We were at the campsite which we decided to take a break at for the night as we emerged from the underground city ruin. I still stank of monster blood. In fact, I'm pretty sure that it was beginning to crust onto my sweater.
Why!? Why couldn't there have been a wash basin nearby? Such a convenience would've been downright heavenly, by now.
Sadly, that was not the case. I was out in the wilds, and so I would not have access to any public amenities for the time being.
You'd think that would be a given, but I guess in times of need, your brain sort of, short circuits and common sense escapes you for a while.
Back in my hometown of Polam, many kids would've dreamed of becoming adventurers and/or travelers. I understood the appeal, after all, I pretended to be one myself with my childhood friend back when my parents were still alive.
I think her name was… Natasha..? Or, something along those lines.
Well, to those kids I'd say this-
"Trust me folks, this is not the type of life you'd wanna lead- it's tiring, and highly likely you might end up dead after an unlucky encounter with a monster."
"It's better to just go to school, graduate, get a job and raise a family, and live out your life."
I'd probably say something like that.
Hah.
Look at me, moralizing over here.
I'm the one who went out on a dangerous adventure with several other people, got charged with a serious crime, and am now serving out my penance.
And I'm doing that by searching for, or at least attempting to search for Zantio Slavhar, who last anyone heard about, is hiding out at the city of Dremvaqua.
At least, that's the best lead we have on the guy so far.
But this information doesn't seem reliable… at all!
Also, it's been a good while since we last got hold of this information. For all we know, Zantio might as well be in the Royal Capital for Cristell's sake.
Luckily, I've heard from Anastasia that the Heligsgrad municipal government has arranged for us to meet up with a contact once we arrive to Dremvaqua.
Never mind that..
I WAS STILL DIRTY!!
All of a sudden, I feel a hand touch my shoulder.
"Hiyaahgh!!"
"Dude..relax.. It's me, Yuri."
"Oh. Yeah, my bad."
"So, what's up?"
"Well… I'm just tryna' see what my friend here is up to…"
"Well, now that you've seen- what're we gonna do now..?"
"I don't know. Y'think ya' could wash up, maybe? You're stinkin' up the place… it's getting worse by the second!"
For Cristell's sake… if one more person mentions my uncleanliness… I will burst!
In the middle of my thoughts- two people show up. It's the usual pairing as well.
Tinel and Agniezska.
"Hey, you two. There you are! We've been looking all over for you."
"Oh, Agniezska. Where'd you guys go?"
"Ah. Tinel insisted on getting some steps in. We just walked around a little."
Tinel stepped forward. She brandished a magic staff from behind her back. Where she got this, I had no idea.. I had the impression that her staff was confiscated back in Heligsgrad but….
"And on the way, I found this little thing~ it's kind of like a modern conduit.. But not exactly the same."
"It can cast magic, just like a normal one. I tested it out."
"Wow, that's neat! Good for you.."
Her satisfied grin drops into a disappointed frown.
"That said…"
"Actually consistently casting magic is going to be kind of hard."
Anastasia raised an eyebrow.
"Really? How so? I thought you were a mage for the city guard of the Royal Capital Mittendius.. I hear any paramilitary force or militia agency from Mittenidius is something else entirely…"
"Well, of course. That is true."
"But if you don't use magic for a while, your mana networks can stiffen, making it hard to use it like you used to.."
"Huh?"
"Okay. Think of it this way."
"You know how when you don't operate machinery for some time, it can stop working properly, and won't go back to normal until you oil it up a bit?"
Yuri and I nod our heads.
Given our backgrounds working in Zantio Industrial Guild, this was an analogy we could understand.
"Yeah, think so."
"Okay."
"Well, it's basically the same thing for magic and magic users."
"Ohh, I see.."
I raise my hand, as if Yuri and I are students in school again, and she was the professor.
It in some ways, evoked memories of a life which has long gone by…
"Hey, Tinel."
"Yes, Mikhail? What seems to be the matter?"
"You think you could teach me magic, maybe?"
"I mean, sure. But we'd have to test out your Mana Lodes first. See the extent of your capability with magic."
"Mana Lodes? What're those?"
Tinel clears her throat.
"Simply put, Mana Lodes are special organs, located at the left and right temples on the head. They're very small, but positively overflowing with mana."
"By recording the patterns of the mana that flows through your Lodes, and then translating them, we can determine how good you can be with magic, and what you will specialize in the most."
"Huh. There's a biological aspect to it as well, huh? I didn't know that it was all that complicated.."
She looks at me, like I said something extremely stupid.
"Well of course not! Magic isn't some whimsical thing. It functions a certain way, just like anything else."
She goes on to explain to me that magic, while something that many people in this world use day-to day, and interact with on a daily basis, is something that only some have a true and genuine understanding of.
It was a weird thing to consider. For a world that is so deeply mired in magic, and for a society that was built upon it, many people had barely even a fundamental understanding of it.
I suppose it made sense though. Magic is, by all intents and purposes a mystical force.
Of course it's also something that has also been widely implemented into society, and transformed it into what it is today.
Some time later….
---------------------
We've been treading along for a good 30-70 minutes by now. The snow wasn't getting any less thicker. Maybe more, I wasn't able to tell, quite frankly.
The sun was also starting to set. It was now a reddish-orange/ yellow tint.
Yuri speaks up.
"Man… where does the time go? We've been walkin' forever!"
"If you wish, we may set up camp. If it makes you feel better." Noted Agniezska.
"I second this!" Anastasia jumped out from nowhere all of a sudden.
"My legs ACHE!"
We all look at her like she said the most craziest thing. Which, she did.
"W-what..? Why are you guys lookin' at me like that? Getting tired after a long walk is normal, you know?"
"Uhm, I don't know how to tell you this, Ana- but we've only been at it for like an hour, you know."
"Mikhail! You traitor!"
What?
Me?
A TRAITOR?
"What the hell are you talking about, Anastasia?"
"I t-thought we were a team… how could you say such things..?"
"Woah hold on a second! Where did you ever get that idea!?"
I can hear Yuri and the rest of the party whispering behind.
"Man, she's a weirdo, ain't she?"
"You got that right, knife-ears."
"Haha.. the life of a city girl, hm? Not being used to moving around so much…"
I decided I'd drop it. No point in beating a dead horse, right? Plus it wouldn't be very modest to torment a woman like this.
"Alright alright I'm sorry…"
We set up a campfire for the night and sit down to get some rest.
"Phew… glad that got over with quickly, huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"WALKING! DUH!"
"Calm down, Anastasia. It's not the end of the world you know."
…
"I know, I know… it's just… I don't know how much longer I can take this!"
"Well.. if it helps… we should reach the city at about 9 in the morning or so, tomorrow."
That seemingly brought her spirits up, as her face lightens a bit.
"Really!? That's great…"
Yuri chimes in all of a sudden.
"Hey guys, not to but in or anything, but do we have some food on deck?"
Tinel and Agniezska shake their heads.
"Nope. We used up the last of the dried and salted pork strips halfway into the walk, remember?"
He looked devastated.
"We've got some water, if that interests you..?"
"Meh."
He clicks his tongue, and gets up.
"Y'know what? I need to go take a piss actually. I'mma see you guys later."
Somewhere distant, in a more wooded region. (Yuri's POV)
Gah.. finally.. some peace n' quiet..
I suppose this'll get my mind off o' my starvation n' all…
Yuri takes his time to do his business, and when he's done, ''zips up''. And then, he's about to leave, when..
He hears a rustling sound.
"What!!??"
When he looks towards the direction of what made the noise, he sees something.
It's a strange person.
Half horse, half man.
Its skin is coloured a strange sickly beige or green. It wore a raggedy old dark woolen robe that draped over much of its body and obscured its face.
It had antlers akin to that of an elk, from which hung all sorts of ancient pagan Dremvaquan amulets.
It stood there.
But it didn't do anything.
"Yikes… what the hell is that thing…?"
It doesn't seem like a monster… but I certainly don't recall any animals that look like that…
"Heyyy… everything alright over there?"
Jeez. Why am I talkin' to an animal?
"Hey I-"
But before he could say anything else, the strange creature disappears within the blink of an eye.
Yuri tilts his head in confusion, clearly perplexed as to what happened..
"Huh.. weird."
Yuri decides to go back to the party for the night.
By the time he returned, everyone, including Mikhail were already asleep.
"Yeah,, guess I'll go back to sleep.."
And slowly, but surely, the night goes on amongst the howling wind… eventually the moon goes down,
and the sun rises once more.
Return to Mikhail's POV
I wake up from my slumber,
Oddly enough I don't have the same groggy feeling I usually do when waking up.
I see everyone has woken up before me, already. As per usual.
Yuri though, not so much. He's sitting there, and I could see that he had eyebags.
"Damn, what happened with you?"
"I dunno. I saw this weird thing last night, and well, I just couldn't get any sleep at all."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Oh never mind."
"Are you sure you're okay…?"
Yuri turns towards me, and puts a hand on my shoulder.
"Look man. I'm totally okay, alright? I know you may be worried.. but I've just got a case of… what do they call it again?"
"Insomnia."
"Yeah, that."
"Anyways, my point is this- I'm fine. You don't gotta worry, y'know?"
"Sure.."
"Boys. Let's get going."
I could tell who that was already.. but I mean, really? ''boy"? That's just unfair.
"Agniezska! I'm not a child! I turn 19 in a month, you know."
"I'm just teasing you. That's all, haha.."
LATER DOWN THE LINE- DREMVAQUA PROVINCE:
We're overlooking the Dremvaqua Province from a hill. We can see the city itself over in the distance as well. The land is mostly just snowy tundras, and the coastline appears behind the city. Near the city I can see what seems like a forest, of very tall trees as well.
Further off into the distance, I see the outline of a bizzarre tower which seems to stretch indefinitely into the sky.
What it is, I couldn't guess.
"We're finally here..!"
I feel dizzy. Like I'm about to hurl and throw up. My head hurts!
"Tinel, I feel kinda ill.. could you heal me?"
"I wish I could… I'm still realigning my mana networks.. Sorry."
I feel disappointed.
But at this rate, what can I expect?
"You see the city over there?"
"Yeah."
"It sits upon a lake, Lake Dalojern to be specific."
"Dalojern…? That sounds like a Traditional Dialect name.. We're not in the Heartland Province, are we?"
"Haha, no, no we're not. But this area was discovered by a man who was an adventurer and later, a saint. Granner Sontyjizor, or St. Sontyjizor. He named it Dalojern, because it was far away from Mittendius."
Author's note: In the Dalician language, ''Dalojern'' is a word that means ''distant'. Hence the reasoning behind the name.
Agniezska the walking history lesson strikes back again.
Honestly, her knowledge was impressive.
Yuri points out to the distance at the strange tower.
"Hey… is that, a dungeon?"
Tinel smiles.
"It is. Nice job on picking up on that. They're really rare structures, full of all sorts of mystical knowledge as well as wealth!"
"I remember when I wanted to go into one, but Agniezska didn't let me. Imagine all the spells I could've found.."
Agniezska gives her a gentle *thunk* on the head.
"You're still upset about that? You were fresh out of the Martial Academy back then. No way you would've stood a chance in there…"
"Guhh.. fine."
"Though on the other hand… if we ever have spare time.. and get some new gear.. we could visit.."
"Really!?"
Look at her. Jumping for joy, like a child. I don't think I've ever seen her this excited over something.
"Certainly."
"Never mind that guys.. can we get moving!? I need to sit down alreadyyy..!!"
…
I'm a pretty understanding individual, but at this point it would've been much better had we left Anastasia back in Heligsgrad.
Couldn't they have assigned us someone else?
At this point, nobody says anything further. We've already dealt with this, we would just be wasting time, entertaining her antics.
A little while later, we're practically in the home stretches of the city. We can see the gate very vividly now.`
The walls were palisades made from tall and thick tree logs. The base was made from cobblestone, and the central tower had a roof-like covering of red tiles.
The gate was closed though. So we could only go to the bridge and not much beyond that.
"Huh… that's odd… why's it closed?"
"I'll have an explanation for ye' lads."
What? Who was that!?
When we turn around to look, and see who it is, there's a man with a mane-like hairstyle, and one heck of a mustache if I've ever seen one.
His face also bore several angular tattoos.
His eyes were emerald green, and he had light skin just like any other Dalician.
His build was quite muscular too.
He wore a thick brown leather and fur vest with brass stitchings and thick leather gloves.
He bore some impressive looking shoulder pads, also made from leather, and reinforced with black iron.
He wore a kilt of silver and steel scale mail under which were were medium dark brown trousers of cotton, and black leather and cloth boots with bronze buckles and fittings.
"Who.. are you?" Anastasia asked.
"Well, that's what I should be askin' ye. But ne'ermind that. My name's Leif. I'm the guard captain of this here city, ya?"
"Who're you fellas?"
Agniezska steps forward immediately, and kneels.
"Tis' be a pleasure to meet you, sir."
Leif stumbles, all confused and bewildered.
"Well now! Hold on ye', lady! What is the matter, ah?"
He stands there petrified, and then seems to have come to a realization.
"Aaahh… now I see what's goin' on…"
"Yer' name… be it… Agniezska, mayhaps? Agniezska Romanov..?"
"Yes."
He strokes his mustache.
"Hmm.. yer' reputation precedes ya'.. well if you're Agniezska Romanov, then…"
He points at me.
"You! Boy! Ye must be Mikhail Olenev, hm?"
"Y-yeah.."
Sheesh. Way to call me out..
"Yer' here for the.."
He leans in towards me, as if he were to whisper something.
"The Zantio problem.. Right?"
"Yep."
He leans back to a normal posture.
"Phah! Alrighty then. Had t' make sure, y'know? Didn't wanna just let any ol person in."
Yuri speaks up.
"Wha-? Why not?"
An uneasy look spreads across Leif's face.
"Why? Ya' haven't heard have ya'?"
"Why, the Wild Hunt's curse, of course."