0120PM NW Time - First Summer Rise - Seventeenth Day - 0789 - Infirmi Kingdom - Infirmi Capital

Coltone and Octavius travel with Fritjof to the capital. It took a few days to reach the Capital of Infirmi, or just promptly named, Infirmi Capital.

“So, do you boys have any idea on how you’ll decipher those papers? Fritjof said to Octavius and Burton.

“Well, I think we should head to the King, since I believe that’s the best course of action,” Coltone said.

“And how do you think some knights are going to have an audience with the King?”

Octavius shrugs Coltone’s shoulder, a bit of ‘I told you’ so moment. Coltone responded by kicking Octavius’s foot.

“Well, I was sort of hoping that you would perhaps spread word to him...? Could you?”

“Possibly, but It’ll be unlikely, so I wouldn’t count on it.”

As the three talk, they finally arrive at the walls of the capital.

“Well, thank you very much, Lord Fritjof for the ride,” Coltone said as he stepped out of the carriage, and Octavius soon followed.

“Yes, well I hope you gentlemen find what you’re booking for with those documents.”

Octavius and Coltone, now leading their magihorses walk through the walls of the Capital.

“So, what’s your plan now, Mr.Genius?” Octavius said.

“Shut it lard, I’m thinking, the most I can do right now is have a drink.” Coltone said.

“You know Coltone, if we weren’t childhood friends I would have smashed your face into the ground by now.”

With not much of an Idea in his head, Coltone and Octavius head to a local bar to drink. The bar itself Isn’t extremely appealing, mainly drunens with not much in life shouting and fighting.

“Makes you really miss the village life,” Octavius said.

“Tell me about it, still I’d rather find a way to understand these papers. And It’s not as if I can just walk into the palace shouting I need to speak with the King,” Coltone said.

“Yeah, don’t think you’ll have the most fun hanging, Coltone.”

“Hmm, I feel like your body would snap the rope if you were ever hanged.”

“Why the hell am I even still friends with you…”

“Sometimes I even wonder about that, Octavius...”

The two drink to their heart's content. As the two drink, Coltone notices a cloaked figure moving amongst the walls. Whie he thought nothing at first, he watched as the figure stole some bags from drunkards. Coltone looks away from the figure and continues drinking, but he soon notices that his bag he had is gone. He looks back to the figure, which he notices the figure has his bag in their hand. The figure

leaves the bar, and Coltone runs after them.

“You fuck, get back here!” Coltone shouted, but the figure instead got faster. Coltone in his knight armor proved to be too slow to keep track of them. But, Octavius suddenly appears and pulled the cloaked figure into an alleyway, with Coltone close by.

“Well, well, well, you really ain’t very much of a thief if I managed to catch you,” Octavius said. Octavius rips the cloak off the figure, revealing a pale almost skinny figure, with messy black hair, and black eyes, wearing light leather armor.

“Well look at that, a beast-kin, shouldn’t be very surprised,” Coltone said. The figure, now completely exposed in the light, revealed a smooth tail, and cat-like ears alongside their already obvious features.

“C-c'mon guys, I ain’t even do nothin wrong…!” They said, backing up.

“You know I should probably just go ahead and tear off one of your ea-” Before he could finish, Coltone was slapped in the back of the head.

“Oi, no need to be threatening, you fucking stick, and you haven’t checked if everything is in your bag,” Octavius said.

“Calling me a stick… that should be a dream for you…” Coltone mumbled to himself as he checked his bag, confirming everything was in it.

“Good, now, what’s your name mate?” Coltone asked the figure.

“And why the fuck should I tell you?”

“Guess I should cut off one of your ears,” Coltone said, edging his dagger around the beast-kin’s ear.

“Alright, alright! My name's Dow!”

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“Hmm, you can get anything out of a Beast-Kin by threatening them,” Coltone said, putting his sword away.

“So, Mr. or Ms. Dow, the hell are you stealing from my mate here?” Octavius said. Octavius had a hard time identifying the beast-kin’s gender due to his feminine features yet somewhat masculine voice. His features were a little distracting as Octavius could not help but steal multiple glances.

“Well I just need money, I’m in serious debt. His bag looked the nicest there, as nice as things get in a slum bar, so figured I might as well steal it, and It’s Mr, by the way.”

“Can I just cut one of the bastard’s ears off already?”

“You have zero tolerance for Beast-Kin huh. Well, I don’t see a reason to necessarily punish you to be honest.”

“The hell you talking about, the bastard stole from me!”

“Yeah, but everythings in the bag, In’it? So I don’t see the problem. In fact, why dontcha’ come with us, Dow.” Octavius said.

“Eh?! You serious? You know this walking stick over here will probably try and kill me in my sleep, ya know?” Dow said, pointing at Coltone.

“He’s right ya’ know,” Coltone said.

“Well, I have a good heart, and who knows, he can be very useful. If you come, we’ll help you payoff your debt-”

“Deal.”

“Y-you already made a decision that fast…”

“If you were me with all the debt I have, you would too.”

Octavius looks at Coltone then back to Dow before throwing Dow’s cloak back to him. The now Trio walked down city streets of the Capital.

“So, Dow, how long have ya been in debt for?” Octavius asked.

“Since around 14 years ago, I inherited it after my parents passed when I was 4. I did a lot of weird shit to try and pay it off, ya know how easy it is to fu-.’”

“Alright, I’d rather not listen to your whoring adventures, I’d rather go ahead and figure out what to do next.” Coltone said.

“The hell are you two even doing anyways?”

“Well, we’re going out to find a way to translate these papers,” Coltone said, showing the papers to Dow.

“Looks like a bunch of children scribbling more than any sort of language… maybe I can help with it?”

“You really think you can help?” Coltone said.

“Look mate, I don’t know what your deal is with Beast-Kin, but I’m sure as hell smarter than you.” Dow said.

“Alright now, I think It’s best for us all to get along, and how can you help Dow?” Octavius said cutting in the middle of the two.

“There’s this old woman I know, she’s like a real special lady, I can’t explain it but it’s better for me to show you guys.”

Coltone and Octavius followed Dow into the cramped alleyways of the slums to wherever this old woman was.

“The slums, this place always makes me feel uneasy…” Coltone said.

“It’s just a product of a city, there’s no way to avoid such things sprawling up. Cmon, the place is just around here,” Dow said.

The Trio eventually made it to a run down building, and they entered.

“Hey! Old woman! I’m back, and I have some friends here who want to talk to you!” Dow shouted.

“Stop shouting, I may be old but I still have ears!” A raspy old voice shouted back behind a corner. An old woman wearing a mismatched color of clothes with a headscarf, and holding a cane.

“Come, come, come, sit, I don’t have all day now.”

The old woman guided them into another room, and they all sat at a table.

“So, for what reason have you two come and see me?” She asked Coltone and Octavius.

“Well, we were told by Dow that you might be able to help us translate these papers,” Coltone said as he pulled the papers from the bag and put them in front of her. The old woman examined the papers for a brief second, while seeming to recognize it, she shook her head.

“I’m sorry, It seems as if my old mind isn’t able to remember anything like this language,” She said.

“Ah, our apologies then mIss, I suppose we should be on our way,” Coltone said, grabbing the papers.

“Wait, I may know of a way of finding out what it might say. You must head to the west, and to the Island of the Elves,” She said.

“And exactly how would the elves help exactly?” Dow said.

“No, It is not the elves themselves, It is what is on the Island itself, people that might help.”

“But why should we bother to even travel so far in the first place?” Octavius said.

“So, would you rather for your country to crumble into nothing but ash, or travel west, and have a piece survive to continue its legacy?”

It was a strange thing to say, Coltone, Octavius, and Dow stayed silent.

“Ok, If you say so, I guess It’s the best choice,” Coltone said, grabbing the papers. The Trio leave the house and back into the slums, thinking of their next plan.

“So, I guess we’re about to have an adventure, huh?” Dow said.

“Should be a small town west of the Capital, I heard it’s got the best equipment for a long trip. It should be our first destination,” Coltone said. As they walk down the alleyway, some people appear in front of them all in cloaks.

“Oi, Dow, who are you hanging with? Have you had enough fun with us already?” One shouted.

“Guess they’re the ones you’re in debt with?” Coltone asked Dow.

“Yeah, they call themselves the ‘Copper Knights,’ kinda of a strange name if ya ask me.”

“C-copper Knight? Sounds like a child named them,” Octavius said.

“Yeah, that’s what everyone says around these parts,” Dow said.

“Hey! Don’t ignore us you bitch!” The same person shouted.

“Should we just ignore them?” Coltone said.

“You do that they might turn hostile, probably best we just do what they want,” Dow said.

“Forget that, they barely look like a threat, plus I haven’t tested out this short sword yet,” Coltone said. Coltone walked towards the three gang members, preparing to draw his short sword.

“Oh, it looks like Dow hired some guards for him. Why don’t you just leave your stuff on the ground for us mate?”

Coltone, unfazed by their threats, took out his short sword. With a clench around the handle of the short sword, the red gem on the end of it glowed fiercely. The sword is engulfed in flame, Coltone sashed the air, causing fire to stream towards the three men, lighting them on fire. Coltone looks back at Dow and Octavius and gives a thumbs-up, and they give one back. Then, an explosion caused Coltone to be flown into the air before landing hard onto his back.

He slowly got up to see the entire area of the slums where he threw the fire engulfed in flames.

“Eh… did I do that…?”