Luke plunged Xera into an ogre’s neck. The creature had rudely interrupted their conversation. It barged out from the river-side of the road, loud as possible, and the two men teamed up to make short work of it. Luke kept Sooty from revealing too much. He wasn’t sure how powerful a companion creature was typically supposed to be.
To reduce the risk of potential unanswerable questions, he guided Sooty through Reaver’s Link to only use her regular strikes on the ogre. They were plenty powerful, enough so that Argel commented on it.
“That beast of yours has power behind her attacks, and her speed is astounding. You must’ve gotten one of the highest-quality companion types out there. What is she, by the way?”
Luke’s expression became strange. The sun made Argel sweat by now, but he was still okay. The fire resistance proved its use once more. The two looted the ogre, with neither being a monster butcher, they pushed it toward the forest side of the road. A bronze flash of light entered into his inventory. He put Xera back in her scabbard, then answered a question with a question.
“Does this world not have crows? They’re everywhere in the cities on Earth. Even after the vanishing.”
Argel became startled and thought momentarily. The pair stopped at a signpost on the road. Cleared grass surrounded it. The post read “Beware of ogres” below the directional information.
“No, there are a few beasts and monsters that look similar to, sorry, what did you call her?”
“Sooty.”
“Right, Sooty, we’ve got some creatures that look like her, but nothing we call a crow. It could explain why she’s grown as strong as she is. She’d probably take me out without breaking a sweat. If crows sweat.”
Luke hadn’t developed the sense around humans as he did with beasts or monsters. Especially since the Interface had a restriction on other people, he could only ask Argel directly,
“What level are you anyway, Argel? If it is not too rude to ask?” Luke said.
Argel turned and walked down the left path that split from the signpost; he waved his hand in diffusion.
“It isn’t if it's around a friend or for professional reasons; since the captain told me to get you up to speed, I’ll tell you. Usually, you’re supposed to tell the person in return your level.” He kept speaking, with him in the lead, his back behind Luke, “You could lie, but if your reputation gets ruined, life ends up more difficult; I wouldn’t recommend it too often.”
That made sense to Luke; back on Earth, your reputation could ruin you in an industry, and if you lived in a smaller town, the place you lived in. He scratched Sooty under her neck while he said, “In that case, I’ll come out and say I’m level twenty. Although I’ve no clue if that’s normal for how long I’ve been here.”
The guard didn’t respond for a while; Luke got the sense he wanted to cover more of the road before they delved into the conversation again. He waited patiently. They sped up the pace, and after an hour, Argel seemed satisfied with the ground they covered. He began to talk, a slight pant in his breath.
“Depends on what you’ve been doing in that time and your class type. If you fight monsters all day as a non-combat class, you barely gain experience. Before I forget to answer your earlier question, I’m level twenty-five, been stuck here for years.”
The grasslands around them turned into a mix of swamp and mud. A few beasts suited to the change in terrain watched them but didn’t attack. Argel didn’t seem to have any intention of clearing them out. Luke kept to himself but used the Interface on a nearby one with blue scales and webbed feet.
[Wetlands Scaled Frog]
Level: 12
HP: 191/191
A beast considered useful to humans. Regularly culls insect populations. Ribbit.
That’s a frog? Luke thought he saw the resemblance once it was pointed out. Otherwise, he never would’ve connected the beast with the amphibians back on Earth. After that ran through his mind, he continued the conversation with Argel.
“What do you mean by ‘stuck’?” he said.
“That’s one of the drawbacks to being a ferus, you types pretty much never break past level twenty-five. To go further, you have to go up in tier; for monsters, it’s easier; for people, you need a particular set of accomplishments and materials.”
Luke had been wondering how to go up in tier. He refused to let this thread of the conversation go flat.
“Accomplishments and materials?”
Argel stopped and let Luke walk beside him once more. Once Luke caught up, they adopted a brisk pace. He turned his body toward Luke as he explained what he knew, “I can’t say I know all the details, but roughly, you need to complete an accomplishment the Interface recognizes, then gather a standard set of materials. You’ll undergo a ritual, and your limits get raised.”
Argel spotted a patrol on the road. Two armored men and one woman rode something similar to a horse, but not entirely. Luke’s curiosity got the better of him, and he inspected the animal.
[Kelpie] (Tamed)
Tier: 1
Level: 27
HP: 1200/1200
A dignified beast. Only lets friends or those more powerful than it ride directly. Tamed ones from the stables are expensive. Good luck owning one with that pitiful amount of silver you’ve gained so far, scrub.
The Interface began to poke fun again. Luke half expected it to by now. Before he could fully understand the implications of someone riding the highest-level creature he’d ever inspected, the woman in the patrol admonished him.
“Don’t you know inspecting other people’s mounts is rude? Our mounts can’t refuse your inspection. Must be one of those transfers still insistent the Interface is theirs to use as they will.” The woman looked down on Luke from her Kelpie.
With the woman speaking, the two men on the patrol by her side stopped their Kelpies and watched the area around them. A few beasts who wandered too close to the road scampered off when the men laid eyes on them.
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Argel stepped in for Luke, “Ah, this man here was a ferus. Forgive him. It’s my fault I only told him it’s rude to use it on people rather than the full picture.”
The woman became assuaged, “Everyone’s got to learn, I guess. Did you say he was a ferus? Would’ve thought they all were found or left the dukedom by now.”
Argel put his body between Luke and the patrol, “Ha, imagine our surprise when this man came out the Night Moon Forest near our tower then. Looked like a right mess he did. No need to worry, though; he agreed to register.” Argel shifted the conversation, “Anything we need to watch out for on our way to Kelser?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary, at least that’s still alive. We took out some ascended lizard men that grew too greedy. Last thing that tribe of scale walkers will ever do.” She spat over the road onto the nearby marsh, “The Duchess demands the main roads stay safe for the people. Met any trouble coming from that tower?”
“A few ogres in the typical rough patch, they never learn,” Argel said.
“That they don’t. Well then, this road won’t patrol itself. We’re leaving.” The woman readied her Kelpie, and the two men followed without a word.
Luke glanced behind him as they left. He observed the marsh; anything more significant than an insect had cleared out. The wet smells of mud and murky water filled his nose. The faint sound of crickets defined the soundscape. On the move again with Argel, Luke voiced a few observations, “Those three could crush us in a minute or two. And their mounts are the highest level beast I’ve ever inspected.”
Argel lowered his voice, his eyes scanned the view in front of him, even with it being crystal clear of any threats, “The woman there was part of the Duchess’s royal patrol. The two men were retainers of one of the three great noble houses. Any person able to work under them isn’t weak.”
The Reaver had no interest in nobles or whatnot. At least not for now. Instead, he asked, “Are we close to Kelser by now?”
“This road should take us by the nearest guardhouse in less than an hour. Two hours after that, we’ll reach Kelser,” Argel admitted.
“The nearest town is nearly a quarter of a day away from your tower? Must be the furthest structure to the east.”
Argel chuckled, “Not entirely. There’s our newly adjusted border wall about two hours from where you found us. Various villages and small towns are around there. I’d take you there, but the nearest place to properly register is Kelser.”
Luke was about to respond, but Sooty flew off into the sky. She had become antsy. He let her fly around without care. Through Reaver’s Link, they’d know roughly where the other was anyway.
Before he lost track, he asked Argel “Recently adjusted border wall?”
“Right, that’s part of why you transfers came here. At least the oracles think so.” The guard sighed and enjoyed the sight of the marshland draining into a lake, “Ever run into something called a Mercantan soldier? A captain, even? Couldn’t be anything higher ranking than that, or you’d be dead.”
Luke remembered the creatures he witnessed crossing the clearing near the cave, “I have. In fact, they didn’t seem too bad; most were level 8, and the captain they followed level 12.”
Argel said, “Not sure how you used the Interface in the Night Moon forest. You must’ve found one of the few clear areas. Either way, you’re fortunate. For the eastern side of the forest, that’s as low as they go. Most are about double that in level. Be happy you didn’t run into a commander.”
“I’ll agree it’s good not to run into monsters, but why a commander specifically?”
“They’re one of the highest-ranking undead you’ll find in the eastern section you were in. I’ll be blunt, farworlder, but at level 20, a tier 2 commander would ruin you in seconds. Best you could hope for would be to run away.”
Luke knew he was far from the top of the food chain. The warning only reaffirmed his thoughts. He didn’t answer back and let the words settle. The duo carefully strolled over a wide, well-made bridge; it had a few landing points but was the only way directly through the lake.
While crossing the blue-green lake halfway through, Luke restarted the conversation, “What do they all have to do with the border wall, though?”
Argel stopped, turned to Luke, and stared him straight in the eye, “They all came from Mercanta, farworlder. The country angered one of the god monsters, and she sent a few of her ‘diplomats’ in retaliation; Mercanta fought hard but became ruined in less than a year.”
The guard looked over the lake and said wistfully, “And now, my home country is gone.” The man paused a long while, repressing forgotten emotion, then continued, “The diplomats of Succoria cursed my people, and plenty of them wander aimlessly as undead outside those new walls. A smattering of them are in places like the Night Moon forest.”
Xera sniffled but stifled herself quickly. Argel either didn’t hear it or mistook it for something else. He began to move once more. Luke followed, unable to figure out what to say. Argel adjusted the subject and moved on to a lighter topic.
“Bless the Duchess, she took in any who came to the Dukedom. The remnants of Mercanta mostly live here. A few chose Artem as well. The Shattered Blade Empire also invited us with open arms, but being the furthest away, few accepted the invitation.”
Argel stiffened up, all traces of emotion gone, “Sorry,” he said, “I forgot to mention the most important thing farworlders may care about.”
Luke listened, and Sooty landed back down on his shoulder; Luke reckoned she had her interest piqued. They had stepped off the bridge, and he could vaguely see the guard tower Argel mentioned earlier.
“Occasionally, the World Spirit shows mercy to us people stuck in the Edgelands. The Spirit transfers people from another world to this one, with a few advantages, to help us.”
The guard ensured Luke was still paying attention before he spoke further, as the young man hadn’t said a word. “When a tragedy like that happens. There’s a chance the World Spirit will transfer others from a similar enough world; the transfer of people is meant to help us rebuild and prosper. The Interface is usually adjusted slightly to look like something people of your world may recognize.”
Luke picked apart Argel’s words. They were close to the guard post now, and Luke could see it clearly. It was made of a mixture of metal and wood; various archers, mages, and other sorts were stationed there. A few were already scrutinizing Argel and Luke from a distance.
“This isn’t the first time people have been taken to this world then?”
“No,” Argel said, “It isn’t, and at this rate, it won’t be the last either. The elves had a transfer years ago, as did the tora and monic. We humans were the last round, won’t be another wave for over a decade at least.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Been the pattern, or so I’ve been told by elders.”
Luke didn’t press for any additional details. He doubted a random tower guard would know more than general information. They were a few yards away from the next guard tower, and Argel told Luke to wait where he was.
His guide to Kesler saluted the other guards and spoke with them. A few glances were sent Luke’s way, and they quickly let the two pass. Luke saw, unlike the wooden tower, the guards here were more varied. He especially observed what he thought was an elf, a tiger man, and a pale, well-built woman with two runes of different designs on her face.
Luke would’ve figured she was a human, but the light blue hair had him think otherwise; the runes also appeared to be grown from the skin and not etched or painted on. The woman seemed fatigued. Once the two were far from earshot, Luke bugged Argel, “I know you mentioned elves, monic, and tora; is that what the tiger man was?”
“Good you didn’t say that around the tora. That “tiger man” is a tora; call them that. They can get agitated if you don’t. You seem to know what elves are. Why not the other two?” Argel asked back.
Luke felt like he was caught unawares. Rather than go into a long explanation of Earth’s common use of elves, he said, “I just do. Good to know the tiger people are called tora; I’ll keep it in mind. What about the monic?”
“That stressed-looking pale woman with rune marks you stared at is a monic. They’re rarer to see in a combat class. They favor being nocturnal and look far healthier under the moon. I bet the poor girl hates her job.” Argel said.
The conversation ended, and Luke didn’t want to pester Argel continually. The men nearly jogged, trying to cover more distance. As the sun started to set and Luke observed the beautiful golden light, they came over a long slope. Luke laid eyes on a town with a short white-stone wall. The river from the lake flowed around the city; another patrol had just crossed a river bridge connected to the road.
“That,” Argel said, pointing to the settlement, “Is Kelser.”