John POV:
The journey only lasted two more days, and the small talk barely progressed due to the duo fearing they might hit another sensitive topic. However the lessons that Cassandra was giving elsa didn’t cease.
I learned that Elsa was a very good mage for someone her age. She was already using second tier spells, and they were having very little effect on her persona as it were.
The sad thing about magic is that, depending on the type you use, it will change you. A fire mage will become far more subject to their passions, a wind mage will turn into someone who doesn’t care much for their responsibilities, a lightning mage becomes very spontaneous or bipolar in the worst cases, an Illusion mage becomes very manipulative, etc. etc..
That’s why some mages are literally forced to learn healing magics before anything else. It has the positive effect of strengthening your will, so the other magics don’t affect you much. Weak willed mages become… well, that’s a tale for another time.
Let’s just say there’s a reason kings and mage guilds outlaw bards from spreading certain tales.
Right now Elsa is trying to get the hang of targeting the same lightning spell she used to ruin my life with.
‘That came out more bitter than I intended it to.’
She had just hit her seventh lightning bolt, her limit for now without risking erosion to her mind and will. That’s when she decided to chant the spell for another lightning bolt. Cassandra stopped her immediately.
“What do you think you're doing! You could risk corruption out at your stage of control!” Cassandra
“Not to sound disrespectful master, but you have said that so much and not even once have you elaborated on what it actually means. Corruption this, corruption that, do you even know what that means?” Elsa
Cassandra opened her mouth and closed it several times in an effort to formulate an acceptable retort, but not even the Elf knew the real reason why Mages put limits on the number of spells they were allowed to cast depending on rank. The only sign that ever presented itself was the modification of one's mind that results from overuse. People that knew otherwise had a nasty habit of falling victim to one mind altering plague or another. The exception being people such as myself who possess seals binding us to never speak the truth. This was a more recently made countermeasure.
However people like me are more than capable of speaking the truth without, well, speaking the truth.
‘Maybe I should stop this before it gets out of hand.’
“Hey, Elsa, have you by chance ever heard about the tales concerning the elemental city? That giant ruin that once held the greatest MAGE population in history? One has to wonder how it got like that in the first place. I mean, how would all those CREATURES even reach a dangerous population that is EXACTLY EQUAL to the MAGE population, right?” John
‘I swear if she doesn’t pick up on that she deserves to be corrupted.’
Both her eyes and Cassandra’s blast open at that.
“Do you mean--” Cassandra
“Too bad they’re JUST tales, RIGHT Cassandra?” John
She gets a quizzical look before realization dawns on her. Same goes for Elsa, but her face pales at the thought of how much she was tempting fate in that single moment.
“We should get back on the road.” John
Both nodded absentmindedly.
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The rest of the journey passed without incident, and we entered the city with even less incident. That at least lasted until we entered the inn that is.
“I’ll negotiate for a doable price.” John
Cassandra looked annoyed at my taking charge.
“Why are you suddenly taking charge? Shouldn’t it be senior team members that make decisions like that one?” Cassandra
“Do you happen to be a bard with the official discount? Didn’t think so. So go get some supplies, look for a job, whatever it is adventurers do when they first get into a city. I’ll try and gather intel on any bounties in the region after getting the rooms.” John
I could tell that she was probably fuming right behind me, but I honestly couldn’t give a damn. Elsa began to whisper to her teacher.
“I thought that Bard’s were supposed to have silver tongues?” Elsa
“Must not be a very good bard then.” Cassandra
‘Oh if only you met my father.’
I walked into the inn and was greeted with the average scenery, well, average for a Coalition inn that is. Not far after the door stood the innkeeper, who kept careful watch for any characters one might call too unsavory to be trusted with entering. Further down the hallway stood the tavern section of the inn where one could purchase food and drink, with a podium for any performers who are staying there to apply their trade. Inside the tavern one would likely find the doorway that led to the room and toiletries sections. Right behind the awfully burly innkeeper was the flag of the Coalition.
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The flag bore the representation of the Five Heroes of Cassat who fought back the ‘scourge’ that were the Unblessed Races. That happened about twenty years ago. After that the Heroes went to the land of the Primordial in hopes of bringing the last lands of the Unblessed back into the fold. That happened sixteen years ago and not one person has heard from them since.
The coalition itself is a series of city states and minor kingdoms that rose from the the example of the Five, regardless of which of the Blessed Races the individual kingdom hailed from, and have made it their duty to reclaim the world for those who they believe rightfully own it, the Blessed.
‘If only they knew the truth.’
The innkeeper sees me at the door and puts on a welcoming smile.
“May The Five watch over your journey friend! The Drunken Dragon has everything the weary traveler needs to refresh after a long journey, from warm food to hot baths to drink strong enough to hammer a Dragon! How may I be of service?” Innkeeper
I take out the official sigil of a kingdom bard, handed out by the kingdom to encourage our trade, and placed it on the counter. He got a greedy look in his eyes as he recognized that my sigil bore a crest. Only bards who have sufficiently impressed representatives of the kingdom are allowed to have a customized crest on their sigil.
That or bribed them, either way he is in for quite the sum of money based on who he complains to.
“Ah! Welcome Master Bard, the rank of your sigil warrants you a significant discount! Bah, but you know that already! So, shall it be one room or are you with company? Or is it company and one bed? Hehe.” Innkeeper
He wiggled his eyebrows as if he expected me to give him my sloppy seconds, not that I would even have a main course in the first place.
‘I hate Innkeepers like this guy. He hasn’t even seen my face and yet he expects me to be just like every other Bard that shows up. Hell half of them don’t even take their profession seriously and are just in it for the booze and women who have dreams of leaving their home village or city.’
“Company, we’ll take two rooms, one with two beds one with one bed. We’ll be here for about three days, luxuries included.” John
He was slightly taken aback by the fact that I wouldn’t satisfy his lecherous delusions. He scowls at me.
“Three silver and fifty copper per night. You get twenty percent of all tavern purchases while you are performing.” Innkeeper
I gape at him from behind my cowl. Of course, he doesn’t know that.
“What is this?! A bandit’s den?! This is a worse deal then I get from Telshin Dwarves! And those bastards are harder to crack than Dragon's teeth when it comes to lessening their horde!” John
He pales as the raucous laughter and sounds of merriment coming from the tavern section begins to die down and is replaced with discontented murmurs and several people standing out of their chairs. Several people go into the hallway to spectate our conversation.
The innkeeper is simply petrified as he clambers to calm my rising temper. I truly hate people like him.
“P-please master bard, be reasonable. [he leans in and begins to whisper to me] I’m s-sure we can come to some sort of arrangement. I doubt my niece would mind much if you were to take her virginity. I even have a few brews that’ll make her forget it ever even happened! She won’t be the most active, but a flower like her is sure to be worth the night! She’s even caught the eye of the Grand Duke!” Innkeeper
At this point I was fuming with rage and was of half a mind to turn him into a charred corpse, but that would be too fast. An evil grin forms on my face as a plan formulates in my mind.
“Might I have a quick look at said brew?” John
Color returns to his face as he nods his head vigorously, none the wiser that he is about to make the biggest mistake he has ever made. He fiddles through his counter for a moment before presenting me with a vial containing a purple liquid, it smells of vanilla and ginger fruit, the potion completely matches the characteristics of a brew called Midday Dream.
It makes one feel that he is experiencing a dream and memories made during it are just as fleeting as one. It has been outlawed by several states of the coalition due to how many crimes have been committed with it, the dangerous effects it creates from prolonged consumption, and with the lack of practical use it has in respectable society. It is only barely legal in Nurnia.
I snatch the brew out of his hands and he looks at me without understanding. I then turn and begin to walk into the tavern. Most people watch me as I jump onto the podium, stomping on the ground to gather the attention of the rest.
Once everyone is focused on me, I begin to speak in a chipper voice.
“Hello everyone! My name is John, and boy do I have a tale to tell you about the owner of this Inn…” John