The Way of the Clan 2 (World of Valdira)

by Dem Mikhaylov

  +75 to the amount of mana.

  The current success rate of identification: 6.2%

  Current mana bonus: +125

  Well done.

  No more careful contribution into stamina. Sure, stamina is undoubtedly one of the major components of a character’s vitality, but from now on I will get it only from equipment. Otherwise, I won’t have a chance to become Navigator in the nearest future. Intelligence and wisdom are my priorities. I need to improve them. Especially if according to a brief information message I need one hundred of "native" intelligence achieving "Egghead" of the third rank. And then even worse.

  I had nothing else to go in the magical guild. The mage who had given me the quest about Grim the Werewolf did not appear, and after hanging about the vast hall for a few minutes, I went straight to the shopping area.

  It's time to get equipped for upcoming fights. And this time I won’t go to the shop of a "local" trader, I will choose gamers masters. More expensive, but better quality. And plus their clothes provide more bonuses.

  The shopping area met me with endless and eternal hubbub of voices. In normal times, I would try to listen in order to capture interesting information, but now I got frozen in amazement and opened my eyes wider staring at the incredible performance. I shook my head, rubbed my eyes, but wild and at the same time magnificent picture didn’t change.

  A huge fountain located in the midst of the area was not emitting lazy trickle of clear water anymore. Instead it was spewing out bubbling water pillars. About twenty roaring water pillars as thick as a human body were beating vertically up and breaking into a myriad of sparkling spray on the bottom of a giant ship that was rocking on the water lazily at a light creak of tackles.

  'Wow...' I gasped looking up in fascination.

  'Yeah, it’s very impressive,’ a dwarf passing by responded knowingly, ‘it’s the third time I’ve seen it but I can’t stop admiring it!’

  'Yeah,’ I agreed and the dwarf hurt my taciturn ran away.

  I continued examining the extraordinary curiosity.

  The ship was monstrously huge. Acute stem was hanging over one end of the square, and high feed was almost resting against the wall of the house on the opposite side. I couldn’t imagine how water striking under pressure managed to keep such a mass in the air. I couldn’t be done without magic. That’s for sure. Ship Elephant... mammoth, dinosaur, monster...

  Exactly! Dinosaur!

  But not threatening and toothy rather funny and festive - gear adorned with thousands of multi-colored flags fluttering in the breeze and bright bunting with screaming and repetitive inscriptions "To Zar'graad", "Ahoy! I can see the shore on the course!","Big discounts!" “Festive lottery! The main prize - tickets to Zar'graad!" Occasionally shafts of fire flew into the air, and I could hear the noise of exploding firecrackers. The only very tall mast intertwined with the same flags was standing in the middle of the deck. And there was huge scarlet cloth with the image of wide and piercing eye of the beholder with a narrow serpentine pupil fluttering atop.

  Glancing below, I saw a deck cluttered with festive-looking tents and tents, around which a crowd was clubbing. A colored inscription "Laugher” was snaking on its side. On one side of the deck there was a wide and sturdy ladder, one end of which rested on the stone-paved area. Running on its sides railings were entwined with cloth and decorated with garlands of flowers.

  Breaking away from admiring it, I caught a twelfth-level elf hurrying somewhere and, pointing to the ship, asked him. 'And what kind of tents are there?’

  'These are shops!’ the eared elf said in surprise. ‘Almost all traders moved there. There is fun and trade together.’

  ‘Ok,’ I nodded. ‘Thank you.’

  'A coin?’

  'What kind of a coin?’

  'Silver!’ the cheeky elf said. ‘Did I help you? Yes, I did! You are to pay!’

  'I see that "thank you" is no longer listed,’ I sighed, but still gave him a coin.

  'Thank you! Now I have enough to buy potions!’ the elf exclaimed and evaporated in a flash.

  I grunted approvingly and walked to the ship, making my way through a crowd of noisy gamers. It was hard to push my way, besides, I don’t how I managed not to be robbed. Finally I reached the ladder and joined the ranks of creatures climbing up the majestic ship.

  Of course, it was wonderful, but I was more interested in things of a material nature. Such as jackets, pants, shoes and other items that I needed for a comfortable game.

  "First I need to look over there," 'I had time to think, eagerly glancing at the bright green tent with samples of equipment. Letting the handrail ladder go I stepped onto the deck, walked a little more... and the ship shuddered hard, straining paneling creaked, the giant began to tilt to the left side, as if turning to the combat maneuver. I heard the frightened screams of gamers, the crowd swayed in different directions, some gamers failed to hold on the deck and screaming dashed overboard. Above the heads echoing horn bellowed frequent clear strikes sounded here and there. Then I heard domineering rumbling voice,

  Ahoy! Raise the sails!

  Navigator is on board!

  Ship ‘Laughter’ is announced to be the flagship!

  Ship ‘Laughter’ gets...

  The voice stopped abruptly. For obvious reason for me - I was no longer standing on the deck, I was somersaulting, flying down and looking at the rapidly approaching stone square. I didn’t have time to realize anything but the body reacted itself. I awkwardly crossed legs, waved my hands at the next roll of the ship and... fell overboard together with two dozens of other gamers, without forgetting to add uncensored voice and goggling.

  The flight lasted no more than a second, then followed hard landing, "vybivshee" five percent of my life - and then only because of the fact that I deliberately did not rectify the situation, and the body fell on the rock side. The height is small by the standards of Valdira. In this world, everybody is a superman, at least half, and the famous comic hero looks a baby in contrast to some gamers.

  Groaning I stood up and with a sincere bewilderment on my face stared at the ship I had just abandoned. I scratched my head, hoping that I wasn’t overdoing with emotions. I turned my head from side to side, watched the expression on the faces of others, and quickly added to my expression a mixture of easy confidence and admiration. I stayed there a little longer staring, then sideways limped slowly to the front row of onlookers surrounded the dense ring of "Laughter”, stopped at the close-knit quartet of gamers and asked happily, 'Guys, what was it? Roar, twinkle, the sound of somebody’s voice...’

  'Alert System,’ dark-haired human gamer said shortly, never taking his eyes from the calmed down mastodon ship.

  A girl in a tight leather tunic standing next to him was more emotional, ‘If I understood it correctly, Navigator climbed the ship! The gamer that has studied a unique spell and can take ships to the lost continent. But who?

  'Navigator!’ I cried out, just realizing that it was silly to pretend a dull lout who had never heard about the latest sensation. ‘Wow! I can’t believe it!’

  "That’s too much...'' I thought suddenly.

  Or does it sound normal? When you realize that you almost screw up, it is difficult to assess the credibility of your theatrical play.

  The gamers that talked to me stepped aside, and I relieved. I sighed, relaxed... and again tensed as just one step away from me, an extremely purposeful gamer passed by brushing me by the edge of his cloak. Casually he looked over my body, and slid further. I noticed how quickly he lifted his head up, exchanged glances with a gamer standing on the deck of the floating "Laughter" and shook his head before disappearing in the crowd.

  What the hell…

  I shouldn’t be a genius to realize that the gamer was looking for someone or to be more exact for me.

  It’s time to vanish away…

  Nope, wait a little more, walk through the area, take a look at the ship and slowly vanish away. Thank all the gods that I
stumbled on the ship surrounded by a crowd of gamers. But if I had appeared there alone...

  'Get away! Guys, stand back. Just a couple of steps backwards. Let throw the beacon...

  The same blond gamer stopped a few steps away from me and gently lowered a small object on the ground. A small rainbow flashed, rapidly increased in size, and when the light dispersed, there were three extra gamers in the square.

  A huge orc warrior clad in scarlet steefrom head to toe with a drop-shaped shield in his left hand and a curved sword behind. A two hundred and forty seventh-level gamer.

  A stocky dwarf with short blond beard and bright blue eyes seemed to be a real pygmy in contrast to the half-orc, but exceeded by level - two hundred and fifty ninth. The dwarf was wearing more iron than the half-orc.

  And a slim figure tightened in black leather. A girl-gamer, a human with a shock of jet-black hair. Brown eyes were shining brightly on the white face. No visible weapons. Trying to read the level I almost coughed - I failed to see digits. Only question marks floating near the nickname Baroness...

  Baroness... I've already seen this nickname.

  'Baroness!’ I heard a bewildered voice from the crowd. ‘Black Baroness, the head of the Sleepless.’

  'It’s really she!’

  'Move away!’

  Instinctively going back into the crowd, I allowed gamers to surround me from all the sides and to hide from the eyes of the trio that had just arrived.

  Shit... what's going on?! Are they looking for me?!

  Smiling radiantly to everyone around, Baroness ambled toward the ship on track beckoned haired gamer, looking not so much fun.

  Leaning forward, almost adhered to someone's back and stood on tiptoe, I caught snatches of conversation amongst the hubbub of the crowd.

  'Baroness! Take me to the clan! I’m a tank...

  'And the guy next to her is Scarlet Bars, he won tournaments a hundred times, no less...’

  '... we didn’t understand who... too many people... and the ship banked… shit, people flew overboard by packs.

  '... missed... how could you?!’

  'What's your level, Baroness?!’

  '... Who are the Sleepless?’

  ‘Don’t you know, fool? This is the coolest clan in Valdira!’

  ‘...I told you - put a narrow ladder! Let them walk one by one, maximum two! And that one is a highway!’

  '...it was narrow but then that a wild ...... The amreetas showed up, and with one stroke extended the ladder five times... saying there mustn’t be a traffic jam. And smiled goodbye saying ‘it’s our pleasure’. We couldn’t argue with them...’

  Then I stopped listening. I took a step back and allowed to push myself behind the curious gamers. Barely a minute later I was in the back rows and slowly walked away, heading for the retail shop attached to the wall of a house.

  The turmoil stopped, and cheerful cheers and laughter could be heard everywhere - people were discussing the recent events and publicly envied the lucky ones who managed to ride the new attraction "Laughter." Free entertainment is already a good bonus, let alone the sudden emergence of "top" gamers... But the most popular word that could be heard here and there was the magic word "Navigator" and a short question "Who?". It seemed that almost all gamers were obsessed by that mystery.

  I was slowly moving in the right direction holding a serene expression on my face, in the meantime I puzzled over another mystery: a coincidence or not?

  Well, it couldn’t be possible that the giant ship was dragged to the shopping area and hung over the fountain because of me, they had spent so much time and resources on that performance. Yes, and they had to negotiate it with the amreeta, without their knowledge even a flower wouldn’t grow on the territory of a peaceful location. But what about the instantaneous occurrence of Baroness... snatches of conversation that I heard.

  Passing another group of laughing gamers who were discussing the tricks of "Laughter"’ and the group flying overboard, I involuntarily chuckled. So much fun. Should this occur at an amusement park in real life, nobody would be laughing. There would be curses and dirty words let alone injuries.

  Reaching the right place, I went to the shop and nodded politely at the "local" shopkeeper standing behind the counter. The range wasn’t great, of course. But the best products were in an inaccessible place for me - on the deck of "Laughter", which I wouldn’t climb for any price. The elite's artisan craftsmen were selling their goods there- certainly they were not standing behind the counters, they hired assistants instead, but the goods were excellent. Besides, if posters soaring over the ship could be trusted, there were ‘very big discounts’.

  I knew there were a few "super elite" stores of equipment and weapons, but their goods were overpriced. For example, simple pants cost a few hundred of gold coins.

  'Come in, sir!’ the trader grinned happily. ‘Have a look at these leather boots! They are not boots, they are the best boots ever!’

  "He sees everything" I thought darkly, melancholy wiggling my toes.

  But the boots were really spectacular. High tops reaching up to the knee, a kind of soft brown skin, thick sole and luxurious red embroidery. And for the twentieth level

  Pretending to be bored and laid-back, I asked slowly, 'Can I have a look at them?’

  'Of course! Touch the leather! Finer manufacture, but very durable! And it’s your size! Perfect match!’

  "Local" traders used such words as "just right", "a bit too small", "too big" and other synonyms in relation to the level of the gamer. In this case, "perfect match" meant that the boots were designed exactly to my leve, which finally convinced me to take the footwear in my hands and to examine them carefully.

  Dark waders.

  Type: gear.

  Minimum level: 20.

  Description: Durable and well-stitched boots with high tops and a nifty red embroidery! Ideal for experienced travelers and suitable for any terrain. The basis for these great boots is the skin of Dark Dork found only in the putrid waters of the swamp Ravendark.

  Item Class: Normal!

  Effects:

  +3 Appearance.

  +7 Stamina

  +9 Agility

  +10 Protection

  Additionally:

  Growth of fatigue is slowing by 20%.

  Durability has increased by 20%.

  I started involuntarily and re-read the end of the explanatory advertising text "...found only in the putrid waters of the swamp Ravendark." Shit… What a coincidence... because that's what….

  'Quite good boots,’ I said reluctantly. ‘Perhaps I will take them if the price is good.’

  'Only thirty-six gold coins, sir! I give them for a pittance!’

  ‘Robbery in broad daylight!’ I disagreed, defiantly pushing back from the boots.

  'Thirty five! That’s the final price!’

  'It’s a deal,’ I nodded and counted out the money, instantly pulled the boots and felt like a normal person - I would like to have a look at other things. Raincoats, jackets, pants and all sorts of that. Certainly, my size, to fit perfectly!’

  ‘Oh! Specially for you… the best,’ the trader assured me, quickly turned to the wall with various items of gear hanging over it.

  'This one looks good,’ I pointed at the long-skirted leather jacket studded with metal patches.’

  'No, no, sir! First, take a look at this little thing! It will fit you!’

  Come on! Try it on...

  Traveler’s Tough Jacket!

  Type: gear.

  Minimum level: 20.

  Description: The jacket of thick leather reinforced with metal inserts and equipped with lots of pockets. The basis for this magnificent robe is tanned skin of Gray Groh, found only in the putrid waters of the swamp Ravendark.

  Item Class: Normal!

  Effects:

  +3 Appearance.

  +7 Force

  + 12 stamina.

  +15 Protection

  'Are you kidding?’ I blurted out look
ing at the shopkeeper.

  'Excuse me, sir?’ the trader was genuinely surprised. ‘I do not understand what you mean. Don’t you like the jacket?’

  'No, I like it,’ I muttered, not knowing what to think.

  'I have a great range of goods! You can find whatever you like!’ the "local" was speaking very fast, 'If you buy more than four things, you will get a small but nice gift from our shop!’

  The trader wanted to add something else, but suddenly there was a deafening crash behind me and I heard a merry peal of bells.

  I saw bursting firecrackers and colorful flash in the air and... a dark figure with upraised hands up, standing on the bow of "Laughter." Baroness. Bells died quietly. And a murmuring voice coming to everybody who was present in the square, and perhaps in the entire city broke the silence.

  'Great heroes! As the head of the Clan of the Sleepless, I offer my personal apologies for unexpected maneuvers of "Laughter" and once again invite everyone on its board! To compensate that unpleasant moment I declare a day of great discounts! Today, any product you like, any item available on the deck, you can buy at half price or even at one third! As well as free drinks and food for everyone! Cooked by the best chef of the Sleepless! With continued positive effect!’

  The deafening roar of delight showed that the gamers liked the idea. From the shop door, I saw that the most intelligent didn’t scream, and rushed headlong to the friendly descended ladder, trying to get to the deck first.

  'Baroness, you are super! I love you!’

  'Thank you, the Sleepless!’

  ‘Get the best stuff!!!’

  'Can you lend me one hundred gold? I'll pay back three hundred and fifty! Can you lend me...’

  After waving to gamers Baroness continued her speech standing on the makeshift podium,

  "We appreciate everybody who comes to our holiday and when we heard the cry “man overboard ", it made us really sad. Those gamers that have fallen overboard will get special and expensive presents of a rare class and any level that suits you! I’m going to hand them personally. Ahoy, sea wolves! Our feast must go on! All aboard!’

  Keeping my glance on cunning Baroness, I mechanically took off my old jacket and began putting one a new one.’