Following the half-orc, an elf-girl with extremely long ears and thick light green hair jumped out of Frol’s shop. Unsurprisingly the girl was holding a poor bow, a birchbark quiver with a dozen of arrows could be seen over her shoulder. Hrmph… she took too few arrows I can assure you as an experienced ranger. Nobody cancelled the HLHB rule. This rule is a real nightmare for all archers and crossbowmen. The rule refers to ammunitions and stands for ‘half lost, half broken’. What will you get as a result? Null. The whole saying is ‘half lost, half broken – zero arrows and god-forgotten’. I would think twice beforehand… But it’s true for me. As for a light-minded elf, she tried to pull back the string a couple of times, got delighted without an obvious reason and skipped away towards the north. She definitely decided to leave the dull Cradle for the big world.
As soon as she disappeared behind the turn, another elf – that time a he-elf holding a short club and a round board shield… a strange choice for the elfish race – jumped out. Turning around again and again, the elf didn’t see what he had expected to see and looked at me pitifully. I understood whom I had lost and without a single word thrust my pointer at the direction where the girl with a bow had skipped away. Pressing his hand on his chest, the guy rushed after his green-haired elfish girl-friend with an ear-piercing shriek ‘Nielaaa-a!’ Thanks god, he is in Valdira. If he were in the real world and ran for a girl swinging hix club and shrieking, it wouldn’t end happily… I can cross my heart.
One by one gamers were buying weapon and gear and wandered away in different directions. Such a traffic jam in the shop didn’t surprise me at all. What a rush to buy your beloved character to your alter ego a new toy. What a feeling when you throw away your silly stick and take a new sparkling sword… eh…
So my wait was over. Half an hour passed before the last gamer left Frol’s shop. I followed him with my eyes and stood up. The Money-box was having a short standstill in his dealing and we could get down to our business. Frol met me with a vinegar face that surprised me a bit and before I could ask me what the matter was, the trader said with a sigh of disappointment:
- You couldn’t find anything, could you? No wonder, I wasted three years on it. A complete zilch and disappointment.
- On the contrary. I completed your quest, honorable Frol – I replied to enjoy the amazement on the trader’s face. – Let’s talk about it.
- Completed? Erm.. I mean yes! Sure, let’s talk. Cron! You can leave earlier today. I gonna close the shop, I’m tired somehow.
- As you wish, master – said the guard phlegmatically in a deep voice and left the shop. We were alone. Frol squeezed between the counters, locked the door quickly and turned to me:
- Well, what did you get?
- Almost nothing – I spread my arms wide with regret – The only thing I found is a fragment of a sword and dead bodies on the bottom of the pond.
- Where? In the pond? – the trader asked again and hit his forehead with a groan – Why didn’t I guess it? Ah… but what’s the use of dead bodies? Everything must have decayed during three years… Wait! You’ve told me about a sword!
- Here it is, have a look – I put the broken sword on the counter.
While sitting near the shop I managed to rubbed off all the remains of mud and the gold handle was glimmering dimly in contrast to the blue metal of the broken blade. In essence it was a miserable fragment of the thing that used to be great but still it looked massive and expensive.
- Gold – Frol whispered touching the sword carefully – What a pity the blade is broken.
- Gold, yeah, gold – I nodded and added there and then – two shares are yours, one is mine. Shall we saw it? Or cut? That’s a long process, sir.
- Are you alright? To saw such a thing! – the trader jumped up staring indignantly at me – We mustn’t. That will be a complete loss! I’d better bring the sword to bladesmiths, they can give good money for it! And for the handle and for the blade, no matter it’s broken. I’ve never seen such metal! Have you found anything else there? – his excited glance turned into a distrustful one. The super-spy is suspecting something…
- No way, I haven’t – I answered calmly – Just this sword. And two corpses. By the way, we’d better lay them to rest. Can you talk to a local man of the cloth.
- There’s plenty of time for that – Frol dismissed it carelessly – They have been lying for three years there, can wait a little bit more. I’ll take this thing right now and tomorrow I’ll show it to my friend, a bladesmith. He’ll give a high price. But not at once – you see, nobody has spare cash at disposal, everything is invested into goods. And daily receipts are just a handful of coppers with some silver sparkling among them. That’s the way we’ll do it! Now you can leave and come back, say, in ten days, we’ll talk about it again!
- No way! – I grinned widely – No way, honorable, Frol. I also have got friends among bladesmiths. Let me take the sword and in about ten days I’ll visit you again and we’ll talk about it!
Check and… pure mate.
The trader was sniffing intensively while piercing me with his eyes, I was doing just the same. And there was the gold shimmering sword. That’s how murders usually happen… and then skeletons are found in the muddy water of a peaceful pond…
- Ok – Frol was the first to break the silence.
- Ok – I agreed with him.
- So what shall we do? I would pay for your share right now, but I don’t have such money. You don’t want to wait…
- You can pay but not by money – I shrugged my shoulders pretending to be indifferent – I agree to change my share for the sheet of vellum that you found at your gate. So I can take it… and a couple of small bonuses.
- A couple of what?
- Ummm… some gifts from your shop.
- What do you need that sheet for? Do you know anything? – the trader gripped me like a vice, but I shrugged my shoulders again:
- No, I don’t. Hey, Frol, I don’t even know what kind of vellum it is. I haven’t laid my eyes on it. I can be either valuable or a waste. Maybe just a letter! This exchange is guesswork for me and you’re still digging your heels in. You can screw yourself out of profit!
- You’re wrong! It’s not a… humph… I consider it’s… Ok! It’s a deal! I’ll give you the vellum and besides you can take anything from my shop free! But, please, don’t get your hopes up! Give me your hand! Let’s strike the bargain properly!
Damn it… he agreed too fast. The trader is such a rat. He won’t do anything without his own benefit. Did I sell it too cheap? On the other hand, he can’t have understood what he found and estimated its value. Er… there’s no use crying over spilt milk. At last it was my idea.
I reached out my hand and shook Frol’s one to bind our bargain.
In the blink of an eye the sword disappeared from the counter. The trader muttered with charitable laziness:
- Wait a bit, I’ll bring your vellum now. Have a look at goods while waiting. And don’t get your hopes up, as I have told you! Don’t grab everything and anything! It’s not a charity here, good man.
Damn it! I must have sold it cheap! The cunning trader is sparkling with satisfaction too much. I stroke my fist over the counter with disappointment and heard Frol’s impish laughter behind the mutual wall between the shop and the storeroom. He understood the reason of my discontent. Well…
Frol was absent about five minutes but that was enough for me to bring a lot of stuff onto the counter. If I got bonuses I’d better choose maximum. A capacious rucksack made from dense texture is definitely necessary for me. A one-handed sword lay down on a round wooden shield clanking dull y – that’s for a she-gamer who I’ve been waiting for several days. I even overcompleted Gosha’s request who asked to find just a sword for her. Thinking for a while I added a dagger with a belt and a sheath there. Anything can happen during a battle. Additional weapon is always useful. I would take armor as well but they didn’t have it there. Only clothes but according to d
efending characteristics they were as good as mine. Although… I darted off to the opposite wall and tore off two cloaks from dense grey textile from the hangers. I checked their characteristics quickly – they give +1 to the protection against physical hit. I need some shoes as well. Having turned over some alternatives of a poor range I chose two pairs of ordinary leather boots with plus to the protection. And certainly two broad-trim straw hats with the same plus characteristic.
What else? Sure, food. Several bundles of smoked and dried meat landed on the overwhelming counter. It stays edible for a long time period and recovers life points better than bread. I took two flasks as well, then tied one of them to my belt.
I would have taken more – if I don’t need it, I can always sell it, but Frol came back at that moment and started waving his hands:
- Stop! Stop it! You gonna bankrupt me! That will do for you, devastator!
Nevertheless I finished the started movement and grabbed an ash stuff from the arms counter. I possessed its twin. It will come into play one day.
- Now that’s all – I gave the trader a reconciling smile while approaching him – Don’t be so greedy, Frol. You reaped the benefit, don’t worry.
Damn it… I haven’t managed to show how much I can bring out.
I might have forgotten something or missed.
- It’s still under question whether I’ll benefit or not – the Money-box grumbled – Regard it my courtesy. I’ve just felt sorry for you, helped you get rid of an unwanted thing.
- Sure – I nodded – Where is my vellum?
- Take it – a green sheet twisted as a roll flitted on the counter and I almost howled with grief.
That’s a usual ‘nature’, damn it! And to crown it all, of a low rank! Frol suckered me, yeah, he suckered me indeed! I hooked the vellum by the tips of my fingers and brought closer to my eyes. The message that popped up n front of my eyes didn’t surprise me at all:
A magic scroll.
The spell ‘blackthorn bush’, ‘blackthorn obstacle’, ‘blackthorn dense forest’, ‘poisonous blackthorn forest’.
Type: natural magic.
Scroll rank: prime.
The amount of scroll application: 1 (the scroll will be destroyed after being used!)
Spell rank of learning he scroll: first (the scroll will be destroyed after being learnt!)
Spell type: protective/passive hit.
‘Blackthorn bush’ spell description: build a thorny blackthorn bush in front of an enemy…
Oh… what tough luck… it’s just a cheap scroll that I can get maximum five golden coins.
Signing I pierced into a very long description of the scroll and its spell, then closed the message and holding the vellum in my hand pronounced: ‘Learn it!’
You’ve succeeded in learning the first-rank spell ‘blachthorn bush’!
The vellum turned into dust with a slight rustle.
Achievement!
You’ve got a first rank achievement – ‘Natural mage’!
You can see your achievements in your character’s settings.
Your award for the achievement: +0.1% to the power and to the duration of the effect of the same class spells.
Current bonus: +0.1%
- Thanks a lot – I muttered shaking off my hands – Frol, you’re as cunning as a fox!
- I survive so, plain and simple – the Money-box chuckled – I’ve chosen too many things. I’d better give you half.
- No way! You’ve already suckered me like a perfect patsy! – I grumbled – You’ve known that it’s an spell scroll! By the way… why didn’t you sell it?
- I couldn’t – Frol replied with a sincere puzzle spreading his arms wide – I tried several times! I even went to the magic shop. But once I started speaking about the bargain my tongue seemed to grow numb! I couldn’t utter a single word! I moved it, munched in vain… and having got nothing for my pains came back home. What bad luck it is, I don’t know!
But I knew. Frol is a ‘local’ trader in the Cradle. He sells poor weapon, food, household tools and clothes. But he isn’t enabled to sell or buy spells. There is an unstated ban on magic in the Cradle. That’s why he couldn’t sell the spell… to my cost. But he could give it as an award for completing a quest! Besides, it was my idea!
- Well… - Frol uttered with a clear impatience. – It’s getting dark. I admit you’ve done everything that I asked you to do. And I paid you as agreed. Right?
- Right. Our agreement is satisfied. The work is done – I was forced to admit it.
Congratulations!
The quest ‘???’ has been successfully completed!
Award: a magic scroll and goods gained from Frol the Money-box’s shop for free!
You’ve leveled up!..
Points available for distribution: 15
Wow… I gained three levels up! So how many experience points have I got, I wonder? The experience points haven’t been reflected in the award. Is it another system failure? Perhaps. The name of the quest has never showed up, being denoted as a set of question marks. I have an eight-level character. And I haven’t left the Cradle yet. Now I’m like Heracles found himself in a crowd of chronic anorexics. Although it’s not a good metaphor as Heracles was smart and I’m such a hefty but stupid village husky fellow… Shaking my head with amazement I stuffed all my belongings into a new rucksack, said an indifferent good-bye to Frol who he has already lost any business interest concerning me, and went out. The door banged behind my back, the lock gritted again and other latches. The trader was definitely happy to get rid of me.
My head was buzzing because of too much information gained today. I started feeling exhausted. I forced myself to brisk up my pace and finally reached the bushwood where I had spent the previous night and almost fell on the ground. The only thing I could do after that was to tuck both rucksacks under my head and cover myself with one of the cloaks. That will do for today. Basta! Where’s the exit?
Exit.
Chapter 7
Zar’graad as a Shark’s Bait. The Cradle. Day Five. Everything in the Name of the Clan!
I woke up easily. And I could explain it – just let myself sleep some extra hours. I hadn’t set the alarm-clock on purpose. Not just because I had burnt out rushing about the Cradle all day like a mad gopher. Actually I was waiting until the vortex of thoughts settled down in my head and all the emotions calmed down as well.
I had such an irritating habit to do some stupid things driven by emotional impulse. And such things as a rule tend to be wrong.
For example, my marriage… giggling, silly jokes, rash promises and then, bang, here it is, a ring on my finger. My marriage didn’t survive longer than a month. From the second of December till the thirtieth of the same month. After that Elena left for her snobbish parents, banging the door to end it. What a nice New-Year gift! I took it with a quiet acknowledgement. The only souvenir left was a thin wedding ring. A useless piece of metal. In Valdira a wedding ring has got some plus characteristics at least, it can protect against some specific combat skills and spells. I stayed in bed a little longer, then got up slowly and surprised myself by making my bed neatly. After that I walked around the room to pick up dirty plates and glasses, brought them to the kitchen and keeping the same slow speed, did the proper washing up and set everything in their places. Then wiped off the table and put the kettle on the cooker.
Finding myself in the hall, I stood there for a moment, then stroke a pose ‘front plank’ and started doing push-ups. Push-ups! I lost my breath at twenty-three, dropped on the dirty linoleum like a sack exhaling with a whistle. After lying for three minutes on the floor I forced my hands to stretch straight and did another twelve push-ups with great difficulty. Well, now it’s time for a contrast shower. I came back to the kitchen fresh, dressed in clean underwear and smelling after-shave. I must go mad… I had some problems with my mind before, but today I must eventually have lost it.
I sat at the computer only after a substantial and
properly chewed breakfast. Logged in Valdira’s forum and all my half-mad calmness vanished away.
The forum was being torn into pieces, bended, bulged and fevered by a great number of new topics. And each topic title contained one and the same word – Zar’graad. Even columns of multiple-paged topics, catchy titles, rows of exclamation and question marks. Besides question marks prevailed. I clicked the title of one of the topic and began reading:
‘To the person who found and read Zar’graad’s spell! Please, respond!’
‘I, Thunderbird, the head of the Archangels’ clan, announce officially that I’m ready to enroll you into our clan! I guarantee you the provision of the prime class gear! Help in level advancement as a member of elite force unit! And that’s not all! I’m open to discuss your demands any time! Approach any member of our clan or PM me directly!’
I skipped the posts below and came back to the main page instead to click the next topic.
‘Zar’graad! Guys, who read the scroll?! Name the nickname!!!’
‘Who knows the nickname of the gamer who got Zar’graad’s spell?!! Name! give me his name! And why there isn’t a picture of him in the inn? That’s an achievement, isn’t it?’
Well… the next topic.
‘Zar’graad!!! I can offer a great award to a person who will tell me the nickname of the gamer who got the status of Navigator! Pay gold or real!!!’
‘It’s clear from the title! But I can explain again – a person who will provide me with the true info about Navigator will be paid darn well! Offer is negotiable! I can pay either real money or gold. High-level ‘legendary’ stuff is available! I’m here in the game every day! Plus, I guarantee you access to my ship! My nickname: Black Tornado!’
I swallowed noisily and clicked again:
‘Zar’graad! Business offer from Baroness, the head of the Sleepless clan!’
‘Hey, stranger! My congratulations! You’re a lucky one! Now you’re unique. I’m not going to promise you anything, just know – I’ve got a very serious business offer for you. Contact me in the game and say – I’m Navigator to Zar’graad. I’ll find you wherever you are. Then we’ll talk. Believe me – you WON’T be disappointed. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!’
(World of Valdira 01) The Way of the Clan Page 12
