Part 1

In the absence of automobiles, the thought of walking to my destination feels like traveling the distance that separates the stars apart, but at least I have the minute light of the cosmos sprinkled on the deep blue night skies to guide me and inspire me to reach it, the port city of Nexus, my goal, the secret to the River Kingdom’s wealth and power. However, my problem isn’t the distance alone but also the lack of road infrastructure to support travelers and the existence of tenacious monsters like the cave spider that inhabits the lands of the kingdom.

After much deliberation, I narrow down the thousands of possible routes into only three.

Route A is Euclid’s favorite, a straight line from point A to B, which looks easy by Geometry considering the short distance. It’ll save us both time and money. But the problem, we have to cross a great multitude of monster ridden mountains and forests. Forget about the savings, it’s all for naught if we died, so I’m not too willing to risk this route. I can put a bookmark on this one and save this for later.

Route B is the safer path, the merchant’s route rather. It avoids all the forests and mountains, which effectively cuts down the engagement with monsters. The caveat, too far and too costly in time and money – my meager allowance of $100 from Julius is not enough for the detours, considering it’ll take a month. I don’t even have the slightest idea how to make that much money, so I don’t think this is a good plan. But when there are challenges, there are opportunities, yet not if this isn’t the only option.

Route C combines the comfort and difficulties of both. This path cuts the number of forests to cross to only one – the Great Forest of Nullus – which mitigates much of the danger. The comfort comes after crossing; a boat ride from Mercantium will take us directly to Nexus without the danger of fighting monsters. Additionally, this path takes only a week to travel.

So route C it is for convenience and safety. Having fought the cave spiders at home, I don’t have to fear monsters too much – I just have to be observant enough to nail their weaknesses. There’s much room in my head for knowledge like this one. I might as well make an encyclopedia that lists down the methods to fight monsters. That might sell for a lot of cash, but the thought of having to invent a printer depresses me – the work is far too complicated for a lone man to handle let alone a kid like me.

First day, we walk the path several leagues northeast that is headed to the town of Nullus. The road in theory should not pose a challenge, but put to mind that it isn’t paved. Rocks and gravel scrape the bottom of my boots and hurts my soles, which to my amusement does not seem to faze my companion of fifteen, Nina. I don’t even hear her utter a single complaint, rather, she gives me a refreshed look with her youthful face after having her hair and baggy clothes blown by the wind. Time slips quickly and before we noticed it, the sun has already retreated down the horizon with our meager progress of trudging merely half way. The darkness forces us to set camp for the night by the side of the road, underneath a sizeable tree, lighting a bonfire.

The lass helps prepare dinner by boiling water for the soup and noodles Lina gave us as a gift before we left, while I break bread for us to eat. She eats amused, listening intently to the stories I told of transportation systems in my old world as I rant about my bruised soles. Even after we have filled our stomachs during the lengthy storytelling session, there is still too much to eat – a testament of Lina’s love, maybe. I thank the gods for the meal.

Still widely awake in the middle of the night, I take advantage of the opportunity to impart some useful knowledge to the lass. Under the fluttering light of the bonfire and the guidance of the stars, I unwrap in front of her the sheets of parchment I saved for this very journey.

“You know how to read and write, don’t you?”

“Yes, sir!” She salutes me stiffly.

“Relax a little. Have a read.”

She reads the journal entry I wrote a little while back about the development of the village and even the recent ones, like the cave spider incident. Her glittering eyes scan the document line after line, following her trembling index finger. “Wait, this happened a month ago. Here, you named the village. And this one is about the school. Kewl!”

“I keep records of everything that happens in Scientia in this journal.” I cough a little, and then I continue, “Do you know exactly why I’m letting you read those? I want you to take my place to become the village’s chronicler. So to start, I’ll have you keep records of our journey. We’ll have everyone in the village know the story, once we come back.”

She narrows her eyes, pointing a finger to herself. “Me? Ahmm… I don’t think I can.”

“That’s why you’re here for. I’ll teach you writing, every single night. Here’s the lead. Here’s where you summarize everything about this story.” I sit with her shoulder to shoulder and stay up until early morning, teaching her journalism, depriving us of hours of precious slumber. We wake up late the next day to find our breakfast spoiled.

Starved, we pack and advance several leagues hurryingly in hopes to get food, reaching the town of Nullus in no time.

Part 2

“Woah!” A horseman cuts our way upon entering the town. “Watch where you’re going, runts!”

Rudely, Nina sticks her tongue out at the horseman. “Beeeehh! Blind fugly old man, it’s you who should watch out!” Smack! I hit myself in the forehead. Either Nina hasn’t learned her manners yet or her hunger might have influenced her temper.

The horseman halts and turns around, looking at her with his bloodshot eyes. Covering Nina, I stand to confront the rude man. “My good sir, I apologize. My big sister just had her, you know that comes every month.” I can feel Nina’s flesh trembling, mad. I give her a little elbow, signaling that everything’s alright.

The horseman approaches and walks his steed around us, scanning Nina by the detail. “Boy, I know not about women you say. But big sister? Which part? Hahahaha! Oh bother it. Kid, you better tell your parents to teach your pug faced sister manners.” The rude horseman kicks the steed and rides away, leaving a trail of dust. We’re saved.

Consider the rude introduction a norm in Nullus. Idle people scatter on her streets, talking and laughing noisily, while a considerable number of transport vehicles, carts, enter and exit the town, giving an air of liveliness in the town, very much unlike Solus’ tranquil environment. Nina herself is caught in the excitement, watching the wheeled vehicles come and go – her eyes glitter like marbles.

She raises her fist in the air, remarking “We’ll have one that’s horseless one day, right Wiz?”

“Right.” In reality, I can’t really promise such a thing. First, we need petroleum, which I doubt any scholar in this kingdom knows about. Ecofuels might work, though that’s an expensive alternative.

Carrying on, we grab and munch on a few snacks by the roadside only to appease our rebelling stomachs, costing us a few pennies. And true to Julius’ advice, we walk to the town’s mercenary guild to get some help on crossing the forest.

The guild, clay fortifies its base wherein planks of uneven width and finish rises to the top of the structure, interrupted only by wide open windows, showing the rough talking tough looking men playing cards, drinking, gambling, jeering at each other, tossing silvers on the table. Upon entry by the saloon style double swing doors, a tall – by my kiddie standards of course – bar counter populated by burly looking men greets us, making me question ‘Did we get the wrong place?’

To confirm the dreaded question, we slowly approach the counter manned by a busty bespectacled lady who at that time busily files her nails, idling, while other people behind the counter looks busy enough to be dashing and balancing serving trays with both hands and the head – looks like a rough way to earn money.

Defying the tall counter, I reach to her, “Lady! Is this the mercenary guild?”

Sparkly eyed, she enthusiastically replies, looking at Nina. “Cutie! Errmm… Yes it is, dear. Do you need help? Do you need me?” She drools like a wolf over her, clasping both hands, nasty.

“Down here!” I protest, raising a fist.

She leans forward against the counter squishing her melonesque boobs on it as she cheekily shoves her cheeks to mine. Her face is so close that I can already see the hairs coming out of her widening nostrils that breathe warm steam blurring her sliding spectacles white. Like an old lady, she pushes the spectacles up her nasal bridge, covering her eyes completely in glare, uttering with a disgusted look “Runt! Are you lost?”

I push her back a little by the shoulder. “Look lady, we need help. I wonder if anyone can help us cross the forest of Nullus.”

Crossing her arms, she sighs, and then she raises a hand, yelling, filling the premise with a loud and low pitch voice enough to register as men’s. “BOYS! ANYONE WILLING TO ESCORT THESE RUNTS THROUGH THAT HELL INFESTED FOREST?”

PING! A penny drops, ringing resoundingly. For a moment, not a soul speaks, but steadily, the noise grows louder and louder – everyone chatters.

“No way, man. That’s suicide!” utters a man.

“I’m not going through that hell. No way!” another one says. No one’s willing to guide us, it seems.

Tock, tock, tock! To the counter, a stout cigar smoking man comes forward, supporting himself with a cane. “Two gold coins. We’ll do it.”

“I don’t have that much!” Seriously, a gold coin is about $240 – that’s way more than double our allowance.

“Then how much do you have, son?” He huffs the cigar and puffs the smoke in my face.

Cough! “$50!” I cover my nose and mouth not to inhale the noxious fumes.

“Way too cheap, son. Go home to your mommy; go suck her tits a little more.” He gestures with the cigar clutching fingers, go away. The drunken jolly fellows by the tables join him, jeering and laughing, making my ears burn red hot.

TOCK! He strikes the floor with the cane. “What’s wrong, son? Want it cheap? I happen to be generous to shrimps like you and this… effeminate looking brother of yours? Geez, you’ve gotta grow some hair and muscles, son, and don’t let this little shrimp push yah.” By the shoulder, he pats and rubs his greasy palm on Nina, letting the ashes fall on the lass’ boots – fist tightly clenched, she looks rather displeased with the man’s treatment and the wrong assessment.

Huffing and puffing cigar, he continues addressing the lass “Aight… For a special limited offer, you’ll get four sword fanatics, a bowman, and a hunting dog to escort you, all for the price of $100.”

“That’s a little too pricey. We’ll come back.” As if I would after the terrible reception.

“Hey shrimp, let the man talk. What?” He strikes the floor with the cane, looking Nina in the face. I give her the elbow, telling her just to play with it.

“No, we’ll probably come back.” Nina shows a contorted and hypocritical smile. To avoid worsening the situation, I squeezed her hand and drag her out of the saloon, guild rather. I decide to go on a stroll on the market place with her to rid ourselves of the frustration. There’s a lot to learn about life in this town.

Bump! “Kid, watch it!”

“Sorry!” I bow down to the fellow I bump into. For a town so small, the place packs with people, and if we’re not careful enough, we might lose our way. The heat, too, sweltering – steam rises, adding humidity to the already uncomfortable atmosphere.

I pull a charcoal pencil and an empty sheet of parchment from my pocket to list down street names, commodity prices, and facts to remember. Since I do not have enough space in it, I have to be brief in detailing the summary of the things I found handy.

Market prices:

Item Price Service Price

Grain 4e Mercenaries, premium G2

Flour 5e Mercenaries, regular $100

Bread 6e Inn $1/head

Dried Noodles 7e

Dried Meat $1

Using the opportunity, I learn about the monetary system of this place. The silver dollar aside, the more common currency used in the marketplace are its subunits, the Eight – a silver coin much smaller, thinner, and lighter. Eight silver coins make a dollar, hence the name.

Food is a necessity we cannot go without in our journey, and luckily there’s plenty available in this town. The most common of the merchandise is bread, and its price, not so cheap.

“’sup, shortie? Shoppin’ for mommy?” The baker strokes his stubbly chin.

“Yup, I need three loaves.” Nina watches me deal with the man.

“Well, one costs a dollar. That’ll be three.” Reaching for the list I recently made, my hand grazes my pouch of coins, letting the silvers shuffle a bit and ring. By the looks of it, the man is at all attention to me. The sound of silvers is amazing. But wait, isn’t this one a pricey bargain? Heck, it’s about time I bought something, the snacks earlier aren’t enough.

I read my list in front of the man as if I’m reading him a sentence, arguing, raising a finger at him “Mister, I think the baker down the road sells one for 7 eights.” Even with the most subtle movement, the silvers in my pouch rings. I look at him in the eye.

“His isn’t as good as your mister roughman’s.” He puts out excuses as much as he fiddles with his fingers.

I put the list back in my pocket. “I don’t know. They look appetizing for some reason. Well thanks a lot. I’ll come back.” I turn my back, and slowly, I walk away.

“Wait, wait, kid! Don’t go there, mine’s better. Three loaves you say, I’ll let you have them for 7 eights each! It’s a good bargain!”

I look back. “Two dollars, it’s a deal.”

The baker slams his hat on the table, revealing his balding top. “Two dollars, three eights!”

I shove my nose to his. “Fine, two dollars, three eights, a pair of muffins for my sister, and we’ll walk home, happily, telling my mom about your good, good shop.”

“Darn, it’s a deal.” He gives his hand.

“Thank you very much!” I return the handshake. If not for my inhuman fortitude, the baker would have certainly crushed my fingers already. Feeling satisfied and a bit weird about myself, my facial muscles twitch adding to the awkwardness.

The baker crosses his arms. “Shortie, you’re an odd one. You’re enjoying this. Hmm… perhaps you’re not a kid. Nah…”

Out of the store, I toss a muffin at Nina. “Eat some, there’s more to buy.”

She catches it. “Wiz- Uhm, Sir Linus, you’re pretty good at this.”

“I had a lot of practice.” Yup, nearly forty years of earthly experience.

From stall to stall, I diligently haggle with the merchants to the floor. I purchase three days’ worth of food supplies, costing me roughly five dollars. But a bargain in value, I gain three dollars extra. The art of deal, haggling is a must. And another benefit, I have received information from the marketplace about the best places to stay in town. So in a sprint, we drag the goods along to find the recommended place.

Big and square, the place rises three floors to the sky with the aid of its titanic wooden columns, and noisy too, travelers are seen from the windows populating the tables, enjoying their meal. Outside, street vendors and peddlers stalk the travelers, hoping to sell their goods.

Bump! My boot hits a spiky brush of shining silvery hair – a man, well-aged and armed, lies face down the floor, blocking the entrance. I cannot tell if he sleeps or just dead. Caramba, the guy reeks of booze!

“Eeeek… this!” Nina covers her nose and mouth as her face steadily turns blue in disgust, looking at the man. She leaps over him and whispers back to me, “Sir Linus, ignore the fool. Come, let’s go!”

Then I leap over, but all of the sudden, something weighs down my leg, making me lose balance. My eyes close to the unavoidable image of the floor, coming to my face at full speed. BONK! My forehead hits the wooden floor, sinking in, denting it, hurting worse than a headache, more like a trampling of an elephant. “OUCH!”

“Uhh! Sir, are you alright!” Nina kneels down. I’m touched. I’m so, so touched by her immediate response.

Smiling, I look to her. “Yeah, I’m alright. Just a minor accident. Hehe!” Blood comes out of my nose and drips to my clothes.

Nina’s face turns sour. She leers at the man. “Drunken fool, what in the devil’s name do you think you’re doing!”

Looking more pitiful than the bleeding me, the man grips and pulls on my ankle, softly muttering “food!”

“I can’t hear, what?” Nina asks.

His grip loosens and his hand drops gently, knocking on the wooden floor. Poor guy, he must be really starving to death to be in such a condition.

“Wake up!” I jerk him in the shoulder, but he won’t respond. “There’s food inside, my treat.”

“REALLY!” He springs from the ground and stands upright like nothing happened.

“WIZZY! That, that, arrggghhhh!” Nina pulls her hair, madly, stomping on the wooden floor. I tell her to calm down, but she turns and spits. That’s a little better.

Seated on a table inside the inn, we immediately served food by the gentle staff. And starve ourselves, Nina and I wolf down the steaming rations voraciously. My small tummy fills easily and same goes for the lass, Nina, but for the old man, he goes on, nonstop, piling dish after dish up to the roof. And poof, so does my plan, my budget’s a wreck, falling victim to my own generosity – the fortune saved from the haggling’s lost in addition to paying double the bill. Six silver dollars goes down the drain, which could have been three days’ worth of supplies. A tiny blue skinned devil pops in the clouds and laughs at me, poking its minuscule pitchfork at my temple. My head splits, I’m going bald! With just eighty-seven dollars left, I don’t know what to do. I cannot think clearly.

BURP! “Kid, thanks very much for the meal. What’s eating you?” He strokes his long frizzy silvery beard that rests soundly on his bloated tummy.

BANG! Nina pounds the table and leers daggers at him. “You! Isn’t obvious if you weren’t such a pig!”

“Calm down a bit. Look here for a sec.” He grabs his spear and smiles. “I’m alive. That money is well spent!” Bling! His white, white teeth sparkle, blindingly.

Uggh! What the heck is with that reasoning? If I had a hat, I’d throw it down the floor and stomp it, over and over again. Then I’ll pull a revolver out and shoot the darn thing to shreds until I’m satisfied. Curses! The tiny blue devil sniggers, poking fun at me.

“Let me tell you why. I’m the Silver Wolf, Ricardo Gimenez. My martial prowess with the spear is known throughout the kingdom. Don’t you need a body guard?” He smiles. Bling! His teeth sparkle brighter than the sun.

“Bluff! I’m not buying it. I imagine you’re the first to run as soon as a monster comes.” Nina protests.

“Shut yer trap, boy…” PACK! Nina sends her fist flying at Ricardo’s face, which the latter catches unflinchingly, clutching her by her thin and delicate wrist. He looks Nina in the eye, frowning. “Bad form. You need to grow some muscles and practice, boy.”

“Let go!” Nina pulls her hand away, turns around, and spits.

“Mister, I’m a man of science. If there’s a claim, it has to be backed up by evidence.”

“A test? Fine by me, kid. Who’ll be my opponent?”

“It’s me, Linus Daedalus.”

“Julius Daedalus, I haven’t heard the name for a while. This will be fun.” He smiles ear to ear, showing his white bright sparkling teeth.

Part 3

Afternoon, the sun’s glorious rays are at full length, bouncing off my cheek and dispersing blindingly. Like any good warrior, I walk a few paces around Ricardo, position my back against the sun’s race. Ricardo knows this full well, he counters the move and position himself the same way I did. We face each other off, settling on the position that puts the scorching ball of fire in our midst – neither side receives its unfair treatment.

Glaring, our metallic weapons reflect the sun’s wrath. The wind blows and stirs the dust, but still, nobody dares move a hair, until Ricardo makes his first, projecting in my eyes his weapon’s metallic flare – a cheap yet effective move. Thus, I’m force to make an adjustment, I lean and dash forward, kicking the earth, dragging my cumbersome club. From the ground, I swing the weapon upward, straight to his face.

Miss! He steps to the side and counters, slamming the blunted end of the pole-arm to my face, which I avoid, rolling over to his left. And recovering momentum, I swing my weapon wide, horizontally, anticipating the evasive maneuver, but alas, even that one misses the old man as he jumps back minimally, just enough to avoid the death blow. Then he thrust the tip of his spear forward, grazing my clothes, my vest – had I not been attentive enough to even shift my weight to the left, I’d be breathing from a new hole directly down my lungs!

Recognizing the danger, I up my game, throwing three wide consecutive horizontal swings. Miss! It catches nothing but air. Again, he jumps back, minimally, just enough to avoid the blows. How I curse under my breath, wishing the heavens to land a meteorite down his head. The old man is unbelievably annoying to fight, I just don’t get it. He does not appear to be fast, but he does so well to avoid any hits. His movements are tight!

“Don’t get excited, kid. It’s my turn.” He smiles, showing his sparkly teeth.

Tch! Tch! Tch! He unleashes a barrage of fast forward thrusts, piercing the air whistling. But too easy, I dance to them left and right, dodging them all, until… Woosh! The spear head flies an inch to my face, cutting a few strands of my hair loose. Wiish! The spear head strikes back, now under my armpit, very close to hitting me, yet again it skewers nothing but air.

Lending my legs a little strength, I jump back. RIPPPP! My favorite vest tears in the chest, exposing my pink nipples. Good lord, at least I have nothing embarrassing to show down there.

He sniffs, “Aww, I almost had you there. Good, Julius never disappoints.”

Before he can ready, I charge forward spinning speedily, dragging the cumbersome bat in the air and putting all my weight on it, catching him by surprise. “FULL SWING!” My club clashes with the earth, blowing a spike of dirt and debris, leaving a miniature crater, but no dice, the old man dodges even my mightiest attack with little effort and movement as if he does the cha-cha-cha.

Again he launches a barrage of skewers, way faster and sharper, slashing the air, creating loud shrill whistling noises, like those of a whirlwind’s. Tchk! Tchk! Tchk! The shear sharpness of the sound irritates my eardrum, forcing me to cover my ears. Thus, I decide to retreat, jumping far back to the side, to which he follows with a big slow and exploitable thrust of his spear – a mistake I’m sure to take advantage.

Not letting the chance slip by, I advance to the side avoiding the hit, and right in the eye, I swing the club downward. But before it reaches… PLOCK! The shaft! The spears blunted end flies from the back, sweeping my calf, making me lose balance. I fall to my back as if someone pulled the rug beneath my feet, forcing me to stare at the familiar scene of the clouds in the heavens.

Bling! Pointed at my face, the spearhead gleams. Game over, I lost.

“That’s good enough for a demo isn’t?” He smiles, showing his white teeth sparkle, this time, extra bright.

“More than I expected. You’re hired.”

We go back to the inn to discuss our plans. And talking with savvy, Ricardo contributes, sounding to be well acquainted with nature. Even so, Nina keeps a skeptical tone as she talks with him. She doesn’t have a good chemistry with the old man, I presume.

Given Ricardo’s expertise, I decide to go with the plan, without hiring additional people to cross the great forest. The investment of six dollars on Ricardo seems worth it – it might have after all saved me tons of money.

Since it’s late, we choose to stay in the inn. The rate’s a dollar a head, but I want it cheaper, so I haggle with the manager. For us children, he allows the payment of just a dollar, and having made much money on the food Ricardo ate this noon, he gives me a discount of four eights. In total, spending the night at the inn costs me a dollar and four eights. As a consequence of haggling, the manager reserves the choice of rooms – he gives us the cheapest room he can find. He throws the three of us in a family room, which sports two beds only. Fortunately, the beds are wide enough to accommodate two people, each.

“Don’t you do anything funny, old coot.”

With a pale face, Ricardo looks rather disturbed. “Why would I lay my hands on you, boys?”

Nina’s face reddens and grits her teeth in fury for the remark. I guess it offends her to be called a boy. I whisper to her, “Nina, let it pass. He doesn’t know it. It’s better this way.”

She nods and calms down. Then, we stay up late at night studying journalism, while the old man slumbers peacefully, snoring like a caveman.

Nina reads more of my journal entries. And under my guidance, I let her write an entry on her journal for the very first time. She’s a quick learner, and I sure am glad to have her in my team.

Sleepy, we shared the warmth of the bed together, just for the night.

******************************

Journey Day 1

Nina studies writing

Master Linus spent the night teaching me how to write journals. He said he would hand the responsibility of documenting this journey to me.

He also introduced some concepts in writing new papers? I haven’t heard of it before. He said it would change the world.

Journey Day 2

Master Linus goes shopping; recruits Ricardo Gimenez

Master Linus and I looked for people who can guide us through the forest in the town of Nullus, early in the morning.

We went to the mercenary guild, but the young master did not find the trip useful.

He said we were dead broke. We could not afford the service of the guild

He was frustrated, so we went downtown to shop.

There, he went from store to store to vent his pent up frustration on the merchants. He used his charm to get discounts.

Tired, we went to an inn recommended by one of the poor merchants. There, we met Ricardo Gimenez – a wandering drunk.

The young master challenged the drunken fool to a fight to assess his strength. Sadly, the young master lost.

He admitted the fool into the team.