Chapter 5 New companions...

The smithy was actually quite close, just a block away, and it was easy to find due to the smell and the sound of ringing metal as the man had his apprentices beat a sheet of burning steel flat. Like Harland had said, there was indeed arrows here, but as I picked them up I felt dissatisfied with them. The balance was off, all of them were about two inches to close to the front of the arrow, you could counterbalance that my cutting groves into either the arrowhead or the shaft near the front but that would also make the arrow weaker, and if you removed too much then you risked losing the arrowhead in the target…

With a sigh I placed the arrow back into the barrel it was in and looked at the other items in the shopfront. There were blades and swords and axes and even full suits of armor on display, none of which were of any consequence to me.

Oh well, hopefully, there was a propper fletcher in town, that way I could make my own arrows.

Turning I looked over at Harland, who was negotiating for something with the armorsmith, walking over I noticed that it was a suit of armor that would in no way shape or form fit him. Firstly because it was too small, secondly, because if the shape of the chest was anything to go by then it was intended for a woman.

“Ah there you are Rin, was just negotiating to get you some proper armor, you cant be tagging along with me and not have something decent to wear after all!” he laughed and slapped me on the shoulder, the blow was massive and I almost faceplanted into the counter when it hit me, though I don't think he did it on purpose.

“She is fine, she does not need the armor~”

“Nonsense, I insist, I would feel horrible if you were to get injured out there!” he laughed again.

I really don't get this guy…

“Rinmua does not need armor, armor restricts mobility and makes to much noise,” he glanced at the armor and back at me, thinking. I start to feel guilty because he bought it for me and I am acting like I don't want it… “She thinks she can wear it if some parts are removed~,” I say, already feeling like I am going to regret this…

“We can adjust the armor, that is one of the services we provide when you purchase a full set,” the smith says. “What parts do you need to be changed or removed?” slowly I take an actual look at the armor. It was a dark brownish gold, meaning it was probably made from bronze. Though his world already had iron and steel forging and casting there was still a good amount of bronze in use, this was likely due to man factors, for example Iron and steel would rust, bronze, on the other hand, would not, and it could even be cold hammered, meaning a person could repair it without a forge. Meaning while it was not as tough as steel it was easier to maintain.

“She wonders if the arms could be removed, they would get in the way of shooting,” I point to the arms, which are easily removed, seeing as they were simply strapped on with leather strips. “Her legs would also not fit, not the right shape,” it was made for a person with normal legs, not my digitigrade legs…

***

By the end of the affair I had them remove almost half of the armor, the legs were completely removed, though I had them keep the assets, which were the pieces that hung down from the cuirass to protect the thighs and groin area. The cuirass itself I ended up having them remove most of the plates in the middle, leaving my stomach exposed, much to Harland’s displeasure, but he acquiesced when I told him I needed to be able to move and bend more than the armor allowed. I also ended up keeping the vambraces, seeing as they would be good for when I shot an arrow and it happened to slide past my arm. Honestly, the armor didn't feel too bad, I tested it by rolling around and leaping a little, much to the delight of the smith and Harland. The pieces we didn't use we sold back to the smith, and when I asked he pointed me to a fletcher located down the street. There I was able to get the resources to make my own arrows, the shaft was a little on the long side but I could cut it down, and the fletching was a little poor, the feathers missing some sections, but I have worked with worse before. I didn't need any arrowheads, seeing as I had a hide sack in my bag that held about sixty or so that I had made myself. By the end of the day I had spent most of my gold and coppers, I still had my silver and twelve coppers.

With luck, those coppers would be more than enough to get a room in an inn.

“Is that everything you need?” Harland asks me, I look up at the big bear of a man, still wondering why he is being so helpful, but nod. “Good, then let's go to the inn,” before I could say a word he picked up my bundle of arrow shafts and fletching and walking off. I ended up following him, mostly because the inn that he was talking about was the only inn in the entire settlement. Without any reservations he kicks in the door and strides right in, I only pause a second before following.

“Harland!” a tall man with a ridiculous hat raises a hand holding a mug of beer, causing the contents to slosh out over his knuckles, not that he seems to mind. I look at the man, he seems to be around twentyish, with a scruffy beard that was a dark brown color and long hair he seemed to perpetually be pushing out of his eyes. He was wearing a long midnight blue robe that was belted at his waist, and he had a staff of gnarled wood leaning up against the table.

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So he was a mage.

I wonder if he is an inherent gift magician? Another name for one is a sorcerer. A sorcerer is born with abilities and doesn't need to study and can use magic more readily than other types of Magi, the downside of being a sorcerer was that they were often less versatile than other magic users, and they typically could only use a handful of spells they were born with, though in those spells there was no match to their prowess and control. He could also be a Theurgist, or a warlock, meaning he has made a pact with a higher spirit who supplies him with magical powers for a price. Or perhaps a summoner. I really doubt he is a Vancian, or a wizard, seeing as they have to rely on rule magic and usually take years to learn, which ends up making them old men before they are powerful enough to be useful...

I blink my eyes, clearing away the flash of knowledge from a previous life, I never know what is going to trigger them, but every time it happens I always get this unpleasant feeling there is some other person inside my head, even if that other person was once me it is still disconcerting….

Sitting next to him is a woman wearing white and grey, with a gold lace on the borders of her robes, if I had to guess she might be a restoration mage or a healer. My other selves apparently don't feel the need to fill me in about other types of healers, so I continue to look at her. She has pretty blond hair that she has braided at the side of her head and pulled back so that both parts meet forming a sort of tiara of woven hair on her head. Her bright liquid blue eyes stare at me in curiosity.

“Ah,” Harland sighs as he sets my package down on the table with an unnecessarily loud thump. Before leaning over and snatching the mage’s mug of amber liquid and downing it in a single gulp. “This, this is why I never wish to go shopping with women,” hey now, that is unfair! You practically threw yourself on me and demanded that I take you with me! “Ah well, such is the burden of men.”

“Amen to that brother,” the mage said, producing a flask from under his robes and toasting before downing its contents. The healer just rolled her eyes at that and went back to looking at me. “Now, what did the cat drag in?” he asks looking at me, “or rather did the Harland drag the cat in?”

What have I been drafted into?

“Introductions! Introductions!” Harland bellowed, slamming the mug and his fist down on the table. “I’ll start! I am Harland Smithson, my father was the smith of Abersferd, a small rinky-dink town that will never be put on a map of any type, I started adventuring when I was 18 and have been at it for the past 7 years! I use a battle ax as my go-to weapon! Next!” he points at the mage, who finishes his drink and obliges the bear of a man.

“Tamerian Hlakin, My father was a bastard who disappeared and my mother was a whore,” I looked at him in horror, who would talk about there mother like that? He snickers at my look and continues, “No really, she was a prostitute, at the age of 16 I started adventuring, I am a sorcerer who is adept with fire spells and as such my staff is my go-to weapon! I came from nowhere special and will only return to rub a few people’s faces in it when I am filthy rich.”

“Alaina Grestu, I am a healer trained in Saint Cydrans holy order, I do not know who my parents were as I was left at the Cydran orphanage and raised there, where I received my training, my weapon is my mace,” I look at the giant two-handed war flail sitting next to her with surprise, it doesn't even look like she could lift the damn thing. “I am proficient with healing spells and buffs, as well as close quarters, combat if needs be.”

“I can also hit things over the head with my stick,” Tamerian interrupts, before backing off when the healer/paladin gives him a glare that could melt iron.

“I started adventuring when I got too old to be housed in the orphanage at the age of 18,” she finished.

All three of them looked at me.

“She is named Rinmua, her father is the shaman of the Jurina tribe, from the Pontiff valley north of here, she has just started adventuring and she is fifteen, also she uses a bow,” I lightly touch the bow that is slung over my shoulder. “And claws, she has been hunting Juji since she was seven, and is the best hunter in her tribe.” I think I have everything covered with that…

“Juji?” Tamerian asks looking confused.

“Ursinar, which is apparently what the Khatan call Juji.”

“Ahhhh,” Tamerian nods his head in understanding, “and how many people do you normally take to take one down?”

“Just Rinmua,” I say proudly, and Tamerian chokes on the ale he is pouring down his throat at that. Harland slaps him on the back several times helping the man get his coughing under control.

“Just you? Since you were seven?” Alaina asks skeptically.

“No, no,” I shake my head and explain further. “Rin hunted in a pack until she was ten!” of course I could have done it alone, but even the tribe had its limits.

“Bullshit,” Tamerian coughed out, wiping the ale and spit from his chin.

“No, it's true!” Harland came to my defense, “I saw the pelt myself!”

“Yeah and I am the Jarl’s court wizard,” Tamerian sneered. “Let's face it, you sir, are a terrible judge of character, you remember the last archer you let join us?” he screwed up his face and puffed out his chest, changing his voice to no doubt mimic someone. “I'm the best archer you will ever find! I can shoot a target the size of a fly at a thousand feet! Blah blah blah blah!” he looks at Harland and returns to his normal demeanor, “and then what happens? Hmm? He freaks out the first time we run into a decent fight, tries to flee and gets eaten by an ogre...”

Alaina shudders and adds, “The asshole was also always groping me...” that is a brave man to grope a woman that could swing that monster of a mace. “I say we test her before she comes with us anywhere dangerous.”

“Agreed,” Tamerian says.

“This is fine, but she is tired now, she has been traveling for many weeks perhaps in the morning?”

“That is fine,” Alaina agrees.

“Good, then she will go get a room~”

“Why waste the money?” Harland laughs, “I am sure Alaina doesn't mind sleeping with another woman, why not bunk in her room?” I look at Alaina who simply shrugs, which is good enough for me.

“I am tired as well, I think I will turn in,” Alaina says and motions me to follow.

The room turns out to only have one bed, and when she offered to go get the innkeeper to get me a matt I told her I didn't need it. I simply started stripping my armor and clothes off. “What are you doing?” he asks, her cheeks red as she watches me pull the hood over my head and off.

“Khatan don't wear clothes, Rin only chooses to do so to not look odd in front of others, but she cannot sleep comfortably in them,” I answer, and lay my massive tail on the ground before curling up on top of it. Alaina just looks at me and then at my tail, muttering something about how it wasn't fair that I could carry around such a nice looking portable bed…