by Phoenix Grey
After bathing, Azure went to the tavern for dinner. He sat there for a little over an hour, Analyzing people as they came and went. Most of the men were a higher level than him, but that made sense considering that The Adventurer's Guild was nearby. Once the urge to purchase a beer became too great, Azure retired to his room, immediately kneeling down to check and see if his money was still where he had left it. To his relief, it was. Azure placed it back in his bag, deciding that he wouldn't leave it again tomorrow.
As time ticked on, Azure found himself growing increasingly worried about Lonnell. It was well after dark, making the roads more dangerous. Hopefully, he had found somewhere to hole up for the night.
Trying to distract his mind, Azure pulled Fishing Patheana out of his bag again. He flipped the book open and looked at the map, tracing the distance between Squall's End and Jade Pond with his finger. He regretted not asking Enno more questions about where the pond was located. More than that, he was annoyed that the game didn't have a better mapping system.
Closing his eyes, he thought to bring up a map of the area. To his surprise, his vision filled with a large map, most of which was completely black. Only a tiny sliver had any color to it at all. There was a blue blinking light that Azure could only assume marked his location.
Why hadn't anyone told him about this before?! It would have made things so much easier.
Azure concentrated on zooming in. Most of the black disappeared. He could now see Crescent Island, Squall's End, and Roselake. Surprisingly, there were quite a few areas on Crescent Island that he hadn't explored, not that he cared much about that now that he was on the mainland. What he was more interested in was the yellow blinking marker on his map. Focusing in further, Azure could see that it notated the location of his current quest objective, though it was pretty far into the black below Squall's End. Concentrating further didn't bring up any more details. More than anything, Azure was hoping to get an idea of how far away the pond was, but no dice. He wasn't much better off than before, having to take a guess that it was some twenty miles away from his current location.
This quest was going to take longer than Ferne had anticipated, Azure realized with a groan. He really regretted not going before Lonnell in the line at The Adventurer's Guild now. There was nothing to be done about it, though. Azure was stuck with the quest. Whether he liked it or not, he would have to waste at least two more days on it, one night of which he'd likely spend sleeping in the unknown. That thought frightened him. Maybe being an adventurer wasn't going to be so much fun after all.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
THE REALM – Day 46
Lonnell didn't return that night. Thankfully, worrying about him hadn't kept Azure awake. After analyzing his own quest, he realized that there would probably be a lot of times that they would be sent so far out that returning to Squall's End for the night wouldn't be possible.
Trying to see how well Azure could navigate on his own, he resolved not to ask for directions to Jade Pond. Instead, he pulled up his map about every thirty minutes and used it as his guide, deciding not to venture off of the main road until it seemed that he had no choice.
With his meals being provided by the inn, Azure didn't bother wasting any time on hunting. Nor did he spend time foraging, just wanting to get to the pond and complete the task.
He walked for six hours down the road leading away from Squall's End before his map told him to divert to the left. The man-made path he found was a pretty good indication that he was headed in the right direction. About a half mile further, he came upon the small body of water that had undoubtedly gotten its name from its color. It was no wonder that the path leading to the pond was well-worn either. Three other people were already set up around the pond with their poles in the water. They cast a smile in Azure's direction in greeting as he approached.
Jade Pond wasn't more than fifty yards across from its two furthest points. Shaped like a teardrop, there wasn't much fishing real estate. Azure was glad that there weren't more people around. It already seemed a bit overcrowded.
Feeling awkward from his lack of fishing experience, Azure tried to get as far away from everyone else as possible. He fumbled as he attempted to bait his hook with one of the fat squirming worms that Enno had given him. If a creature could have a skill for avoiding being pierced, Azure was pretty sure that this particular worm would be maxed out. His finger felt the sharpness of the hook long before the worm did. Azure was just about to rip the damn thing in half before he finally got it.
Critical hit! He thought smugly, then immediately felt guilty. The worm had just been trying to survive like everything else. Azure doubted it had ever hurt anything in its entire life, yet here he was skewering it for the sake of the quest.
Remorse should be the furthest thing from his mind though when he was in such a hurry. Azure pulled his pole back and flung the line forward. It didn't go as far as he had hoped, but he didn't feel like trying again. The distance was good enough.
As soon as his bait hit the water, a notification popped up.
Congratulations! New skill learned: Fishing Level 1. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. As long as he has enough bait, that is.
Fishing proved to be, as Azure had feared, incredibly boring. It seemed like the fish were craftier than the fisherman, stealing his bait time and time again. If not for the fact that no one seemed to be catching much except for this one guy at the far end of the pond with a souped-up pole, Azure would have thought he was doing something wrong.
After twenty minutes and four casts, he finally felt something tug on the line. His exhilaration lasted only as long as it took to reel the fish in.
You have caught:
Jade Catfish
Level: 1
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Length: 2 cm
Weight: 0 kg
Uses: Cooking, Restores +1 HP if eaten
You've got to be kidding me, he thought as he saw the tiny thing dangling from his hook. It looked like something you'd buy at a pet store. Tiny. Barely a morsel.
"Pathetic," he mumbled as he went to unhook the fish and stick it in his bag.
Azure spent the next forty minutes going through the rest of his bait to no avail. He quickly decided that he was not a fan of fishing. Perhaps it would have been more entertaining if he could have reeled in a monster, but that wasn't the case. At least, he was one step closer to completing his quest.
Azure groaned at the setting sun. He also groaned at the fact that his stamina had been nearly halfway depleted from his fishing efforts. Each cast cost him ten stamina points. It seemed a bit excessive for something that really didn't take much strength. His arms were sore, and he worried that it might impact his ability to swing his sword efficiently, should he have to fight.
The man with the souped-up pole was setting up camp on the far end of the pond. Azure spied him erecting a tent. While he wasn't really in the mood to make a new friend, there was definitely strength in numbers. The guy Analyzed as orange, so sticking around him would probably be the safest way to get through the night.
“Hey there, friend,” Azure said to him in the way of greeting as he approached. “Would you like some help with that tent?”
The man stopped, giving Azure a wary look as he wiped his hands on his pants. “And what would be in it for you? Few people offer to help without wanting something in return.”
A smile crept across Azure's lips. “You got me there. I have a room at the inn in Squall's End, but I won't be making it back tonight. Or I'd rather not try. There are some unsavory characters on the road—The Bower Boys, they're called. Also, I just moved here from Crescent Island, so I don't know much about the monsters in this area. I'd feel much safer if I were camping near someone familiar to the area. I'm not asking you to share your tent or your food. Just that you don't mind if I stick nearby.”
The man looked Azure up and down, s
eeming to be assessing whether or not he was a threat. After a moment, he continued setting up his tent. “I saw you fishing across the pond. You new to this?”
Not sure what to do, Azure just stood there and watched him. “Yeah. Today was my first time trying out fishing.”
“How'd you like it?”
Azure shifted uncomfortably, hoping he wouldn't offend the guy by not sharing in his love of the sport. “It's...not really my thing.”
The man laughed. “A game of patience, it can be.”
“I suppose. Are you sure you don't want any help?” He watched the man continue working.
“Nah. I've done this hundreds of times before. Got a routine down.”
“My name is Azure, by the way.”
“Goddart,” the man replied, though he didn't stop to clasp wrists with Azure in greeting.
“That's a fancy pole you've got there.” Azure nodded down at the pole. It appeared to be made of metal.
“Your last name isn't Bower, is it?” Goddart eyed him suspiciously.
Azure snorted. “Trust me, man, I'm not interested in stealing anything you've got here. I genuinely am just looking for somewhere safe to camp. If you know of somewhere better nearby, I will happily piss off.” It was clear to him that Goddart didn't appreciate his company. There was no point in making them both miserable while he still had enough light left to travel a bit further.
The fisherman sighed as he finished staking his tent and stood before dusting off his hands again. “Apologies. Unfortunately, unsavory characters are abroad in this part of Patheana. It seems like some of the worst of Noseon come to Squall's End to make it their home. Some asshole tries to rob me at least once a year. It's hard to know who to trust.”
Azure's eyes widened from Goddart's assessment of Squall's End. Hadn't Esau sent Bronna to Roselake to keep her safe? From the way it sounded, she might have been better off staying on Crescent Island. Perhaps that was the real reason why Owe didn't want to let her out of her sight.
“I had no idea,” he said softly.
Goddart offered him a small smile. “You seem like a good lad. But I've run into those who seemed good before, and they weren't. I suppose I could take you, if need be, but I honestly don't feel like sleeping with one eye open.
“While I can't stop you from camping near the pond, I'd rather not share my campsite with you. Sorry if that makes me sound like a dick, but I've been burned one too many times.”
Lad? Goddart didn't appear to be much older than Azure. Maybe thirty, but he highly doubted it. He wore an orange shirt with brown pants. A mop of light brown curls framed his head and face, merging into an equally curly beard. A sock cap rested on his head with several hooks affixed to it. Goddart didn't look particularly wealthy, but judging from his fishing pole, he wasn't poor, either.
Azure stood there in thought for a moment, and Goddart continued working around him, carving out a spot in the dirt to make a fire. It was obvious that he wanted Azure to leave, but Azure wasn't giving up just yet.
“While I don't feel like I have the coin to part with,” he grumbled under his breath, “I'll offer you a silver if you allow me to share your fire.”
Why wasn't bribery a skill in this game? Azure sure felt like he was using it a lot.
Goddart guffawed. “Wow. You are desperate.” He picked up some logs stacked haphazardly next to his tent and began building a fire. “But I suppose a thief wouldn't offer to give me coin. Could be wrong.” Goddart cocked his head to the side. “You said you're from Crescent Island. What are you doing on the mainland?”
“I came here to attend magic school, but it proved to be more expensive than I can afford, so I'm working as an adventurer to save up for it.” Azure frowned, thinking about his predicament and how this quest wasn't paying him anything at all.
“And how's that working out for you?”
“This is my first quest, actually. My prerequisite quest,” he admitted.
“You know that you can buy the fish from this lake at the market in Squall's End. There's a fishmonger there. I take him my catch sometimes,” Goddart informed him.
“It wasn't that kind of quest.” Azure decided to sit down. While he still didn't quite feel welcome in Goddart's campsite, it didn't appear that the fisherman was trying to chase him off anymore, and Azure had been standing for hours. He was exhausted.
“Then what kind of quest was it?”
“Have you ever heard of Enno Berkeley?” Azure asked.
He snorted. “Who hasn't heard of Enno Berkeley?”
“I hadn't until I came here,” Azure confessed. “Anyway, he's written a book about fishing. He submitted a request to The Adventurer's Guild for someone to read it and fish one of the spots in it. I'm supposed to report back on the accuracy of the information inside. To be honest, after using all of the bait he gave me, I'm still not sure how accurate that information is. I mean, fishing in The Realm doesn't exactly seem like rocket science. I only caught one fish the whole time I was here, and most of the others didn't seem like they were having much luck either.”
“Rocket...science?” Goddart raised an eyebrow at him.
Azure waved his confusion away. “It's just a saying from where I come from. Ignore me. It basically means that I don't think fishing is difficult.”
“It's not,” Goddart chuckled. “Fishing is twenty-five percent skill, twenty-five percent the pole you're using, twenty-five percent your bait, and twenty-five percent your level in the skill. Everything gives you a different advantage. The reason you weren't catching anything is because you just acquired the skill, you're using a shit pole, and I'm guessing just basic bait too. Am I right?” His eyes lit up, already knowing the answer to the question.
“That's right.” Azure nodded.
“It's a lot less boring when you get everything right. I'm not sure if you were watching or not, but I was pulling in fish like I was draining the pond of them,” he said proudly.
“I did notice,” Azure acknowledged.
Goddart straightened himself, placing his hands on his hips. “That Enno Berkeley ain't got nothin' on me. The only reason he's so famous is because he has the money and time to travel all over The Realm. Speaking of which, would you mind if I took a look at that book you were talking about?”
Azure shifted uncomfortably. Would it be all right? He was pretty sure that he wasn't supposed to be showing the unpublished manuscript to anyone, but he also knew that if he didn't hand it over, Goddart would likely think him a liar.
Hesitantly, he turned to pull the book from his bag. “I really don't think he wants anyone to see this yet.”
“I promise that there likely isn't anything in that book that I don't already know,” Goddart told Azure, gesturing for him to hand it over.
Despite feeling like he might be making a big mistake, Azure let Goddart look over the book. Goddart thumbed through it, humming to himself. When he walked away with it, alarms went off inside of Azure's head.
“Can I have it back, please? It's Enno's personal copy, so I have to return it to The Adventurer's Guild tomorrow.” He tried not to seem panicked.
“If you're going to be sharing my campsite, then there's no harm in letting me read it.” Goddart winked at him.
Azure was seemingly forgotten once Goddart had his hands on the book. For as insistent as he had been on doing everything around the camp himself, he relinquished all duties the second that Azure had handed the book over. He barked out orders, setting Azure to the task of lighting and tending to the fire. Then he made Azure cook them dinner from one of the fish he had caught.
You have received the following item:
Jade Lungfish
Level: 5
Item Class: Uncommon
Quality: Good
Length: 85 cm
Weight: 8.25 kg
Uses: Cooking, Restores +5 HP if eaten
Azure's eyes bulged from the size and weight of the fish. It was hard to believe that Goddart had caught such
a large fish from such a small pond. Surely, the fish had to be worth a considerable sum at the market.
Carefully, he placed it on a spit and set it over the fire, hoping he had done it right since he had never cooked a fish like this before. He was rewarded with the following notification:
You have cooked:
Burnt Jade Lungfish
Uses: None. You wouldn't feed this to a troll you were trying to kill. Because the troll would know you were trying to kill it and would likely kill you instead.
Uden must be laughing from his grave, Azure thought dryly.
“Is this your first time cooking, too?” Goddart looked over the book. Azure didn't even need to see the rest of his face to know that he was scowling. His voice said it all.
“My cooking skill is level five,” Azure replied in a half-assed attempt to defend himself.
Without further argument, Goddart put the book down long enough to extract another fish from his bag and cook it himself. After that, hours passed with nary a word between the two men, though there was much humming, nodding, frowning, and head shaking from Goodart's side of things, thoroughly engrossed in the book that had nearly bored Azure to tears. When he finally pulled the book away from his face, Azure asked, “So, is it accurate?”
“Eh, it's nothing special,” the fisherman replied, finally handing the book back. Then he disappeared into his tent and didn't come out again.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE REALM – Day 47
When Azure awoke the next morning, Goddart was already standing on the shore of Jade Pond with his line in the water. How he hadn't woken Azure while he was moving around camp was a miracle. For some reason, Azure had slept hard these past few nights. Perhaps because he didn't have Lonnell around to nag him into action. That was a small benefit to being set on a different path from his friend.