We were always told that for honest work and for loyalty to the master we would be generously rewarded, and even if not during life, then after death in the arms of Sod and his magical, beautiful garden. All people wanted to believe in it and, moreover, the majority believed in it, but not me and certainly not those who were never going to believe in Sod in their lives.
I didn’t want to wait for the moment when I would receive a reward for my labors, I didn’t want to hunch over in the fields or sit in a boat with a fishing rod all day long and wait for the fish to bite. I wanted to receive a reward right now and preferably not for achievements before the kingdom or for loyalty to my master, no, I’m not the kind of person who is ready to disgrace himself in front of himself for the sake of words of praise for his farm, but I’m the kind of person who is ready to do anything for the sake of a noisy the clink of coins, the binding value in the mortal world: money.
It’s hard to believe, but coins here move mountains if there are enough of them. Money works wonders in our world, and I realized that this is my reward, my treasure, this is money. The more I get, the more my deepest desires will be fulfilled thanks to them, but how can I do this quickly and without straining my hands from heavy swings of an ax while cutting down trees or forging ingots in smelting forges? The answer was very simple.
Adventurism.
You understood me correctly, I became an adventurer and I can’t say that my parents were happy about it when I first told them about it. They looked at me like I was a fool, and my father tried to beat this stupidity out of me with a stick, as he called it, but after that I only wanted to see the world outside my native village more than ever.
I was inspired by the stories of a seasoned veteran about his military exploits and the troubles he got into and who he fought with in his lifetime. I felt with all my spirit how rich his life was, in contrast to my quiet, calm village life, but I wanted something completely different than to lose my chance for the best like this. I wanted passion in my life, real adventures, and therefore I finally decided for myself and chose my life path full of challenges, risks and of course money.
But when I told my parents about this again, they warned me that it was dangerous and it would be better for me to continue helping my family around the house and breeding horses in the stable. Will I really remain like this for the rest of my days? Am I really doomed to listen to how amazing the world around me lives, while I work as a farmhand? NO! I would rather risk my life and get my hands on all the treasure in the world than waste my days in some remote village.
So I decided to become an adventurer, running away from home, taking with me an ax and my father’s favorite horse. Of course, the beginning of my journey was not as sweet as I initially thought. I was a self-confident kid who climbed into the flames and into the fire in the hope of making as much money as possible.
I didn’t know how to read or write, I didn’t know the laws of nature, or the kingdom, or even the world around me, which is why I had to learn from scratch. Should I say that on the very first day of my wanderings I came across a boar that killed Dao? By the way, that was the name of my horse.
Then there was my first fight, a fight out of fear, out of anger. I was incredibly angry, incredibly scared, but in the end I was able to gather all the courage, all the determination in my hands and cut down my first opponent, and only then was I able to realize a lot, seeing my hands in blood, for the first time taking the life of someone who wanted to take my life. This was my first lesson in life: man is a wolf to man.
I even wanted to return home, apologize to my parents and continue a quiet, calm and peaceful life, but after calming down a little and reflecting on what happened, I decided to change my mind and continue my chosen path.
I thought for a long time about whether I should leave home or not, will I really give up on the first day? NO! Adventurism is no less a difficult path than plowing the land, and I will not so easily run away from the trials on my way. I will fight to the best of my ability and reach the pinnacle of fame and fortune. Legends should be made about me, legends will be made, the main thing is not to deviate from your choice and retreat when it smells fried. That's what I ultimately decided for myself.
And this is how I still live. Five winters have passed since I left my village and during this time I learned both the bitterness and the great happiness of my long-ago deed. Who would have thought that idiots like me are so in demand by everyone around us? I didn't even know that there were so many monsters roaming around and my jaw almost dropped when I first learned about magic and what it was all about.
Even at first I was disappointed by how evil people live in cities, but then I got used to this whole performance and joined it with great pleasure. I met adventurers like me, and among them there were even non-humans.
There were people who became adventurers out of revenge, out of a thirst for fame, wealth, women, knowledge and power. Former slaves, wizards, veterans, mercenaries, scientists and pilgrims and who have I not met and only five years have passed, and who will I even be able to see in the future? I can't even imagine.
I was completely satisfied with my current life and I was very happy with it. My life was exciting and full of many events. Even now, after a long drinking session, I’m trying to remember who I punched in the face last night and at the same time find out who left me a painful bruise on my chest.
However, now I decided to postpone my revenge until later. Now I opened the door with a creak and the dim light of a fire in the middle of the tavern hit my eyes. There were few people, everyone sat at tables and spent their leisure time as they pleased.
One man sat in the corner and drank a mug of ale, another was sleeping with a loud snoring throughout the entire inn, slobbering all over the table with his muzzle, two more were loudly talking and laughing, and the owner of the inn stood with his elbows on the counter and waited for the annoying visitors to give him some money.
The old dissatisfied eyes directed in my direction were frightening in their own way, and if I had been younger I would have swallowed saliva from seeing this for the first time, but this time I was not afraid of him because I know that I deserved this look for my drunkenness with my colleagues in the free trade.
Closing the door behind me, adjusting the belt on which hung a one-handed sword, hidden under the fabric of my robe, I began to slowly approach the main counter, and the old bearded owner of the inn, straightening his shoulders, grumbled in my direction in a hoarse voice:
“The dirty dog has arrived. Have you really decided to spend another night in the tower? A?"
"Not today."
Raising my palm, I reassured the owner of the inn, sitting down opposite him and taking out a bag of coins from my belt and, jingling them, placed them on the table.
“Give me something to eat and more, otherwise I’m so hungry today. At least I’m ready to eat a goblin.”
The old man remained silent in response and after that he, taking the bag, turned away from me and began to untie the knot of the bag, and after opening it and seeing the contents, he took a deep breath and threw the contents back to me in front of my nose, clearly having managed to get a couple of coins.
"Dirty dog, but rich."
The old man said irritably, and then turned his head towards his daughter and shouted to her.
“Tshepa, bring me the fried chicken quickly.”
"Now!"
A little girl in an apron shouted cheerfully and ran into another room, starting to stir up everything in there, judging by the various sounds that came from there.
I, in turn, looked strangely at the old man and asked:
“Have I given too much?”
"Yes, dirty dog."
The old man nodded.
“I would be glad to take everything for myself, but I don’t want problems for my soul. You yourself know what kind of people come here.”
I raised an eyebrow and with a peripheral vision I saw how the silent visitors of the tavern were looking sideways in my direction while drinking, or rather not even at me, but at the bag with things that was hanging on my shoulder. They clearly see me as a prey with gold inside and will come after me after I have eaten a whole chicken to my heart's content. There is no further need to think about what could happen to me later.
«You damn old man.»
I remarked sternly to myself, realizing what he had just done.
«Have you decided to set me up? I'll remember that!»
Even though I was dissatisfied with his action, it was understandable. To be honest, I would not like to have additional problems, although they were not expected in the near future. Today I have a meeting with a very important person. On the way to one village, I found a sign intended for adventurers.
Even if I couldn’t read well, but from what I understood, one sorceress was looking for fools who were ready to climb into the dark ruins for a generous reward. Of course, one of these fools turned out to be me and a couple of other people who should have come here any minute, but I haven’t seen them yet or maybe I just don’t recognize them among a bunch of drunkards and lazy people.
«Although no, I recognize someone here.»
The door behind me creaks again and another person comes into the tavern, and judging by the look, I finally understand that it was my brother in the free trade. A rusty iron breastplate covered with scratches, wrapped in belts and furs, hung with chain mail, plates and a rusty helmet on his head, and behind his back hung a huge bow with a quiver of arrows at his belt.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
He had a short but thick beard and he was a dozen years older than me, a huge, stately man who had clearly been a former mercenary, a rich mercenary, but retired judging by his decrepit old clothes. I raised my hand beckoning him to come to me.
"Hey! You're Furgur, aren't you? There is free space here, come here.”
A couple of loud-talking men were surprised at my words when they heard the name I just said.
“Come on Furgur? The same one?
“You mean Furgur bow master?”
“Yes, yes, he is the one. Is it really him?
“Be quiet, otherwise he’ll beat you, you fool.”
“You yourself are a fool.”
The men immediately fell silent when they noticed Furgur’s stern gaze directed in their direction and turned away and lowered their heads, waiting for him to pass by them. It seems he was a well-known, but at the same time frightening, figure in these parts, but I have yet to get to know him well.
He sat down next to me and placed his bag of things and, of course, his longbow with a quiver of arrows next to the counter. At this moment, a girl comes out of the closed room, carefully carrying in her hand a wooden plate on which delicious fried chicken was emitting steam. The smell was very tasty and I wanted to gobble it up as soon as it was on the table.
“Uncle, here’s the chicken, bon appetit.”
The girl said with a smile and began to pour a mug of ale from the barrel, although I didn’t ask her to do this, apparently she already knows that sooner or later I will still ask you to pour me ale.
She handed me a mug of ale, and I thanked her.
"Oh thank you.”
I smiled, then tore off the leg of the chicken with my bare hands and began to eat it.”
I placed the mug to my right, and the plate with chicken between me and Furgur, which is why in response I received a silent question something like “Can I have it?” or “What are you treating me to?”. Of course, I decided to answer the silent big man.
“Help yourself, Furgur, by the way my name is...”
"I don't care about your name."
Furgur suddenly said very gloomily, not daring to take advantage of my kindness and eat chicken for my gold.
It’s unlikely that I can eat chicken alone, but oh well. I could only shake my shoulders at my freelance brother’s answer.
“We will work together, Furgur. So I think we should get to know each other."
“We won't work together. You'll just die."
Furgur continued to speak gloomily, looking somewhere ahead past the owner of the tavern.
“Do you even know where we’re going?”
“That’s why I’m here, to assess the risk of the adventure I’m about to take on.”
“Don’t be impudent, little guy, pack your things and go home to mommy before you die in some ditch.”
Sounds like a threat to kill me. Perhaps Furgur wanted to take all the loot for himself and at the same time then also appropriate my reward. It is unlikely that he will be able to do this since he just admitted it, and apparently that is why he so brazenly tried to dissuade me from what I was getting myself into, although I am no stranger to it.
"I don't care."
I boldly answered with an arrow shooter.
“The main thing is not to plow in the fields and not stand on the gate.”
“Tch! Fool."
Furgur turned away.
“You just don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, you think you can do everything... you’re wrong.”
"But I…"
"Close your mouth."
I would like to object to him, I was even about to open my mouth, but I decided to change my mind. I wouldn’t want to piss him off over all sorts of trifles. It was difficult to understand whether he warned me or, on the contrary, personally threatened me with violence, I don’t know this for sure, but I know one thing: an extra word addressed to him will be met with a blade in my liver. I know such stories and I didn’t want to take part in them.
That's why we had nothing to talk about. Not about girls, not about the troubles they got into, not jokes about anything at all. He was too closed, gloomy, as if he had gone through a lot of problems, difficulties and had completely lost all trust in people. I've heard similar stories about such gloomy loners. In this case, I can only regret that they are doomed to remain like this until the end of their days.
«The world is full of colors, but at the same time it is also full of darkness. I heard this phrase from one priest. I didn’t think that I would remember him now.»
I thought as I took a sip of some ale from my mug.
The creaking of the door was heard behind me again, and turning around again, I realized that this time our customer had come. I was certainly surprised, but I didn’t expect her to be such a young person. Her outfit in the form of a scarlet robe decorated with gems with white edges and black patterns told us about the wealth of this maiden and how strong she is in magic.
The last time I worked with wizards, while exploring the old castle, I learned how important their seemingly useless gadgets are, all sorts of rings, amulets, bracelets and, of course, rich attire, which at first glance greatly interferes in battle. As it turns out, they really help them cast magic, and unfortunately, I don’t know how exactly.
Magicians, wizards, sorcerers, druids, healers and priests are rarely seen anywhere, especially in front of the common people. They are gifted with great powers, which is called magic, and I admit that I am very envious that I do not possess this power, capable of performing real miracles.
A young girl, walking slowly in her boots and hiding her face under a scarlet hood, was heading in our direction. She was clearly hiding something in her large sleeves, judging by the way they swayed irregularly as she moved. Perhaps she hid a magic wand or an enchanted dagger there. In any case, she is dangerous, no matter how sorceress or killer.
The owner of the inn jumped up from his seat, clearly surprised by who he even dared to meet in his modest establishment. He could only widen his eyes and stutter with every word he said.
“Dear, I-I didn’t expect that y-you would visit m-my humble tavern. D-do I owe what?”
"Shut up."
The girl said and at that moment I felt how the air around me became very tense for a moment, and the owner of the inn suddenly began to moo as if he was unable to open his mouth.
Wizards, of course, have their own jokes, but they are usually not understood. So I don’t see anything funny in shutting up the tavern keeper’s mouth with magic, but judging by the fact that I don’t hear a smile from the girl, it looks like she wasn’t going to joke, but simply decided to remove the obstacle in the form of noise past her ears.
«And she is fierce.»
I noticed to myself, straining a little.
The sorceress crouched to my right and took off her scarlet hood. I was even embarrassed to be next to such beauty. Long, curly snow-white hair and blood-red eyes. She sat down comfortably and introduced herself to us:
“My name is Kamelia, and I understand you are Furgur and...”
"Dad?"
Suddenly a girl interrupted the sorceress. She looked strangely at her father, the owner of the tavern, who was holding his throat and trying to speak by moving his lips.
“Dad, what’s wrong with you?”
“Kha... Kha... Kha.”
The tavern keeper made some sounds.
“Daddy, are you feeling bad? Dad? Dad, say something."
The girl was worried, coming closer to her father. I couldn't look at it calmly. The owner of the tavern was suffocating right before my eyes and could have died. It wasn't funny at all.
“Camelia, stop torturing the old man.”
I demanded it from the sorceress.
Her glance in my direction was full of indifference and incredible cynicism. I clearly saw in her eyes the absolute indifference to human life as such. She didn’t care, and having just realized this, I was afraid of what she could do to me right now since I dared to contradict her wishes, but to my surprise, the old man was still able to exhale in the next moment, taking deep breaths and exhalations.
"Oh... oh... oh Sod, you crazy witch!"
The tavern keeper grumbled, looking at the sorceress with fear.
“Next time, say you don’t want to hear me, instead of killing me.”
"Get out of sight."
"Huh?"
The tavern keeper's eyes widened when his legs moved by themselves and he went into a closed room, and his daughter immediately followed him.
“Dad, where are you going?”
The couple quickly disappeared into another room, and then the door slammed shut, and I heard Furgur sigh displeasedly. He, like me, was dissatisfied with the actions of the sorceress. She clearly crossed all possible boundaries of what was permitted, as if she had never known how ordinary people lived.
“What you did is punishable by law.”
The bow master said sternly.
“The law written by people does not bother me.”
The girl said indifferently, crossing her arms over her chest.
“But you’re kind of a human too.”
I objected, but in response I received only a caustic answer from her.
“Don’t you dare compare me to yourself. I'm not like you."
"Is it true? And how are you different from me? I'm a snotty piece of shit."
I covered my mouth with my hands when I realized what I had just said.
“And I have magic.”
The girl said with a malicious grin.
«OH YOU DIRT!»
I mentally became angry with her, realizing that she was only influencing me with her magic.
I didn't even feel it, I didn't even realize that I had lost control of my voice. I'm a stuffed animal in her hands, a fish in a well or whatever. I felt scared. The magicians I met before were not like that, they were good people devoting themselves entirely to knowledge, but she is not like that. She uses her power not for the good, but for the harm of people and lives solely for her own sake.
Of course, I also live for myself, but I’m unlikely to be ready to stoop to some kind of bastard incapable of regret and compassion, and especially of outright mockery of people.
“Now you can speak, I've broken the spell.”
The girl said, snapping her fingers.
I slowly and incredulously removed my hands from my mouth and moved my tongue. I seem to have it under control, but I'm not sure when she'll use her magic tricks on me again. She can make me shut up, say what she wants, and even move me the way she wants. I have never seen magic like this, what is it? If I ask, I’m unlikely to get the answer from her.
Mages are used to keeping secrets to themselves, they think that you can’t give knowledge about magic to just anyone because it can harm people, but still, it’s better to know how to guard against people like her, otherwise I’ll just become a victim.
"So, what's your name?"
Camellia asked me, snatching a mug of ale from my hands.
It looks like she wasn’t our customer if she behaves so brazenly. She said she has magic. Not many people have access to this “art,” whatever that word means, and yet she was not the kind of sorceress who hired adventurers along the way. It wasn't her voice, that's for sure.
Camellia was wealthy and did not seem to be driven by the desire for knowledge like all other wizards. No, instead she strives for something else, but it’s difficult for me to understand what exactly, perhaps strength, or perhaps power.
In the end we will need to work together, and I still told her my name:
"My name is Ashwani."