As the party of five disappeared through the closing gate, I bend down to touch the dirt on the ground.
"M-Master!" Esmerya became flustered as she watched me grab the dirt with my bare hands.
Does she have mysophobia? I ponder as the dirt falls slowly from my hands. It feels a bit chalky, as if the nutrients in the soil are sparse. Not an ideal area for agriculture.
I guess spending time on my aunt's farm wasn't a waste after all. I stand up and walk towards the rampart. Esmerya is running after me while waving her handkerchief back and forth.
I try jumping forward with no magical augmentation, just the strength of my own legs. As I accelerate at an unexpected pace, I accidentally hit the top of the ramparts.
Lower levels of gravity, higher oxygen levels? Are the races in this world not affected by oxygen toxicity? Wait, it couldn't be lower levels of gravity or else I would just be gliding around when I jump. What will this do to my muscle fiber? Do my muscles atrophy if i'm not exerting my limit every day?
While I try to analyze one aspect of this strange new world, other strange questions pop into my head.
Esmerya finally catches up to me while I’m in thought.
"Master, please allow me!" Esmerya speaks in a sharp tone.
"Okay." I resign myself to whatever she intends to do.
"Clean." Esmerya chants as numerous small bubbles begin to form from her palms.
The sudsy bubbles gently float toward me before picking up the dirt off my clothes and body, disappearing with the dirt inside it. She passes me her handkerchief to dry my face.
"Well, as a first test of magic, this can be considered a good result. Well done." I nod to Esmerya before climbing onto the top of the ramparts I had previously crashed into.
I can hear her footsteps as she climbs up behind me but I can’t bring myself to turn around. I don't want to see her cute face scrunched up in anger.
Beyond the Fortress is a massive forest. I see small birds flying about and hear numerous local insects humming nearby.
"Talker." I call out to the Elder Beast who had followed me out of the Fortress. I watch as she approaches me, her red hair sways in the wind, her hooves bounce off the fresh soil and make a noisy clopping sound.
"Master, the forest sings of your arrival. They are afraid." Talker advises.
"Talker, I command thee: Use your Shaman Class to commune with the animals of this forest, find me the closest human civilization." I give her the mission.
"I hear and obey." Talker does not hesitate to step down from the ramparts and begin her ritual by making a runic circle in the dirt.
As she makes the runes, she is casting the spell in a language I cannot understand. Even if I exercised my brain, it is not a tongue I can comprehend.
Her eyes cloud over until they are completely white, she sits down and her body sways back and forth as if convulsing. The local birds begin to move erratically, no longer following the optimal path that is gifted by the wind. Instead, they fly full speed in separate directions, away from the Fortress.
The longer the spell is being cast, the more sweat begins to pour down her brow and onto her soft fur. If not for fear of interrupting the spell, I would have begun wiping her forehead with Esmerya’s handkerchief.
The other eight characters have begun their shift work, two of them begin pacing atop the ramparts of the Fortress.
Esmerya is acting as my personal attendant, never more than a few steps behind me.
I continue to watch Talker as she chants in her foreign shamanic language. Sometimes during the chanting, it sounds like she is pleading to a God, other times it sounds like she is bargaining with the beasts she controls.
After half an hour, she stops chanting.
"I have successfully completed the mission." Talker remains in her seated position, as I command Esmerya to get her some water.
"Hold still." I command.
As I see her close her eyes and breathe out, I wipe the sweat from her brow. The white cotton handkerchief is a stark contrast to her bristly red fur.
"Master... Please don't dirty your things with my sweat..." Talker continues to breathe raggedly.
"It can be washed easily, so do not worry too much. Relax, you have done well." The praise I give her comes from my heart.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
It is important to give praise when a task is completed well and constructive criticism when something is done wrong. That is just common sense when delegating tasks from a position of power.
Esmerya has returned with a small jug of water and a cup. I hold the cup as she pours the water, then offer it to Talker.
She takes it gladly and tilts the cup back, drinking the contents completely before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Do you feel better?" I look at Talker to make sure she is alright.
Her black goat horns can be clearly seen despite the tufts of red hair. The hair on her arms and chest are glistening from the sweat of exhaustion.
"I do, I am ready to deliver my report." Talker responds after a few deep breaths.
"Whenever you are ready." I advise.
"I have managed to locate a large human settlement roughly two hours east on foot. The birds avoid the town, as they are attacked as soon as they get near. I can only guess that meat is hard to come by in that area." Talker points in the cardinal direction while explaining what the birds had told her.
The birds attempted to resist her control the closer they got to the settlement. This told her that the birds did not want to get close enough as to be discovered.
"The birds heading toward the west only saw a continuation of the forest and passed by large beasts that would have loomed over the trees if they were in this area. To the south is a large body of water and some kind of non-human port city, and in the north is a series of mountains." Talker finished speaking and accepted another cup of water.
"Alright, rest for a bit. Whenever you feel ready, come find me." I take the information given from Talker and head back into the Fortress, to the throne room.
Esmerya follows me obediently, three steps behind and slightly to the left. I would have preferred if she stood by my side, but maybe she is just giving me some consideration.
"Call for Stal and Necalise, and here." I give an order to Esmerya while returning her handkerchief.
As she scurries off, I take a sideways glance over to the paintings in the throne room. Depictions of an epic war, pegasi and demons fighting against each other, a mother holding her child.
"Vestilon." I speak the name out loud.
*ping*
"Analyze these paintings, determine their worth."
[ Analyzing… Current worth exceeds monetary value available in this world. ]
"What is the currency used in this world?"
[ Analyzing… Currency used is copper, silver, black-iron and gold. Conversion of 10 to 1. The poor will trade goods instead of currency. ]
While I was asking questions to the information system, Esmerya returned with the two people I requested an audience with.
"Master, command us as you see fit." Esmerya, Stal and Necalise salute me.
"Necalise, I command thee: Escort me as I head into the human settlement by using your Thorn Invoker Class to protect me." I nod toward the High Elf in beautiful crafted green and brown armor.
"I hear and obey." She responds.
"Stal, I command thee: Escort me as I head into the human settlement by using your High Priest Class to heal and defend me." I acknowledge the High Human in beautifully ornate robes, similar to my own.
"I hear and obey, Master." He responds.
"Esmerya." I lock eyes with the only other person in the room that has not been addressed.
"Master." She bows her head and crosses her hand in front of her heart.
"I want to take you with me to the human settlement, however doing so would leave the Fortress without a Commander. Esmerya, I command thee: Protect our home in my place, until I return. Prioritize information gathering and ensuring the safety of all our people." I understand that I am directly contradicting what I said before, but Esmerya is the only person I can trust as a Commander right now.
Tears begin to well up in her eyes. This is exactly what I wanted to avoid. Her fists are clenching and unclenching, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
"I... I hear and obey." After a few moments, she calms down and answers.
Even if she was blinded by anger, it only takes her a few moments to realize that I am doing the right thing. Squandering our resources during this unpredictable time is the worst thing we can do.
"Our mission is to establish ourselves as foreign mercenaries looking for work. If they have an adventurer's guild we will inquire about sign up fees. We will return before nightfall." I give the three of them explicit mission parameters.
As I stand to get ready to leave, Talker comes in looking recovered.
"Master, I have come as per your earlier request." Her hooves clack against the stone floors.
"First of all, well done on your first mission. Now, I command thee: Take some of the extra resources from our stock and establish yourself as a traveler with wares in the non-human port city. Determine if they have the same or similar reagents and establish basic prices. Try not to mention who we are or where we get the items. Take Shifter with you as a mercenary, and try not to kill anyone. If you absolutely must kill, try not to be seen." I give my final order before leaving the Fortress.
As Talker bows and offers her fealty, I go to the back bedroom and pack a few things.
Longsword, check. Swiftness boots, check. Temporary hair dye, check.
As I rummage through the backpack of materials, I confirm everything I may need in order to escape from a bad situation.
I hear a soft knock at the door.
"Come in." I command while turning my gaze to the door.
The door slowly opens and Esmerya stands at the entrance looking downcast.
"I will say it as many times as I have to later, but I am sorry. I need someone who can adapt to any situation while I am gone and I trust you to do what you must to protect our people and the fortress." I turn away and continue checking the content of my bags.
Even my eyes are getting a bit red.
The soft clicking of her leather boots hitting the stone floor resonate throughout the empty chamber.
I hold my breath as she approaches me.
Before I know it, long slender arms which were made for archery wrap around my chest. Slightly after, two soft mounds of flesh press into my back.
I still can’t take a breath.
"I... I know I shouldn't. You're Master and i’m just... Me." Esmerya is stifling her crying.
"You have been with me since the beginning, and if I am lucky, you will be beside me until the end. Who else can I trust to protect us while I am gone?" My voice begins to strain at the end as I finally take a deep breath.
"I will. I'll make sure everyone comes home safe, and they deliver their reports, and we have food and clothing. I'll make sure this is a place you can trust in, so you don't get distracted in battle. Just promise me you'll come back." Esmerya's voice is now a soft whisper.
"I promise. I also promise that we will go on an adventure another time, just the two of us." I make another promise I’m not sure if I can keep.
"Good, now... Don't turn around yet." Esmerya speaks softly.
She releases me from her embrace and I can hear the soft clacking of her leather boots once more.
The door quietly opens and closes.
I turn back and look in the direction she disappeared and I wonder to myself what expressions flitted across her face during that exchange.