Preparations

“Rou wanted to sree me?” I asked Thrishop as I entered his hut.

“Ah, yes, Nero. Come in,” the old lizard said. “Please, sit.”

I did as he bid and sat on the faded orange rug set next to the fire.

“I hear you did something quite interesting this morning,” he said. “You didn’t tell me you were a magician.”

“R’aint nothing of the sort.” I told him. “Rai jusht mixed up some chemicalrs, nothing more.”

“Hmm.” Thrishop sat back while rubbing his chin. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to share the formula for your mixture, would you?”

“Sorry, shecret,” I said with a grin. “But I’d be rilling to… trade.”

It was Thrishop’s turn to smile. “Oh? And what would you want for such a secret?”

I looked around the old lizard’s hut, at his charts and books and weapons. “Rai’ll be leaving shoon. I need gear, and you nave lotsh of it.”

“Ah, you want my old adventuring things. I must admit, I have a deep sentimental attachment to them. But,” the old lizard stared at me with his milky white eyes. “If it’s to get that formula, then I’d gladly part with it all.”

I chuckled. “Ren you have a deal, old man.”

I exited Thrishop’s tent looking far different than I did going in. When I went inside, I wore nothing but a dirty loincloth. When I left, I was wearing a full set of adventuring gear. A black leather tunic, faded to a dark gray, hung from my torso. I wore a set of brown breeches, one designed for wearers with a tail. From my neck and shoulders hung a green hooded cloak, and from my belt a short sword was fastened. I also had a pack, and inside were various maps and charts of the local area.

The other lizards stared at me as I made my way back to my hut, but I paid them no mind. I’d be leaving Drikoi soon; I just need to see to one last thing.

Inside the ramshackle wooden hut they gave me were only a few things: some grass and hay for bedding, bags of gunpowder, another bag full of small lead balls, and the apparatus I had been forging for the last few weeks. I dropped my new pack in the hut, then grabbed the weapon. I had preloaded it earlier in the day (right after I was sure the gunpowder would work) and was now ready to test it.

I walked over to the warriors’ part of town. There, they had numerous target dummies that they used to practice their archery with. As I walked, I noticed a fair bit of curious lizardfolk following me. Soon, the small number of them turned into a crowd, whose numbers then began to accompany me. They for sure knew something was up. Hell, if they wanted a show then by God I’ll give them one.

One green-skinned warrior stopped me from entering the training grounds.

“What is your business here?” he asked in the hissing, clucking language I recently discovered was named Drakkis.

I pointed to the archery area. He glanced back at the range, then looked me over. “Where’s your bow?”

I raised the item in my hand as an answer. The warrior narrowed his eyes but moved out of my way to let me pass. His curiosity had obviously been peaked.

There were other lizards using the range, but they stopped shooting their bows when they saw me arriving. They, along with the crowd behind me, watched as I sidled up to an empty space in front of a target. I eyed the target dummies (which were made to look like humans for some reason) and estimated them to be at around 35 yards away. Shouldn’t be too bad.

I grasped the weapon in both hands, then aimed the sights down at the target. I held my breath.

I cocked back the hammer. Then, I squeezed the trigger. The hammer fell, flint struck frizzen causing sparks to light the powder in the pan. The following explosion launched the lead ball from the .58 caliber barrel and sent it searing through the air towards my mark. The ball hit the dummy several inches off-center, the ball rupturing and splintering the target’s side.

There were some gasps of surprise from my audience, but nothing as dramatic as their display this morning when I tested the gunpowder. I guess they already thought I was a magician, so they were expecting something flashy.

Magic Creation System

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have created the FLINTLOCK PISTOL.

I waved away the annoying blue box, then went through the arduous task of reloading the pistol. My ultimate goal was to create a gun that used fully cartridged ammunition, but I wasn’t there yet. Right now, this little flintlock should do me just fine.

I grabbed a horn from my belt. It was originally used for storing water, but I converted it to hold my powder. I poured the desired amount of grains down the muzzle, then took out a cloth patch and a lead ball and used the ramrod to pack them straight down into the muzzle. Once that was done, I got ready to shoot again. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Thrishop among the crowd. Beside him was the leader of the warriors, the orange-scaled lizard whose name I hadn’t bothered to learn yet.

I took up the flintlock in both hands and once more aimed at the target. Upon squeezing the trigger, there was a crack of sound, followed by smoke. The bullet smashed dead-center of the target, creating a neat little hole in the wood.

Looking back at the crowd, I saw that Thrishop had a pleased smile on his face. The orange-scaled warrior, however, didn’t look too happy.

“Show’s over, folrks,” I told the assembled lizards. Thrishop translated for me, causing the crowd to groan in disappointment.

“Impressive device,” Thrishop said, joining me as I walked back to my hut. I had to slow my steps so that the old lizard could keep up. “I don’t suppose you’re willing to trade it away, too?”

I shook my head. “Nro. I need it.”

“Of course,” Thrishop nodded. “When are you planning on leaving?”

“Wren the next shipment goes rout,” I said. “Rai’ll join the caravan and go to the meet-up prace.”

“I see, I see.”

We arrived at my hut a few moments later. Thrishop began to speak again. “Well, know that I shall miss you when you are gone. As, I think, will Reshis. You’ve been a big help to him these last few weeks.”

“Rou nelped me, I nelp you.”

Thrishop laughed and raised his hand. I shook it in mine. “Know that you are always welcome in Drikoi.”

I nodded, then left him to enter my hut. I had some packing to do.

The next few weeks went by slowly as I awaited the day the caravan would leave town. I occupied myself by making swords for Reshis as well as spending several hours of my free time practicing my shooting in the archery range. I needed to improve my skills on the flintlock, as it wasn’t a weapon I was very familiar with. I knew the mechanisms well enough, but actually shooting and hitting things with it was a challenge. The smoothbore pistol wasn’t as accurate as a Colt SAA, and it sure as hell couldn’t hold a candle to the spazzers I had used in Heaven. But it was all I had, and I had to get proficient with it, as my life was on the line.

Something in my gut told me that dying here, in Hell, was not a good idea.

I also took to studying Thrishop’s maps and charts. According to the documents, the locals called Hell by another name: Ventalis. I suppose it made sense; the people in Heaven called it Avanta. The maps I had only showed a small part of Ventalis, a continent called Armas. This swamp, which was called the Wetlands, was dab in the center of the continent. To the north was something called the Virtas Empire, and to the south were a collection of towns as well as a country called Wargul. Getting to a human habitation was my goal, and the nearest one looked to be a little village called Wayfaire to the southeast. It was still in the Wetlands, but it was a human town. That would be my destination for now.

Finally, the day arrived. This would be the day the new shipment of weapons would go out, and the day I would escort them to the lizardmen’s meeting and trading place. I was ready. I packed all my gear, making sure to bring some dried fish as rations. I bid Thrishop and Reshis goodbye, then headed out with the others to the edge of town where the caravan would be waiting.

Just before I exited Drikoi, I saw the warrior leader, orange scales, waiting for me. I waved goodbye to him and, just before I could get past him, he stopped me.

“I know you can understand me,” he said. “Do not return to Drikoi. Your magic will destroy this place.”

And with that dour note, he left.

Hmph. I guess they couldn’t all be fond farewells.