Post by Saber on Jan 30, 2017 0:40:11 GMT
The sun was cresting over the distant horizon, life was returning from its slumber, and the gears of Londinium had begun to turn. Merchants rose with the roosters and worked to open their stalls, turned the locks on their shops, or prepared for the daily travel to another town. Among them were a few early risers but their numbers were indeed few. Out of all the people on the streets, it could be assumed that every person was a merchant of some kind, or a guard. However, guards never counted as they were always present. One of those few was the lovely traveler who had mixed himself in with the population. By his side strode a small orange salamander, on his waist was a wooden sheathe with an aged katana blade locked inside of it, and on his feet clicked the soles of boots that suited the terrain around the city.
The Summoner, the hidden Adventurer amongst the Landers, Saber made his way down the central road in the market district. He passed by several familiar faces, stopped to chat and spread some news about the region beyond the walls, and even set himself up for a quest later in the day. A merchant needed some materials for his shop; some boar skins, but that was not urgent. Saber agreed upon the request, took the paper with the small contract on it, and continued on his way. With his salamander in tow, Saber walked up to a small pub and rapped on the door twice. It was early, too early, so the door was still locked but even so, the knock drew attention.
“Coming!” The sound of distant footsteps closed in and were followed by the twisting of bolts. The door popped open, revealing a woman wearing a long dress and a white apron over the top of it. She had brown hair, brown eyes, and a very simple face. She wasn’t pretty, but she wasn’t ugly either. Samantha Crowe.
“Hello, good morning, Samantha.” Saber bowed his head lightly, as did his salamander.
“Ah, Darius. Good morning!” After introducing himself to the landers who had helped him on his first day, Saber decided to use his real name. If he called himself Saber to the People of the Land, the smarter ones would catch on quick that he wasn’t normal. He had escaped the riots so his face wasn’t well known as well, a benefit to leaving the city with his acquaintances.
“Come in. We were just getting ready to open but we can make your breakfast while we finish up.” Samantha held the door open and stepped out of the threshold, granting Saber entry. He bowed his head and stepped inside.
The room was wide, had a warm aura to it, and had a slightly cooling temperature. It reminded Saber of a home, except this home had several tables scattered about the floor with five chairs to each of the round platforms, a stairway to the left that led to the drinking area, and a small counter with some stools across the way for the loners who didn’t want to take up a whole table. Saber took one of those stools and his salamander nimbly clambered up onto the one beside him, flopping down on its backside skillfully. The first few times, it had slipped off and fallen right down but after some practice it was able to at least keep itself steady. Saber chuckled and pat his partner on the head. The salamander rumbled with content and placed its head down on the counter, the heavy tail swaying behind it both as it got comfortable and to keep it balanced.
“Good morning, Darius. Would you like your usual?” A woman popped her head out of the back room, the kitchen, and addressed Saber with a smile. He nodded.
“Yes ma’am. Please and thank you.” The woman huffed and stepped out of sight, calling out as she fired up the stoves.
“I hope you aren’t as boring as your taste.” A few of the girls who were spread out, cleaning up the room and readying it for the day, giggled. Saber pulled his lips into a line and gave the entryway a glare. As he did, there was a light smack to his right as the newspaper was placed in front of him.
“Here you are.” Clara smiled with her bright eyes and slid the paper to Saber, who bowed his head and thanked her. His salamander glanced over for a moment, but his attention was snatched by the woman as she placed her elbows on the counter and leaned towards the creature. They began to stare at one another.
“Hey Darius…?” Her soft voice pipped up after a few silent beats. By then, Saber was already reading up on the updates around Londinium. Another group of Landers had disappeared in the north, where those Bandit Adventurers had fled, but some Adventurers had also disappeared. The first bit wasn’t uncommon, as the bandits were becoming quite bold as they got stronger and they had started taking female Landers as trophies for a few days before returning them. But to hear an Adventurer had disappeared was odd. Normally when an adventurer disappeared, it meant that they had died. However regardless of death, Adventurers would respawn in the cathedral. To hear that three had simply vanished intrigued Saber.
“Darius?” Saber snapped from his thoughts and rustled the paper a bit, closing it some so he could peer over the edge towards Clara.
“Sorry. Yes?”
“You’re a mage, right?” Clara was quite curious about many things and Saber’s salamander was something she never really got enough of. She always had some kind of question about it. That and Saber’s magical prowess. After a few days of talking to the ladies in the pub, Saber learned that magic was something very few people had an affinity for. Those who could summon beasts and control them were even fewer in number, making Saber an oddity amongst the Landers. It didn’t make him popular but it inspired quite a bit of people to come and ask him questions.
“I consider myself more of a pet tamer, than a mage.” And that was something he used to avoid the questions, but it never worked. He wasn’t lying though. Handling his salamander was more like handling a dog than a magical beast.
“Has he ever turned on you?” Clara reached out and hovered her hand by the salamander’s head. It gave her hand a light whiff before rumbling and pushing its head into the palm. She smiled and began to rub his head scales, petting the creature softly.
“No. He’s too docile and kind. Part of me thinks he only fights because he’s hungry.” Saber huffed and returned to the paper. Guard patrols were being increased to the north and travelers were being warned to go in groups, rather than alone. Interesting.
“Aw, that’s kind of cute.” Cute? Really? Saber found it more of an annoyance. Every battle was a mini-race with his salamander partner. After a few battles, it turned into a corpse race. If Saber didn’t beat the little runt to the body of the boars, the salamander would snatch them away and eat them for a snatch. It wasn’t cute in the least.
“What about you? If we fatten you up, do you think you’d stop fighting too?” Glancing over, Saber spotted the smile Clara had on her face curl into an even bigger grin. The Summoner wiggled his nose and then turned his eyes back to the newspaper. The room had turned a bit quieter; these women were like sirens.
“Unlikely. If I don’t fight, I don’t eat.” That was his life now. Saber hid his true identity of being an Adventurer from the Landers and had disguised himself as a hunter from Margate. It was enough to keep most people at bay with that.
“But you fight because that’s your job, right?” Saber nodded. Indeed. Fighting and hunting earned him a decent amount of pay, but her question had a different intention. Something other than confirmation.
“It’s something I am comfortable with. I would have a hard time doing anything else.” He turned the page of his newspaper, taking the brief moment to glance at Clara again. Her eyes met his and she narrowed them sharply for just a second; it looked like a twitch, but that was a glare. The look screamed “liar”, which he was. Saber was more than comfortable with all sorts of jobs. He could probably even live with being a chef here at the pub for the rest of his life, he wouldn’t mind that at all. Clara was quite sharp in that ability of hers. Clairvoyance or something, she said it was, but Saber called it a woman’s intuition. It was why he dreaded these conversations.
“I see.” Her voice wasn’t that of acceptance of his answer, but acceptance that she wouldn’t be able to push any further. After their split second of staring, she turned her attention back to the orange lizard.
“It’s time, ladies. Open ‘em up!” Out from the kitchen, the woman who had called out to Saber before appeared. She came out carrying three plates with food on them, two belonged to Saber and one to his salamander. As she placed the plates down, the girls spread about the room began to pull open the wooden shutters over the windows. Light flooded into the space and illuminated the room. The candles near the windows were blown out and then the main door was opened. Clara gave Saber’s salamander a final pat and then went about her way. Saber put his hands together, thanked the chef for the meal, and then began to eat.
The room filled up rather quickly. Within two hours the tables were nearly all filled with patrons. The counter even had a small handful of people sitting at the stools. After some time, Saber told his salamander to free up the seat. The salamander obliged and made his way across the room, pattering over to where the fireplace was. There were some other summons there so Saber figured it was going to make some friends. He didn’t bother stopping his partner. Once the salamander was gone from the counter, though, Clara made a pass and leaned up behind Saber. She hovered her lips by his left ear as she grabbed the plate.
“You have a client. He’s across the room, table four with the blonde.” Saber’s eyes narrowed and he forcibly turned the page. Clara blew on his ear teasingly and giggled as he flinched. Damn woman, she played too much. Saber sucked his teeth and scowled at her back as she strutted away.
Over the past two weeks, Saber had made himself a bit of a name. People of the Land still didn’t trust Adventurers, but they did trust each other as always. A lot of the quests that Adventurers got were boring, useless, and tended to be very simple and straightforward. A lot of Adventurers were stuck doing the same thing over and over because of this, making life dull. But Saber had an advantage; he was a person of the land. After manipulating his menu, Saber hid away a lot of the things that made him stand out as an Adventurer and he was very careful of what he did when he was in the presence of Landers. He never opened his menu, never cast magic unless he made exaggerated movements, and he hid a lot of the identifiers that normally floated around a player. Landers weren’t blind and these common traits made Players stand out. But, because Landers didn’t have menus or displays, they could check to confirm whether or not someone was an Adventurer if they didn’t poke or talk at the air.
Because of this, Saber had used his persona to spread his name as a normal, person of the land, traveling hunter. He had made this shop his small base of operations and, after a week of constantly showing up in the morning and at night, the ladies had become quite comfortable with him. When word began to spread among Landers that a hunter stopped in twice a day, Saber found that he didn’t have to go out looking for work anymore. Instead, work came to him. Saber had even earned a nickname already, at least that was what Clara had said so he couldn’t really tell if it was a real thing or not. A lot of the “facts” that came out of her mouth were skewed.
But she was pretty good about keeping him informed about things, and she always made certain that he got his newspaper in the morning. Sure, her conversations always had some hidden meaning behind him but the banter always made him comfortable. The other girls were the same, but Clara just seemed more comfortable with teasing him. Her personality was quite outgoing so he blamed it on his unlucky choice of a base, and not on Clara.
As Saber turned the page of his newspaper, he used his elbow to nudge the spoon to his right off the counter. He made a grunt of displeasure and put down the paper. He stood up, backed away from the stool, and then knelt down to retrieve the spoon. In the flow of his movement, he glanced towards the table Clara had designated. The man looked like a merchant, but the woman he was with looked like a servant of some kind, or a peasant that had been dressed up. Saber wiggled his nose as he sat back down on his stool. He lifted his newspaper and focused his hearing; he heard a chair shift in the direction of the table.
Shined shoes clicked across the hardwood floor and approached from the right. The man sat down, adjusted his fancy clothes, and then placed his forearms on the counter. Saber turned his head and placed his attention on the left page, away from the man. The room remained busy and lively, but to Saber it all went quiet. He glanced to the left and spotted Clara as she popped out of the kitchen. She carried a cup over to Saber and placed down a fresh cup of hot chocolate in front of him with a smile. Saber thanked her, folded his newspaper and set it down. Clara disappeared once more.
“Good morning, sir. Sorry to disturb your morning. You seemed quite interested in the paper so I thought it would be best to wait.” The man finally opened his mouth. Saber glanced over at him, after getting the sense that he was the one being spoken to. A hand stretched out towards Saber. No scars, no dirt, well-groomed. This man was indeed a merchant, and he probably had never left Londinium. Saber took his hand in a firm shake, but only held for as long as it was necessary.
“I appreciate it.” Saber kept himself curt and turned his attention back to the cup that had been placed before him. He grabbed the saucer and the handle, lifting both up to keep the cup steady. It was also something he had learned from his mentor.
“My name is Wayde, and I have a request. Actually, it isn’t my request but I am here as the messenger.” Oh? Saber gave the man a brief look over. The clothes were clean, his body was clean, and he smelled fresh. Sure, merchants smelled fresh and looked nice but they weren’t the only ones who did.
“A courier?” Saber set the cup and saucer combination back down. Why was a courier here?
“Precisely. My client is the woman seated at the table behind me and just over my shoulder. She is quite shy but she has a problem, one that she feels like you may be able to help her with. It isn’t difficult and is actually quite simple, but she heard that there was a hunter who was familiar with the territory close by and your name came up.”
“If it is a simple request, why not ask the Adventurers?” At the question, the courier let out a hum.
“A lack of trust. See, I asked her the same question and she told me that she could not rest easy with the idea that the Adventurers had taken up her request. She is not a business person like myself and believes that the Adventurers are dangerous…” Well, she wasn’t wrong. Saber used the hot chocolate to keep his tongue from straining.
“…so I suggested a local hunter. She mentioned that there was someone in the area her friends had told her about. When my company did some research, you came up. She confirmed it when we saw you walking this morning. I do humbly apologize for intruding and performing such activities, but it seems you are not registered with any Guilds or Societies. We knew about you only by rumors.”
“Sometimes rumors should stay rumors.” Saber sipped at his hot chocolate again and then adjusted in his stool. The courier swallowed.
“Yes, that is true, Sir, but do understand that we try our best to please our clients.” Of course, you’re a businessman, right? You’d do anything to make a profit, even if that meant tracking someone down, that was that Saber thought and he gave the man a sharp glance out of the corner of his eyes. The courier didn’t pick up on the resentment, though, as he was busy rubbing his hands together and laughing jokingly to try and alleviate the bad tension that might have been…that was rising.
“So? What’s the request?” Rather than let the situation dissolve any further, Saber put his focus on the blonde woman who was being served some hot coffee. He gave her a look but she was too busy keeping her presence as small as possible. She seemed uncomfortable with where she was.
“Ah, yes, right. It seems like her companion went on a trip north a few days ago. He was going out to a town in order to see his family for a few days and was supposed to write her when he arrived at the town. He hasn’t sent anything, and the town is only a quarter of a day’s trip away. Us couriers like to be swift so it is quite odd that nothing has come from him. We have received other letters from the town though, so it is not like the town itself is in danger.” Odd indeed. A place that was a quarter of a day’s trip would be easily accessible by horse. If someone raced, they could reach the town in a matter of hours. However, that was when Saber remembered the newspaper article he had read earlier in the morning.
“Maybe he has been busy.” Rather than assume he was missing, Saber attempted to dig up an alternative excuse.
“Impossible. She mentioned that he has gone to his home town many times during their time together and each time, he has been on time with his letters. They generally arrive the same day he leaves and if there are any complications, they arrive the next morning. It has been several days now.”
“Have you tried sending a messenger to the town to ask about him?”
“We considered it but the courier who generally leaves to the town in the morning had already left. He is expected back in a few hours but she is impatient, and also very afraid. She mentioned she has not been feeling well since he left and believes it to be a bad omen.” The Summoner glanced over at the man, who was looking down at his hands on the counter. He must have been focusing on the information, pulling out everything he knew as Saber had hoped he was doing. The men made eye contact.
“Why didn’t you go, then?” The question was actually pretty sensible. The man before Saber was a courier, and since he was most likely apart of a company of several couriers then why didn’t they just send another runner?
“There have been several reports of dangerous individuals taking shelter in the forests along the route. Only couriers with battle experience have been allowed to take the route in the past few weeks. I volunteered, however I am no soldier. I was a farmer and a merchant before I became a courier. If I were to go out and come across trouble, I would be as good as dead whereas the courier who does the route now is quite skilled as a rider.”
“Understandable.” And it was. Couriers were the backbone of communication for cities so if there were dangers along a route, it was only sensible that certain couriers (especially younger, inexperienced riders) would be unable to take them. The company he was dealing with was probably wise in their trade. If they had decided to close off the route to only one or two specific riders, then Saber had to assume that they had also explored other options. Which meant that Saber was their last choice.
Saber picked up his cup of hot chocolate without a saucer and stood. He swallowed the sweet, lukewarm, liquid and placed the cup back down on the saucer, sliding it towards the opposite side of the counter for pickup. Then, he turned away from the courier and headed over to the table. The courier jumped out of the stool and followed, but before he could catch Saber the summoner had already reached the table. The woman looked up at him, a bit frightened, but she wasn’t shaken. Judging by the tale, her fear was actually elsewhere.
“Good morning, ma’am. Mind if I join you?” Saber placed a hand on the back of a chair and pulled it out some. She granted him permission in a soft, low tone. Saber nodded, thanked her, and took a seat. He removed his katana beforehand and laid it across the table. In most places he actually set it down beside his chair, but in the city he preferred to let it be known that he had a weapon. It also kept his weapon in sight, making it difficult to steal.
“I was informed by the gentleman sitting down beside you that you have a request. I am here to confirm the details. From what the gentleman said, your companion went north a few days ago and has not contacted you since he left. Now, unable to wait any longer, you wish to higher me to find him for you or at least find out his whereabouts.” As much as he trusted the courier’s words, he needed to be certain. The woman fidgeted as he spoke but she answered him with a nod. Saber adjusted in his chair and sat up straighter.
“If I am to take this request, it will take me about a day. It will take me several hours to head north towards the town and about a quarter of a day to reach it. The timeframe may take less or it may take more depending on the complications along the route. I may also have to search the surrounding forests if it is found that he is not in the town, which will add to the timeframe. However, when I reach the halfway point between this city and the town, the normal courier will have returned. It will cost you less to hire the courier company to search for your companion. I do not wish to pass off your request but I am simply explaining your choices. Do you understand?” As Saber informed the woman of the information he had, his salamander trotted over and lay down beside him. The woman took a moment to process her choice.
What Saber had done was present her with two choices. If she waited a few hours, the courier that manned the route would return and he was much faster than Saber. The courier would be told to head back to the town and check with the guard for the man to see if he had come or gone. Then, he would search briefly around the area and ask any travelers if they had seen the man. But, the courier would not confirm the exact location. Instead the courier would only confirm that he was missing. Saber, on the other hand, would work a slower pace and would search the entire area until he found the man. The downside? Saber would find the man, whether he was dead or alive.
And that was the hard choice. Did the woman wish to confirm where her companion was, or did she simply wish to confirm the fact that he was missing? If they were close and she discovered that he was dead, it would devastate her. At least with the idea that he was missing, she could slowly move on and eventually accept the idea that he had died. Yet, Saber knew that it would also dig at her. This all happened because Saber had given her a choice. The decision she would make would tell Saber the woman she really was.
“I wish to hire you, Sir. I want to know where my husband is.” Husband, huh? She wasn’t wearing a ring.
“Do you have a drawn image of him?” Saber glanced between the two. The courier held up a finger and withdrew a small black and white sketch. It had two images on it; one full body portrait, including a description of the clothing the man was last seen wearing, and a close up facial image. Saber nodded and placed the image between them.
“How about an article of clothing that he has worn recently and one that, preferably, has not been washed?” The woman pulled out a shirt from a bag she had beside her.
“I brought it just in case.” Saber nodded and placed the shirt in the center of the table. She was a wise person.
“I will accept your request upon your confirmation of the terms. Courier, your company will facilitate the deal and hold my reward until I return. Miss, this is the verbal contract. If you agree, you must say yes. If you disagree, you must say no. The Courier will be our witness. The terms are simple; I will leave for the northern town and search the route for signs of your companion. Should I not find any, I will confirm with the town guard whether or not they had seen a man who fit your description of him. If they have seen him in the town, I will search the town and find him but I will only find him, I will not interact with him unless you provide me with a letter with writing. Then, I will act as a courier and deliver your message. If the guards say they had not seen such a man pass through the gates, myself and my partner will search the forest for signs of him. I will search for a maximum of six hours or until it gets dark. If I am unable to find him, I will return in the morning. Are these conditions fair?”
“B-but what if he’s still in the forest? You’ll just give up if you don’t find anything?!” The woman seemed to be agitated at the fact that Saber would drop his hunt, but he had no choice. Saber could not search the forest in the dark, and higher level monsters appeared at night. As a meager level one adventurer, there was only so much he could do. The forest would be dangerous for him even in the day time.
“Ma’am, there is a limit to my abilities at this time. By the time I reach the town, it will be mid-afternoon. The monsters will likely be active and I may not be able to handle them on my own, even with my salamander present. In addition, as the sun goes down more powerful beasts appear. If I am unable to find a trace of him during the timeframe I spend searching the forest, it is likely that he is not alive. The chances of him surviving a night in the forest, alone, are very slim. It is how the wilderness is and I cannot change that fact. This is the best I can do. I am sorry.” Saber had to take his own well-being into account. He probably would not be paid a whole lot for this deal either, as the woman did not seem rich. Her husband was likely to only be a laborer, a farmer, or a low-class trader. If he was from a small town outside of the town it was even more likely that they didn’t have much money.
“I see…” The woman lowered her head, either in defeat or in acceptance of the fact that her companion might be dead. Saber didn’t want that to be true, but he could only promise so much.
“I agree with those terms. Please, I beg of you, please find my husband.” The woman raised her head and held her hands in a plea. Saber nodded and glanced towards the courier.
“Do you confirm the terms of this deal, Courier?”
“I do.”
“With that, the deal has been made.” Saber rose out of his chair and extended a hand towards the woman. She stood up, as did the courier, and shook Saber’s hand. Saber then turned his hand towards the courier. After shaking hands with both of them, he took the two items off the table and tucked them under an arm.
“I will return as soon as I can with the best news possible. Do not worry, ma’am. I will do everything I can to find your husband.” Saber tied his katana back to his waist and bowed his head. He pushed in his chair and whistled sharply to his salamander, who had fallen asleep. The lizard rumbled and popped awake. It yawned and lifted up, following behind Saber as the Summoner headed for the door. Clara and Samantha were both standing near it.
“I overheard. Are you sure you’ll be fine alone?” Clara pipped up, speaking the words he didn’t want to hear.
“The north isn’t like it is here, but as long as I make it before the sun rises too high, I should be fine. Thank you for the meal. I will not be here for dinner, so don’t prep it tonight. Thank you and good day.” Saber didn’t wait for a response or any farewells. He opened the door, let his Salamander lumber out, and then strode out as well. He knelt down and gave his salamander a pat on the head before heading towards the northern gate. There was no time to waste. When it came to missing persons, every second counted.
The sounds of clattering hooves rattled in Saber’s ears. He leaned down low to the mane of his horse and gripped the reins tightly, steadying himself and guiding his horse straight down the road. They had just left Londinium nearly half an hour ago, and were making good time. The horse he had summoned using his whistle was well groomed for distance, making Saber lucky with his initial choice. He made the choice with the idea of traveling great distances at some point and eventually visiting Margate to see his “home” for the first time. However, his choice had also given him an edge in terms of speed. His horse’s endurance allowed him to cross short distances quickly, and the distance he expected the town to be was only a sprint away. As long as he paced his horse, he would reach It in two hours.
Although he had another reason to be fast. Saber guided his horse along the same route he had seen the couriers take, and positioned himself directly in the center of the path. He leaned down and hid himself beneath a hooded cloak he had borrowed from a tailor to protect him from any weather that could occur during his time out. It kept him shaded from the sun and also made it so he looked like a courier. His quick horse and faked identity allowed him to zip by the guards and other travelers without garnering any looks. Normally people waved and looked up at those running fast and guards sometimes stopped those in a rush to check as for their reasons, but they never bothered couriers.
“There.” Just as Saber passed into the tree line, the meadows vanishing behind him, he spotted a figure in the distance; another horseman. This one moved even more quickly and his horse didn’t even seem fatigued. Saber’s was already huffing a bit. The Summoner halted his movement and pulled on the reins of his horse. Giving his mount a moment to rest, he hopped off its back and stood in the path of the oncoming rider. He held up a hand and lowered his hood. The Courier came fast, spotted Saber, and slowed down.
“Good day, Sir! Are you well!?” He was an older gentleman, and he was armed. He had a cut across his cheek, a tamed beard, a fresh haircut, and the eyes of someone who had killed. The way he rode on the horse also screamed experience. He might have been a soldier before.
“I am! I apologize for hindering you, I know you are in a rush.” Saber raised his hands and approached, the Courier nodded, letting Saber come in closer. The man glanced down at the katana, but didn’t seem bothered.
“What can I help you with? Are you a new courier?”
“No but I am here in place of one. I am heading north towards a nearby town to deliver a message.”
“In place of one? These are dangerous roads, fellow. Are you sure you are feeling okay?” It was a pleasant jab but one of concern. Saber smiled. At least he was kind.
“I will be fine, do not worry. Aside from the threat of bandits and monsters, have you seen anything strange lately? I assume you take this route often and I am not so lucky to have such experience.”
“I have not, friend. The roads are as they are, except for the dangers of course. Are you headed towards Aylesbury?”
“Correct.”
“I see. The road between here and there is fairly calm, but bandits are very active once you get closer to the town. There have been sightings of strange beasts in the forest though, so keep your wits about you if you are headed that way. The guard is on edge and travelers are not allowed to return down this path after using it to reach the town. But, caravans are taking alternate routes. Only myself and a few other couriers are permitted to use the route both ways. Patrols are light, so you will likely be on your own until you come in sight of the town.”
“I thank you for your information. Would you like payment?” Saber reached towards the sack of gold he kept handy in a pouch, but the courier held up a hand.
“Your payment will be returning to safely Londinium. If you come across bandits, you will need all of the coin you can muster to handle them. Instead, stop by the Wayside Courier’s company or mention to the guards in Aylesbury that you have made safe passage. They will pass the message to me. Knowing I did not send a man to his death will be payment enough.” Saber bowed his head to the message of warning and thanked the courier. To know that someone was truly concerned about the safety of others made Saber quite content. He would do as instructed.
“What is your name, friend?” The courier called out, moving his horse closer and extending a hand.
“Darius.” Saver clasped forearms with the soldier. It was a fierce hold, the man was tense.
“I am Charles. Safe travels and Godspeed, Darius.” The two released arms and with that, the courier resumed his run back to Londinium. Saber gave him a brief wave to signal the departure and then mounted his horse. Energized once more, his horse sneered and huffed, clicking its hooves in the dirt.
“Let’s go, buddy.” Snapping the reins, Saber set off again towards Aylesbury.
Saber had passed through a small guard fort called Chesham and had proceeded another thirty minutes before his horse finally seemed to be out of breath. He had taken two breaks so far but this would be the last. He summoned his Salamander and dismounted his horse. They had stopped by a small lake and Saber let his horse quench its thirst with its waters. Saber did the same, but he drank from a small glass bottle that had purified water in it. He didn’t think that the lake would have any diseases in it, as he doubted the game was that specific, but he could never be so sure. It was better to be safe in this scenario. If he was going on a manhunt, getting some kind of disease would complicate things.
While his horse had a break, Saber called his salamander over and called the shirt he had been given from his inventory. His salamander was no hound, but its sense of smell was better than Saber’s. He placed the shirt down and asked his partner to take a whiff. The salamander flinched at first but after sniffing a few times, he seemed to understand the need. Then, Saber sent him off into the vicinity. His horse would take a bit to recover, so Saber had time. He deposited the shirt back into his inventory to keep the scent fresh and then took a seat on a nearby log that had fallen.
He had traveled nearly two hours now, and his horse was doing fairly well. The courier’s route diverted a bit up the road and cut through the center of the forest while the traveler’s road branched out to the north a bit more, avoiding the more dangerous zones. If Saber was right, the man must have taken the traveler route. He hadn’t asked what method of travel the man he was searching for had taken but if he was right, he had been a part of a caravan of some kind. Either that, or he traveled on horseback with a smaller group of travelers. The number of missing Landers was only a couple, so he doubted the group was very large. The information traveled fairly quickly too and if the timing was correct, then the man Saber was looking for was amongst the missing group. If he was lucky, Saber might also have a chance to help the others.
But, that was only if he was lucky. Saber had come to realize that relying on luck wasn’t healthy. If he wanted something done, he needed to be sure. He would have to confirm his information on his own and rely on his wits and what he knew. Luck was a nice thing to have, but it was only nice when you had it. Any other time and luck was against you. Today, luck was in Saber’s favor. His horse was doing well and the weather was holding strong. The sky was clear and blue with barely any clouds so he doubted that was going to change any time soon. There were also very few monsters. He only had to deal with a few, and that was only near the fort. Out in the wilderness where he was now was fairly quiet. He could even see some rabbits across the lake. The only question he had now was how long would that luck hold?
Huff… Huff… graow!
Saber glanced to his left at the sound of movement and huffing to spot his Salamander. The creature was in a hurry and came rushing back to the Summoner, bursting through a bush without even hesitating. It huffed and rumbled, turning and motioning for Saber to follow. Saber narrowed his eyes and whistled for his horse. The animal lifted its head from the water and trotted over, letting Saber take its reins and guide it into the forest. The salamander led the way, moving in a hurry. Odd. His partner had only been gone barely five minutes, and he had found something?
At first, there was the assumption that the salamander had found something and killed it. Now, it wanted to show off its kill to Saber. However, Saber would have heard the fighting, and his salamander was very good at signaling Saber for backup. Saber would have also noticed his mana being drained more rapidly, as the salamander’s abilities siphon partially off Saber’s mana. So, he ruled out combat. The other option was that the salamander simply found something interesting, but that was unlikely. The third option, was what Saber got. Saber initially only figured it would be a trace, but instead he got more.
“Damn.” Saber smelled it first before he saw it, and that was as far as he tugged his horse. He let the animal go and allowed it to backpedal a few paces, while Saber and his salamander advanced. Laying nearly ten meters ahead, flat on its stomach with the head caved in, was a human corpse. Saber’s nose wrinkled at the stench and he nearly gagged, but had taken in deep breaths while he advanced on the body. By the time he had actually seen it, he was somewhat comfortable with it. It didn’t make his stomach twist any less though.
The first thing Saber wanted to consider was this being the husband he was in search of, but the body shape was different. There were several other features as well. It was a male, probably middle aged, short, not very muscular, and had longer hair. When Saber pushed the body over to examine the front, he noticed that the body had a beard. Saber coughed and shook his head, spitting off to the side to keep the taste from filling his mouth. He checked the eyes for their color and then placed a hand on the torso, checking the temperature. The death was recent. Saber wasn’t precise, but he assumed it was within the past few days. Based on the lack of decomposition, the residual heat, the body’s color, and the freshness of some of the cuts, Saber put his bet on two days, or at least within thirty six hours.
The description of the man did, however, fit the description of another lander who had gone missing. Saber sighed and closed the man’s eyes. He lifted the body by the shoulders and dragged it back towards the lake. The man may have been small, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t heavy. There were also some hungry bugs already nipping away at the insides that had been exposed in a few places, making Saber think twice about lifting the body all the way off the ground. Once he had the body at the edge of the forest by the lake, he lay the man down and placed a large leaf over his resting face. Here, Saber could at least send the guards to recover the body later.
But, this also allowed Saber to get a better look at the body. The clearing over the lake let some more light in, making it easier to see. The damage done to the body was mainly small, but numerous. Small cuts, blunt hits, broken bones, and the final blow Saber assumed was the dent in the back of the man’s head. Based on the cuts and the dirt on the man’s feet, he must have been running barefoot. His clothes looked ripped and there were marks on his wrists. He must have been captured and bound. Saber wiggled his nose and checked the man’s pockets. He retrieved a small key and a leather banded object that held some pieces of paper. Saber assumed it was like a wallet of sorts, as the papers were mainly identification information. He didn’t bother to disturb the papers and tucked them back in where he found them, along with the key. Saber was no thief.
Returning to the location where the man was killed, Saber knelt down beside the disturbed area. He checked the location where the man had fallen and then followed the direction he had come from. There were breaks in the bushes, snapped twigs, and even footprints. These footprints Saber assumed belonged to the man but as he followed the trail back a way, he found more. They were smaller, and they were large in number. The toes were clawed, bare, and light. The impressions were barely noticeable. Saber did notice the traces of blood on the brush though, as well as on the leaves of the flowers the man had passed by. After following the tracks back even further, he noticed signs of defecation and then he found a small object; a tooth. It was human.
Glancing around, he noticed that the footprints led quite far back. Saber followed them until he found the rope that had been used to bind the man’s wrists. It had been untied, not cut. Around it, Saber spotted several smaller impressions along with other human-like prints. He also noticed a few larger prints, ones bigger than humans, but they were in the same shape as the smaller ones. Saber wiggled his nose and searched the area until finally he found it; the point where the paths split. There were two groups. One group chased the man in the direction of the lake and the other group continued east. Saber whistled for his horse only to give it a pat and dismiss it. It ran off into the forest, disappearing as it went wherever it did. With his salamander close, Saber began to follow the trail.
Judging by the number of prints, there were five human captives, two of the larger beasts, and at least ten or so of the smaller creatures. It was a number Saber likely wouldn’t be able to handle on his own, but he had an idea. He wasn’t a hero and he wasn’t a practiced soldier, but he had not picked the disguise as a “traveling hunter” for nothing. Holding the scabbard of his katana, the Summoner hurried along the path.
The trail twisted through the forest for a long, long distance. Saber picked up traces of human activity, defecation, and had even found blood. At a certain point, the two large footprints and several of the smaller prints veered off from the rest but the humans and some of the smaller prints were kept together. As Saber advanced beyond that point, he realized that the prints were getting more and more fresh. Shortly after the split, he noticed that the ground that had been turned over was still wet. And then, he smelled fire. The sun was lowering down a bit from its highest peak, and generally that was when Landers ate lunch. However, he could tell that he wasn’t following Landers.
Following both the footprints and the scent of fire, Saber slowed his pace and held his katana tight. He advanced another few minutes before coming to a stop. He held a hand down and motioned for his salamander to hide behind him and a tree, then he ordered his partner to lower down. Several meters off, Saber found his target; a goblin.
It was green, short, and was holding a stone club as it urinated. Its eyes scanned the forest, checking most likely for any threats. When it was done, the Goblin wiped its hand on its shirt and then walked away. Saber looped around to the right and moved forward slowly, using the trees to cover himself as he slipped after the goblin. It led Saber straight back to the small camp Saber smelled the fire coming from. There were five green goblins and the five humans; three males, two females. One of the females was being prodded by a goblin. The goblin’s fun ended quickly as another goblin, one that seemed to be a bit more decorated in terms of clothes and teeth, huffed at it.
Saber sucked his teeth and narrowed his eyes. He checked his mana, noticing that it wasn’t near half because of his summon being out for so long, and then he looked at the terrain. He had the advantage of surprise, but the goblins had numbers. There were five of them, and each had a level of three or higher. The one Saber assumed to be the leader was level five. Alone, Saber was dead, but he couldn’t fight how he was now. He needed his summon. Thus, as he got set, he cast his salamander away and circled further to the right. As he moved, he surveyed the camp.
There were five goblins. One was the leader and two were sentries. The other two lingered around the human captives. While the sentries kept an eye out, the watchers of the humans made themselves as menacing as possible while the leader stood by and picked at his teeth. They didn’t seem on too high of an alert, but the sentries were still vigilant. Both looked in wide angles and paced back and forth around their designated spots. Saber opened up his inventory and checked his gear. As a lowly level one, he didn’t have much of anything. But, what he did have he could make use of.
Saber pulled out the picture he had of the man he was looking for along with the shirt. He checked the picture and then looked at the captives, confirming that the man was among them. He looked quite mean, making him somewhat useful. But after that, Saber balled up the paper and tucked it into a pocket. He took the shirt and tied it loosely around his neck. With a light tug, the loop came undone and he pulled the shirt free. Content, he tied it around his neck again. Then, he pulled out two health potions and his empty water bottom. The potions he placed in his back pockets. He drank his water bottle’s contents and then strapped it to his waist.
Once he was set, the Summoner checked his mana bar. It wasn’t completely full but it was close. Saber readied the hotkey for his salamander and then squeezed his katana’s scabbard. Moving slowly and quietly, Saber approached the camp. He was no assassin, but he kept his feet light. He glanced at the ground, avoided any breakable or easily snapped objects, and lifted his legs high to keep them from brushing too loudly. When he neared the camp, he was spotted. One of the human captives made eye contact with him. Saber put a finger to his lips and continued his approach. The man’s eyes narrowed and he began to wiggle. The movement caused the two goblin watchers to look at him, and as he made his commotion to get their eyes, Saber moved up behind the leader.
Just before Saber reached the goblin, its head twisted partially. Saber didn’t get the full jump, but he was close enough. As the goblin opened its mouth, Saber shoved his hand into its disgusting mouth and wrenched down on its tongue. With a yank, he pulled the goblin back and off balance. The goblin bit down on his hand but as Saber yanked, its tongue tore and the muscle began to separate. The goblin let out a holler and its jaws separated. Saber removed the muscle and ripped the goblin off its feet completely. His muscles strained but as he lifted, he pulled the goblin into the path of a thrown knife. The sharp blade dug into the goblin leader’s chest. Saber dropped the body and then kicked the leader forward, slamming it into one of the other goblins. Drawing his katana, Saber took the offensive.
His blade crossed with a stone headed hammer and ricocheted, but before the goblin could recover Saber put his boot on its chest. Goblins weren’t stupid, but they weren’t battle-hardened. Saber had been in quite a few battles up until then, even though his level didn’t say such. His training in reality had also prepared him for this. All he had to do was act.
With the goblin under his boot, Saber sliced off its hammer wielding hand at the wrist and then rolled forward. Another goblin flew down and slammed its heavy club onto the ground where Saber had been. The Summoner twisted, counted four goblins and spotted the fight on his right. He raised a hand and aimed his palm at the fire. In a flash of heat and glory, his body illuminated. The fire pit glimmered and out of its mouth came his salamander. The animal lunged out and caught the fifth goblin in its razor sharp teeth, snarling as it tackled the green demi-human to the ground. Saber quickly ran to the captives and cut three of them free, the males. By the time he got to the women, the goblins he had attacked at first had recovered.
“Run, now!” Saber ordered as the men began to stand.
“But what about—“ One attempted to retort, but Saber yanked him out of the way, catching the club of a goblin with the back of his katana. The blow stuck and Saber grit his teeth. With a shove, he pushed the goblin off him and then filled the space with the slice of his weapon, cutting the creature’s chest.
“I’ll be fine, run! Follow the trees behind me and run straight!” With that, the captives turned and fled, heading in the direction specified. Well, all of the captives except for one man; the same man he had come to save. He raised his fists and Saber glanced at him. He looked experienced.
“I hope you know how to use those.” Saber muttered, watching the goblin leader pull the knife from his chest.
“I’ve had a few bar brawls in my life. How about you get the one with the knife?” The man smirked and brushed his nose with his thumb. Saber nodded and switched places with him. Then, they separated. A pillar of fire blasted out from Saber’s salamander as it torched the goblin it was wrestling and the fires scorched the plant life around it. It was fighting well, for now.
The goblin leader sent its lower minion at Saber first, practically throwing the unarmed runt at the Summoner. Saber squeezed his katana and sliced at the outstretched hands, cutting them out of his way. The goblin squealed and tumbled forward, nearly taking out one of Saber’s feet. The summoner side-stepped and turned, keeping both goblins in view. The little one rose back up and the leader circled left, moving just off its side. With bloody hands, the smaller goblin jumped at Saber again. The summoner twisted his katana and then stepped forward, driving the blade through its core. The weapon pierced through, impaling the flying creature. Once the weapon was stuck though, it was useless. Saber put his right hand on the side of the blade, pushed, and twisted, tossing the weapon out of the way along with the goblin in his view. When he popped out, the leader was in his face.
The knife jutted forward and threatened to pierce Saber’s gut. The summoner pulled his hips back and took a step. His right hand crossed his chest, snagged the shirt around his neck, and then pulled the cloth free. With a snap, he bound the goblin leader’s hands together and then shoved his elbow into the beast’s face. The leader recoiled, and Saber disarmed it with a heavy blow to the wrists. The knife dropped and Saber caught it out of the air.
“Oi! How about a knife?!” Saber cut the goblin leader’s throat as it backpedaled.
“Ready!” The man on the other side of the fire grabbed one of the goblins he was fighting with and threw it into the fire pit. When he looked up, Saber lobbed him the knife. The man snatched it out of the air and then turned his attention back to the other goblin he had to worry about, Saber did the same with his own. The one of the ground ripped the katana free and then turned it against Saber. The Summoner narrowed his eyes and took a chance. The blade was as long as the goblin was tall, so he rushed it. The goblin howled and rose the blade up and over its head.
The moment its elbows parted, the water bottle smashed into its face. Saber threw it underhanded, and with force. The bottom of the bottom crashed with a heavy strike to the goblin’s nose. The impact did no damage, but it was enough to disorientate the demi-human long enough for Saber to follow the bottle with his knee. Lunging forward, he used his full weight and drove the goblin to the ground. The katana dropped from its hands and Saber picked it up without missing a beat.
“Run when you can!” Saber recovered and skewered the goblin’s skull, piercing it to the ground before checking the fire. The other man had the advantage, as he was able to disarm the other goblin he was fighting. The one in the fire was pulled free by the leader and was recovering though. They didn’t have time.
“I can now!” The man glanced at Saber for only a second before using his strength to deliver a heavy punch. It knocked the goblin flat on its back.
“Go! Now!” The man nodded and sprinted away. Saber whistled loudly at his salamander and took off as well, taking a parallel line as the man back towards the town. His salamander let out a growl and began to retreat as well. The leader was the first to give chance, but as it did it took an elemental bolt to the leg. The bolt pierced the flesh of the demi-human and ignited its flesh with fire. It called for its underlings to chase them, but Saber and the man had the lead.
“Keep running! All the way back to the town!” Saber caught up to the man he was allied with and sheathed his blade. The two moved swiftly, but the man was obviously tired from the fight. Saber glanced over his shoulder; the goblins were closing.
“The town is at least ten minutes sprinting from here! We won’t make it!” Well, isn’t he optimistic.
“We don’t have to.” The man shot Saber an odd look but the Summoner didn’t explain himself. He whistled at his salamander and ordered it to keep running, even if he stopped. The salamander nodded in agreement and understanding.
“You aren’t going to stay behind, are you?” The man glanced at Saber, a hard look in his eyes.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan. Just keep running.” Saber smirked and gave the man a nod. The man grunted in discontent but he kept moving.
They ran for nearly another five minutes before the goblins were close enough to be a threat. However, Saber had already begun to see the edge of the forest. He glanced back to the goblins and grit his teeth. They wouldn’t reach the edge before getting caught, leaving him with no choice.
“Keep going, trust me.” Saber squeezed his scabbard and skidded to a stop, turning about and drawing his blade.
“Fine! But you better not die, dammit!” The man hollered as he ran off. The four goblin underlings came to a stop across from Saber, the leader limping after them a good distance away. Saber readied his blade and took a wide, defensive stance. He licked his lips and waited.
“Of course.” Saber surveyed the goblins and adjusted his stance. In another breath, they lunged.
Stepping back, Saber intercepted the first club, and parried it. He stepped back, twisted, and blocked a swung stone hammer. To make space, he jumped back again and avoided a clawed swipe. They came at him in a frenzy, swinging and clawing, but Saber kept backing up and jumped back, keeping a safe distance of half a blade length. It wasn’t fullproof, as he felt the sting of claws brushing his forearms and lacing his arms with cuts, but he kept the club and hammer at bay without fail. He could handle light wounds but if those got through, he would be off balance.
He held them off until the leader was near. Then, he triggered a skill. He let out a loud whistle and just after his body began to glow, he turned and began to run. In a flash, he was replaced by a pissed off fire lizard. The creature jumped out of spot where Saber had turned to light and swallowed the goblins up into a pillar of fire. The goblins had closed on Saber and clustered together. As the leader approached, he jumped in from the back and right into the path of the fire. The salamander remained in view long enough for the fire to take full effect, and then Saber desummoned his partner to keep it out of harm’s way.
On the other side of the Castling skill, Saber was out in the middle of the field, running beside the man from before. He sheathed his blade and sucked air, breathing heavily as he tried to catch his breath. In the distance, the other group that had been sent ahead were waving down the guards and gaining attention. Reinforcements were on the way. Saber glanced up at the man and grinned. The man began to laugh, and the two laughed together all the way back until they met the guards. The guards split up into two groups, one group of three to guide the captives and Saber back to the town and the other group of eight to handle the goblins that had raced out of the forest. Saber made sure to mention the dead body that he had left by the lake before the men departed. They nodded and said they would bring him back.
“That was quite the trick.” The man said as Saber and he approached the gates. Saber chuckled and held out an arm, letting one of the guards wrap a bandage around it after being instructed to let him do so.
“It’s all about the timing, and we’ve been practicing it for little while now.” The castling trick Saber had been working on with his salamander for well over a week. Saber getting comfortable in the game and with his partner, they began to develop new strategies to use together. So far, they were working out quite well. The only downside was how long that would last.
“Thanks for coming to get us. How did you know where we were?” A good question, but Saber had no answer.
“Luck.” Something that was truly on his side today. The man raised his eyebrows and looked at Saber weirdly, but before Saber could give him the full story, they were interrupted by the others.
“Thank you so much for rescuing us!” The thanks and appreciative words came in a flurry. Saber raised his hands to sort of keep a small barrier between himself and the others, but he smiled and nodded. The guards intervened after seeing Saber sort of back up a bit and guided the others away, leading them to the town’s infirmary.
“Hold on.” Saber called out to the man he had come for and he stopped.
“What’s up?” The man turned and rested his hands on his hips, smiling at Saber.
“Do you have a wife in Londinium?” The question made the man’s eyebrows raise again. Then, for a moment, Saber watched the man’s face change from surprise to recognition. His smile turned into a full-toothed grin. He walked over and placed both hands on Saber’s shoulders. He was almost four inches taller.
“Ah, now I see! That woman, she’s always a worry. That’s actually my sister, but she’s quite shy so I tend to call her my wife to keep people away from her. Odd, I know, but it works since we don’t look alike.” And that would explain the lack of a ring.
“I assume she sent you then?" Saber nodded.
“I was hired to find you, dead or alive but preferably alive. Now that I have, I must tell you that she is expecting a message from you and yes, she is quite worried.” Saber separated himself from the man and he nodded. He then began to glance around and told Saber he’d write her a quick note, as long as he could find a scribe. But, Saber had his idea already. He pulled out the piece of paper in his pocket he had prepared in case he needed another distraction and uncrumpled it. Then, he popped open a health potion and led the man to a wall. Using the liquid of the health potion, Saber had the man draw his name into the paper, a name Saber had made sure was kept a secret from him by not asking for it until now. The paper soaked in the liquid and Saber blew on it. The red potion liquid stained the name in, making it fully legible.
“This will work.” Donavan nodded as Saber tucked the paper away into his pocket.
“I’ll be sure to have an actual letter sent out soon, but tell her I won’t be back home until after I meet with our family.”
“I will be sure to.”
“Thank you…?”
“Darius.”
“Thank you, Darius.” Donovan extended a hand and clasped it with Saber’s. Then, he smiled and headed to the infirmary. Saber let out a huff and once the man was gone, he took a moment to relax. He breathed deeply and easily and adjusted the bandages on his arms, tightening them so that he could cover up the wounds as well as his shredded clothes. He downed the potion he had used for Donavan’s name and its effects began to bring back his strength almost instantly. He waited there for several minutes and when he finally was comfortable, he returned to his feet. He nodded to himself and began to walk towards the front gate.
“Wait, are you Darius?” Before he could get two steps, Saber turned to notice that the guards from before had appeared.
“Depends on who you are.” Saber leaned back onto his heels and placed a hand on the hilt of his katana. Using his peripheral vision, Saber noted that this wasn’t a safe haven; there were no guardians.
“We are guards from Londinium, here on an expedition. We are soldiers under Captain Baxton. We missed the courier this morning and we missed our chance to send our daily report. If you are headed back to Londinium, we were wondering if you could bring it with you?” There were four guards all together and they all had faces of pain. They seemed to have realized their mistake. Saber nodded and took the scroll that the lead guard was holding out. After that, he blew the whistle around his neck, calling forth his horse once again.
“I’ll make sure he gets it, don’t worry.” Saber tucked the scroll into his pouch and nodded. The guards bowed their heads all together.
“Thank you very much, you’re a lifesaver.” Saber shook his head at the words as he caught the reins of his horse. The guards helped him steady it and then aided him as he mounted its back. Saber pulled on the reins and then pulled his hood up and over his head.
“No, I’m just a traveling hunter.” With a snap, he and his horse began the long ride back to Londinium, cutting back through the path they had just come.
“Oh thank god.” The woman crumbled into the chair behind her, exasperated and her face full of mixed feelings. She held the paper tight to her chest and closed her eyes.
“Goblins, eh?” The courier said softly. Saber nodded, his movement slightly exaggerated.
“Yes, a group of them. They had several other captives and I found one man dead. I’ve never seen goblins take captives before, so it was strange.” The courier nodded in agreement with Saber’s words and placed a hand to his chin. The man was like that for almost a full minute before he shrugged and shook his head.
“Well, the best thing for now is that you made it back in one piece and Donavan is safe. That was all we could hope for. And with that being said, here is your reward. It isn’t much, especially since you had to fight some goblins, but you can add on a favor from our company on top of this. It’s the least we can do. We’ll also be sure to take care of the man who had an unfortunate cross with fate.” The courier extended a small sack to Saber and Saber took it with a nod. He didn’t count its contents and simply strapped it to his waist. Then he pulled the scroll he had been given from his pouch.
“Here’s the favor. Pass this on to Captain Baxton, would you?”
“Oh please, that’s our job, not a favor!” The courier laughed and accepted the trade, taking the report and then filling Saber’s hand with his own.
“If you are ever in a pinch or need our help for anything bigger, let me know. I’ll be sure to take care of it for you as best as I can.”
“I appreciate it.”
“No don’t worry. Just think of it as a business investment! Oh, and speaking of a business investment, would you mind if we sent more requests your way as well? It’s okay if you say no. I just think having someone of your caliber on our list would be good for both of us. Plus, you seem able to manage quite a bit.” A business investment, huh? Well, Saber was always looking for work and if he could build up even more of a reputation then he wouldn’t mind. This would keep his opportunities open and judging by the size of the building he was in, they weren’t going anywhere any time soon. Couriers needed bodyguards every so often and sometimes roads needed cleared. As long as the requests weren’t too big, Saber would be more than willing to lend a hand.
“That would be fine, but don’t ask me to hunt down a dragon.” Of course, he would make sure he had some fun as well.
“Well that is to be expected! But, what do you say about two dragons?” The courier grinned wide and laughed. Saber huffed and shook his head. Saber glanced at the woman and noticed she was still in Lalaland, so he didn’t bother waiting.
“I must be going. It’s almost dinner time.” The two men shook hands for the final time and the courier nodded.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Darius. I hope to see you again.” The courier, also known as Richard Greenwich, was actually one of the head couriers in the company. And it was because of this position that he wasn’t able to go out into the route, not because he wasn’t capable. The hands weren’t scarred or dirty because it seemed that Richard did more handshaking than riding these days. An unfortunate position for a man who loves to ride.
Saber said his goodbyes to the woman who was in her own world and then began to leave the building. On his way out, he spotted a familiar face out of the corner of his eye. The man noticed him at the same time, and the two shared a moment. Saber smirked and nodded. Charles, who was occupied with a client, grinned wide and returned Saber’s nod with a wave. After that, Saber left the building and headed back to his little pub.
He didn’t bother with summoning his familiar, giving the Salamander time to rest in its own world. When he entered the pub, he was welcomed by a warm breeze, a lively room, a few smiling faces, and a warm meal that was waiting for him.
“That damned Clara…” He thought as he sat down in his usual stool, the food he normally ate being brought out to him just as he got comfortable. Clara was across the room but she shot him a wink. He shook his head and indulged in the meal he had been given, making sure to bow his head in thanks before hand.
Word Count: 12,157
The Summoner, the hidden Adventurer amongst the Landers, Saber made his way down the central road in the market district. He passed by several familiar faces, stopped to chat and spread some news about the region beyond the walls, and even set himself up for a quest later in the day. A merchant needed some materials for his shop; some boar skins, but that was not urgent. Saber agreed upon the request, took the paper with the small contract on it, and continued on his way. With his salamander in tow, Saber walked up to a small pub and rapped on the door twice. It was early, too early, so the door was still locked but even so, the knock drew attention.
“Coming!” The sound of distant footsteps closed in and were followed by the twisting of bolts. The door popped open, revealing a woman wearing a long dress and a white apron over the top of it. She had brown hair, brown eyes, and a very simple face. She wasn’t pretty, but she wasn’t ugly either. Samantha Crowe.
“Hello, good morning, Samantha.” Saber bowed his head lightly, as did his salamander.
“Ah, Darius. Good morning!” After introducing himself to the landers who had helped him on his first day, Saber decided to use his real name. If he called himself Saber to the People of the Land, the smarter ones would catch on quick that he wasn’t normal. He had escaped the riots so his face wasn’t well known as well, a benefit to leaving the city with his acquaintances.
“Come in. We were just getting ready to open but we can make your breakfast while we finish up.” Samantha held the door open and stepped out of the threshold, granting Saber entry. He bowed his head and stepped inside.
The room was wide, had a warm aura to it, and had a slightly cooling temperature. It reminded Saber of a home, except this home had several tables scattered about the floor with five chairs to each of the round platforms, a stairway to the left that led to the drinking area, and a small counter with some stools across the way for the loners who didn’t want to take up a whole table. Saber took one of those stools and his salamander nimbly clambered up onto the one beside him, flopping down on its backside skillfully. The first few times, it had slipped off and fallen right down but after some practice it was able to at least keep itself steady. Saber chuckled and pat his partner on the head. The salamander rumbled with content and placed its head down on the counter, the heavy tail swaying behind it both as it got comfortable and to keep it balanced.
“Good morning, Darius. Would you like your usual?” A woman popped her head out of the back room, the kitchen, and addressed Saber with a smile. He nodded.
“Yes ma’am. Please and thank you.” The woman huffed and stepped out of sight, calling out as she fired up the stoves.
“I hope you aren’t as boring as your taste.” A few of the girls who were spread out, cleaning up the room and readying it for the day, giggled. Saber pulled his lips into a line and gave the entryway a glare. As he did, there was a light smack to his right as the newspaper was placed in front of him.
“Here you are.” Clara smiled with her bright eyes and slid the paper to Saber, who bowed his head and thanked her. His salamander glanced over for a moment, but his attention was snatched by the woman as she placed her elbows on the counter and leaned towards the creature. They began to stare at one another.
“Hey Darius…?” Her soft voice pipped up after a few silent beats. By then, Saber was already reading up on the updates around Londinium. Another group of Landers had disappeared in the north, where those Bandit Adventurers had fled, but some Adventurers had also disappeared. The first bit wasn’t uncommon, as the bandits were becoming quite bold as they got stronger and they had started taking female Landers as trophies for a few days before returning them. But to hear an Adventurer had disappeared was odd. Normally when an adventurer disappeared, it meant that they had died. However regardless of death, Adventurers would respawn in the cathedral. To hear that three had simply vanished intrigued Saber.
“Darius?” Saber snapped from his thoughts and rustled the paper a bit, closing it some so he could peer over the edge towards Clara.
“Sorry. Yes?”
“You’re a mage, right?” Clara was quite curious about many things and Saber’s salamander was something she never really got enough of. She always had some kind of question about it. That and Saber’s magical prowess. After a few days of talking to the ladies in the pub, Saber learned that magic was something very few people had an affinity for. Those who could summon beasts and control them were even fewer in number, making Saber an oddity amongst the Landers. It didn’t make him popular but it inspired quite a bit of people to come and ask him questions.
“I consider myself more of a pet tamer, than a mage.” And that was something he used to avoid the questions, but it never worked. He wasn’t lying though. Handling his salamander was more like handling a dog than a magical beast.
“Has he ever turned on you?” Clara reached out and hovered her hand by the salamander’s head. It gave her hand a light whiff before rumbling and pushing its head into the palm. She smiled and began to rub his head scales, petting the creature softly.
“No. He’s too docile and kind. Part of me thinks he only fights because he’s hungry.” Saber huffed and returned to the paper. Guard patrols were being increased to the north and travelers were being warned to go in groups, rather than alone. Interesting.
“Aw, that’s kind of cute.” Cute? Really? Saber found it more of an annoyance. Every battle was a mini-race with his salamander partner. After a few battles, it turned into a corpse race. If Saber didn’t beat the little runt to the body of the boars, the salamander would snatch them away and eat them for a snatch. It wasn’t cute in the least.
“What about you? If we fatten you up, do you think you’d stop fighting too?” Glancing over, Saber spotted the smile Clara had on her face curl into an even bigger grin. The Summoner wiggled his nose and then turned his eyes back to the newspaper. The room had turned a bit quieter; these women were like sirens.
“Unlikely. If I don’t fight, I don’t eat.” That was his life now. Saber hid his true identity of being an Adventurer from the Landers and had disguised himself as a hunter from Margate. It was enough to keep most people at bay with that.
“But you fight because that’s your job, right?” Saber nodded. Indeed. Fighting and hunting earned him a decent amount of pay, but her question had a different intention. Something other than confirmation.
“It’s something I am comfortable with. I would have a hard time doing anything else.” He turned the page of his newspaper, taking the brief moment to glance at Clara again. Her eyes met his and she narrowed them sharply for just a second; it looked like a twitch, but that was a glare. The look screamed “liar”, which he was. Saber was more than comfortable with all sorts of jobs. He could probably even live with being a chef here at the pub for the rest of his life, he wouldn’t mind that at all. Clara was quite sharp in that ability of hers. Clairvoyance or something, she said it was, but Saber called it a woman’s intuition. It was why he dreaded these conversations.
“I see.” Her voice wasn’t that of acceptance of his answer, but acceptance that she wouldn’t be able to push any further. After their split second of staring, she turned her attention back to the orange lizard.
“It’s time, ladies. Open ‘em up!” Out from the kitchen, the woman who had called out to Saber before appeared. She came out carrying three plates with food on them, two belonged to Saber and one to his salamander. As she placed the plates down, the girls spread about the room began to pull open the wooden shutters over the windows. Light flooded into the space and illuminated the room. The candles near the windows were blown out and then the main door was opened. Clara gave Saber’s salamander a final pat and then went about her way. Saber put his hands together, thanked the chef for the meal, and then began to eat.
The room filled up rather quickly. Within two hours the tables were nearly all filled with patrons. The counter even had a small handful of people sitting at the stools. After some time, Saber told his salamander to free up the seat. The salamander obliged and made his way across the room, pattering over to where the fireplace was. There were some other summons there so Saber figured it was going to make some friends. He didn’t bother stopping his partner. Once the salamander was gone from the counter, though, Clara made a pass and leaned up behind Saber. She hovered her lips by his left ear as she grabbed the plate.
“You have a client. He’s across the room, table four with the blonde.” Saber’s eyes narrowed and he forcibly turned the page. Clara blew on his ear teasingly and giggled as he flinched. Damn woman, she played too much. Saber sucked his teeth and scowled at her back as she strutted away.
Over the past two weeks, Saber had made himself a bit of a name. People of the Land still didn’t trust Adventurers, but they did trust each other as always. A lot of the quests that Adventurers got were boring, useless, and tended to be very simple and straightforward. A lot of Adventurers were stuck doing the same thing over and over because of this, making life dull. But Saber had an advantage; he was a person of the land. After manipulating his menu, Saber hid away a lot of the things that made him stand out as an Adventurer and he was very careful of what he did when he was in the presence of Landers. He never opened his menu, never cast magic unless he made exaggerated movements, and he hid a lot of the identifiers that normally floated around a player. Landers weren’t blind and these common traits made Players stand out. But, because Landers didn’t have menus or displays, they could check to confirm whether or not someone was an Adventurer if they didn’t poke or talk at the air.
Because of this, Saber had used his persona to spread his name as a normal, person of the land, traveling hunter. He had made this shop his small base of operations and, after a week of constantly showing up in the morning and at night, the ladies had become quite comfortable with him. When word began to spread among Landers that a hunter stopped in twice a day, Saber found that he didn’t have to go out looking for work anymore. Instead, work came to him. Saber had even earned a nickname already, at least that was what Clara had said so he couldn’t really tell if it was a real thing or not. A lot of the “facts” that came out of her mouth were skewed.
But she was pretty good about keeping him informed about things, and she always made certain that he got his newspaper in the morning. Sure, her conversations always had some hidden meaning behind him but the banter always made him comfortable. The other girls were the same, but Clara just seemed more comfortable with teasing him. Her personality was quite outgoing so he blamed it on his unlucky choice of a base, and not on Clara.
As Saber turned the page of his newspaper, he used his elbow to nudge the spoon to his right off the counter. He made a grunt of displeasure and put down the paper. He stood up, backed away from the stool, and then knelt down to retrieve the spoon. In the flow of his movement, he glanced towards the table Clara had designated. The man looked like a merchant, but the woman he was with looked like a servant of some kind, or a peasant that had been dressed up. Saber wiggled his nose as he sat back down on his stool. He lifted his newspaper and focused his hearing; he heard a chair shift in the direction of the table.
Shined shoes clicked across the hardwood floor and approached from the right. The man sat down, adjusted his fancy clothes, and then placed his forearms on the counter. Saber turned his head and placed his attention on the left page, away from the man. The room remained busy and lively, but to Saber it all went quiet. He glanced to the left and spotted Clara as she popped out of the kitchen. She carried a cup over to Saber and placed down a fresh cup of hot chocolate in front of him with a smile. Saber thanked her, folded his newspaper and set it down. Clara disappeared once more.
“Good morning, sir. Sorry to disturb your morning. You seemed quite interested in the paper so I thought it would be best to wait.” The man finally opened his mouth. Saber glanced over at him, after getting the sense that he was the one being spoken to. A hand stretched out towards Saber. No scars, no dirt, well-groomed. This man was indeed a merchant, and he probably had never left Londinium. Saber took his hand in a firm shake, but only held for as long as it was necessary.
“I appreciate it.” Saber kept himself curt and turned his attention back to the cup that had been placed before him. He grabbed the saucer and the handle, lifting both up to keep the cup steady. It was also something he had learned from his mentor.
“My name is Wayde, and I have a request. Actually, it isn’t my request but I am here as the messenger.” Oh? Saber gave the man a brief look over. The clothes were clean, his body was clean, and he smelled fresh. Sure, merchants smelled fresh and looked nice but they weren’t the only ones who did.
“A courier?” Saber set the cup and saucer combination back down. Why was a courier here?
“Precisely. My client is the woman seated at the table behind me and just over my shoulder. She is quite shy but she has a problem, one that she feels like you may be able to help her with. It isn’t difficult and is actually quite simple, but she heard that there was a hunter who was familiar with the territory close by and your name came up.”
“If it is a simple request, why not ask the Adventurers?” At the question, the courier let out a hum.
“A lack of trust. See, I asked her the same question and she told me that she could not rest easy with the idea that the Adventurers had taken up her request. She is not a business person like myself and believes that the Adventurers are dangerous…” Well, she wasn’t wrong. Saber used the hot chocolate to keep his tongue from straining.
“…so I suggested a local hunter. She mentioned that there was someone in the area her friends had told her about. When my company did some research, you came up. She confirmed it when we saw you walking this morning. I do humbly apologize for intruding and performing such activities, but it seems you are not registered with any Guilds or Societies. We knew about you only by rumors.”
“Sometimes rumors should stay rumors.” Saber sipped at his hot chocolate again and then adjusted in his stool. The courier swallowed.
“Yes, that is true, Sir, but do understand that we try our best to please our clients.” Of course, you’re a businessman, right? You’d do anything to make a profit, even if that meant tracking someone down, that was that Saber thought and he gave the man a sharp glance out of the corner of his eyes. The courier didn’t pick up on the resentment, though, as he was busy rubbing his hands together and laughing jokingly to try and alleviate the bad tension that might have been…that was rising.
“So? What’s the request?” Rather than let the situation dissolve any further, Saber put his focus on the blonde woman who was being served some hot coffee. He gave her a look but she was too busy keeping her presence as small as possible. She seemed uncomfortable with where she was.
“Ah, yes, right. It seems like her companion went on a trip north a few days ago. He was going out to a town in order to see his family for a few days and was supposed to write her when he arrived at the town. He hasn’t sent anything, and the town is only a quarter of a day’s trip away. Us couriers like to be swift so it is quite odd that nothing has come from him. We have received other letters from the town though, so it is not like the town itself is in danger.” Odd indeed. A place that was a quarter of a day’s trip would be easily accessible by horse. If someone raced, they could reach the town in a matter of hours. However, that was when Saber remembered the newspaper article he had read earlier in the morning.
“Maybe he has been busy.” Rather than assume he was missing, Saber attempted to dig up an alternative excuse.
“Impossible. She mentioned that he has gone to his home town many times during their time together and each time, he has been on time with his letters. They generally arrive the same day he leaves and if there are any complications, they arrive the next morning. It has been several days now.”
“Have you tried sending a messenger to the town to ask about him?”
“We considered it but the courier who generally leaves to the town in the morning had already left. He is expected back in a few hours but she is impatient, and also very afraid. She mentioned she has not been feeling well since he left and believes it to be a bad omen.” The Summoner glanced over at the man, who was looking down at his hands on the counter. He must have been focusing on the information, pulling out everything he knew as Saber had hoped he was doing. The men made eye contact.
“Why didn’t you go, then?” The question was actually pretty sensible. The man before Saber was a courier, and since he was most likely apart of a company of several couriers then why didn’t they just send another runner?
“There have been several reports of dangerous individuals taking shelter in the forests along the route. Only couriers with battle experience have been allowed to take the route in the past few weeks. I volunteered, however I am no soldier. I was a farmer and a merchant before I became a courier. If I were to go out and come across trouble, I would be as good as dead whereas the courier who does the route now is quite skilled as a rider.”
“Understandable.” And it was. Couriers were the backbone of communication for cities so if there were dangers along a route, it was only sensible that certain couriers (especially younger, inexperienced riders) would be unable to take them. The company he was dealing with was probably wise in their trade. If they had decided to close off the route to only one or two specific riders, then Saber had to assume that they had also explored other options. Which meant that Saber was their last choice.
Saber picked up his cup of hot chocolate without a saucer and stood. He swallowed the sweet, lukewarm, liquid and placed the cup back down on the saucer, sliding it towards the opposite side of the counter for pickup. Then, he turned away from the courier and headed over to the table. The courier jumped out of the stool and followed, but before he could catch Saber the summoner had already reached the table. The woman looked up at him, a bit frightened, but she wasn’t shaken. Judging by the tale, her fear was actually elsewhere.
“Good morning, ma’am. Mind if I join you?” Saber placed a hand on the back of a chair and pulled it out some. She granted him permission in a soft, low tone. Saber nodded, thanked her, and took a seat. He removed his katana beforehand and laid it across the table. In most places he actually set it down beside his chair, but in the city he preferred to let it be known that he had a weapon. It also kept his weapon in sight, making it difficult to steal.
“I was informed by the gentleman sitting down beside you that you have a request. I am here to confirm the details. From what the gentleman said, your companion went north a few days ago and has not contacted you since he left. Now, unable to wait any longer, you wish to higher me to find him for you or at least find out his whereabouts.” As much as he trusted the courier’s words, he needed to be certain. The woman fidgeted as he spoke but she answered him with a nod. Saber adjusted in his chair and sat up straighter.
“If I am to take this request, it will take me about a day. It will take me several hours to head north towards the town and about a quarter of a day to reach it. The timeframe may take less or it may take more depending on the complications along the route. I may also have to search the surrounding forests if it is found that he is not in the town, which will add to the timeframe. However, when I reach the halfway point between this city and the town, the normal courier will have returned. It will cost you less to hire the courier company to search for your companion. I do not wish to pass off your request but I am simply explaining your choices. Do you understand?” As Saber informed the woman of the information he had, his salamander trotted over and lay down beside him. The woman took a moment to process her choice.
What Saber had done was present her with two choices. If she waited a few hours, the courier that manned the route would return and he was much faster than Saber. The courier would be told to head back to the town and check with the guard for the man to see if he had come or gone. Then, he would search briefly around the area and ask any travelers if they had seen the man. But, the courier would not confirm the exact location. Instead the courier would only confirm that he was missing. Saber, on the other hand, would work a slower pace and would search the entire area until he found the man. The downside? Saber would find the man, whether he was dead or alive.
And that was the hard choice. Did the woman wish to confirm where her companion was, or did she simply wish to confirm the fact that he was missing? If they were close and she discovered that he was dead, it would devastate her. At least with the idea that he was missing, she could slowly move on and eventually accept the idea that he had died. Yet, Saber knew that it would also dig at her. This all happened because Saber had given her a choice. The decision she would make would tell Saber the woman she really was.
“I wish to hire you, Sir. I want to know where my husband is.” Husband, huh? She wasn’t wearing a ring.
“Do you have a drawn image of him?” Saber glanced between the two. The courier held up a finger and withdrew a small black and white sketch. It had two images on it; one full body portrait, including a description of the clothing the man was last seen wearing, and a close up facial image. Saber nodded and placed the image between them.
“How about an article of clothing that he has worn recently and one that, preferably, has not been washed?” The woman pulled out a shirt from a bag she had beside her.
“I brought it just in case.” Saber nodded and placed the shirt in the center of the table. She was a wise person.
“I will accept your request upon your confirmation of the terms. Courier, your company will facilitate the deal and hold my reward until I return. Miss, this is the verbal contract. If you agree, you must say yes. If you disagree, you must say no. The Courier will be our witness. The terms are simple; I will leave for the northern town and search the route for signs of your companion. Should I not find any, I will confirm with the town guard whether or not they had seen a man who fit your description of him. If they have seen him in the town, I will search the town and find him but I will only find him, I will not interact with him unless you provide me with a letter with writing. Then, I will act as a courier and deliver your message. If the guards say they had not seen such a man pass through the gates, myself and my partner will search the forest for signs of him. I will search for a maximum of six hours or until it gets dark. If I am unable to find him, I will return in the morning. Are these conditions fair?”
“B-but what if he’s still in the forest? You’ll just give up if you don’t find anything?!” The woman seemed to be agitated at the fact that Saber would drop his hunt, but he had no choice. Saber could not search the forest in the dark, and higher level monsters appeared at night. As a meager level one adventurer, there was only so much he could do. The forest would be dangerous for him even in the day time.
“Ma’am, there is a limit to my abilities at this time. By the time I reach the town, it will be mid-afternoon. The monsters will likely be active and I may not be able to handle them on my own, even with my salamander present. In addition, as the sun goes down more powerful beasts appear. If I am unable to find a trace of him during the timeframe I spend searching the forest, it is likely that he is not alive. The chances of him surviving a night in the forest, alone, are very slim. It is how the wilderness is and I cannot change that fact. This is the best I can do. I am sorry.” Saber had to take his own well-being into account. He probably would not be paid a whole lot for this deal either, as the woman did not seem rich. Her husband was likely to only be a laborer, a farmer, or a low-class trader. If he was from a small town outside of the town it was even more likely that they didn’t have much money.
“I see…” The woman lowered her head, either in defeat or in acceptance of the fact that her companion might be dead. Saber didn’t want that to be true, but he could only promise so much.
“I agree with those terms. Please, I beg of you, please find my husband.” The woman raised her head and held her hands in a plea. Saber nodded and glanced towards the courier.
“Do you confirm the terms of this deal, Courier?”
“I do.”
“With that, the deal has been made.” Saber rose out of his chair and extended a hand towards the woman. She stood up, as did the courier, and shook Saber’s hand. Saber then turned his hand towards the courier. After shaking hands with both of them, he took the two items off the table and tucked them under an arm.
“I will return as soon as I can with the best news possible. Do not worry, ma’am. I will do everything I can to find your husband.” Saber tied his katana back to his waist and bowed his head. He pushed in his chair and whistled sharply to his salamander, who had fallen asleep. The lizard rumbled and popped awake. It yawned and lifted up, following behind Saber as the Summoner headed for the door. Clara and Samantha were both standing near it.
“I overheard. Are you sure you’ll be fine alone?” Clara pipped up, speaking the words he didn’t want to hear.
“The north isn’t like it is here, but as long as I make it before the sun rises too high, I should be fine. Thank you for the meal. I will not be here for dinner, so don’t prep it tonight. Thank you and good day.” Saber didn’t wait for a response or any farewells. He opened the door, let his Salamander lumber out, and then strode out as well. He knelt down and gave his salamander a pat on the head before heading towards the northern gate. There was no time to waste. When it came to missing persons, every second counted.
* * *
The sounds of clattering hooves rattled in Saber’s ears. He leaned down low to the mane of his horse and gripped the reins tightly, steadying himself and guiding his horse straight down the road. They had just left Londinium nearly half an hour ago, and were making good time. The horse he had summoned using his whistle was well groomed for distance, making Saber lucky with his initial choice. He made the choice with the idea of traveling great distances at some point and eventually visiting Margate to see his “home” for the first time. However, his choice had also given him an edge in terms of speed. His horse’s endurance allowed him to cross short distances quickly, and the distance he expected the town to be was only a sprint away. As long as he paced his horse, he would reach It in two hours.
Although he had another reason to be fast. Saber guided his horse along the same route he had seen the couriers take, and positioned himself directly in the center of the path. He leaned down and hid himself beneath a hooded cloak he had borrowed from a tailor to protect him from any weather that could occur during his time out. It kept him shaded from the sun and also made it so he looked like a courier. His quick horse and faked identity allowed him to zip by the guards and other travelers without garnering any looks. Normally people waved and looked up at those running fast and guards sometimes stopped those in a rush to check as for their reasons, but they never bothered couriers.
“There.” Just as Saber passed into the tree line, the meadows vanishing behind him, he spotted a figure in the distance; another horseman. This one moved even more quickly and his horse didn’t even seem fatigued. Saber’s was already huffing a bit. The Summoner halted his movement and pulled on the reins of his horse. Giving his mount a moment to rest, he hopped off its back and stood in the path of the oncoming rider. He held up a hand and lowered his hood. The Courier came fast, spotted Saber, and slowed down.
“Good day, Sir! Are you well!?” He was an older gentleman, and he was armed. He had a cut across his cheek, a tamed beard, a fresh haircut, and the eyes of someone who had killed. The way he rode on the horse also screamed experience. He might have been a soldier before.
“I am! I apologize for hindering you, I know you are in a rush.” Saber raised his hands and approached, the Courier nodded, letting Saber come in closer. The man glanced down at the katana, but didn’t seem bothered.
“What can I help you with? Are you a new courier?”
“No but I am here in place of one. I am heading north towards a nearby town to deliver a message.”
“In place of one? These are dangerous roads, fellow. Are you sure you are feeling okay?” It was a pleasant jab but one of concern. Saber smiled. At least he was kind.
“I will be fine, do not worry. Aside from the threat of bandits and monsters, have you seen anything strange lately? I assume you take this route often and I am not so lucky to have such experience.”
“I have not, friend. The roads are as they are, except for the dangers of course. Are you headed towards Aylesbury?”
“Correct.”
“I see. The road between here and there is fairly calm, but bandits are very active once you get closer to the town. There have been sightings of strange beasts in the forest though, so keep your wits about you if you are headed that way. The guard is on edge and travelers are not allowed to return down this path after using it to reach the town. But, caravans are taking alternate routes. Only myself and a few other couriers are permitted to use the route both ways. Patrols are light, so you will likely be on your own until you come in sight of the town.”
“I thank you for your information. Would you like payment?” Saber reached towards the sack of gold he kept handy in a pouch, but the courier held up a hand.
“Your payment will be returning to safely Londinium. If you come across bandits, you will need all of the coin you can muster to handle them. Instead, stop by the Wayside Courier’s company or mention to the guards in Aylesbury that you have made safe passage. They will pass the message to me. Knowing I did not send a man to his death will be payment enough.” Saber bowed his head to the message of warning and thanked the courier. To know that someone was truly concerned about the safety of others made Saber quite content. He would do as instructed.
“What is your name, friend?” The courier called out, moving his horse closer and extending a hand.
“Darius.” Saver clasped forearms with the soldier. It was a fierce hold, the man was tense.
“I am Charles. Safe travels and Godspeed, Darius.” The two released arms and with that, the courier resumed his run back to Londinium. Saber gave him a brief wave to signal the departure and then mounted his horse. Energized once more, his horse sneered and huffed, clicking its hooves in the dirt.
“Let’s go, buddy.” Snapping the reins, Saber set off again towards Aylesbury.
* * *
Saber had passed through a small guard fort called Chesham and had proceeded another thirty minutes before his horse finally seemed to be out of breath. He had taken two breaks so far but this would be the last. He summoned his Salamander and dismounted his horse. They had stopped by a small lake and Saber let his horse quench its thirst with its waters. Saber did the same, but he drank from a small glass bottle that had purified water in it. He didn’t think that the lake would have any diseases in it, as he doubted the game was that specific, but he could never be so sure. It was better to be safe in this scenario. If he was going on a manhunt, getting some kind of disease would complicate things.
While his horse had a break, Saber called his salamander over and called the shirt he had been given from his inventory. His salamander was no hound, but its sense of smell was better than Saber’s. He placed the shirt down and asked his partner to take a whiff. The salamander flinched at first but after sniffing a few times, he seemed to understand the need. Then, Saber sent him off into the vicinity. His horse would take a bit to recover, so Saber had time. He deposited the shirt back into his inventory to keep the scent fresh and then took a seat on a nearby log that had fallen.
He had traveled nearly two hours now, and his horse was doing fairly well. The courier’s route diverted a bit up the road and cut through the center of the forest while the traveler’s road branched out to the north a bit more, avoiding the more dangerous zones. If Saber was right, the man must have taken the traveler route. He hadn’t asked what method of travel the man he was searching for had taken but if he was right, he had been a part of a caravan of some kind. Either that, or he traveled on horseback with a smaller group of travelers. The number of missing Landers was only a couple, so he doubted the group was very large. The information traveled fairly quickly too and if the timing was correct, then the man Saber was looking for was amongst the missing group. If he was lucky, Saber might also have a chance to help the others.
But, that was only if he was lucky. Saber had come to realize that relying on luck wasn’t healthy. If he wanted something done, he needed to be sure. He would have to confirm his information on his own and rely on his wits and what he knew. Luck was a nice thing to have, but it was only nice when you had it. Any other time and luck was against you. Today, luck was in Saber’s favor. His horse was doing well and the weather was holding strong. The sky was clear and blue with barely any clouds so he doubted that was going to change any time soon. There were also very few monsters. He only had to deal with a few, and that was only near the fort. Out in the wilderness where he was now was fairly quiet. He could even see some rabbits across the lake. The only question he had now was how long would that luck hold?
Huff… Huff… graow!
Saber glanced to his left at the sound of movement and huffing to spot his Salamander. The creature was in a hurry and came rushing back to the Summoner, bursting through a bush without even hesitating. It huffed and rumbled, turning and motioning for Saber to follow. Saber narrowed his eyes and whistled for his horse. The animal lifted its head from the water and trotted over, letting Saber take its reins and guide it into the forest. The salamander led the way, moving in a hurry. Odd. His partner had only been gone barely five minutes, and he had found something?
At first, there was the assumption that the salamander had found something and killed it. Now, it wanted to show off its kill to Saber. However, Saber would have heard the fighting, and his salamander was very good at signaling Saber for backup. Saber would have also noticed his mana being drained more rapidly, as the salamander’s abilities siphon partially off Saber’s mana. So, he ruled out combat. The other option was that the salamander simply found something interesting, but that was unlikely. The third option, was what Saber got. Saber initially only figured it would be a trace, but instead he got more.
“Damn.” Saber smelled it first before he saw it, and that was as far as he tugged his horse. He let the animal go and allowed it to backpedal a few paces, while Saber and his salamander advanced. Laying nearly ten meters ahead, flat on its stomach with the head caved in, was a human corpse. Saber’s nose wrinkled at the stench and he nearly gagged, but had taken in deep breaths while he advanced on the body. By the time he had actually seen it, he was somewhat comfortable with it. It didn’t make his stomach twist any less though.
The first thing Saber wanted to consider was this being the husband he was in search of, but the body shape was different. There were several other features as well. It was a male, probably middle aged, short, not very muscular, and had longer hair. When Saber pushed the body over to examine the front, he noticed that the body had a beard. Saber coughed and shook his head, spitting off to the side to keep the taste from filling his mouth. He checked the eyes for their color and then placed a hand on the torso, checking the temperature. The death was recent. Saber wasn’t precise, but he assumed it was within the past few days. Based on the lack of decomposition, the residual heat, the body’s color, and the freshness of some of the cuts, Saber put his bet on two days, or at least within thirty six hours.
The description of the man did, however, fit the description of another lander who had gone missing. Saber sighed and closed the man’s eyes. He lifted the body by the shoulders and dragged it back towards the lake. The man may have been small, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t heavy. There were also some hungry bugs already nipping away at the insides that had been exposed in a few places, making Saber think twice about lifting the body all the way off the ground. Once he had the body at the edge of the forest by the lake, he lay the man down and placed a large leaf over his resting face. Here, Saber could at least send the guards to recover the body later.
But, this also allowed Saber to get a better look at the body. The clearing over the lake let some more light in, making it easier to see. The damage done to the body was mainly small, but numerous. Small cuts, blunt hits, broken bones, and the final blow Saber assumed was the dent in the back of the man’s head. Based on the cuts and the dirt on the man’s feet, he must have been running barefoot. His clothes looked ripped and there were marks on his wrists. He must have been captured and bound. Saber wiggled his nose and checked the man’s pockets. He retrieved a small key and a leather banded object that held some pieces of paper. Saber assumed it was like a wallet of sorts, as the papers were mainly identification information. He didn’t bother to disturb the papers and tucked them back in where he found them, along with the key. Saber was no thief.
Returning to the location where the man was killed, Saber knelt down beside the disturbed area. He checked the location where the man had fallen and then followed the direction he had come from. There were breaks in the bushes, snapped twigs, and even footprints. These footprints Saber assumed belonged to the man but as he followed the trail back a way, he found more. They were smaller, and they were large in number. The toes were clawed, bare, and light. The impressions were barely noticeable. Saber did notice the traces of blood on the brush though, as well as on the leaves of the flowers the man had passed by. After following the tracks back even further, he noticed signs of defecation and then he found a small object; a tooth. It was human.
Glancing around, he noticed that the footprints led quite far back. Saber followed them until he found the rope that had been used to bind the man’s wrists. It had been untied, not cut. Around it, Saber spotted several smaller impressions along with other human-like prints. He also noticed a few larger prints, ones bigger than humans, but they were in the same shape as the smaller ones. Saber wiggled his nose and searched the area until finally he found it; the point where the paths split. There were two groups. One group chased the man in the direction of the lake and the other group continued east. Saber whistled for his horse only to give it a pat and dismiss it. It ran off into the forest, disappearing as it went wherever it did. With his salamander close, Saber began to follow the trail.
Judging by the number of prints, there were five human captives, two of the larger beasts, and at least ten or so of the smaller creatures. It was a number Saber likely wouldn’t be able to handle on his own, but he had an idea. He wasn’t a hero and he wasn’t a practiced soldier, but he had not picked the disguise as a “traveling hunter” for nothing. Holding the scabbard of his katana, the Summoner hurried along the path.
* * *
The trail twisted through the forest for a long, long distance. Saber picked up traces of human activity, defecation, and had even found blood. At a certain point, the two large footprints and several of the smaller prints veered off from the rest but the humans and some of the smaller prints were kept together. As Saber advanced beyond that point, he realized that the prints were getting more and more fresh. Shortly after the split, he noticed that the ground that had been turned over was still wet. And then, he smelled fire. The sun was lowering down a bit from its highest peak, and generally that was when Landers ate lunch. However, he could tell that he wasn’t following Landers.
Following both the footprints and the scent of fire, Saber slowed his pace and held his katana tight. He advanced another few minutes before coming to a stop. He held a hand down and motioned for his salamander to hide behind him and a tree, then he ordered his partner to lower down. Several meters off, Saber found his target; a goblin.
It was green, short, and was holding a stone club as it urinated. Its eyes scanned the forest, checking most likely for any threats. When it was done, the Goblin wiped its hand on its shirt and then walked away. Saber looped around to the right and moved forward slowly, using the trees to cover himself as he slipped after the goblin. It led Saber straight back to the small camp Saber smelled the fire coming from. There were five green goblins and the five humans; three males, two females. One of the females was being prodded by a goblin. The goblin’s fun ended quickly as another goblin, one that seemed to be a bit more decorated in terms of clothes and teeth, huffed at it.
Saber sucked his teeth and narrowed his eyes. He checked his mana, noticing that it wasn’t near half because of his summon being out for so long, and then he looked at the terrain. He had the advantage of surprise, but the goblins had numbers. There were five of them, and each had a level of three or higher. The one Saber assumed to be the leader was level five. Alone, Saber was dead, but he couldn’t fight how he was now. He needed his summon. Thus, as he got set, he cast his salamander away and circled further to the right. As he moved, he surveyed the camp.
There were five goblins. One was the leader and two were sentries. The other two lingered around the human captives. While the sentries kept an eye out, the watchers of the humans made themselves as menacing as possible while the leader stood by and picked at his teeth. They didn’t seem on too high of an alert, but the sentries were still vigilant. Both looked in wide angles and paced back and forth around their designated spots. Saber opened up his inventory and checked his gear. As a lowly level one, he didn’t have much of anything. But, what he did have he could make use of.
Saber pulled out the picture he had of the man he was looking for along with the shirt. He checked the picture and then looked at the captives, confirming that the man was among them. He looked quite mean, making him somewhat useful. But after that, Saber balled up the paper and tucked it into a pocket. He took the shirt and tied it loosely around his neck. With a light tug, the loop came undone and he pulled the shirt free. Content, he tied it around his neck again. Then, he pulled out two health potions and his empty water bottom. The potions he placed in his back pockets. He drank his water bottle’s contents and then strapped it to his waist.
Once he was set, the Summoner checked his mana bar. It wasn’t completely full but it was close. Saber readied the hotkey for his salamander and then squeezed his katana’s scabbard. Moving slowly and quietly, Saber approached the camp. He was no assassin, but he kept his feet light. He glanced at the ground, avoided any breakable or easily snapped objects, and lifted his legs high to keep them from brushing too loudly. When he neared the camp, he was spotted. One of the human captives made eye contact with him. Saber put a finger to his lips and continued his approach. The man’s eyes narrowed and he began to wiggle. The movement caused the two goblin watchers to look at him, and as he made his commotion to get their eyes, Saber moved up behind the leader.
Just before Saber reached the goblin, its head twisted partially. Saber didn’t get the full jump, but he was close enough. As the goblin opened its mouth, Saber shoved his hand into its disgusting mouth and wrenched down on its tongue. With a yank, he pulled the goblin back and off balance. The goblin bit down on his hand but as Saber yanked, its tongue tore and the muscle began to separate. The goblin let out a holler and its jaws separated. Saber removed the muscle and ripped the goblin off its feet completely. His muscles strained but as he lifted, he pulled the goblin into the path of a thrown knife. The sharp blade dug into the goblin leader’s chest. Saber dropped the body and then kicked the leader forward, slamming it into one of the other goblins. Drawing his katana, Saber took the offensive.
His blade crossed with a stone headed hammer and ricocheted, but before the goblin could recover Saber put his boot on its chest. Goblins weren’t stupid, but they weren’t battle-hardened. Saber had been in quite a few battles up until then, even though his level didn’t say such. His training in reality had also prepared him for this. All he had to do was act.
With the goblin under his boot, Saber sliced off its hammer wielding hand at the wrist and then rolled forward. Another goblin flew down and slammed its heavy club onto the ground where Saber had been. The Summoner twisted, counted four goblins and spotted the fight on his right. He raised a hand and aimed his palm at the fire. In a flash of heat and glory, his body illuminated. The fire pit glimmered and out of its mouth came his salamander. The animal lunged out and caught the fifth goblin in its razor sharp teeth, snarling as it tackled the green demi-human to the ground. Saber quickly ran to the captives and cut three of them free, the males. By the time he got to the women, the goblins he had attacked at first had recovered.
“Run, now!” Saber ordered as the men began to stand.
“But what about—“ One attempted to retort, but Saber yanked him out of the way, catching the club of a goblin with the back of his katana. The blow stuck and Saber grit his teeth. With a shove, he pushed the goblin off him and then filled the space with the slice of his weapon, cutting the creature’s chest.
“I’ll be fine, run! Follow the trees behind me and run straight!” With that, the captives turned and fled, heading in the direction specified. Well, all of the captives except for one man; the same man he had come to save. He raised his fists and Saber glanced at him. He looked experienced.
“I hope you know how to use those.” Saber muttered, watching the goblin leader pull the knife from his chest.
“I’ve had a few bar brawls in my life. How about you get the one with the knife?” The man smirked and brushed his nose with his thumb. Saber nodded and switched places with him. Then, they separated. A pillar of fire blasted out from Saber’s salamander as it torched the goblin it was wrestling and the fires scorched the plant life around it. It was fighting well, for now.
The goblin leader sent its lower minion at Saber first, practically throwing the unarmed runt at the Summoner. Saber squeezed his katana and sliced at the outstretched hands, cutting them out of his way. The goblin squealed and tumbled forward, nearly taking out one of Saber’s feet. The summoner side-stepped and turned, keeping both goblins in view. The little one rose back up and the leader circled left, moving just off its side. With bloody hands, the smaller goblin jumped at Saber again. The summoner twisted his katana and then stepped forward, driving the blade through its core. The weapon pierced through, impaling the flying creature. Once the weapon was stuck though, it was useless. Saber put his right hand on the side of the blade, pushed, and twisted, tossing the weapon out of the way along with the goblin in his view. When he popped out, the leader was in his face.
The knife jutted forward and threatened to pierce Saber’s gut. The summoner pulled his hips back and took a step. His right hand crossed his chest, snagged the shirt around his neck, and then pulled the cloth free. With a snap, he bound the goblin leader’s hands together and then shoved his elbow into the beast’s face. The leader recoiled, and Saber disarmed it with a heavy blow to the wrists. The knife dropped and Saber caught it out of the air.
“Oi! How about a knife?!” Saber cut the goblin leader’s throat as it backpedaled.
“Ready!” The man on the other side of the fire grabbed one of the goblins he was fighting with and threw it into the fire pit. When he looked up, Saber lobbed him the knife. The man snatched it out of the air and then turned his attention back to the other goblin he had to worry about, Saber did the same with his own. The one of the ground ripped the katana free and then turned it against Saber. The Summoner narrowed his eyes and took a chance. The blade was as long as the goblin was tall, so he rushed it. The goblin howled and rose the blade up and over its head.
The moment its elbows parted, the water bottle smashed into its face. Saber threw it underhanded, and with force. The bottom of the bottom crashed with a heavy strike to the goblin’s nose. The impact did no damage, but it was enough to disorientate the demi-human long enough for Saber to follow the bottle with his knee. Lunging forward, he used his full weight and drove the goblin to the ground. The katana dropped from its hands and Saber picked it up without missing a beat.
“Run when you can!” Saber recovered and skewered the goblin’s skull, piercing it to the ground before checking the fire. The other man had the advantage, as he was able to disarm the other goblin he was fighting. The one in the fire was pulled free by the leader and was recovering though. They didn’t have time.
“I can now!” The man glanced at Saber for only a second before using his strength to deliver a heavy punch. It knocked the goblin flat on its back.
“Go! Now!” The man nodded and sprinted away. Saber whistled loudly at his salamander and took off as well, taking a parallel line as the man back towards the town. His salamander let out a growl and began to retreat as well. The leader was the first to give chance, but as it did it took an elemental bolt to the leg. The bolt pierced the flesh of the demi-human and ignited its flesh with fire. It called for its underlings to chase them, but Saber and the man had the lead.
“Keep running! All the way back to the town!” Saber caught up to the man he was allied with and sheathed his blade. The two moved swiftly, but the man was obviously tired from the fight. Saber glanced over his shoulder; the goblins were closing.
“The town is at least ten minutes sprinting from here! We won’t make it!” Well, isn’t he optimistic.
“We don’t have to.” The man shot Saber an odd look but the Summoner didn’t explain himself. He whistled at his salamander and ordered it to keep running, even if he stopped. The salamander nodded in agreement and understanding.
“You aren’t going to stay behind, are you?” The man glanced at Saber, a hard look in his eyes.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan. Just keep running.” Saber smirked and gave the man a nod. The man grunted in discontent but he kept moving.
They ran for nearly another five minutes before the goblins were close enough to be a threat. However, Saber had already begun to see the edge of the forest. He glanced back to the goblins and grit his teeth. They wouldn’t reach the edge before getting caught, leaving him with no choice.
“Keep going, trust me.” Saber squeezed his scabbard and skidded to a stop, turning about and drawing his blade.
“Fine! But you better not die, dammit!” The man hollered as he ran off. The four goblin underlings came to a stop across from Saber, the leader limping after them a good distance away. Saber readied his blade and took a wide, defensive stance. He licked his lips and waited.
“Of course.” Saber surveyed the goblins and adjusted his stance. In another breath, they lunged.
Stepping back, Saber intercepted the first club, and parried it. He stepped back, twisted, and blocked a swung stone hammer. To make space, he jumped back again and avoided a clawed swipe. They came at him in a frenzy, swinging and clawing, but Saber kept backing up and jumped back, keeping a safe distance of half a blade length. It wasn’t fullproof, as he felt the sting of claws brushing his forearms and lacing his arms with cuts, but he kept the club and hammer at bay without fail. He could handle light wounds but if those got through, he would be off balance.
He held them off until the leader was near. Then, he triggered a skill. He let out a loud whistle and just after his body began to glow, he turned and began to run. In a flash, he was replaced by a pissed off fire lizard. The creature jumped out of spot where Saber had turned to light and swallowed the goblins up into a pillar of fire. The goblins had closed on Saber and clustered together. As the leader approached, he jumped in from the back and right into the path of the fire. The salamander remained in view long enough for the fire to take full effect, and then Saber desummoned his partner to keep it out of harm’s way.
On the other side of the Castling skill, Saber was out in the middle of the field, running beside the man from before. He sheathed his blade and sucked air, breathing heavily as he tried to catch his breath. In the distance, the other group that had been sent ahead were waving down the guards and gaining attention. Reinforcements were on the way. Saber glanced up at the man and grinned. The man began to laugh, and the two laughed together all the way back until they met the guards. The guards split up into two groups, one group of three to guide the captives and Saber back to the town and the other group of eight to handle the goblins that had raced out of the forest. Saber made sure to mention the dead body that he had left by the lake before the men departed. They nodded and said they would bring him back.
“That was quite the trick.” The man said as Saber and he approached the gates. Saber chuckled and held out an arm, letting one of the guards wrap a bandage around it after being instructed to let him do so.
“It’s all about the timing, and we’ve been practicing it for little while now.” The castling trick Saber had been working on with his salamander for well over a week. Saber getting comfortable in the game and with his partner, they began to develop new strategies to use together. So far, they were working out quite well. The only downside was how long that would last.
“Thanks for coming to get us. How did you know where we were?” A good question, but Saber had no answer.
“Luck.” Something that was truly on his side today. The man raised his eyebrows and looked at Saber weirdly, but before Saber could give him the full story, they were interrupted by the others.
“Thank you so much for rescuing us!” The thanks and appreciative words came in a flurry. Saber raised his hands to sort of keep a small barrier between himself and the others, but he smiled and nodded. The guards intervened after seeing Saber sort of back up a bit and guided the others away, leading them to the town’s infirmary.
“Hold on.” Saber called out to the man he had come for and he stopped.
“What’s up?” The man turned and rested his hands on his hips, smiling at Saber.
“Do you have a wife in Londinium?” The question made the man’s eyebrows raise again. Then, for a moment, Saber watched the man’s face change from surprise to recognition. His smile turned into a full-toothed grin. He walked over and placed both hands on Saber’s shoulders. He was almost four inches taller.
“Ah, now I see! That woman, she’s always a worry. That’s actually my sister, but she’s quite shy so I tend to call her my wife to keep people away from her. Odd, I know, but it works since we don’t look alike.” And that would explain the lack of a ring.
“I assume she sent you then?" Saber nodded.
“I was hired to find you, dead or alive but preferably alive. Now that I have, I must tell you that she is expecting a message from you and yes, she is quite worried.” Saber separated himself from the man and he nodded. He then began to glance around and told Saber he’d write her a quick note, as long as he could find a scribe. But, Saber had his idea already. He pulled out the piece of paper in his pocket he had prepared in case he needed another distraction and uncrumpled it. Then, he popped open a health potion and led the man to a wall. Using the liquid of the health potion, Saber had the man draw his name into the paper, a name Saber had made sure was kept a secret from him by not asking for it until now. The paper soaked in the liquid and Saber blew on it. The red potion liquid stained the name in, making it fully legible.
“This will work.” Donavan nodded as Saber tucked the paper away into his pocket.
“I’ll be sure to have an actual letter sent out soon, but tell her I won’t be back home until after I meet with our family.”
“I will be sure to.”
“Thank you…?”
“Darius.”
“Thank you, Darius.” Donovan extended a hand and clasped it with Saber’s. Then, he smiled and headed to the infirmary. Saber let out a huff and once the man was gone, he took a moment to relax. He breathed deeply and easily and adjusted the bandages on his arms, tightening them so that he could cover up the wounds as well as his shredded clothes. He downed the potion he had used for Donavan’s name and its effects began to bring back his strength almost instantly. He waited there for several minutes and when he finally was comfortable, he returned to his feet. He nodded to himself and began to walk towards the front gate.
“Wait, are you Darius?” Before he could get two steps, Saber turned to notice that the guards from before had appeared.
“Depends on who you are.” Saber leaned back onto his heels and placed a hand on the hilt of his katana. Using his peripheral vision, Saber noted that this wasn’t a safe haven; there were no guardians.
“We are guards from Londinium, here on an expedition. We are soldiers under Captain Baxton. We missed the courier this morning and we missed our chance to send our daily report. If you are headed back to Londinium, we were wondering if you could bring it with you?” There were four guards all together and they all had faces of pain. They seemed to have realized their mistake. Saber nodded and took the scroll that the lead guard was holding out. After that, he blew the whistle around his neck, calling forth his horse once again.
“I’ll make sure he gets it, don’t worry.” Saber tucked the scroll into his pouch and nodded. The guards bowed their heads all together.
“Thank you very much, you’re a lifesaver.” Saber shook his head at the words as he caught the reins of his horse. The guards helped him steady it and then aided him as he mounted its back. Saber pulled on the reins and then pulled his hood up and over his head.
“No, I’m just a traveling hunter.” With a snap, he and his horse began the long ride back to Londinium, cutting back through the path they had just come.
* * *
“Oh thank god.” The woman crumbled into the chair behind her, exasperated and her face full of mixed feelings. She held the paper tight to her chest and closed her eyes.
“Goblins, eh?” The courier said softly. Saber nodded, his movement slightly exaggerated.
“Yes, a group of them. They had several other captives and I found one man dead. I’ve never seen goblins take captives before, so it was strange.” The courier nodded in agreement with Saber’s words and placed a hand to his chin. The man was like that for almost a full minute before he shrugged and shook his head.
“Well, the best thing for now is that you made it back in one piece and Donavan is safe. That was all we could hope for. And with that being said, here is your reward. It isn’t much, especially since you had to fight some goblins, but you can add on a favor from our company on top of this. It’s the least we can do. We’ll also be sure to take care of the man who had an unfortunate cross with fate.” The courier extended a small sack to Saber and Saber took it with a nod. He didn’t count its contents and simply strapped it to his waist. Then he pulled the scroll he had been given from his pouch.
“Here’s the favor. Pass this on to Captain Baxton, would you?”
“Oh please, that’s our job, not a favor!” The courier laughed and accepted the trade, taking the report and then filling Saber’s hand with his own.
“If you are ever in a pinch or need our help for anything bigger, let me know. I’ll be sure to take care of it for you as best as I can.”
“I appreciate it.”
“No don’t worry. Just think of it as a business investment! Oh, and speaking of a business investment, would you mind if we sent more requests your way as well? It’s okay if you say no. I just think having someone of your caliber on our list would be good for both of us. Plus, you seem able to manage quite a bit.” A business investment, huh? Well, Saber was always looking for work and if he could build up even more of a reputation then he wouldn’t mind. This would keep his opportunities open and judging by the size of the building he was in, they weren’t going anywhere any time soon. Couriers needed bodyguards every so often and sometimes roads needed cleared. As long as the requests weren’t too big, Saber would be more than willing to lend a hand.
“That would be fine, but don’t ask me to hunt down a dragon.” Of course, he would make sure he had some fun as well.
“Well that is to be expected! But, what do you say about two dragons?” The courier grinned wide and laughed. Saber huffed and shook his head. Saber glanced at the woman and noticed she was still in Lalaland, so he didn’t bother waiting.
“I must be going. It’s almost dinner time.” The two men shook hands for the final time and the courier nodded.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Darius. I hope to see you again.” The courier, also known as Richard Greenwich, was actually one of the head couriers in the company. And it was because of this position that he wasn’t able to go out into the route, not because he wasn’t capable. The hands weren’t scarred or dirty because it seemed that Richard did more handshaking than riding these days. An unfortunate position for a man who loves to ride.
Saber said his goodbyes to the woman who was in her own world and then began to leave the building. On his way out, he spotted a familiar face out of the corner of his eye. The man noticed him at the same time, and the two shared a moment. Saber smirked and nodded. Charles, who was occupied with a client, grinned wide and returned Saber’s nod with a wave. After that, Saber left the building and headed back to his little pub.
He didn’t bother with summoning his familiar, giving the Salamander time to rest in its own world. When he entered the pub, he was welcomed by a warm breeze, a lively room, a few smiling faces, and a warm meal that was waiting for him.
“That damned Clara…” He thought as he sat down in his usual stool, the food he normally ate being brought out to him just as he got comfortable. Clara was across the room but she shot him a wink. He shook his head and indulged in the meal he had been given, making sure to bow his head in thanks before hand.
Word Count: 12,157
