Flooded city

– Five silver and go ahead. – Said the guard without a wart.

I reached out and gave the money out of the void. You won’t even be allowed into the city without money. Although officially everyone is allowed into the city without paying. But I wouldn’t argue with the guards. I don’t want to go to prison for resisting.

Although the guards spoiled my mood, the city lifted it. The beautiful ladies were dizzy. And after passing the local brothel, I indulged in memories, but Soph quickly cooled me off with a blow to the head and we moved on.

Here’s the guild. The same as I remember her. But last time they didn’t let me in. Entry is only for those over eighteen. Those are stupid rules. But today I got in without any problems. The guard at the gate only looked at us disdainfully, without saying a word. There are always a lot of rabble hanging around here. Inside, as always in such places, it was crowded. Someone drank dark kvass, someone played with dice or cards. About twenty people stood near the wall with tasks. Three reception desks. I went to the most beautiful lady who was available. She turned out to be a nice lady Cyclops. She smiled when she saw me. But when I noticed a thief next to me, my ardor diminished. I should at least draw a sign for this cat saying that he is only my friend. Otherwise I will have problems with my personal life.

– Hello, the most beautiful creature in the world. “I said, smiling. The lady immediately covered herself with paint. “I’m with my partner, we’re just friends.” – I emphasized noticing the interest not only of the receptionist, but also of the ladies at the next table. Fine. – We want to register in the guild. I also have things for sale. Skins and bodies.

– Yes, he and I don’t date, I’m dating for ladies. – Soph smiled at the Cyclops. – For little buds like you.

– Oh. I’m so pleased with this. The guild always needs new people. I am your curator Bai – Her cheeks were literally glowing. – Fill out these forms. We will accept the goods in the yard after receiving the documents.

I took the form and began to fill it out. Filled it out quickly. Noticing that my companion did not fill it out, but only twirled it in his hand, without understanding.

– You can’t write? – I asked quietly.

– Read too. Who will teach me the local language in the bandit camp? But my native language is not used here.

I nodded, took the form from him, asked questions and wrote answers. Editing the content a bit. He turned out to be such a foul-mouthed person. Handed over the forms. Cyclops examined them carefully. She took out a large stone of “Truth” and we put our hands together. The receptionist compared the form with the inscription on the stone.

– So this is “Mikhail underwear.” A year ago the whole city was talking about you.

– Yes it’s me. – Why make excuses?

– How interesting it is. You can tell me too. – Said the cheerful Soph, apparently he was interested in this story. That’s probably how he ran away from the ladies.

– I was walking with the wife of the local baron, Anna Yutu. And he ran away at night. I didn’t have time to take much of my clothes. That’s the whole story. – I turned to the curator. How is the bald chub doing?

– Eleanor Yutu died a month ago. And don’t you dare insult him, we loved him here. – Said the angry Baya. But then she changed her face, became sweet again and continued. “We are ruled by his wife Anna Yutu.

“We should go visit her and say hello.”

– The nephew of the previous baron rules with his new husband Yegor. Therefore, I forgive you, if you want to work in the guild, do not create problems for us.

– Understood. – I nodded. It’s a pity that the baroness still has good memories.

– Because there are documents there. Are we suitable for your guild? – the partner asked, grabbing the curator’s hand.

– Yes, come over. Here are your cards. “She put two square cards on the table. Our names were displayed on them. – Will you create a clan?

– Let’s. Let there be “The Magician and his friends.” – I said, looking at the dissatisfied face of the thief.

– Such a clan already exists. Need a different name.

– Let’s better call ourselves “Malawi”. So my homeland is called in the east. – Soph said, apparently this means a lot to him. I didn’t argue. He just nodded in approval, receiving an ear-to-ear smile from him. He’s cute when he smiles.

– How interesting I haven’t heard about this country. – The curator checked the records. – The name is free. Wonderful. Your iron rank is the lowest. But you can take on any tasks no higher than two ranks higher than yours. There is an iron rank and so on, steel, bronze, silver and gold. The greatest adventurers receive a platinum rank. But this rank is given personally by the king or the head of the guild for special merits.

– As you remember, I have skins and my friend wants to deposit money into the account. – I turned to the disgruntled thief. – Is it true?

He reluctantly placed six gold pieces on the table. The curator took them and registered them on our common account. Then she went out into the street with us where I took out skins and carcasses from the void. Earned three gold. A lot of. The Guild does not skimp on the reward. Everything was put into the account. Then she came in with us and helped us choose the first task. We took on the task of guarding a trade caravan. It’s a simple job in the evening and you don’t have to pay for a hotel.

The two of us left the guild. Strangely, we were not pestered by regulars. Maybe they have a rule not to bully newbies. After all, over time, fewer and fewer people began to become adventurers. Everyone becomes a bard, a craftsman or a merchant. There is more work there and the pay is better. Being an adventurer you won’t earn much money. And if war starts, they will be drafted like an ordinary soldier.

– Everything went well. It’s a pity, of course, I gave the money to the account. And it’s so nice when they warm your wallet. – At these words his stomach began to growl treacherously. How much will fit in there? We ate in the morning. Although he has a different metabolism, he is half-human.

– Let’s go to the tavern and gather rumors. This is the most important thing in our business. – I said smiling. Then he added more quietly. – Let’s eat fish with light kvass.

Hearing about the fish, his ears began to move, and I rejected the temptation to stroke them. We must respect him, although there were no bad thoughts about him.

Tavrena was nearby, right three houses away. The small town. How does he stay afloat? What makes it stand out? The building of the tavern did not stand out in any way, an ordinary log house of two floors. With a nondescript sign for me: “Tavrena Old Sturgeon”. But my companion was delighted. How he wants to eat. Inside, we were greeted by the usual smell of strong kvass and dumplings in these establishments. I love places like this. In them, my Rare Species teacher Matvey Teorit found five new species of pubic fleas. Therefore, I immediately covered myself with a light veil of poison. We sat down at the first free table. It was crowded. People like to hang out here. Someone was celebrating a wedding. The bride and groom and about twenty guests. On the other hand, there were wakes. People in black clothes were grieving. This is how life is here. Everyone else was walking and having fun for no reason.

– What can I bring you sweets? – Said the young busty elf. I examined her through a spell. Yes, the old lady has seen a lot.

– Grandma, we need some dumplings and light kvass. And bigger and fresher fish for the guy. – I said as politely as possible. Old people must be respected.

– Impudent. It’s always like this with you magicians. Others take me for a girl and give me good tips. And you all see, you bastards. I’ll bring food. – The waitress left with a snort.

– How did you find out that she is a grandmother? – Soph’s curiosity rose when the waitress left.

– I am a magician and can read all the data from everyone. Here he is. “I pointed to a strong man warrior surrounded by strong men like him. They were celebrating something loudly. My partner turned to get a better look at him. Naked to the waist, he evoked respect and fear. – I used to be an elf, and a dark one at that. I wouldn’t believe it myself.

– Yes. Your abilities amaze me. You magicians are so wonderful. What can you say about me?

– We need to look carefully. – I said feigningly. I examined him carefully this morning. – You have seen a lot of evil. I see you are in pain. But you are silent about them. “I put my hand on his stomach. He didn’t pull it away. – Complete healing. “A wave of green light went from my hand to his stomach and spread throughout his body. He smiled. It is clear that the pain is going away. – The pain will go away, but it will return. I can only take them off for a while. To recover, you need drugs. They are expensive. But maybe we can make some money and buy them. You can have children after them. I see you had problems with this.

I shouldn’t have said that; rage crossed his face. Got punched in the face. What did I want? The waitress brought the food and took the money and left, still snorting at me. They ate in silence. He refused to talk to me. We sat until evening. I listened to the conversations, but did not hear any useful information. Everyone praised the Baroness for her new laws. They scolded the king for his stupidity. In short, everything is as before. It’s time to go to work.

– Forgive me for my words. Let’s go, we still have to protect the merchants.

He just nodded, and we left the tavern and went to the merchants. They were waiting for us. Seven gnomes. Everyone, bearded and cheerful, was loading boxes into carts. What there was didn’t bother me.

– I’m Mikhail, this is Soph, we came from the guild to work. – I gave the card to the largest gnome.

– I’m Mateo. And these are my brothers. Only I can speak your way. Half payment upon arrival in the capital of the gnomes Magma. Then we load up another item and head back. We will stop in the capital for an hour. Don’t get lost there. We’ll come back and get the full amount. Agreed.

– Fine. – Why did he tell us this? It was still on the sign. I decided since we are newbies we need to chew on everything. Okay, at least it looks easy. They are strong guys and could handle it themselves. But the merchants’ guild demands protection of the cargo. So we had to hire people. But they didn’t want to pay a lot. And for starters, it’s a good thing for us to do. Not dusty and not bad money. And I’ll see the capital of the gnomes. Haven’t been there yet. Maybe I’ll go see the dwarf ladies. An hour is enough.

– Is your lady mute? Just silent.

– No, I’m not dumb. You little dork. And I’m not a lady, I’m a guy, all my life they’ve been taking me for a lady, I’m tired of it. We’ll do the work or you’re going to stare at me. Maybe he’ll undress so that you can see me better and understand that I’m not a lady.” He was furious. It’s good that this rage is not directed at me.

– I’m silent. Here’s the best place for you. “He pointed to a bench in the cart, on which there was a pillow and a blanket. “We thought there was a lady in the squad, so we bought it for you.” I’d better go ahead and download. You sit down, you can go to bed, we’re leaving in an hour. And sorry if I offended you.

The dwarf ran away to the others. The thief sat down, but his anger did not go away. I sat down opposite him, but then lay down and fell asleep. We need to gain strength. The road is long.

Chapter 3 Bandits and Traders

I haven’t slept so sweetly for a long time. I woke up from the shaking of the cart. It was already morning. The sun rose. The dwarf brothers were arguing about something in a language unknown to me. Although I studied a lot of them at the academy. Soph slept next to him. His sleep was disturbing. He tossed and turned and twitched his arms. Apparently he remembered his life in captivity. He suffered a lot. Now I have become its owner. We need to change. I’ll be gentle with him. He is my servant, debtor of life. Our destinies are connected.

– Mikhail woke up. – Said the familiar voice of Mateo. He rode next to us on a two-meter lizard that stood on both legs. Here they were called “reptiles”.

– Yes, it was a sweet dream. I can’t believe it myself.

– Apparently you had a lot of problems. So they broke out. Rest was needed. – He smiled. He’s a good guy, even though he’s a dwarf.

– Everyone has problems. How much longer to go?

– Seven o’clock, maybe eight. The roads can be crowded. Especially the bridge on the Irig River. There are customs officers standing there shaking money. Scoundrels. – He spat. – Who will restore order here?

– A strong warrior who will return everything back in ten years. – Said the awakened Soph. – In my country it was the same in Malawi.

– It may well be. – The dwarf said sadly. – And good morning. You want to eat. I made tea and made sandwiches. Or do you need a break? Wash there and – He made a significant pause, hinting at the bushes. – Go into the bushes. A magician can do everything. I know about you. I heard rumors.

– Yes I can. – I did not dispel his delusions. A magician’s honor is more valuable. I’ll be patient.

We stopped. While we were walking into the bushes, the gnomes quickly set up tables and chairs. A couple of minutes and I saw two tables with cups of tea and sandwiches filled. I waited for my companion, we ate. He never spoke to me. It may calm down over time. I never understood these demi-humans. They get offended and sulk. No, to talk.

Then they cleaned everything up just as quickly and moved on. Dwarves are funny people. Sang songs. We distributed dark kvass to everyone. After a couple of glasses, I started singing along, even though I didn’t understand the words.

We passed the border calmly. The dwarves gave the grimy guard a paw and moved on. So we found ourselves in a no man’s land between states.

Several hours passed. The dwarves in my cart began to shout something loudly. I realized this is not good. I took a closer look. Oh God. A crowd of magical beasts is coming towards us. My companion didn’t know what to do either, so he just pressed himself against me. Looks with sweet eyes. How can you not protect this? I began to read spells.

– What are you thinking? This is why we came here. – Mateo said proudly. I looked at the other dwarves. They were not afraid, on the contrary, they rejoiced. – We are animal hunters, boy. Sit quietly in the cart, we will do everything ourselves.

The dwarves took the carts to the side of the road. We stood with nets along the road. A crowd of animals rushed towards them. The first of them began to approach. They caught them with nets. And they stunned them with arrows from crossbows. Although they were small, no more than twenty meters in height, they were dexterous. By the time the herd of magical beasts left, they had caught fifty magical beasts. Mostly large birds. But among them were five magic wolves and a hippopotamus.

– They are migrating now. It’s time to hunt. – Said Mateo, covered in sweat. He was clearly pleased with himself. “We caught such beauties.” And also in no man’s land. You don’t have to pay taxes for catching, only for importing. Profitable. Hooray guys.

All the dwarves shouted joyfully. It was a good day for them. Soph pulled away from me, snorting disdainfully. I realized that I had to end this.

“Hit me and we’ll forget about that conversation.” “I thought he would answer something and start a manly conversation.” But the blow came quickly. In the jaw. In my most valuable place on my face.

– Everyone has passed. “He, apparently having calmed down, continued. – So our fellow gnomes are smugglers. They steal animals during migration and then sell them locally. With the proceeds they buy various goods in Magma and sell them in the country of Otis people. Smart. And most importantly, it’s almost legal. Dwarven border guards do not read well and documents are easy to forge.

– That’s right brother. – Said the cheerful gnome, building a cage on the second cart. – You adventurers will have to switch to a reptile. We need carts like we need cages.

– Let’s go, Mikhail. I get seasick on them, so I’ll sit in the back. I don’t like animals at all. – He said, helping me get up from the floor of the cart. His shot is good.

We got the animal young, but calm. Although the thief still didn’t like him. He stood rooted to the spot in front of him. Everything is shaking. Beat him.

– Are you afraid of reptiles? They are kind. I tamed a lot of these at the academy. “I said and deftly sat on him. Then he patted the green head. This is how they become kinder.

– No, I’m not afraid of them. – Said the shaking Soph. And when the beast began to sniff him, he fell to the ground, closing his eyes. The dwarves, to their credit, did not laugh at him but continued to silently build the cages.

– Sit behind me and close your eyes. He won’t bite, I promise.

– Fine. But if you cheat and he bites me. “He showed me his little fist. Although I already knew its strength.

– I promise.

I got off the reptile. He made her lie down on the ground. The companion sat on him with difficulty. I ordered the beast to stand up. He stood up with lightning speed. The guy began to tremble.

– Close your eyes and don’t open them.

He closed. Apparently he began to trust me. I mounted the beast. He took his hands and put them on his waist. He could not resist and grabbed me. He has strong hands. Nimble fingers.

– That the dwarf brothers are going to Magma.

– Yes. Cheers to the guys on the reptile. – Said the gnome. Everyone else started shouting joyfully. Apparently they are good guys.

Ten minutes and we continued on our way. Cages full of bound animals. Dwarfs singing funny songs. And the cute guy behind me who cursed all the reptiles in this sinful world. This is the song they sang. The senior dwarf translated it for me.

“On the road of stone we go home, we go

Along the road made of planks we go home, we go

Along the road of rubble we go home, we go

We’re going home off-road, we’re going

The road doesn’t matter to us. Only one thing is important to us.

That we’re going home, we’re going

For many years we have been jumping from city to city.

For many years we have been jumping from village to village.

For many years we have been jumping from deserts to forests.

The main thing is not to forget at the end.

That we’re going home, we’re going.

We don’t need wealth and gold.

We don’t need peace and comfort.

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