n

n

nWith Sein leading because he was the only one who could see clearly and Krow relegated to pointing out directions from his Map, it took over an hour to reach the road and a similar amount of time to reach the village.

nKrow plied them both liberally with potions, not wanting to rest too long in one place during moonset.

nBy the time they reached Gremut, the eastern sky was brightening with the teal and salmon colors of early dawn.

n

"I thought we'd meet them on the road.

"

nSein's disappointment was palpable at the lack of his people.

n

"We moved in a different direction from where we left the caravan,

" Krow assured him.

"Undoubtedly, they're looking for you from there. Still, this is the only road here. You can be certain they'll be in Gremut today or tomorrow.

"

nSein nodded, his head swiveling around in worry even as his eyes drooped. Even in the game, it seemed mage-craft potions like Low Revitalit were not proof against accumulated exhaustion.

n

"You!

"

nKrow whirled, then immediately recognized the familiar guard bearing down on them. He smiled sheepishly.

n

"What do you have to say for yourself.

" The guard stopped before them and hissed.

n

"Everything's fine,

" Krow held his hands up in placatory manner,

"nothing happened to your caravan or the village?

"

nHer face contorted, her glare intensifying. She visibly choked back the words she was going to yell upon glimpsing Sein behind him.

n

"I am also fine,

" Krow continued, cheerfully ignoring the incandescent glare.

"I even made a friend!

"

nIt was then that Krow noticed the lightly armored person trailing quietly behind the guard, amused smile on his face. Standing in the middle of the road. Huh, a stealth build?

nThe symbol on his rerebraces was the same as the one on the woman's belt. Another guard of the same caravan, likely. Or if they were hired, of the same merc company or guild.

n

"You found a child,

" the guard forcibly calmed herself, keeping her ire to a frown.

"At moonset?

"

n

"I don't suppose a caravan just came in?

" Krow shrugged.

"Three wagons, four-ox team each.

"

nBoth guards gave him incredulous stares. He returned their looks patiently. Yes, Krow knew that everyone said 'no one' traveled at moonset but it's not like reality conformed to the suppositions of 'everyone'.

n

"Smugglers?!

" The guard hissed again, her blood pressure obviously rising.

n

"People always think that,

" Sein managed to pout while yawning.

"They should be flying Garvan Clan colors.

"

nThe guards groaned at that.

n

"Bleeding goblin caravans,

" the woman sighed.

nKrow tilted his head. Oh. Not smugglers.

nOne of the Trade Clans.

nConsidering the reputation of some of the Clan caravans, the term 'smuggler' wasn't far off actually.

nHe'd never heard of the Garvan Clan before though.

n

"They're not here then.

" Krow assumed, or their reaction would be different.

"Is your caravan leaving soon?

"

nThe man spoke for the first time, his voice unexpectedly low and quiet.

"Not today.

"

n

"If any of the Garvan Clan come, would you tell them Sein's with Krow at the Duressk Tower visiting-house?

"

nThe woman waved him off.

"It's the end of my shift, but Rullam here will make sure of it.

"

nThe man nodded.

"As my dear Galia says.

"

nThe thwack of a gauntlet against the padding of Rullam's stomach sounded, loud in the early morning quiet.

"Not your 'dear'.

"

nSein and Krow glanced at each other.

n

"Thank you!

" they chorused, and made motions to leave.

n

"I better get the kid to sleep.

" Krow nodded at them in farewell, already heading for the stairs.

"It's been a long night.

"

n

"It shows!

" Rullam called at their retreating backs, and another 'thwack' sounded.

nTheir torn and dusty clothing was indeed noticeable, and a problem because all of Krow's extra clothes were still at Janggi's. They had to wake up a grumpy proprietor who tossed them tunics and trousers from the visiting-house lost and found.

n

"They look clean enough,

" Krow dubiously examined the clothes.

n

"I know Minor Repulse,

" Sein wrinkled his nose.

"It'll work on parasites.

"

nKrow dropped the mass of linen on the table and watched the kid carefully spell the clothing. Thankfully, nothing jumped out.

n

"It seems clean?

" Sein shrugged at him.

n

"It's just until we get the clothes mended,

" Krow sighed. As a gamer, he didn't need to worry about parasites.

n

"Why don't you have extra clothes?

" Sein gathered the smaller-sized clothes and headed to the bathroom.

n

"I'm having them mended.

" Technically true. He was having his starter clothing enchanted by Janggi. The rest of the clothes were still being adjusted and laced with Durability enchants.

nKrow sat down at the small table to wait for his turn.

nHe should still buy proper armor when he got to the nearest town, where he could access the player market and auction houses. But clothing that didn't look like armor was important too. Armor and accessories can tell a lot about a person's playing style and battle tactics.

nNot to mention, a player that wasn't wearing armor was assumed by other players to be poor.

nThat would lessen the battle challenges for sure, once he left the starter village.

nSein was asleep when he got out of the shower. Krow took their clothes to a lower level of the tower, where a couple operated a washing and mending service.

nUnfortunately, that included his cloak.

nIt was still dawn, the time when the tavern would be kicking out drunks who fell asleep on the premises. They wouldn't close until the place was cleared. Krow wanted to get the condorowl quest submitted now, as the tavern didn't open again until late afternoon.

nHe stowed his revolver the Inventory, in the hopes that he wouldn't be accosted.

nEven then, there were several people who called out differing opinions on his clothes.

n'Hey, idiot, did you exchange your starting gear for those rags?'

n'Where'd you get them, I don't wanna look like a noob all the time.'

nKrow reached the Crossed Dragon as the barman, his name was Dhunancholku if Krow remembered correctly, shoved two people out the door with a dead expression that said he was done with life. The draculkar he shooed off draped himself across the broad shoulders of a drunkenly swaying dwarvir, both giggling like they heard the greatest joke in the world.

nThe barman, already turning to enter, noticed Krow nearing and narrowed his eyes.

nKrow ignored the glare and bounded up the stoop.

n

"No,

" the barman precluded the conversation.

"I do not have whoever family member you are here to find.

"

n

"If my great-aunt was here, you'd have more problems than giggly drunks,

" Krow stated, unperturbed at the blunt greeting. If Great-Aunt Amila were here, the barman would be regretting they didn't serve coffee, or whatever the Redlands alternative was…kava, maybe?

"But that's not why I'm here. I have the feathers you wanted.

"

nThe barman's apathetic irritation turned into irritated evaluation, he looked Krow up and down. His expression finally gained a faint air of recognition.

"You're the gunman.

"

n

"I am.

"

nThe barman pushed the doors open wider, a silent invitation.

"Let's talk.

"

nThe man continued cleaning up, lifting benches onto the tables in preparation for mopping the floors. Krow shrugged and grabbed a bench of his own.

nA few minutes of work, then the draculkar barman broke the silence.

n

"You're saying,

" he grunted, tapping a bench against the stone floor to dislodge debris.

"You got condorowl tailfeathers on you?

"

n

"You did say you'd pay well.

"

n

"Mm. I did.

"

nAfter the night Krow had, he'd better. The condorowl was bad enough. Who knew snow ligers could be seen this far south?

nThey boosted the last bench onto a table and the barman tilted his head at Krow, eyes considering. He moved to the bar counter.

"Let's see what you have then.

"

nKrow had eight condorowl tailfeathers, in fact. There had to be two adult birds in that nest, or the tailfeathers would have been degraded more.

nHe fanned six on the wooden counter, the long curling russet-gold feathers tinted with bright yellow from the tavern lights.

nDhunancholku took one, examined it carefully.

"I have to admit, I was expecting to have to hire a battlemaster from one of the fighter guilds to get me these feathers. But you picked them off the forest floor? These aren't fresh.

"

n

"If you wanted fresh, you should have specified fresh. I feel the phrase 'picked them up off the floor' is severely underestimating the danger of even getting that close to a nest. You didn't mention it was hatching season.

"

nThe older draculkar inclined his head.

"Everyone knows that. I didn't think you'd be fool enough to try.

"

n

"Forgive me if I'm not up to date on the seasonal practices of obscure monster birds.

"

n

"They say you're a traveler. Not from the Amvard clans, are you?

"

n

"No.

"

n

"Parents kept to the border, then?

"

n

"This is the second time you've mentioned my family. Does it matter?

"

n

"I suppose it doesn't.

" Dhunancholku nodded.

"These are good enough.

"

nHe gathered up the feathers and took them into the back room.

nKrow slumped on a barstool with a sigh. He hadn't done any of the hometown quests that every starter village offered. He supposed that was what the questioning was about.

nGojo did imply that family lineages were important in draculkar society, and Krow hadn't announced any when he introduced himself. But that was a Zushkenar thing, surely?

nIf going by the last time, Krow wouldn't have this 'lineage' until he did the hometown quests. StrawmanScare's given background was actually a cadet line from a family of knights that was killed off in some historical battle.

nFlavor text, nothing more; another way to immerse the character into the virtual gameworld.

nHe didn't learn until later that the player backgrounds were actually embedded into Zushkenari society and history after the Quake. Thinking about it, it would be odd if a hundred million people with no history appeared suddenly in Zushkenar.

nA pouch of coin thudded onto the smooth wood of the counter. It was followed by a larger sack, slightly darker in color.

nKrow looked up.

nDhunancholku pushed the pouch and sack toward him.

"Impressive work, even so. Are you up for another job?

"

nYou've finished the quest |:Pluck a Condorowl:| and have gained 5 Reputation Points, 15 Experience Points, 1 Golden Drax, 50 Silver Serpens, 1 Fortify Spell Scroll!

nWhoa, seriously, a Spell?

nFortify Spells were passive. They just boosted what the player already had. It wouldn't be higher than rank-one or rank two, but it was still a spell.

nHe hoped it was a useful one.

nAnd the barman had increased his coin reward by fifty serpens, too. Gosh, was the guy feeling guilty? No way, right? Krow decided to just accept it as hazard pay.

n

"Thanks,

" he laughed.

"But another quest like that and my bones might not leave these mountains. Besides, I'm leaving soon.

"

nThe barman snorted.

"At least you'll fall and rot on draculkar land. What with the rumors these days, there might come a time when even that would be a privilege.

"

nWhoo, another battle quest prompt.

n

"I plan to live longer than the next job, actually, but thanks for the confidence.

"

nDhunancholku gave him an irritated look.

"It's a delivery to Nyurajke Town. Since you're leaving anyway.

"

nNyurajke? Where was that?

"I haven't heard of the place.

"

nAt that statement, the older draculkar looked at him like he was crazy.

"It's three hours east of here, below Flamehorn Pass. You have to pass it to get to Velkenbragg.

"

n

"Oh, that place.

" Krow invented.

"Sure, I'll take the delivery.

"

nIt only mattered, really, that the town was close by and it had a sanctioned market.

nHe placed the locked chest the barman gave him in his inventory and left the bar. The moment he was out of sight, he opened the Spell Scroll.

nGreater Focus

nFortify Passive2 Rank

nGives 11 MND

nA passive MND spell!

nThose existed?!

nHe thought only accessories gave MND.

nHe equipped it immediately, boosting his MND to a more respectable 19 and his MP to 259.

nGah, most of the Spells he wanted were rank-three and above. Most rank-three spells needed a minimum of 200MP to activate.

nThat meant he needed more MND or he'd only be able to get off one Spell in a battle.

n'One Spell, One Battle' was only an amazing tagline if the battle was ended by that one spell.

nOtherwise, it was just mockery of your irrefutable lameness.

nSure, sooner or later he'd have to exchange it for an accessory since he'd need the Spell Slot, but this was a great and satisfying surprise.

nHe hummed a short song as he wandered back to the visiting-house. It was too early. Most of the shops he needed to visit before he left weren't open yet.

n

"Krow! How surprising it is to see you awake at this hour.

"

nHe turned a full half-rotation to face the speaker at his back. Then grinned.

"Good morning!

"

n**

nChapter End

n**

nNotes:

nRerebrace – the armor on the upper arm.

n