by Tao Wong
“So, Daniel. I know you saved my son and all…” Elise smiles as she drops a plate before him along with a steaming cup of coffee. “But you know, I run an Inn…”
Daniel blinks and then understands where Elise is leading with this and hangs his head slightly in shame, “Yeah, uhh… about that. How much for room and board for the week?”
“Since you’re almost like family, a silver a day for all the food you can eat and we’ll even wash your clothes,” Elise pronounces unashamedly.
“Ummm… here you go,” Daniel empties out the silver from his pouch, feeling how empty it is now. He shovels the last of the gruel in, already thinking of the Dungeon and refilling his purse and his many expenses. He would need a new shirt soon if he continued being stabbed so often, a shield to protect himself, soap to wash his clothing, another purse so that he could separate his mana stones from his coins. The list goes on.
As he finishes, Elise waves him towards a wrapped box that she has placed on the bar. “Here you go. Lunch and a snack.”
“Thank Elise. I’ll be back late I think,” scooping up the box, he stuffs it into his bag and hurries towards the dungeon. He definitely needed to do better then yesterday, his current and future expenses piling up behind his eyes.
Watching his departing back, Elise smirks to herself. They were all like that, getting lazy after their first run. A little kick in their ass was what they needed. Whistling to herself, Elise walks back to the kitchen to begin washing up. That boy would do well.
Chapter 11
Waving to the guards as he passes them by, Daniel trots into the Dungeon’s first floor without slowing down. A single Kobold didn’t really pose too much danger to him from his experience yesterday, certainly not those that lived on the first floor. However, unlike most other Adventurers he had not bought a map, trusting to his own proficiency to glean the layout. Recalling his talk with Liev yesterday, Daniel decides to work out the full layout of the first floor by himself and hopefully find that chest at the same time.
Moving at a slower pace once he was inside the actual dungeon, Daniel still paces through the passageways at a faster rate, able to marvel at the strangeness of the dungeon. To his experienced eyes, the layout of the first floor made no logical sense as a cave network, even if it would to the ignorant. Small incongruities jumped out at Daniel, the floor was too smooth, the changes in size of both the tunnels and chambers they joined making no natural sense and each cavern too symmetrical. After encountering and killing a few more Kobolds, Daniel even begins to realise that the layout seems to repeat itself.
It takes Daniel almost three hours to make his way through three-quarters of the floor. He passes by a number of other novices, many moving more slowly and cautiously than he does. More than one pair have teamed up, an action that makes Daniel wonder before dismissing the option for now. At some point, he would need help but a part of him revels at working alone after years of working in teams in the mine. In addition, he feared that any Adventurer he joined with would slow him down and he had a lot of ground to catch up on.
Not that I really want to deal with teenager angst either… Daniel chuckles to himself quietly, oblivious to the irony of his thoughts.
As he nears the next corner, Daniel hunches forward to peer into the chamber. His eyes widen and he pulls his head back, hiding again. Well, I found it. And him.
Most Kobolds were four feet tall at most, but the Elite was obviously a paragon of its kind by standing at four and a half feet and having actual, visible musculature. At least, what wasn’t covered by what looked like badly stitched together soft leather armor. Thankfully, it was still armed with just a shiv.
For a moment, Daniel hesitates. Then, recalling that it was just a Kobold that at least 2 other beginners had beaten before him, he firms his resolve and steps out to meet the monster. The Kobold spots him almost immediately, growling a low challenge as it crouches down in front of the small chest.
Surprised that the Elite doesn’t attack him straight away, Daniel hesitates before taking a step forward and throwing a cautious strike. The Kobold barely moves, seeing the feint for what it is.
Daniel’s eyes widen further in surprise at this unexpected reaction and he stops, hovering outside of the Kobold’s reach. The Kobold moves first this time, throwing a rock it concealed at Daniel. Instinctively, Daniel bats the rock aside and pays for it when his opponent lunges forward, plunging his weapon into Daniel’s extended arm, twisting the blade as it exits to widen the wound. Before he can retaliate, the Kobold dances out of range again and flashes Daniel a predatory smile.
The next few passes has Daniel and the Kobold cautiously trading blows, neither fully committing to the attack. Daniel receives another light wound on his thigh, the Kobold suffering a bruised arm as it manages to foil a blow by pushing its arm forward into the mace’s handle.
Frustrated, Daniel engages his double strike to watch the Kobold back away from the attacks, forcing Daniel to pursue him. A few more passes clarifies Daniel’s initial impressions. Little bugger’s fast. Hold still will you!
Eyes narrow at a sudden thought and then Daniel shifts to slightly wider swings, focusing on herding the Kobold to a corner. It is his time to smile as the Kobold realises what is happening, but the human’s greater reach foils the Elite’s ability to get away even as Daniel receives a few more light injuries. Finally backed into a corner, the Elite is unable to escape its end beneath the mace, though a last-minute surge by the monster leaves its shiv planted in Daniel’s thigh as it dies.
Swearing to himself, Daniel collapses and tugs the shiv out of his thigh, slumping against the nearby wall as he takes his weight off his injured limb. A flash of red catches his eye at the passageway he entered but he ignores it, focusing on healing himself first before turning to his notifications.
Level Up!
Adventurer Level 3
You have gained 5 attribute points to distribute.
Immediately, Daniel puts a few points into Agility before he shuts the window. He will figure out the rest tonight but it is obvious to him that he needs to be faster against these monsters. Smiling in glee at the thought of the mana crystal that awaits him in the chest, he pushes himself up.
Was it open before? I was sure it wasn’t… Dread filling him, Daniel walks over to the chest to find it empty with no sign of the thief.
“Bad day?” Liev asks the young Adventurer as he sorts and counts Daniel’s mana stones. A slight raised eyebrow at the lack of a more powerful mana stone, especially since the number that Daniel brought back was actually less than before. In fact, the way the stones told the story, Daniel must have spent most of his day on the first floor.
“I fought and defeated the Elite but someone stole the stone while I was recovering,” Daniel explains, looking morosely at the smaller number of coins Liev pushes forward as payment. Sighing, Daniel picks up the coins and puts them away.
“Ah, yes. That does happen occasionally,” Liev shrugs, thievery in the Dungeon while uncommon was not unknown. Since there was no way to tell who owned a mana stone, thieves could steal stones with impunity in the Dungeon so long as they were not caught. Occasionally, bandits would even try their attempts at extortion or robbery, but those did not last long. Theft, while annoying, was an accepted part of Adventuring life. Since the only place to sell mana stones were at the Adventuring Guild, any bandit who came back with too great a haul regularly was bound to be caught.
Daniel nods glumly, having already decided not to make too much of a fuss over his loss. After all, he had no proof of who could have stolen his stone.
“Might I make a suggestion?” Liev smiles slightly at the young Adventurer, catching him just as he is about to leave.
“Of course,” Daniel perks up, hoping for some earth-shattering advice from the experienced attendant. Surely he knew things that a young Adventurer could learn.
“There’s a bathhouse a few blocks from the Top to the East. You’ll find most Adventur
ers find it prudent to visit the bathhouses every few days,” Liev smiles gently, eyeing the dirty, smelly Adventurer. Wash cloth baths could only do so much, especially after a number of days fighting, killing and bleeding in the Dungeon.
“Oh!” Daniel blushes, realising Liev’s unspoken implication. “Right. Thank you!” With that said, Daniel rushes off to the Top with what remains of his dignity.
Chapter 12
“15, 16, 17, 18!” Daniel sighs, staring forlornly at his small collection of coins as dawn light streams through the window. 1 Gold, 18 Silver. Still not enough to buy the shield he so desperately wanted. Armour, decent armour was still a distant pipe dream but a shield he could buy. Even with his skills and abilities, getting regularly wounded was becoming a pain.
A knock on his door brings Daniel out from his morose musings. “Yes?”
“Daniel, you’re up?” Smiling Elise looks him over, “I need a little favour.”
“What favour?” Daniel looks at innkeeper warily at her tone of voice.
“Oh, nothing much. I just have a friend who needs some company today. You know, someone who needs to get out of work, stop doing the same things they’ve been doing non-stop,” she smiles slightly whilst looking at him knowingly.
“Ummm… well, I was going to go to the Dungeon…,” Daniel mutters. He ignores the implication Elise makes, even though he has yet to take a break in the three weeks since he has first entered the dungeon.
“It’s fine, you’ll love it. Anyway, you haven’t really seen much of the town yet have you? This would be a great opportunity and it’d let you get in some shopping.” She points to his rather threadbare, often-patched set of clothing.
A short twenty minutes later, Daniel is standing outside the Spinning Top, muttering about a wasted day and wondering who this friend was. When Khy’ra walks up, he can’t help but smile at the blonde elf. He has barely had time to visit the Clinic with his activities, and when he has done so, it has often been late at night after returning from the dungeon when Khy’ra was not around. “Khy’ra! It’s good to see you.”
“And you. Did you see Elise…?” Khy’ra is looking around, frowning. “She asked me to come over.”
“Ummm….”
“Good, you’re both here,” stepping out of the inn as she wipes her hands on her apron, Elise nods firmly. “Kyra, Daniel needs a guide around town. He’s yet to actually see anything and he could do with some new clothes too.”
“What…?”
“Oh and don’t bother going to the Clinic or Dungeon. I told them not to let you guys in.” Smirking, Elise walks back briskly into the Top and shuts the door behind her.
“Couldn’t she be a bit more subtle…” mutters Khy’ra as she stares at the door, blushing slightly.
“Yeah…” Daniel agrees with her before he tilts his head, struck by a thought. “Do you mean…?”
“Shopping!” Smiling brightly, Khy’ra grabs his head and drags him down the street. “I know just the place for some new clothing.”
“Actually… I was saving up for something.”
“Something?” an arched eyebrow has Daniel quickly explaining.
“A shield. I’m getting stabbed a lot, especially when I’m fighting two Kobolds. It’d be nice to be able to guard one side properly. Nothing too big of course, it’s a bit cramped you know, but yeah,” Daniel trails off, realising explaining the intricacies of using a shield to Khy’ra might be a bit much.
“Then let’s go!” She tugs Daniel down the street, half dragging the man down to the river with her. “So, you’re a mace and shield fighter eh? I’d have thought Mary would have converted you to the sword.”
Daniel laughs, shaking his head. “She’s amazing, but the sword requires real skill to use you know? And the mace just feels right.”
“Oh, I get that. I hated the sword myself. Especially in those tunnels! I could barely swing without hitting the walls at times.” Khy’ra reminisces, miming a swinging action as she speaks.
“You were an Adventurer?” Daniel tilts his head to Khy’ra, bemused at the thought of the bubbly creature beside him in the depths of the dungeon, searching for Kobolds and killing them with a smile.
“Yes. I was one of the first to enter this Dungeon actually. Came here with my brothers,” Khy’ra smiles, shaking her head reminiscing. “We couldn’t get the reward for completing it first though, and they left soon after. I decided to stay for a bit. Here we are.”
Daniel nods comfortably as she talks, both of them weaving through the busy morning traffic. It takes him a moment to realise that the last sentence wasn’t part of the initial conversation and he looks up to spot the sign of an armourer swinging above him. Even as he gets pulled inside, Daniel realises where they are.
“Maxwell. I have a customer for you - we need your best shields,” Khy’ra announces as they enter the armoury, the forge at the back increasing the temperature a few degrees even out at the front of the shop.
Stepping away from his forge and beckoning to an apprentice to take over, Maxwell grins as he spots Khy’ra, “Definitely not for you. Oh, it’s you!” He nods firmly to Daniel while he gestures behind him to where the shields hang. “Stock hasn’t changed.”
Daniel smiles politely, stepping further into the shop to survey the pair of styles available. A simple buckler and a larger wooden round shield, both banded by metal are his choices. His fingers trace the wooden round shield with lust, the larger shield perfect for his fighting style and what he has been saving up for before he looks to Maxwell and asks, “A gold and fifty still?”
Maxwell nods before Khy’ra clears her throat loudly, “You know Max, Daniel here has been helping out a lot at the Clinic lately. Why, he helped me deal with that rather nasty situation with Peony. And her friends.”
“Peony?” Maxwell’s face goes blank. “I don’t, well, if he’s been the one helping you Khy’ra… A gold and…” a slight smile from Khy’ra makes him stop. “A gold.”
Daniel watches the byplay, a small part of him feeling slightly guilty about the deal. It is only a small part though as he snatches up the shield and pushes the gold into Max’s hand. “Thank you! A gold it is.”
The pair spend the rest of the day shopping, stopping by to pick up some basic household supplies for both themselves and some additional supplies for the Clinic. Khy’ra occasionally name drops Daniel and his connection to the Clinic, though Daniel finds it hard to understand when and why she does so. After a time, he gives up on it and just enjoy her company, the two chatting amicably about Khy’ra past exploits and the city.
While they shop, Khy’ra takes her role as guide seriously, pointing out reputable shops and food establishments as well as laying down town gossip with undisguised glee. Having lived in the city for over twenty years and one of the original inhabitants, Khy’ra is a fount of information about local history and more than once, Daniel is amazed by the knowledge that she exhibits. It is clear to Daniel that Khy’ra holds a deep affection for the town and its inhabitants, one that she is happy to impart to him.
Evening finds them on a hill overlooking the town at Khy’ra bequest, a small indulgence that takes her away from the city. The first snows of the winter have yet to arrive so while the evening has a brisk air to it, they were still dry and the chill kept the hill empty except for themselves. As the sun sets, Daniel takes a moment to truly look at the town he has spent so many weeks in.
Karlak is bisected a third of the way in its circumference by a river, surrounded by a lightly patrolled wooden wall. Built between the rolling forested hills that make up the vast majority of the lands around here, Karlak draws its stone and ore from the distant mountains that Daniel came from. Lying on the outer frontier of Brad’s borders, the town is surrounded by unexplored forests, connected by a network of dusty roads. The vast majority of the buildings in the town are made up of the easily secured wood, clay tiles or dirty rushes marking differences in prosperity from the hilltop.
“Yo
u puzzle me Daniel,” Khy’ra, propped up on her elbow stares at the young man next to her, interrupting his thoughts. “Are you really that naive or just that nice?”
“Huh?” Daniel, caught off guard blinks at the non sequitur.
“You don’t exploit your Gift. You don’t even mention your connection to the Clinic to the merchants we visit. Yet you use it without hesitation…”
“Ah…” Daniel sighs, flopping over to stare up into the darkening sky. That question. Why always that question? He raises his hand up, shading himself from the non-existent sunlight for a moment before he speaks. “My grandfather, he used to say, do good, just don’t ever expect gratitude. What I do, when I heal, it isn’t for them.”
“Then who is it for?”
“Me.” Daniel shuts his eyes. He falls silent, letting the word stand between them. Unwilling and unable to explain the extent of guilt that he harbors, that comes from having a gift like his and not exploiting it to the fullest. The constant pressure by others the moment his Gift manifested, the constant demands to use it, to be someone important. The pressure and the fear of even more was why he didn’t speak of the extent of his Gift, both its cost and its full ability. The less people knew, the less they could use against him. This way, they could ask, they could suspect, but they couldn’t know.
Pursing her lips, Khy’ra watches the play of emotions on his face before making up her mind. She swings her leg over his prone body, straddling him to lay a kiss on his lips. As his eyes pop open, she smiles. “Well, Elise did set this up. So, are we?”
Laughing, Daniel rolls her over and returns the kiss, banishing deeper considerations for the moment.
Chapter 13
A shiv comes speeding towards his left eye but Daniel doesn’t flinch, raising the shield just enough to catch the light blade. Once his arm begins moving, he trusts instinct to get it in the way correctly and focuses instead on lashing out at his other attacker and triggering Double Strike. The first blow is hastily dodged by the Kobold, the second crushing its knee.