The Way of the Clan 6: World of Valdira

by Dem Mikhaylov

  “Slider? Oh yeah, that’s him,” smiled Shmig. And he smiled warmly— with the expression one usually gives when talking about a beloved pet who was lived more than a decade, and become almost a family member.”

  “But he got skinny,” said Shmig, his expression getting sharply darker. “I took him on a couple adventures so intense that you could write a book about them. And then my Slider was cursed… but we’ll get better soon, won’t we Slider?”

  “Ur!” Cheerfully gurgled the Slim, surging to a pile of dirty dishes standing under the tables. The dishes rattled. The Slim literally leaked through them, removing the leftover food. Porcelain and glass sparkled… Shmig smiled.

  “He’s just my gourmand. The same as myself. Darting around here and there, there and here…”

  … “Darting…” “Here and there…” The words were ringing in my head. I frowned, trying to remember where I had heard this expression. And it had little to do with Valdira, as well, at least not directly… I think it was when I…

  “There’s this thing,” sighed Shmig, and I turned my attention towards him.

  “Yeah?”

  “I don’t want to advertise myself too much. Moreover— to tell you straight— I have my own personal business with the temple. So I want to get under the temple myself, as you do… but I don’t know how much you need it, of course…”

  “I need to solve a problem with another one,” I snorted. “The restoration of the temple will begin without setbacks. That’s how much I want it. But I’m not strong enough to do it myself. By the way… are you going to do it yourself?”

  “I must!” Answered he. “I have the experience, believe me. I have so much experience from my wanderings…”

  “When you got lost and stuck for a few days in Algora?”

  “Yeah, that time. Only I was delayed much longer than a few days. After our meeting I didn’t find the exit right away… not at all… oh, what I experienced and what I saw…”

  “Listen… remember, when I donated those things to you…”

  “Well?”

  “I think I had some teleport scrolls in there,” I said. “But only I didn’t give it to you… hm…”

  Our conversation stopped short. We stared in silence at each other.

  “Ahem…” I coughed in embarrassment. I suppose I wasn’t obligated to have given him the scroll, and I wasn’t rich back then, either. And we only know each other in Valdira. We are not relatives or anything. I couldn’t throw out money… Still, for some reason, I felt embarrassed!

  “Thank you for that!” Suddenly said the thief. “Let me shake your paw!”

  “I don’t get it…” I muttered suspiciously— my hand, nevertheless, stretching out towards him.

  Gripping my hand, Shmig earnestly shook it, saying:

  “Thank you! Thank you!”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Because, if you have given me the scroll then, I would have ported up right away, to freedom!”

  “Well…”

  “And I would have missed the fun I had at the bottom,” the player broke into a smile. “I would have missed a lot. Meetings, events, tasks. So— thank you!”

  “It’s okay… but I’m not stingy!” I was indignant, and immediately stopped— not the best turn of phrase for a potential employer.

  “I saw your golden horse drawn carriage,” agreed Shmig. “The greedy do not ride on such things. After all, it rides like a Ferrari.”

  “Meaning what?”

  “You mean how it’s like a Ferrari? Well, you press the gas once just lightly and burn fifty bucks…”

  “Almost,” I confessed. “Alright, my friend from the dark sewer, it’s time we…”

  “Hey, hey!”

  “That’s for calling me greedy,” I said vindictively.

  “I’m sorry good host for my unkindly words,” the thief bowed clownishly.

  “Ur-ur!” The red slim supported him.

  “So what do you need for your clean up under the temple?” I laughed, and Shmig, in a more serious tone, sharply replied:

  “Look, I don’t forget how you helped me. That’s why I’ll do this for you. And I’d help you for free, if I had money. But I don’t and that’s why I’ll need a certain amount. A large amount, but believe me— it’ll go for all the right preparations for a player of the underground.”

  “And you are of the underground?”

  “I am. Above the ground, I can hardly catch a turtle, but below it…”

  “How much?”

  “Money— not very much, honestly. Three hundred gold should be enough,” said Shmig. “The main necessity is acquiring some specific elixirs. At a reasonable price. Now because of this fucking Great Navigator business the alchemists have inflated the price by twenty percent or more! The clans are snatching up everything.”

  “Hm… I can’t say anything about the fucking Navigator, but as for the potions… I can write to one of my friends. He is skilled in alchemy. He is confidently working towards the title of being a pro. He cannot procure some of the ingredients, but everything can be found. But if you have an alchemist friend, I won’t impose…”

  “No! I would love to meet him!”

  “His name is Brave. The guy is easy, simple. Has a good reputation. I’m already writing him a message. As for gold— here, take your three hundred gold.”

  “The rich have it all so easy… maybe you even have a personal butler?”

  “I do. Terribly proper and terribly strict. You have spoken with him.”

  “In Valdira? A strict butler?! No! Lord, take him away. I have enough of that in reality. There around my cocoon there is a butler AND a fleet of man eating sharks… god forbid they will eat me when I get out, by accident.”

  “You’re an animal,” I shook my head, and couldn’t help but chuckle. “Sharks, you say… hm…”

  “Right,” said he. “And believe me… I’m not kidding…”

  “Hi!” A robust fellow with a huge backpack was hurrying towards us. “Here I am!”

  “There you are. You are always on time, my friend,” I smiled. “Brave, here is a new customer. You can try every potion on him, including cockroach poison. His name is Shmigovik. I have to run and do some fishing. Maintain the image. Do what you guys need to do. Shmig, do you still need anything?”

  “Me? I’m good! Thank you for your trust! The gold is here, and the alchemist himself— what else is needed for the pursuit of happiness? If even a doctor could appear at your word… I mean, I need a companion I suppose? If I get myself into some real trouble…”

  “Doctor? Hm… wait a minute…”

  Another three minutes of conversation, and there appeared beside us a very familiar figure. The same skinny and awkward Doc… dressed up, but changed very little.

  “I’m ready for a new challenge! Who am I treating and where are we going?” The doctor waved his hands.

  “Treat him,” I pointed to the surprised Shmig. “And you are going to the catacombs beneath the ruined temple dedicated to a certain bright deity… what do you think?”

  “I’m in! Hello, patient,” the doctor shook the hand of the beggar-thief. “What are your complaints? Any fever, dizziness?”

  “Negotiate on dividing the spoils on your own,” I added. “As well as who is collecting, and all that.”

  “Okay,” nodded Shmig. “You are a great employer, Ros. The all-inclusive service. Thank you.”

  “Alright. I’m off…”

  “Wait,” Doc was surprised. “You’re not going with us?”

  “I’m going on a fishing trip and a walk,” I shrugged. “Today is family vacation time.”

  “Are you feeling okay?” Said Doc, shaking his head. “How’s your blood pressure? Do you need a vaccine!”

  “Hell no! Go underground! And kill everyone there! I’m going fishing!”

  “Should I call the others?” Asked Doc.

  “You’re not asking the right guy,” I said. “Shmig is t
he leader. Ask him. If It is necessary… Brave.”

  “Hm?”

  “Help them, please,” I asked. “With special potions.”

  “Got it. Will do everything I can.”

  “I’m not accustomed to lead the party,” Shmig shook his head. “I can protect a doctor, but not command. That’s not for me. I’m not a paladin… so the two of us would be enough. I also have a map… well, I stole it… it shows passages under the temple. Impossibly narrow. Impossible to haul a large crowd. First, Doc and I will explore everything ourselves.”

  “Clear,” I nodded. “Good luck to you. I will wait for news on the outcome of your adventure. Some people get all the luck— just think. Dirty, musty catacombs, cobwebs… awesome! And I sit on a folding chair, staring at my fleet, drinking chilled wine and talking to the mayor… boring!”

  “You’re not okay for sure, huh,” said Doc, pressing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Well, well then… I’ll find a way to cure you from this terrible disease… we’ll see who’s laughing then…”

  “Ha ha,” I said, already walking to the servant waiting for me.

  “Good luck, Ros!” Shmig shouted after me.

  “And same to you! I’m counting on you!”

  And that was that. It was a good conversation… as though in a couple of more words I would have found out something very interesting… but time was running out. I had to get to Naykal.

  “Where to, sir?” Asked Strogus.

  “Naykal! First we shall pass a few more small villages and mingle with the locals. Then stay for an hour with the mayor and strengthen our ties. And then to the village… I have to learn as much as possible until evening.”

  “Very good, sir. Anything else?”

  “Yes,” I said, after some hesitation. “One more thing… I would like to know the name of the leader of the Lemmings Chaos clan. Is it possible?”

  “Without a doubt,” said the butler curtly, motioning a servant towards him. “We’ll find out soon. Hm… sir…”

  “Yes?”

  “Your bride had driven off in the limo. So I hired a conventional light coach with four horses. With light protection. Would you like me to stay with you, or go to your bride?”

  “Go to my bride,” I answered immediately. “Help her with everything, Strogus. And I’ll be there soon.”

  “Everything will be done. News about the name of the leader of Lemmings Chaos will be sent by hawk. Have a good trip.”

  There was the sound of rattling wheels, and the carriage rolled towards me. There was a driver, two security guards at the back, and three more on horseback. Elves and humans.

  Sitting down in the soft seat, I leaned back and nodded. Unable to resist, I turned around and looked wistfully back at the scene.

  There, under a canopy, sitting at a table with their heads together, sat three players. Doc. Brave. Shmig. And they were discussing something in earnest detail… they had a big adventure ahead of them…

  And ahead of me… well… probably, I shouldn’t lose my head and think about how life has become boring. Oh no. Today was a relatively quiet day. And I liked it no less than the day of the passage through the legendary Outland. With that soothing thought in mind, I left Tishka, which had suddenly become for me a very promising place.

  We were late to the ‘coastal’ opening. From afar, we saw hundreds of balloons, birds and kites launch into the bright cerulean blue sky, notifying everyone of the beginning of the great contest.

  It was beautiful. Very beautiful. The great array of colors was very easy on the eyes.

  But this was not at all “great” by the standards of Valdira’s competitions. It was easy to tell the difference between a small provincial event held with the purpose of entertaining residents and visitors and something that was large scale. However, even small competitions such as this would keep many visitors and locals busy for a few days— which would do wonders for the economy.

  The local monsters, though they were strong, were not particularly aggressive. They were not of the sort who would engage in battle without reason. And those who were of that sort were quickly destroyed by a specially hired board of hunters. Both locals and players were able to engage in this very serious job— a job which offered a large reward and increase to reputation. In general, it was very beneficial to those participating in the tournaments— this way, even new players could try their hand at fishing. Everything depended on skill, perseverance, equipment, and money— and not so much on level, in this case. Naykal is huge. There are little fish available to the novice angler, and fish even the pros cannot get. For this reason— because of the rich selection of fish and the harmless environment— we were able to recruit players into our team so easily.

  Hm… but, of course, any fisherman who dreams of climbing the pyramid towards being a legendary fisherman has to pass through the Gnilozemes. This is the hellish paradise for fishermen who wish to become famous.

  It is a chain of Marsh Lakes, six circular basins connected with a network of streams and small rivers. It is almost always covered by a thick mist… there, I wouldn’t have been able to put together a team so quickly. And if I did put it together— the team would be destroyed in a very short time. That would be because of the wildly harsh environment. And the monsters. They were everywhere— monstrous ugly things living in the muddy waters, on the islands, hiding in the mist. Six-metered toothy alligators are just a small part of the local fauna. Huge carnivorous flowers. And the giant swamp is in constant motion— there is almost always someone being devoured…

  I’d been there myself. As Krashshot. I had been hired to guard. And I failed— I was devoured by a cloud of Gnusas, a pack of venomous insects who looked like voracious piranhas with wings.

  Now that’s fishing!

  At any moment something can jump out at you from the water, from the mud, out of the fog. And sometimes the swamp fog abruptly turns into fire. The ground overflows with a blazing inferno and consumes everything in its path.

  The place is rotten. Twisted.

  But it is constantly full of players! Because the Gnilozemes is one of the three most famous places in Valdira where one can catch freshwater fish. And you can come across particularly rare specimen, which can be used for many rare alchemic potions. Many assignments are given to find these fish— locals and players both are willing to pay fabulously for such prizes.

  So the Marsh Lakes are always humming with life, despite the fact that the area itself is hideous.

  Along the perimeter of the swamp are more than two dozen outposts. And each one is a real fort— featuring protective walls, gates, and towers. It isn’t a fortress exactly, but it very well could be. And these exist for protective measures— creatures constantly crawl out of the swamp, and local guards relentlessly and ruthlessly destroy them. Hundreds of creatures are felled! And guard players come to aid the locals.

  Demand creates supply.

  Fishers need fish and protection. If one is fighting and fishing at the same time— then the catch will not be very large. So the richer fishermen do not hesitate to employ dozens of guards, who act either as a team or individually. The spectacle becomes enchanting— a boat rocking on the muddy water, holding a fisherman who peacefully looks out onto the water— and of his sides, a battle rages on. Explosions, fire, acid, and so on. Shouts, screams and roars! And the peaceful, distraught words of the angler in the background: “Oh, not today… the fish are not biting.” The fisher, sitting in the eye of the storm, complaining of a bad bite…

  But there are fish for sure! Lots of them!

  But no bog creatures… you’d have to be a terminator bog creature to survive in that hell. And they’d even tear a terminator apart. There are creatures who are capable of swallowing half a mammoth in one go…

  If there were an extreme fishing event in Gnilozemes… I would never sign up. And they wouldn’t take me, anyway. One would have to be a veteran to go— with many awards and a huge reputation. And fisherman th
ere are all trying to catch the same elusive fish— a golden carp with emerald eyes. Information about this is so widespread that everyone knows about it— even those who have never taken up a fishing rod, both here and in the real world. The golden carp is a fishing legend. And it really exists— even though one no longer receives their picture on the wall of the taverns for catching it. But the prize is rumored to me a fat one. In the Gnilozemes, the golden carp appears every ten days or so. But the change of catching this carp… it is simply like winning the lottery. But when you do catch it, the whole land sings of your success. The copper bells of the outposts ring together, and the district becomes aware that someone has caught the carp. But I hadn’t heard of it being caught in a while.

  Why did I suddenly think of this? I was just thinking about all the information I received from the villagers. At the same time, I was considering the pike who had devoured part of the Silver Legend armor. I would pull out her fins for it! I thought of the pike and the golden carp together, and at the same time thanked the gods of the administration— because the evil pike could have easily lived instead in the Gnilozemes, which would have made things much more difficult for me.

  “Wait a minute,” I said, leaning back wearily and shifting my gaze towards a couple that was fighting off a whole wolf pack, as well as the huge boss. For a moment I was reminded of the werewolf Grim, and a chill ran down my back.

  There were no less than forty wolves in the pack. I would have been dead by now. The animals were fierce, fanged, growling and baring their teeth in horrible grins. They were running at the gallant couple, trying to slash their canines into their legs and knock them down. It wasn’t a location for noobs— that was clear. All the monsters here had skills, and were often deadly. The leader of the pack circled them slowly, looking for the right moment. Just like in a film… but I was the spectator, watching through a telescope, from a safe distance.

  Maybe I should have rushed to the rescue, but the problem with that was that my help wasn’t needed. They didn’t require any help at all, as far as I could tell. But the wolves were not doing so well.