AN: A slightly shorter chapter, but its ending was just right to continue in the next.
Chapter 6 A vast world
“Hey! Are you guys already planning to leave?” Someone shouted towards Alec's group.
“If it isn't our friend the merchant!” Alec replied.
“Just call me Adam. I fear the curtsies came a bit short when we met previously. But holding together a caravan is a lot of work. So are you leaving tomorrow?” Adam said.
“Yes we are. We already got what we came for and the atmosphere in this city isn't to our liking right now.” Alec explained.
“I heard about a commotion in the residential area. And the description of what happened immediately reminded me of your group. In what direction are you travelling from here?” Adam asked.
“To the east.” Will answered.
“Really! What a coincidence. Then we share the same route for now. Fancy accompanying us? We both have to pass that lawless area again. I would even pay you.” Adam proposed.
“Sure. Why not?” Alec said. They hadn't any need to cover their tracks, so they wouldn't lose anything in taking this offer. They would actually gain something from it.
The next day, their two groups set off and left the city behind. No one came to stop them, Alec took this as a clue that those who had wanted to capture them didn't have the complete backing of the local rulers.
They passed the forests unhindered this time and were relieved to hear a system message when they had exited the destabilized area. Their caravan quickly fell into the routine of those that have to walk for big distances. Like before the mules were reserved for wares and carriages and horses were sparse in this world. Silence accompanied them, except for the sounds of heavy breaths and footsteps, from man and animal alike.
That silence only broke when they set up camp. When Alec and his friends sat around their fire they talked about what had happened these past few days. Beoldar said a few sentences about who had instigated the attack, but that man's person wasn't really of interest. What was to note thought was the fact that he too didn't work alone, he was part of the organisation that initially fought against the guild. He was part of the more extreme party that it consists of. The same part that wanted a king instead of an council.
In the end they couldn't press their interests, but they still remained in the city and even its government. The others mainly talked about the sickening experience of thrashing all those people and also killing the bandits. The bandit incident had only slowly sunken in and their return to the place it had happened had renewed the memories.
“It is truly strange. We all know that what we did was horrible. We acted justified and in self-defence, but still, it was horrible. So why don't we feel bad about it? Most people would have gotten traumatized from something like that.” Sarah said.
“And then there is the fact that they weren't very strong, or maybe we are much stronger? Anyway, those fights had been way more imbalanced that they should have been.” Will added.
“I think I can explain that.” Beoldar interjected, “Your kind is still rather inexperienced concerning mana. So you probably didn't notice that its composition in the city was an utter mess. Most of it was refined and very few of it was in its natural form, which is the after effect of the dungeon closing itself. This in itself isn't bad for most organisms, but it hampers the mana adaptation of the people in the area, as they don't have to refine it. They don't learn to control it and the self-enhancement it normally provides is slowed to a crawl. Additionally they lack the experience from the dungeon fights.”
“So they basically crippled themselves.” Peter concluded.
“Yes, they have. Also they rely on our weaponry and armour too much.” The dwarf said while patting the axe on his belt. “Sure our works are great, but like you already have noticed there are other ways to achieve what they can do. They lack flexibility, something a mage excels at.”
Soon after their conversation came to an end and they went to sleep.
They needed five days to reach the next settlement, but they merely stayed for the night and restocked their provisions there. What stood out about this place was that there wasn't a dungeon there. Which meant that all buildings had been build by its inhabitants, which surprisingly weren't only human. In the village, that had been build at a crossroad and had thus become a trading hub, there lived dwarfs, humans and even a few centaurs peacefully as neighbours. It was a melting pot of different races.
As they left the village Beoldar said “It seems to be growing well. This small settlement has been build by dwarves and humans, and now even the centaurs joined! I hope it will stay this way forever and that what happened at the city has only been the act of fools.”
“I hope so too. Many of us hate war and violence, but fear and hate have always been strong forces in our history. We fear the unknown and foreign and from this fear stems hate, which often leads to violence.” Alec replied.
“Like in my race, huh? We too feared the unknown, and have awoken a monster. Some still hate the dragons and yet we couldn't exist without them. In our old world vegetation was sparse and the sun was deadly four months of the year. Nothing could survive its blaze at these times. It had to flee underground. Only in the caves of the dungeon survival was possible all year round. They created a habitat, a paradise of sorts. You will see it when we arrive at my home town.” The dwarf said while smiling.
As they continued their journey they passed more of such settlements, but the composition of its inhabitants slowly shifted. More and more dwarfs could be found until they finally arrived at a dwarven settlement.
“Ah finally we can get a good mug of dwarven ale. Not that your stuff is bad, especially your whiskey, but I still prefer the taste of home.” Beoldar said.
“I will join you!” Will said zealously.
“We will skip out this time right Sarah?” Marie said. “Yeah we are rather tired and my feet still hurt everyday.” Sarah added while suppressing a yawn.
“You coming?” Peter asked Alec as he joined Will and Beoldar.
“No. I couldn't train at all while we travelled, so I wanted to get some practice done before going to bed.” He answered.
“He's a maniac! Quick let us flee before he drags us in one of his hellish training sessions!” Will said and pulled Peter along, while following Beoldar into a pub.
Sighing Alec walked off towards a patch of grass behind their inn and began to practice. After he had gone through his forms he began to meditate. Ever since he had changed races he was able to feel the plants and other lifeforms around him. But today he found something that created a dissonance. It wasn't that this life form was foreign, but it always seemed to transmit a feeling of constant pain.
Worried Alec stopped his meditation and decided to track it down. He didn't have to search for long. What he found was a baby held by its dwarven mother. It was merely a few weeks old and quite literary the ugliest baby he had ever seen. It was deformed in many places and most of its limbs looked non functional.
“The gods have healed many when they transported them, but it seems like this one slipped their attention. Or The deformations were formed at a later point in time. We have been here for around seven months now after all.” Alec thought, “What a pitiful creature. Could I help it?”.
He had never tried to use his ability on a being of flesh and blood. Only on a couple of plants, which he could grow however he wanted.
“May I try to help?” He asked the mother.
“It can't get any worse, can it? My pitiful daughter, so young and yet death has a tight grip on her already.” She answered, “You may as well try, but if you torture her my blade will find you!”
Carefully he picked up the girl and began to synchronize with her mana signature. As he did he sat down and closed his eyes.
At first he eased her pain and send her to sleep. Then he wanted to change what was wrong with her body, but alas he didn't know how it should have looked like. Opening his eyes he asked, “Could you help me please?”
“What do you need?” The mother asked.
“You. Your body to be exact. Not like you might think thought. I need a source to copy from.” He answered, “Give me your hand.”.
She did, and Alec once again immersed himself in his work.
It was tricky to maintain two synchronizations at once, but he barely managed it. Slowly the child began to change. Its once crooked bones straightened, its deflated thorax swelled and was filled out with the needed organs in their proper size. Its breaths grew more and more calm and the pain faded from its mind. Finally his work was done. Alec opened his eyes and lifted the child with his arms that felt as heavy as lead.
“Here she is, better than new.” He said while giving the child to its mother. Then he stood up, his legs barely following his demands.
“Now if you would excuse me I am rather exhau..” He said and collapsed, his consciousness fading into the lands of dreams.
News of his deed travelled fast throughout the settlement and when Alec awoke some people had begun to flock around the inn he stayed at. None of them were in need of his magic thought, very few were, the dungeons avoided to cause crippling damage and what remained of the humans medical knowledge was sufficient for most illnesses and injuries. These men and women wanted to be taught not healed. They loudly proclaimed their desire as soon as they met Alec, who was overwhelmed by their rash approach.
Many among these applicants were humans, which had been transported here and joined the dwarfs. They weren't able to learn their magic and no one had been able to teach them yet. All they learned up till now were the basics about keeping their abilities in check, nothing more.
“Okay, I get that you want to learn, but first of all I am not obliged to teach you. Secondly there are already some institutions in place to teach you. Although the dwarves don't have them as their abilities aren't as diverse as ours and are mainly focused upon enhancing their bodies. And lastly what are your affinities?” Alec explained and asked.
After they had organized a list and all of them had noted down their names and affinities, Alec checked it amd explained, “None of you are immediately capable of learning the magic necessary for healing. I am not saying you can't ever learn it, but you will need years of practice and I am not in the situation to teach you lot. Those who really want to learn it should travel to a city with a magician school and after mastering what they taught you head towards the big forest between Cerfort and Alderich. You will find a race highly specialised in nature magic there.”
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Many of them now carried a downcast look on their face and one enraged voice shouted, “You expect us to travel through these dangerous land?! We don't have magic like you!”.
Alec replied coldly, “So what? I did the same thing. I started in a remote village among non-humans, who too had no clue about magic. Now they have discovered and mastered their huge potential. For all I care you could also go about learning for yourselves what others would freely offer you if you just went to them.”.
“Let's get going. We already lost a day because you were out cold.” Adam interjected.
To the crowd he spoke loudly, “For those of you that are determined to learn, I will be coming through here again in about two weeks. You could come with my caravan, in which by the way nobody is stronger than your average lot.”
Unhindered their group left the town. Their next destination was the capitol of the dwarfs in this region, Ungelheim.
As they walked Alec asked Beoldar, “How many dwarfs are there actually?”
“There were around 900 Million of us when we were transported. We once were many more, but the genocide through dragon was only 1000 years ago, so our population hasn't regenerated to its former size. We have low birthrates and long lives, you see?” Beoldar answered.
“How many are here in this region?” Alec asked.
“Only around 2 million.” the dwarf answered.
“Like I thought. Your races population too has been split up and scattered over the whole world. I wonder how big it is.” Alec said and fell into deep thoughts.
They needed five days to reach the capitol. It was a city unlike any they had ever seen. Its gate was a humongous double door that lead into a mountain. True to their history most dwarfs disliked being outside in the sun, which in their home world was deadly most of the year. And that was reflected in their city, which was built in an enormous cave system. Yet it wasn't dark at all, many luminous plants grew in them and gave the city an alien brightly lit atmosphere.
“How do these plants grow here? What do they live off?” Sarah asked baffled by the view.
Joining her Beoldar explained, “Mana, refined mana to be exact. They are part of the dungeon, like the rest of the city by the way. The one good thing the awakening of the dragon brought us, is a very close relation to the dungeons. We understand them better now and can, to a certain degree, influence them into creating what we need. Once we were parasites of a sort, now we have become symbiont's, although some of us still hold grudges against the dragons.”.
“I need to give my report to our king. Why don't you tag along? I am sure someone in the palace can help you in finding your parents and give you a better map. From what I have seen the distances on it seem a bit screwed, although the directions are accurate.” Beoldar said, “Also it should be possible to send messages to the guilds closest to your parents. Something your guilds can't do, since they are servants and aren't allowed to ask such big favours, but with my backing I am sure they will help you.”
They followed his lead and walked through the wondrous city, whose houses looked like they were formed naturally by the rock. No gaps could be seen in the walls and the texture of the used stones had been polished out and arranged into beautiful ornaments and mosaics.
“A sight to behold, isn't it? Sadly the dungeon isn't very good in creating buildings, so we have to rebuild the whole damn city to match our taste in art. This main street looks about done, but as far as I can see the other roads are still far from done.” Beoldar said with a complacent grin on his face.
When they entered the castle, whose majestic towers and walls had been carved from the cave walls, an attendant came over to their group. “Ah, the king has been awaiting you Beoldar. And those are you entourage?” He asked.
“My friends. And they require some advanced guild services.” Beoldar answered.
“Then I will see to it that they will receive all the help we can offer.” The dwarf answered with a bow. “If you would follow me please, Ladies and Gentlemen?” He asked in a servants voice and demeanour.
He led them in a room with a big spherical crystal. In front of it stood a stone throne, in which sat a female dwarf that looked older than time itself. Her white hair was braided into a long rope, which lay in a coil at her feet. “It has been a long time since someone sought me out. What brings you young ones to this old fossil?” She asked in a dry voice, that bore witness to her prolonged silence and was deeper than one would anticipate from her.
“Oh dragon, these mortals seek your knowledge and possibly a favour.” The attendant said.
“Mortals, huh? Fine. What knowledge do you desire? That which grants you wealth? Power?” She asked.
“Only wealth of heart and peace of mind. We wish to find our parents that have been separated from us when this world was set.” Alec answered. “A noble gesture. But alas a lost cause. I well know who you are, like I know the names and history of all the children that set foot into my domain." The dragon's medium said, " Your parents are doing fine, but the distance is much farther than any of you anticipated, for the map you received is a faulty product. You may have already noticed that the locations you have received are at the border of the map, yet if you went where it indicates you would find nothing but barren land. It only indicates the directions of all dungeon cities and some close by locations.”
“How far is it?” Alec asked.
“Fearless of challenges, aren't you? Your life might last long enough to reach them but theirs won't. They are doing fine thought and I am willing to relay messages for them, as some of them have done my kind quite a few services.” The dragon offered.
One after another they relaid their messages for their parents, while the others kept their distance, as to not intrude onto this private moment. Their messages mainly consisted of words of soothing and farewell. They probably would never meet again in this world. Alec had waited for his friends to finish before he himself walked in front of the dragon's apostle.
“Mom, Dad, I hope you are doing fine. We probably won't ever meet again, this world is just too vast. The best I could manage was this very message, because I too am now bound by responsibilities. I found a loving wife, and our children will soon be born. I can't leave them behind in search of a dream that might have perished before I might reach it. I am sure you understand. Farewell.” He said.
“We thank you for your kindness.” They said as they left the room. Beoldar awaited them at the door.
“You knew it didn't you?” Sarah asked.
“As soon as I saw the map. Come with me, I will show you a correct one.” He said and led the way. Together they entered a huge room, whose whole length was dominated by a huge table. Behind the table was a humongous map. It was easily 10 meters high and wide.
“We could have made it smaller, but then this very mountain range here wouldn't even be shown on it. And one needs a whole month to walk along its base from north to south. This world is just too big with its over twenty continents. I knew your map was faulty because I knew all the dungeon cities on this continent by name and your parents aren't in any of them.” Beoldar explained, “It was a hard lesson, wasn't it? Many here had to share it with you and they weren't as lucky as you, they couldn't send a message. And even I can't force the dragon to help all of them.”
“Who exactly are you Beoldar?” Will asked.
“Let's just say I have some sway in the dwarven kingdoms and that's it.” Beoldar said, “Too many treat me as something that I ain't, please don't add to their numbers.”
“We won't. You will always be our grumpy dwarf.” Peter joked.
“What are you planning to do now?” The dwarf asked, “I could use your help in building connections with the various races, you know?”.
“I have other obligations to follow,but if you ever want to establish relations with the elves I can help you, just ask for me when you arrive there or encounter a patrol.” Alec said.
“I will probably go and help those fellows that want to learn magic. I have nothing that's hindering me from doing so now. Maybe I will even found my own school.” Sarah said.
“Hmmm I will stay with you Beoldar. Then I can check up on our mage here from time to time.” Will said while slightly blushing.
“Peter what do you think we should do?” Marie asked insecurely.
“Not sure. The elves were nice when we stayed there, but life among the dwarfs could be fun too.... Argh I just can't decide! Maybe.... Why don't we continue to wander? We are hunters now anyway, we don't need a city to survive out there.” Peter mumbled.
“Adventuring it is then!” Marie decided for them both.
On that day their ways began to part. Will remained with the dwarfs, while the others began their journey back. Sarah left soon after at the town where Alec healed the child. Alec left a small booklet containing a guide to learning healing magic in her care, which was smaller than he wanted, but at least it would provide basic guidance. Marie and Peter parted from him near Alderich, from where the two wanted to travel further south.
Alone Alec walked through the forest, at first he felt lonely, but that feeling slowly faded and was replaced by a peace one can only find at the most special place of ones live, at home.
“You returned just in time.” Quarc greeted him at the gate, “Not early enough to witness the torture that is birth, but not to late to learn changing diapers.”.
“Has it been this bad?” Alec asked concerned.
“My hand still aches from holding hers.” The old elf replied, “As you aren't accompanied by anyone, I take that your ventures bore no fruits?”.
“No. This world is vaster than any of us can imagine. We would have to travel our whole lives to reach them.” Alec replied.
“Don't be too heartbroken. You lost one family and gained another. And also you learned a valuable lesson. When following your dreams one should always keep in mind what one might lose while doing so. Its the same when wielding a sword. Are the risks worth the possible gains? That question should always be etched into your heart.” Quarc said.
“I will always keep this in mind master.” Alec replied with a small bow.
“We shouldn't keep Quini waiting. And I am sure you are eager to meet your children.” Quarc said and together they walked into the bustling streets of the town.