Luke placed the provisional citizen’s sigil into his inventory. The paper he filled out had been given to a specialized enchanter, and she enchanted the sigil with the paper’s information. The sigil had a few functions; it automatically updated his level, and if he decided to change his intent of contribution, it would adjust. If he allowed it, he could even link its signature to other sigils, allowing communication with the other linked sigils.
He caught sight of his gear in a nearby puddle’s reflection. While clean, the chest piece especially was torn. He checked his inventory for silver. He had under thirty. Unsure of how much a repair would cost, he decided to find a nearby blacksmith or armorer and ask.
The young man wandered the streets. It was night out, and the air had become cool, but not cold. The various buildings and walls of the town moderated the breeze. The low chatter of the town’s residents busied the road. Far more monics were out and about than he saw when he first entered the town. None looked tired like the first one he witnessed at the tower.
They really do favor the night, he thought.
“I think it’s time we get our gear repaired, Sooty. Do your special feathers deteriorate?”
Sooty responded with a confused caw.
“May have to find someone else with a companion. Maybe they’d know. For now, I’ll get my gear patched up.”
Luke pushed aside any remnant anxiety and walked up to an elf woman with long, light brown hair and a thin build. He lightly called out to her, and she turned around.
“Sorry to bother, but you seem like you know this town. Do you happen to know where I can repair my armor around here?” Luke said, pointing at the various damaged gear parts.
“Ulgar’s armory is run by a tora I trust with my gear. He’s particularly experienced in repair work. Go down this road, pass the next three blocks, then take a left. The fourth on the right building you’ll see is his store,” She said, her eyes drawn to Sooty.
The Reaver repeated her words to himself, sticking them to memory. The woman stood there; Luke was about to wave goodbye and thank her but figured out what she wanted.
He pointed to Sooty, “This is my companion, Sooty. If you want to pet her or something, it’s up to her to let you.”
The she-elf smiled, “Thank you. I’ve always liked birds and never seen one quite like your companion. Her pure black plumage is mesmerizing.” The elf walked up and hesitantly put her hand forward, trying to pat Sooty. The corvid became guarded but not aggressive.
Luke turned his head to Sooty, “Hear that, pal? She’s a fan of yours. Is it ok for her to pet you?” Sooty sent back an intent through Reaver’s Link: fruit. He relayed Sooty’s petting tax to the elf, “Seems like she fine with it, if you’ve got a piece of fruit she can have.”
The elf laughed and brought out a fruit Luke hadn’t seen before. It looked like a piece of dragon fruit, but the flesh differed. She handed it to Sooty, and the bird devoured it. The elf pat Sooty on the head while occasionally scratching her talons.
She said, “I’m Elnora, by the way. You look like the traveling type. I’m actually based out in Sylen and meeting a few friends here before heading back tomorrow.”
“I’m Luke. Sooty and I are also heading to Sylen tomorrow for a few reasons. But mainly because I’ve learned it’s a better place to look for someone.”
Sooty had her fill and started to peck away at Elnora’s fingers. She quickly noticed and said, “Your companion has had enough of me,” She smiled again, “If you don’t mind, I’ve got a caravan I’m guarding in return for a free ride to Sylen. They’re looking for another bodyguard, and you seem able enough. I can reserve the spot for you.”
Luke thought it over, but it didn’t take long. “If they’re going to Sylen, I don’t see why not. I’m only a level 20, though. Is that enough for what they're looking for? What’s the time and place I’m supposed to be there?”
Elnora took her hand from Sooty and said to Luke, “Twenty is more than fine; you know most combat-types outside the cities are around level fifteen. A level twenty can be seen as a fine bodyguard, more so if their price is a seat in the caravan.” She pointed to Kelser’s southern gate, “We’re to meet just inside that gate an hour after sunrise. See you there.” She left with a skip in her step.
“Looks like you just got yourself some fruit, and both of us a ride to Sylen tomorrow; good job, Sooty.”
Sooty rattled proudly.
Luke followed Elnora’s directions and entered the described store. The interior had plenty of armorer’s tables, anvils, racks, and display pieces. The place was well-ventilated, although the heat from the various works inside kept the shop toasty.
A tora and two assistants were hammering away at plate armor while another monic assistant was by themselves, repairing a piece of leather. The tora said something to the assistants, then walked over to Luke.
“Welcome to Ulgar’s quality armor repair emporium. What can I do for you?” He said.
The Reaver took in the imposing figure. The tora before him was massive and muscular enough to shame the bodybuilders he saw at the gym back on Earth. The color pattern of his eyes was the same as Yumna’s. His fur was yellow and silver, unlike Yumna’s brown-red.
Luke gestured to the armor he wore, “As you can see, my armor is half-ruined, at least the chest piece is. The rest of my gear, except my shoulders, still need repair. Do you maintain swords as well?”
The tora put his thumb and index finger to his chin, “We can repair your armor in an hour or two. As for swords, as long as they aren’t as damaged as your chest armor, we can repair them as well as any weapon smith would for a fraction of the price. I can quote you three silver, based on what my eyes see, unless you’ve got additional armor hidden away.”
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“I can pay that, only issue is, I don’t have any other clothes. Anywhere I can get an outfit for cheap?” Luke said.
“Ah, you must be a farworlder or recently robbed, otherwise, it’s strange you’ve only got one set on you. I can sell you a pair of burlap pants and a hemp shirt for half a silver. Average-quality stuff, but it’ll cover you.”
“I’ll take it,” Luke said as he handed over four silver, “keep the change, please.”
“Come on back. I can hand you the set of clothes, and you can swap out what you’re wearing in a changing room. Name’s Ulgar, if you didn’t figure it from the store.”
Luke nodded, “Luke, I’ll be putting my gear in your hands then, Ulgar.”
The tora gave a ferocious smile, which he probably intended to be friendly but failed terribly, “Gladly, I was born to make armor shine,” he said.
The young man went into a changing room after being handed the clothes, put them on, and promptly handed over his gear for repair. Once he came out the changing room, clothed in the pants and shirt he bought, he asked an assistant, “Am I able to watch you all repair my gear? I’ve not got much to do until tomorrow.”
“We’d be happy if you did,” he pointed to the monic assistant from earlier, “Elar there, will be working on your swords. Knowing him, he’d be ecstatic to teach you about basic sword maintenance and repair. Repair work is a passion of his, in particular, swords and spears.”
Luke thought the knowledge couldn’t hurt and came over to Elar. Luke informed Elar he was the owner of the two swords he was about to fix and asked if he could observe the basics while Elar repaired them.
The assistant gave a succinct nod and displayed incredible focus when he began to work on Luke’s weapons.
Elar began to speak, “You’ll want to get rid of any moisture you can. The gloves I’m wearing will do that for me, as well as prevent my skin oil from corroding your blades.”
The monic man displayed his fine leather gloves, “I’ve also got a skill that will actively repair internal metal damage, reversing moderate warping within your swords.” Elar looked regretful, “The black blade is particularly nicked. You may need to bring it to a weapon smith to get it completely repaired. I’m just an apprentice, so I can’t guarantee I’ll make it as good as new.”
Luke had no complaints, “As long as you make it better than it was when I brought it in, Elar. Your co-worker over there,” Luke pointed to an assistant now busy helping Ulgar, “said you’re rather passionate about swords and spears. I’m sure you’ll do better than I would.”
Elar grinned sheepishly, “I couldn’t face monsters out in the field with my spear user combat profession. I support the Duchy this way instead.”
Luke nodded and didn’t respond. Elar continued to teach Luke as he repaired the blades, including using a whetstone, reforging, and maintenance oil. As well as techniques the Smith class may specifically use. Their abilities made impossible repairs far more reasonable, cheap, and effective. Less than two hours later, Luke was in his freshly repaired gear and left the store.
Despite Elar’s earlier words, the young monic managed to make Whispering Edge good as new, and Xera sparkled a bit more. Luke noticed that Xera repaired through essence use, so she had practically no damage. Ulgar refined, stitched, and threaded his gear so well he couldn’t see the previous cuts or deterioration in his armor.
Elar had been nice enough to give a bottle of oil and a portable whetstone. When Luke handed over a silver for it, Elar insisted being able to talk with someone about swords and spears for a while was enough payment.
The moon in the sky wasn’t the same as the one he saw in Night Moon forest. No, it would be better to say the moons weren’t the same. The one for Night Moon forest disappeared; instead, one pale gold and a bright silver moon decorated the night. Both of them had a jagged scar on opposite sides.
“Strange, what makes a moon vanish? Since when did moons have scars? Guess it formed that way,” Luke said.
It started to get late into the night, and out and about mainly were monic people and a few humans. Luke asked for directions to the nearest inn, and Luke paid for a room from the innkeeper for fifty copper. Luke didn’t have any copper, so he settled for breakfast from the inn in advance with one silver and asked the innkeeper to keep anything extra.
Luke entered a small but clean room with a rustic sink, chair, nightstand, wooden window, dresser, small bathtub, a wood toilet, and a long twin bed. At first, Luke was surprised to see decent bathroom amenities, but he vaguely recalled Yumna regaling about the plumber class some people from Earth chose when they vanished and came here.
Looks like he had to thank his fellow compatriots, or farworlders, in advance. Proper sewage and hygiene were an unexpected blessing. Luke removed his armor, then set Wayfinder and Xera aside and out of sight. He opened the small window, and Sooty decided to land on the frame to look outside.
Once he was in his regular burlap pants and hemp shirt, he returned the gear to his inventory. There was an additional sub-set of the Inventory for his combat equipment; rather than take up multiple of the limited Inventory slots, they only took up two—one for the armor and another for any weapons, which was only Whispering Edge for now.
He relieved himself at the toilet and did a basic wash. They had some kind of crystal paste that you rubbed on your teeth. Let it sit for a few minutes, and it got rid of any gunk. Luke tried not to look at all the black that came out later when he washed it out with water.
It had been four days since he could use any toothpaste, ok? Give a man a break.
Luke wanted to sleep but didn’t know when talking to Xera and Wayfinder would be relatively safe again, so he put the compass around his neck and brought Xera next to the nightstand.
“I know you two have been holding back all day. Hit me with your thoughts,” Luke said.
“That oil tickled a lot, but I sure do feel clean. Not talking feels so boring! How could you not cry at that guard’s story? I couldn’t help but sniffle,” Xera said.
“I noticed, Xera. Good thing Argel didn’t,” Luke said.
“Lad, hope you enjoyed drownin’ me in soap at the bath. I’d slap you with me chain if I could. But that’s not the matter for now. What’s your plan? Registerin’ was risky. Are you sure you want to join some guild like you put on the paper?” Wayfinder asked.
“Wayfinder, if I’m scared to register now. I’ll never have a chance when the real threats come looking. That Defier’s guild description is to fight those god beasts. I’d be a fool not to look into it.”
Wayfinder swung his needle toward Luke, “Not sayin’ you shouldn’t look, lad. But take care, who knows what side someone is on. Switching in for a fake class on the paper is a short-term fix. ‘Specially since it doesn’t explain the clatter trap. That guild will catch on,” Wayfinder said
Xera rattled against the nightstand she was set on, “I want to fight one of those diplomats! How heartless to exterminate a whole country. Being shined earlier feels like all the metal stress is gone, like I’m a new sword wand! Is that why people want massages?”
Luke patted his hand against the linen sheets of the bed he sat on. He smelled the faint floral scent of the room. “Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that. I’m going to that caravan tomorrow, and we’ll head to Sylen. We start searching for my old man, and I’ll join the Defier’s guild afterward. That’s all the plan I’ve got for now. We’ll take it from there.”
He exhaled while looking out the window, taking in the two moons. “Been a long day, although it was nothing compared to the time in the tomb. I’m going to bed, you two. We can talk more in the morning if need be.”
“Good night, sleep tight, and don't let sword bugs bite,” Xera said.
“This world better not have sword bugs, wake me up as the sun rises.” Luke said.
He drowned out Xera’s and Wayfinder’s responses. Luke clocked out within seconds. The linen sheet bed was the most comfortable thing he’d slept on in days.