There were a few glaring differences between Arborton and Kinnesville. Where arborton had walls of both stone and wood, well put together and strong, Kinnesville had walls of sundried clay and wood. They were only around half as high, and had some small gaps between the planks. They would still do in a pinch, but I felt a strong wind roiling across the plains would topple them. From the southwest, where we came from, forest surrounded the roads. About three hundred yards from the walls was the deforestation line. To the north and north east were plains roiling with sparse trees and plentiful hills from Kinnesville to Edderton. The closer we got to the Dread Wastes the less vegetation would be present. The wastes themselves were a desert containing little life.
I hope I’m strong enough to hunt there... The errant thought crossed my mind, not for the first time. Typically, it was recommended that only people from level one hundred twenty to one hundred eighty delve the Wastes. Given I was only level fifty one I felt it was unlikely that I’d grow so much stronger in the time it took to arrive at Ironfell. Even still, I seemed pretty capable of punching above my weight class due to my relatively powerful classes.
The houses shared some of the same differences here from Arborton. They were simple wooden homes, with most buildings sharing the same pallet. The only differences were a smithy, the government buildings, and the barracks for the guards which all had some amount of stone for a foundation. On our way in we had passed a couple of small farms that I had paid little attention to. I was sure there would be more on the northern end of the town.
As we walked through the small town I noted the location of the smithy, especially. I needed to figure out exactly what my new skill would allow me to store, and how much I could hold for the time being. I knew instinctively that it wouldn’t hold much yet, but still wanted to test it.
We made our way to the inn, there was only one in this small of a town. I mentally groaned, realizing that with the merchant group joining us we would likely need to share rooms. It was okay, but I still would have preferred to have my own. As we entered I glanced around. It was only a bit after midday, so not too many people were here drinking yet. I did see a farmer, two guards, and a woman whose job I couldn’t easily discern. She and the farmer were sitting alone at different ends of the bar, the woman staring deep into her cup and the farmer chatting with the barkeep. Before I could ask for my own room, Liana stepped forward and returned with two keys. She handed one to me.
“For you, Elric, and Adrien. You’ll owe me a silver. Rooms ain't cheap with those merchants joining us for a week or so.”
I quickly fished a silver from my coin purse, wincing internally. That was essentially half my weekly wage while working for Derren. “How long are we staying in town?”
“However long it takes to complete all of the quests they need done.” Amelia smiled as we walked towards the stairs. “Come on, lets drop off our things and check this little place out.”
I nodded and unlocked the door to the boys room, there were only two beds so I claimed a spot on the floor, dropped off my things excluding my sword, a skinning knife on my hip, and my coin purse. I left my single full piece of gold with my bag though, only taking a sack of silvers that nearly made up a gold piece. Satisfied, I left the room to see both ladies waiting for me. Liana picked up Luka, Sky went to Amelia who let her act like a parrot. A feeling of smug satisfaction was emitted from both foxes. They both knew they were the true leaders of this group, and that everyone was already wrapped around their adorable little paws.
“I would like to visit the smithy, and then maybe take a bath if theres a decent stream for it around here.” I told them, I didn’t take a change of clothes with me this time, but if we found a good spot I would have to later.
“I’ll be heading around, I’m going to go speak with the guards about the quests we have available. I know the boys are speaking to the town officials but it doesn't hurt to cover our bases.” Liana, ever practical, intoned.
“I have nowhere better to be, can I come with you Lios?” Amelia reached up to scritch Sky on her shoulders. The fox practically purred as Amelia’s long, pointed nails scratched all the right spots.
“I have no problem with that. Well, what are we waiting for? Daylights wasting.” I chuckled as I stepped back into the bright sunlight.
It took less than five minutes to find our way to the smithy. Once we got there I idly perused the various weapons and armor that they had on display. Even with my fairly amateurish eyes I could tell they weren’t of the same quality that Derren had produced, more like the works of his highest level apprentice. I looked over the various arms with my [Mana Sense] active and when I finally found an item with magic imbued I activated [Arcane Analysis], lifting up the small twisted dagger.
Gloomy Twisted Dirk
This twisted blade was crafted by Smith Prisma
Effects:
Doom and Gloom: When a living being is struck by this blade they are poisoned with a sense of foreboding. For the next twenty four hours the victim will be subject to abject negativity and thoughts of insecurity and depression. This effect doubles each time the victim is struck by the Twisted Dirk
“Good eye. Although that ones a failure if I might say so.” A voice visited me from the forge area. I turned to look at the smith. She was a burly woman, well muscled and with deep callouses on her hands. Her brown hair was lightened from time in the sun, and her tanned skin, provided by beating a hammer under the beating sun, glistened with sweat. She had likely been working all day. “You passed over most of the rest, so I take it you either have an appraisal skill or a way to sense magic?”
“Smart. Both. Plus I’m a smith, though still low leveled in that regard. Prisma?” I set the dirk back into its place. I had no need for a blade like that.
“Indeed, did someone guide you here? You with the merchant group that just came to town?” She tilted her headband wiped her hands clean on a dirty apron. Stepping forward she held out a hand.
“We came in with them. And no we weren’t guided, I just saw the name when I analyzed your dagger.” I smiled and took her hand in mine, giving it a firm shake. “Lios, and this is my friend Amelia.”
“Well, Lios, it seems you already have a blade and armor, so what can I do for you?” She ignored Amelia, likely realizing she was just tagging along given that I was the one responding.
“Well... I’m unsure exactly. Hmm... Do you have an anvil I could try a skill on? If it works I’d like to purchase it, if not I’ll likely have to settle for some tools.” I took a peak over her shoulder at her forge.
“Hmm. I do have a spare anvil. But you would trust another smith to make your tools? How long are you in town, if its long enough you may as well rent a space and make your own tools don't you think?” She waved me into the forge area before pointing to one of the anvils that was sitting not far from the bellows, it looked as though it hadn’t been used in a while. It was beat up, dents and marks from use adorned its surface. “We just replaced this one but she still works for aspiring smiths. Try your skill out.”
I nodded a thank you before attempting to activate [Ephemeral Forge]. I felt some mana leave me as I activated the level one spell but realized the anvil was far too heavy still for the skill. Sighing I shook my head. “Looks like it'll just be tools for the time being. How much per day to rent a spot in the forge? And how much for a few ingots of steel or svertim?”
Svertim was a metal on par with steel. It was similar in appearance to brass but much much sturdier. It was supposedly a bit more responsive to enchantment than regular steel was, but mana steel beat it out. Granted, mana steel was significantly more expensive as well. A single ingot cost anywhere from thirty to fifty silver. That was nothing next to the cost of the quicksilver and orichalcrum I had bought for my sword, only the fact I was given an employee discount and made three full billets of my damascus alloy for Derren had saved my coin purse from being emptied.
“Hmm. I can do a silver for three days, two silver for a full week. Thats eight hours a day during those days, but I won’t chase you to make sure you get full utilization. As for the ingots... We have several of each, steel will cost you...” She looked like she was doing some calculations. “I say about two silver per ingot Three per five ingot for the svertim.”
“Wonderful, I’m not sure what my schedule is like yet or how long we’re staying, but I’ll likely stop by when I find out.” I shook her hand again before walking away with Amelia following behind, mildly shocked that Prisma hadn’t mentioned Sky.
“You should have plenty of time to do some smithing, there’s two total jobs you are high enough level for and I think you’ll be able to take care of them rather quickly, if I’m honest.” She shrugged and gave me a wan smile. “I really cannot wait until we can figure out how rare your classes are. Do you know the difference in rarer classes versus their more common counterparts?”
“Hmm. well, common classes are much easier to level up, give the user a lower stat distribution, and provide weaker skills overall, right?” While we couldn’t actively pull up our stats, there were tests and devices that could measure a person’s quantitative power level. It wasn’t something I wanted to make a habit of, but I did want to get them checked once we reached Ironfell.
“Well at least youre not totally ignorant. All of that was correct but there’s also more. The higher the rank of the class itself, the less likely you are to advance to a higher rarity. Some think that it’s the opposite, but the reason high rarity classes evolve into more powerful variations is mostly because those with high rarity classes tend to achieve more. They tend to delve deeper into danger and fight higher class enemies. High rarity classes allow people to punch above their level but if you, for instance, were to decide to level up your skills the slow way, through training rather than actual combat, you’d likely stagnate at the rank you are now. Your classes, your skills, wouldn't evolve nearly as easily.”
“That makes sense. By the way, I’m going to see about finding the baths. You wanna join?” I started walking towards a produce vendor, one that wasn’t in the group we had just arrived with.
“I don’t think they'll be coed, but I’ll go to the ladies section.” She smirked. I was used to her teasing me but that didn’t save me from a blush spreading on my cheeks or a brief imagining of bathing with her. Even with meditating constantly around her, human nature was difficult to tamp down.
“Alas, I suppose I’ll have to wait until you confess your love for me then.” I approached the produce vendor, Amelia standing a few feet back. “Hello, sir, I’m new to town and was curious if there were any bathhouses?”
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He looked me over for a few moments before greedily holding out his hand. I scoffed, and turned to walk away, unwilling to pay for information that I could find myself by wandering for a bit. Amelia laughed at what I could only imagine was a smug or miffed expression that fell upon the merchants face.
“What, couldn’t spare a few coppers?” She chuckled beside me as I started to aimlessly walk.
“No, I’d have left a few for the information but he was too greedy about it.” I shot her a fake glare, only now noticing that she had some smoked meat she was feeding Sky.
I felt at my connection with Luka, trying to see how he was doing. All I got were feelings of boredom and frustration. All I could imagine was him in Elrics arms, biting the mans hands and arms and asking to be let down. I imagined that Liana had met up with the others by now, otherwise I had no clue what Liana would be doing to frustrate the little fox so.
We walked for a few minutes, the town wasn’t large so It was easy to find ourselves in front of the run down bathhouse. I stepped in and took a glance around, a bell ringing as we opened the door. We had to wait a moment for the attendant to come from the back, and fall in behind the counter.
“Well those are surely some new-” She stared at Sky with wide eyes. “Is that a freaking fox?”
The girl was young, this was likely her parents business that she was going to attend. If i had to guess I’d say she was around thirteen. I suppose that wasn’t too young, considering I wasn’t even fifteen yet, but still she was a child. She was dressed in decent clothes, practical and nice looking. Her eyes had small bags under them and she didn’t take on the cheerful appearance I expected from someone her age. Maybe she was having nightmares lately?
“She is! Would you like to pet her? Shes very friendly.” I picked the fox off of Amelias shoulders and held her in my arms, cradling her. I held her out for the girl to pet.
“Oh my gods oh my gods oh my goooodddds shes soooo sooooft.” The girl started petting her immediately, no hint of fear at the pet. “I’m sorry but pets aren’t allowed in the baths. And they’re separated by gender,” She said after a few moments of scratching behind Skys ear.
“Thats okay. Can you believe it? Lios has been practically begging me for a date and the first place he takes me when I finally agree is a bathhouse!” I turned my eyes towards Amelia, shocked and embarrassed for a moment. The girl was nodding along as though this were a normal occurrence.
“What a scoundrel! He does have that look about him, I’ll be sure to warn the other ladies here!” She turned to me. “I assume you’ll be paying then? And I can watch your fox, if you like. I won’t even charge for it!”
“That is not... Whatever. Yes please, two baths and if you could watch her that’d be great. Amelia, can you give the girl some meat in case Sky gets hungry?” I sent a mental check to Sky to make sure she was okay with waiting. I was still getting used to this stronger connection, and hadn’t figured out how to communicate beyond feelings yet. She gave an affirmative yip so I handed her over to the girl.
“Okay that’ll be twenty coppers total! And you mister, if I hear about you peeping I’ll call the guards, understood?” I handed over the coppers, not dignifying a response before I walked into the bathhouse proper.
Within moments I was finally out of my stinking armor and sitting to my chin in warm, steamy waters. It had been a long time since I had taken a bath in warm water. In Arborton I had grown used to bathing in the cold stream where I met Brook, so I hadn’t taken a warm bath since I died. I soaked until my body was made of prunes, listening to the idle chatter of other customers but not hearing much of interest.
Mostly they spoke about their day to days, though a few of them spoke about the merchant group and adventurers that had just rolled into town. One guy talked about a predator at his friends farm, but it seemed like that was one that the rest of the group would handle. One mans wife had just given birth to twins, and he stopped in before going back home to take care of them. In Ravos the traditional family was fairly present; the dad provides the money, and the mother takes care of the children and teaches them. Women, typically, couldn’t even own property which astounded me.
I wasn’t fully aware how long I stayed in to soak, but at least two duos had come and gone before I got out and patted myself dry. Sighing with my displeasure at leaving, I dressed in my self cleaning clothes and collected Sky from the girl at the counter. Once I was outside I noticed red in the sky, we were near sunset.
“Somna’s tits I thought I took forever to bathe.” Amelia was leaning against the wall of the bathhouse.
“You didn’t have to wait for me, you know. I’m perfectly capable on my own.” I started in the direction of the inn, ‘The Sleepin Drinker’. She only huffed as we quickly found our way there, noticing that the other three had secured a booth in the corner. Unlike this afternoon, the place was much more crowded. Many of the merchants had also booked rooms here, while others had had to pay townsfolk to stay in their homes for a lack of beds.
“Where the hell have you been?” Elric asked as we approached. His cheeks were flush, and there was a bit of ale foam on his upper lip.
“Princess here needed a three hour bath.” Amelia pointed at me. I ignored them as I sat, Luka climbing into my lap.
“So, Adrien, still wanna spar?” I asked before someone else could comment on our time at the baths.
“Aye, Ah’m ready a’soon as Ah finish me drink.” He wasted no time, chugging the mead. “Ready!”
“Wonderful!” We quickly found a spot, a small clearing behind the inn. Nobody else joined us, Luka and Sky had also stayed behind due to the prospect of food.
Don’ hol’ back nah, Ah wan’ ta see exactly how ye figh’,” Adrien commanded before raising a broomstick.
I nodded, not saying anything but drawing my blade from its sheath. I knew there was little chance of harming him with my drawn sword, and the shape changing nature was integral to my fighting style so far. I willed its shape to change slightly, to the horror of the blade, so that it would be dulled. Rounded edges were extremely difficult to maintain with an active sharpness enchantment, but I powered through, deciding it was just more training.
Adrien didn’t wait for me to fall into a proper stance or anything like that, he just lunged at me. In my shock I barely parried his thrust, and didn’t have any time to develop a counterattack. He pressed me, his sword slashing horizontally. I blocked again, this time side stepping to give myself a bit more room. As soon as he disengaged I rushed toward him, turning my sword from a longsword to a scimitar. My feet started to draw out the runes for my lightning blade spell, after I actualized the first half of a rune. I stepped towards him, finishing that first rune and connecting with his blade.
There was a smirk on the mans face as he slashed towards my feet, mana running along his sword disrupting my spell when I dodged instead of blocked. I focused a little on [Mana Sense]. Frowning I began casting again, but couldn't actualize as the skill had a mild cooldown. It wasn’t something I could spam to constantly cast low level spells. He made another move towards my feet but this time, rather than dodging I blocked him, sidestepped and attempted a counter thrust, shifting the blade to a rapier. He easily blocked it and I stumbled slightly. Growling my sword shifted yet again into a longsword again, and I kept on the offensive, attempting to pressure him enough that he couldn’t disrupt my sword dance.
After three seconds the spell was ready and lightning mana wreathed my sword as pseudo blade aura. I grinned to myself as I thrusted at the man and he sidestepped, allowing me to swing slightly in his direction and launch a, albeit slow, line of lightning at his side. He frowned as it hit him and I grumbled about the level difference. It hadn’t event left a marr on his clothes and he didn’t even wince.
I held the other two launches of lightning as he started moving faster, stabbing at me, slashing, attempting to disarm me. He became the aggressor quickly and made me stumble a bit. The longer I held the raucous mana the more difficult it became. In a haphazard counter I launched a blade of electricity at Adriens foot, but he was easily able to step over it. He did miss the other blade that came towards his stomach a half second later, a resounding crack echoing in the dark city street we were sparring in. He growled again and slashed down at me, his broomstick stopping at my neck.
“I’s only been a few day bu’ ye’v gotten stronger, faster. Much better. Nah, Ah’ll show ye some more advanced techniks.” He didn’t comment on me landing a couple of blows. True to his words he started pointing out areas where I was lacking. I overthought in combat still, wasn’t able to act fully on impulse and instinct. He corrected my form here and there as he had me try out a couple of different longsword techniques.
After nearly three hours, the sun had long since fallen and we reentered the tavern to see a drunken Amelia clinging to a drunken Liana. Elric was throwing Sky as high as he could within the building and catching her. Luka had three plates next to him all spotless and clean. I felt my curiosity flag as I watched this scene. Adrien stared with me.
Patrons were surrounding Elric and encouraging him to toss the fox, and she wasn’t helping with her incessant cackling. I took in the sight to the best of my ability, feeling at our connections to make sure they were okay. Luka was sleeping, but I gathered he had been given the groups empty plates to clean along with a bevvy of snacks by the patrons. His belly was bulging and a touch of drool dripped out of his furry mouth. Sky only emitted feelings of glee and elation, adoring the attention and the shenanigans.
“Toss the fox! Toss the fox!” Some of the patrons called out to Elric as we took in this sight.
Adrien and I approached our booth, Liana and Amelia swaying in front of it. “So, uhm, how did that start? Why are a bunch of drunkards watching my fox get tossed up?”
“Liiiiooooossss yer baack!” Liana’s excitement was palpable. “Sky there ish jush a cutiepie huh? Evry-one looovves her.”
Amelia wasn’t much help either, just giggling as she stared at me. She licked her lips before sliding up next to me. “Lios Lios Lios! Don’t tell me youre done training! I was just about to come out and help you practice with low blood! I’m sooo thirsty please can I have a little nibble?”
Okay perhaps she wasn’t drunk, but she was terrifying when she got that predatory look in her eyes. If I didn’t know better I’d think she was a succubus instead of a vampire. Batting her eyelashes at me I sighed and nodded slightly.
“Well I was going to go to sleep, but you can have a drink before I go I guess.” I turned back towards Adrien. “By the way, whats the plan for the next couple of days?”
“Hmm. Next tree days Ah wan to train ye’s a bit more, then after tha’ ye’ll start on yer two quests while we do ours. Otterwise, ta days will be yers.”
“Understood. I’ll likely be at the smithy the next few days though. I want to check out the new class.”
Amelia could wait no longer. She took me by that arm and began dragging me upstairs. Aggressively she shoved me into a room, the one she shared with Liana, and pushed me onto the bed. “Okay. let go of meditation. Try not to resist my... allure, please. It’ll make you taste muuuch better.”
I let go of the skill, and instantly felt the draw of her power. My heart began to race slightly, cheeks growing flush. As soon as I stopped meditating, which had become a near constant activity the past few days, I first felt an instant decrease in pressure in my head as I stopped straining against Amelia's passive charm, and next lost any questions that may have been asked. My mind was suddenly hyper focused on Amelia. My instinct was to pull away, to resist the strange draw, but I followed her instructions.
“Good. Good. Now, a number of things are going to happen. One, I am going to bite your wrist. When I do my venom will fill your veins and you will be paralyzed for a short time depending on how long I drink. Two. This is going to hurt, a lot. Maybe not the most painful things you’ve experienced but certainly an amount. Three, I’ll bring you some juice. You are to stay awake long enough to drink this juice. The paralytic in my venom also tends to put people to sleep. You’ll have to resist. Four, you’ll go to sleep. While we are in town we will work on building your resistance so you can start to train with it in your system, it’ll be good practice. Any questions.”
My eyes must have been saucers. I took in every word. I gulped, thinking of how amazing it would be to be bitten by her. I shook my head when she asked about questions, mental images flooding my mind unbidden. I briefly fantasized about her, her teeth her lips her everything. My eyes were locked onto her face even as I daydreamed. She rolled her eyes and gave me a half smile.
“Right. Probably should have gone over everything while you weren’t charmed... Oh well. Ready?” She waited for my immediate nod. Without any further ceremony she made me lay on my back and grasped my arm, taking a large bite into my wrist.
I gasped as her teeth pierced my vein, feeling an odd suction as she pulled the blood into her mouth. Her venom, true to her words, sent cold icy pain through my arm. Black spread like ink in my veins, visible from my wrist to my biceps but the inky dark didn’t extend any further. The paralytic caused me to shake as I attempted to move, finding myself sluggish and unable to. Stars began to shimmer in my vision and my arm became even colder. I gasped for air and attempted to pull away, stilled by the powerful venom. Her eyes were closed and she groaned at the taste. She held me there for a while, slowly draining my body of blood. I felt my breath quicken as I started to panic and finally she pulled away. I panted still unable to move as she started to tuck me in.
I struggled against the venom as she walked out, trying to cycle my mana to make my blood flow faster, focusing mana where I thought my liver and kidneys should be to help them better remove the poison in my veins. It didn’t help. When Amelia came back I was still stuck but after dropping off the juice I was able to move a little again. My every movement felt sluggish and painful. The venom made my body feel like ice as the pain faded away. The venom was nowhere near the pain I experienced with my Tribulations. I doubted that anything would be quite that bad.
I sipped on the juice, until it was gone, then lay my head back down and promptly fell asleep. This time, I was too tired, possibly an influence of the venom, to have a nightmare.