The Unbreakable Bow

The sun was shining and Aefrine's ears were full of the beautiful songs of nature. After travelling for one day alone with Larry, he met a travelling orc called Paul. He was riding a rusty wagon that was filled with wooden barrels led by a relatively big dinosaur. It was an Igua. Paul called it "Lisa the Igua". It had a bulky body, a long tail, and characteristic thumb spikes with a beak-like mouth. Lisa didn't seem to like Yuta...

"So, tell me, how much longer will it take? Is Olson still far ahead?"

"Eh...? Don't you see the sea ?"

"No...?"

"What do you mean no? All that blue on the horizon?"

"Oh, yes ..."

"Olson is that walled city on the right, let's just hope we arrive before nightfall..."

"So, what are these barrels filled with? If you don't mind..."

"Buttermilk."

"What? Like actually milk ?"

"Yes... but actually no.."

"Ok...how much does a barrel cost?"

"30,000 Marks."

"What?"

"W'at?"

"So you little brother can talk?"

"Eh, yes...but he doesn't talk much ..."

Paul was suspicious of Larry being completely covered, so Aefrine answered that he has a very bad sickness and cannot take them off and he is going to Hamilton to search for a cure. He was struggling so much, saying each word since he was obviously lying but Paul didn't bother to question further...

"Wow, his voice is rusty as my bones. I hope he gets well..."

"Ttt-hank you. I appreciate it."

"So, since when he have this horrible illness?"

"Er...A week ago...I think...so anyway you said a barrel was worth 30 Marks ?"

He was desperately trying to change the subject before he asked more questions.

"30 thousand marks, my boy. You think handling aurochs is easy ?"

"Excuse me, what are aurochs ?"

"Never seen one? Big furry four-legged animals with horns that yell Moooooo in your face every time you pass by... That is where milk comes from if you didn't know. "

"Oh, thanks..."

Aefrine was debating with himself if 30000 was really worth a barrel or not ... for the rest of the journey...

And they arrived...sort of.

There was a long line with many different travellers waiting in front of a giant gate. The only thing he could observe of the city was its very tall wall that was probably at least double the height of those giant dinosaurs that he saw in that field when he met Larry for the first time. He could also see the giant navy blue banners on the walls with rust-orange triangles on the tip part of the banner. Aefrine was wondering about their banner. To him, it felt too simple compared to Tabollba's T rex head...

There was also the sun that was on his right that was slowly going under the horizon. Despite enjoying the scenery, he was getting impatient...

Finally, as the place got dark, it was his turn.

"ID card."

"What ?"

"ID card."

"Oh, here ...."

He observed it and took a concerning look at him (concerning for Aefrine, not the guard).

"Sven Aefrine ..., first time I have seen a human from Tabollba. From where did you come from ?"

"Monastadt, sir..."

"And what is your business for visiting Olson? "

"Er... I am travelling to Hamilton and I am planning to take a boat from here, sir..."

"And what business you have in Hamilton ?"

"Oh,...er...you see, my younger brother has a bad illness and I am looking for a cure..."

"Oh, shit! Is it contagious?!"

"No, it is not! Hurry up already !" Complained Paul who was just behind them.

"Oh, really? Let the boy speak for himself. Are you sick, boy?"

He targeted Larry. Aefrine gave him a soft nod trying to tell him to say yes...

"YES, I AM SICK!"

From the horror of the voice, the guard jumped away.

"Damn, you better find a cure for him...so anyway, you have a nice Utahraptor here ..."

"His name is Yuta."

"HiS NaMe Is YuTa. From where did you get it ?"

"Er... It was a gift from the king..."

"A gift from the king ?!"

"Not himself, but from the royal family ..."

"The gift was for you ?"

"No, it was for my father. He was friends with them."

"Yeah, I was wondering how did a peasant get one of these. Do you carry any enchanted tools?"

"Er...there is the whip, the shield, my axe and this pauldron, here and-"

"And what rank are these tools?"

"Er, I don't know..."

"God Damnit. Hey Luigi , get the magic scanner!"

A short man came with what looked like a long magic box. It had seven colourful gems on it, from top to bottom, black, blue, green, orange, red, yellow and white. He put it above the whip. The white gem glowed.

"Below D rank."

For the axe and the shield, both of them made the yellow gem glow.

"D rank"

And the paulton made the red gem glow.

"C rank"

"So, two D ranks and a C rank. Then you are good to go. The entry fee is one ducat."

"What ?"

"The entry fee is one ducat, didn't you hear me?"

"I ...only have Marks ..."

"Then it will be three marks. Hurry up ."

He paid him and went to enter the city. And if Monastadt was beautiful then Olson was amazing. Larry's cloak billowed gently as a cool breeze swept through the streets, carrying with it the scent of the sea and the smoke of evening fires being lit. Inside the gates, narrow alleyways twisted between stone buildings, their upper stories leaning close as if whispering ancient secrets to one another. The faint sound of bells from a distant tower signaled the approaching end of the day, while shadows lengthened beneath the arches of the market square.

As the man dismounted, his eyes scanned the city's busy heart. Stalls packed with spices, silks, and crafts from far-flung lands were being packed away by traders, while tavern doors opened to welcome travellers for the night. The hum of life within the city walls was a mixture of fading daylight and the promise of rest, with an undercurrent of excitement as the city transitioned from day to night.

"So, where to go ...?"

"E' ? I don't know..."

He kept wandering around the town. And he felt like he had no place here. Seeing Monastadt from outside the huge castle windows was totally different from experiencing city life first-hand. All the different shops, people, and monuments didn't seem so majestic from up close. Some folks didn't give him a friendly look. He was riding an Utahraptor with a fully clocked boy after all. He was quite afraid to ask anyone about where to get a boat to Hamilton. He found a short man who was still taller than Larry, lining on a wall near a torch. He was looking the other way. It did look suspicious even to Aefrine but he was getting desperate now that night had arrived at its fullest.

"Hi, I am Aefrine. I am looking how to get boa-"

"Eh?!"

He took a few steps back, took one look at Aefrine and then Larry before he ran away into the darkness of an alleyway.

"Wait, I mean no harm!"

He chased after him.

"Get back here !"

It wasn't Aefrine who yelled. He turned behind to see the old wagon of who else than Paul.

"You are the one who is going to get harmed if you follow him ."

"Oh, sorry...Thanks ?"

"What are you doing here anyway at night ?"

"Oh, I am just searching for a boat to Hamilton. "

"What? The port is closed. Just go to an inn and take a boat tomorrow morning. You know what, I know a place, come with me ."

"Oh, thank you, sir , really. "

"Just hurry up already"

As went through the dark streets, Aefrine couldn't help but notice that his wagon was full of empty barrels now.

"Oh, Paul, what happened to the buttermilk ?"

"I sold it , obviously. "

"Oh, yes , of course. Are you staying here ?"

"No, I am only a deliverer. I am just going to rest for the night and tomorrow morning, I will be gone."

"Ok. Hope you have a nice journey. "

Finally, after some time, they reached a gate where they entered a wide stable. Two orcs came and had a small chat with Paul which Aefrine didn't hear. As one of them was taking care of Igua, the other said in Celtonic:

-Are you really from Tabollba, sir?

"Er..yes, how did you know?"

"Your friend told us so, let me help you. "

He took the lead and put Yuta in a nice place and added :

-Sir, you can go to the inn, I will take care of stuff.

"But I need my stuff ."

"Oh, take what you need but any enchanted tools that exceed D rank are illegal inside. I take care of them. "

"Ok...."

He had no reason to take his whip, so he left all his tools and took everything else.

"Hey, may I know your name, please? "

"Sven Aefrine, and you ?"

"Hans Weiser"

"Oh...good night!"

"Good night! Have a nice stay."

He had no reason to mention that he also happened to know someone else with the same name...

As he entered the inn, he found an unpleasant scene. A man was having a verbal fight with what seemed like the manager.

"No, I didn't pay you a private room, so I get attacked by a fucking Compso !"

"I already told you we are sorry. This is the first time our inn had such a problem. I sincerely apologise but honestly, I would have not expected an A rank raider to be bothered by such a small pest."

An A rank ???

"Oh, don't even start you fraud. I have fought much more serious threats on a daily basis and that is why I expect a sense of peace and comfort in this wreak of an inn . Why do you I even pay you ?! Your staff doesn't have the tiniest qualifications for their job!"

"Oh, that is enough, I will not tolerate such behavior . And I don't care if you are a guild master or not !"

A guild master ???

"You are lucky, I am in a good mood today or else I would have brunt this place to the ground. But this will not be the last of me !"

The man went downstairs ...

"Yeah, just go to the bar and get yourself drunk like the basterd you are! "

Aefrine was so focused on the fact that he found a guild master on the night of his arrival and completely forgot why he was there. God must be favouring him today. This man is A rank raider . He must be a expert, considering that he doesn't look too old . He definitely needed to have a talk with him before he left town.

Larry pushed him froward a bit to remind him that the manager is waiting for him... He quickly booked a private room for two. The price was 400 ducats (500 Marks) per night . It was expensive but the alternative was sleeping with other people which Aefrine was not ready for in any form...

He hastily put all his stuff, told Larry to guard them until he returned and he went jogging to the tavern passing by Paul who was getting his own room. And he entered.

It was a dimly lit, rustic room with rough wooden tables and benches scattered around a stone or dirt floor. The air was filled with the smell of wood smoke from the hearth. Candles or oil lamps flicker on the tables, casting shadows on the walls.

At the bar, a few patrons sit on stools, drinking ale or mead from wooden mugs. Others gather at tables, speaking in low voices or playing dice. The innkeeper, a stout figure, was pouring drinks from large barrels behind the bar. The sound of laughter, the clatter of mugs, and the occasional shout from a game of chance fill the room. And finally a clam musical tone fulling the room . Its source was unknown however.

The man Aefrine was looking for was next to the far side of the bar, of the front bar . The only man near him was the bartender who was busy polishing some barrels. He went and sat a little close to him, acting like he doesn't know him. He knows that this raider is definitely in a bad mood and simply asking for a job would make him suspicious.

"Hello sir , what can I get you tonight?"

"Oh,sir, I would a cup of ...milk!"

Aefrine could swear that both the bartender and the man next to him was giving him a bad look.

"I am afraid that we don't have such luxury ,but we do have buttermilk if you want. "

"Oh, yes please sir"

"45 Ducats."

"Err... I only have Marks..."

"Then it will be 55 Marks."

As the bartender went to get his order, the raider whispered before taking another sip into his beer:

-You are lucky that they accept change here.

Aefrine was happy that the man had started the conversation and he seemed in a better mood . However just as he went to ask him about himself, the music stopped and it was replaced with a male voice that simply could be described that it is competing with Larry when it comes to a rusty voice...

Aefrine quickly realised the source of music . Not far from the bartender was a box that had some gems on it and everything time it emitted sound , the biggest gem on it would glow .

"Breaking news: The upper council of the United Realms has voted in favor of cancelling the membership of The Hirohasm Empire in The C.O.T.U.R. "