any trade.¡±


    ¡°Do listen, young men and young ladies. The things your party leader says are true and the way things spiral from a pleasant stroll into a perilous march can and will happen on the way and the best advice this old dog can give is that you be alert and ready to act at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± Geren added to Clain¡¯s words as the fledgling adventurers nodded thoughtfully.


    ¡°Now stock up, ready your tools and get some rest. We leave the fort town tomorrow mid-morning. Dismissed.¡± Clain turned to Geren. ¡°Hope we don''t meet the crazy shit on this trip¡±


    ¡°I second that. Now let''s get a drink before we set off into that green mess.¡± Geren slinging an arm over Clain¡¯s shoulders.

 Chapter 18

    The afternoon was half way done as a voice cut through the sounds of the clattering of wheels, clopping of hooves and whispering of winds.


    ¡°Report.¡± was what a young man had said to a group of six freshly gathered youths in similar garb and armor.


    ¡°Nothing out of the ordinary from the column sir.¡±


    ¡°One of the other parties has formed a foraging group and is asking if any would one else would join their three members out.¡±


    ¡°An alert for a possibility of bandits in the neighboring area has been given so the caravan is turning into a more secure location to camp.¡±


    ¡°Good. Pick two among yourselves to join the foraging group and the rest are with me in securing our area once we get to the camp grounds.¡± he said sounding more like advice than a command.


    ¡°Yes sir.¡± came the simultaneous response of the youths as they to talk amongst themselves as they got their mounts


    ¡°Erand, Holdfast, Crags, Fairweather. Unsling your gear and leave your packs on the carriage.¡± Clain said softer than a shout but not loud enough to be heard from outside the group huddled up. The four of them did so and got their weapons on the ready.


    ¡°Something feels off since the morning we set off.¡± Orna Erand remarked piquing the three others interest and Clain affirmed with a glance.


    ¡°Good observation. You marked Melvas and Strong with a alarm spell?¡± Clain asked Orna, to which she showed two motes of light gently strobing in her left palm. ¡°Okay. Change to a sling Lainey and polearms to both of you and ready a flash spell Orna.¡± Brent and Norman complied opting for their respective winged spear and hammer and spike as Orna wrote runes unto her right forearm with a soft glow of mana.


    ¡°Ready.¡± was what each of them told Clain as he himself was finishing the same flash spell on his right arm and another spell on his left arm.


    Clain was one of the few people that made this rune writing method more popular in practical spell casting. The three main ways spells are cast with the most popular is by full worded incantation, though much more talented individuals are able to do so with a phrase or even with a single word, another was a ¡®pre-set method¡¯ by using engraved tools like a staves or wands or empowered crystals and the last were drawn spell circles.


    Each method has their advantages and limitations, for example, a flash spell which releases a sudden blinding burst of light cast by incantation allows a single caster to increase brightness and scope of the flash or turn it into a ball to provide prolonged illumination, creativity allows for even change of colors but the interruption of the casting results in wasted mana at the least or backlash at the worst. Tools and crystals provide near instantaneous casting and eliminates the need for a chant but they are limited in flexibility as tools can only be carved with a limited number of spells and crystals may only contain one at a time. Often multiple items are carried but this is constrained by the cost and effort to produce these items and is compounded by the possibility of burning out the items by careless overcharging of mana into them, as often is the case in the urgent situations they are often used in. Lastly are the drawn spell circles, they give a near limitless flexibility and possible combination with other spells turning a ball of illumination into a partly sentient one which can follow the caster or a designated target and may then brighten of dim on command, some even turn them into a kind of entertainment by letting it take on the form of creature or person and move in whimsical ways but can only be called a frivolous expense as the mana and time needed to prepare such spells require more than a handful of caster and donors of mana. A known instance of an extremely rare, grand and complex kind of ritual was one used by the dwarves in making orbs of illumination that replicate the life-giving light of the sun to allow them to allow farming underground, a feat exclusively kept by a select few Archmagi in Dwarven lands.


    Clain remembering the words of the historian/magi that he had the ¡®privilege¡¯ of being scrutinized by after he had proposed the ¡®audaciously¡¯ practical application of rune writing charges for combat to the Head Adventure Guildmaster for the Rothram Kingdom. That had been almost 4 years ago and was what marked the start of his instructorship for fledglings of the Guild.


    The carriages had just set themselves unto a clearing by the roadside that things went afoul. The animals suddenly went restless and refused to move further in and from the shade of the trees emerged the cause of this.


    A pair of hulking beasts were stirred from their feast upon the sounds of the spooked draft animals. A body of smooth yet crag-like shapes were in place instead of scales, colored in a kind of splotchy greens and browns covered the beasts hide. It went on all fours and its body was as thick as a horses torso, with limbs as thick and as long as small kegs, its spine had a row of smooth bumpy protrusions on one and almost none on the other and both had tails the same length as its head and torso combined.


    A terrible hissing came as the bumpy one reared on its hind legs while being supported by its tail and its two front legs revealed a total of five pairs of dagger length talons. The smooth one also hissed menacingly while placing itself in a manner ready to pounce.


    ¡°Lines!¡± came the shout of the head of the mechants¡¯ guards.


    Two dozen guards formed up into three lines deep, with the first being a dozen Spears and shields, the second numbering eight had two handed polearms and the last four were halfway through various supportive encantations.


    The remaining six guards held shields in a loos formation in front of the merchants and were bolstered by half of the servants also taking up a spear and a shield. While the adventurers that were left, had divided similarly to the guards with a line formation and another securing their employers.


    ¡°Shell. Bulwark. Peirce. Courage.¡± were the respective words the guard mages finished as the ¡°Bumpy¡± one dropped back on all fours ready to pounce as its scaly flesh budged and grew taught with power and potential force.


    With a Snap! The first to take action was the ¡°Smooth¡± one''s as its tail whipped forth and a moment later rocky spikes broke upon the second layer of barriers the mages had set as the first layer bled off much of their speed and force.


    A load roar sounded as the ¡°Bumpy¡± one broke into a mad sprint with a tinge of color glowed from its claws.


    ¡°Wall! Now!¡± Arran, the lead of the guards shouted and a wall of earth and stone rose and broke as the lumbering beast crashed into it.


    Dazed and further angered the ¡°Bumpy¡± one was shaking away shock of the impact and the lines of guards fanned to surround it as another pair of walls of earth and stone covered its rear.


    The ¡°Smooth¡± one took action seeing its partner suddenly cornered and also made a dash to break down the barriers but was cut off by a volley of orbs of flame crashing into it, slightly putting it unto its side and then followed by several arrows and bolts finding purchase in its thinner underside plates. A pained, almost yelping sound came out as another volley of different elemental orbs pelted it as the adventures saw that fire did little to affect it.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Hammer the hide! Pierce the underside!¡± the leader of the guards shouted as his forces turned their poles towards their hammer points and dropping them unto various points over the beast they were facing.


    ¡°Okay! Cover your eyes!¡± Clain shouted as he thrust through the line and got the ¡°smooth¡± one''s attention and releasing a flash charge he held before shouting again. ¡°Next charge!¡±


    Orna followed up with her ¡°Flash¡± on the beast¡¯s other side fully blinding it and quickly jumping back.


    ¡°Chant!¡± he directed to Orna. ¡°Follow through after me!¡± Clain dropping his long knife into the beast¡¯s foot and finding purchase, though slight, and then discharging the spell he held and a current running through the full tang of the blade and into flesh searing and burning as the beast suddenly went limp.


    He quickly gave way for the rest as a pair of vangaurds ran into the limp body, driving blades through and lightly tilting it to its side. Holdfast and Crags drove their own points into the now exposed belly and Fairweather made her way unto the back of the beast¡¯s head plunging her own blade right through the weak part of back of the head but only driving it enough to stand as she pulled a following adventurer up who drove the point deeper with a hammer blow into the end of the upright pommel.


    The ¡°Smooth¡± one spasmed before going limp and a few adventurers drove stakes and ran through ropes over the body pulling them taut and securing it.


    The guards were also about finished with theirs as all four limbs were nailed into the ground by various swords and a set of spears standing with butts to the sky as the beast was flipped over and it''s body splayed out like a skin drying on a frame. A large gash running through the middle of its body as a pair of servants and an adventurer with a little more knowledge on magical beasts were examining the bodies.


    ¡°Healers!¡± came the urging call from the lead guard.


    The less injured assisted those who were and the uninjured were moving round to secure the area of any more threats.


    A few short moments were all it took for them to discover an eerie scene which portrayed a fate had they failed to overpower the pair of magical creatures. Only some yards behind the treeline, surrounded and hidden by a thicket of thorny bushes was what looked like a ruined camp of bandits as a ramshackle assortment of gear, armor, weapons, patchwork tents, cook pots, ruined or modified heraldries and even valuables were strewn about the place as patches of blood soaked earth were found between the tents and some were grouped together in front of the fire pit with only cold charcoal left.


    The whole of the broken camp, the number of tents and the mix of various belongings suggested a group of about two dozen or so bandits were lying in wait for any targets of oppurtunity to settle in the clearing for them to attack and loot. They were quite unfortunate as the beasts had assailed them in a more savage manner than they ever could with their targets of thievery.


    ¡°Geren, is the perimeter secure?¡± the leader of guards asked, he had joined those to survey the area as he was of the many who were only lightly harried of the bunch.


    ¡°Found a couple of bodies over yonder sir, well, what''s left of them anyway. ¡± Geren pointing to one of his party members standing off to the side of a large tree as another one was examining a body out of view.


    The pair returned and gave Geren two odd pieces of armor, both bracers rough and repolished with constant use and maitainance but still bearing their heraldries and marks.


    ¡°Fallen.¡± were the only words that neccesary for the message to come across.


    ¡°Seems like we either have a group of descendants or of dungeon raiders.¡± Geren remarked with more interest.


    ¡°No matter. They have been wiped out by the two creatures before and all signs point to there being no one else to have escaped.¡± the leader of the guard plainly stated.


    ¡°That does seem to be the case. But I would like to ask permission to station my party here in case there may have been any that had escaped and may return.¡± Geren said as he received an approving nod.


    ¡°Tomorrow before leaving, we destroy any other items related to the heraldries. Any food or valuables shall be divided by your discretion between the rest of the adventurers.¡± the leader of the guard said emphasizing the ¡®discretion¡¯ portion of his statement.


    ¡°Yes sir.¡± the unsaid statement of not letting anyone else know of the heraldries hung clearly in the exchange. Geren turned to his other party mates, ¡°Standard information control. Gather any untainted loot and destroy or bury the rest.¡± were his words as he too made his way to a broken tent as the five other members of Blood Hound were going through the camp, their last member had left with the foraging group.


    It took them just half an hour to form a neatly arrange pile of loot from the bandit camp and another half to clean up the rest of the unwanted items. It may seem like a distasteful practice of making use of items from a bandits camp to many but the thought of practicality and not being wasteful wins over whenever moving through the deep green or any long journey.


    Most of the gathered were camp items and travel gear, namely oiled tarps, lengths of rope and cordage, weapon maintainance gear of cleaning rags whetstones, files and small hammers, a few pouches of brone and silver coins in standard currency, two quivers full of two dozen arrows each, one quiver of twenty bolts, half a dozen short swords all of different shape, three spears, five bucklers, a single large towershield, a few bowstrings and slings, several various kinds of knives, and an assortment of belts and straps of leather, small sets of different shaped plates, patches of padded armor, and sheets of mail were in one pile. The other pile had ruined helmets, dented and broken mail and plate, a shattered crossbow, three snapped bowstaves, rusted or bent arrowheads and spearheads, a pair of splintered spear shafts and several clean left over clothes were arranged. The rest of the bloodied, torn or damaged items, and along with the still fine but meager amount of food were disposed of.


    Geren had told Clain shortly after destroying the heraldries to gather the other party leaders with the express thought of divying up loot and in another half hour, the seven of them stood over the arranged piles negotiating for anything they would want from the gathered items.


    In the end, Clain acquired two bucklers a small stack of coppers, a kit of weapon maintainance items, a pair of oiled tarps, a length of cordage two curved swords a spear, a few leather straps and a few odd bits of off plate, mail and padding. He even took the broken spear shafts, a few of the cleaner clothes and a pair of caved-in helmets.


    They made camp around the carriages as per usual and welcomed the return of the foraging party that had tied makeshift skids laden with a large boar and a doe being pulled by the horses. A short while later, the slaughter had been done as the mages conjured the necessary water and merchants¡¯ cooks, along with a few adventurers set out too cook up a nice hearty meal for the whole group. They even tried their hands at cooking some meat from the large beasts they were able to fell, as it turned out the two were safe to eat as they were a variant form of Forest Basilisks which were mana-changed.


    ¡°A question to you all, why is the Deep Green a dangerous place?¡± Clain had asked his party as they just finished their meal.


    The clean shaven, Cedric was first to respond with, ¡°The obvious presence of bandits and wild beast are one point.¡±


    ¡°That is one.¡± Clain responded and followed by another answer.


    ¡°The odd areas of concentrated ambient mana and mana dead zones are another.¡± Orna said. To which Elharin followed up with, ¡°The former twists tame creatures wild and violent beasts monstrous and rabid, and the later induces quickened fatigue even in short exposure and can even cause spells to misfire or not form altogether in the later.¡±


    ¡°Aye. Good answers. Those all make it both profitable and highly dangerous.¡± Clain praised the three before adding, ¡°If anything were to happen to people traveling through the Deep Green, bringing aide to them is doubly complicated and had such a high casualty count in the past that there is currently a non-aggression agreement between the races to help those in need whenever traveling through here.¡±


    ¡°Well, that''s all fine and good with the lessons Clain.¡± Geren had interrupted ¡°But remember rookies, that the first thing you look out for is yourselves above all else as you can''t help anyone if you are also in danger.¡± he then walked through the group as he had first watch on the perimeter where Clain¡¯s party had established.


    ¡°Some practical advise from a veteran. Now for some sleep, as we are just about a third of the way into the Green.¡± were Clain¡¯s words as he dismissed the party and joined Geren on the watch.

 Chapter 19

    ¡°So what do you think of the kids now?¡± Clain purposely asked his former mentor.


    ¡°They may be the best group yet. Each one has a good handle of their own abilities and are open to learning. All they need is more experience and a bit of luck, and before long, they might make a name for themselves.¡± Geren gave his former party mate and apprentice his honest opinion.


    ¡°Well I was a bit lucky with this group as my classes had risen in demand and it had oddly turned into a kind of contest for the best or the worst to want to be under my care. Tiring it all was, truth be told. But the pay steady pay did make up for that.¡± Clain thought of his older parents now living with a close relative back in Rothram. They were hands helping in managing the servants under a lesser noble which was a minor administrator of the royal city. Not a difficult job and was quite free of the usual pressures of working with the nobility.


    ¡°Now why the change of heart in living the safe and boring life? Are they still on about wanting to see grandkids?¡± He hit the point on the head as Clain responded in a defeated sigh. ¡°Oh! None of the throngs of ladies caught your fancy back home? Hmm..? ¡±


    ¡°You act like you don''t even know. Things haven''t really panned out with the girls I managed to get close to and I don''t want to settle for one that is plainly submissive or overly dominant, and you know that.¡± Clain responded as Geren remembered his young friend''s history with women.


    There was one that was a fellow adventurer that also became an instructor, she and Clain were quite close but had married some time after Clain was sent on a long quest due to becoming pregnant. Another was also a year-younger adventure that he loved more than a sister and Clain treated her dearly but he was simply an ¡®older brother¡¯ in her eyes. She continued the adventuring lifestyle though focusing mainly in scouting the boarders and collecting materials from the wilderness as being directly employed by the state-apothecary. The most recent hopeful prospect was a nice lady just his age and part of the instructorship. She was nice and proper and worked quite well and she and Clain saw eye to eye in many things though Clain had to give her up as he respected her drive to advance up in administration which made it hard for him to pull her from her ambitions while giving up his. Sure he could work like a guard or continue as an instructor or even as a fellow administrator but that was never the life for him, Clain had always preferred and excelled working hand in hand with people rather than from a desk or by proxy.


    ¡°Fine. Fine. That''s enough of that. I wish you the best my friend in your personal quest.¡± Geren half encouragingly half chidingly retorted before following up with a question. ¡°So where do you plan on finding such a lady love?¡±


    The young man straightened upon hearing the question. ¡°I recieved a letter from a friend of an opening in the Academy in Trask and i would just see how it goes from there.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Sly dog you. I know that friend was a past lady friend of yours isn''t she? So would that be her you wish to follow up on then?¡± Geren illiciting a vigorous disapproving shake of the head before a receiving a response.


    ¡°It isn''t like that!¡± Clain realizing the volume of his reply before repeating. ¡°It isn''t like that. Yes I do still love her but it is now as a brother does a younger sister. I want to work with her and have a change of pace and maybe find some luck with ladies of a different ethnicity, maybe.¡± He was lightly blushing from his honest declaration.


    ¡°I see. I see.¡± Geren wiping a tear from his stiffled laughter. ¡°That is fine my friend. What better place to have a fated encounter of the multi-racial kind than in the Free City of Trask? There''s no shame in that.¡±


    The remark referring to the equal treatment of all races and creeds in the Free City which was a strength and characteristic it was known for in the continent. The Rothram Kingdom was also considerably open to the other races, especially in the capital but the overwhelming majority of the nobility and the a large minority of the Faiths followed by the people were in favor of human-centric perspectives. As part of its past was about the bitter struggle of fending off the monsters and the wild by their own hands as the country was founding itself half a millenia ago and now freed from the shackles of bondage that was inflicted unto humans by the Uruk, Naga and even Elven races of the continent to the Far East.


    The pair just sat in silence after that until it was time to wake the next ones for the watch. This series of nightly watches they did several more times in the following couple of weeks as they finally reached the edge of the Deep Green.


    Their caravan was welcomed by one of Trask¡¯s forward watchposts/foraging camps. The camp itself was a simple thing with a wooden palisade encircling its three main structures, a barracks with an armory, a long hall, kicthen and larder building, and a stable with a smithy attached to it. All three structures¡¯ free space was temporarily filled with any kind of materials they gathered before being taken to the city with the rotation of guards. Three sturdy watch towers overviewing the perimeter had a clear line of sight on the road to their front which had been cleared up to 300 meters from the walls beneath the towers.


    The approach was nice and flat compared to the varyingly leveled, but fairly travesibly, roads within the Deep Green. The entry gate was on the southern side of the circular wooden fortifaction breaking the practically straight east to west road. The turn functioned as a way to slow traffic and force any would be attackers as a dried, Rocky deep riverbed, which occasionally filled whenever heavy rains came, cut through the road facing side of fort.


    The fort also served as a preliminary inspection point as it held half the seal needed for entry to the city as other half was at Trask¡¯s city gates. The seal was kind of runic circuit which was a kind of easily placed mark unto any surface but usually placed on back of a person''s hand and or on a chest or mount. It would last for barely half day before fading away. But once it was connected to its other half it would produce a miniscule light mote barely bright enough to be seen in daylight.


    Once all of them had been inspected and marked, they exited the western gate and Trask could be seen at a distance, though barely. The fields between the were made in a step like pattern and the bottom most point of the city walls were in line with the top most of the watchtowers as Trask itself had been built on a raised area of ground. This eventual incline served as an advantageous defensive measure many times before, though not of times of war, as every so often deranged mana-twisted beasts would flood out from the green in search of prey or for reasons of migration. The later was an annual affair that is revered and respected by the people of the city, while the former was spread every few years and treated as serious matter of safety and security.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Simply put, Trask has never experienced war before but is as well defended, if not better than all other Capitals there are, or so the story goes. Also, it helps to be deep within the Deep Green which constricts the movements of large forces and serves as a good fence which keeps malicious neighbors out and a fierce neutrality and more than willing giver of aide to those lost in the depths of the forests which maintains friendly relations all around.


    ¡°Grindstone!¡± Clain called to attention his party which was already lined up waiting for entrance into the city. ¡°Once we all enter the city we will receive our pay from the Merchants. After that we shall report to the city''s Freelancers Guild. Any questions?¡±


    ¡°Are we free after that Sir Clain?¡± Lainey asked the question all the fresh graduates had on their faces.


    ¡°Not yet. It''s already getting dark and though I trust all of you, but finding lodgings come first and secondly, you need to know more about the cities rules and customs before going out exploring.¡± the students were slightly disappointed but accepted the reasoning. ¡°Norman I leave this to you.¡± Clain handed the strapping lad a piece of paper with a map with arrows, a mark, a name and a doodle of a pig with a pointy hat.


    ¡°Yes sir.¡± Norman replied and turned to face his comrades and proceeded to guide them using the directions on the paper. They made their way through the city center and towards the southeastern quarter of the city and halfway down the south road they found the ¡°Boar Magus¡± or sometimes referred to as ¡°Pork Mystics, Bacon Sorcerers, Pork Magic, Magical Piggies and the like.¡±


    The playful and comedic names were given to the best pork cook in the city. It had a long-standing reputation which already passed a decade in the beginning of the year and was frequented by poor and wealthy alike. A fairly large structure which can seat a hundred on its ground floor and a little over half that in bunk type rooms on the floor above, each room able to hold up to 8 people. One such room was promptly taken by the members of Grindstone.


    The room was fairly simple with solid walls and four bunks, a bed on top of another, which where two on either side and two bunks deep. It had a just enough space for an aisle in the middle just as much as the with of a bunk bunk. Each bed was also long and wide enough that one of average human stature could comfortably lay upon or two more slender beings or a larger troll or orc could cram into. The door opened inward without hitting any of the bunks and one closed had a generous number of pegs in the wall to hang things from and a writing desk with a candle holder in one corner.


    The six took their own places, Orna was above Lainey, Cedric over Norman and Elharin over Brent. They unfurled their bed rolls over thin layer of straw-filled cushions and place their packs on the foot of each bunk by the aisle. Their weapons set to hang from strap on pegs but each had a dagger or knife tucked below their pillow as they feet were closer to the door. The bunk on othe left, when one entered the room was the first one visible, was left vacant for their leader and former instructor.


    Clain entered shortly after they group had settled into the room¡°Let''s get something to eat. I have a statement to make afterwards.¡± he then led them back down towards a vacant table he had reserved before coming up.


    Two servers came and went in quick succession, placing a heap of three different dishes. One dish was a generous chop of pork from the hip to knuckles that had strange texture to its skin and covered in a dark brown, almost black colored sauce. Another dish was a whole side of ribs covered in an orange-brown sauce and had a helping of cubed, potatoes and carrots. The last one was a large bowl of piping hot soup with almost translucent bits of meat a few slices of peppers and finely sliced leaves of cabbage.


    ¡°I know none of you are against a good dish of pork and these are some we don''t have back home in Rothram, so eat up.¡± Clain told his young charges as a server let down a single serving of rice and a small bowl of meat bits cooked on skewers and covered in a light brown sauce. His former students looked at his dish before turning back to the large servings before of them. ¡°Mind your own food, this is just their own recipe on skewers and you''ll get to have them once you finish the ones already in front of you.¡± Then another server placed a heaping mound of rice for the six others.


    Clain had been to Trask three times already and this was the fourth and on all those occasions, he stayed at ¡°Boar Magus ¡± he was already considered a regular and familiar to a few of the patrons and all of the staff. The cook was especially friendly with him as Clain had taught her the rune writing which she had inspired him to name ¡°Rune Charges¡±. They developed the use of the technique both for food preparation and general maintianance by using heat, wind, water type spells.


    The experience allowed Clain to push the casting technique to more practical uses in both combat and non-combat roles. Just a few examples to their applications, aside from the obvious fire starting and light giving, were keeping a pot of food or water warm even bringing it to a boil, heating a plated dish, pulling water from wet laundry, drying it with a combination of wind and heat, even cleaning by holding an orb of water to a surcafe giving it a wipe or scrub and pulling the moisture and dirt back into an orb. The cook and landlady was one of three that were taught the technique, another was her husband which serves as assistant cook and room maitainance, and the last was their eldest daughter, the head server.


    The six had looks of surprise and satisfaction at the experience of consuming the dishes. Rice was a rarer thing in Rothram as wheat was more dominant in their area. The meat itself was refreshing as compared to the usual salted, smoked, stewed, roasted and the like. The whole leg gave them a pleasant shock with the a light crisp and crunch of the sauce-soaked skin. The thick, almost black liquid was a mixture of faint sour, light sweetness, and a savory flavor. The ribs were more on the savory side with some measure of heat to it which was balanced by some earthy spice. The soup had a salty and sour tinge to it which was infused with the essence of the meat which was almost like a soft jelly. All the flavors were quite strong compared to most dishes they were used to but the rice balanced it out and made it a filling meal as they all cleaned their plates including those which held the large servings.


    ¡°It''s good to see you all found it to your liking. ¡± Clain said as he gazed on the content and full expressions.


    The blonde fencer managing to give a reply, ¡°This is the first time I have experienced these kinds flavors Sir.¡± and then letting out a small burp which got the group to let out a few chuckles at Lainey¡¯s expense.


    After the short round of laughter, ¡°Which food shall we try next Sir?¡± The clean-shaven and well-built young man asked iliciting another round of laughter.


    ¡°Cedric. Lad. Don''t worry there is time for that tomorrow.¡± Clain replied before saying, ¡°Now we move on to a more proper topic.¡± The merry expressions straightened. ¡°In the morning, we all report to the guild and for the rest of the day see more of the city. The caravan will return to the Kingdom''s Capital in a week''s time starting tomorrow and all of you are to follow Grant''s directions on the way back and you will have a former student of mine to join you and round the group out.¡±


    Thoughts of confusion broke their disciplined expressions, as each silently asked the question, ¡°Why?¡± though holding back seeing as it would be answered shortly.


    ¡°Seems like you all want to hear my reasons, very well. As all of you remember, you are the last batch I had under the novice program for the guild before my return to active questing.¡± Clain measured their subdued reactions before adding. ¡°It will be for a while, but I will be staying here in Trask for the foreseeable future, both as an adventurer and as an apprentice in the Academy here. So if any of you are in the area after this, then simply post for me at the guild.


    They haven''t been together for too long but his former students shared a ¡®thankful farewell¡¯ with them as they set of back to Rothram by the end of the week.

 Chapter 20

    Clain awoke to find himself out of another dream. The sun had yet to rise as the outside of the shutters to his window were still dark. He then held out his hand towards a iron cage with a crystal suspended in the middle which was placed atop a stand by the bed. He channeled a bit of mana into the crystal and it began to give off a soft yellow glow which gradually increased to a clear white as his eyes eventually adjusted.


    Putting on some pants and soft leather shoes, he stood to place the caged crystal lamp unto a hook hanging from the ceiling. He faced a mirror on the wall just above the stand by his bed and poured some water into a basin from a pitcher and proceeded to wash his face.


    After donning a shirt and a vest, he checked his pockets, obvious and hidden. He found his purse and the other items to still be in their places and put on a plain band of steel on his wrist before covering it with fingerless gloves.


    He then made his way down the stairs and found the rather lean, ginger-furred feline beastman attendant already at the desk, giving a soft smile and greeting with sharp jade eyes a courteous ¡°Good morning.¡± to Clain.


    ¡°Good morning, Gar.¡± Clain returned the greeting. ¡°How long till breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Still around an hour to go Sir. How about some warm soup from last night or ginger tea?¡± Gar suggested with a bit of a grin as it was a kind of specialty and pun that the curiously all ginger hair/furred staff of the Orange Root Inn, which was situated between the Academy dorms and Adventurers Guild.


    ¡°Some tea is fine Gar.¡± Clain playing with the beastman''s remark and took a seat in the lounge on one of the sofas arrayed in front of a fireplace and shortly after settling Gar handing him a nice white porcelain tea cup decorated with green vines on its surface.


    ¡°Thank you Gar and please hand this to the cook.¡± Clain handing small pouch with a handful of leaf-warped mixed spices he recieved as payment from the previous day''s assistance quest.


    ¡°Your welcome Sir and thank you. The cook will be most pleased with this product. I believe the market price is good for another full weeks stay with meals in the inn.¡± Gar promptly accepting the pouch with a smile and disappearing into a door towards the kitchen and returned to his post behind the counter.


    Clain enjoyed the soothing tea, a mild ginger aroma slightly masking the base of the lightly roasted tea leaves. Breakfast came soon enough, though an unremarkable mix of three strips of bacon, two well done fried eggs, and a heaping cup of mashed potatoes, but was still delicious with the hints of spice interspersed here and there enhancing the simple spread.


    ¡°Thank the cook for me Gar.¡± Clain said as he exited the inn and shortly made his way to the Guild.


    It was early, but already abuzz with activity as every dawn welcomed scores of various new jobs, updates to old ones and the processing and payouts of raw materials submitted.


    ¡°Sir Clain. Good morning and welcome. A letter for you has arrived from the Wanderering Couriers.¡± the neat and smartly dressed blonde receptionist handed him a yellowed, sealed letter, which he promptly pocketed. Said receptionist had an androgenous look hinting neither feminine nor masculine qualities but was clearly over the age of 20 as per guidelines of the guild staff employment codes and also possessed a considerable level of survival skills, aside from the obvious administrative ones.


    ¡°Thank you Ochre.¡± Clain mirrored the curt and formal tone, hiding his inner thoughts of the true nature of Ochre¡¯s person as he clearly dressed and presented a masculine facade but was treated as a young lass by many of the local adventurers. Though it would be some time much later would he discover the answer to his nagging queries.


    He opened the letter which he read to find full of care and concern from his aging parents for his safety and health. It spoke of how content they were in the mundane services to the administrator and their hopeful seeing of a grandchild before they go senile. The end part was devoted to reminding him of that fact along with the contradiction of not needing to worry about them. He planned to send another letter by tomorrow and made his way to the Academy.


    The streets were now a bustle with the rolling of wooden wheels over the cobble pavement, the clink and clack of various armors worn by the equally varied array of peoples making their way, shouts of hawkers and sellers and the less louder exchanges of haggling and gossip. The lively chaos continued even as the city guard patrolled the streets in threes.


    Wiping his hands on a handkerchief before entering the Academy¡¯s pale gray stone gates which bore the words Aura and Arcane and with a large round shield between them and had the imaged of an open tome below a torch whose rays bore sharp and piercing points like that of arrows, bolts and spears, Clain remembered the creed introduced to him when he first entered the Academy a few weeks ago to confirm his apprenticeship. Those words were ¡°Magic and Martial prowess are naught but dull tools honed and perfected by knowledge and discipline.¡± a simple statement that each student, instructor and alumnus learns and lives by.


    ¡°Welcome back Mister Crispin.¡± An hooded older lady in onyx robes trimmed with gold and silver greeted him as she extended her hand.


    ¡°A pleasure to be here again, Master.¡± Clain took her hand and felt the still present strength in her grip, betraying the looseness of the skin over the, seemingly withered hand. Then a flair of mana surged over the thin flesh on bone and her grip tightened and was answered by equal resistance.


    ¡°Good work lad.¡¯seems you aren''t forgetting to practice.¡± The old crone took off her hood revealing her braided silvered hair thinned and discolored by time. The hanging gray skin with green undertones pulled into a smile displaying a set of bright white teeth and the fire in her eyes broke the image of the wisened older lady, hinting a touch of danger enveloped by a critical and calculating gaze. ¡°Now follow me.¡± she made her way without waiting for a reply.


    ¡°Master I think the staff and students would be in for a shock with the way you look right now.¡± Clain remarked as he caught up, placing himself just half a step behind her. And as if on cue the faded and aged image seemed to revert into a form of a person just past their prime.


    ¡°Ahaha. Yes. Yes. They would be surprised. Hardly anything gets past you lad.¡± Clain¡¯s master faced him with the same amused smile she had earlier, though the beaming teeth and sharp eyes were the same the skin now had a supple texture to it and the graying was gone and a more pronounced deep green was there. A more common person would call her image that of a beauty that time had been kind to and in another phrase ¡®aged-gracefully look¡¯.


    ¡°So what is it for today Matriarch Waytreader?¡± Clain inquired to the order of the tasks that had to be done for the day.


    ¡°Headmistress or Lady Artrask is fine. No need for that archaic title.¡± she said dismissively before starting. ¡°First are the classes you shall partake in and next are your co-instructorship.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Uhm. Classes? I thought I was just to be part of a research group on developing casting techniques? ¡± he wondered


    ¡°Yes and you will also take part of those two things. The fee for those shall be covered by your pay as an instructor and any left over will be a bonus for your personal expenses.¡± The sly smirk on Lady Artask¡¯s face pushing him no other choice in the matter.


    Clain could only sigh internally and relent. ¡°Thank you Headmistress. May I ask which classes those I would be in and part of?¡± now opting to just go with the unexpectedly good offer as usually it was children of the well to do could enroll in the academy or a working scholarship of sorts that allowed them, aside from being screened of aptitude before hand. Though the Academy did offer a basic education, which was subsidized by the City-State''s government, to all its citizens.


    ¡°You are to attend a class in Arcane Magics in combat applications and another Martial Prowess for small group and solo applications. As for the instructorship, you are to work with the Practical Applications Instructor in both Magic and Martial fields. The schedule you will have is one class on the first and second days of the week and then co-oversee the practicals on the morning and afternoon of the fifth day of the week. The sixth day is for the submission of reports and assessments and the seventh is a rest day for staff and students, though some prefer to use it for additional research, practice and the like.¡± the stated as a matter of fact.


    A quick pause and Clain responded with a question. ¡°What about the days between them Headmistress?¡± thinking he might use it to earn a bit more coin with posted jobs in the local Adventurers Guild.


    Then a glint in her eyes flashed as she gave her reply. ¡°How enthusiastic of you Sir Crispin. Its great to see your interested more in your future work and studies. May I suggest taking up a few more classes.¡±


    Clain couldn''t help but acquiesce as the statement oozed of being preplanned and no would simply mean a more difficult workload.


    ¡°I suppose it wouldn''t hurt to gain more knowledge.¡± The turned a corner and he continued. ¡°Which classes do you have in mind Headmistress?¡±


    ¡°Just some in History and Magic Theory. Don''t worry history is to give you a different perspective from that in Rothram and the Magic Theory is connected to the research you are already here for.¡± she ended as they entered out into a large room marked with crossed stave and wand with an open tome as background.


    The nature of the room was obvious from the sign which said ¡°Arcane Research¡± but the degree was emphasized by the mess of various instruments, magical tools, wands staves and crystals arrayed atop a single long table half filling the room and walls with shelves filled with musty or fairly freshly copied tomes of Arcane knowledge of various spells, their casters or origins, of obscure and common knowledge on the materials and compounds with mystic value and with scribbles and comments on the pages penned by the previous researchers. The last quarter of the room had a cleared area with what seemed to be a torso of a mannequin of pure onyx, just a head and body with no arms and legs placed on a stand made of the same dark material.


    ¡°Miss Yhala, I have something for you.¡± The headmistress called out quite loudly but not enough to be considered shouting.


    A shuffling of papers and a clunk and clatter moments later, a head of loosely braided auburn lochs peeked out form behind the table.


    ¡°Oh, hello there dear. I might have dozed off a bit. Sorry about that and sorry for the mess.¡± miss Yhala said as she adjusted her robe, one of similar style to the headmisstres but with silver and purple trim, then trained her gaze on the space where Clain stood though without actually looking at him and more like through him.


    Clain¡¯s first expression was that of wondering as there was hardly anything seemingly out of place in the room, though there was a great many things in it, they all had their place. The second expression was then of submission as he let go of the defensive skin of aura he had and the recalled his field of mana.


    ¡°Now now. Yhala that isn''t a good way to treat your new apprentice.¡± Headmistress Waytreader now showing a more cunning grin as she was asking the lady of similar rank to her to settle down.


    ¡°Don''t be like that Artra. I''m simply examining the lad for how much he can assist me in my research.¡± miss Yhala exhaled as lady Artrask noticed the slight shit in energies near her.


    An unusual emphasis on the word caused Clain to ready his mana and aura to move in a moment''s notice. And such action just made the hooded lady in front of him to drop her hood and reveal her striking features beneath it though marred by the rather undignified expression she had on her.


    A green like that of grass in spring shone in her eyes and the base of her hair still retained the near fiery red which had trailed and faded into an auburn, and a face having a quality of maturity and timeless beauty to it which was reinforced by the sharp and long point of her ears.


    ¡°A high elf.¡± Clain thought to himself as he found the distinct mark to all high elves the ethereal flecks of color in their pupils and the absurd thickness of mana she exuded had doubled and almost felt like a physical weight on his own shoulders which made him turn to look at the Headmistress.


    He found her grin return to her previous courteous smile and found the pressure from miss Yhala blocked by another of equal or greater force with only a mere couple of inches above the headmisstres¡¯ skin.


    ¡°Yhala please relent.¡± Lady Artrask said coming off like an unfelt reprimand before adding with ¡°This shall be your new research assistant. He is known as Clain Crispin of Rothram or as some of his past students call him ¡®Instructor¡¯.


    Clain bent down at the waist in a bow. ¡°Thank you Headmistress. ¡®Clain¡¯ is just fine. It is a pleasure to meet you Arcane Researcher, Magus Yhala Alfelia of Trask or formerly Magus of the Crag Elves.¡±


    ¡°Ho-ho. Excellent boy. It seems I am familiar to you though only as much as an old book can tell you. That last title was something I had left a long time ago, when I was much younger.¡± A shimmer or remembering an age passed was reflected in both ladies eyes.


    ¡°But no need to dwell on those times only the long-lived have experienced. I may not look like it but I am already at the last quarter of my lifetime.¡± she said calmly and truthfully as elves lived for about four centuries and hardly show any signs of aging after the first half century and then show a decline in their last half century.


    Though the elf in front of them was an exception to the norm as she had already lived past four centuries and was already twice the age of the city of Trask with 467 years of living and she looks like that of a human lady not a day over 21 who''s beauty is in full bloom with both a hints of innocence mixed with a regal maturity but whose eyes shine with the depth of wisdom that puta the most scholarly of humans to shame.


    Clain then glanced to back the headmistress now finally noticing the same kind of ethereal flecks in her eyes before being caught by her own gaze and then small features suddenly disappeared causing him to straighten back.


    ¡°It seems he has more potential that I had first perceived. I have other matters to attend to. So I bid you both a good day¡± the Headmistress remarked before leaving without waiting for a reply.


    ¡°Well now boy, you are quite the surprising thing.¡±


    Clain failed to notice that the Magus had already closed the gap and had locked eyes with him as he had turned back to face where she previously was after watching the Headmistress leave.


    He couldn''t move for what seemed to be like several long minutes but was only a few seconds as an unknown force pinned him to not look away, all the while his eyes were not even able to blink. And just as suddenly, the force was gone and his curiously not dry eyes were able to move again and was hit by a wave of dizziness which he fought to shake off.


    ¡°Very good. Very good.¡± miss Yhala said before a quick gesture over Clain¡¯s forehead was made along with a wordless chant and Clain felt a rush of foreign energy envelope him. ¡°Now with the introductions out of the way let me gage how much pressure can you endure before you hit your limits.¡±


    Clain then noticed they were not in the Research room anymlre but were standing in one of the practice/sparring fields, the actual on he had been asked to demonstrate his theory over a week ago, with over ten meters between them. He the felt his mana flow into a stave in his right hand and noticed a jeweled vambrace on his left arm.


    ¡°Ready? Begin.¡± another person of to one side standing between the two of them clearly announced.


    Then mana in and around the magus was in the process of swirling and forming which snapped Clain alert as he dropped into a mobile stance ready to flee at moment''s notice.

 Chapter 21

    An orb of solidified light whizzed towards Clain at an arrow¡¯s speed in an unnaturally straight trajectory. It only gave him the barest breadth to avoid as he was falling into a roll.


    He let out a short breath as he just finished a rune unto his left arm and then let his aura flow into the vambrace forming a cloudy barrier the size of a round shield able to cover his whole torso. The leveled his staff towards the High elf which was simply standing there assessing his movements.


    But before he was able to form a spell he felt a distortion at the edge of his mana field towards his right flank which caused him to turn his staff towards it and change the mana to then, for the lack of a better term, parry the incoming orb downward into the dirt near him causing an explosion of dust and a little wind.


    ¡°Hmmm. Seems capable enough.¡± Yhala had mused to herself softly as she was waiting for the dust to settle. She was just about to blow the dust away with a gust spell when hard clump of packed earth the size of her thumb cracked and broke upon her barrier which extended a meter outwards form her.


    ¡°Ho Ho. Intrugeing.¡± her pondering expression then had a hint of amusement as the now dissapating poof of dirt was able to bypass her field which was another five meters outwards from her barrier and as she changed the nature of her field of detection a successive trio of lumps were darting towards her at a speed comparable to her previous two orbs of light. These were a bit odd as they each had different sources as given away by their trajectory through the settling dust cloud, though she merely allowed them to break upon her barrier like the previous one did.


    With a wave of her hand she produced a gust to clear the field, only to find the her ¡®would-be¡¯ assistant gone from her sight. Then an object the size of a person was moving into her field from above suggesting a falling trajectory which would land near but still a good distance away from her barrier.


    She leveled her gaze to towards the target as another solidified orb of light was ready. Yet as she trained the spell for release a flash of light disrupted her which made her hold back the orb.


    Clain saw the Magus drop her gaze and proceeded to roll from the landing. It was now an open chance to attack, so he channeled mana through the staff and released a bolt made of mana directly towards center mass of the proudly standing Magus.


    Suddenly something clicked, ¡®Proudly standing?¡¯ ¡®Wasn''t she dazed?¡¯ were two things he thought before pushing out more aura into the shield and then bolstering mana into his own barrier. A hair''s breadth after doing so he was impacted by the light orb which was the only offensive spell used thus far by the Magus.


    Yet it was unfortunate as his defenses would have been sufficient for any other mage, save those in military conscription and specialized for offense, as in this instance he was facing a Magus and a High Elven one at that. Clain had seen the difference in speed and intuition in casting as elves innately had over other races, out casting most them, along with the flexibility they can mold spells and relative ease with which they let out complex ones.


    The orb managed to break past the aura shield as it cracked and shattered. But only to reveal a bright white smaller orb the size of a marble hidden inside the fist-sized gleaming yellow ball which then proceeded to knock the wind out of Clain¡¯s lungs and the consciousness from his mind as broke just short of touching his skin.


    The last sight he had was the world tilting sideways as he wasn''t able to see the effect of the delayed spell he left behind erupting from below the Magus¡¯ feet.


    ¡°Excellent work lad.¡± the Yhala complementing the crumpled form of Clain which was breathing softly in the dirt.


    The observer moved to lay the Clain out straight, then proceeded to scan him with a probing spell of any external injuries or internal abnormalities before finally removing the staff and vambrace. Afterwards he gave an ¡®okay¡¯ gesture to the High Elf which she returned with a thankful nod and excused himself from her presence.


    Yhala brought them back to the Research Room the by same way they left. Another quick few gestures and Clain¡¯s unconscious form lifted from the floor and gently floated unto the low sofa hidden behind the filled up table. Yhala made a few preparations in the room before producing posh cushioned reading chair in clear area infront of the onyx mannequin and jotted down some notes unto some paper clipped on small board she held with her other hand.


    Clain woke an hour later with a distinct feeling of fatigue. Noticing he was staring at the Arcane Reaserch Room''s ceiling and had reached for his chest to find an jeweled amulet letting out a soft comforting glow which was had slowly begun to fade away. Upon closer inspection, it was a simple thing, being circular, slightly larger and thicker than a standard gold ten-piece and the metal was also that of the color of gold. Its whole metallic portion looked like a tightly woven rope hammock which craddeled a clear crystal with silver veins running through its entierity and seemingly connecting into the metal.


    He then sat up noticing that how he was behind the table and partly hidden from veiw of those who stand by the doorway. The sofa he was on was quite soft and comfortable which made him worry about getting dust on it only to find that his clothes near pristine, save for the ruffling form laying down. The staff and vambrace were also gone but they were his so he decided to look for the Magus which he shortly found engrossed in a book in the far corner of the room on a luxurious-looking chair that could pass off for a throne.


    He was just about to call out when the silence was broken by a question.


    ¡°Any dizziness or discomfort?¡± she had asked without looking up from her book.


    To which he could only answer with ¡°None.¡± before being asked with another question.


    ¡°How well do you think your performance was?¡± now Yhala was looking intently at Clain with the sheen in her eyes seemingly moving like the shining of starlight on gentle waves.


    Taken aback by the strange sight for a second, Clain manage to reply with ¡°I hope it was satisfactory.¡±


    ¡°Well I can tell you it was not satisfactory.¡± Yhala said which made Clain a little nervous. ¡°It was more than what the average of the promising students are able to do after a few years in the academy, you are even on par with most of the security here after being able to hold out on my first two attacks by yourself and launching a proper counter attack on me.¡±


    ¡°Um. Does that mean I pass?¡± Clain asked more to hear details about his being an assistant than reassure his the fact he was already hired.


    ¡°Yes it most certainly does as one part of the staff''s responsibility is the security of their person, the students and the school, which is only second to their actual teaching reponsibilities, as there is the occasional scuffle for rank or the practical lessons getting a little to rough.¡± she said as a matter of fact. ¡°But that is lower on our list of priorities being under research. That would be around fourth we would have keeping knowledge from being improperly spread and to destroy, subdue or control any tools and items which may turn unstable and cause untowards damages or suffering if left be.¡± Yhala remembering an unfortunate case of changing slime into a kind of healing organism which had been interrupted by a harsh lightning storm and turned the being healed/repaired lame calf into a being resembling a cow with completely translucent skin and cloudy muscles.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Clain thought of one story in which there was a kind of slime that tasted like beef and was a type of luxury and curiosity for gourmets. The said foodstuff was so pricy because of the said difficulty in raising the slime to taste like actual meat and not a semi-solid drink of water. The fact that said slime were had affinity towards disposition to clinging to metal or climbing unto high places on thunderstorms didn''t help in keeping the fragile things safe.


    ¡°Thank you Lady Alfelia. Please make us of this one''s meager talents.¡± he said in a polite and curt manner.


    ¡°Again, like with the Arta, no need for such formalities. Magus, Researcher or Yhala is fine.¡± she corrected her new research hand same as how she knew her former prot¨¦g¨¦ and godchild Arta had done. ¡°And none of that ¡®downplaying¡¯ yourself, you are an instructor and researcher in this Academy so hold your head with dignity and purpose.¡±


    ¡°Yes Magus, I will do so.¡± Clain responded and was about to stand but only then noticed that his belt had been undone, his vest was unbuttoned and his shirt was not tucked in his pants.


    Yhala smirked as she saw Clain¡¯s growing distress before saying. ¡°I took the liberty of applying the mark on your left shoulder. You have a curious balance of muscle don''t you know?¡± she then pointed to a mirror just behind the stange jet black mannequin with silvered veins running through out its surface.


    ¡°Ah yes. Thanks?!¡± Clain said as he tightened his belt and slipping of his shirt entirely.


    He stood and found the artful snaking vines form into a ball with thorns. Clain was a bit taken aback with the exquisite design that looked more at home on a mural, canvas or a book¡¯s detailed illustrations.


    ¡°Try cycling some energy some energy into that part of your body.¡± the Magus suggested and so Clain did.


    The vines then started to creep down his arm as Clain could only move his still replenishing reserves from his core to his extremities. A soft white glow like mist coming off the morning chill joined the moving tattoo and he could feel his aura being somehow ¡®placed¡¯ in it but still part of him. ¡°A battery.¡± he thought


    ¡°That is a living tattoo. Three main functions to remember about it; first, it serves as a storage of energy of sorts as you can either fill it with aura or mana or a mix of both and filling it is a gradual process that you must actively control, second, it can only contain the equivalent of one whole full pool of either energy making you have about twice the mana or twice the aura, or a mix of both, lastly, this can store pre-molded mana/aura which can then be used to quick cast spells and skills but be warned successively using this taxes you more than naturally casting it. And a final fact, only those part of the academy staff, officers in the city guard and a few select individuals have these and being near one holder alerts you to the other which vaguely reveals intentions to the other without the need of words. Here, let me demonstrate.¡±


    Clain noticed a purple glow move on the outstretched palm opened towards him. He thought her pattern was different but it was the same style of vines that were so densely packed that they looked like veins. A wave of force made his knees buckle and he was about to loose control of his bladder when the sudden pressure left as quick as it came.


    It was a terrible and primal kind of fear which had swept over him, like how a small limping animal is being stared down by its pursuer without any hope of escape.


    ¡°Uhm, ma''am? What was that?¡± he asked as a cold sweat broke across the whole of his body and personally wondering how he was still able to stand.


    ¡°And you also passed this one.¡± Yhala mused now with an new kind of enthusiasm. ¡°Well done and that was my own ¡®stored¡¯ energy and the ¡®intent¡¯ which you felt was my honest outlook on any who wish to abuse the rare technique we now share with some others.¡±


    Clain tensed like a bowstring drawn taught and only able to nod in assent.


    ¡°Good, and to give you a few names of holders of these tattoos¡­¡± the Magus enumerated the different heads of departments in the academy and their respective seconds, the Headmistress, a few key persons in the city, namely the Grand Councilor and the other council heads, the Commander and Vice-Commander of the Guard, a few more captains and vice-captains, the Guildmasters of the various City''s guilds, which made the count reach up to over half a hundred people in a city state with a diverse population of over thirty thousand.


    There were further details the Arcane Researcher elaborated on a few nuances of the living tattoo had before moving on to the fact that she was also the instructor for the practical magic application course he would be in. She caught him up on the portion that they were at and a list of students he would encounter and the guidlines and objectives to which they were to train to.


    An hour just before the day was to end, a knock was made on the door to the room and he got up from their introductory talks on the current topics the Magus was researching on, which where a ¡°storage¡± function that could be placed as a tattoo, as Clain was informed that the principle on which storage items function were that weight could never be completely eliminated as it was a consequence in opening and isolating a ¡®space between planes¡¯ and that the matrix of the ¡®storage enscriptions¡¯ were that of an opening the isolated space in order to place items there, solidifying the space where the items are and allow the retrieval of them. Consequences to the improper formation or sudden cancelation of the matrix would then range from not working in its entirety, and loss in parts of and pieces of some materials and items, to the spilling out into the vicinity of the storage item or complete loss of the items in the void. The teleporation gates on the other hand were on a complexity and scale on a vastly grander, even obscene, scale. Yes, they are replicable but at the expense like that of buying off a whole town of no less than five thousand people, and difficulty of learning to write with one''s hands and feet in atleast four different written languages.


    Such complex and mind boggling thoughts were forgotten as Clain met a pair of seemingly completely opposite individuals. One was a gray furred beast kin, dressed in a that of a clean white blouse and heavy rough brown trousers with a heavy leather apron over it, while the other was a lean and towering deep green figure of a man whose frame was draped in loose and fine cloths and twice the height of the rabbit folk.


    Each held out a box which were curiously proportional to their respective statures. Clain received both after being told that this delivery was for him and Yhala simply saying thanks to the two as they promptly left.


    Clain managing to close the door while holding both packages, moved towards a short table in front of Yhala and sat down from a cross her.


    ¡°Wait was this table here before?¡± he asked wondering about the sudden appearance of two more pieces of furniture seemingly coming from nowhere.


    ¡°It was, just stowed away.¡± the Magus answered before pointing to the packages. ¡°Open them.¡± she encouraged.


    Clain did so and began with the smaller box. It was made of thin yet sturdy wooden pannels and painted with a plain clear lacquer. The insides were lined with a rough brown cloth which held in it a bundle of interlocking loops of steel. He held these up to reveal a shirt of mail which he held up to himself and look suspiciously close to his personal dimensions. He moved to the next box which was also of the same make but in it was a lighter colored robe of the same style to the Headmistress and Arcane Researcher and had a trim of both white and purple threads.


    ¡°Put them on.¡± Yhala instructed Clain and he made a move of taking off his vest. ¡°No need to do that, just slip it over what your wearing now.¡± so he did and the mail shirt was a near perfect fit. After girding it with a nice leather belt included with the mail, he then moved to the robe which comfortably fit over the mail.


    It was hot or even a little bit warm as he was expecting but his thoughts snapped back to the fit. ¡°Uhm. Ma''am, I don''t remember giving any measurements for any of these or payment for that matter.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry about the second one as that¡¯s part of joining the ranks of staff here and the first few quests you did in the city were actually made by the academy.¡± she paused before continuing. ¡°The first one, we already had a kind of reserved commission with the craftsmen in the city and the fine measurememts were taken of you whilst you were recovering and I assure you that everything was done professional.¡± Clain catching a mischievous glint in her eyes.

 Chapter 22

    ¡°Form up!¡± Clain stood on the field calling in the students who where shuffling out into rows. Once everyone was in order he continued. ¡°Good work out there. The exercises you had done are good for now and next week we will be adding some multiple source countering and evasion. Good? Dismissed.¡±


    The lessons ended nice and timely for the past month now and the students have warmed up to Clain for his less brutal approach as Yhala had them practically fighting her in turns or en mass as they tried to pierce through her barrier in their previous sessions. They did learn about quick casting as if they weren''t on the offensive then the Magus would be the one attacking.


    He was impressed with a few as they were able to group cast considerably quickly as others periodically bombarded the Magus like siege engines would a castle keep in the last class before he took over for Yhala.


    ¡°How were they?¡± Yhala asked as Clain was barely through doorway and was facing towards rows of meticulously laid out components, crystals, vials, and fine tools.


    ¡°They are steadily improving. I can even say that most of them would be a good match to the regular guards back in Rothram.¡± He replied as he thought back to the few exchanges he had with the training sessions he had been part of. ¡°There''s just a nagging feeling with how proficient these young one already are, it''s like Trask itself is building an army.¡± Clain remarked more as voicing idle thoughts than anything else.


    ¡°So what if we are?¡± was the reply given.


    Clain¡¯s eyes snapped towards his mentor which was now lock with her ow gaze. Steady, serious, and studying eyes were what he was now contending with and they held their places for a good long minute before the words returned to his mouth.


    ¡°Against the kingdom?¡± were the only three words he was able to let out as a pressure of mana saturating the air was steadily building since the Magus last spoke. All he was able to muster as a defense was a layer barely extending an inch above his skin as mana was rushing through his veins and aura was the outer layer to ward against foreign mana.


    It wasn''t long, though it felt like an oppressive and isolating eternity that Clain fell to his knees. His layer of aura was being striped away by the now visibly purple pulsating wav tendrils of mana, even the magical tools in the room were coming active as the Magi¡¯s living tattoo flared to life, while his was diminishing at an alarming rate.


    A few minutes later, he was on the floor, clinging on to consciousness as his mana was now being pulled from his body by the Magus standing over him. Her tattoo seemed to be filling up as he was running on fumes. The last light he saw was that of a haze of lilacs, lavenders and purples as the darkness took him under.


    The Magus stood over Clain and reached towards the tattoo, the one which she herself had given him, and form it part of it ¡®peeled¡¯ off forming a sphere roiling light enclosed by the same black from the living tattoo. Flowers bloomed on the area where the ball exited and the Magus gave it a light tap and her purple light painted the flowers of the tattoo.


    ¡°A month it took me.¡± Yhala mused to herself. ¡°Someone is surely making arrangements in Rothram.¡± She voiced her thoughts in the secured space of her Research Room and all the while picking Clain up again with her levitation spell and bought him to the open portion of the room before the Onyx mannequin.


    She set Clain down on a bed that stretched from below the jet black head and torso and the fissures running through the figure glowed a silver light. Yhala placed the orb into the top of the mannequin¡¯s head and the living tattoo on Clain flared with the now purple touch from the Magus and an image was revealed floating over the unconscious assistant.


    ¡°The Adventurers Guild, the City Guard and even their respective training areas.¡± the Magus still recognized the two places in Royal capital city, Rothram which she had visited many times in the past. ¡°If those had been infiltrated, then there should be many more.¡± she deduced and speculated as both these places held considerably military might in any and all cities, which was especially true in any capital.


    She sifted through whatever information the extracted sphere was able to provide, which wasn''t much more than just trace outlines over a map in and around Rothram. In the end, a web of faint lines running to and fro detailed the frequented places by Clain and the obvious areas where the power in the sphere was being cycled was revealed.


    Only a day later was when he regained consciousness. It was already midday from the light that streamed in from a high window and was the last day of the week, which meant he was free for that day.


    Exhausted mentally but felt fully capable, he sat up to find the Magus once again in the same corner, in the same chair though reading a different mystic tome since the last time he woke from being knocked out cold.


    He brought back up his defenses but decided not to as he recalled the last time he attempted to fend off the Magus.


    ¡°Wise choice young man.¡± were the words Yhala greeted him before continuing.¡±There''s a bit of bread, cheese and wine there, eat a little before we talk.¡± she said, never taking her eyes off the tome she was reading.


    Clain simply complied and ate half the loaf and nibbled on some cheese while taking a few sips of wine in between. The bread was nolight yet filling, the cheese rich, and the wine was thin though sweet and balanced out the cheese while quenching his thirst. Once done sated, he opened his mouth to ask but once again shut it as he saw an image of human capital of Rothram projected in the space between him and the Magus.


    The streets he knew so well, the paths he took through the city, the haunts and shops and stores he visited, saw or frequented were all there some parts in detail and some a little more vague. Then he realized, these were his own memories. All the routes he took, the sights he saw and the places he passed. And then a faint line was traced and two points became glowing beacons, the Adventurers Guild and the City Guard¡¯s training field.


    ¡°Were you ever healed or revitalized by arcane techniques or martial skills in these areas?¡± was how she began and Clain simply nodded, a bit puzzled. ¡°Have you seen this tool being used during such times?¡± same answer as he recognized the exact same radial-shaped, gold and bronze amulet barely the size of his palm but was distinctly mounted on a crystal orb held secure by a base of fluted silver and also lacking a certain prismatic center gem.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°The process by which the healer told you was that there would be a small bit of weakness you might feel as the spell/skill they were using would enhance recovery by using a little energy from the target.¡± the Magus getting the words exactly as he had heard from the different healers that were there whenever he accepted the free rejuvenation service.


    ¡°Let me show you what was happening when that process was being done.¡± Yhala waved her hand and the scene of the city before her changed to that of two silhouettes which seemed to contain solidified light of different colors. ¡°Here is a healing spell.¡± one figure was a caster and their body showed a slight dimming from the top of their head as the a spell was affecting the other. The gash leaking light on the other figure was closed and mended as the color of the caster¡¯s energy blended with the injured one and in time the changed into the natural color of the now healed figure.


    Clain pondered the process revealed to him. He had known this for a while from the reading he has done and the lessons he had taken on healing spells from the most basic to the advance, though he was only only able to use the least level of healing which was enough to seal small cuts, alleviate minor burns and at one time remove a sunburn as had personally found out.


    ¡°Common knowledge is that the there are three levels of healing spells, with the first being a minor/lesser healing with things like cuts and small burns, and scrapes bruises, the second is basic/middle healing as cuts that reach muscle and even bone could be sealed and made non life-threatening though only just so as it cannot restore lost mass and blood, advance/greater healing is the last level as it is able to reattach severed limbs, instantly mend broken bones after being properly set, and bring to peak condition a past injury so long as nothing is missing.¡± her brief explanation ended as such before she produce another pair of solid light figures.


    ¡°Restorative spells are another matter, similar yet different but taught together with healing, and only scholars give emphasis to that distinction. As the name implies, these spells are able to bring back the loss incurred from injury so from skin to cover a scrape, to the blood lost from a wound, to the splintering of bone from a crushing blow, and even the exceedingly rare and difficult regrowth of an organ or a limb, or the simply recovery of stamina without losing one''s progress in training.¡± as she spoke the figures cycled the images she described. ¡°All these spells are based on the need for both csster and target to expend some energy and on the target''s end, to have digested/stored enough food or body mass for the lost amount to be recovered.¡± the Magus gave a summarized form of the passages Clain had read through in his studies back in the capital.


    He marshalled the courage to ask, ¡°What is this then Magus?¡±


    ¡°Good. Seems your senses have returned.¡± she remarked and was then pointing to the orb. ¡°This is an anchor and syphon of sorts, an anchor for scrying and an energy syphon to be more precise. Did you not wonder that a healer using a restoration spell while on quest wouldn''t feel as draining on your energy reserves as much as when you do in the guild or training field?¡±


    Clain¡¯s eyes shone as he had recalled memories of the various times he had been the recipient of such restorative spells and the odd restoration potion.


    Yhala picked up on the change, "Why, is what you are thinking right now and I can only give you some conjectures which we have gleaned over the years.¡±


    It was a quit a story and took up most of the rest of the day and ended just about the same time as the academy was welcoming back stay-in students and staff and those who lived outside to leave. Clain simply stuck to listening and asking for a clarification or answering the Magus¡¯ queries until the whole tale reached to present day and he was excused for the night.


    The tale was a long one as it consumed his thoughts for that walk home to the inn he stayed at, was given a meal, paid for it and took a bath before which had been drawn up to his room and lay on his bed.


    There were three main wars in the past on the continent, as far as the Human Kingdom was concerned, and these were the ¡®The Founding¡¯, ¡®The Defensive¡¯ and ¡®The Treaty¡¯ respectively.


    The first was the exodus from the old continent of Scouring Lands of Ohrvasht into Shaltra Expanse, where the human made their way from the coast, through the great plains and to where it is now in Rothram and the territories around it a little under three centuries ago. They had fought mainly the savage fauna which is rife on the continent to this day and a collection Feral Orcs, Goblins and Trolls in one part of the territory and Feral Beastkin tribes in another.


    The second war was one akin to that of an arranged war as the some tribes under the collection of the Beatkin councils sought justice for the slaughter of these feral villages. Though unknown to the fledgeling human kingdom that these Feral villages were a sort of penal colony as the adults were beyond recovery from the savage state but not the offspring. There were chances that the bestial rage would subside around the coming of age at around fifteen years and this set off an idealised hunt for justice that a few tribes declared upon the humans. But then again this was another cover the later acceptance of the new nation as part of beastkin culture was to test the strength and mettle of their get and their neighbors by a test of might and skill.


    The Defense became a much shorter war with clear conventions and a schedule. So skill fought cunning, pitting formations against one another, intellect and instinct clashing on open battle and quickly ending with little to no casualties at every encounter as a mass duel to first blood became the norm. It was a contest for survival in the eyes of the humans but to the beastkin it was to measure the worth of the people and future neighbor. Another was that it had become a kind of honing battle prowess and source of honour for the youths of the beastkin.


    The fledgling kingdom barely won out against just the three tribes, namely the feline, canine and ursine. They held and were acknowledged as an entity though not as a ally but as a neutral party and trade partner.


    The most recent war was the one named, The Treaty, which had ended a mere two decades since present day. It was a war which had forged a forced alliance between the kingdoms, nations and powers of the continent against a strange enemy which was simply named the ¡°Corruption¡±. A most queer collection of Savages, Ferals, Mana-Twisted creatures. It was as though all the sentient races of the continent were turned into a state of utter violence and rage and where accompanied by animals turned monsters. It had come so suddenly but most recent consensus say that it was an occurrence which had begun 10 years before it ended. Small villages out in untamed frontier and some travelling bands of peoples were lost and were found weeks later attacking other settlements and became such that areas were depopulated and was said that the whole of the continent lost a tenth of all it''s population across the continent.


    All of these thoughts came to the front of Clain''s mind as the statement the Magus gave him was that ¡°The Corruption was just the beginning.¡±


    Both the Magus and the Headmaster were witnesses to those two wars and held Trask through them. Now the group they had formed after the last war in anticipation of another one, he became part of. She had told him ¡°You would now be an addition and an instrument to our order. The peoples of the different kingdoms may be a hardy bunch and here in Trask they are no different but they all lack a small ¡®something,¡¯ that is a catalyst, teachers to bring them the knowledge, skills and mindset to prepare them for an impending war and not of old conventions but that of against extinction.¡±


    Clain mulled through the statements, barely finishing the meal Gar had served. Now he lay spread out in a tired and distraught state atop his bed. ¡°Why me? How didn''t I notice? To what end is this? Who were these conspirators?¡± Such questions cycled in his mind for the next sleepless couple of hours.


    ¡°We shall see who uses whom?¡± Was the question he had for himself as determination filled his mind and the first part of his personal layer of defensive spells had been placed around his subconscious.

 Chapter 23

    ¡°Thanks again Gar.¡± Clain said as he left the Inn for the last time as he was set to move into the academy prepared residences.


    It had already been a week since the revelation to him by the Magus. Now he was to report to the Headmistress to receive further instructions to his additional role and the functions that came with it.


    After a few knocks on the large and sturdy door he announced himself waiting for a reply, ¡°Clain Crispin here for your Headmistress.¡±


    ¡°Enter.¡± came the clear reply, unmuffled the deceptively thin door.


    Clain pulled on the doors open with ease and noticed the light flickering of the enchantments placed upon it.


    ¡°Still intrigued by the enchantments Mr. Crispin?¡± The Headmistress Artrask asked.


    ¡°In all honesty ma''am, yes.¡± He said facing her straight on but then moved towards the seat to the side of her simple, hardwood work desk.


    ¡°That was a masterwork of an Erun enchanter specialized in structural enchanting and so is this.¡± As she finished her statement her eyes began to glow and so did the walls of the room connecting to the whole of the academy building as the veins of enchantment-laden metal snaked beneath the plastered walls.


    Most of those already in the Academy took no heed of the glow or gave cursory notice to the light glow. But those who were new or uninformed stopped in their tracks alarmed or surprised by the uniform glow. They were kindly filled in by other passers by about the occurrence and went back to their motions.


    ¡°A small thing, keeps the walls clean most of the time though it can be a warning system or a fortifying bolster to the whole of the structure.¡± She explained as she took her hand off of an octagonal crystal jutting out from behind the table to her right and was slowly descending back into the floor leaving no sign of being there in the first place.


    ¡°Now back to the matter at hand.¡± She remarked and snapped him at attention. ¡°For now you should know the reasons we serve. First, is that we, the holders of the living tattoos, are to safeguard Trask and its people in times of DIRE need. Second, is the advancement of one''s knowledge and skills and its impartation or recording into the academy. And lastly, to value the sanctity and protection of life against forces natural or unnatural for the good all. In shorter words we protect this city, better ourselves and share it, and to help others.¡±


    ¡°Seems simple enough.¡± He remarked. ¡°Anything else more specific ma''am?¡±


    ¡°I take it that you are familiar with common law at Trask?¡± She asked, to which Clain responds with an affirmative nod. ¡°Then no. Then for now you just continue with the imparting of your casting technique and also you are to report to a forge and engraver. Bring these with you.¡±


    Clain received two clear white envelopes with the seal of the school melted into the wax glob. One had a mark of an anvil with rabbit ears while the other had a small vertical chisel crossed in front by two thin pointed bars with sharp tips.


    ¡°The forge, I take it you already know where?¡± She replied with a quick nod. ¡°Good. I advise you pass that second one to the vice-captain of the city guard. You can find him either at the main barracks just next to the academy or find him at the main martial courses sparring sessions.¡±


    ¡°Anything else Headmistress?¡± Clain asked


    ¡°Nothing, that would be all.¡± The lady Artrask waved to him and went to a stack of bound once the young instructor left.


    The next day, Clain was free and went to the forge in a fairly quick manner as he was made familiar with the area and passed it a few times before but had yet to enter the establishment. Though it did strike him whenever he passed near the area, that was the near constant and rhythmical clink of metal on metal. It reminded of something of interest he had never seen except only in his dreams, a mechanism of gears, springs, nuts and bolts made in sheer precision and artistically housed in an exquisite shell decorated with all pomp and regal flare that nobility might no doubt want it all for themselves. A thing of craftsmanship that his strange dreams were giving him the understanding was that it was a tool for ¡°telling the time.¡±


    He was pulled back into the here and now as he found himself standing before the door of the forge.


    He gave the sign hanging above a quick look to confirm that it was indeed the ¡°Long Ears Forge¡±. He then thought to himself ¡°Might as well get those over with¡± and promptly entered and heard the sound of the bell upon opening and closing the door.


    The sounds of hammering seemed to lose a pair strikes though that didn''t detract much towards the remaining tempo of three hammers pounding away in the background. Clain only had a few short moments to admire the various pieces and sets of armor and weapons before a door behind the counter opened and revealed a pair of gray bunny ears with a tied back head of brown hair.


    ¡°Good morning and welcome to the Long Ears Forge. What may I help you with sir?¡± The cute little face said after stepping onto a raised portion behind the counter.


    He simply handed the letter after a quick bow as the still smiling young lady received the letter. ¡°Ah. Yes. Wait one moment please. Please look around, maybe you might find something of interest.¡± Then disappeared quickly back into the doorway behind the counter.


    Clain just then noticed that the ''clerk¡¯ which greeted him had on a leather apron and even through the slightly sooty sleeves she also had on, still gave away a hint of built muscle. ''A bunny blacksmith¡¯ he mused to himself before turning back to giving the displayed pieces a closer look.


    ''Seems like the surfaces on the armors and weapons are prepared to be able to carry an inscription or two.¡¯ It isn''t much but was an awfully considerate little thing a smith could offer as these touches were a bit fiddly in nature and often skipped by other smiths unless things were made for specific commissions.


    In Clain''s thoughts, ¡°These weapons and armour were made in a way that a common citizen may be able to purchase after a few good seasons of harvest or an affluent one could get decorated and enhanced to no end.¡± And he noticed the sounds of hammering had stopped for a few moments already and the door behind the counter opened to let out two pairs of ears.


    ¡°Come over lad.¡± The strong voice said more as a request than a command.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Clain compiled and stood before the powerfully built rabbit. Then eyed him head to toe and took a quick look around Clain which had worn a plain reddish brown doublet over a nice off-white shirt, loose brown pants and a pair of well-worn boots.


    ¡°Your weapons?¡± The bunny asked him


    ¡°I am just fine with a bow and sling, better with a crossbow. Still just fine with a spear and a two-handed sword but I much prefer a short sword or half spear with a round shield.¡± He listed off in response.


    ¡°Any magic and imbuing affinity?¡± The smith then asked.


    To which Clain stepped back and unsheathed a small dagger off his belt and then proceeded to draw a tune with his free hand over his weapon and at the same time was calmly muttering a spell. And after a breath, the rune flared to life and the liquid out of his water sack half flew onto the blade and half in front of his open palm. The dagger then took on three times its length and was now like that of a proper short sword and the rest of the water became a free-floating shield.


    The older bunny then looked to the younger one and nodded and she then handed him a half spear behind her. Then with great quickness the old smith struck. Once, twice, thrice and finally a fourth the series of attacks ended as Clain was pushed back two steps, barely managing the first two strikes on his shifting fluid shield, parrying the last two and was ready with a flash spell to be followed by a downward cut. Only to stop just before releasing the spell as the smith relented.


    ¡°Good enough. The name''s Dale. Now follow me.¡± the older bunny quickly introduced himself before disappearing through the door.


    Clain''s thoughts were at a blank as he dispelled his flash and the gathering mana for an icicle bolt he had planned on following with after his now-halted lunge.


    ¡°I''m Glen by the way. Best be moving now.¡± The younger bunny said as she bolted the front door closed.


    And so he walked towards the back of the counter and carefully dropped the water he had used as a shield and blade extension into a cleaning pail.


    He followed Glen as they passed into a larger display area which made Clain wonder of the rank and status of this forge. ¡°These works here could rival the better gear within the royal armory back in Rothram.¡± He thought to himself. They stopped at the end of the room just before another door before Glen began to give him instructions.


    ¡°First, please take out your personal armor and weapons, and equip them. Relax dad won''t be testing you wearing it.¡± She said, stopping the rise of Clain''s anxiety and proceeded to take out his armor from his storage and wear it. ¡°Is that all? Okay, now take a few steps back and follow the motions I am going to do.¡±


    Dale came from the other side of the door and was holding something in his hand. The grizzled old smith simply watched as Glen led the series stretching and mobility exercises noticing the armor harness that Clain had produced from a satchel that hung behind him on his belt.


    At the end of the motions, he stood there clad in his full set catching his breath. His helm was a sallet with a short tail and a beavor to protect the mouth and throat. The padded cap underneath had a bit of mail to drape behind the neck and rest on the top of the shoulders. He had a solid single chest piece on the front and segmented plates in the back joined together by leather thongs and worn over a mail shirt, to which the sleeves cut midway on the forearm with bits of rounded plate to cover shoulders and elbows. The rest of the forearms and the wrists were protected by a vambrace and hourglass gauntlet combination with fingers of segmented plate stitched over leather. His mail shirt went over his waist and reached halfway over his thighs. He had mail breeches underneath and ended around the ankles and these were further reinforced by a covering of a plate leg harness which only covered the front of the thighs, knees, shins and feet. For ease of movement he had soft leather shoes with hardened soles as some bits of plate covered the top of his feet to the tips of his toes.


    Admittedly this was Clain''s ¡°heavy/soldier set¡± as most of the time he would be using only a mix of parts of the armor at times whenever appropriate and had only used the full combination for two monster horde subjugations, aside from the occasional heavy training sessions.


    For the next few minutes only the sounds of lightly labored breaths and the clinking of metal links were audible. Then the session ended as Glen called out to her father.


    ¡°Was that enough dad?¡± to which was replied with a nod. But was then followed by a question.


    ¡°Where is your wand lad?¡±


    To which the now calm assistant instructor/researcher pulled off a gauntlet and let the living tattoo manifest on his bare hand and released mana which formed into a benign-looking orb of swirling green, blue, yellow and white.


    ¡°A multi-elemental mage using shield and sword. Now this has become much more interesting.¡± The younger smith remarked as the older one nodded while in thought before moving towards one of the sets of armor off to the side.


    Having at least two elements was common for any mage and having only one or three was less common, the rarer were four and legendary had five. Namely, all the elements were fire, water, earth, wind, light and dark. The former four were like points on a wheel where one was effective towards the other and weak to another, while light and dark were opposite to one another.


    ¡°Mister Crispin. It if you don''t mind me asking, can you meld elements?¡± Glen asked with a mix of curiosity and inquisitiveness.


    To which she was answered with ¡°Its fine but I''m afraid to disappoint as I am only able to cast them individually with confidence and anything less than a full incantation, a magic circle and a casting tool is needed for me to let out any noteworthy spell.¡± Something Clain is striving to improve with the help of the Magus.


    ¡°Try this on.¡± Dale handed him what looked to be like an integrated shield and gauntlet.


    The piece itself was quite simple and plain with the fist having articulate fingers with similar fingerplates affixed to a sturdy leather glove. A padded lining was on the inside of the forearm sleeve and the shield portion was like that between an ovate and round shape as it ran the length over the wrist and ending on the elbow but not as wide across.


    Clain tried it on and found it a little tight with the mail and padding he had on.


    ¡°Try channeling some mana now, like you would with your warding.¡± Dale instructed


    Clain followed and focused his attention towards the task at hand. And shortly after, he found the same sized mana shield he regularly used but then noticed the relative ease in forming and maintaining the whole ward. Not only that, there was an efficiency to it that he felt he could''ve been able to hold warding/shield spell three times longer. He then thought to himself, ¡°What if¡­¡± and looked to towards the old smith.


    Dale his gaze and nodded a ¡°Go ahead¡± which set him to task in ''sculpting¡¯ the shape of ward. First thing that came to mind was doubling the thickness. Next he did was thinning it back down while making it twice the size. After that was shaping it into a diamond, curved rectangle and then a convex oval. Finally Clain made the ward contort and curve around his arm and fist forming a gauntlet of mana that was thrice the size of his actual hand.


    ¡°As expected of someone from the academy.¡± The old smith said approvingly as he intently watched the display of spell manipulation the assistant instructor had made.


    ¡°Thank you sir. You are too kind.¡± Clain responded as he himself admittedly improved by leaps and bounds even in his short two months in the Trask. The whole truth being, was that once the Magus found out his affinity yet lack of both melding elements and a large mana pool, he had been drilled and pushed to his limit at the same time taught to be efficient and cost effective with his mana use. The result of which made him more confident and versatile with shaping and molding mana for counter spell slinging and making tools out of them to efficiently make use of his limited resources. The tidbits of inspiration from the ¡®dream/memories¡¯ he sometimes had were also a factor, it giving him the creativity and insight for his current combat methodology.


    Content with the gauntlet-cum-casting tool, Clain loosened the straps to return the piece. And after handing it to a waiting Glen, Dale asked him a question.


    ¡°Anything else you might want to add to this?¡± he said with a bit of sterness in his tone.


    Clain then accessed the storage of the brooch fixed on his doublet. ¡°Can you add this to the metal to use for the gauntlet?¡±

 Chapter 24

    In Clain''s hands were two fist-sized chunks of metallic ore. They were craggy and jagged, not exactly crystalline but reflected a bit of light when hit at the right angles. Both had a good partly lustrous dark bronze shine with red veins snaking through them.


    ¡°Orichalcium ore!¡± Glen exclaimed in surprise, not loud enough to be a shout, as Clain handed both pieces to the older smith.


    ¡°Well lad seems you''re quite full of surprises. It''s been a while since I''ve seen ore like that.¡± it wasn''t as though there were no pieces made of orichalcium in the shop. On the contrary, there were a few, and even had mithril and various alloys of both exceptionally rare metals. It was simply that the Dale seldom ever handeled the ores of both and more often had ingots, coins or old, broken shards from armor, weapons or jewelry to use. The most he got to interact with were from back when his friend had brought him the hoarded pickings through the years and processing.


    ¡°Something I acquired after a long series of missions while still in Rothram''s northern border. A surprise after processing the contents of the bowels of a Rock Eater which caved in part of an abandoned iron mine. We were sent to confirm the cause of the cave in as there was the possible threat of other creatures nesting in the area.¡± Clain recounted as he remembered his other party members received similar chunks of different metals, gems or materials from the beast and the strangely satisfying feast the seven of them had with the flesh afterwards.


    The Rock Eater that they took down was about as long as three average men placed end on end and was as thick as a barrel. It was quite small considering that the average was about three standard military carriage lengths and almost as wide as one was. The largest of these creatures ever encountered was described and respected as akin to a limbless dragon as it was just as dangerous as the legendary creatures and the death of this beast helped found and fund one of the Elven States for nearly two millennia, but that is a tale for another time.


    ¡°I take it you want it as an alloy with steel? I can stretch this out enough for a whole arm harness and breastplate while still providing a moderately low enhancing effect or have it as pure as it is now and get about a vambrace''s worth with a little left over.¡± The old smith voiced his estimations.


    ¡°Here''s a little more to help you with the combining.¡± Clain produced two mangled panels of what looked like plate that could have either been on arms or shins. ¡°Those used to be mine, saved from quite a few pinches but got mangled from a post-quest mishap. Both are about a fifth orichalcium with trace amounts of mithril mixed with the steel.¡±


    ¡°This would do nicely. Let''s get back to the front counter, for some measurements and get a good sketch for what you need.¡± Dale said as he led the way back out.


    Back at the counter, Dale took out an old book, some coarse paper, a stick of charcoal, and a measuring string. Stretching out Clain''s hand, some measurements made, a few scratches on the coarse paper and a look through drawings of armor pieces in the book the commission was decided.


    Dale ducked back through the door with the pieces in hand leaving the two to discuss other details


    ¡°Come back the same day next week for fixing the fittings and are there any particulars you wish to add or change?¡± Glen asked in a friendly and professional manner.


    ¡°Yes I will and it would be around the same time of day too. No, everything we had decided is fine.¡± with a content smile and curt bow Clain exited the Long Ears Forge and began to make his way towards his next destination, an enchanter''s workshop, specifically, an Erun enchanter''s workshop. A curious thought though was that the instructions given to him stated that he presented the letter to the vice captain of the city guard which made him turn back towards the Academy as the Barracks of the city guard was just beside it.


    He made his way back towards the direction of the Academy though stopping by a few food stalls for a few quick bites to have as he thought it would be the best time to catch the officers of the guard while they were to have lunch at the Barracks¡¯ mess hall. Clain did so under the assumption of it being similar to how those back in Rothram''s guard officials practice of having their meals.


    The gatehouse to the City Guard compound was manned by one guard facing outward and another one facing inward. Both were standing at attention and wore the same set of armor which was a mix of padding, mail and plate. A barbute which was open at the face, covering the cheeks and having a perforations around the area of the ears. Chest and shoulders covered in plate and sleeves of mail extending into vambraces with articulated fingered gauntlets. An armored skirt of mail hung from the breastplate and covered half the thighs which were encased in trousers of mail and had a supplements of plates on the knees, fronts of the shins and tops of the feet.


    He showed his identification as an adventurer, then the letter and promptly asked for directions towards the officer''s stations and then the mess hall. The Barracks was the first building he saw after entering and to the side of it was the Armory and behind both was the Mess Hall, Kitchen and Forge, though not much was made in there and was more for making quick fixes or refittings to armor and weapons as the City Guard was had a contracted relationship with most of the smithies in the city which both ensured a quality to their items with the competitive relationship between the smithies.


    He made his way towards the back of the large building, which was equally just as large as the main school building in the Academy at four stories tall and two hundred meters long. As it had quarters on the middle two floors, offices on the bottom and top floors, a judiciary hall was on the first to entertain various civil complaints and an aviary/messenger roost on the top.


    Upon circling the building, as he wasn''t too keen on moving through it, he had seen the connected structure of mess hall, kitchen and smithy. Clain beheld an interesting sight of a myriad kind of forms of the different guards, as exemplified by the mix of peoples and races living in Trask. There were humans and elves of different shades of skin and hair colour, at least several kinds of beastkin and the lizardmen variations and the occasional smaller goblin and beastkin. As the shades of fur, skin, scale and pummage differed, the sizes and shapes were also a differing matter, as there stood an orc of at least 2 meters in height of sculpted muscle and strength, almost as wide as the orc was tall with a portly but powerful boar tribe beastkin, lean and built kinds of elf, human, feline, canine, bovine and even avian beastkins that ranged from sleek and slender to ripped and solid. There were also a few examples of the Lizardmen and Erun and even a Troll which stood at 3 meters. But in general, the average in height and weight would land just as much as he was at a meter and three fifths and around 67 kilograms.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    He was only able observe these things as near all of the the guardsmen which were either heading out or just arrived were helping each other out in undoing or gearing up their outer layers of armor as some were getting down to their shirts or padded jacks or putting back on mail and plate. Some of the guardsmen though simply ate their meals in full gear with only their helms taken off.


    Currently, there were at least two hundred people there with a dozen or so in the process of either going back out or coming in. This number accounted for about a tenth of all the city guards. A small thing compared to back in Rothram where their city watch was at twice this size at 5000 and the various house guards put together reached a thousand, a third of that was the King''s own guard.


    Clain did learn though that even in a theoretical war, Trask was more than able to defend itself against the whole of the Human kingdom''s total military might of around a hundred thousand strong force. This was due to the nature of Adventuring under Trask where they can be contracted into military service, the people having a fierce love for their city and the fact that over three fourths those of age were trained reservists and support, and even counting the potently educated students and staff of the academy. All of those brought up the numbers of the Free City''s Defense Force to just shy of fifty thousand and if the situation and position allowed for it, in theory, to be able to fend off a force five times it''s number.


    Such thoughts though we''re never truly proven as there has yet to be a power to have beset Trask since its founding. Yet the nature of the forests around the city have kept its guards sharp as the occasional wave of monsters and Mana-Twisted beasts would pop up and ravage the lands and settlements around Trask. These occurrences have become a valuable factor in keeping the Defense forces sharp and also provide an economic incentive to the defenders as the materials the slain beasts can be utilized for making a multitude of essential and luxury goods.


    Clain was thinking about the last mana-twisted creature that was put down just days before when his thoughts were returned to the here and now as he stepped aside to let 3-meter tall guardsman through as he, or was it she, be able to access the armor racks which were to either side of the wide entrance of the Mess hall.


    He then asked another person which was just leaving to the specific officer that he might present this letter to. He was promptly pointer to a group of more finely dressed and finished guardsmen on a far table and to introduce himself to all of them while then showing the letter, and so he did.


    He crossed the rows of long chairs and long tables, confident and swiftly and reached the table where four distinct persons were sitting as one of them was talking as two ate while listening and the last was just there contemplating the words with closed eyes.


    The one speaking dropped his train of thought as to address Clain. Her fierce gaze was juxtaposed by her welcoming voice. ¡°Hello there sir. To what may the Guardsmen of Trask help you with.¡± A toothy smile was both inviting and a smidge frightening with her predatory feline features.


    Clain addressed all the armored personnel which were now looking at him. ¡°Good day ma''am, well met and good day to you all.¡± He responded as he gave a bow with his right fist closed and resting on the center of his chest and the back of his left fist on the small of his back. ¡°I am Clain Crispin, an assistant instructor and researcher of the Academy and I was sent here by the Headmistress with this.¡± he straightened quickly as his statement came to an end while holding out the letter.


    ¡°Well met mister Crispin. This one is called Treena Girin Captain of the First Watch and Head of Training¡± the dirty blond, panther beastkin introduced herself then continued to name the others. ¡°This one is Goran Norag, my vice captain and first Trainor.¡± She pointed across her to the green mountain of muscle with soft brown eyes and a dark head of short cropped hair responded with a bow and soft and deep rumble. ¡°This one Ernst Elm, vice captain of the Second Watch and second Trainor.¡± A man of medium build light brown complexion and hazel eyes said a ¡°hello¡± towards Clain. ¡°That one is Sir Stenka Ilya, Captain of the Third Watch and Head of Arms.¡± the bald elf with a grayish complexion opened his eyes to regard Clain with a gaze filled with wisdom beyond all of Clain''s years and effortlessly and gracefully gave a bow even though he was still seated.


    ¡°Enough of that Sten. The good man was sent here by the Lady and it seems he is also the current assistant to the Magus.¡± Treena''s words only getting the gray elf to smile.


    ¡°Uhm. May I ask how do you know I am the Lady Magus¡¯ assistant?¡± Clain interjected as he was not even wearing the identifying pin all staff receive upon becoming regular to their positions.


    He was answered with the four of them pulling down their shirt collars down a bit and then a snaking pattern ran halfway up the sides of their necks. Treena had thin lines connecting to swirling spots, Goran''s were curving in some and straight in others and ended with sharp points, Ernst was similar to Goran but were less curvy with rounded ends and Stenka had the same vine-like pattern to that of the Magus but looked more like those that climbed over stone than a violently barbed plant with arcane blossoms.


    Clain reciprocated by pulling up his left sleeve and let his own tattoo move down and a feeling similar to that of a kind of close kinship was spreading throughout him. He took each hand that was extended to him in turn and at the end of it he could feel that they can also sense where he is.


    ¡°Don''t be too shocked sir, that''s one more feature to it.¡± Like how the rumbling of thunder would sound if it were turned into a voice said. ¡°I believe it is me that letter is partly directed to.¡± Goran Norag was the one to speak.


    ¡°Ah yes. Thank you sir.¡± Clain responded as the vice captain was opening the letter with a deftness unexpected from his frame and was reading through it.


    A tingling sensation was pulling on Clain''s consciousness and he turned to the general direction it was coming from and saw Sten''s tattoo was ¡°active¡±, and like it was planned the others took turns at pulling his attention. He had already been familiar to this feeling but it was a new thing as it came from a few different people as in the first week Clain thought it strange that whenever he was turning the corner near the Headmaster''s or Magus¡¯ offices it was like he felt what was the expected response or approach he would go with.


    Clain bowed to each and focused back on Goran as it was now him alerting his attention. ¡°Come with me sir later. For now though, may I interest you with joining us in our discussion.¡±


    ¡°A marvelous idea Goran. It would be a most welcome thing to have an instructor from the Academy give his own take. Especially one both in martial and arcane combat practical applications.¡± The Captain to the First Watch remarked.


    Clain wasn''t surprised anymore and simply asked. ¡°What is it that you were discussing Captain, that I may be able to help you with?¡±


    ¡°No need to be so formal Clain, we were just having a talk on adjustments to the training of new recruits and the retraining for the reserve militia.¡± The captain changed to a less formal tone.


    And that set off a back and forth between the five of them as they asked Clain on his insights to the training programs that the City Watch were using. Clain answering with the possible changes, improvements, or additional points, was inwardly wondering if this was either Academy Head had added for him to do.


    A little over two hours later, and an instance of being served with snacks and tea, the discussions ended.


    ¡°Thank you Sir Crispin for your perspective and ideas.¡± The captain said, returning the her initial formal tone.


    ¡°Come Sir. I will bring you to where the letter says you need to go.¡± the towering orc stood and made his way to the entrance to pick up his helm but left without a weapon. Clain just followed along seeming like a child following after a parent as onlookers saw.


    The two walked in relative silence, save for the usual clink and shuffle of metal and the odd questions the larger man had for Clain as to how he has fared in the city thus far. To which Clain courteously answered and was afterwards followed by another one after some pondering.