The soldiers back at Plainsight Fort asked why Pen has yet to register as an adventurer. Which Pen said that he does not have the money yet, and he thinks that he can get by as a wanderer. But the soldiers adamantly tell the boy not, and wish for him to go visit a guild—The closest that they recommended is at Downing Hills. And, many of them pitched in for the sagging cloth Pen has now, hanging by his horse’s saddle. A saddle which the soldiers gave him, along with a sword, chain mail and a teleportation scroll that he was told to use when in trouble. All in his bag, and hanging together with his sag of gold coins.
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Clear sky today, with feathery clouds drifting fast like his horse’s gallop. Cyndin road flock with wild chickens and their chicks roaming around freely. With the friendly Plain ladies tending to the tall grasses. Pen waves hi at them and they greet him back with the same fervor, wishing the boy luck in their gentle smile and gazes. Which he needs ten minutes later as he encounters a trio that asks—no, not even asks, threaten Pen and his horse with their rustic swords.
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“Give me your toll! We are the road wardens here!” Helmet guy with his hands on his hip
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“That’s right, now be a good boy and show me what you got in that bag and sag.” Horshoe faced lady with an overly hunched back that she looks like she is talking to the horse’s thigh.
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“I hear clinking, clinking on that sag!” The dwarfized fat one pointing at the hefty cloth which Pen takes and hugs it close. “Coins! Its coins! See how he holds them!?”
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“Give that” Forcing their steps and hands towards Pen.
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The horse rearing in fright. Before a dark-skinned lady shouts at them to stop. Her barkcloth strap around her chest and waist that drape down to her knee caps, sheathing out a dagger from her back. But these vermins keep their hands and eyes for the sag, pulling on the cloth until it rips open. Golden Stratas clinking and raining thud on the dirt road. And the lady sees them, its precious gold and tearing up owner being picked up by dirty hands. She charges towards them, and with a cry she crashes on helmet vermin before elbowing the dwarfized one. Both fall immediately faint. While the overly hunched tries to run away, her opportunity turning out to be a mistake with the lady’s dagger flying and pierce through her side. The lady takes her weapon out the dirtied flesh, and with tight clenched jaw, “Lost and begone!”
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And only the hunched vermin scramble herself away with a bleeding side. Her feet checking how drooling and sweaty the other two’s unconscious faces became, “Is the boy okay?” turning to Pen who is picking up the gold, “Bad Cyndorillians here and there, must be a fright. Especially alone with hefty gold.”
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“My thanks lady, many thanks” hurriedly picking up the gold coins and throwing them into the bag. He knows that the lady is Djahatian by her rich dark skin. And from what he heard from grandpa, Djahatians are treasure hunters, eager to make gold or earn gold. He sees her pick up some of the coins, sweating before confronting…She offers the coins and Pen reluctantly takes them, “You won’t steal them?”
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“Another’s gold is not one’s own. One only needs to work and gold comes to them. This, is not mine.” Helping Pen open his hand wider to hold the Stratas, before the boy drops them straight into the bag. “Where is the boy heading?”
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Pen thinks for a moment, wondering if it is alright to converse with a stranger especially a foreign one. Seeing the lady help him and pick up the coins, he gulps down his nervousness, “Downing Hill, to the Adventurers guild there.”
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“A meaning adventurer?” smiling and picking up the last few coins. “One came there earlier to fetch the reward of a prized hunt. One can escort the boy there for a guard, and for no Stratas of course. Just one’s out of kindness and thrill to see another become an adventurer.”
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All the spilled coins are now back to Pen and in the sagging bag. A family of hedgehogs strolling at the side of the dirt road. “But I can take care of my own…” a squirrel hears, totally needing help for the ground nut it picked up. Having an armadillo roll on it to crack the hard outer shell.
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“Is the boy sure?” She asks, mentioning what she observes, “One saw that the boy did not take arms, hands scared that they grip hard on the reins. Like a toddler to her mother’s breasts. The boy was afear, and did not know what to do…Can the boy really be sure?”
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Pen laughs, nervously so because he really has the iron sword given by the soldiers. He told them that he is going to become an adventurer but he got scared stiff by some vermins. “I—If…If you’d like to…” Shyly saying, “you can come…”
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“No embarrassment in that” She grins wide, hands pleased as they rest on her side. “One’s feet can keep up with a Chorus’s speed. So need not worry.” Walking behind the horse and hearing the boy ask what a Chorus is. “Interesting beasts of vast inlands. They run fast, with wings but cannot fly. Only run fast on land.” Spanking the horse’s behind for the animal to rear and gallop. The lady quickly catching up with long strides and light swift steps. Sprinting as if she is gliding on air. With Pen screaming as he holds onto his bag and reins for dear life.
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Not under a minute of clouds later, the horse galleps to a canter as they arrive downhill, trotting through Dowing village where laundries are being hanged, the men tending to their gardens and children playing paper airplane that the Yoreans invented. Pen has read of the Yorean news that went wildfire last year, paper airplanes now a new toy for the children. Though he does not know what airplane means.
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Adventurers clad in iron, some in plain leather with their arms or bows on their back. Some are walking around with their dogs, while others are trotting like Pen in heading up or down the hill. The young ladies also fond around the Djahatian lady whom they call “Asktoret” Her name that Pen forgot to ask. Pen introduced himself when Asktoret gestured to him. And the young ladies think he is cute. Blushing Pen and thrilling Berberry to come out of his palm and wave her hellos.
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“Wow, the boy has a Nautren with him?” Asktoret pats Berberry, with the Nautren happily clapping with her large dark hands
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And Pen introduced Berberry as well, saying that he found her at a forest and since she was following him all around. Pen says that Berberry must also want to become an adventurer. Smoothly mingling his introduction and question to where the Adventurer’s guild in Downing Hill is. The young ladies all point down past the houses, saying that there will be a white apple tree and beside it would be a three-storey wooden lodge for the adventurers and patrolling Cyndin soldiers.
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Pen nods his thanks and tells to Asktoret that he can go on alone from here but the lady does not wish to leave the boy just yet. Waving her farewell to the young ladies as both head down to Pen’s first Adventurers Guild.
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