Getting to the port city took us bit longer than we expected, mostly because every hour or so we needed to stop so I could treat Elana aliments. This time I won’t get any rest anytime soon. Great. Whatever, I just took her with me to first: stop Amelia from chasing me. She was out of my league so fighting would be meaningless. Two: as I eventually would heal that lil’ pup of house Scarlet I would have their gratitude. And by gratitude I mean that most powerful human in the world would owe me. Quite nice perspective for future, if you would ask me.

But, the port city – here we are. It is bit, it is near sea (cuz’ it is port city) it smell like fish’s shit (cuz it’s port) and people here acts like douchebag (probably because of smell). Well, not like I care – I won’t stay her for long. Me, Morgana and Pyrox were covering our faces – mostly because as it was a big city, it had its quarter of inquisition and the three of us were… let’s just say easy to be noticed. Very easy. The eight of us entered inn.

“Dinner and rooms for eight!” Ay called from the doorsteps of inn “Also, are there any info from Deaf Jack?”

Innkeeper raised his head

“Yar friend of Jack? When was the last time you met him?” “Yesterday. We played cards. I owe him quite a lot!”

Great. Talking in code.

The mad pushed keys over the counter in our direction.

“On the floor. Four two-persons rooms. Food would be served in a moment. That will be… 60 coppers.”

Ay looked at me. Ok. I get it. Her founds were supposed to be used to get everything only for her and me. Still. This fucker wants to reap me off. In every inn room with food for eight would cost around 40. Bastard knows that we are here illegally and wish to force us to pay more

“Isn’t it bit too much?” I asked from behind bandana “I am sure it is. But people pays me to not ask questions. Questions likes why three of you are covering their faces when there is almost no wind outside.”

~ Yuu little fucking piece of shit.... you are trying to rip ME OFF?! YOU ARE TRYIN.... HOLD ME FOR FUCK SAKE OR I WILL JUST FUCKING KILL HIM! I WILL FUCKING MURDER HIM AND EVERYTHING HE TREASURES

~ Calm down Wolfie, that's just 20 coppers, you wouldn't even bend down to pick them from the street...

~ SAY WHAT AGAIN, YOU DENSE BREEDING CUNT?!

~ Ok. Maybe you would...

Fucker. I pushed the coins in his directions.

~ NOOOOO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?

“You are quiet a businessman, yet do you know what in owning your own business is most important?” “Connections, connections and once again bribes.” He smiled showing me row of rotten teeth “No. It’s luck. Thus I hope that you would never run out of luck. Also, one of us is sick and can’t eat well. If you would prepare her some porridge…” “Tsh. I already got goulash in pot, cooking just for one girl is barely profitable, maybe if you would pay something extra…” “Do you remember what I told you about luck? Your is slowly running low…” I put my hand near his and morphed my nails into bird’s talons. Then I pulled in back to myself leaving deep scratching marks on the table

He shivered.

“Will be done. Just sit wherever you want.” “Oy, aren’t you but cheap, Zari?” Ay asked as soon as we sat around the table “I heard you kinda sleep on gold, so you could allow yourself to pay those few additional coppers…” “I don’t care about gold. It was his behaviors that pissed me off. You see, my dear Ay, I can earn few gold coins within a day, but for respect you work your whole life…” “Ya would be shitty assassin, darling. We need to throw our dignity away aaaaall the time. Ya know, working undercover and stuff”

As soon as innkeeper served us our meal, I woke up Elana.

“Get up sweetie, you need to eat to remain strong.” I smiled to her trying to encourage her.

Did I mention that she couldn’t hold s cup in her hand? Neither she could hold a spoon. In the end I took my time feeding her small doses as everyone else was eating their goulash. Bastards. You could wait, you know? Tsh.

And Morgana once again gave me that [So… you said you hate children] look, on which I answered with my [Go fuck yourself behind a corner with a dog] gaze, followed by [Don’t you even dare to say another word] stare.

“Mister, Mister, can’t we sleep tonight with you again?” Darik asked “Big brother, big brother, you can be so fluffy…” Daria followed “Sorry sweethearts, but I will have to keep looking on Elana, I doubt I would sleep much by myself…”

Twins looked at girl with hate, I have even felt them starting some kind of spell on her, which I stopped by saying

“Really? Darik, Daria, just really? You are bullying sick girl? You want to treat her same way your parents treated you?”

They just lowered their heads with guilty expression.

“Jason, Ay, would you mind doing some shopping for me?” “Depends, who pays and what?” “Ay, stop asking about moneys all the time, I am the one paying, fear not. I need some herbs, I will give you a list. Buy them in different store together with other products, hopefully every shopkeeper would think that you are about to prepare some dish. I will need them for our little friend.” I nodded in direction of young Scarlet, that was struggling to keep awake again.

We didn’t stay on ground floor for too long, mostly because we didn’t want to test our luck. Who knows when somebody could stop by and see group of suspicious individuals. And seeing suspicious individuals here means telling about them to inquisition while hoping for some gratification. I would better keep my eye on surroundings, or even better – four of them. I chanted slowly, cautiously to not tell every witch hunter in a mile that somebody is playing with magic in the docks, and summoned my ravens companions, opened the window of my room, looked right and left, and after knowing that there in no one around I let them fly away. My familiars were flying over the docks, scouting for everything that could be important – squads of city guards patrolling, some guy that would walk near the inn couple of times… Just in case.

Evening was approaching, we were supposed to meet with smuggler tomorrow, which gives me plenty of time to take care of Elana. Poor little thing was sleeping in the bed on the other side of very small room. I begin to think that I had more space in cell as I was hosted by inquisition. And for that shit I paid 60 coppers? I will fucking kill that bastard!

Just like her sister, she was blonde, yet Amelia has hair in color of gold, while Elana was turning bit toward platinum. Sunken cheeks, face in color of paper yet her very cheeks right now were red because of fever. Petite body maybe even smaller than for someone her age? Once again, how old was she? 12? 13? Something around that. Poor creature can’t grow well because she has barely any exercises. Eyes are blue and gentle, unlike her sister which were focused and cold…. But maybe I think about her gaze as cold one only cuz I have seen her only on battlefield?

Doesn’t matter right now. All of her inner organs are barely working. It is impossible to fix that only with medium level nature healing magic. Even more. Her disease is marked as…

[XXX] The [XXX] level is too high to be appraised. The [XXX] status effect. Origin - Unknown, Effect - Unknown

… exactly. Not quite helpful, is it? Whatever is in that girl it is one nasty shit. What could I do? I casted some regeneration boosts, viper’s blood, accelerated her metabolism and kept channeling my mana to her body via healing spell, and after half an hour of work I saw first improvement! Her stamina bar, despite having possibility of being filled till 120 points, was frozen – most of it was marked grey showing only 24 points usable. After my treatment it changed to 25… all those efforts and her condition didn’t get any better? Heart still barely pumping blood? Lungs barely drawing another breath? All I got after almost completely depleting my mana was to unlock one stamina point?! You must be fucking shitting me!

“How are you feeling?” I asked her. I have noticed a moment ago that she must have woken up minute or so ago. She was looking at me as I was healing her “Better. Thank you sir…”

Lying again just to not be a burden

“Tell me, do you know why are you falling asleep so often?” she denied with head “It’s because you don’t have enough stamina. Energy is required to keep every process in your body running, generate heat and such. Yet other activities use that energy too – like talking, walking, moving. Even hearing and watching – because those are stimuli that provides information that needs to be processed by brain. And brain in quite energy consuming too. Even now, as I am talking to you, you are exhausting your body. So each time when your stamina is running dangerously low, your body is simply… shutting down. You fall asleep to literally stop wasting energy – to keep fueling processes that let you stay alive. This may be a clue. Tell me, do you remember when you become sleepy for the first time? How long and how often were you sleeping back then? How quickly your disease progressed?” “I… think… A year ago… more or less. I fainted in the middle of conversation and slept for an hour. It repeated for next couple of months… After half a year I had to sleep about twice- thrice a day for an hour. Three months – four times for two hour… and since month ago I can barely stay awake for few dozen minutes…” “Fuck…” I whispered angrily. Little lady widened her eyes in shock, as I have just offended her great ancestors. “… You aren’t used to such language, are you? Sorry, sunshine, will try to behave in the future.” “My daddy says that such words means that either man in uncivilized savage, or the situation is very, very bad. But mister isn’t savage!... so, it means I am dying?” she looked at me with those huge, round, sad eyes

… also, as I was born and raised in forest, I technically am a savage…

“It’s ok sweetheart. I will handle it. I always do. You know, I have such saying, that things that are deemed to be impossible I can do right away, miracles needs some time though.” I patted her head “Fear not kid. I will do my best.” “I am not a kid! One more year and I can get married!” she puffed her cheek. Yeah, she is 12 then. To force kids into marriage, one of reasons why I don’t like middle ages. “Till then, you will stay a kid to me. But I will give you a tip – don’t grow up. It’s a trap. Stay as long kid as it is only possible, especially that you had almost no childhood.” “How about you, mister, when did you decided to grown up?” “Hm? Grown up? Who? Me? Young lady, that’s exactly what I am talking about. I may look bit older than you, but in spirit I am still a spoiled brat! And I will tell you more, I enjoy it! It’s good to still feel young, I tell you!”

We joked for a couple more minutes. After about half an hour since she woke up, she needed to sleep again. [Fear not kid. I will do my best]… The problem is, kid, that I have no idea if it would be enough.

The evening came, followed by the night, and when the darkness died killed by sun – the morning came. I spent whole night near Elana. Now I see why there were four priests around her. One was treating her, three were resting… apparently I must have caught them on their lunch break, for back then none of them was working at all…. Anyway, after whole night of pain and suffering and anger and tears and despair and…. Ok, ok! I managed unlocking three more Stamina points… well, actually I managed unlocking four, but I took about three hour long break to regenerate my mana… and in that break one point got frozen again. Normally as I would fight with symptoms the disease would be weakened in process too, yet that was not the case, it almost looked as if the sickness was something different, and her weakness was just a manifestation. The problem was lying deeper… curse? Why not? But then why I couldn’t appraise it? Bah! Does curse itself have a level? A spell – yes, but curse? I casted quite few curses myself, yet I never seen a level near their description – effect? Yes. Remaining duration? Yes. But never a level?

On the other hand, those were skills casted by me, maybe if I was a target of somebody’s else curse I would view it’s status differently? If that’s a curse, then I need to ask Daralon for help, another reason to get to Neira as fast as possible…

… speaking about getting to Neira. About hour after dawn to the inn the smuggler came. He looked at Ay and smiled, then he looked on rest of us and his smile died. He approached us and sat by same table

“I thought that you told me that there would be only two passengers… either there is more of you, or I am still drunk.”

The man could be described only as sly-looking. His whole face, body and cloths almost screamed [I do illegal stuff for living!]. bandana tied over his forehead, tanned skin, earring in one of his ear. Young, between 20-30.

“The situation got complicated, but that should be a good news to you - It also means that you would earn more for traveling same distance.”

I said from over my cup

“I like you reasoning..” he pointed at me “… but it also means greater risk. It is easier to hide two people under the deck, then almost ten. Eventually I could always lie that I hired two additional crew members… but ten? My ship hires twenty member in total! How the fuck am I supposed to…” “What are you transporting?” “Hm? Different stuff. Cloths, skins, iron, sometimes beverage…” “Aren’t you carrying one this time with you? Beverages, that is.” “I do… why?” “We will hide in barrels for the time of inspection.” “In both ports I need to report my cargo! How would I explain eight barrels without a…” “Think! You will blame storm. Is it that weird for some cargo to get damaged or lost on the sea?” “I would have to pay for the…” “No. You won’t. we will pay for it. Trust me, you won’t lose even a penny on this business, you can only gain both – coins and out… sympathy.” “Sympathy? Sympathy won’t pay my bills…” “You know for who you are working for, do you…” Wait, actually… I looked at Ay “He knows for who he is working for, right?” Ay nodded “…You know for who you are working for!” I started once again “…This sympathy pays off!”

He nodded

“Fuck! You could at least wash those barrels from previous load! We will never get rid of smell of whiskey!” I hissed seeing what I just go myself into “Well, I don’t mind!” Jason said “I am only sad that I wasn’t here while you were getting rid of the load… such a waste…” “Shut up, Jason! Inside everyone!”

We got into barrels in the warehouse, they will soon be transported on the ship. And do you know how barrels are transported on the ship? That’s right. They are being rolled all the way from the warehouse to the ship. Someone pushed my barrel on the ground. OK. Here. We. Go.

JesusFuckingChristWhyIsThisShitSpinningSoMuch!? IAmPrettySureThatThoseBastardsArePickingLongerRouteOnPurpose! ForFuckSakeAsSoonAsYouWoulLetMeOutISwearIWillFuckingKillYouAll!

Five minutes! May we praise Aira that those fuckers build warehouse so close to ships. Well, no one likes to carry cargo through hall of the city, right?

And then, it happened

“Morning, Jack. Cargo inspection! What illegal stuff are you carrying this time?” “Ha-ha. So fucking funny. Just do whatever you have to, but do it fast. If I won’t move quickly, I would miss best weather. I don’t want to get into eye of the storm.” “That’s not my concern!” I could almost hear the guard smiling. In same time sound of something falling could be heard “GOD DAMN IT, ROGER! THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” “That wasn’t me! WHY YOU ALWAYS BLAME ME?!” “it would if I would report that cargo got damaged because of your actions. As far as I know, Church tires having good relations with… sailors…” “You want to say ex-pirates, you scum...” “… yet I wonder what kind of fee you would have to pay for damaging my cargo? Hm? And by you I mean your boss. Anyway, what illegal stuff could I take from Holies? Your daughter chastity? I admit, she is bit underage, but damn! So ferocious in…” “Shut up you scum! We are leaving, no one would even hire that thrash anyway…”

Some rumbling, some more movements, Jack gave the signal to leave the port. Soon I felt as the ship was raising and falling down on the waves. Someone hit thrice the lid of my barrel

“You are free to leave, it should be safe… unless you enjoy your new quarter… “

We left them right away….

Innkeeper of bar near the docks, where Zari with his party spend last night, was counting gold under the counter. Tsh, it’s good to earn 50% more than usual on group of desperate people. Still, he could bargain more, well, he earned his part anyway.

He told his worker to keep an eye on the inn as he moved to the city to buy some stuff needed to run his business. He looked around… those nasty ravens are sitting here again.

“SHO! SHO! Away you filthy…” he didn’t manage to finish his sentence. Ravens dropped from the building flying right at him, their beaks started wounding his face – mostly eyes.

There is a saying, that when man is greedy his eyes shines like coins, and he should be wary, because crows and ravens may mistake one with the others. Still, such things were saying only because they never happened… you have to be really unfortunate for something like that to happen to you…

… you could say, he ran out of luck…

Pretty quickly ravens left bleeding, blinded man on the street and flew in direction of sea, they flew for couple of minutes till they reached the ship that just recently left the port, where they sit on the shoulders of white haired man.

“Good boys” you could hear him speak as he scratched his familiars under neck

~ .... Good

Greed followed in his mind