Chapter Eleven: Magic, Opportunity or Obstacle?

Inside the tall building was a small room, Waynev guessed was a reception due to the… lizard person who looked up at them.

Two of her escorts were waiting outside, while the other two were side by side, more at ease in the environment or was it to push off their responsibility of the strange [Contracted]?

Closing the door behind them, she faced the dragonkin, or was it a serpentkin?

Its eyes closed sideways, scales were light red as well, matching his clothes and tongue that hissed at the guards as they walked up to him.

Its face was humanlike but features were more snakish, no hair was on its body anywhere which made the humanoid look more alien than anything she had met… and much more intimidating.

“Why did you bring her hereeee-”

His tongue slithered, “-the contacterrrr is on break.” glaring at the guards the receptionist leaned forward, his intimidation reached blank faces and a wide-eyed Waynev.

“Zuor, tell Cou-”

“You mean the contractor.” Its eyes sharpened on the guard, along with a feeling of magic pushing into the guard, quickly Waynev checked his status.

??? Receptionist’s Stats:

Agility: ???

Strength: ??

Vitality: ???

Wisdom: ??

Mana: ???

Receptionist’s Status:

Agility:

???AH

Strength:

???AH

Vitality:

??AH

Wisdom:

??AH

Mana:

???

The threat was now very clear, he was [Forlorn] from the looks of his mana stat.

The guard in question, wisely avoided conflict, though the first inches of emotion finally painted his face.

“The contractor will have to check her current contract status” Like a whip his arm grabbed Waynev’s eliciting a yelp as he raised her right hand, still gripping the bone through her skin.

“IS. That. Clear?” His face still a mask, his voice showed all the emotion needed, however, as the Serpentman fixed his posture and looked at Waynev with a piercing glance filled with mana?

“Hmph. Leave then, she hasn’t even reached the [Hollowed] rank. If she’s a slave we’ll send her back to the camp, for the ussssual compensation.” His grin more sharp teeth and predatory as if he was weighing Waynev, she looked as a cold sweat went down her spine.

Bringing her over to the waiting area, the two guards left her and stood by the door.

With three of them leaving, they looked at Waynev with displeasure.

Likely at taking up their time.

Now that only the receptionist and singular guard remained Waynev glanced around the room, it was small.

Too small.

From the outside she noticed the building reached two, maybe three floors, inside however the ceiling was as low as the door, which barely fit all the guardsman’s heights.

But, as she looked back towards the receptionist he finished writing something on a long yellow-tinted paper, filled with runes and words that she could barely understand.

Which considering they were from another world was impressive… as was Waynev reading upside down, in another world’s language.

The first thing she noticed was a massive circle with a red S at the top right of the script, the words contract… clear… slave… At sunrise… quickly scanning for words that gave meaning… Then Zuor, the studious Serpentman rolled up the document and put it to the size, its eyes flickering up at Waynev’s.

This time she didn’t look away.

Keeping eye contact until he turned the Serpent walked to the door behind him, knocked twice and walked in.

A sudden ‘What is it?’ called out before the sound was muffled by the door.

Seconds passed as she merged with the chair, it had been a day and it was going to get even more protracted.

Quest:

Congratulations!

You successfully located a key city and met at least two different races, hope the culture shock doesn’t get to you!

Find Aestern.

Reach the city before nightfall. Meet two races other than humans. (2/2)

Consequence:

Elise will not live to see you succeed.

Time Limit:

Zero days, 4 hours, 21 minutes remaining.

Closing her eyes at the words she wasn’t even going to react to the tease.

Unfortunately despite her placid attitude the quest updated itself.

Quest:

Reach [Hollowed] Rank 1.

Reach the stats required to break through to the [Hollowed] rank.

Consequence:

You lose your innate ability.

Time Limit:

Three days, 24 hours, 59 minutes remaining.

“Vein.” Waynev swore, as she glared at the text standing tall.

Unknowingly to Waynev the guard behind her straightened up at her outburst, thumbing his short sword cautiously.

“Thank god it's not mine… look on the bright side. Maybe with only one innate ability you’ll finally be able to use it.” Shadow jabbed as Waynev closed her eyes and began discussing the more immediate issue.

Minutes passed.

“That’s our plan.” Shadow and Waynev had just finished their, mediocre... alright their patchwork plan.

“I can’t believe you thought I was going to have him bow and kiss our heel.”

“What if he calls our bluff?”

“Then we better hope the slave camps are easy to escape from,” Shadow’s voice was sarcastic as Waynev sunk into her chair then snapped up.

“No, we can do this. We know people. Hopefully, he’s at least human” Waynev thoughts turned back to the Serpentman, not even being able to manage to bluff their hand and facing the fierce predator at the same time.

BANG

The door slammed open and an annoyed hunched man leaned on the door frame, eyes instantly locked to Waynevs figure.

Examining her clothes and especially her ‘contract crystal’ his eyes widened.

“Zuor out. I’ll call you if I need anything.” As Waynev leaned over to stand, she noticed the man looked down at her chest. This wouldn’t be a pleasant negotiation but hopefully, she could manage her cards well.

Strolling over past the Serpentman, who zigzagged around Waynev his movement fluid back to his desk.

She could hear paper being unfolded as she shut the door behind her, the contractor making his way back behind his large desk, filled with documents. The room was tiny and slightly humid with a staircase somehow fitted in as well.

“Not even [Hollowed], your contract crystal not belonging to any town I’ve seen… And you look as if the armour you're wearing is years old, meant for someone double your size.” His eyes scanned her as she did the same.

He wasn’t bold but his hair had clearly been thinning, compared to the people she had seen around the city so far the contractor didn’t go out much, his skin portraying that.

His clothes were clean with a vibrant blue and dark red stripes decorated with his lapel, his figure however was obese and his age… unknown definitely older than Siward or the guards though.

“Well enough talking, pass your crystal so we can get this over with… or I could turn a blind eye for a favour?” His eyes wandered again, Waynev’s fist gripping the knuckles the guards failed to see, then loosened and struck a confident pose.

“No.” Her voice rose, a smile that didn’t express her emotional state came out brightly.

“How about we trade? My contract is different from the others and won’t validate any living kingdom.” She flexed her arm, the contractor’s eyes sparkled but his face neutral as he waited for her to continue.

“The crystal is … unique and worth quite a lot of money. How about we trade a contract and some... Silvers for the crystal” Trying to act like the mysterious and yet confident stranger the contractor abruptly laughed.

“Hahahahaa. Oi. What makes you think you can set the demands here hmm?” He leaned back in his seat, his nose up and arms crossed. An intimidating presence manufactured yet not effective.

“Sending me to the camps by claiming that I’m an escaped slave or simply stealing the crystal won’t work.”

Eyebrow raised, he began to stand a smile rising. She needed to be fast yet calm.

“The cathedral was recently finished, my cousin Wulfrun and his father helped supply a fourth of it. I came rushing through the mountai-”

The contractor began to stand froze slightly at the word cathedral then continued when he heard she came from the mountains.

“-ns when I heard my sister in-law’s daughter was ascending to [Hollowed] today, the feast will be all night lon-” His presence and the magic surrounding him growing with each footstep, encouraged by the word feast his hands began a slight grabbing motion, the smile now predatory on his face.

“-g and as a family, they won’t start without me.” Her bluff set in place with a smile, would it be enough?

He stopped in front of her, his massive body towering over his, Waynev met his gave confidently but the smile was gone, a clink in her armour.

He leaned forward, knowing who held all the power in the negotiations.

A small inhale as his hand hovered out, electricity slightly bubbling around his wrist, giving Waynev a slight shock as one of the strands connected, but no noise came out. The pain silenced by her violently beating heart, forcing herself not to move, not to be intimidated.

She would not yield.

Grimy fingers and a stench of sewerage came from his overweight figure.

Debating whether to kick or choke out the old man in front of her, who was looking like he had won the lottery.

“Tense your arm, a jab of the throat.” A whisper of action, thinking of anything other than his smell was more difficult than it seemed.

Trying not to gag or clear her throat Waynev’s eyes were still locked in his, the edges of her eyes beginning to close.

“Get ready, on three…” The world slowed around Waynev, to act or to wait.

“-One.” The smells echoed in her nose, dizzy, feeling si-

“-Two.” The sounds, barely whispers of boards creaking in dissident hiding their anger at another abuse of power.

Thr-” Her arm tensed, feet about to ejec-

His hand a fraction away from her chest, he pulled back at the sudden noise coming from her watch.

*Bep Bep Bep Beep*

*Bep Bep Bep Beep*

*Bep Bep Bep Beep*

Waynev’s heart was wild, she made sure her hand didn’t shake as she turned off the alarm, noticing the figure in front of her fleeing behind the desk. Eyes were smitten with greed and fascination, no longer interested in the young woman in front of him.

“Hmmm. Very interesting contract crystal, I’ve heard of some that alert others when the user is in danger… but they’ve stopped being produced centuries ago” The last part whispered, his lips moving but Waynev hearing nothing but small gasps of air and the obvious greed in his eyes.

Looking back at Waynev he seemed to be calculating… thinking.

“What’s your name girl?” His voice unable to hide his discontent that she had leverage.

“Remember demands first, we have the upper ground. A mystery, a rarity, worth as much as we design, be firm.”

“Oh contractor” Her voice, more elusive than ever, confidence and exhilaration at surviving creating a deadly combination.

“Asking someone’s name before introducing your own… in every culture I know, it warrants disrespect.” Her posture back and the glint in her eye strong, firm but not overly so.

One mistake would mean trying to escape the slave camps… or worse, she remembered how close he was.

A look of outrage started then hidden on his mask, nearly instantaneous but Waynev caught it.

“Kelt, Waiburn” A commanding presence along with a signia glowing on his chest had her remembering that only families that were [Forlorn] or above had last names, bowing her head slightly as she introduced herself.

“Waynev, Melton” Subtly clicking her watch she flourished the ‘crystal’, having her watch light up she could tell surprised Kelt even further.

“A [Contracted] crystal that doubles as verification and an alarm… I wasn’t aware that… Ms Melton had a connection to this humble city, I apologise for my earlier actions” This time Kel-, Mr Waiburn bowed his head.

Fixing his posture he fixed his eyes on her.

“Ms Melton, may I ask why you’ve entered Aestern… And not supplied your family name?”

“If you had, you could be dining in Razor Beak. I’ve heard that some of the dishes can help raise even a [Hollowed] Rank 3 to a [Forlorn] manipulator.”

“Your… deal as well.”

“It’s too smooth. Why would anyone from a noble family want a contract to Dockern, at the cost of their old contract? How can you even sell your old [Contracted] crystal?”

“Unless you were unbound to it… or disowned?”

“Mr Waiburn, why do you think I came here, hmm?”

“Surely you don’t think I’ve come to Aestern for no reason, especially avoiding the usual gates through?”

“You seemed intelligent, and a well-spoken nobleman like yourself can think of a few reasons why a noble’s daughter wouldn’t want her family to know. Remember I’m selling my signia as well.” At the moment Waynev was trying to double-bluff.

Ask for the moon and more often than not people give you it.

She was trying to pretend to be the illegitimate daughter of a noble, thus why she knew the matters of the church and cathedral being built. Often in her old world, third daughters or illegitimate daughters were given to the church as nuns, though this wasn’t well-documented and often theorised, Waynev figured Shadow’s idea for a bluff wasn’t far off.

Since she could mimic a noble through movies, her subjects at school, (Ancient History saving her once again) and studying the fancy language in advanced English would give her the edge that the uneducated lacked.

“Hmm… I can guess your family sent you here but I can see why you would rather disappear than serve in poverty.” A long silence contended as Waynev could see the gears in his head-turning.

“Well, Ms Melt-” Reconsidering his choice Waynev could a slice of greed mark his eyes.

“... Waynev, I can have a contract for Dockern completed within the week, in exchange for my silence, my efforts and all it would cost is your crystal”

“My crystal, you do understand that your silence isn’t enough? The guards as well as some coin for starting my new life needs to be part of the offer.”

“Or, I could pronounce myself as a Melton and continue until-” Waynev wracked her brain for the name.

“- reaching Nodern.” Waynev silently thanked the easy naming scheme Dockern had, as she saw the noble in front of her nodding.

“The guards are under contracts to not utter a word of what happens until their death,”

“I can guarantee as long as no one asks there will be no problems however Waynev, you have to understand securing large funds would also take time… at the end of the week at least.” His smile beggared, but wandering eyes gave away his intent.

“No, I had to leave ahead of my family. By the end of the week, I will be gone with an official contract. If you can’t offer at least a meagre sum now-”

“-I will leave.”

Seconds passed an unwavering look from Waynev and pulses of magic. Looks at her watch and feeling the pouch at his waist left a defeated looking contractor.

Pushing his chair out he opened one of the draws to his left, and pulled out a band with a small crystal on it, along with all the coins in his pouch, bringing the pouch back to his hip he was stopped.

“The pouch as well, Kelt.”

A look came and went, but he calmed himself.

Looking assured of something.

“It would be my pleasure. Waynev.” His smile a mixture of him grinding his teeth and trying to calm himself.

Passing the items over Waynev slowly, laboriously took off her Watch.

Making a show of it, to give the trade a bit more meaning to the noble.

Passing it over to Kelt, she was grateful that she had cleaned the LED watch at the stream every morning, it's clear display and plastic covering making it waterproof and to the people of Temporous and a certain noble, priceless.

Running his hand over the watch Waynev took the crystal bracelet and pouch, securing one to her right hand and the other to her hip.

The pouch felt heavy at her side, peeking into it she could see several silver and copper coins but no sun coloured coins could be spotted, turning to her wrist she could see the crystal sparkling. The crystal wasn’t embedded in her skin like the other contracts, she subtly questioned Kelt about her contract.

“As I said before.” Kelt’s voice annoyed and slightly deeper.

“At the end of the week, your contract will be sent to you, for now, a temporary one will be used in its place.”

“Now let’s finalise the contract”

Kelt brought out a paper script with a big T on it in the top right.

“I Kelt Waiburn trade the…” Kelt summarised the trade of the contract and Waynev receiving more monetary compensation in person and her official contract at the end of the week.

Signing his name at the bottom, his words seemed to have been woven into the paper itself without even having to write a word. Hiding her surprise at words magically appearing on paper she reminded herself that she wasn’t on Earth. Again.

Flipping the contract around Waynev scanned the contents, saw that he wouldn’t be able to talk of the contract and all her other terms were there.

Shadow also looked through the script at the same time as her.

“Before you sign ask how the contract can be annulled, stopped or rewritten.” Cautious as ever Shadow stopped Waynev’s hand at a few words.

“Kelt can the contract be changed in any way by you or someone else after we sign it?”

Waynev’s question surprised the contract maker.

“You're not kidding…? Hmph, here I assumed you were educated.” The poshness of the statement surprised Waynev, along with the word muffled by the fat around his face.

“After the contract is signed the only ones able to change it is a local government’s Judge, but only if we both consent to it, and sign another contract saying that neither of us is under blackmail, drugs or magic and vice versa using blackmail, drugs or magic on our partner.”

“There’s also a clause that the king of any country can break a contract, which is why all the noble houses' contracts are amended every four months, it also obviously brings peace to all who have signed.”

Gesturing to the contract bracelet he continued.

“After you’ve equipped it, you’ll be under Dockern’s laws. Make sure to stay within the city until the actual crystal comes, otherwise… bad things could happen. But then again we are pretty safe this far south.” A smile appeared on him, which surprised Waynev causing her to fumble and nearly lose the crystal bracelet to the ground.

Properly strapping the bracelet down, Kelt got tired of holding the pen up to her and dropped it.

Loudly on the table.

Giving a half-smirk she quickly signed her full name, then the contract glowed and Waynev felt bindings, chains surround her, and yet she couldn’t see them.

CHUNCK

Like pulling on a metal door chain, the invisible bindings surrounded her… soul? It felt like the centre of her chest but she could only feel mana connecting her.

“Remember the bracelet stays on, just try taking it off and see what happens.” Smirking he looked at Waynev like he was waiting for the fun to start.

Eyeing Kelt and then the bracelet, she tried to undo it.

Then instantly felt weightless both her soul… and her body, as she flopped into the seat, pointed laughter buffeted at her.

“Hahahaaa oh, gods…” Wiping a tear he continued.

“You can’t take it off inside the city, the contract you signed forbids it of course.” Looking at her like a child he continued.

“So with that, I’ll be seeing you in a week… or less than a week hopefully.” A genuine smile was shown on Waynev, as she slowly regained feeling to her body and put the bracelet back on.

Minutes after Waynev left the contractor’s firm.

Kelt brought out another script with an S on the top right and began writing Waynev on the top of it, detailing her height, body weight, skin colour and other physical properties.

His lips were sealed in a smirk.

“Hopefully, less than a few days…”

He caressed the watch to his side about to slip it into his coin pouch before remembering it's recent change of ownership with a scowl.