“Thanks to you,” Andy said. “I wouldn’t train this fast on my own.”
“Well, whatever the case, I promised Morwen I’d have you trained through the second level of your core skills in a week and it’s been… less than two days. You’ve got plenty of time to take that dungeon job I was telling you all about, yeah?”
“Sure,” Andy said. “I’d love to.”
He wasn’t just being agreeable. Andy had been training in various skills ever since he’d arrived. But other than the run-in he and Pliny had with the bandits a few nights ago, he hadn’t been able to apply his skills. Not really.
Besides, a dungeon? Of course he wanted to go into a dungeon. It promised adventure, battles, loot… everything he wanted in an assignment.
“Well, we have the rest of the day. Why don’t I take you to my outfitter and I’ll get you a deal on some armor and weapons.”
Andy nodded. “Perfect,” he said.
He took a cold shower and changed socks and undergarments, donning his typical orange pants and white-and-blue floral-patterned tunic again.
“Where’s the outfitter?” Andy asked as they walked off the Firebrand Gym property onto the public road.
“Not far from here,” said Gerran, “a bit south of Tobston.”
Since he and Pliny had cut around the north of the city to arrive at the Firebrand gym, Andy hadn’t yet seen the southwestern side of the outskirts.
“What’s that section of town like?” Andy asked. “Many adventurers?”
“A few,” Gerran said. “They’re mostly there for outfitting. The majority of the southwestern side is working class, mostly craftsmen and tradesmen. You won’t find weapons imported by a merchant there, but you’ll find blades and equipment with solid craftsmanship at a reasonable price.”
They continued through the streets. It was midmorning, and people were going about their routines: chatting, buying, selling, trading… fruit stand vendors waving down passers by. They crossed over a large bridge with powerful rapids roaring underneath it. A sign read “The Yarrowhite River.” On the other side, they came to a road that Andy recognized.
“This goes to Morwen’s Grove, right?” Andy asked, pointing westward toward the mountains. “And that goes to the west gate of the inner city?” he said, pointing east along the road.
“Correct,” said Gerran. “You’ve got your bearings.”
Andy had always been terrible with directions, but then again, at least for the last few years of his earthly life, he’d always had GPS. Now, in this new world, he had to make a mental note of familiar places and landmarks that would help him find his way around.
You have the coast to the east, he thought to himself, mapping things out in his head. Moving in from the east, you have the harbor district, then the inner city, then the Tobston neighborhood… then the road follows the Yarrowhite River westward to the mountains, leading you to Morwen’s grove. From there, you can get up to the Dawnspring Cottage along the mountain trail. The fishing district is just north of the harbor district, and the Firebrand gym is just north of Tobston. The outfitter is just south of Tobston…
Andy continued mulling over the local geography in his head for a while as they walked in silence. It wasn’t long before the buildings and storefronts became plainer and more austere. There were no fountains, the roads were narrower and covered in gravel. They were entering a section of town that was less interested in the flashier aspects of commerce and more interested in practical business.
“Here we are,” Gerran said, pointing toward a storefront.
There was a sign out front:
The Balanced Blade
Finest Weapons, Armor, and Equipment
The shop's face was simple. There were two large windows, each with several suits of armor displayed on mannequin figures, surrounded by an array of swords, shields, knives, and other weaponry.
Gerran opened the heavy wooden door between the display windows, holding it for Andy. “Right this way.”
Andy stepped through. Inside, the shop walls were made of warm wood. Sturdy rafters supported the sloped roof above. The walls were covered with weapons, each section arranged by type. Daggers, shortswords, longswords, greatswords, polearms of various types, shortbows, longbows, suits of leather armor, iron armor, plate armor, chainmail… the selection was vast.
“Bah, Gerran, back again so soon are ye? Did ye break another foreign-made longsword ‘gain?” A massive man stepped in from the back of the shop, wiping his soot-covered hands with a rag. He wore a heavy forger’s apron and on his face he sported a handlebar mustache that connected to burly mutton chops. His bushy eyebrows rose up toward his shaved head.
“Shilo, good to see you again,” Gerran said with a smile. “I trust business is good for you.”
“Tis,” said the Forger.
“Shilo, this is Andy. He’s a new trainee of mine, and he’s got his first job tomorrow clearing a dungeon.”
“Ah,” said the forger, “yer werkin’ for an ol’ pointy hat, eh? Seems about half of my regulars are on that job tomorrow. Well, what’s yer weapon an’ armor of choice, lad?”
“I’m looking for a longsword, a shortbow, some ammunition, and light armor,” Andy said.
“A right good loadout,” said Shilo. “Don’t ye want a shortsword, though, fer tight spaces?”
“I’ve got that one covered,” Andy said, pointing to the shortsword on his hip.
“Ah, so you do,” said Shilo, furrowing his brow in mild skepticism. “Well, if it fails ye, ye’ll know where to come to find a replacement.” He roared with laughter as he walked over to the section of the shop that contained several suits of armor. “These here are me light armor options. We’ve got two suits of leather here. Might not stop a berserker’s axe, but it will surely provide some protection from arrows and swords, provided yer opponent ain’t cheatin’ with magic.”
There was a black set of armor with blue and purple trimmings, like a slightly more well-crafted and much fresher version of the armor Andy had trained in that morning. The other suit was finely oiled brown leather. Its tone was deep, dark, and warm, like a tiger’s eye. The pauldrons contained fine leatherwork along the edges, and the skirt flaps reached mid-knee on the mannequin.
“I like this one,” Andy said, pointing to the brown one.
“A fine set, indeed,” said Shilo. “Feel free to try it on, son.”
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Andy took the armor off the mannequin piece by piece, fastening it to himself. The armor was extremely sturdy, much sturdier than the suit he had trained in, but it was lighter in weight. The boots were comfortable, gripping his feet perfectly, and had excellent tread. The bracers fit snugly around his forearms. There were no greaves, but between the high boots and the thick skirt flaps, he had a lot of coverage on the lower half of his body.
He walked around a bit, getting a feel for the armor. It instantly felt natural. “I think this is the right fit,” said Andy.
“I tend to agree with ye,” said Shilo. “It fits ye like a glove. What say ye, Gerran?”
“It’s a fine suit of armor,” he said. “In fact, I may have to order one myself.”
“Well I can certainly arrange such an order!” Shilo said, laughing. “Now, what else did ye say… a longsword and a bow, if I recall?”
“Yes,” Andy said.
“Ah, ok, well the longsword happens t’be me specialty,” said Shilo, grinning widely as he led them to a section of the wall covered in blades. “Now, I don’t have none of those magical weapons. I don’t do enchantments. Just solid steel and a lifetime guarantee.” He pointed toward a steel longsword, taking it off the wall. “This one is my standard design. Tis a bestseller for a reason.” He handed the sword to Andy, hilt first.
Andy took it. Immediately he was amazed at how well-balanced it was. He had trained to use a longsword with a two-handed grip, but with the elegant craftsmanship and perfectly distributed weight of the weapon he held, he could easily maneuver it with one hand.
“It’s perfect,” Andy said.
“I knew ye’d be sayin’ that,” said Shilo. “Everyone does. No one can resist me steel blades. Now… will ye wear it on yer hip or yer back?”
“Oh,” Andy thought for a moment. “I’m not sure…”
“Not a problem, I’ll just sell ye a scabbard ye can wear either way,” he pulled out three leather longsword sheathes, all different shades of brown. He held each against Andy’s leather armor. “Here,” he said, “this one’s a match for yer suit,” he handed the sheath to Andy.
Andy tested it, placing the sword inside. It was a perfect fit, and it was snug enough that the sword wouldn’t slip out accidentally. It was easiest, for now, to attach to his suit’s belt. He attached it on his left hip, just behind his shortsword.
“Now,” Shilo said, “I don’t craft bows. Too much wood, not enough steel. That said, I have a fella who does, an’ I sell his work over here,” he pointed to a rack of bows on the opposite wall. “A shortbow ye say?”
“Yes,” Andy said, approaching the wall of bows.
“How ‘bout a reflex bow,” said Shilo. “It packs a mighty punch for its size. This model here is quite popular with me regulars.” He took a bow off the wall. It was similar in shape to the bow he had used for training, but it’s reflexive curves were slightly more aggressive, and the bow itself was more compact. “It’s no huntin’ bow. This piece is for fighting.”
“I can vouch for it,” said Gerran.
“Sure,” said Andy, holding the bow and raising it to eye level. It felt comfortable in his hands. Somehow, it felt more aggressive, more powerful than his training weapon.
“Ye can test it out back on yer way out, an’ if ye don’t like it, well, I’ll swap it for any other bow in the store.”
“I suppose that's it except for a quiver and some arrows,” Andy said.
“Ah, right,” Shilo said, reaching for a leather quiver. “Like the scabbard, this one can go on the back or the hip.”
Andy’s hip was already getting quite full. “Can I try it on my back?” he said.
“Surely,” said Shilo, attaching a strap to the quiver and fastening it onto Andy’s back. “Let me load it with some steel-tipped arrows.” He gathered a large bundle of arrows, probably fifty or so, and placed them in the quiver.
Andy drew one. It felt quite natural. He had no complaints.
“Now, the other thing about this quiver, there’s a notch there on the side where ye can attach yer bow to carry it around.”
Andy placed his bow on his back, moving it around until he felt it click into place.
“Beautiful,” said Shilo. “Ye’ve got quite a set of gear, now. Will ye be needin’ anything else?”
Andy looked around the store. He couldn’t think of anything. “What do you think?” he asked, facing Gerran.
“I think you have an enviable inventory,” he said, smiling.
Andy settled with Shilo. The gear came to 200 gold pieces, but because Gerran had brought him in, Shilo threw in the scabbard and quiver for free, bringing the price down to 180. Andy gladly paid him, and he still had plenty of coins left in his satchel, though it was noticeably lighter.
“A pleasure,” said Shilo. “Now, let me show ye out back.”
Shilo led them behind the counter and through a curtained doorway. Instantly, they were met with a suffocating heat.
“This is me forge,” he said, gesturing toward the oven, the anvil, and the various metalworking instruments scattered around the shop. “It hasn’t even gotten hot yet.” He burst out in laughter as they made their way across the floor and out the back door.
In the rear yard, there were several wooden dummies that looked like they had been nearly hacked to pieces. There were a few shooting targets, too, set up about twenty feet away.
“Can’t fit an entire range out here in the rear,” said Shilo, “but we try to provide at least somethin’ for customers to test range weapons. Go ‘head, give it a shot.”
Andy drew his bow off of his back and grabbed an arrow, notching it as he raised it to eye level. The distance to the target was about half as far away as the range he had trained on the day before, so he didn’t need to raise the angle by much. He drew it back. It gave a bit more resistance than his training bow, but it was manageable.
He released the arrow and it launched forward with incredible speed and power, burying itself into the target. Not quite a bullseye, but not too far off.
“Nice shot,” said Gerran.
“How’s it feel?”
“Great,” Andy said. “It feels really powerful… I’m surprised.”
“That’s the recurve, for ye,” said Shilo. “I trust yer satisfied with yer purchases, then?”
“Yes,” Andy said. “No need to exchange anything. This is all perfect.”
“Excellent!” Shilo said, leading them back into the forge room and through the curtained doorway into the shop once again. “Whenever ye need a new weapon or an armor piece, or if ye know anyone who does, ye know where to find me!”
Andy and Gerran said goodbye to Shilo. Andy had walked into the store in simple pants and a tunic, with nothing but a shortsword strapped to his hip. Now, he was exiting in a full suit of leather armor, with a longsword at his side and a bow and arrow on his back.
He noticed a few more lingering stares as he walked through the town’s streets with Gerran.
“Don’t worry,” Gerran said, noticing the stares, “it’s just part of being a Fighter. Some people will fear you, some will admire you… most commoners will be fascinated with you in some form or another. Just let it slide off.”
Andy nodded.
They made their way back through Tobston and across the Yarrowhite river, arriving back at the gym.
As Andy stepped into the yard, he saw Quinn and Patesh drilling in the gym. They both wore full sets of combat gear, Quinn in a combination of hide and leather, Patesh in a padded jacket. Quinn wielded a battle axe and Patesh wielded a long glaive, an elegant blade mounted on a long pole arm.
“Look who it is!” said Patesh.
“He’s finally got a decent set of armor,” said Quinn, breathing heavily and leaning on his battle axe.
It was late afternoon and they hadn’t yet eaten lunch, so Gerran went into the house and returned with a plate of meats, cheeses, and breads.
They all sat at the picnic table again, huddled around the table as they stuffed food into their faces and guzzled down water.
“Now,” Gerran said. “Tomorrow’s job is for a Wizard, Fichteh the Obscure, they call him. He’s not affiliated with the nobility, but he’s well known among spellcasters in the region nonetheless and tries to stay on good terms with the leaders and citizens of Cresthaven more generally. He’s not a dangerous fellow, so I don’t expect any foul play. He’s a long walk north of the outskirts, about halfway between here and the northern marshes. You’ll want to get an early start so you can arrive by noon. From what I understand, they will be giving you an orientation.”
“You’re not coming?” Patesh said.
“No,” Gerran said. “The three of you are perfectly capable. It will be good for you to do it together without me. I can only teach you so much in the context of my gym. The real learning comes when you’re out in the world, working without me.” He unfolded a crude map and laid it out on the table, flattening it with his hand. “So you’ll go out through the northern outskirts along the main commerce road.” He dragged his finger upward, indicating the route. “Then, you’ll take this path here. As far as I can remember, it’s just marked with the symbol for a tower. That will take you directly to the job site.”
“And what exactly are we doing?” Andy asked.
“Well, here’s the posting,” Gerran said, unfolding another piece of paper. It read:
Adventurers, especially Fighters and martial spellcasters, wanted.
Fichteh the Obscure, most exalted Wizard of the Northern Coast, requires your assistance! Job candidates may apply as teams, or be sorted into teams upon arrival.
Job Description: The Obscure Wizard’s silver dungeon system has gone rogue. Alas, wizardry cannot advance without experimentation, and this experiment has come to a close. Now it’s time to clean up the mess. Adventurers will be responsible for clearing the dungeon of mobs, destroying mob spawners, and disabling dungeon traps and equipment.
Reward: The Obscure Wizard’s silver dungeon system is a loot-bearing dungeon. Adventurers may keep any treasure they find. If your assigned wing of the dungeon does not yield at least 5000 gold pieces’ worth of loot, split between you and your party, the Obscure Wizard will compensate you further.
“Wow… that’s a lot of gold,” said Quinn.
“Not really,” said Patesh. “But the job sounds interesting.”
“So we’re basically… going into a dungeon, killing monsters, disabling traps, and collecting loot?”
“Precisely,” said Gerran. “Any questions?”
Andy shook his head. The job was straightforward, like video games and roleplaying adventures he had done many times in his previous life. Go into a dungeon, kill stuff, take the loot. It wasn’t overly complicated.
He wasn’t nervous about the job, exactly, but he did feel some level of apprehension. So far, he had trained vigorously with Morwen and Gerran, but he had really only faced one truly hostile encounter alongside Pliny. He liked Quinn, and he could tolerate Patesh, but he hadn’t yet built up trust with them. How was this going to go? Andy didn’t know how he’d act in a tricky dungeon encounter, much less these two.
I suppose Gerran is right… I suppose this is how I learn…