The ride through the plains had been steady, thanks in part to the traveling merchant and his desire for protection through the fields. The threat of bandits lingered upon the last stretch of land, supplying work for the adventurers of Salovont. The horse-pulled carriage made better time than travelling on foot, allowing for a quick arrival at one’s destination.
With protection from the sun and a place to stretch his body, the hooded man laid back in the large cargo hold of the carriage. Adventuring life had its blissful days, the pleasure of relaxation was divine, though he hungered for a full belly, after a long week of quest.
“You're alright back there…. Sir?” Raagi said, the owner of the carriage. The merchant offered the traveling adventurer a reward for his services: to protect his goods through the plains.
A silent exchange between the two ensued. The adventurer gave him a slight nod. No contract was needed for simple work, one’s word was sufficient, with the added benefit of passage on the carriage. Raagi and the adventurer needed communication, in case the situation called for it.
“Call me, Shii.” The adventurer peered one eye at the merchant. Raagi gave him a quick nod of acknowledgment, but quickly pulled his gaze away from Shii’s menacing tone.
Shii understood more than anyone how his appearance looked to an outsider. His black cloak, along with his black leather armor, gave him more of a villainous quality than that of an adventurer. An odd combination compared to the average servant of the guild. He wore light armor for ease of movement; occasionally he caught himself in need of heavy armor, but those events were far too rare to justify the purchase.
Raagi’s attire matched that of a merchant: light fabric and breathable trousers. He was not from Avila, or a resident of the city of Salovont; he had the light brown skin of someone from Astya. Astya was a large continent to the far east of Avila. Avila was but a small island nation compared to giant continents such as Katastall and Astya.
None of that mattered to Shii when he took the job. He wouldn’t waste his time protecting a merchant and his goods. His attention lay solely in the energy that emitted from the carriage. It didn’t take more than a second to find out the merchant came to Avila as a spice specialist. His nostrils burned with the scent of his homeland, and the intoxicating aromas threatened his lungs.
“So?” Raagi said, turning back from the driver seat of the carriage. “Avila has become quite the trading hub within the last few years, do you have any insider information for a newcomer?” Raagi reeked, not just of an Astyan, but a stranger to Avila. He would fall victim to the harsh treatment reserved for foreigners in a nation like Avila if he was not careful.
Shii peaked an eye at Raagi, inclining himself. He was one of many new merchants to the city of Salovont; the city had attracted popularity these last few years. This prosperity has improved life in the countryside.
“Well then,” Raagi said, clearing his throat. “I see you're not the one to talk much, suppose being out in the wild, with bandits and corpses running amok must be quite tiring.”
Raagi’s gaze was full of the same desire that all merchants had when gold hung before them. His clear desire to get what he wanted was plain as the blue sky.
Shii needed nourishment if he was going to share his wisdom. He shifted his gaze to the six crates around him, each one with an appetizing reward within.
“Not tired,” he said flatly, annoyance lingering in his tone.
There were more than enough adventurers within Salovont’s guild to handle anything that threatened the city. Salovont was the central point of interest from the northern and eastern ports, and goods flooded into the city daily. With an abundance of coins entering the city, those who were too slow-minded to be merchants, or too weak to be adventurers, choose the life of a bandit.
Raagi laughed. “Irritated? I mean you no offense, I only seek information. I’ll pay and I pay well for that sort of thing, just give me a price, and let's see what we can negotiate.”
“I see.” Shii changed his tone from aggression to neutral, he wouldn’t want to scare the merchant either.
“Good, very good. You’re wise Sir Shii, wiser than me, I’m sure you will hear me out.” Raagi countered with a carrot for the rabbit. Shii took the bait, his foot caught in the trap.
“Fine.” He gave the merchant a light nod. He had won the round, but there would be more fights to come. Shii rose from the floor of the carriage and rested his back on the wooden railing, picking at the dirt underneath his fingernails.
“First off, how's trading in Salovont? I recall a few years ago this town was never mentioned on maps, and now I hear that Salovont is the place to be when visiting Avila.” Raagi quickly asked.
“Salovont is a wise place to start,” Shii assured the merchant. Salovont was the best place to start when coming to do business in Avila. When experimenting with new items and products, if the stubborn people of Salovont disliked them, no one in Avila would dare glance at you. However, the opposite was also true; if the people of Salovont loved the item, all of Avila would adore you.
“I brought along a few of our shop's best products. My brother is the mastermind of this whole operation, he hopes to place me in charge of the Avila branch. I shall start in Salovont, selling the people the goods of my land and create connections.”
Raagi’s goods were hidden by a tarp, a dirty musky thing. One would think he hauled trash, the man’s wisdom leaked through his strategic mind.
“Please, look at my items I hope to sell in Salovont. Tell me if anything catches your eye?” His expression was filled with glee.
Without a second’s hesitation, Shii threw off the tarp from the covered crate. An itch he had longed to scratch from the beginning, he felt a sense of relief on removing the tarp, which also brought new light to this once worthless carriage.
Two of the crates called to him, as a mysterious mist flew overhead. A murky cloud floated above the carriage, invisible to most. The smoke acted like steam in the air, making its way towards the two crates. Those would be left until last to survey.
Once uncovered, he opened a crate that had poisoned his nostrils from the beginning. It contained ceramic jars, each one with a different colored powder inside. The first jar Shii opened contained what looked like a piece of tree bark, yet it smelled sweet.
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“That brown one is called cinnamon, great for when the throat swells, while the other is of course pepper.” Raagi smiled as he read Shii’s expression with ease.
While spices have flooded Avila for a while now, this is the first time Shii had seen a carriage hauling so much of it.
The second crate contained ores, and blocks of steel and iron, nothing that Shii found of interest. Great for blacksmiths, but nothing that would interest the people of Salovont, and to a greater extent Avila.
Shii couldn’t wait for the prize, he gazed into the mist and allowed his instinct to take over. Following the smoke led to a steel crate with no lock, it was just a cage. Shii pushed the latch open, inside contained one of the most sought-after products in Avila.
“Gems?” Shii said in awe. He ran his fingers over the top layer of sharp crystals as he marveled at the assortment of rocks in their translucent state.
“Of course, those in the crate, are some of my people’s best, perfect for everyday use. Cheap, yet effective, they cost no more than a few silvers but have the power of the elementals in the palm of your hands.” Raagi sold the product to Shii like a salesman would, however the items needed no help leaving the shelves.
Shii picked out a blue gem, observing its dim color as he held it up to the light. A white core absorbed his elemental energy, the pale blue morphed into an aquamarine.
A low-tier gem without a doubt, an item that over two decades ago would have been seen as a product for the wealthy. Here, he held it in his hand as if it had no value.
Shii shifted through the pile of gems, all he could locate were low-tier gems. If Shii could find a high-tier in this pile, Raagi would have something special.
“No high-tier?” Shii asked.
“Of course not,” Raagi said, disbelief crossed his brow, “I’m no fool to bring such products through these plains for the bandits to steal and profit from me.”
Shii raised an eyebrow. “You have access to high-tier gems?” Shii shifted his focus to the second crate. The crate had a weaker mist hanging around it than the other; however, it appeared to contain lingering power. Once opened, Shii found nothing but a box full of water canteens housed in the box, it not worth going through. The mist was a dud, his own elemental powers had lied to him.
“I have connections all over the world,” Raagi said, whipping his reins to jolt the horses forward.
“Interesting.” Shii’s interest in the crates vanished, and he covered them back up with the heavy tarp.
“Glad to hear it, what caught your eye?”
“Gems and spices,” Shii responded, his interest waning as soon as he had established the two had no more to gain from one another. Shii fell back to the floor extending his arms out and using them as a cushion against the hard wood railing.
“One more question. How’s business? As a resident of Salovont and a citizen of Avila, where would you say I would fare better? In Avila’s Capital or Salovont?”
Shii sighed, robed of his silence. “Capital has competition, Salovont, not so much,” he said.
Raagi nodded in agreement. “I appreciate your insight.”
“Sure.”
The final stretch of fields graced them with views of the eastern plains. Raagi slowed the pace of the carriage as he took in the view of the land. Farmers were harvesting this year's haul.
Poppling herb, Shii’s nostrils engaged in the pungent yet earthy aroma. Workers cut the plant an inch from the roots, picking handfuls of stems, wrapping them in bundles, and tossing them in a horse drawn cart.
Shii’s resting body absorbed the elemental energy of the plant. His body erased his soreness, his hunger vanished. The plant's natural properties had no effect on non-elementals. Shii was one of the few of this world that could fully appreciate the power of the Poppling. His fatigue steamed from his body like a dip into a warm bath.
Feeling the power was like a divine warmth. Being an elementalal user has its perks, one of which granted him the ability to harness an elemental. Aqua, earth, root, light, and dark were only but a few; Shii possessed flame. Each elemental came with a unique set of abilities that had gone through centuries of refinement, and knowledge passed down from master to student.
Flame users were known to be the most offensive of the elementalals. Shii couldn’t count how many times he had faced a horde of corpses and was thankful for his power. However, he could just as easily count the number of times being a light user would have saved him headaches. To be able to heal oneself during an adventure would be a luxury, or even to manifest drinking water as an aqua user, or make shelter like an earth user.
He would never envy the dark users. Their ability to create illusions was but one of their dark tricks. Since Nevion, the trade of necromancers had grown. Such low lives, with their desire to torture the dead from their slumber.
“I don’t think I've seen this much Poppling so condensed in an area before,” Raagi said.
Shii searched the fields. The green plant looked like weeds, however an expert could easily point it out. To have so much elemental energy in the air, a battle between two elementals in this field would be intense. With the energy lingering with such intensity, it was no wonder Shii had a desire to fight.
“I sure love this countryside; I hope business in Salovont works out,” Raagi said, clenching his horse's reins.
Their travel through the road went slowly. Eventually, Raagi pulled at his horses’ reins as they strode closer to the city.
“I can see the cities walls from here,” he said. “We arrive within the hour.”
Shii, kept his hood over his head, protecting his silence. He crossed his arms, braced against the trembling of his blood asking for the release of his flames. He would face whatever foe to enjoy the sweet release of his element.
“What is that?” Raagi quickly stopped the carriage.
Shii peered out from the back. Both men focused intently at the horde of stationary bodies before them.
“A-are those, corpses?” Raagi trembled at the sight of the bodies huddled in the road. There were more than two dozen of them.
“They are.” Shii smiled, jumping from the top of the driver’s seat. “Stay there, and don’t move.” He took out a dagger and rubbed the blade upon his forearm. He kept one arm free. The corpses in the road were as mindless as a blind deer. Slamming his boot on the ground, all of the corpses quickly turned to face him.
“I’m bored!” he yelled.
The corpses rushed him with their arms extended, their teeth glistening with spit and blood, screaming out grunts. The group needed a herder. Whether the necromancer had been killed or was simply not around didn’t matter to Shii. The corpses were blocking the road and needed to be cleared.
He swung his dagger at the first corpse and the head cut clean off. He repeated the action as he moved forward, beheading one after another. The corpses didn’t stand a chance; they were old bodies
and had been rotting for weeks. Their clothing appeared to be regular attire, worn by people from a nearby village. Whether the necromancer had attacked the village or not, their time would come, once the dead were put to rest.
The stack of bodies mounted, and the task brough no more joy to Shii. The fire in him grew to a level where release would soon be needed. He would need to ignite a flame in a glorious storm. Only a dozen corpses remained, limping towards him.
As the fire in his stomach urged for release, he sheathed his dagger. The blade had done its job and done it well. He pointed his palms at the group of corpses, and a spark ignited in both of his hands. Small embers at first, but these quickly increased until they were the size of a grown man. He unleashed the flame towards the group of corpses. The bodies walked into the fire like insects drawn to a light.
The impact as the fierce flame reached the undead triggered an explosion that knocked the hood from Shii’s head. A sinister grin spread across his face as he watched the land before him scorched with the aftermath of his flames.
He turned on his heels. Raagi, dumbfounded, stood pointing at Shii. The merchant’s bewildered expression transformed into a smirk, as realization hit him.
“You, sir, are quite the liar my friend,” Raagi said, gesturing to Shii to join him back on the carriage.
“Why is that?” Shii asked, taking the seat next to him, letting one leg dangle off the side of the cabin.
“Your name is not Shii is it? Your real name is Azushi, you are the famed Adventurer of Avila, aren’t you?” Raagi tightened his grip around Shii’s shoulder. “I heard the tales of you my friend, and that show you put on confirms any of my suspicion.”
Shii took notice of his fallen hood and quickly covered his face.
“You’re nosey, aren’t you? But yes,” he said, conceding to the comment. Raagi whipped the horses’ reins hard, and the two continued towards the city.