Chapter 4
Traveling
“So how far is it to Heil from here?” Byron asked for only the 3rd time this morning.
“About 2 more weeks of travel.” Gen sighed, “It’s far out, and the only way there is by wagon or walking.”
A few days after the ritual and a million questions later Gen and Byron had set out for Heil. First by taking the train back south the way Gen had come and then walking for 2 days to the next city over.
“We have a small stopover here till we can find a caravan heading out that way but it shouldn't take long. With Heil being on one of the easier ways through the mountains it's not far off from the trade route, so a caravan will likely be headed that way. If we are lucky we will only have to wait a day or so but it may take a week before anyone sets out. Either way, we should take a day to rest while we are in town so let’s head for an inn.”
Byron nodded and adjusted his bag holding all his worldly possessions. His parents had outfitted him with some nice equipment: Banded Leather armor, a buckler, and a fine Longsword. He probably would be mistaken for an adventurer if he weren’t so young Gen mused to herself.
As for her personal protection, Gen was more a fan of spells. Though a professed mage would be much more adept she knew a few armor and shield charms as well as a few offensive hexes. Allowing her to travel lightly armored with just greaves and vambraces.
The inn they found was small but appeared clean. A signpost above the door read “The Copper Cup: Tavern and Inn” It was practically empty as it was mid-morning. A barmaid was lighting the hearth in preparation for lunch and looked up as the pair entered “Hello mam, young sir. We aren't serving anything as of yet, could I help you with anything else?”
“Yes,” Gen smiled at the plump woman, “My apprentice and I need real beds for this evening, and perhaps you could point us in the direction of the merchant square? We are looking to book passage to the mountains on a caravan as I am not keen on walking the whole way.”
“Ahh yes, I can set you up.” She went behind the counter and grabbed a key with the number 2 written on a tag. “Top of the stairs 2nd door on the left has 2 beds. But it will be 3 Ox per night for the double room. That comes with dinner and a bath if you are interested.”
“Yes to both,” Gen pulled the 3 silver coins out and exchanged them for the key. “My name is Gen and this is Byron.”
“Everyone calls me Marge, nice to meet you both. The bath is at the end of the hall, just let me know when you want hot water and I'll have it sent up. The merchants’ quarter is at the edge of the city on the other side of the town square. Keep heading down this road and when you get to the square take the one labeled South West Road, That will take you where you need to go.”
“Thank you, mam,” Byron replied with a smile.
The two stashed their bags in their room and headed out for the merchant’s quarter. They hadn’t made it five minutes before a pair of scruffy men stepped out of an alley blocking the path. Wearing shabby clothes and reeking of booze, The largest stepped forward holding out a small dagger menacingly “Your HP or your GP.”
Pausing for just a heartbeat Gen looked them up and down. “No, go find real work.” she calmly stated and patiently waited while Byron drew his sword.
“Don’t play hero boy.” The lead thug dismissed Byron, with a roll of his eyes.
The second thug threatened “Woman you are going to learn some manners even if I have to beat them into you. Now play nice and no one has to get hurt.”
Glancing at Byron, Gen motioned him to step back. “Fine,” she tugged her coin purse out and held it up ensuring it rattled. “I’ll toss this toward the ally you came out of and we will be on our way.”
With a wicked grin, the thug replied “Oh, no, no, no, we can’t let the lad leave with that sword, he's no older than a pup and will only hurt himself with that thing. The only proper thing is to protect him from himself.”
Gen quickly stowed her purse. “I see you don’t intend to be reasonable. Very well.” And without another word, she began casting her standard battle opener. With one hand she formed the hand sign of a shield spell activating it with a word, and with the other, she targeted the lead thug with a kinetic energy bolt.
As the first spell was completed the thugs took a step forward but when the heat shimmer of a spell enveloped her left hand they paused, unsure about this strange woman's skills. For she had the look of a common traveler and not a mage. The magic spread and formed a translucent shimmering yellow shield. A notification popped up in the lower-left corner of her vision but Gen ignored it already knowing what it said.
Gen casts Shield of Force for +4 Armor.
That brief hesitation was all she needed to complete the second spell. A glowing ovoid yellow orb materialized and sped forward, striking the lead thug in the gut. The spell hammered into him knocking him to the ground and driving the air from his lungs.
Gen strikes Unknown Human Thug Leader for 15 damage.
Unknown Thug leader is stunned for 5 seconds.
Unknown Thug leader is sickened.
The man on the ground spewed greasy vomit all over the cobblestones. The stench nearly made Gen imitate the performance. He slipped in the hot sticky sludge as he struggled up to his hands and knees, his clothes covered in bile and what was apparently his meager lunch.
The second thug was dirty, large, and fully committed to the charge. In two long strides, he was within striking distance of Gen just as his ally had hit the cobblestones. With a reverse grip on his dagger, he plunged it down at her over the shield.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Barely reacting in time she caught his forearm on the shield she had generated. He expelled a grunt of pain as he struggled to keep a grip on his weapon. Unfortunately, the larger man had the size advantage, using both arms he pushed down on the energy shield inching the blade over the top and down closer to Gen's face. Gen’s eyes grew wide as she thought for certain this blade was destined to bury itself in her.
But both combatants had forgotten about the young lad who was now slowly creeping up behind the big man. With a scream, Byron thrust his sword into the man’s back. As Byron pulled the length of steel from the man's kidney he stepped to the side avoiding the splatter that followed his blade. The back of the man was drenched with blood and more was running down the backside of his trousers.
Byron strikes Unknown Human Thug for 20 damage.
Unknown Human Thug is incapacitated.
Unknown Human Thug is bleeding.
Unknown Human Thug will die if not treated. (Medicine)
The man went limp. The deadweight was too much for Gen and she had to push him sideways with the shield to avoid getting a gash from the blade.
As she was recovering she looked up to see Byron his sword raised standing over the lead thug as he was struggling to his feet. “Stop!” Byron looked up, at the concern in Gen’s eyes, then down and the defenseless man. With as much force as he could muster he brought the sword down on the thug's head, hilt first.
* * *
“Thank you for your cooperation.” Hemond the town guard said to Gen and Byron as they were walking away from the area of the attempted mugging. “Now while my associates clean up over there, would you mind telling me who you are and what happened?
“Yes, My name is Genevive Del Marc and my apprentice Is Byron Avernafey. We were on our way to the merchant’s quarter to get passage to the next town when those two men blocked our path and demanded our money. I offered them my coin purse but they demanded more. I refused and they attacked. We were forced to defend ourselves.” Gen stated plainly.
“And you did that?” Hemond asked Byron as he gestured to the bandaged thug.
“Um, yes he was trying to stab Gen after she had wounded the other fellow,” Byon replied.
“I see, and you normally bandage wounds on street thugs?” Hemond said while he eyed Byron’s equipment.
“I didn't want them to die, they were no longer a threat.”
“I thought I had killed him,” Byron interjected in a monotone. The adrenaline of the fight was long gone leaving him drained.
“Yes, he would have. And quickly if your master had not been quick herself. You are lucky they didn't die. You would have been in your rights to defend yourselves of course but that would have meant a lot more paperwork for me and days holding you two in custody verifying the situation.” Grumbled the tall man. “As it stands these two are known thieves in the city. So I can take your word that they were targeting you. But be careful, you two walk around looking like easy marks.”
“What do you mean? I'm outfitted for adventuring! Armor, weapons, and all that.” Byron stated a bit indignantly.
“You are young, you look like you shouldn’t know what you are doing with that sword,” Hemond stated.
“You also fidget with your armor, it tells you aren't used to wearing it for long periods yet,” Gen added. “But you will get used to it, it just takes time.”
“And you” Hemend pointed at Gen. “You look like a merchant or commoner, not a mage.”
Gen chuckled, “That’s because I’m not a mage. I'm a dungeon Keeper. I just prefer spells to swords as I can choose how lethal they are.”
“A keeper?” Hemond's eyebrows rose nearly disappearing behind his open-face helm. “Well I see, the few I’ve met have all had different combat specialties. Well... still... a big city like this can be pretty tough. Maybe carry a staff or something to discourage the riff-raff.” He looked them both up and down one last time. “Well that's all in order I think, I will put your statements down in our logs, and then you can be on your way.”
“Logs?” Asked Byron.
“A simple spell much like a level check, it transcribes the conversation that occurred over the last few minutes.” Gen supplied.
Hemond pulled out a sheet of paper and placed his hand upon it and chanted, pushing a small amount of will into the paper. “Testimony Logs: Captain Hemend Ironhand, Genevive Marc, Byron Avernafey.” Slowly words began to appear on the page. “Very well, that's that then. I'll have to get to the rest of my duties. Good day to you mam, young sir.” And with a nod, he stepped away toward his partners gathering up the muggers.
“How,” Byron sighed. “How did you know he wasn't dead”
“I have the medicine skill, it allows for detailed injury notifications in the combat log. I keep forgetting you are still young and haven't had access to the system for very long. Come let's walk while we talk.” The pair headed down the road toward the merchants’ quarter.
“Have you reviewed your combat logs yet?”
“No, I haven't been in combat before. Just training, is it similar? Byron asked quizzically.
“Yes, it's the same log. Just concentrate on viewing it and it will appear to you. What does yours say?”
Byron concentrated and read the words aloud.
Byron strikes the Unknown Human Thug for 20 damage.
Unknown Human Thug is incapacitated.
Byron strikes the Unknown Human Thug Leader for 10 non-lethal damage.
Unknown Human Thug Leader is no longer stunned.
Unknown Human Thug Leader is incapacitated.
10 experience earned for victorious combat with Unknown Human Thugs. (2x10)/2
“Good, Mine is almost the same with a few differences. I was notified of the bleed effect you caused. That comes from experience with blades. And then due to medicine, I was told he would die if not treated. At lower ranks of medicine, you get knowledge about triage and obvious wounds. Higher levels and you can identify illnesses and other more subtle afflictions with dubious symptoms.”
“So why the Medicine skill?” He asked, “It seems useful in fights, or if you are a doctor but how could that help a Keeper?”
“Lots of Adventurers come out with wounds. And of course, occasionally your father would go into his own dungeon, yes?”
Byron thought about it for a moment, “Yeah I guess he goes in a few times a year but he doesn't try to clear it or anything.” he responded shaking his head.
“That's one thing he didn't tell you that he probably could have. You are right he doesn't have to clear it and probably only fights for practice. But Keepers do have to perform tasks in the dungeon. And with large ones they may have multiple areas to accommodate multiple groups, so getting hurt in a dungeon is possible. Therefore combat skills are required. Medicine isn't but it's a useful tool in and out of combat. But on top of all that I need medicine to help with potion brewing. Hopefully, I'll be selling healing potions to the adventurers that come to run my dungeon.”
* * *
“Kaers.” Called a deep and irritated voice.
“Yes My Lord.” Kaers stepped forward into the man's peripheral vision and bowed his head in subservience.
“It seems our timetable was not accurate. The council has already approved a new dungeon. And after all the trouble you went through to make room.” With a sigh, the man turned and with a critical eye scanned Kaers from head to toe. “You know I can't tell you any details. I can't even tell you if I do or do not know anything about this new dungeon or its location. But I can tell you Keeper Marc’s daughter has been made a full keeper.”
The machiavellian man knew his way around the Keepers oath. But even he had to pause after treading too close to this line as the oath was almost living and could even sense intent. Kaers grinned and in a voice dripping with venom replied, “It will be a pleasure to do a repeat performance for you, my Master. I quite enjoyed my time in Kendleshine.” Kaers stared off into space reminiscing as if the time was long ago. “Keeper Marc is such a good dead friend. He didn’t whine or beg for his life. He was prepared to fight but was capable enough to accept he had no way of stopping me. He is such a good lad.”
“Kaers. Do not speak of your… friends to me. I overlook them because you are useful.”
Snapping back to lucidity “Yes, my lord. But what of this new Dungeon and the new Keeper Marc, shall I dispose of them?”
“Perhaps, but an over-eager hunter shouldn't kill the doe before the fawn grows into a buck. Wait and watch, our patience could be rewarded.