Chapter 58

It’s still early in the morning, just after dawn. I’m currently rubbing down the blade of my sword with oil to keep it well maintained. When Derriv and Bertrand saw the state of my sword after the war ended, they chastised me for over an hour for not taking care of my weapon which is supposed to be my lifeline. To be fair to me though, no one taught me any of this and all the swords I’ve owned before this one cost less than the sword maintenance kit they made me buy from Nestor.

10 silver for a small box with a few cloth inside, a whetstone the size of my palm, and a small jar of goblin oil. Yes, goblin oil. Bertrand swears by it and won’t use anything else for his sword while Derriv pleaded with him to not turn me into a mini him. Derriv said I’m already starting to speak like Bertrand which I don’t think is true at all. I mean, I can go more than an hour without calling someone a whoreson.

Derriv and the rest of Candle use olive oil which he says is the most commonly used type of oil for sword and armor maintenance and doesn’t have a pungent odor like goblin oil does. But Bertrand can beat Derriv in a fight and he has to be doing something right if Quinn swore Bertrand was one of the best sword fighters in the city. Goblin oil it was. I also bought a second set for Wraine since I knew his sword wasn’t much better off.

He’s currently sitting on his bed, blankly staring into nothingness as he applies a thin layer of goblin oil to his sword. There’s a look of being at a loss on his face and it isn’t because of the stink coming from the goblin oil. It’s because Derriv got back to us last night and told us Wraine’s uncle, Thorpe, who was the entire reason we came to this city and the person we’ve been looking for this whole time, was dead.

It came as a surprise to us. Although our efforts towards searching for him weren’t too strenuous because we had other things occupying our attention the moment we got to this city, we couldn’t find anyone who knew him and that kindled a tiny flame of hope in us. As long as he wasn’t dead, we could find him. At the beginning of the month, we asked Derriv to help us look for Thorpe and he only got back to us now, near the end of August.

Thorpe moved here years ago when Wraine was still a child to make a life for himself in a big city. He didn’t want to be stuck living in a tiny village in the middle of a forgotten peninsula in the corner of a no name kingdom. He wanted something different and he came to Midriver.

Unfortunately, his dreams were dashed early on and he died from disease during one of the most awful plagues this city has ever seen a few years ago. Derriv only found out about him eventually because he had someone go through the city’s census and found the name Thorpe in the massive list of the city’s plague deaths. He even told us where we could find Wraine’s uncle’s tombstone in one of the graveyards in the residential district. We’re planning on going there after we visited the mages’ guild today.

When our swords are nice and oiled up, we put them back into our sheaths and get ready to head out. When I’ve fastened my shield to my right hip, I subconsciously touch the spot where I was stabbed through by Reed a month ago. The wound healed up nicely with Riane’s help and there’s only a small scar there now. I’m more so touching that spot to make sure the stitching on my leather top is still fine.

Another Candle member, whose name I can’t remember at the moment because I’ve had to meet 30 new people over the past month and learn 30 new names, taught me the basics of sewing so that I could handle small tears in my clothes or equipment. I think I did alright but I’ve noticed I always feel around that spot for any stitching mistakes. Once we’re done, we head to the pantry for breakfast.

Since it’s still so early, there aren’t many people in the pantry yet as most of Candle is still sleeping off last night’s drinking. But I shouldn’t be judging since I was right there next to them last night, slamming down mugs. At least I’m still young enough to get back on my feet the morning after without too much of a headache. I guess it’s a small price to pay considering the alternative.

Ilya, Mary, and Paige are already sitting at the counter’s seats, enjoying a bowl of cherry pottage. Mary’s dress fits her nicely and it should because I had to pay 75 copper for the thing. After I voiced my intent to provide for Mary, I went ahead and bought her a few essentials like clothes, a better blanket for her bed, and a waterskin. I ended up buying the waterskin because I didn’t feel like I was spending enough since Derriv and Uriah provide food and water for the whole compound without asking for payment.

When I asked about it, Derriv said he earns a sort of finder’s fee for any missions we do to make sure the compound has food, water, and firewood for the cold seasons. Not knowing what to do, I ended up spending quite a few coins on nonessentials like two more children’s books from the bookstore we robbed a while ago but this time I actually paid for the books. At 7 silver coins a pop, those things weren’t cheap.

In addition to the dress she’s wearing now, I bought her two more identical dresses. I originally bought her a stuffed bear toy but when Ilya saw that I bought something for Mary and didn’t get anything for her, she started tearing up and I couldn’t look her in her tear filled eyes and ran back to the store to buy another one. While I was there, I thought about Paige and bought another two instead. A silver coin for a single toy is daylight robbery and I seriously thought about sneaking back in at night to grab an armful and let the girls have a wide selection to choose from.

When I talked with Wraine about using our combined funds to buy a few things for Mary, he didn’t have any qualms about it. I think he understands how I’m feeling inside when we first discovered Mary was Kayman’s daughter. This was bound to happen the night I stepped foot into Itia’s church. Wraine and I each have a bowl of cherry pottage for ourselves and leave for the business district.

The mages’ guild is surprisingly one of the last remaining guilds in the city that has been allowed to continue its existence in Midriver. Early on when Lord Vilfrith, our city lord, withdrew back into his manor with the last of his men, the mages’ guild signed a contract with The Wolves to secure their safety and property within the city. The Wolves are the final bandit faction of Midriver’s big three factions and they rule the entirety of the business district.

Apparently, they’re more powerful, have more men, and have more resources than Alira, but due to an incident a few years ago, they’ve been struggling internally since and haven’t made any significant moves during that period. During their absence from the public eye, Alira became the most well known faction leader in the city and used that popularity to tremendously increase his influence and power. However, the moment you set foot in the business district, it’s The Wolves’ territory and mistaking that fact will earn you a knife through the throat on the busy streets.

Wraine and I walk down the business district’s main street, making sure our presence is known while also making sure we’re not seen as troublemakers. We’ve been coached by Derriv and Quinn thoroughly before we even set foot here because our gang isn’t as well acquainted with the dominant gang here like we are with Alira in the entertainment district and The Wolves won’t bat an eye if they have to cut off our heads for showing any disrespect. Before long, a group of three stout and burly looking men stop us in the middle of the street and one of them asks us, “Who are ya with?”

Looking him straight in his eyes like I was taught, I announce confidently and clearly, “Candle in the Dark.”

He looks back at me confused, “Who?” Fuck.

One of the other guys in their trio takes over and asks, “Wait, Candle in the… You one of Derriv’s men?”

Ahh, here we go. I turn my attention over to him instead and declare proudly, even through my slightly bruised ego, “Yes, we’re both with Derriv.”

“Alright, alright, you’re good to go. You probably haven’t heard of them Bert. They’re a tiny affiliate with Alira that had some ties with the previous head of the family before he passed away. They have a good enough reputation and relationship with us that the Third Master and the Second Mistress let them come through unmolested. Pretty sure the First Mistress is indifferent to them though. Luckily you boys ran into us.”

The one named Bert asks his buddy before we can walk away, “Wait, they’re with Alira? Why are we letting them into our territory then?”

“Well, they’re not with Alira even though they’re closely acquainted with each other. I’m pretty sure they hate each other’s guts but that shit’s too complicated for me. You know how it is, just take a fucking look at our family and how fucked up it is right now. Bert, just stop asking questions you won’t understand the answers to. You boys are fine, go and do whatever you want. Just don’t take out those blades while you’re here and be sure you leave before nightfall. If anyone gives you any trouble, tell them to find Digby and to take it up with him.”

Wraine and I walked away after we thanked them and said our goodbyes. They were a fun bunch but more importantly, we learned a lot not only about our own gang but The Wolves as well from that one interaction. It looks like the rumors about their internal struggle holds true and it seems like they have multiple leaders which is odd.

I also didn’t know Derriv knew The Wolves’ previous head before he died. It’s an interesting discovery we made just by talking with random people and combining the information they have with our own to create a clear picture for ourselves. Hmm. Anyways, Wraine and I arrive at the mages’ guild soon after leaving Digby and Bert’s group.

It’s… more rundown than I expected. Maybe the city in my dreams tainted my expectations for this world’s magic users and I thought the mages’ guild would be similar to the buildings in my dreams. But this looks like an ordinary shop that can be found anywhere. On a closer look, it is an ordinary shop. The moment we stepped foot inside, it looked strikingly similar to the bookstore we robbed back in the entertainment district.

If it weren’t for the trademark mages’ guild insignia on the wooden sign outside displaying an eyeball levitating above an open book surrounded by the four elements of fire, water, wind, and earth, I’d have thought we were in the wrong place. There’s bookshelves all around us in the front room and there’s a simple wooden counter on the other side of the room with an old man with white hair and a white beard in a long brown robe snoring away peacefully in a wooden chair.

His drool dribbles down onto an open book beneath his head and wets the pages of the book. He doesn’t wake up even when we walk up to him and only opens his eyes when Wraine gently nudges his shoulder. Sitting back up straight in his chair slowly, he wipes the drool on the corner of his mouth with his robe’s sleeve before looking at us with his bleary eyes and shows us a bright smile before heralding with his arms spread out wide, “Welcome to the Institute of United Magic Practitioners, where all your dreams come true with the wave of a wand! How can I help you lads today?”