Da'Nnan's boots, the Da'Nnan's master who repaired them, and Da'Nnan's Norton who handed them over for repair to that clumsy craftsman! Even with my Adamantium Body and ointments, they still chafe my feet terribly! Honestly, if I were trekking on a trade road, I would've long since hung them on my belt and walked barefoot.
Closer to the evening, feeling quite tired as I hadn't slept for more than a day, I reached the shores of Ilomen. A massive lake, rivaling in size to Ontario, here narrowed to a relatively thin strait, no more than two kilometers across. Due to this, even in the twilight, one could discern the outlines of the opposite shore. Slightly to the left, about three kilometers to the south, I could make out the silhouettes of the city of Katiyer. As far as I remembered, directly opposite this city, on the shore where I stood now, there should be a small fishing village. I headed in that direction, my weary feet trudging forward. I planned to spend the night in that village and, in the morning, hire a fisherman to ferry me across. Circumventing the lake on foot would take an unforgivably long time.
I preemptively hung the guild amulet around my neck as I approached the village. The settlement was larger than I'd imagined, with no fewer than thirty houses. By this time, the sun had set, and the sudden appearance of a stranger could have alarmed the locals. Thus, I walked along the lake's edge, where I could be clearly seen, humming a simple tune to indicate I wasn't sneaking around like some thief.
The first person I noticed was an aged fisherman, around seventy years old. He was deliberately unhurried in stowing away his fishing gear at the bottom of his boat. He had apparently just returned from evening fishing, evidenced by a large basket full of sizable pike, each about the length of a man's forearm, standing next to his boat. This fisherman seemed to consider himself so old and life-experienced that he didn't even flinch at my arrival. And when he saw the guild Sign on my chest, he fully relaxed. It's not that there are no thieves or murderers among the tunnellers, but they are rare. Typically, dungeon clearing, while moderately dangerous, is lucrative enough not to worry about providing for a family or resorting to highway robbery. Moreover, if a tunneller stoops to theft, they violate the Guild Code, and if caught, they face far stricter punishment than an ordinary bandit. More often, such individuals are found and dealt with by fellow tunnellers themselves, without even involving the sheriff. They're simply buried somewhere, and that's the end of it.
I calmly spoke with the old fisherman, introduced myself, and told him where I was heading. I even underwent a minor verification. Since Gronthor's and Vivien's groups were well-known in these areas, the old man, seemingly out of the blue, asked me, "How is that serious lad named Gontar doing?". When I laughed at this statement, he completely relaxed. For just ten coppers, he allowed me to spend the night in his hayloft, and for twice as much, he agreed to take me to the other shore in the morning. However, he flatly refused to drop me off at the city's lake port, but I didn't need that. On the contrary, I'd have preferred to enter the city through its central gates so I didn't try to persuade the stubborn old fisherman.
The barn with a hayloft turned out to be very close, about fifty steps away. It was a makeshift structure made of crudely woven walls and a shabby roof. Nonetheless, since it clearly wasn't going to rain that night, I happily climbed onto the massive pile of hay. I removed my chainmail and despised boots and stretched out full-length, watching the distant city lights.
Amplifying my Perception Aura to its limit, I even managed to make out the remnants of the old guard tower. According to local tales, three hundred years ago, a duke who ruled these lands but did not own the free city of Katiyer itself built the tower. He did this to keep an independent account of the city merchants' lake trade. Naturally, such a construction did not last long. The old powerful duke was replaced by a weaker successor, and the city promptly initiated a small war in which this tower was destroyed. Only the southern wall, which remained largely undamaged and stood about as high as the third floor of a typical house, hinted at the tower's former grandeur. The other walls were in a far more deplorable state. The citizens did not care for this tower and could demolish it to the ground at any moment, but they let time do the work for them. It was pretty pragmatic, by the way, to leave this monument from the past visible to all. A silent reminder both for the city's younger generation and the ducal family.
This tower was famous in its own right. Not just among locals but even among earthlings. They referred to it as the "Examination Ruins." And there was a story behind that name.
Around this time, Arien registered her guild and began recruiting members. As a form of screening, she arranged a unique test. The essence of it was simple, but its execution was quite challenging. To be enlisted in the guild, which Arien named Ainuminati, hinting at the Earthly legendary Illuminati society, one only needed to inflict some damage on a half-ruined tower located on a lake island while standing on the lake's shore. Considering that the island was about two arrow flights away - or approximately two hundred and fifty meters if we measure in Earth terms - it wasn't easy at all. Especially remembering that most earthlings were currently at the Bronze rank, with only a few having advanced to Steel. As Arien told "past me," she also considered local candidates, but not above the Steel rank. Yet none of them impressed her enough to be enlisted in Ainuminati.
As far as I "remember," the only person who actually managed to damage the tower during the skills demonstration, besides Arien herself, was Miranda. Yes, the same girl with whom "past me" had character clashes but who saw the current me off from Unudo with sadness on her beautiful face.
It's unfortunate that the questers reshuffled the earthlings, and we began our journey in Ain in different places than in the Last Cycle. Arien's examination lasted an entire week and had things been different, I would have caught it. That would have been extremely intriguing. Very much so.
Taking a jug of spring water from the hands of the old fisherman, I drank and, wishing him a good night, fell back onto the hay. Memories of Arien washed over me with renewed force, preventing me from sleeping. The future goddess of Spontaneous Magic was an incredible person in many ways. Not just a magnificent scientist on Earth and a powerful mage in Ain. No, such a simple description wouldn't do her justice. To my past self, she seemed like a bizarre, impossible blend of Albert Einstein and Marilyn Monroe. No, not in appearance; she didn't resemble either of them. It was something internal for which I had no words.
My eyes were heavy with fatigue when, in a half-asleep daze, I noticed a faint spark above the ruined tower. Rubbing my eyes, I once again cranked my Perception Aura to the maximum. A storm? No, the sky was clear, and it was too faint for lightning. A new bolt, barely discernible from this distance, struck the old structure. Or rather, something resembling lightning. A pathetic imitation, which, had it been daylight, I wouldn't have noticed at all. Probably three times brighter than my "Discharge," no more. Just a flicker, really. If such a bolt hits the tower, it would, at most, knock the dust off its old stones. But who would even do this, shoot spells at the dilapidated structure? No... No... It couldn't be. I shouldn't even hope... The questers reshuffled us all! Which means Arien couldn't possibly be here. Not now. She just couldn't be... But then another dim bolt of lightning, flashing in the distance, ignited my heart with hope - probably false, but hope nonetheless. I felt the urge to jump up, bolt from my spot, throw all my belongings aside, and dive into the lake's waters to swim to the other shore. But instead, I sprawled on the hay and, immersing myself in meditation, calmly drifted to sleep. After all, as they say, "morning is wiser than the evening."
Despite waking up with the first rays of the sun peeking over the horizon, I didn't need to rouse the old fisherman. He was already seated by his boat, carving something, holding a long rod-like stick in his hands. Noticing that I had awakened and exited the barn dressed for the journey, he silently nodded, set aside his work, and, taking a single-bladed paddle in hand, gestured towards the boat. Apparently, this old man wasn't much of a talker in his prime, and in his old age, he probably preferred to speak even less. Not taking offense at his silence, I quietly boarded the boat, counted out half of the agreed coins for the crossing, and handed them to his dry but still fairly strong hand.
As we sailed past the old tower, I asked the fisherman to draw closer to it, citing curiosity. Grunting in acknowledgment, he slightly altered the course.
There could be no doubt. Someone had very persistently and likely for several days been hitting this tower with weak beginner spells. But apart from some fresh minor chippings and scorch marks, they hadn't achieved anything substantial. With one exception. The block lying at the very top, the sole survivor of what once was and the size of a young bull, had been split in two. Judging by the looks of it, this must have been done quite recently. The "Cleave" spell had likely been used. However, to damage such a large stone with that magic, even at Steel, one would need to touch it directly. I only know of one exception to this rule. Someone who, even at this rank of the Spiral, could perform such a feat from two bowshot lengths away from the stone itself.
My heart raced faster.
While the boat leisurely crossed the lake, I carefully studied the now fairly close shoreline. But it seemed it was still too early in the morning, and most of the city's residents and visitors were asleep. Only the occasional guard on the walls and fishermen preparing for the morning catch at the docks were visible.
The old man dropped me off about half a kilometer from the city on a flat sandy beach. He took the remaining part of the money, bid me a brief and formal farewell, and immediately sailed away. Without even waving goodbye, I adjusted my backpack straps and headed in the right direction. In five minutes, I reached the trade route and turned towards the city walls. Here, despite the early hour, there was a genuine queue of at least three large caravans waiting for the city gates to open.
Katiyer wasn't even a third as grand and wealthy as Tries, but by local standards, it was still considered a fairly large city with a population of around fifteen thousand inhabitants. Furthermore, it vied for the title of the best trade port in Ilomen, so the multitude of traders along the route was commonplace for this area.
For me, a lone traveler without any trade goods, there was no need to stand in this queue. I calmly walked towards the gates. Numerous traders and their guards eyed me with curiosity, but none called out or voiced any objections. As I got closer, I stopped about thirty meters from the gates. I didn't approach further because I didn't like the scene unfolding in front of the closed entrance. A few lavishly dressed individuals were fervently arguing with the guards on the walls. As I gathered, it was the duke's envoy with his entourage, demanding the immediate opening of the gates. In response, the local guards, with barely concealed amusement, insisted they would open it when it was time and not a moment sooner. Even if the duke himself, and not just his envoy, stood outside Katiyer's gates, he would have to wait. Such were the traditions, and the guards had no intention of breaking them.
Not wanting to get involved in this quarrel, I stood at a distance and observed. However, I tried not to stare too intently so as not to draw unnecessary attention from the envoy's entourage, more so since it consisted of five Wootz warriors, two mages of the Precious Coil, and the envoy was to be addressed with the respectful title of "Ger."
Despite the city walls being fortified with magic and rituals, I believed this man could easily smash the obstructing gates with a mere wave of his hand. But, predictably, he refrained, as doing so would instantly start a new war between the duchy and all the free cities of Ilomen combined. However, the envoy himself, unlike his entourage, wasn't shouting; he was peacefully dozing in his horse's saddle. Or at least, he pretended to be dozing, which didn't particularly matter.
Wait. On a horse?
Horses were common in Ain, used primarily as draught and farming animals, but they weren't ridden. Even a regular Bronze could run farther and faster, not to mention those of higher ranks. So, seeing a horse pulling a cart or plow was normal, but encountering one carrying a rider was absurd. Noticing my gaze, the horse lazily turned its head, its eyes glowing with a dim red light, fixing on me.
Clear enough. This wasn't a horse but a summoned beast, which, as my future memories hinted, was an altmar. It might resemble a horse externally, but it had predatory teeth, and its hooves were as effective in battle as a decent mace. Plus, this magical creature hardly ever tired.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
So, the duke's messenger was a Summoning Mage. Intriguing, since mages of that specialization were incredibly rare. For instance, throughout the Last Cycle, no earthling fully mastered this magic. We considered such mages weak since Summoning doesn't work in regular dungeons. We only realized the value of this magic when descending the Floors of the Towers. But by then, all earthlings had firmly chosen their primary specialization. Sure, there were enthusiasts trying to learn this branch of magic, but until the Invasion's onset, I didn't know any of our kind who succeeded in it. With the Invasion starting, we had to urgently climb ranks and not experiment, so earthlings abandoned attempts to study Summoning. If only we had one more year... But we didn't, end of story.
Watching the ongoing argument, which seemed to be winding down, I realized it likely wouldn't escalate further. If there had been a significant conflict between the free city of Katiyer and the duchy, Arien would've surely told the "past me." And since there was no such account, presumably, no serious conflict occurred. I hope nothing of the sort transpires in this event iteration, either; I've had my fill of adventures. I still haven't fully recovered from encounters with Reygyana and Scully.
Soon, a deep yet melodious bell rang from behind the city walls, and immediately after, the gates began to open - intentionally slowly, as if someone was purposefully drawing out the process. Well, probably they were; the guards clearly didn't rush to let the duke's envoy and his entourage inside. When the city gates fully opened, I braced for a second part of the show with an even more heated exchange. But that didn't happen. The envoy just glanced at his entourage, and they instantly quieted down. The Katiyer guards didn't further provoke matters either. A small delegation of officials greeted the envoy, and after exchanging a few words, they all headed toward the city center together.
As there were no other lone travelers besides me at this early hour before the gates, I put on the Sign of the Tunnellers' Guild and approached the guard.
"Raven from Seattle, following the Path of Sundbad," I immediately made it clear with these words that I was on a pilgrimage, and this should have eliminated most questions from the local law enforcement.
And so it did. After asking a couple of clarifying inquiries, they didn't even charge me an entrance fee as a tunneller. The only thing I had to pay for was a sheath for my spear tip and a seal for it. Unsheathing a weapon within the city limits was allowed only for the nobility. In principle, I could have shown the guards my noble brooch, but I chose not to. And if I had revealed it, I wouldn't have had to pay for the spear tip cover. But one silver coin wasn't so much that it made sense to save it, and I parted with it with a light heart. As soon as I crossed the city line, a Steel warrior with the badge of the city sheriff's deputy called me over.
"Maran Brozi, city guard," he introduced himself, "I have a few words for you, if you'd allow."
"I'm all ears," I said, tilting my head slightly in curiosity.
"We have a lot of foreigners in the city right now from very distant lands," he said in a tone that made it clear he didn't count me among them. Apparently, I looked typically local. "They sometimes behave quite strangely, and I'd like to ask you to be lenient with them. These foreigners are guests of the esteemed citizen of the city of Katiyer, Miss Arien, and are under the city's protection." My heart skipped a beat at the mention of such a familiar name.
Wow! What had the future Goddess of Elemental Magic managed to do here to earn such respect and privileges from the locals? And not only respect, but she had somehow gained the rights of an esteemed citizen. And even the title "Miss" from the sheriff's assistant? However, she's a Shard, and if she, like in the Last Cycle, had spent almost a month and a half here, she could have achieved a lot.
"If they get rude..." I said with a hint of annoyance, shrugging my shoulders.
"Call us," the deputy sheriff immediately added, "We'll sort it out."
"How many of these uncouth foreigners are here?" I asked nonchalantly.
"Miss Arien recently founded her own guild and organized some sort of exam for anyone wanting to join. These foreigners have come from distant lands for this exam."
"How many?" I repeated my question.
"The exam has been going on for four days now, and many have already failed Miss Arien's test and left the city. So, there are much fewer of them now than there were a couple of days ago," noticing my displeased look, Maran Brozi quickly added, "about fourteen."
"I'll try to keep my distance, and if that's not possible, I won't be the first to start any disputes," I promised in my most sincere voice while, of course, lying.
"That's exactly what I wanted to ask of you, Raven from Seyetl. Given the name of your hometown, you must be used to dealing with foreigners," the sheriff's assistant laughed heartily. "If the rumors about the rudeness of dwarves are not exaggerated, you'll easily find common ground with these newcomers."
We parted on that note, and slinging the spear over my shoulder, I began to walk along the city's broad central street paved with beige stone.
Most earthlings like to sleep in, so as I strolled at this early hour, I didn't encounter a single "foreigner," as the sheriff's deputy had put it. This was probably for the best since I was admittedly a bit shaky from nervous excitement. I simultaneously wanted to break into a run, eager to see Arien as quickly as possible. At the same time, I dreaded this encounter down to the very trembling of my legs.
Of course, I wasn't afraid of Arien herself. What concerned me more were the feelings the "past me" had for this woman. Those feelings weren't love in the truest sense. Infatuation, passion, attraction, obsession - these words better described the emotions the "past me" felt when near her. The current me greatly feared being overwhelmed by similar sentiments. So much so that I might forget my main task. This fear seemed to have solid grounds.
Pausing at the first intersection and letting a few carts laden with goods pass by, I decided not to rush. If things went as they did in the previous Cycle, Arien wasn't in the city at the moment. Back then, she had rented a large villa on the banks of Ilomen, directly opposite the ruined island tower. This location wasn't within the city limits but roughly half a kilometer north of the city walls. There, she conducted her "interviews," only appearing in the city after concluding her exam. And, according to the deputy, there were still two days left to that conclusion.
Since I hadn't interfered with the history of these lands, it's quite possible Arien's path in this Cycle mirrors the previous one down to the minutest details. As soon as this thought crossed my mind, I realized it might not be entirely accurate. There was one detail that could disrupt everything, and that detail had a name - Miranda. In the Last Cycle, Miranda had been in Arien's initial group, but now she began her journey in my group instead, in an entirely different part of Ain. I sincerely hope that such a discrepancy hasn't led to significant changes. I have every reason for this hope. I'm confident that the small abandoned temple of Magevra was cleared out by the knowledge-curious Arien. This means that even in such a detail, history is moving in the same direction, and the future Goddess of Spontaneous magic already has an understanding of what she found, deciphering the surviving frescoes of the Temple.
I decided that my meeting with Arien could wait a bit. I need to prepare, tidy up, look around, and gather all the necessary information.
Lifting my head, I took a look around and immediately noticed a sign unusual for Ain, with something resembling an earthling logo, a symbol in front of the name "Armani's Workshop." The name immediately hinted to me that an earthling owned this shop. Adjusting my backpack, I briskly headed in its direction.
A bell softly tinkled as I opened the door and entered the shop. A peacefully dozing young man with long chestnut hair, neatly tied into a tail reaching his shoulder blades, immediately jerked awake, opened his eyes and stared at me rather impolitely by local standards. He glanced over my worn old chainmail, and his gaze instantly dimmed.
"I'm afraid there's nothing for tunnellers in my shop," the young man said without any greeting or formality and promptly laid his head back on his folded arms on the counter.
Well, he definitely hadn't been taught manners. I didn't recognize him from the Last Cycle, and it might have been good to give him a lesson on how to treat potential customers. But after scanning the merchandise hanging on the racks, I decided against it. This ponytailed fellow, rude as he might be, clearly knew his trade very well.
"Ahem," I cleared my throat loudly.
The young man once again lifted his head, and realizing that his morning visitor had no intention of leaving despite the cold reception, he frowned in displeasure.
"Well, what does the esteemed tunneller of Steel want in my shop, which is already famous throughout Katiyer as the best and most expensive in town?"
He made it abundantly clear that he didn't want to waste time on some tunneller. Swallowing the biting words I had at the tip of my tongue, I waved to him with an open palm and, smiling, said:
"Aloha!"
The lad's behavior changed dramatically and instantly. He leaped to his feet, vaulted the counter, and began hugging me. Considering he was quite short and barely reached my shoulders, the scene must have looked quite comical.
"Hello!" he exclaimed, pulling away. "Sorry for the greeting earlier. But the locals have a habit of coming to my shop as if it's a museum and not buying anything. It's infuriating!" He extended his palm to me, "Gianni Armani!"
"Well, I see you're not one to die of modesty," I chuckled in response. "I get the Armani part, but is Gianni in honor of Versace?"
"Yes!" The chestnut-haired shorty genuinely rejoiced when I guessed correctly.
"Raven. Here, I claim to be from Seattle."
"And where are you from in reality?" The one who adopted the names of Earth's famous fashion designers as a pseudonym was immediately curious.
"Does it matter?" I smiled.
"True," Gianni waved it off. "The main thing is, you're from Earth."
"Exactly my point."
"Here for the exam? Sit," he motioned to a chair, taking a seat on the counter himself.
"The sheriff's assistant informed me about this 'exam' at the gates. Until then, I hadn't even heard of it."
"Oh! So you were just passing by?" he asked, squinting mischievously.
"Why 'just passing'? I specifically came to the city for supplies."
"You're already at the Steel rank and have even acquired the Sign of the Tunnellers' Guild." He obviously couldn't know I was at Wootz. "Around Katiyer, it's mostly iron and bronze dungeons. But!" He perked up again, "They say, on the other shore of Ilomen - that's the name of the big lake nearby - there's a bunch of Steel dungeons. By the way, I can provide some backing."
"How so?" I asked in genuine surprise.
"One of the local tunneller groups is led by a woman named Vivien, and let me tell you, she and I have a fantastic relationship!" The guy grinned ear to ear and, placing a finger to his lips, added in a whisper, "She recently bought some underwear from me, and I must say, she has an amazing figure! So, if you head her way, tell her you know me, and she will definitely invite you on a dungeon raid!"
Damn, I was wondering where she got that unusual yet stylish and comfortable by Ain standards underwear when I undressed her. Well, one less mystery to ponder.
"Vivien, I'll remember," I replied seriously, not letting on that I knew this girl quite well. "Thanks."
"You're welcome!" Armani waved dismissively. "Unlike some, I prefer to help our kind."
"Unlike who?" I immediately inquired.
"There are some people..."
"Names? Don't get me wrong; I just want to know who to avoid."
"Yes..." he frowned as if he'd bitten into a bitter lemon, "there's this one group. They came for Arien's exam, failed it, and now they amuse themselves by making inappropriate and dirty jokes."
"And their names?" I pressed on.
"Bushe George, Molly Moon, and Pyotr Grotter. Hey! Don't look at me like that; that's how they introduce themselves! And a couple more with them, but I didn't catch their names."
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." I glanced around the shop with the intention of steering the conversation toward a neutral topic and then to Arien.
The room itself wasn't too big but was furnished with an uncommonly good taste compared to local shopkeepers.
"You've got a nice place here," I summed up, "and beautiful clothes, but I suppose the locals aren't in a hurry to buy. Your designs are strange to them."
"They are strange," Gianni agreed with a heavy sigh. "But I'm not too downhearted. All my life there..." he gestured vaguely, "I dreamt of having my clothing line, and here that dream has come true. I'll get the locals accustomed to high fashion!"
"Do you really have to?" I groaned in mock misery.
One of my former girlfriends was so fashion-obsessed that she talked about nothing else. So, even though I don't know much about fashion, I can still engage in seemingly in-depth discussions about it for hours.
"I have to!" Gianni declared confidently, slapping the counter.
"And how do you manage?"
"Manage what?" Armani asked, a hint of tension in his voice.
"Running the shop and designing new clothes while completing questers' tasks?"
I was ready for my usual explanation of who I call questers, but the guy just nodded as if he was already familiar with the term. That was intriguing.
"Well, somehow... It's not easy, but I manage." He stretched out his open palm and pronounced, "Visualization." Above his hand floated the Sign of the Bronze Rank of the Spiral. Clenching his fist, he made the Sign disappear and, reopening his palm, said again, "Visualization." The Sign of Earth Affinity appeared.
"You're impressive!" I remarked admiringly. Balancing rising up the Spiral and running a shop must require immense effort.
"You bet!" Gianni grinned. "How about you, Raven?"
"Well, you can see my rank from the Guild's Sign, but as for the rest... Visualization."
"Damn! So beautiful..." Armani, seemingly entranced, stared at the Sign of Light Affinity floating above my palm, radiating a gentle warm glow. "You win. You're cooler!" He said, with not a hint of regret in his voice. "One of the Primordial Powers, as the locals say!"
"First time seeing it?"
"Yeah!" The earthling simply agreed. "Among ours who've completed tasks, they all have something much simpler. Except for Arien, she has three Affinities: Air, Water, and Fire!"
"Wow! Now that's impressive!"
"Exactly!" As if to confirm my words, he raised both of his index fingers. "She's incredibly cool!"
"Who is this Arien? The moment I entered the city, everyone was talking about her!"
"Ha!" Gianni exclaimed, jumping off the counter and rummaging underneath. "One moment. Where is it? Ah, here!" Straightening up, he placed a bottle of evidently expensive wine and two glasses on the countertop.
"Isn't it a bit early?" I frowned. "The sun just rose."
"Oh! Believe me, talking about Arien and not drinking is just impossible!"
With an exaggerated sigh, I took the already-filled glass in my hand and raised it:
"To Arien?"