As the sun began to set, the small cart made its way out of the dense forest and onto a dirt road. The stubborn Kefo pulling the cart was tired but determined, its breath visible in the chilly air of the early evening. Sitting on the cart, Algor skillfully maneuvered the travelers around treacherous bumps and pits, while Ren immersed himself in admiring the foreign plants, animals and birds. His eyes kept scanning the horizon for any sign of the village Algor had spoken of.
The pair rode in comfortable silence, as the forest slowly gave way to rolling hills and wide open fields. They had been traveling for just over two hours, and Ren was in great spirits, enjoying the strange sights and smells of the new world.
Even better, the blood thirsty voice in his head had been remarkably silent after the fight had ended. During the fight however, the voice had gone completely insane, violently rampaging against the confines Ren had set to restrict it. He had utterly ignored it, distancing his primary thread of consciousness from the voice’s tantrum. Even so, a few unintelligible gibberish made its way past the restriction to Ren’s mind, with the only decipherable portions having something to do with carnage and blood chalices.
Despite having no reason to do so, Ren stretched his arms in a yawn, basking in the feeling of foreign air buffeting his skin. The day just kept getting better and better! Nature's symphony enveloped him as the surroundings flashed past, creating an ethereal ambiance as he enjoyed the ride. Birds fluttered from branch to branch, their melodies interweaving with the wind. Strange rodents scurried up and down tree trunks, their tiny paws creating a delicate percussion. Hidden among the foliage, insects buzzed and hummed, contributing their own unique notes to the symphony.
Above, the sky was painted in hues of orange and pink, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers. Ren couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of the landscape. The tension that had been subtly building up since he woke up in this new world slowly eased as he took in the beautiful scenery. As they rounded a bend in the road, Ren stiffened as he took in the view.
Noticing his stiffened posture, Algor puffed out his chest and grinned widely, bringing the mount to a temporary stop.
“Yes, honored Ren. That is the village of Greendale. She is beautiful isn't she?” he smiled with pride on his face.
“Huh?” Ren turned to Algor, following his line of sight to the massive village sitting in the distance. “Yes, it is a beauty for sure,” he responded distractedly.
The old man nodded, his grizzled hands reaching up to stroke his mustache. “Greendale is home to two million people as of the last census. But do not let that fool you. Being this close to the Harosheth Forest, we get lots of adventurers passing through every single day. So that number grows by up to a few millions depending on the hunting season,” continued Algor as he flicked the reins, instructing Trixx to continue moving towards the village.
The road slowly wound downwards before leveling off and heading straight for the guarded gates in the distance. The village was definitely beautiful with its towering walls hiding the domed roofs of majestic buildings peeking over the defensive structure.
But that was not what caught Ren’s attention.
On the horizon, sitting on the opposite side of the setting sun was the strangest moon Ren had ever seen. The celestial satellite was three times bigger than the artificial Luna-2 that replaced Earth’s moon decades ago.
Somehow, this world’s moon managed to look more outrageous than Luna-2 ever did. It looked like a deity had begun ripping reality apart, starting from the center of the lunar orb, but then got distracted with other mystical tasks. The only reason Ren still considered it a moon was because of the faint silver outline surrounding the absolute darkness at the center. The moon however continued to reflect pale white light from the silver circle in a remarkable act of defiance.
Not wanting to stand out as an alien to the locals, Ren took his eyes off the local moon and focused on examining the approaching village. He could make out some farmlands spread out in grids, on either side of the path the cart was currently moving on. The farms had guards making rounds and setting up formations to protect the fields from animals and thieves, as the farmers prepared to retire back to the village for the night.
Ren’s sharp eyes assessed the guards, carefully analyzing the equipment they carried and the smooth feline grace of their movements. The synchronized manner in which they patrolled their assigned areas coupled with their well-maintained gear spoke to their professionalism and training. Ren recognized the signs of a well-organized defense, capable of responding swiftly and effectively to any potential threats.
Out of habit, his mind flittered through the closest of the guards, assigning threat levels to them and drawing up a preliminary battle plan. An exposed neck here where the armor fell just short, a slight limp on the guard over there, Ren's plan got several adjustments to the best sequence of events necessary to kill the guards once prompted. Of course he had no intention of doing so at the moment, but he felt better having a plan in place.
The farmlands stopped abruptly 500 meters from a tall defensive wall surrounding the village. The wall was made of rectangular limestone bricks, following the curve of the valley and protecting the village from any attacks from the Harosheth forest. The dirt road that Algor’s cart was rolling on led up to a massive gate, with the portcullis currently drawn up. Off in the distance, Ren could make out other gates along the wall, but it seemed they were currently closed.
Algor finally steered his Kefo and cart to join the line of farmers and Greendale village residents, waiting to make their way back into the safety of the walls. As the cart swayed forward, Ren kept a close watch on the surrounding people in their varied outfits, all waiting in line. It was easy enough to make out the farmers in the group, as they wore sturdy clothes, usually accompanied by large straw hats that protected them from the sun during their long hours of work.
Some of the people were dressed more richly in colorful garments and gleaming metallic accessories. Others were dressed more to Ren’s tastes – in well fitted leathers or clothing, with large weapons strapped to their backs, arms, chests and legs. One thing they all had in common was that regardless of their station, everyone got in line, waiting patiently for their turn. Lost in thought, Ren fiddled with the hair strands he had wrapped around the hilt of his golden knife’s, listening to the varied conversations of the locals.
Time crawled on as they waited for their turn in the rapidly dwindling sunlight. To their credit, the guards at the gate were efficient. Everyone was required to provide their energy signature, by channeling essence into an artifact held by one of the guards. Another guard asked questions of the people, while another yet collected their entrance fees.
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Ren realized he did not have any of the local currency and a small frown formed on his face. Looking around, he wondered at the best way to discreetly slit one of the locals’ throat to get to their money pouch. Although the sun was setting, there weren’t enough shadows to carry out the deed without attention.
He tutted in annoyance and Algor noticed the change in his demeanor, mistaking it for embarrassment.
“Do not worry, honorable Ren. Your entry fee should be around 30 bronze coins.” He passed over 50 bronze coins to Ren.
“Thanks Algor. Although I currently do not have the means to pay you back, I will pay back as soon as I can,” Ren replied in a grateful tone although he was a bit annoyed at having to owe the old man more than he already did. He had already identified a distracted woman walking separate from everyone else that he could potentially dispose of without too much hassle.
Algor flicked his fingers and a small wolf essence stone tumbled upwards and back into his palm. “No need, my honorable friend. This stone is worth 60 to 70 bronze coins so we are even” the old man replied with a wry smile on his lips.
Ren’s eyes narrowed and faster than Algor could move, he had the knife’s blade biting into his neck. The sudden movement caused the people around their cart to move a few steps away. Some of the guards at the wall looked over in interest but seemed unwilling to disrupt the entertainment.
“You stole from me?” Ren hissed, staring coldly into Algor’s eyes.
“Peace, honored Ren. I only took one stone as repayment for my services”
Ren squinted, keeping the knife on Algor’s neck and reached into his pockets with his other hand, counting its contents. As the old man had said, the rest of his crystals were safely resting within his pockets, undisturbed.
“When?” Ren asked incredulously as he pulled back, removing the knife from the man’s neck.
“In the forest. When we performed the adventurer's rite for your friend,” Algor replied. Seeing the incredulous look on Ren’s face he chuckled and rubbed his neck. “Old habits die hard my honorable friend. I was not sure if you would attempt to kill me on the journey here so I decided to take my payment upfront”
“Impressive,” Ren replied with genuine respect. He appreciated professionals. He respected Algor even more since he did not see or feel the man anywhere near his pockets. Ren suspected some magic trickery was involved somehow. Either way, he would keep a closer eye on the man going forward.
—
The rest of the wait in the winding line was spent in awkward silence. Algor kept rubbing his neck, stealing glances at Ren. Despite this, there was a look of anticipation in the man’s eyes. He had barely seen Ren move until the knife was at his throat, despite watching carefully to see the strange man’s reaction to his harmless grift.
Something about Ren screamed danger to him but he couldn’t place exactly what triggered his honed battle senses. He had been probing Ren throughout the ride from the forest, trying to see who he really was. Algor didn’t buy the amnesia story for one second, but that raised a whole other load of questions. Ren truly did not emit the usual aura cultivators emitted. This dangerous foreign man was an enigma. All Algor knew for certain was that he had landed a gold mine. What he was yet to decide, was how he could benefit from the situation.
It wasn’t until about an hour later that their turn at the gates arrived. One of the guards recognized Algor and received a wide smile in return.
“Greetings, honored guards. May the Immortal Venerable Kringle smile down upon you and –”
“Oy, keep your bloody blessings to yourself Algor. You know what to do,” the guard said irritably as Algor began stepping down from the cart to cycle his energy into the orb. The other guards seemed used to this banter and were lightly chuckling to themselves.
Ren meanwhile tilted his head slightly, looking from Algor to the guards.
“You deaf? Get down and place your bloody hands on the orb!!” another guard yelled, stepping forward to pull Ren down by the arm.
Like an eel, Ren made a strange twisting move, slipping out of the grip and sending the guard stumbling a few steps out of balance. Immediately, 15 swords were unsheathed and the laughing guards were suddenly dead serious.
“Lay yerself down on yer belly or ye'll be seeing your guts in exactly 5 seconds,” the captain in charge of the group said with a commanding voice.
Algor quickly stepped backwards, standing between the guards and Ren.
“Peace honored guards. Please forgive this old man’s charge. He is suffering from an ailment and I am bringing him to the Luminous Temple for healing,” he said
“He be looking well enough ta me…” the Captain hesitated, glancing towards Algor’s waist, and noticing the six white stripes on the red belt, “...Acolyte!” he continued, shutting Algor down sternly.
A confused look crossed Ren’s face as he tried to make sense of the situation. Somehow, his genuine curiosity was mistaken for mockery and the Captain looked unamused as he continued berating Algor.
“Don't ye be thinkin' we dinna see him draw a blade on ye earlier. Are ye bein' forced against yer will, Acolyte?”
Algor looked frantically about and saw more guards heading over on the walls with arrows drawn. This was getting out of hand. He looked at Ren, trying to convey his thoughts and get the man to back down. Unfortunately, Ren was acting like a clueless buffoon. Algor was about losing all hope of salvaging the situation when Ren widened his eyes and pointed to himself, then stepped down from the cart.
Ren mimed strange signs with his hands then pointed to his ears and shook his head. Such shamelessness! Algor hadn’t seen such bad acting in a long while but he played along, seeing that the guards hadn’t objected so far.
Ren walked up to the orb and placed his hands on it. Nothing happened. The usual glow that everyone expected was nowhere to be seen.
“What?” a female guard exclaimed in surprise. “No way he is a Zero with the way he moved earlier.”
“You see, honored guards, his ailment has progressed far and every second we waste, more irreparable damage is done to him,” Algor jumped in, seeing an opportunity to salvage the situation. He poked Ren then rubbed his fingers together pointing to the guards. Hopefully the fool got the hint.
Ren nodded at Algor, and then counted 30 bronze coins which he handed to the nearest guard.
“45 coins. And we be needing to know yer name,” the Captain countered, daring either of them to refute his words. “Fer da ledger, yer see.”
Algor signaled the price increase to Ren and watched as Ren counted 15 more coins and handed it over to the guard. The captain stared at him for a few seconds more before turning his gaze to Algor.
“Honorable Captain, his name is Ren … of the Temple.” Algor said, avoiding looking at Ren..
“Bloody Kringlians”, the guard captain spat on the floor. “I'll be spreadin' word ta the rest of me boys to keep a weather eye on ye two. If he so much as takes a piss, I'll be knowin' bout it. And when he finally causes trouble, ye and I will be havin' a heart-to-stabbed-heart, understood?” the captain barked.
“Yes honored Captain. May Kringle bring you your greatest desires.” Algor greeted as the Captain waved him off, apparently tired of the both of them. Algor quickly got back on the cart and maneuvered the tired Trixx into the relative safety of Greendale village.