Chapter 32 - The Returning

-” Mistress… “ Culdreth spoke softly and slowly, in a questioning tone. -” ...did I interrupt something? “ I felt a clenching sensation in my stomach as a dangerously innocent question was asked. I cursed myself for dropping my guard earlier, as no matter what, I did not want the book to figure out what I was thinking about back then. -” Perchance… “

It was probing to find the reason behind my earlier stutter, and I had no confidence in withholding the information if it’s guesswork began to get close. -” Enough. “ I interrupted authoritatively. -” Let’s just stop for now. “

-” But… “ The book started, but I interrupted it again.

-” No, but’s. Let’s just drop this, understood? “

-” As you wish, Mistress… “ Culderth spoke thoughtfully and I could feel the measuring gaze on myself.

-’ I managed to stop it for now, but it was not without a price - it's going to watch for any sign of weakness and if there's next time it’s bound to pursue things to the end, and denying it again would only lower my credibility. ‘ I thought with resignation and swallowed hard, unsettled by future prospects.

I shook my head and concentrated on less worrisome, mundane tasks.

I folded the bedroll and placed it into the pouch. I had to admit that the beginner’s pouch was a really convenient item, especially considering that it could pack similar amount of stuff as a rather large backpack, without changing its weight or size, which stayed the same no matter what was placed inside.

During the packing, I tried my best to ignore the book, which was eerily silent and watchful. I quickly finished the task and picked Culdreth from the ground.

Then, I began marching in the direction of the city, which walls were already in sight. Two hundred yards to my left there was a road, one which I used when we were leaving the city with Forest’s party. During my approach I noticed that the area around the gate was devoid of anything of importance. -’ Most of the time there are buildings outside of the city, where blacksmiths, tanners and other troublesome professions have their workshops or just the people who can’t afford to live inside, but there’s nothing here. ‘ I wondered why there weren’t any buildings and arrived at conclusion that they must be elsewhere. -’ Maybe that’s why they call this a Merchant’s Gate, because only people from outside arrive through it… That certainly makes some sense. ‘

The Merchant’s Gate, as I could see from afar, was closed. Even if it was open I wouldn’t want to use it as there was a high chance that the guards stationed there would be much more through with their checks. Instead, I turned to my right and began circling around the city, looking for other entrances.

The city walls were several yards high and made a striking impression due to contrast between sheer stone wall and the flat grassland. I quickly dropped any thoughts of scaling the overwhelming structure, as I could see movements of patrolling guards between regularly illuminated battlements. -’ Even if I were able to climb up and somehow avoid the patrols I still could get spotted by the guards posted on the towers. ‘ I wondered about the security which seemed overwhelmingly tight, especially when one considered the fact that nearby grasslands were devoid of monsters.

I sighed. Shielded by the cover of darkness I continued my journey around the city.

Eventually my steps brought me near the north eastern entrance. That one, if my memory served me right, was called a Traveler's Gate, though just one look in its direction did let me know that there was no correlation between name and reality. From afar, I saw multitude of buildings, which could be considered a small city by themselves, surrounding the gate.

I heard distant sounds of music, laughter and general merrymaking. The buildings were wooden and mostly cheap, and all of them were heavily illuminated and brimmed with people. -’ Hmm, I think that I have found a Nightless City. The information site claimed that this was akin to a red light district, where many came looking for entertainment, be it gambling, drinking, companionship, or all of those combined. ‘

I gave the Nightless City a generous breadth of distance. I was glad for my night vision which allowed me to travel comfortably despite the moonless night, still I was not too keen on running into some lost merrymakers, or things left by them. Also, I decided to avoid entering the city through the Traveller’s Gate, while it was probably open it would also be the most heavily guarded, due to drunkards, thugs, smugglers and other undesirables that would try getting in or out of the city that way.

I tried to brush off hair that had gotten on my face, but it turned out to be a futile effort because hopelessly tangled and dirty strand kept getting back. I sighed and resigned myself to an annoying sensation. I pursed my lips and lengthened my stride in determination to get to my destination as soon as possible.

Still, it probably took more than an hour before I finally arrived near, presumed, northern entrance. -’ This should be Craftsman’s Gate along with Dirt Town district. ‘ I thought as my gaze wandered over the buildings strewn in front of me, the architecture gave a feeling of messiness, due to distances between buildings being uneven - there were clusters of structures built in a way that they were almost hugging each other while there were other built with a generous expanse of free land left around them.

The impression of disorder was amplified by strings of laundry hanging over the street between the higher buildings, which made a striking comparison with a large fenced field filled with rows upon rows of white linen sheets hanging on the ropes. I was vaguely aware that the reason behind the strange placement of buildings was caused by them being dyers, tanners and blacksmiths workshops coupled with regular living quarters, but that didn’t change the overall look and feel of the place.

As I approached there was a detail that stopped me in my tracks and made me instantly hate the place - the smell. Even during the night, when workshops were closed, there was still a low hanging smoke, similar to a smog, surrounding the neighborhood. It was dry, choking and foul combination that used coal smoke as a base, which mixed together with a smell of metal and distinct stench of ammonia and other atrocious things, creating a truly dreadful mixture.

-’ Simply unbearable. ‘ I complained in my mind, as I did my best to stop myself from breathing the choking fumes, my scarf proven unhelpful in stopping the smell. I got on a road and approached the buildings, but that made me pass next to a dyer's workshop. The smell of piss almost made me retch as unwanted memory of the severs came to mind. I paid a cursory glance to a field filled with wooden tubs, where the cloth was being processed, and started to run so I could leave the vicinity as soon as possible, streams of tears running down my face.

As I hurriedly approached the tall tenement houses I had to stop as even my hat wasn’t much help in stopping the blinding light of the torch that illuminated the area.

Searing light and overwhelming stench made me finally realize how keen my senses were. I looked back, into a previously transparent night, and saw unyielding wall of darkness occasionally interrupted by a distant light of a torch or silvery point of a star in the sky. I tried to estimate a difference between the senses of my original body and the current one, but realized that it would be easier to use extremes, like night vision goggles or animals, as point of reference instead.

I continued on my way, walking further between the buildings.

-’ And the smell... H-how people can stand it?! ‘ I could not comprehend how anyone could endure such thing on a daily basis. Despite the passing time my nose shown only a marginal signs of accommodating and I was forced to endure the cruel ordeal.

Dirt Town turned out to be really big and it took me several minutes, spent walking in an overwhelming stench, to get into a vicinity of the Craftsmen's Gate. I peeked from around the corner, to check how well the gate was guarded, and let out a small gasp of disbelief, which turned out to be a really bad idea as nauseating smell brought me to my knees and it took all of my effort to stop myself from retching.

In act of desperation I summoned small arc of electricity in front of my face, though it was in vain, as it only added a fresh tang to the foul mixture. -” You wouldn’t know how to get past six city guards, would you? “ I whispered to the book, wanting to leave the Dirt Town as soon as possible.

-” That wouldn’t be the problem… “ Culdreth responded with the air in superiority. -” ...though I would be more concerned with a person inside the guard post. “

I blinked in surprise and took a peek at the gate yet again. I was unable to see who was hidden inside the guardpost, but I made an educated guess that it was a Watcher. -’ This is strange, I thought that they are supposed to be really scarce and yet there’s one at a, supposedly, least guarded gate… ‘

I dropped the useless line of thought and focused on figuring a way past the gate. The archway was at least eight yards wide and ten yards tall, inside it there were huge, hinged doors made of reinforced wood, luckily one of them were open. The entrance to the guardpost was next to the archway and its doors were open. Whole area was heavily illuminated by multitude of magical lights that hung in the air, making it almost as bright as a day.

The guards were spread unevenly, with three standing on this side of the gate and two one the other. Despite the late hour they seemed to be on alert, it could probably be attributed to the last guard, who looked like an officer due to elaborate epaulets and gear, who stood next to a guardhouse and scanned the neighborhood with bored but watchful gaze.

I casually checked their equipment, which seemed to be different from usual. I remembered them having wooden cudgels instead of swords, also I was quite sure that last time I saw guards they had leather armor instead of chain mails, and breastplate in case of the officer. Though one thing remained indifferent, a staple feature of city guards everywhere, the halberds, all of them had one.

I wanted to get inside the city as fast as possible, the smell was driving me into the corner, but the guards alone were challenging enough and I still had to handle a Watcher, though I knew next to nothing about their abilities. -” Could you tell me what a Watcher can do? “ I whispered to Culdreth.

-” Well, they can see things, magical things… “ The book started slowly. -” Like this book for example, and what it is… “

-” Wait, and you are telling me this just now?! “ I barely kept myself from raising my voice.

-” With your mark I wouldn’t bother arguing over this point. “ Culdreth stopped my outburst in a deadpan voice. -” In general they can detect illusions, invisible monsters, magical things and so on. Anyway, apart from that they are quite proficient with defensive magic, just like paladins of Holy Light. That’s all you will get for free, if you want help that’s gonna cost you. “ I could feel malicious glee in his voice and I shivered unconsciously. -” Let me know when you are ready to talk about the price. “

-” Thanks, I will handle it from here… “ I spoke with as much certainty as I could muster, but Culdreth’s soft chuckle left no illusions in regard to my credibility.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Helplessly, I looked at the gate, which as well could have been closed. For a time I thought about trying to just pass through, but I dropped that line of thought when some laborer was leaving the city. Laborer and the box he was carrying were thoroughly checked and then a Watcher was called to look at the man and his stuff. Considering the events, I was quite sure that something must have happened when I was away and it only made me more determined to get inside the city before dawn.

-’ Hmm, simple stuff, like getting a drunk to engage the guards, won’t work. They are too much on edge… ‘ I thought about the possibilities. -’ Samewise, it is impossible to sneak past them, and even after re evaluation it is still too hard to scale the walls… ‘ I sighed in annoyance. -’ Which means that all the easy options are out… ‘ I looked anxiously on one of the hard options, that had a form of the book with silver cover, but I was not desperate or suicidal enough to ask it for help.

I hated resorting to the hard options as it usually meant that I couldn’t resolve the task perfectly, and hard ways were usually messy. -’ What am I concerned with, I planed to play the role of an evil gu...girl from the start. ‘ I tried to console my conscience while looking at nearby buildings, they were three floor tall tenement houses made of wood and their roofs were covered with roofing strips.

For a brief moment I thought about, somehow, breaking the supporting part of one of them so it would fall over, but I couldn’t force myself to ruthlessly kill all the people living inside. Instead, I went behind the building, where an alley should be, though in this case it was barely wide enough for my small self to squeeze through. After much effort, I managed to get past tight and dirty tunnel and arrived on the other side. I was lucky that I haven’t encountered the dead end and found myself where I expected, in a gap between the buildings parallel to the city wall. I was hidden in a gap about nine yards away from the city wall and about twelve yards from the gate.

Satisfied, I managed to twist  and turn myself in the cramped space, so I was facing inside, and then I began to gather my mana. Rolling, electric heat slowly flowed into my hand and stayed there as I wished, it was signaled by an intensifying tingling sensation. I stifled a giggle caused by the tingling feeling, which made me lose control over my breath. I choked on the fumes and quickly returned to small shallows breaths that I learned to use to stave off the smell.

I concentrated again.

A mellow sensation slowly gathered in my hand and I began to mold it into an effect that I planned to unleash. -’ Yes… slowly, let it gather… and then… now! ‘ I quickly twisted the energy, making it roll into a ball and, at the same time, inciting the energy so it would viciously heat up. In moments, the mana changed its alignment and I held a glowing ball of heat, kept from burning me only by my will and thin veil of energy surrounding my hand. -’ It’s heating up… but I don’t want a heat ball. I want it to spread, Raghnall mentioned something like that during magic theory class… ‘ I thought frantically, wondering how to treat the heat ball so it won’t get any hotter, but, at the same time, will grow in power.

After few minutes of moving energy back and forth I finally realized that key somehow laid with compression. If I simply kept gathering power in the ball it kept heating up, but when I made the ball grow with new energy and then compressed it, then it began to turn into something else entirely. Soon, the ball in my hand felt distinctly different from before - instead of something akin to a hot, insubstantial light it become tangible and turned into something more like a balloon filled with water… -’ Though, ofcourse the thing is made purely out of fire… ‘ I made self deprecating thought as I raised my hand to throw the ball as far as I could between the buildings.

When I was creating it, I tried to make the ball as cold as I could, while trying to put a lot of cohesion into it. By my estimation it should have turned into something akin to a burning oil that would effectively set fire to the buildings… but my estimations were off.

Ball flew deep into the alley and exploded, spreading jelly like, glowing substance in all directions and burning through the walls, just like an extremely potent acid would. With stupefied expression I looked at strange happenstance, the jelly burned through the wood but there was no fire, just a lot of smoke.

Dubiously, I looked at a bit of jelly lying on the stone, it behave as if it was on a frying pan, violently shaking and twisting around while getting smaller and smaller. A realization dawned on me. -’ It is somehow continuously applying heat to its surroundings, if it’s within its heat range then it burns through, and if not it just heats the resistant surface up while losing the power! ‘

I was suddenly brought back to reality. The screams resounded from inside the building, tenants must have become alerted by large amounts of smoke that was produced by my strange fire. Soon a frantic activity could be heard inside, as numerous feet ran down the stairs and wooden floors, making distinct sounds.

I peeked from the alleyway, which was now filled with choking smoke. -’ Paradoxically, it smells better than the smog here… ‘ A silly thought appeared as I disregarded the notion, since the smoke was not breathable.

All of the guards and a Watcher were in front of the gate looking at the building which I set on fire, as planned they concentrated on the part that was directly in front of the gate. I used the moment to quickly run across the street and lean against the wall.

I heard an urgent tolling of a bell from somewhere inside the Dirt Town, though I was much more focused on the guards. Slowly, I crept with my back against the wall, while their attention was focused on the smoking building.

People were exiting the nearby building and running around, trying to find something to put out the fire. Luckily, they were too distraught to pay any attention to me.

-’ Six yards… ‘ I estimated the distance between me and the archway.

My gaze travelled to the Watcher, who moved forward and seemed to concentrate really hard on something. He had a white tunic, on front and back there were symbols of the eye  embroidered with golden thread. Underneath the tunic I spotted a silvery chain mail that protected his torso, upper arms and thighs, also there were elaborate metal greaves and bracers that shielded his forearms and shins.

-” Master Hammet, would you be able to provide assistance? “ Officer asked uncertainly, but fell silent when Watcher called Hammet raised his hand to silence him. I could see a look of concentration on his hawk like face.

I thanked my luck that he didn’t turn back, as he could have spotted me. Suddenly a thought struck me and I felt really dumb for asking the question after the fact, still I whispered as softly as I could. -” Culdreth, would the Watcher find out it was a magical fire? “

-” Normally, it would be too brief and weak… “ He started in his usual slow manner. -” ...but I believe he might grasp that something is afoul due to the still burning remains of the spell. “ I wanted to curse under my breath as I took a small step ahead, but the book was not done. -” Still, nicely done. I didn’t expect that you had it in you, but I am pleasantly surprised. I look forward to our future cooperation, Mistress. “

I wanted to tell Culdreth to shut up, but being less than three yards away from the nearest guard made me clench my teeth in nervous anticipation. I took yet another small step closer to the gate. People on the other side of the street started to gather, but their attention was focused on the smoking building.

I was getting ready to take another step when I noticed Watcher straightening himself in alarm. I reacted immediately and bolted forward, to the gate. A soft scream escaped Hammet’s mouth, but my sudden rustle made his cry of alarm cease and, instead, he began turning in my direction. Same as the guards.

Still, the surprise was on my side. While they were turning to look at me I managed to cover two yards. Another yard was won, when they tried to comprehend what was happening. Only two enemies had enough wit to react when I was covering the last yard. Officer, who had began swinging his halberd, and Watcher, who reached for his sword.

As a wheezing blade of the halberd came at my chest I tumbled down, allowing it to pass over me. Using my remaining momentum I kicked the ground and tumbled to the left, rolling into the archway. I almost yelped when a blade pierced my side…

...or rather the cloak near my ribs, the sudden change of direction coupled with the cloak made Hammet miss his lunge. In panic, I kicked the ground with all my might and propelled myself forward, into a tiger like pounce. Fear from barely escaped death blow fresh in my mind.

The ground approached and I extended a hand to minimize the impact, I could only use one as my other was busied with holding the book. My weight began to rest on my palm and my arm began to give, in a stroke of fervent haste I twisted the rest of my body and was left speechless by the result. My body’s momentum turned into some variation of the cartwheel that let my legs pass over my head in a magnificent motion, while my back was stretched taut and bent forward, as if I was performing bridge.

My head was turned in the opposite direction making me see what was happening behind and I didn’t like what I saw. A Watcher was desperately charging at me with his sword raised.

My legs began their descent, further bending my back, and, by the motion, my upper body was pulled upward. I was flabbergasted by my athletic ability, but I had not time to dwell on it.

Immediately after my feet struck the ground I forcefully continued the uplifting motion of my upper body, which allowed me to turn the cartwheel into a run without a pause. Motivated by dreadful sound of the light steps of the Watcher I sprinted forward, determined to put as much distance as possible between us.

Abruptly, a piercing sound resounded in the air. Someone was blowing into a whistle hard, and there was a corresponding whistle from the street in front of me. I swallowed hard while looking for a way to escape...

===============

Hey~, Author's Here~

I hope you enjoyed today's sightseeing coupled with a tang of action :)

[By the way, I have sacrificed two virgins to the astrologers and they prophesied that next week or week after it will be a Week Of Bonus Chapter.]

[-How could you kill two precious...]

[Don't worry, the sacrifices are very much alive, busy but alive :D ]

[- You...Y-you get out! Right This Moment!!!]

Khem, as I mentioned earlier I have made some adjustments and gathered all of the CG art in one place. Link can be found here CG Gallery or in my signature below. Great thanks to Owlbear General who did great work on sketching and coloring the drafts.

Cheers,

Mea

NEXT CHAPTER: Chapter 33 - The Running