by Rick Scott
Maxis shrugs. “Well he does have control over a whole dang city. And an army apparently.”
Once again my brother’s logic makes sense. If he could help us, it could make our journey much easier. I laugh to myself. Who’d have thought that after travelling to the surface I’d be more wary of another player than a monster? But perhaps I’m being too paranoid like Maxis says. He’s been here before, knows how people think out here. If it truly is ‘us against the world’ on the surface, or ‘us against the AIs’ anyway, then why wouldn’t this Braxus help? “Well, I guess if our only other options are taking the long way around or a shortcut through the Wild, then jerk or not, this is still the best option, right?”
I look around and get mostly resigned shrugs of agreement from everyone. Maxis however is grinning.
“Absolutely right,” Maxis says taking the lead. “Come on. Let’s go meet the king.”
Chapter 20: Enemies at the Gates
As we pass through the city gates I see that they are made of iron and are an impressive foot and a half thick. I vacantly wonder what kind of closing mechanism they must use to move so much weight. The afternoon sun is growing weaker as we transition from the hard tundra of the plains to the granite cobblestone of the city. A swarm of people are surging in and out through the gate, which is as wide as a two tennis courts side by side. At the edges I notice guards wearing chainmail and armed with longwords standing atop an elevated platform attached to the inner sides of the doors. I focus on one of them to see how tough they are.
Name: Alphonse
Level: 75
Class: City Guard
Whoa…level 75. Pretty tough.
Checking them makes me check my own character stats.
Name: Reece
Class: Ninja
Level: 82
Strength: 6+25
Dexterity: 80+5
Agility: 80+5
Intelligence: 4
Mind: 6
Vitality: 26 +20
HP: 1142/1142
Stamina: 287/287
TP: 172/172
I have 3 attribute points to spend and quickly place them into Vitality brining my HP to 1202/1202. If we’re in for a fight I hope I’m ready.
I sense them looking at us as they survey the crowd from above. Their target becomes obvious when I see their eyes immediately train on Val Helena who towers above everyone else like a scarecrow in a cornfield. I then get stares from the townspeople as they again clear a path for us, their eyes shifting with uncertainty and fear. Some however regard us with disdain, especially Val Helena.
Gilly takes my hand and squeezes it as the guards begin to move with us, walking along the platform.
“You there! Stop!” one of them yells out.
Oh crap…
Val Helena steps to the forefront, making a show of her big axe as a trio of guards rushes in from each door. Six of them in total now. My heartbeat quickens as I prepare for a fight. I’m used to fighting monsters, but AIs that look and act like real people? That’s a different story. I wonder if I can even do it!
The crowd disperses at the threat of conflict and leaves us standing out in the open. The six guards approach en masse, but Val Helena stands her ground.
“You got a problem with us entering this city?” the giantess challenges them with her big booming goddess voice. The six men slide to a halt and cower, raising their arms defensively. Their reaction is so extreme that I wonder if Val Helena didn’t just use some kind of intimidate ability on them.
“Leave them be,” a woman’s voice comes from behind the guards.
As the men in chainmail part, I see a red headed woman dressed in knight’s armor stepping authoritatively towards us. At her sides are two more knights: a young blond guy with a crew cut and a more grisly looking veteran with a bald head and a dark beard. Trailing behind them is a fat dude in robes that has a soup bowl haircut.
As they get closer I focus on each of them to bring up their stats on my HUD. I start with the redhead.
Name: Lady Diana
Level: 85
Class: Praetorian Guard
Then the blond haired dude.
Name: Sir Thomas
Level: 85
Class: Praetorian Guard
The Vet.
Name: Sir Ziegfried
Level: 85
Class: Praetorian Guard
And finally the fat guy.
Name: Lord Xavier
Level: 85
Class: Executive Officer
“You need not brandish your weapons here, Shard Warrior,” the woman Diana says. She has her red hair pulled back in a tight bun, giving her a very militaristic demeanor that somehow reminds me of a police officer. Not that we have them back in Citadel, but I’ve seen enough pre-war action flicks to know a cop when I see one. Just like in the movies, she’s attractive and all, but her blue eyes and dour face spell no nonsense.
Val Helena seems to gain an air of respect for her as well, because the giantess actually stows her weapon and instead folds her massive arms across her chest. Still imposing, but perhaps a bit less threatening.
“Greetings travellers,” the fat guy says coming to the front of the pack. “I am Lord Xavier the chief executive of this city. His royal majesty King Braxus has a standing order to welcome any who are from the Shards. But please, do tell me your business in Stormwall so that we may know how to best accommodate you.”
“We’re on a journey to the Vale of Sorrows,” Val Helena says. “We’re just looking for some supplies and then we’ll be out of your hair.”
“I see.” He then goes quiet for a moment, and leans his head to the side as if listening to a voice we can’t hear. Then I suspect he might be PMing with someone when he nods his head. He looks back up at us. “King Braxus has just granted you entrance to the city and free rein within. But he would request the pleasure of your company for a banquet in your honor at the royal palace this evening. It is not often he has visitors from home, you see. He has also given you access to the royal baths and guest quarters to rest and refresh yourselves from your journey beforehand.”
Whoa. I wasn’t expecting all this. The idea of an actual bath and a royal banquet is sounding like heaven right now.
“I will have our royal guard escort you through the city so that you are not bothered by the commoners,” Xavier says. “We are having a bit of conflict with the mountain tribes to the north, at the moment, and your large friend here might draw some unwanted attention.”
“So we heard,” Maxis says.
“Lady Diana…” Xavier says turning to the redhead. “I’ll leave it to you.”
Diana responds by performing a crisp salute, slamming her fist against her silver breastplate while clicking her heels together. “Yes, my Lord.”
Xavier smiles as us again, puffing his already full cheeks. “Please just let your escorts known when you are done with your supplies and they will lead you to the baths. The banquet will commence just after sunset. I bid you farewell.”
The chief executive gives us a head nod that resembles a bow and then sends the six guards back to their posts before leaving us with just the three knights.
“See,” Maxis says with a smug grin. “What was I telling you guys? Nothing to worry about. We’re special guests here.”
I certainly do feel a bit relieved that I didn’t have to tussle with those guards. Maybe he’s right. And maybe this King Braxus might be willing to help us like he said, after all. I look up at Val Helena and give her a questioning look to see how she feels.
She gives me back a shrug, but smiles. “Seems legit. Guess your brother called it right.”
“Darn right I did.” Maxis grins like an idiot and then gives Val Helena a wink.
The giantess lets out a laugh. “Don’t let it go to your head, hot stuff.”
But then the two just end up smiling at one another for what seems half a minute.
I get a PM from Gilly.
Gilly: Ack! They’
re flirting! D: I think I’m gonna hurl! =P
Me: lol!
“If you’ll follow me,” Lady Diana says with a wave of her arm, ushering us into the city like VIPs. “The markets are this way.”
* * *
We enter the bazaar and I feel like I’m back in Swifttide again; minus the scent of salt air of course. It’s an open air market that easily takes up the area of a football field. Around the edges are stores built right into the stones walls, with proper signs and doors. In between them, in the large open space, are row upon row of stalls covered with tent like roofs. A few thousand people mill in and out between the stalls and the stores, and the faint murmur of barter carries with the wind along with the scent of wood smoke from braziers set along the perimeter, providing both light and warmth.
We decide to split up to make better use of the time and one of the praetorian guards joins each of us. Rembrandt heads off with the old dude, Zeigfried, Val Helena and Maxis leave with Sir Thomas and Gilly and I are joined by Lady Diana.
“It’s getting late, so if you need to purchase something I suggest you hurry,” Diana says once the others depart. “The markets will be closing soon.”
“Do you know where we can find scrolls of Celestial Magic?” Gilly asks.
Diana bunches her dark brows together, in thought. “There is a vendor, yes. But I hope you have coin. They are not cheap. This way.”
Lady Diana leads the way as we wade through the people and the various stalls. The aroma of open air kitchens makes my mouth water and my stomach growl. I can’t tell what they’re cooking exactly, but I see a lot of it seems to be roasted meat on a stick. Although that’s pretty much all we’ve been eating for the last few days, I can’t seem to get my fill. A lifetime of eating cheap mush from a nano-processor has turned me into a super carnivore out here, I guess.
I notice various armor and weapon’s shops as well, but I don’t see anything that looks fit for a ninja. I wonder if there is the equivalent of Bangōr somewhere out here on the surface. I do see an outfit that catches my eye for Gilly though. It’s a form fitting white robe with high leggings and a hat that matchers her current one. The gear is all level 60 when I give it a quick scan.
White Witch’s Hat: +15 INT +15 MND +20TP
White Witch’s Coat: -10% Casting Speed +150TP
White Witch’s Leggings: +15 INT +15 MND +50TP
I’d love to get it for her, but we’re in a rush now and the scrolls are probably more important. I make a mental note of where the stall is though. We continue through the markets following Diana. She doesn’t say much, but I wonder if she might be able to shed some light on the current situation here in the city. Especially when it comes to those weird quests.
“So this war that’s going on with the north,” I say, feeling her out. “How bad is it, Lady Diana?”
She slows a bit and looks back at me, her eyes narrowing as if trying to determine my motives for asking. I swear if this wasn’t a fantasy world she would definitely be a cop. Diana finally responds with a stiff upper lip. “It’s not a war. Not yet anyway.”
“What happened exactly?” Gilly asks.
“A small matter,” she says. “You need not concern yourself with it.”
Cagey, but maybe I can pry the information out some more. “We only ask because we’re headed that way. If we can avoid trouble we’d appreciate it.”
This caused her to pause, coming to a complete halt in the middle of the market. “The king heard rumor of the giants gaining strength. When he sent us to investigate, a small skirmish ensued. Again, a small matter, but the king saw fit to break the peace treaty and now our borders are closed to one another. That is all.”
“And what happened with the elves?” Gilly asks.
Her cop eyes narrow again. “I made no mention of elves.”
Uh oh… Did Gilly just say too much?
I rush to cover for her. “A friend of ours back in Brookrun mentioned the elves to the east were in some kind of conflict with the city as well.”
Lady Diana shrugs and then sets off again. “The borders were closed to all. And so it caused a bit of hostility on that front as well.”
“Sounds like maybe it was a rash decision,” I say.
Diana doesn’t say anything but she looks at me with those eyes again.
Yikes. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.
We exit the stalls on the far end of the market and approach one of the stores built into the surrounding walls.
“Here it is,” Diana says and points to a door with a sign marked “Magicks” on the front.
We head inside and are assaulted with the musty aroma of moth eaten scrolls. The place is covered with them, shelf upon shelf stuffed full of the fading yellow parchment. A chime rings, announcing our entrance and a matronly woman in a hooded white rob, emerges from the back of the shop and greets us with a smile as she settles behind the counter.
“Ah Lady, Diana,” she says. “So nice to see you. And I see you bring guests?”
“Customers,” she says. “They seek Celestial scrolls.”
“Or Ninjutsu,” I pipe up.
The woman smiles at me. “I’m not sure I have any of those. But I can show you what I do have. Please take a look.”
She opens a book and when I focus on it a list emerges on my HUD.
Level 5Create Light20G
Level 5Create Food 20G
Level 15Protection20G
Level 35Great Cure 50G
Level 45Major Favor of the Goddess50G
Level 55Haste 200G
Level 65Great Heal IV 100G
Level 75Teleport150G
Level 80Heal V150G
“Wow these are expensive,” Gilly says, her eyes lighting up with her own HUD as she studies the book.
I wonder now if I’d gotten ripped off by Blacktop with selling that armor and whip for only 7 gold. Then I remember something. “Do you buy scrolls as well?”
“Yes, of course,” she shopkeeper says. “Do you have some?”
“Give her the chest, Gilly.”
“What chest?”
“The one with all the scrolls from Blacktop.”
“Oh right!” she says suddenly remembering.
Gilly materialized it from her inventory and passes it to the old woman, who rummages through them for a bit.
“Some of these are quite good,” she says. “Are you certain you don’t wish to keep them?”
“Which ones?” I ask.
The woman shows me.
Level 75Chaos Storm 185G
Level 85Comet Strike 350G
I whistle at the prices. “I guess if you ever want to level Elemental Mage they’ll come in handy, Gilly.”
“Nah,” Gilly says. “We’ll trade them for gold to buy all the other scrolls.”
Gilly then begins haggling with the woman over the prices. As it draws on, I get an idea. “Hey, Gilly, you think you’ll be okay here alone for a minute?”
She looks at me perplexed for a moment but then shrugs. “Sure, I guess.”
“I saw something back in the markets I wanted to get.” I then look to Lady Diana. “That’s okay, right?”
The cop lady gives a sigh but nods her head. “She should be fine here. Where do you need to go?”
“It’s not too far away,” I say. “Be right back, Gilly.”
Diana and I leave the Magick shop and I trace my path back to the vendor with the mage gear. The guy manning the stall is tall and thin with a pencil mustache and looks vaguely annoyed when I show up.
“Sorry,” I say. “I know you’re probably getting ready to close, but I was interested in that outfit over there. How much would it be for all three pieces?”
The vendor considers it a moment. “Seven for the hat, ten for the coat and five for the leggings.”
As he tells me the prices, they light up next to the items on my HUD.
White Witch’s Hat: +15 INT +15 MND +20TP 7
G
White Witch’s Coat: -10% Casting Speed +150TP 10G
White Witch’s Leggings: +15 INT +15 MND +50TP 5G
“Wow,” I say to Diana. “You weren’t kidding about those scrolls being expensive. This stuff is peanuts in comparison.”
Diana looks at me funny. “You’re going to buy that?”
“Yeah,” I say. “For Gilly.”
As cheap as it is compared to the scrolls I still don’t have much gold on me, but I do have a bunch of spears and stuff from clearing out the goblins. The total comes to 15 spears and 3 rapiers, all in fair condition, the best I picked out from the lot. I show them to the vendor. “Would you be willing to buy these in exchange?”
Your barter increases by 0.3
“I’ll give you 10 gold for the lot.”
“Come on, you can probably sell this stuff for at least three gold a piece, can’t you?”
The vendor wobbles his head. “Okay 15.”
Your barter increases by 0.3.
Skill Up! Your barter skill is now 2!
Nice!
But still not enough for the full set. “How about I throw in a little something extra to trade you for all three pieces?”
“Extra?”
“It’s not weapons, but it is something kind of rare.” I materialize a piece of the buffalo meat and show it to the merchant. “How much would you give me for this stuff?”
The vendor wrinkles his nose as he looks it over. “That’s definitely not worth even a gold to me.”
Darn, but I can’t give up yet. “You do realize that this isn’t just any buffalo meat, right?”
The merchant’s eyes squint with curiosity. “Eh?”
“This is from the herd of the legendary Lakota. Best buffalo meat in the world. I’m in a pinch right now, so I’m willing to offload it for cheap, but I’m sure you could sell this to a chef for a lot more than a gold. Maybe even five! And if not, I promise you it will be one of the best meals you’ve ever eaten.”