I dragged my good friend Botis deeper into the woods. I had some time until the guards noticed and sent someone to find him. While we wait I could chat with him some more, I quite enjoyed our chats.

*sob*

Yeah this is about right, he should stop crying in a few minutes. Not like the trauma is permanent, mental or physical.

I did want to make an elaborate plan, maybe wait for a caravan to pass by. Or rob someone. Scale the wall maybe. But there was one slight hiccup in my idea to plan this out.

I drop Botis on the ground. Then I reach down, he flinches, and take his canteen. The boy only has water in it sadly.

“Ahhh”

Finally, I swear if I took any longer I would have had to drink my own piss like in one of those movies.

With my limited time I had decide that the brute force approach was the most expedient. Killing the lackeys, and taking the smart looking one to gain information. The language barrier was quite a pain at first, but eventually I started to understand some words. My immediate goal is to gain entry into the city without becoming a person of interest, or a wanted murderer. In my line of work it was never a good idea to be on any kind of list.

“Well Botis old friend, let’s talk a little shall we?”

I still use words from my language at times. But the general gist of the conversation should be able to get though. At least im pretty sure I’m saying his name and the word friend right.

Botis was now looking at me with the eyes of a lamb. Gone was the pity that his look had. From what I gathered so far from our little chats there is magic in this world. I haven’t actually seen Botis use any, even though it looks like he’s a magician. He called me “Arch-Mage” a few times. My guess is that’s a title or a tier.

Most of the previous times I spent pointing and having Botis say the name of what I was point to. Leaf, stone, tree, pants, no word for gun though. I also mimed some actions to see what the word for it was, like walking, or waving, and jumping. I wonder if seeing the man who shot and dragged you into the woods jumping up and down in front of you seemed funny? The syntax seems to be similar to my language. The words however seem somehow simplified. Almost like they were produced at the same time or following the same pattern. Well at least it’s a bit easier to remember.

“Okay Botis, how do I get past the gate?”

Botis looks at me blankly. The one downside to this method is that Botis here does not remember each subsequent visit. It takes a bit to get him to understand that I can’t speak fluently. I try to rephrase my question so as to use words that I already learned.

“Botis, how I walk gate?”

With a bit of miming added in for good measure I think I got the general idea across.

“uhh, you say you name, you reason, you class and ask entry to city.”

Okay from what I managed to understand its simple enough. Though I’ll need some explanation for reasons, classes, and the name of the city.

“City?”

I said pointed towards the direction from where I dragged my good friend.

“Dreadwood.”

If I understood the name right this world’s naming sense is as bad as mine.

“Class?”

I point to myself and say the second to last word I didn’t quite understand.

“Materializer, Force?”

I get a question as an answer. Huh I guess I count as a magician.

“Reason?”

My last question is asked with a heavy tone to get him to tell me a good reason to enter the city.

“Uhhh, merchant, mercenary, lost, delegate, inspector, tax collector.”

I understood the last one. Even though the word is foreign, Botis’s face gets more contorted as he goes down the list. The last on this list should be a tax official of some sort. Some things never change.

The last part, or the first part of the answer I should give is my name. Uhhh, right I’ll think about that later. Giving my real name to be put on a list is a not a habit I have.

I hear sounds coming from the direction of the town. Heavy foot steps crunching leaves and twigs. I think its time for the next cycle.

“Well I will see you later buddy.”

Load.

----

I am standing behind the tree again. Out of sight of the road. The thirst comes back. I need to get into that town. I am tired, I did take a few naps to clear my mind but the repetition is starting to grind on me. How many times did I reload, ten, twenty, two hundred, two thousand? At least I had a friend to talk to. Yes Botis, my good friend.

I should go and try to enter the city now. I am sick of those trees.

Lets go see him again,

my good friend Botis.