We were heading to the main city of Tregaron which belonged to humans; well, at least that's what the humans say. One thing to be thankful for was at least is that the main city, or capital, was always named after the country, as a customary human tradition, so they wouldn't get confused.
And the capital, home of nobles and the king, couldn't be more different than the other cities we had passed by; filled with famine and diseases, as to expect from an uneducated plebe and not maintained villages, where something stayed where it died most of the time, and the filth right beside their doorsteps when it didn't come from the horses passing by, acc.u.mulating on the streets.
It was disgusting, to say the least, home to white fat worms.
E
We were now staying in line to pass the outer walls gates of the city, having gone through the poor neighborhoods and farms unprotected by it.
As one of the few countries who had mountains, access to the sea, warm climate and tropical weather to the south, even having frontier to the dwarfs and elves countries, this place should be a lot wealthier.
I guess I know now where all that wealth went, I think once we finally pay the entry fee and pass the metal gates. First off, instead of the mutt filled streets, there were clean smooth stones covering all the passageways.
Then the buildings, made of brown bricks, stood in two to three floors, even more, with glass windows and flower pots underneath!
Only fancy stuff I tell ya, that's why it cost 2 silver per head only to enter, ouch.
We go with the flow, Ragnur and my brother talking nonstop behind me like two children at a candy store; seemed like, for what I could catch, Ragnur wasn't used to the human big cities, usually in the mines or mountains with his people, as apparently he had started his first travel alone, which almost ended pretty badly.
There were some trees well-kept and placed to give us some shade as we passed the main street, carriages coming and going with their pure breeds, but no monsters in view. Too gruesome to the pampered nobles?
Right at the main street the carriages went to a separate space while the middle was taken over by pedestrians and shops in tents or in the buildings on the sides, the enlarged street making a circular compound around a huge statue of a woman cupping her big belly and holding a basket of fruits beside her h.i.p.s with the other hand.
Behind her, taller than any of the other buildings, farther away yet visible nonetheless, stood a castle, presumably where the royal family lived and were the pampered nobles passed their royal time doing nothing.
But at least it was a respectful structure, made of heavy stone for what I could they from this far away, some small slim windows and high towers, probably staying over a hill or something as the structure was visible through all the city and even before, out in the open field.
I was walking with my cape covering me head to toe in the crowd, blending in with the anonymous, but I could; different from my brother; hide most of my abnormal features from sight, letting only the crystal in sight, probably because the evolution told that it should stay that way as a downside, not really sure, but I didn't keep it up all the time, it cost MP after all.
So I was somewhat grateful to Ragnur for the gift he presented me for saving his life; he, as a blacksmith, got a way with the metal, so he made me a diadem to cover up my crystal, making a diamond-shaped hole in it to look like the crystal was actually from the diadem, not stuck in my forehead.
It looked cool though.
It had a delicate yet strong feel to it, the metals curving around and ending in spirals, but as the male version the metal was thicker and had some strong triangle stars symbols draw in the metal and with the metal, making a very complex piece, more surprisingly even from coming from rough dwarf hands.
My brother was looking over the shops, some selling slime jelly candy, roasted beef in sticks, strange purple eggs inside buns; while I mostly only noticed the exotic foods around; when I got distracted by a group that formed a semicircle in one of the sides, watching a bard playing a lute and singing, his fingers quickly passing through the strings:
"Hear me ya! Hear me! ~~
For his shadow covers the skies, it does, yes it does!
For the war wasn't fair, it wasn't! No, it wasn't!~~
Icemeet doesn't play fair; grim is seems for Forstlord!
It does! Yes it does!~~
But hear me all! Hear me!
For his shadow cover the field! For his cunning eyes cut the battlefield!
Tall as mountains! Grim as the reaper, I tell ya, tell ya!~~
For that which kills and slaves innocent creatures shall hide in fear! Cower away!
Cuss hear me! Hear me ya!~~
For the Terror is here!
For his silver eyes are sharper than blades!
For his fangs shall cut thee~~"
That brought a cunning smile to my lips; news travel fast it seems. I stay until the end, keeping an eye out for my brother looking at the shops with Ragnur, and an ear out for the rest of the song.
Once is done, however, the bard passes his hat upside-down, receiving some coins in return. I go forward, placing a golden coin on top, receiving an enormous grim for him, to which his complements with a half-bow.
"Thank ya mister!
"It was my pleasure." I say, making eye contact for the first time, earning a gasp from him in return.
"Y-y-y-!"
I turn and mix myself in the crowd, hearing him call out for me in the distance. I ignored though; the last thing I needed was a human following me around.
Even more now that, finally, after 13 years, the runes started to shine and point away, indicating that Leo summoned me.
Not that I have been waiting or anything, of course.
I was occupied with my own things, as freeing a literal army of magical beasts from the humans who used and abuse them.
That, of sure, made a name for myself.
The Terror.
And, yet, for some I was also known as The Savior.
And I may add… both seemed very fitting, it just depended on who was speaking then; if the victim, or my prey.
~~~~
For those who are waiting for the vampire book, sorry, I'm late~~~
I will try to write it this weekend ;D
Oh, and my sis is helping me edit and stuff, so the chapters with a title are the ones we had a look over
If you guys find any mistakes, especially on those chapters, please let me know!!!