With both Qeene Vibryd’s now taking residence in my shadow I turn back toward the “train” to see a shocked Dr Rath and Elf leaning out of the cab.

“What?” I ask, “You just turned two monsters into gas which then disappeared, that's a bit strange don’t you think?” Dr Rath says.

“Oh, yea. Well the path is clear right? Let's get a hustle on”

I jump back into the cab and despite the strange looks that the Elf is giving me we set off again and soon we are moving quickly through the forest.

While she’s piloting the train, Dr Rath and I sit down and I ask “So how many languages do you speak?” “Three” he replies “They're all local languages so over time you get to learn them easily enough.”

“Now, as you said you only skimmed that medical book I gave you, let's go over the different races you’ll come across.”

“First you have your Humans and the Elves as you call them, then there are the Intelligent Beasts. These are normal animals or monsters who have gained great intelligence, on par with the average person.”

“Oh Narnia! Thats another fiction from Earth with similar peoples”

“It’s quite strange how many of these things are fiction on your world, anyway moving on.”

“Next are the Greater beasts, these are again animals or monsters who have gained not only intelligence but also were able to change their physical form to be more upright, two legged if they can.”

“Yet again fiction, sounds like a Therian.”

“Ok, what about the Intelligent Hoards? A Hive-Mind of animals and normally insects who gain Intelligence as a group, though these are much rarer.”

“Sorry, Hive Minds are a kinda common trope in fiction.”

“Well how about the Harden? Ever heard of them before?” He asks annoyed

“I mean maybe, I need more info please.” “They are descended from the Ocean Domain but live closer to the surface and are able to live on the surface for a time. They have the appearance of large shelled creatures.”

“Huh, ok not sure if I’ve heard of them before.”

“Ha! Ok what about the Trax? A twin horned humanoid, like an elf but no pointed ears.”

“Hmm, maybe a Tiefling but without Tails and Fire Resistance?” I replied cheekily.

“Oh come on! How many things are similar to Earth?!... Actually this could be an interesting study between the fictions and realities of Earth.”

“Well I do intend to visit the Library, maybe there is more information on OutWorlders there?”

“There should be several texts in the city library, what’s your plan for the city?”

“Once we get in I’ll follow you to your place and drop my gear off there, then I’ll head for the Adventurer Society. I’ll create some clones to check out the surrounding areas and stuff. Library, Museums, Restaurants, stuff like that.”

Before long we are only a few minutes from the city and the train has started to slow before its entrance into the City, we know there are inspections and stuff up near the Powered Carriage (train) entrance.

We leave the carriage cab with a short wave to the Elf and we walk a short distance through a well walked forest and onto a cobbled road, which looks similar to the roads I’ve seen from Ancient Rome. There are some people walking along it who do notice us but don’t say anything other than wave.

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We walk for about 30 minutes and soon arrive by the city. The city is a large walled city and I can see several taller buildings behind the walls. There are a large amount of smaller buildings and farm land surrounding them.

The walls of the houses outside and the walls of the city have carvings surrounding them that have an opal like sheen when they catch the light.

We move toward the gates, these have a large amount of those carvings around it and there is a defined entrance and exit way. As we get closer to the city there are some guards present checking papers.

“Hey do we have papers?” I ask Dr Rath quietly, “Yes, I’m a doctor and you're my new apprentice here to take the apprentice exams.”

“Got it, that should fit in the cover story easily enough”. After some waiting and shuffling forward we reach the entrance. “Papers Please” says one of the soldiers, he looks to be wearing almost typical mediaeval soldier armour. A red Gambeson with armour over the chest, arms and legs. All of which have those same opal coloured carvings in them.

Dr Rath hands over some small papers which from my knowledge are normally handed out when you either leave a city or if you are a recognised professional from a major organisation.

The soldier glances at these and says “Alright, come through”

As we walk through a crystal on the wall buzzes and the guard calls a halt. Walking over to us he takes the red oval crystal from the wall and moves it towards us, it buzzes slightly at Dr Rath but a lot more over me.

“Are you an OutWorlder, carrying any OutWorlder items or have undergone extensive healing recently?”

“OutWorlder item” I say pulling out the amulet given to me by Abcier, “I was passing through the Kingdom of Bramland down south when I stopped by the memorial there. I’ve been wearing it for a while.”

“Thats fine then” he replies holding the amulet to the crystal for a moment before handing it back as another soldier hands me a signed piece of paper and another paper and pen. “This is a document that your amulet was checked in, sign this to confirm for our records.”

“Sure, you get many of these?” I ask as I sign in the glyphs I have learnt. “Sometimes, used to be a bit more common back in the day but every once and a while someone like you shows up. OK, you're free to go, good luck with your exams.”

“Thank you” I reply moving into the city.

I follow Dr Rath down a main street and through some smaller roads, the buildings all have the opal carvings in them and look like something out of Tudor England and are at most two or three stories high.

To the far right of the city there is a group of larger buildings, that might be their equivalent of a CBD.

After a few minutes of me looking around like I’m some tourist we arrive at Dr Raths place, a smaller two story house tucked between several small ones along a tiny alleyway, it city has a layout of a typical mediaeval city, lots of alleyways, dead ends, cramped buildings and easy to get lost in.

Dr Rath unlocks the door and we walk in, dumping our bags near the door Dr Rath turns and grabs a key from under some papers on a mantle. “Here’s your key, you can come and go as you please. Kitchen is down the hall a bit, your room is upstairs, second room from the left, first room on the left is the bathroom.”

“Easy, you own this place?” “Yes, I was renting it out not too long ago but recently its been looked after by my cousins.”

“Cool, I'll chuck these upstairs. Do we need to grab anything, fresh foods?” “I’ll do some shopping later on, you want to come with me?”

“I probably should get to the Adventurer Society, but I’ll create a clone. He’ll go with you, we need to map the city anyway.”

“Sure, get yourself sorted and we’ll get started.” “Easy”

I head upstairs with my bag and enter my room, and bring forth the two shadows from earlier. A dark shadow covers the floor and two bear-like heads emerge from the shadow. “Hi, your names will now be Koda and Wojtek. You have a very important mission, I’m going to give you some directories to follow. It will also be your jobs to teach these to any newer Kage.”

“Directive 1, you will follow my orders to the best of your abilities but I won’t order you to not leave, I already promised that to Creature and Power.

Directive 2, people deserve their privacy so if you’re tailing someone and they go into the bathroom or bedroom I don’t need to know what they're doing in there. Things like that.

Directive 3, If we end up joining or creating a Party or I ask you to follow someone I may ask you to hide in their shadow, if so and they get into a fight or need help then let me know via the Voice Chat and help them if you can.

And finally Directive 0, this is the main directive and must not be broken. If in the future, for any reason, I lose my path. And by that I mean break my own rules then you must stop me, I don’t want to kill or torture anyone out of anger so if it comes to that or things like that then stop me and my clones. I would also ask that if asked you don’t tell anyone else these directives.”