Putting aside these unfamiliar feelings that had manifested themselves upon meeting the Fenki Zorbels, Stronith focused once again on the task at hand. Or, rather he focused on remembering what that task was. He was still a bit rattled from losing his composure but things were starting to piece back together for him.
Ah yes, I was going to explore the areas outside the city, he thought to himself. Deciding that since it was becoming dark, he would not travel far, as he committed to meeting this Fenki at the ?Tavern?. He got up from the rock on which he was resting and gathered his packs. There was a road leading to the left and one to the right. Deciding that since he had no specific destination at the moment he randomly decided to turn right and explore some down that way.
The forest road appeared to have been carved out of the rock itself, resembling the work a Stonebreaker. He found this interesting and made a mental note to see if this was indeed the case.
Looking ahead, he noticed a break in the tree canopy only a hundred paces ahead of him. When he reached the end of the road, he entered into a clearing. A half a dozen large boulders were scattered about the perimeter of the clearing. At the foot of these rocks there was evidence of previous mining endeavors. Small chunks of the stone, and the dust associated with pickaxe work were scattered on the otherwise vibrant green grass.
Stronith never could quite understand some had with the little green plant that sprung up and was even deliberately allowed to grow from the otherwise perfectly adequate dirt and stone surface. He noticed the abundance of the same plant within the walls of Hydlaa. Where there was not stone pathway, there was grass. Soft, useless grass.
Although grass, trees and other such frivolities were not familiar to him, he knew much of the minerals found in Yliakum. Curious as to what was previously or perhaps still mined in this particular place, Stronith walked over to the largest of the rocks to get a closer look of the composition of it. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a 3 or 4 story building, or what appeared to be a home at first glance. He saw the sign on the outside wall and although he could not read the sign from the distance he was from it, he decided it must be a shop of some sort.
Turning around, back to the rock he was now standing in front of, he examined it closely. Using only his fingertips, he broke off a small piece of the rock that jutted out from the boulders? jagged side and placed it in his mouth, tasting it. He savored the taste for a few moments and then added that piece to the pile of small pile of rubble at the base of the rock. There is gold within these rocks, one of his favorite snacks ? but he wasn?t hungry at the moment and there was, he knew more to be found if he wanted.
He bent down to pick up a piece of gold ore. Stronith placed the ore in his pack and admired the rock face once again. He liked gold, one of his favorite minerals. Stronith decided that if the shop nearby did not sell a tool for digging, he would ask the Fenki, Zorbels if she knew where to obtain one when he saw her later this eve.
Turning his attention from the rock face to the building in the clearing, he strolled leisurely towards it. It was interesting to him that the door was wide open, even as evening approached.
He thought to himself, either the rumors of much trouble outside of Hydlaa?s walls were overstated, or this area had some form of protection unseen to him.
He walked into the doorway a few steps, and saw nobody inside. He was astonished by the collection of odd items on the shelves and tables, most of which defied comparison to anything he had ever seen. There were bottles of various sizes with colored liquid inside them, some of which seemed to be animated, swirling or bubbling within the glass. Some appeared to be empty, but emitted a soft glow. These were interesting enough, but in the far-right corner he saw something that made him step back. There was a massive creature hanging in the corner, resembling a snake ? but not like any he has seen before. It was still as a corpse, but Stronith kept his distance none the less.
?Excuse me sir, can I help you?? a voice said from behind him. Stronith was so intently focused on the odd creature in the corner that he was startled to the point of reaching for the hilt of his sword. He turned quickly, only to see a slim fellow standing behind a counter. The man who had nearly lost his life, just for startling Stronith had no fear in his face, even as his eyes watched Stronith?s huge hand still on the broad sword. His face appeared to be aged beyond his years.
?My name is Levrus, welcome to my magic shop. I stock plenty of items, and provide training in the magical arts. Are you looking for something in particular, Sir Kran??
Stronith let go of his sword, embarrassed for being so jumpy and said to the shopkeeper, ?No, thank-you.?
He was about to inquire about the monstrous snake in the corner when a sound from outside caught his attention and he glanced out the open doorway to the clearing that was empty only a moment before. A dwarf was standing with his feet shoulder-width apart and his arms outstretched in front of him. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be chanting.
As a young Kran, Stronith and his friends would sometimes ?play magic? by making up words and throwing stones at eachother. Stronith had only really seen authentic magic one time in his life and that was a traveling magician who put on a magnificent show at one Years-End party. He had put on a spectacular light show, and made Alterran disappear in front of Stronith?s eyes, only to reappear inside a cage with an angry consumer ? which of course was also an illusion. The look on Alterran?s face was worth his weight in tria.
Stronith stepped out of the open doorway onto the grass, at that moment a blinding white light shot from the dwarf?s fingertips and whizzed across the open area in which he stood. He watched as the light took the shape of a bowman?s arrow and struck it?s target. There was a human who absorbed the light without much consequence. He stumbled backwards a half a step, and laughed.
?Is that all you?ve got, Necro??, he shouted. The human raised his arms above his head, said a few words and brought both his hands down quickly in front of him. A small fireball formed at the tips of his fingers and quickly enlarged itself as it traveled with great speed back at the dwarf. The Dwarf was engulfed in flames for a moment, and then it was gone. No fire, no smoke, and no dwarf ashes, there was only laughter. It was the dwarf whom was laughing. He ran from the spot he was standing to the door of the shop where Stronith was standing.
?You want to play? C?mon, let?s see what you can do. I can take it. We?ve been practicing our new magic Levrus taught us. What can you do??, he babbled at Stronith.
As the dwarf continued to chatter at him, Stronith focused less on what he was saying and more on the abundance of energy he seemed to have. Even now that he had stopped speaking to wait for Stronith to reply, the dwarf was alternating between bouncing back and forth and rocking on his heels.
Stronith did no know any magic, and doubted that this fellow wanted him to demonstrate one of the mock spells he knew from home.
Those of flesh and blood tend to frown upon a handful of hexa sized stones thrown at their face, even if it is all in fun.
He had decided that between the awkward and emotionally confusing meeting with the Fenki, Zorbels and his jumpiness with the magic shop proprietor, Stronith had displayed enough weakness for one day.
He replied to the Dwarf, ?I have no time for such play, Short One?
The dwarf produced a rather convincing, but short-lived look of disappointment on his face.
?Sure thing, Mister Kran.? The dwarf extended his stubby hand, ?My name is Necro Glade, but my friends just call me Necro.?
Stronith gripped Necro?s hand and shook it briefly, introducing himself. ?I must carry on, I have important business to attend to.?
?Very well,? said Necro, ?We?ll have to play some magic another day?
Stronith bid his farewell and got only as far as the road leading back to Hydlaa when he heard that laughter again, followed by the whoosh of a fireball. He shook his head in wonder as he made his way back the direction that he had come from. He turned left at the fork in the road, and passing the rogue?s corpse he noticed that his boots and the short sword he?d been using were missing.
After a bit of a walk, he once again reached the gates of the city. He would now locate this Kada-El?s Tavern and brave another meeting with the beautiful Zorbels.
Funny, he thought to himself, I?m not sure I have ever used that word, beautiful. Shaking his head, he entered the city looking forward to his next encounter with her.
...to be continued...
