Kage had to step to the side of the hustle and bustle of the entryway.
She slipped past a building right by the entrance and behind a couple merchant's stalls who were trying to coax over travelers as they entered and breathed a sigh of relief. She made it.393Please respect copyright.PENANAeTjIFeveX7
She let the relief wash over her for a minute before putting her guard up again and taking in her surroundings.393Please respect copyright.PENANAUPTvMDZatj
Most people who made it through the gate kept going right through the outer area into the area behind the second wall.393Please respect copyright.PENANA20UEBT0yXZ
The first wall was decrepit from age and battle, though it still stood tall and strong to a certain point.393Please respect copyright.PENANAJvMHQPPv4Z
This must have been the poorer part of the city, it made sense since this was the part against the outer wall.393Please respect copyright.PENANAvg9r6gVj0Y
Past what must have been a barracks or outpost for the city's soldiers on either side of the gate and the merchants probably strategically placed to hide the less attractive buildings, the houses here were made of wood, or stone on the lower levels, and stretched up the wall in scaffolds and stairways giving them a haphazard and dizzying appearance.393Please respect copyright.PENANAtz5RD96pAQ
While she would have rathered to explore this area of the city more, she clenched and unclenched her fists before turning back into the crowd toward the inner layer.393Please respect copyright.PENANAWjni0bsQci
She had to get a feel for the whole city, learn the ins, outs, how to behave, and how she was possibly going to survive here. That would mean work of some kind, and people don't often like to give work to obvious outsiders.393Please respect copyright.PENANAy85ItsBVyT
The entrants to the city. She spotted the two from the entry line again, back on their horses now.393Please respect copyright.PENANA89vBdEFNfJ
They were almost in the second layer now and soon disappeared into it.393Please respect copyright.PENANAmfMUDC7lJh
Kage followed the direction, pushing past a mule and a couple merchants wearing bright colours.393Please respect copyright.PENANARSkBLkKKad
The inner layer started to unfold ahead, and to Kage's surprise it revealed that it was not in fact the inner layer, but the second layer. On the other side still tall even in the distance, the third wall stood, just as tall as the other two with even less sign of wear.393Please respect copyright.PENANA2YtjcUL3Gi
A marketplace stretched out before her on either side of the inner gateway. This area was packed with shops and stalls of all kinds and everyone entering this layer merged with the crowd of the marketplace.393Please respect copyright.PENANAxzD6MbIkx2
Kage did her best to avoid bumping into people, but as she weaved around not looking for anything in particular, the anxiety built up like a fog over her mind. Every shout and shopkeeper's call made her spin her head in their direction, and the murmur of the crowd drowned out her thoughts.393Please respect copyright.PENANAME2fNK52I7
Her fingers tapped in an erratic rhythm as she struggled to focus. If the crowd was too much, get outside. She made a beeline to the area behind the marketplace, in the direction of the inner city. The bustle ended abruptly the minute she passed behind the last row, where stone buildings replaced stalls. People still passed by, mostly carrying crates to the market area, and she could tell they payed her no mind which was a great comfort.393Please respect copyright.PENANAmdJc1b7hO2
The hindrance was that this while city was like a circular maze. Judging by the curve of the marketplace, if she had stayed on that path she would have gone all the way around the city.
"This is the kind of thing I can figure out when I'm not panicking." She thought bitterly.393Please respect copyright.PENANAtCBN9QLofT
Her wandering took her no place in particular, she passed by a couple smitheries, a carpenter's shop, all the background places to the market. The houses here were shorter and sturdier than those in the outer layer, which gave her a better view of the walls surrounding it and helped her sense of direction.393Please respect copyright.PENANAxU29i3QsrU
She didn't necessarily want to go further into the inside of the city though, not only would that take a while judging by the distance of the inner wall, the most affluent area would probably be in there, and that was not somewhere she would fit in.393Please respect copyright.PENANAUmU2IiVIkN
This area too, was more residential now that she was outside of the market area. While she didn't want to go back, the same problem came to the front of her mind: "What am I going to do?"393Please respect copyright.PENANAdIyOkRcPVZ
The obvious answer was find work or starve. But that didn't make it any less daunting. Where? And how? One thing was for sure though. She wouldn't find any answers lost in a residential area.393Please respect copyright.PENANAgdjfDyiyAM
Instead of trying to retrace her steps, she changed direction back toward the second wall. "It should take me back to that area eventually." She reasoned.393Please respect copyright.PENANAHjz7BevEC6
It did, and after the distance she'd wandered, the marketplace was thinning out in the place where she emerged.393Please respect copyright.PENANAS6u8eqexAY
A couple of taverns and shops that were buildings instead of stalls, including an armour and weapons shop were the kind of buildings in this area. What caught her eye was a huge building with the title "Adventurer's Guild" in huge golden letters above the entryway. The building gave off a presumptions and tough appearance, which meant she would never cross those doors. 393Please respect copyright.PENANANiVhK0GPKP
On top of that, it meant that the people on the streets here were more intimidating than she was willing to handle.393Please respect copyright.PENANAkLHF7D7hV4
A feminine figure in a dark blue cloak, a massive man carrying enough weapons for six people, a group of five in matching black and red cloaks.393Please respect copyright.PENANAj4v9PY7sRA
None of them even glanced her way, but she quickly got moving again, heading left away from the direction of the market.393Please respect copyright.PENANAWyv9L4mTxr
"Perhaps that's a bad idea. Should I turn back?" Kage thought. But without a plan, it didn't matter much which direction she walked, and that thought nagged in the back of her mind.
So, she paused again, this time resting against the wall around another guild, the Apothecary's guild, the Adventurer's guild just out of sight around the curve of the city.393Please respect copyright.PENANAIREMW5sKzC
It was nagging at her. The thought that perhaps a vague-sounding place like "Adventurer's Guild" could be her best chance at finding some kind or work. Many parties she'd watched had had a page of some kind, and the truth was, she could fight.393Please respect copyright.PENANAXlpmOADcgx
She was familiar with quests and adventures, having watched different kinds of quest for her entire life. Familiar with, but with no experience of her own, except...No, that didn't count.393Please respect copyright.PENANAWTjMg8h9Tv
"But there will be dangerous people in there." Her thoughts cut in. "Trained fighters, magic users, and you don't know anything about this world's magic."393Please respect copyright.PENANAg3vqQtJBNj
Though that wasn't going to change by her standing around. But as she racked her brains for another option, nothing came to mind. It didn't help that the more she worried about it, the more her thoughts got muddy and confused.393Please respect copyright.PENANAhVOyRGwR7K
She put some movement into her feet again, back in the direction she'd come as she tried to clear her thoughts, or at least get a grasp on one that made sense.393Please respect copyright.PENANAq2qZP71LHa
She peered ahead as the Adventurer's Guild came back into sight, the afternoon was passing, and the traffic was starting to clear up. The woman in the blue cloak was still there, possibly waiting for someone, and Kage hoped she wouldn't notice her passing by and coming back again.393Please respect copyright.PENANARFHwsjw3v5
The building loomed in front of her once again, banners of many different colors and designs decorated the thick stone walls, and a pair of carved, intimidating wooden doors marked the entrance, one open and one closed.393Please respect copyright.PENANAj5EGiSulX0
As she slowly approached the building, she could see the design more clearly. On those curves were some strange letters, or characters, similar to the ones on some of the banners. While few had an image, like a white hand on a black background or a horse on a blue banner, many were decorated with strange curved symbols that appeared to be some form of writing. Not the primary method of writing, however. The signs in this city, including the inscription above the door, were all written in plain English.393Please respect copyright.PENANAVOE54qNKj6
"It's the girl from the gate!"393Please respect copyright.PENANADOKGskhSE9
Kage's thoughts were cut short, and her head shot up to see the two boys from earlier exiting the open door, the blond one still with a cheerful expression waving to her, but the other visibly annoyed.393Please respect copyright.PENANAj40D9GfoL9
She had a better opportunity to notice their features now. The blonde one was much taller than his friend, but that was because the dark-haired one was on the short side, perhaps only a foot and a half above Kage.393Please respect copyright.PENANA5nW78rBWe4
The blond one wore an old-looking brown coat and simple clothes with sandaled feet. He carried a sword across his back and a pouch at his side. Though his hair was short on the back, his bangs covered his forehead and two strands of hair hung in front of his ears.393Please respect copyright.PENANAuOsnmTr6GG
The black-haired one wore a dark vest that looked thick, like some kind of armour, over a collared white shirt. He carried a sword as well, though more of a short sword from the look of it. His asymmetric bangs hung over the right side of his face, and though a bit harder to see, he had a small ponytail tied with a dark blue ribbon.393Please respect copyright.PENANApiy5IknzNk
"Forgive me, but you don't exactly seem like the adventurer type." The tall one approached her.393Please respect copyright.PENANAAqWtcrAngd
"Well, not exactly." She spoke, eyes darting around before eventually meeting his eyes. "But I needed work of some kind, and thought this could be the place to come."393Please respect copyright.PENANA5ZEWm4yaRO
"C'mon Shole, let's go." The other started to walk past.393Please respect copyright.PENANAMDzWw7KeFj
"Go on ahead. Meet you at the inn?"393Please respect copyright.PENANA4jIwUYcGDW
"Huh? What for?!" he spun around.393Please respect copyright.PENANA7aZtMY0WHl
"Trust me." Shole smiled.393Please respect copyright.PENANAmbESi6aRhi
The dark-haired boy raised his eyebrows, but sighed, rolled his eyes, and stomped past them into the city.393Please respect copyright.PENANAJWdud3ZFlg
Kage shifted uncomfortably, and Shole noticed. "Oh, obviously if you want to get out of here that's up to you. I guess, I just wanted to talk to you about something."
"Oh, and don't mind my friend, he can just be rude sometimes." He continued, without waiting for her answer."393Please respect copyright.PENANAv7coHXH1Mm
"What about?" Kage asked. His demeanor was a lot easier than she'd noticed from any of the other people in this area, and she was not in a position to turn down any options.393Please respect copyright.PENANA6GnRVgSkc0
He smiled again. "Well, first of all, my name's Shole. And you are?"393Please respect copyright.PENANAPjAKUTEOyU
"Kage."393Please respect copyright.PENANAqi9iyd1iUu
She took his extended hand and shook it. His hands were calloused, probably from using his sword.393Please respect copyright.PENANAH05uXUeMn3
"Well, as you can see, Artlem, my friend-" he clarified, gesturing after the dark-haired boy, "-and I are looking for some help with a well, a quest of ours. And it may seem a bit strange, but you stood out somehow, and I usually have pretty good intuition about this kind of thing."393Please respect copyright.PENANAcq04RI7HS8
She wasn't sure how to respond to that, but he seemed to be waiting on a response.393Please respect copyright.PENANAPAhMc7CKXg
"Um, what kind of quest? Like you said, I'm not exactly a mercenary."393Please respect copyright.PENANAiHSl8FW6VX
"That's exactly it. You see, we do need to recruit a 'muscle', but there's something else we're looking for that no one yet has had." He shrugged. "I think we were expecting too much of one person."393Please respect copyright.PENANAkhBzNgP6Nq
"And what is that?"393Please respect copyright.PENANAKdD9m2VhyR
"Well, what do you know about Calligriphics?"393Please respect copyright.PENANA7u7TWR9fhj
She'd never heard of that before. "Nothing."393Please respect copyright.PENANAfJScoAoYBT
His face fell. "Oh. That's too bad."393Please respect copyright.PENANAwe22Qn7p91
His brow furrowed. "Well, what about your memory?"393Please respect copyright.PENANA6mNGgXuXRF
Well, that had been her entire occupation.393Please respect copyright.PENANA0sOtIJbFrE
"It's very good, actually."393Please respect copyright.PENANAPPd9atVzmS
His face brightened again. "Mind if I test something out?"393Please respect copyright.PENANAwr69kJ5NBM
"That depends." She said, concerned.393Please respect copyright.PENANAdNQUmQH0vl
He chuckled. "It's nothing special." He motioned for her to follow and made his way off to the side of the entryway as a couple other people were leaving the building. He leaned against the side of a wall and pulled out a simple book from his pouch. Kage followed, and noticed that the current page was blank, though scribbles showing through showed that this was more of a journal than a book.393Please respect copyright.PENANA4hEVR5quDM
"It's just a memory test." Shole continued, rummaging through his bag. "I'll trace a pattern, and get you to write it in the exact same way."393Please respect copyright.PENANA4Tc2LvTfry
He pulled out a charcoal pencil and handed it to her.393Please respect copyright.PENANAhbMBHPhKf0
Kage accepted it, moving to his side where he held out the pages.393Please respect copyright.PENANAOKPh8G9Bp5
"Alright, you ready?" He asked.393Please respect copyright.PENANAzxwSsa7iIM
Kage nodded in response.393Please respect copyright.PENANAkpMaeN7hfd
Using his index finger, he traced a strange character over the center of the page. Even though the trace went in different directions and occasionally doubled back, he kept it in one stroke.
He finished, and held out the book to her.393Please respect copyright.PENANAGifBi4qJLd
It wasn't hard, though of course it would have been easier if she could actually see what she was drawing.393Please respect copyright.PENANAVifoIQZ3Af
She started in the upper right just like he did, and every movement filled in the character from left to right, top to bottom.393Please respect copyright.PENANAU7qMDXKxGi
The finished character looked similar to something from Earth.393Please respect copyright.PENANAfqaqdJa059
"That's amazing Kage!" Shole said. "Almost perfect, and I'm sure it would be if you had seen the character for reference."393Please respect copyright.PENANAX7p0X27CgO
Exactly. She nodded.393Please respect copyright.PENANAeaWJbMB51H
"How about a more complicated one?" He said, turning the page.393Please respect copyright.PENANAXHrcC0eoYJ
"Sure."393Please respect copyright.PENANALgv2eBkdTK
He traced out another shape, keeping the same steady pace as before, but this time as he got to the bottom of the character, he continued the stroke into a second one.393Please respect copyright.PENANASYWL5cR9xJ
She raised the pencil and followed the same stroke, making the two characters thinner so they still appeared as one just as he had done.393Please respect copyright.PENANATt4CU9PRZy
"Great!" He turned to another blank page, and traced out another character.393Please respect copyright.PENANAuPbccUd46U
Kage drew, following the stroke which took more twists and turns than the previous one.393Please respect copyright.PENANACcCiSjNsJV
He traced out a total of ten different characters, Kage getting used to the patterns and rules associated with this language every time.393Please respect copyright.PENANAqHHDD1EYZ2
"Alright, one last one." He said after the tenth character.393Please respect copyright.PENANA6kd57M2lUM
Kage nodded in response, though he questions about the purpose of this were growing.393Please respect copyright.PENANAbw7Ejng31U
"Can you remember the first one you drew?"393Please respect copyright.PENANACrUbQeuc5m
"I think so." She nodded. At least the first was the easiest out of them.393Please respect copyright.PENANA6KSs3ip8lm
She started from the top left and made her way down, doubling back a couple times and keeping it all in the single stroke.393Please respect copyright.PENANAOdrT8mn0Q6
She looked up to Shole to see his expression, and he was grinning ear to ear.393Please respect copyright.PENANAkcyloOiiAL
"You're right, you do have a good memory! Much better than the others we tried to recruit!"393Please respect copyright.PENANAmAvtPRiO50
"And recruit for what, exactly?"393Please respect copyright.PENANAduQu5LdTtm
"Hm. Well, I'd have to discuss with my friend before sharing too many details. It's a bit secretive you see." Kage noticed he carefully considered his words. "We need someone with a good memory to help us...find a couple Calligriphics. Though, I guess you said you didn't know what that means."393Please respect copyright.PENANAhVyZ0Hli8q
She nodded.393Please respect copyright.PENANAqUl6YzC1S1
"Right." He paused. "They're certainly less common now, though I still would've thought everyone knew about them. Where are you from, Kage?"393Please respect copyright.PENANABu4OMETDzS
She froze, but only for a minute before remembering her entry story from the gate.393Please respect copyright.PENANAn2rPJgMKyj
"I grew up on a small farm outside the Dust. There was a fire, and I made my way here."393Please respect copyright.PENANAqnjrqk2uEO
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I didn't mean to..."393Please respect copyright.PENANA0c5uzej1Gc
"Don't worry about it." She gave a small smile, though she hated lying.393Please respect copyright.PENANAjXDubnsnV5
The silence was awkward for a minute before Shole continued.393Please respect copyright.PENANAlMw7qyYYSe
"Well, fair disclosure as well, this quest of ours may be dangerous, though we're not expecting anything too crazy." He scratched the back of his head.393Please respect copyright.PENANAYfAC2MVmbH
"What do you think, Kage? I'll tell you a bit more about Calligriphics on the way to meet Artlem if you think it's something you'd be interested in. Of course, anytime until we make some formal agreement you're free to walk out."393Please respect copyright.PENANAVuYP68mJRA
She wanted to think about it more, but chances were this was the best option she was going to get. With no knowledge of this world, no skills in a trade, and no money, and offer like this might actually be good luck for a change. The secrecy was a little suspicious, but, she could always back out once she heard more.393Please respect copyright.PENANAXvYbj3fj9s
"Okay, I'll come along." She said, pushing some determination in her voice to hide her nervousness.393Please respect copyright.PENANAfgtJuLpBZX
"Great!" Shole smiled again. "Well, the two have a rendezvous in this layer, it's an inn in the north area." He said, replacing the book in the satchel at his waist.393Please respect copyright.PENANA7Ph663wizR
"Shall we go?"393Please respect copyright.PENANAXGFy1f4gGL
"Sure."393Please respect copyright.PENANAwXHCMbjwVN
"So, Calligriphics is an old magic language, one I've been studying since I was a child."393Please respect copyright.PENANA3nQDh1XI3P
Kage and Shole walked the main road of the second section, continuing through the worker's area. Shole didn't seem to know this area very well, but seemed to be following instructions on where to go.393Please respect copyright.PENANAqYhlzvhAl7
Though she didn't fully trust Shole, she had no reason to distrust him either, and it was so much easier to walk with someone else.393Please respect copyright.PENANA8gU5TQ9Y4g
"Wait, so I was writing in a magical language?" She exclaimed.393Please respect copyright.PENANAjARYtvKbMH
"Well, yes." He reassured. "But there has to be intent behind the Calligriphics. On top of that, charcoal isn't reliable for writing it, because the stroke can be so easily broken."393Please respect copyright.PENANAgHTKaHMPlh
She nodded, though still perturbed. "I still would have rathered know that beforehand."393Please respect copyright.PENANAVumWg1B6IV
"Sorry! I guess I got carried away. Most people still know about Calligriphics, even if they don't know any."393Please respect copyright.PENANAM76xVoHq6O
He waited for a minute to see if she would say anything else on the subject, and continued when she didn't.393Please respect copyright.PENANAHEOBAUfD61
"It's basis is on the meaning of the character, the one stroke, and the intent. The more complex the character, the more power you can draw."393Please respect copyright.PENANAXtdaJJAMEo
He must have noticed Kage's eyebrows furrow, because he quickly elaborated.393Please respect copyright.PENANAEaYfSXFzPz
"Say you want to draw up water from the ground. You could write the character for "water", and that's pretty much exactly what you're looking for, but it might not specifically draw it out from the ground. In order to make it more specific, you might want to use the character for "draw out". And that character does exist, there are so many Calligriphics that no one knows them all, and many are certainly lost forever to the sands of time."393Please respect copyright.PENANAu7b9IMSZy8
"And you know a lot of these?"393Please respect copyright.PENANAPL7mevH1MF
"Certainly not as many as I'd like, but I've studied them for quite a while, yes."393Please respect copyright.PENANApVVfJZaNg6
"Then why do you need me?"393Please respect copyright.PENANAIkEYxEE72x
He paused, and Kage couldn't help thinking he looked a little guilty. "Well, I can't really explain that part. Without my friend's approval, that is. He is the leader on this particular venture, and well, for reason I'll hopefully be able to tell you soon, we can't have word of it getting around."393Please respect copyright.PENANAsLvsT6rqw2
"Is that why you couldn't find anyone?"393Please respect copyright.PENANApaXbkl8oEV
Shole blinked for a minute. "What makes you say that?"393Please respect copyright.PENANAjR6hRiM4ts
"Well, your friend didn't look too happy. And he didn't seem to think I'd be any help, so I'd assume you wouldn't be asking me if you had someone else in mind."393Please respect copyright.PENANAwD72Lt7nre
Shole sighed. "True, that reasoning makes sense. It's not a good sign if we look desperate though."393Please respect copyright.PENANAPGRplg4RsO
"Well, not desperate, just..." She tried to walk it back.
"Don't worry about it. We're not exactly experts at this. Though, that probably makes us seem even more appealing for teammates."393Please respect copyright.PENANAu28a6VydEk
"Depends on the money I'd imagine." Kage said aloud, thinking of how many people she'd seen go along with a crazy quest for a chance at a good paycheck.393Please respect copyright.PENANAH9911zqEij
"Well, that's what we're hoping." Shole smiled.393Please respect copyright.PENANAY5zYMxhZWW
His smile was innocent and unassuming, giving off the impression of someone who would't harm a fly, but the sword on his back said something different, so Kage kept an eye on her surroundings.393Please respect copyright.PENANAIpqQCTiLN7
There were fewer people as the sun set, the orange part of the sky barely visible above the walls.393Please respect copyright.PENANArHmNUd0eKN
They soon turned off into a smaller road, and not long after arrived at a wood and stone building with the sign hanging over the door reading: The Falcon's Nest.393Please respect copyright.PENANA05fGCgJE71
Kage hesitated for a minute as Shole ascended the three steps to the door. It sounded crowded and noisy in there, and she had not yet set foot in a building since her arrival in the city.393Please respect copyright.PENANAF586lvvwbL
Shole turned back and met her eyes, trying to read the expression on her face and her tapping fingers.393Please respect copyright.PENANARjGYKMnu9l
He held out his open hand. "Coming?"393Please respect copyright.PENANAtAZFZD4Vrx
Kage took one step forward, and then silently ascended the rest of the stairs, through the door which Shole held open for her.
ns216.73.216.35da2