Chapter 5: Chapter 5
Thomeric was rubbing his hands at the thought of selling his first good loot, right now he was in the Odin's fort marketplace, a small area of tents and yurts with people harking for their products.
He noticed a familiar face, it was the person who sold his first spear, he had colorful clothes on him, and a big carriage full of clothes, arms, chests and other miscellaneous things, he was again shouting with his impressive voice, "Buying loot at an unique price, buying loot!"
Thomeric thinking that he was an honest merchant, decided to sell his stuff to him, "Hello, I have some loot to sell.
The merchant smiled and said, "Oh aren't you the f- the person who bought a spear from me?"
Thomeric nodded, "Yes, and thanks you for that, I was able to get enough money to get a new spear and not forced to fight with sticks."
The man chuckled, "Oh, oh, is that so, what kind of loot do you have?"
Thomeric took the axe and the leather armor from his inventory and gave them to the man, the man hold them for some seconds and after that he said, "The axe is a… Aideranian military axe, and the leather armor is a light cavalry armor, it's not my place to ask what mission or in what you were involved, but just a friendly tip, depends on how important your involvement were, you could be targeted by assassins."
Thomeric rubbed his forehead, that merchant was someone important, and he only got so little, he should have asked for more, "Thanks, I really didn't known that this stuff appertained to the military, are they okay for you to buy them?"
The merchant eyes were glistering, "Hmm, I will try, but you really put me and you in danger, you know, though I can buy them, but at a lower price, in total I can pay only 50 silver coins."
Thomeric said, "Fine then, 50 silver coins will be."
The merchant handed the money, after that he closed the carriage and was gone.
Thomeric now that he have a good amount of money, though the money he got from selling the loot wasn't what he expected, it was okay, he had enough for a map and and maybe some equipment, he needs to start with alchemy too.
He bought a map with the nearby dungeons and towns, some of the necessary plants for a basic health potion, and supplies, he spent 3 gold coins with this, he should do another dungeon, or maybe he should search for a quest, but that takes time, and nothing will guarantee that he will get rewarded, better to fight In a dungeon then.
There was a close one, right next at the border, he took a last glance at the Fort, and left, he navigated with the help of the map, but it was hard, he got lost and is following the river, he arrived at a tiny village, with yurts and some houses made from a type of clay and thatched roofs, the dogs barked at Thomeric, a middle-aged woman appeared, in clothes made from sheep skin, and had fierce eyes, she said, "What brings you here, adventurer?"
The people where watching at a distance, some even entered their yurts, he said, "I was trying to find a nearby dungeon, but got lost, I followed the river, and here am I," he observed the villagers being defensive and continued, "If there's a problem, I will leave."
The woman shook her head, "No, it's just… nothing, about dungeons, from what I know there aren't any here, there was a fortress ruin some distance from here, but the despicable Brittens used it as an outpost, and was destroyed by the Khan's army last time they fought here."
Thomeric asked, "Is there something dangerous? I am adventurer, it's my job to help people in distress," smiling at the chief.
The Chief crossed her arms, and said, "Yes, yes better known as crows, preying on helpless people and skinning them of any money," she sighed, "but as we tried everything, even contacted the army for help, and we received nothing in response. I guess it will not hurt more that it already hurt us, there is a band of wolves, humans, we are not sure, but this band steals our sheep and our kids, we tried to hunt them… but the hunt party got killed, my husband was in the party too," a tear marked her eye.
Thomeric looked down at the ground, "I am sorry for your loss. I will try my best to kill this band, from what direction do they come? And at what time they attack?"
Ting
The mysterious band of Taba
A band is haunting the villagers of Taba, stealing their sheep and eating their children, they inflict serious damage every year, search the band and kill them to relieve the villagers from their torment.
Difficulty level: C
Reward: Unknown
The chief looked lost in thought for a second, and answered, "First, we are poor, even more so after the band started to harass us, we can't pay you money. If you do agree even after this to work, we will be very thankful, but we can't give you more than that."
He couldn't refuse the villagers, just looking at their pain, the miserable condition and their gaunt faces, with no protection against these monstrous beasts, "Yes, you don't need to pay me anything, I will help the village in killing these beasts."
The chief said, "I wish you success. I warn you, the beasts are dangerous, they were able to kill the most proficient hunters. Oh, where are my manners, please come in my house, we will talk there about the beasts."
The house was small, made from clay with some flower motifs, the door was made from planks, he entered it, there were two rooms, with a bed on the left, a hearth in the middle and a table at the hearth's face, it was simple, even poor, he wondered this was how people lived in the Middle Ages?
She said, "Sit, I will bring for snacks-"
Thomeric interrupted her, "No, there is no need, I have eaten."
She fixed her eyes on him, and said, "You will disrespect me, and my village if you will not eat."
Thomeric shrunk and said, "Okay, I may be able to eat."
She smiled, "Thanks for understanding."
She brought a a plate with a slice of cheese with a small, black bread, in the other hand she had a big cup of milk, she put them on the table and brought a cup of milk for herself, then she sat and said to Thomeric, "Feel free to eat, and while you are eating we will talk about what attacks us."
She continued, while Thomeric timidly started to eat, "The things that attack us are shapeshifters, I don't know why they do it, but-" she sighed, "it doesn't matter, they attack at night every month, though it varies in what day they do it, the leader is a black as night wolf, he is the shapeshfiter, they hadn't attacked us this month, they will attack soon."
Thomeric took a last bite from the cheese, finishing it, and said, "It's so tasty!"
The chief puffed her chest, "It's our specialty, made from a combination of goat and sheep milk."
Thomeric then said, "Aren't they werewolves? If they are shapeshifters and as they transform into wolves."
The chief shook her head, "No, werewolves are a combination between man and beast."
After the meal was finished, he asked her, "Where was the last attack, I could check for some clues and footprints."
She said, "Okay, the last attack was at the sheep pen."
They left the house and entered the sheep pen, there were some sheep eating grass, the shelter had a patched place with planks, she pointed at it and said, "They made a hole somehow, and stolen most of our sheep, from one hundred we remained with… forty, this is the first time they stole so much, in the past they took only one or three, but never more than five, it will be a hard winter for us."
He analyzed the grass, the planks for any clue, he found some wolf hair, he left the pen to get a look at the outer part, the wall had corrosion marks on them, with strings of wool on the ground, he followed the wool path, the chief followed him, trying to find exactly what he was searching for, or that he just walking, Thomeric was beginning to see a path in his mind, a thing he gained from tracking skill, the wool strings were faintly shinning, he stopped, it will be dangerous for him to go now at their hiding place, the night was coming, the dusk was already here, enveloping the grasslands in its bloody orange light.
He said, "I think, I found a way towards their hiding place, but I can't go now, when the night is coming, and I am not sure I could win against them by myself, I will go tomorrow in the morning to get more information on them."
The chief nodded, "Sure, I hope for your success, lets go back to the village."
The night arrived, Thomeric was looking at the moon, sitting on the grass, the silence was sometimes interrupted by some dog howling at the moon, or a sheep bleating, a slight breeze was lulling him to sleep, rubbing his eyes, he thought that he liked the grasslands, the starry sky was a thing gone from real world, because of the cities light It was a miracle if there was a night with stars, but here, here they were shinning, looking like fireworks show, it reminded him of that Van Gogh picture, sadly he forgot how it was called.
A cry broke the peace, shadows ran in the night, dogs were barking, sheep were bleating in terror, the people were leaving their houses with scythes, forks and axes in hand, he took his spear from inventory and dashed his way towards the cry.
When he arrived at the scene he saw a shredded yurt, a woman dead, holding a ripped blanket made from goat skin, the villagers were crying, shouting, asking for revenge, the chief approached him, she was holding a scythe, she asked, "Can you lead us to the wolves? We can't endure this anymore, this is the last straw."
Thomeric bit his lips, and said, "Yes, but do you really want to do this, it will be dangerous, and I am not sure I could protect them from the beasts."
She gripped the scythe, and said, "Yes, we want to do this, it's the last time we felt fear from them, filthy monsters."
He sighed, and followed the path he found earlier in the day, the wolves would not expect them to come from a different route, the villagers followed him, they walked for a long distance, a cacophony of howling emerged, mimicking a song, or maybe a chant, they arrived at the beasts lair, on a hill, with broken walls, there were wolves in a circle, with a person with long, black hair holding a child in his hand and a dagger in the other hand. reciting.
He got another level in his tracking skills, and then the villagers attacked, the wolves taken by surprise were being slaughtered, Thomeric joined in the fray.
A wolf jumped on a villager, the villager taken by surprise falls on his back, cried for help, but alas, his sound was muffled by the earth, the release of death was coming, but it was stopped, Thomeric arriving in time, he pierced the wolf, killing him on the stop, the villager with tears in his eyes, said "Thanks you, thanks you!" his hands were trembling, he was repeating those words even after Thomeric left him.
The man broke from his trance, put the dagger and the child on the ground, then he shouted, "Accursed infidels, do you even know what you have done?!"
A villager attacked him, he transformed into a wolf and ripped the man, the wolf, was barely visible, he was shrouded in the darkness, picking the weaker villagers or the lonely ones, the wolves gained the momentum, the humans were falling back, Thomeric seeing the this dashed in the beast direction, he attacked, the black wolf snarled and evaded the attack.
His red eyes were the only visible thing, leaving after effects with his every move, Thomeric struggling to hit him, the spear glowed in a white light, attacking the wolf even faster, his mana was burning, he wondered if he will die here, the beast was nimble, with fast reflexes, and vicious, his right hand got bitted, he was inflicted with a bleeding effect, he got an idea, remembering what the man shouted before he transformed, "Heathen! Your soul will be forever damned for your black ways."
The wolf's eyes got even redder, and in a broken human voice said, "Hmph, why should I care about your fake gods, when They will come, every living being will be finally released from the slavery of gods, we will be free, I do an service to humanity, and you, you dare to treat me like a heretic, you. Will be the lucky one to be the first released from slavery."
It backfired, the wolf somehow got bigger, and faster and even more elusive, Thomeric cursed in his mind, and, he ran out of mana, his suppression failed without piercing attack being active, the beast was lowering his health, the only thing he could was to cede distance, to try a desperate attack, he faked a stumble, as Thomeric falls down on the ground, the wolf jumped, going for his throat, Thomeric smiled and pierced the beast in the stomach.
The wolf eyes enlarged, opened his mouth to speak, but death came and no words were made, his body then transformed into that of a human, a man with long, black hair, in a black shroud, stood there, impaled on the spear.
The fight finished, the wolves were killed, but not without loses on the villagers, some were only scratched, other were bit, and two of them are now asleep for an eternity.
Thomeric leveled up five times, and his spear mastery gained another level, he looted the body, took the shroud and while he was searching for other stuff, the chief was behind him, supporting her body on the scythe, she said, "A crow will remain forever a crow, ain't that right, mister?"
Thomeric flinched, then he bashfully scratched his head, "Ah, I can explain, I, I made sure that the villagers were safe."
She rolled her eyes, "Yes, yes, isn't a half-elf supposed to be with more dignity, anyway, I came here to thanks you in the name of the entire village, you really saved us, from the lunatic, who knows what he could have done, come to see something."
He was at the hill's ridge, down, in the valley there were bodies of rotting sheep, skeletons with only fragments of skin on them, he puked, he couldn't look at it anymore, this was too much realism for him.
He said, "This is deranged, what they were trying to do?"
She was still looking down, and said, "Who knows… but nothing good," then she turned and gave him a dagger, "take it, I don't want to touch this cursed thing anymore."
The villagers gathered all of the wolves and the lunatic's body and thrown them down the valley, a fitting end.
Then they buried the fallen villagers with their weapons, and left for the village, Thomeric followed them back, a chilly wind was keeping him company, he looked from time to time at the hill, till it was embraced by the night, he wondered that maybe this wouldn't be the last time he meet lunatics like that.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
CristiaN
CristiaN Hey, sorry for the lack of updates, was a bit busy, I opened a discord servers here's the link, if you're intersted https://discord.gg/kVmzRBRefH
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