Kage had to step to the side of the hustle and bustle of the entryway.
She slipped past a building right by the entrance and behind a couple merchant's stalls who were trying to coax over travelers as they entered and breathed a sigh of relief. She made it.322Please respect copyright.PENANAfn3I2LMED0
She let the relief wash over her for a minute before putting her guard up again and taking in her surroundings.322Please respect copyright.PENANABc0Q3tU7SN
Most people who made it through the gate kept going right through the outer area into the area behind the second wall.322Please respect copyright.PENANAsfqPlCG2zR
The first wall was decrepit from age and battle, though it still stood tall and strong to a certain point.322Please respect copyright.PENANAPhQPSnMv8j
This must have been the poorer part of the city, it made sense since this was the part against the outer wall.322Please respect copyright.PENANA4cJi1Ab7QR
Past what must have been a barracks or outpost for the city's soldiers on either side of the gate and the merchants probably strategically placed to hide the less attractive buildings, the houses here were made of wood, or stone on the lower levels, and stretched up the wall in scaffolds and stairways giving them a haphazard and dizzying appearance.322Please respect copyright.PENANALw8I6LYwvV
While she would have rathered to explore this area of the city more, she clenched and unclenched her fists before turning back into the crowd toward the inner layer.322Please respect copyright.PENANA78K1Uox4oF
She had to get a feel for the whole city, learn the ins, outs, how to behave, and how she was possibly going to survive here. That would mean work of some kind, and people don't often like to give work to obvious outsiders.322Please respect copyright.PENANA6ReffuotdY
The entrants to the city. She spotted the two from the entry line again, back on their horses now.322Please respect copyright.PENANAeUHEZLzqCi
They were almost in the second layer now and soon disappeared into it.322Please respect copyright.PENANA5B0acxhMek
Kage followed the direction, pushing past a mule and a couple merchants wearing bright colours.322Please respect copyright.PENANA5TkNRFFIMs
The inner layer started to unfold ahead, and to Kage's surprise it revealed that it was not in fact the inner layer, but the second layer. On the other side still tall even in the distance, the third wall stood, just as tall as the other two with even less sign of wear.322Please respect copyright.PENANApB4nUa9M9y
A marketplace stretched out before her on either side of the inner gateway. This area was packed with shops and stalls of all kinds and everyone entering this layer merged with the crowd of the marketplace.322Please respect copyright.PENANA8g5eGCpOd6
Kage did her best to avoid bumping into people, but as she weaved around not looking for anything in particular, the anxiety built up like a fog over her mind. Every shout and shopkeeper's call made her spin her head in their direction, and the murmur of the crowd drowned out her thoughts.322Please respect copyright.PENANAwpRnNvxqyO
Her fingers tapped in an erratic rhythm as she struggled to focus. If the crowd was too much, get outside. She made a beeline to the area behind the marketplace, in the direction of the inner city. The bustle ended abruptly the minute she passed behind the last row, where stone buildings replaced stalls. People still passed by, mostly carrying crates to the market area, and she could tell they payed her no mind which was a great comfort.322Please respect copyright.PENANAcVdzutbQYg
The hindrance was that this while city was like a circular maze. Judging by the curve of the marketplace, if she had stayed on that path she would have gone all the way around the city.
"This is the kind of thing I can figure out when I'm not panicking." She thought bitterly.322Please respect copyright.PENANAwG5aRQ1WJ0
Her wandering took her no place in particular, she passed by a couple smitheries, a carpenter's shop, all the background places to the market. The houses here were shorter and sturdier than those in the outer layer, which gave her a better view of the walls surrounding it and helped her sense of direction.322Please respect copyright.PENANAq3q4unt6nA
She didn't necessarily want to go further into the inside of the city though, not only would that take a while judging by the distance of the inner wall, the most affluent area would probably be in there, and that was not somewhere she would fit in.322Please respect copyright.PENANAfUiNO5S4gQ
This area too, was more residential now that she was outside of the market area. While she didn't want to go back, the same problem came to the front of her mind: "What am I going to do?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAwl6GYbF6wB
The obvious answer was find work or starve. But that didn't make it any less daunting. Where? And how? One thing was for sure though. She wouldn't find any answers lost in a residential area.322Please respect copyright.PENANAyLUbLD4a8o
Instead of trying to retrace her steps, she changed direction back toward the second wall. "It should take me back to that area eventually." She reasoned.322Please respect copyright.PENANA0SbbotIAJ5
It did, and after the distance she'd wandered, the marketplace was thinning out in the place where she emerged.322Please respect copyright.PENANA8J0mtuKp9i
A couple of taverns and shops that were buildings instead of stalls, including an armour and weapons shop were the kind of buildings in this area. What caught her eye was a huge building with the title "Adventurer's Guild" in huge golden letters above the entryway. The building gave off a presumptions and tough appearance, which meant she would never cross those doors. 322Please respect copyright.PENANAaGLPRuXHzL
On top of that, it meant that the people on the streets here were more intimidating than she was willing to handle.322Please respect copyright.PENANARJOQ2uohdE
A feminine figure in a dark blue cloak, a massive man carrying enough weapons for six people, a group of five in matching black and red cloaks.322Please respect copyright.PENANAmliXk8Vtsc
None of them even glanced her way, but she quickly got moving again, heading left away from the direction of the market.322Please respect copyright.PENANAGisrUdYdII
"Perhaps that's a bad idea. Should I turn back?" Kage thought. But without a plan, it didn't matter much which direction she walked, and that thought nagged in the back of her mind.
So, she paused again, this time resting against the wall around another guild, the Apothecary's guild, the Adventurer's guild just out of sight around the curve of the city.322Please respect copyright.PENANAumlHOa9O4u
It was nagging at her. The thought that perhaps a vague-sounding place like "Adventurer's Guild" could be her best chance at finding some kind or work. Many parties she'd watched had had a page of some kind, and the truth was, she could fight.322Please respect copyright.PENANALkLS95eMXq
She was familiar with quests and adventures, having watched different kinds of quest for her entire life. Familiar with, but with no experience of her own, except...No, that didn't count.322Please respect copyright.PENANAEZzjgUulEu
"But there will be dangerous people in there." Her thoughts cut in. "Trained fighters, magic users, and you don't know anything about this world's magic."322Please respect copyright.PENANA7nSK9Ws97G
Though that wasn't going to change by her standing around. But as she racked her brains for another option, nothing came to mind. It didn't help that the more she worried about it, the more her thoughts got muddy and confused.322Please respect copyright.PENANAp8c6JxAB9r
She put some movement into her feet again, back in the direction she'd come as she tried to clear her thoughts, or at least get a grasp on one that made sense.322Please respect copyright.PENANANupLj7FLD5
She peered ahead as the Adventurer's Guild came back into sight, the afternoon was passing, and the traffic was starting to clear up. The woman in the blue cloak was still there, possibly waiting for someone, and Kage hoped she wouldn't notice her passing by and coming back again.322Please respect copyright.PENANAgAEttJGfHw
The building loomed in front of her once again, banners of many different colors and designs decorated the thick stone walls, and a pair of carved, intimidating wooden doors marked the entrance, one open and one closed.322Please respect copyright.PENANAKyd2EihSys
As she slowly approached the building, she could see the design more clearly. On those curves were some strange letters, or characters, similar to the ones on some of the banners. While few had an image, like a white hand on a black background or a horse on a blue banner, many were decorated with strange curved symbols that appeared to be some form of writing. Not the primary method of writing, however. The signs in this city, including the inscription above the door, were all written in plain English.322Please respect copyright.PENANAbKI4ibmmBt
"It's the girl from the gate!"322Please respect copyright.PENANAyilQtmZmfH
Kage's thoughts were cut short, and her head shot up to see the two boys from earlier exiting the open door, the blond one still with a cheerful expression waving to her, but the other visibly annoyed.322Please respect copyright.PENANAxN8yXwJrVH
She had a better opportunity to notice their features now. The blonde one was much taller than his friend, but that was because the dark-haired one was on the short side, perhaps only a foot and a half above Kage.322Please respect copyright.PENANAnrxI8uF2iU
The blond one wore an old-looking brown coat and simple clothes with sandaled feet. He carried a sword across his back and a pouch at his side. Though his hair was short on the back, his bangs covered his forehead and two strands of hair hung in front of his ears.322Please respect copyright.PENANAfFxXggQpA1
The black-haired one wore a dark vest that looked thick, like some kind of armour, over a collared white shirt. He carried a sword as well, though more of a short sword from the look of it. His asymmetric bangs hung over the right side of his face, and though a bit harder to see, he had a small ponytail tied with a dark blue ribbon.322Please respect copyright.PENANAWDoFr048YN
"Forgive me, but you don't exactly seem like the adventurer type." The tall one approached her.322Please respect copyright.PENANAY8mZDcTFZj
"Well, not exactly." She spoke, eyes darting around before eventually meeting his eyes. "But I needed work of some kind, and thought this could be the place to come."322Please respect copyright.PENANAYcYafWKyR2
"C'mon Shole, let's go." The other started to walk past.322Please respect copyright.PENANAsjscCKOwfZ
"Go on ahead. Meet you at the inn?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAnJ3odxZz8W
"Huh? What for?!" he spun around.322Please respect copyright.PENANA53ZssfGKfo
"Trust me." Shole smiled.322Please respect copyright.PENANAvlVGXjYR0d
The dark-haired boy raised his eyebrows, but sighed, rolled his eyes, and stomped past them into the city.322Please respect copyright.PENANAvmrG7QWQjI
Kage shifted uncomfortably, and Shole noticed. "Oh, obviously if you want to get out of here that's up to you. I guess, I just wanted to talk to you about something."
"Oh, and don't mind my friend, he can just be rude sometimes." He continued, without waiting for her answer."322Please respect copyright.PENANAhrhc5dwZKC
"What about?" Kage asked. His demeanor was a lot easier than she'd noticed from any of the other people in this area, and she was not in a position to turn down any options.322Please respect copyright.PENANAKlmKVSZrWI
He smiled again. "Well, first of all, my name's Shole. And you are?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAxq9udCNqv6
"Kage."322Please respect copyright.PENANATKd6kLRC4L
She took his extended hand and shook it. His hands were calloused, probably from using his sword.322Please respect copyright.PENANAQfwFn3kROo
"Well, as you can see, Artlem, my friend-" he clarified, gesturing after the dark-haired boy, "-and I are looking for some help with a well, a quest of ours. And it may seem a bit strange, but you stood out somehow, and I usually have pretty good intuition about this kind of thing."322Please respect copyright.PENANAtToVdqnfNv
She wasn't sure how to respond to that, but he seemed to be waiting on a response.322Please respect copyright.PENANA5ILBIFQ9o2
"Um, what kind of quest? Like you said, I'm not exactly a mercenary."322Please respect copyright.PENANAcUahIRj6pH
"That's exactly it. You see, we do need to recruit a 'muscle', but there's something else we're looking for that no one yet has had." He shrugged. "I think we were expecting too much of one person."322Please respect copyright.PENANAikai0ZXq7U
"And what is that?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAj7Lf48HyWS
"Well, what do you know about Calligriphics?"322Please respect copyright.PENANA9zkdx49Hyy
She'd never heard of that before. "Nothing."322Please respect copyright.PENANArLBecMY03l
His face fell. "Oh. That's too bad."322Please respect copyright.PENANAI4n6Wm9gVc
His brow furrowed. "Well, what about your memory?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAXXR6DsrdFw
Well, that had been her entire occupation.322Please respect copyright.PENANAulJUHzXAwg
"It's very good, actually."322Please respect copyright.PENANAEeCosaXjIk
His face brightened again. "Mind if I test something out?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAI76YE2QJmE
"That depends." She said, concerned.322Please respect copyright.PENANAVVLG6sVxqB
He chuckled. "It's nothing special." He motioned for her to follow and made his way off to the side of the entryway as a couple other people were leaving the building. He leaned against the side of a wall and pulled out a simple book from his pouch. Kage followed, and noticed that the current page was blank, though scribbles showing through showed that this was more of a journal than a book.322Please respect copyright.PENANAHmHxdO3yjv
"It's just a memory test." Shole continued, rummaging through his bag. "I'll trace a pattern, and get you to write it in the exact same way."322Please respect copyright.PENANAlt7AH853xX
He pulled out a charcoal pencil and handed it to her.322Please respect copyright.PENANAGuyrmNDX8U
Kage accepted it, moving to his side where he held out the pages.322Please respect copyright.PENANAAKYKwWIThZ
"Alright, you ready?" He asked.322Please respect copyright.PENANArsXMttzc3E
Kage nodded in response.322Please respect copyright.PENANAd3sJEl74hw
Using his index finger, he traced a strange character over the center of the page. Even though the trace went in different directions and occasionally doubled back, he kept it in one stroke.
He finished, and held out the book to her.322Please respect copyright.PENANA9ERsv6lmoP
It wasn't hard, though of course it would have been easier if she could actually see what she was drawing.322Please respect copyright.PENANAaKNTP5J6qU
She started in the upper right just like he did, and every movement filled in the character from left to right, top to bottom.322Please respect copyright.PENANAIIlNuyD7Jo
The finished character looked similar to something from Earth.322Please respect copyright.PENANA2AcrQlIidn
"That's amazing Kage!" Shole said. "Almost perfect, and I'm sure it would be if you had seen the character for reference."322Please respect copyright.PENANAIhXUa436YU
Exactly. She nodded.322Please respect copyright.PENANA3XvTat5U8W
"How about a more complicated one?" He said, turning the page.322Please respect copyright.PENANA8gB6LsVTCj
"Sure."322Please respect copyright.PENANA4hnYAZaGYj
He traced out another shape, keeping the same steady pace as before, but this time as he got to the bottom of the character, he continued the stroke into a second one.322Please respect copyright.PENANAgGMawXCTTA
She raised the pencil and followed the same stroke, making the two characters thinner so they still appeared as one just as he had done.322Please respect copyright.PENANA0cdMQwN2Pl
"Great!" He turned to another blank page, and traced out another character.322Please respect copyright.PENANAPxtfuQzNPn
Kage drew, following the stroke which took more twists and turns than the previous one.322Please respect copyright.PENANAR5Kz7pwjc0
He traced out a total of ten different characters, Kage getting used to the patterns and rules associated with this language every time.322Please respect copyright.PENANAyzxPpQ83Ql
"Alright, one last one." He said after the tenth character.322Please respect copyright.PENANAmyFdJxYZNt
Kage nodded in response, though he questions about the purpose of this were growing.322Please respect copyright.PENANAPvxzATbuhu
"Can you remember the first one you drew?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAm9ZbN8DNKK
"I think so." She nodded. At least the first was the easiest out of them.322Please respect copyright.PENANAGzAvMiviNh
She started from the top left and made her way down, doubling back a couple times and keeping it all in the single stroke.322Please respect copyright.PENANAu5iDcJZWx5
She looked up to Shole to see his expression, and he was grinning ear to ear.322Please respect copyright.PENANABQFHMdU4eG
"You're right, you do have a good memory! Much better than the others we tried to recruit!"322Please respect copyright.PENANATqdZieyEPX
"And recruit for what, exactly?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAZfKMDzhXtS
"Hm. Well, I'd have to discuss with my friend before sharing too many details. It's a bit secretive you see." Kage noticed he carefully considered his words. "We need someone with a good memory to help us...find a couple Calligriphics. Though, I guess you said you didn't know what that means."322Please respect copyright.PENANA9W9KkEg4Bz
She nodded.322Please respect copyright.PENANAe7RASTbB5J
"Right." He paused. "They're certainly less common now, though I still would've thought everyone knew about them. Where are you from, Kage?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAC6drKI8GfH
She froze, but only for a minute before remembering her entry story from the gate.322Please respect copyright.PENANA7ziaJq54Yb
"I grew up on a small farm outside the Dust. There was a fire, and I made my way here."322Please respect copyright.PENANA8nZH7S0TgN
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I didn't mean to..."322Please respect copyright.PENANAZPWrJlI5V8
"Don't worry about it." She gave a small smile, though she hated lying.322Please respect copyright.PENANAoiSSzAyoFW
The silence was awkward for a minute before Shole continued.322Please respect copyright.PENANAjJwgDopfcV
"Well, fair disclosure as well, this quest of ours may be dangerous, though we're not expecting anything too crazy." He scratched the back of his head.322Please respect copyright.PENANAioCTdtZZKE
"What do you think, Kage? I'll tell you a bit more about Calligriphics on the way to meet Artlem if you think it's something you'd be interested in. Of course, anytime until we make some formal agreement you're free to walk out."322Please respect copyright.PENANAB0xcg47fqu
She wanted to think about it more, but chances were this was the best option she was going to get. With no knowledge of this world, no skills in a trade, and no money, and offer like this might actually be good luck for a change. The secrecy was a little suspicious, but, she could always back out once she heard more.322Please respect copyright.PENANAMu4tP8YpD7
"Okay, I'll come along." She said, pushing some determination in her voice to hide her nervousness.322Please respect copyright.PENANADFeB9qyyKw
"Great!" Shole smiled again. "Well, the two have a rendezvous in this layer, it's an inn in the north area." He said, replacing the book in the satchel at his waist.322Please respect copyright.PENANAWqkeyWQkXV
"Shall we go?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAJTGfPn1xZ8
"Sure."322Please respect copyright.PENANAI0LRlmF2qZ
"So, Calligriphics is an old magic language, one I've been studying since I was a child."322Please respect copyright.PENANAtQoECo4NdJ
Kage and Shole walked the main road of the second section, continuing through the worker's area. Shole didn't seem to know this area very well, but seemed to be following instructions on where to go.322Please respect copyright.PENANAx4c3m6a2ej
Though she didn't fully trust Shole, she had no reason to distrust him either, and it was so much easier to walk with someone else.322Please respect copyright.PENANAxRhtrnNNCY
"Wait, so I was writing in a magical language?" She exclaimed.322Please respect copyright.PENANAxiP3H5gcE1
"Well, yes." He reassured. "But there has to be intent behind the Calligriphics. On top of that, charcoal isn't reliable for writing it, because the stroke can be so easily broken."322Please respect copyright.PENANAdhg2ItoIco
She nodded, though still perturbed. "I still would have rathered know that beforehand."322Please respect copyright.PENANAaqXUpVBZqh
"Sorry! I guess I got carried away. Most people still know about Calligriphics, even if they don't know any."322Please respect copyright.PENANAPW6g3RLaX2
He waited for a minute to see if she would say anything else on the subject, and continued when she didn't.322Please respect copyright.PENANAEPCYEOx5GD
"It's basis is on the meaning of the character, the one stroke, and the intent. The more complex the character, the more power you can draw."322Please respect copyright.PENANAVFSxy1w5PX
He must have noticed Kage's eyebrows furrow, because he quickly elaborated.322Please respect copyright.PENANA7dAMhFJtCB
"Say you want to draw up water from the ground. You could write the character for "water", and that's pretty much exactly what you're looking for, but it might not specifically draw it out from the ground. In order to make it more specific, you might want to use the character for "draw out". And that character does exist, there are so many Calligriphics that no one knows them all, and many are certainly lost forever to the sands of time."322Please respect copyright.PENANA8Brk7z75z8
"And you know a lot of these?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAbITiZTGr8g
"Certainly not as many as I'd like, but I've studied them for quite a while, yes."322Please respect copyright.PENANAmozrvxQKLe
"Then why do you need me?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAMQ7efrxCSH
He paused, and Kage couldn't help thinking he looked a little guilty. "Well, I can't really explain that part. Without my friend's approval, that is. He is the leader on this particular venture, and well, for reason I'll hopefully be able to tell you soon, we can't have word of it getting around."322Please respect copyright.PENANAeFh9iYyUaL
"Is that why you couldn't find anyone?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAuwnmMpM99o
Shole blinked for a minute. "What makes you say that?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAyAgld7uzXs
"Well, your friend didn't look too happy. And he didn't seem to think I'd be any help, so I'd assume you wouldn't be asking me if you had someone else in mind."322Please respect copyright.PENANAIk0RGTC0EO
Shole sighed. "True, that reasoning makes sense. It's not a good sign if we look desperate though."322Please respect copyright.PENANAUtuwsSmbrh
"Well, not desperate, just..." She tried to walk it back.
"Don't worry about it. We're not exactly experts at this. Though, that probably makes us seem even more appealing for teammates."322Please respect copyright.PENANAwL1STntfxv
"Depends on the money I'd imagine." Kage said aloud, thinking of how many people she'd seen go along with a crazy quest for a chance at a good paycheck.322Please respect copyright.PENANAyGwLGuTwmo
"Well, that's what we're hoping." Shole smiled.322Please respect copyright.PENANAG4jGsgS7fD
His smile was innocent and unassuming, giving off the impression of someone who would't harm a fly, but the sword on his back said something different, so Kage kept an eye on her surroundings.322Please respect copyright.PENANAmfGuFqpBC3
There were fewer people as the sun set, the orange part of the sky barely visible above the walls.322Please respect copyright.PENANAY05ZApvcj9
They soon turned off into a smaller road, and not long after arrived at a wood and stone building with the sign hanging over the door reading: The Falcon's Nest.322Please respect copyright.PENANAZZCOHdzv5O
Kage hesitated for a minute as Shole ascended the three steps to the door. It sounded crowded and noisy in there, and she had not yet set foot in a building since her arrival in the city.322Please respect copyright.PENANAUwy95v7FFe
Shole turned back and met her eyes, trying to read the expression on her face and her tapping fingers.322Please respect copyright.PENANAmEdkDJSwIr
He held out his open hand. "Coming?"322Please respect copyright.PENANAGntAppdfPv
Kage took one step forward, and then silently ascended the rest of the stairs, through the door which Shole held open for her.
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