Chapter 12

Cain had a plan, after reading the guide he learnt that some skills could become extremely profitable, such as training to be a merchant or even a high level gatherer who adventure to unknown places to collect rare herbs and plants. Cain was sure if he talked to enough people, he could find a new skill to train that would make him rich!

He first walked straight back to the merchant and negotiated prices for the rest of his jewellery and in hopes he might unlock the merchant skill. He managed to sell the whole lot, besides a ring that offered a speed bonus, for a total of 25 gold. He felt rich, yet slightly disappointed he didn’t get the skill. It was like he had tasted the sweetest honey, only to find out that the hive was exterminated to gather it. He took his money straight to the closest banker, rumours have it that they exist in every town and anything stored in one bank is accessible from all. After depositing all his coins, he went off to explore.

When Cain first entered the capital, he was so encaptivated by the markets and people he never took the time to look up. He now knew why the inn was called the ‘outer ring inn’. As he looked up at the outer wall, made of huge granite stone blocks, he noticed it curved around until it tucked out of view, but there was a second wall, this wall was just as massive but built within the city, the length between the two was around a hundred meters Cain guessed, completely clueless of what could possibly be on the other side.

As he walked further around the ring, he noticed that the crowds started to thin out, for most this would make them uneasy, but for Cain it made him feel at home. He wasn’t very good with crowds, they made him uncomfortable, the only time there were crowds in the real world were when the corporates were about to have a ceremony or about to make an announcement, and that never ended well for the common people.

Cain ventured further into the abandoned section of the outer ring, in the shadows he could sometimes make out the shapes of other people, but they always scampered away before he could tell if they were players or NPCs, this didn’t bother him.

The outer ring had a very obvious break, the high standing outer wall could no longer be made out above the damp alley walls. As he moved toward the clear hole in the outer wall he could hear something unusual, as if there was a huge gale blowing through the trees followed by the crashing sound of a stone wall collapsing. Every time the sound of a stone wall collapsing echoed through the tight alley way, the damp ground shook as it did when The Corporates used to demolish towns. Crouching behind some large crates, he looked from the shadows of the alleyway to completely analyse what the potential for harm was. Apparently the sound was coming from the large body of water that Cain had initially travelled across in a boat, however this water was a dark and murky blue, the large waves hammering down on the rotten wooden pillars providing the foundation for a well-worn and well established dock. As each wave broke, it left a trail of white foam that made the dark water look soft to the touch until the next thunderous smash as a building of water mopped up the foam, leaving its own personal trail of softness.

Stepping out from the side streets he entered what felt like a factory in the real world. NPCs were operating in perfect order, they operated in exact synchronisation as if they were a living, breathing conveyor belt, unloading and loading crates on and off giant more intricate versions of the boat he rode to the mainland as they floated gracefully over the monstrous ocean beneath them, seemingly unaware of the sheer power that rolled underneath their hulls. It felt odd seeing such an organised and busy workforce in the middle of the abandoned region of the city.

“Ya look a tad overwhelmed there lad.”

Cain looked over to see a man leaning against a wall puffing on a pipe.

“What is this place?”

“This? This here is the main port for the whole of the Capital. All the cloth and supplies from the other lands come through here, though ya probably never see any of it, as it goes into the inner rings of town and there is no way ya ever be going there.”

“If so much trade occurs here, then why is the rest of this area completely deserted?”

“Ya walked into this part of town without knowing what this place is? You’re In The Drop lad, and it’s not called that because new trade is dropped off ‘ere. It’s because this is where the rich dump the bodies of peasants.” The man takes a long puff of his pipe, surprised by Cain’s lack of concern he continues, “if ya aren’t intimidated by that, I recon ye will fit in just ‘aight. I can see that ya follow the dark, each to their own, we don’t judge ‘ere, everybody has their own past, the only thing we care about is ye got any skills that are be useful to me?”

“I only a low level in trapping but I have it unlocked”

“I guess that will get ya started. I’m Captain Catfish and I recon you will make a fine fisherman, watch how I build a crayfish pot and basic fishing net. Can use these off a wharf or specific beaches depending on the tide, ya can. Now go collect me 10 crayfish and 10 anchovies to prove I didn’t waste my time on ya peasant!”

Captain Catfish skilfully bent two thin pieces of wood into circles, and with one hand held one circle six inches above the other, using his second hand to weave twine around the circles to make a cylindrical twine cage with an open top, to make the crayfish pot. The fishing net was ever simpler, only using twine, the net was noted to completion in a few minutes.

“Ay lad, if ye get ya fishing level up we can add some bait hooks to these. That’ll get ya some fine hauls.”

NEW SKILL: FISHING

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*Quest: Fisherman’s friend

The sea waters are plentiful of the finest delicacies available to man. Catch 10 crayfish and 10 anchovies and give them to Captain Catfish to refine your skills.

Reward:

2 Silver coins

+Greater access to the Dock Fishing

50 Experience Points

+Increased friendliness of Dock employees

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“One last thing lad, the Drop aint regulated or patrolled by the guards, they know not to come in as we have our own ways of dealing with… ‘unfavourable incidents’… now go get ‘em fish!”

Following the water’s edge, Cain slipped between disgruntled sailors and drunks before managing to spot a small group of players fishing off the beach. Looking down the docks he found a set of algae covered stairs leading to the thin, rocky beach. Absolutely nothing about these tides that Captain Catfish mentioned has stuck, but if those players are catching something, then that spot must be the tides he was mentioning.

Cain approached the fishing players, recalling what Captain Catfish had mentioned, these are dark areas, best to try and fit in. I will start with trying to replicate the way that they talk.

“G’day peasants! ‘em crayfish biting, or ya spuds catch the wrong tide?” It was clear, very quickly, that the other players were not eager to share the fishing spot that they had been baiting and attracting fish to all morning. The not so warm welcome managed to sink in to Cain just as a barbarian’s huge fist landed with his cheek bone, feeling his eye socket and cheek bone give way underneath the boulder of knuckles. Cain sure was glad that he wasn’t level 10 yet, thereby exempting him from pain as the pain dampeners were still in operation. Cain staggered to his feet, acknowledging his health bar only at three quarters and the fact that he had sever double vision, either this barbarian is a really high level or he used a special attack.

WARNING: Concussion anti-buff activated

Only the urge to complete a legitimate quest overpowered the sensation to collapse and allow sleep to blanket his consciousness. Cain stumbled away, not wanting to take another crushing blow, as he moved towards the point break, the dizziness began to subside and he could begin to walk without tripping over his own feet. I have to trap some crayfish and anchovies. Crayfish seem pretty catchable through inactivity, after all, the only thing I have to do is set the crayfish pot and draw it in when I think it may have something. Anchovies seem to be more difficult, having to lure them into a small net from the shore. It was obvious to Cain to set up multiple crayfish pots along the shore, even if he didn’t collect the crayfish as they were caught, just the movements of a trapped crayfish should attract more anchovies to the shore making them easier to catch.

Half an hour had passed and not a single anchovy had made its way to Cain’s net. I should check the pots, surely they would have lured a simple minded crayfish to its afterlife. The three pots strategically placed at the water’s edge were smashed to pieces, it didn’t make sense, he had specifically left the pots far away from the waves that crashed against the shore. How could they have possibly broken, their placement was perfectly calculated so that the sand bars and reef would block any turbulent waters.

Rustling in the bushes just off the beach suddenly put Cain on high alert. It is either the barbarian that hit me or some creature that has made this beach its home, either way, I am not in the mood to take more damage. Cain quickly made off down the beach with his freshly destroyed trap supplies. After covering a significant amount of distance down the beach Cain spread the supplies over the soft sand, assessing what could be salvaged into another crayfish pot. Due to the cracks in the wood and cut twine, it looked like only one pot could be constructed. Suspiciously, the cuts in the twine were incredibly clean. There is no possible way that a wave or animal could have done this, it must be that barbarian!

Cain carefully built a pot using the last of his unbroken supplies, he then used the last of his twine to tie the pot to a broken stick that he then used to anchor the pot, just in case it actually was a wave that was smashing the pots against the beach that broke the other three. As he left the pot sitting in the shallows, he followed the beach just a little bit further on, trying to analyse the waves to see if he could spot these lucrative fish currents. After travelling only 100 meters he came across a trench in the sand that appeared to carved out of the beach by the release of a drain during a typhoon. This is as good of a place as any I guess, and it is shaded from the sun by the large trench walls. Cain unwrapped his small fishing net and ensured that it wasn’t tangled before beginning to try to get his first ocean kill.

The shimmering blue shadow in the dark and oily water darted back and forth. Cain was up to his waist in the water, he had taken off his shirt and covered his torso in mud to stop the sun reflecting off his white skin. This time the fish will not fear me, you cannot be scared of what you do not know exists, come here little fishy, I am smarter than you and I will kill you. The fish darted forward as Cain swept the net from left to right, somehow, miraculously, the fish turned left just before clearing the net, being completely entangled within the tightly knotted rope.

SNAP!

Cain turned to see the barbarian lifting his club from the freshly smashed crayfish pot. Cain waded in, apparently still unseen by the oversized mammoth of a man. This mud must have camouflaged me from that fat pig as well as the stupid fish. The barbarian, clearly pleased with himself started moving towards his gang of fisherman that originally scorned Cain. I hate him. Cain was moving as quickly through the water as he could without making any noise, the barbarian still had his back turned to Cain and was posing in front of the destruction to Cain’s property to get applause from his entourage. The second Cain made it to shore he drew a dagger and sidestepped directly behind the barbarian, he was standing underneath the shadow the barbarian’s body cast on to the beach. His friends clearly saw him, but were too far away to shout anything comprehensible. The stupid barbarian thought they were cheering louder, trying to entertain the crowd more he knelt down and took the crayfish out of the smashed pot and in an exaggerated motion put it in his loot bad. Cain slid the knife straight under the barbarian’s ribs, he assumed that because a single punch had hurt him so much, the barbarian must surely be over level 10 and therefore feel all of this pain.

Steal activated: Critical hit

Blood lust activated: Critical hit

Back stab activated: Critical hit

The barbarian collapsed, his health bar had hit zero, Cain had no idea that critical hits or special attacks could stack, he only meant to inflict as much damage as the barbarian had inflicted on Cain with that punch.

A dark cloud rose from the sand, the darkness swirled and rolled within itself as the booming voice of the Daeva spoke.

“I see that you have ambitiously followed the path of darkness with no concern for your own safety or the wellbeing of others, in return for the absolute power that I can grant you!”

That isn’t exactly what happened, but sure.

“I needed to get my revenge, he beat me and humiliated me.”

“You offend me, you think that we are operating within the rules of Karma here, you think this is Newtons third law of motion where every action has an equal and opposite reaction? Listen up and take notes! This is Daeva’s law, every action has an equal and opposite reaction… 10 times greater!”

“I don’t understand.”

“Well let me explain it to you simply then, if you are humiliated, kill every single witness. If you do this, and bring me the loot by sun down, I will grant you with a cape.”

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*Quest: Fisherman’s Foe

Slay the 5 associates to the murder victim that witnessed your humiliation.

Reward:

30 Copper coins

Cloak of the rotting sun

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