Book 2: Chapter 3: Entrance Inspection and The Rusty Sprocket

Book 2: Chapter 3: Entrance Inspection and The Rusty Sprocket

Lone was in awe upon seeing the entrance to Krieg Moor. A towering set of double-doors that were easily 50-meters tall was the only way into the stronghold.

These doors were embedded into the side of a solid cliff-face and they were practically glowing from the sheer power of the enchantments protecting them.

"This is like something straight out of a video game..." Lone muttered. "It's amazing... Look at all of that detail... Soph, these massive doors are telling a story! Can you see those murals carved into them? What an amazing piece of historical artwork."

Soph glanced up at Lone's eyes which were shining with excitement and enthusiasm despite the heavy bags sitting underneath them. "Mmm. It's gorgeous."

Lone stared for a good while longer before he finally collected himself. Reining in his inner history buff, he muttered, "Okay, so Grimsley said they aren't very fond of humans but they aren't outlawed so we just need to behave and we shouldn't get mistreated... Now, where's the lesser entrance?"

Every gateway to a krieg had a smaller set of gates in one of the two ginormous doors to let people and merchants pass through. It was that entrance which Lone was looking for.

"Uhm, Mast- em... Lone. There," Breena fumbled as she hesitantly pointed forwards.

Following her arm, Lone spotted a small queue in the distance leading towards a point at the base of the door. "Ah, great. Thanks, Breena."

The Crimson Foxkin nodded mutely in response.

Very quickly, the three of them plus Kyuubi whom Soph was carrying entered the line which was filled mostly with dwarves though he could see a few other species of demihumans and one or two humans in the queue.

Immediately, Lone could hear murmurs spreading through the queue when eyes fell upon his group.

"A twice-awakened beastkin? How rare. Must be recent awakenings too since I don't see any wrinkles," a man with rock for skin said.

One of his kin nodded. "More importantly, isn't that the 9-tailed Golden Foxkin from Milindo? I heard he caused a commotion over there."

A lady with three arms on either side of her body added, "Indeed. He killed the summoned hero of Milindo in an annual tournament after crippling the crown prince. He was then locked up for months. Do you think it's really him? How did he get out and end up here? I didn't catch wind of him being officially released yet..."

"Serves the fookin' 'umans right. Oi, Ninetails, if ya pass the entry inspection an' ah see ya in ah pub, yer drinks 're on me!" a short ginger-bearded dwarf yelled.

"Aye! Fookin' too right! Ya did us demis prood," another dwarf chimed in.

Lone smiled wryly and nodded kindly to everyone but didn't answer or respond beyond that. For a start he had no idea what species the rock-skinned men were nor did he recognise the woman's origin so he didn't want to accidentally offend them.

The dwarves were hardy and stubborn people who usually spoke with grunts and head gestures anyway when it came to strangers, well, that or incessant swearing, so they appreciated Lone's taciturnity.

Perhaps an hour later it was finally Lone and his group's turn to be inspected and judged if they were worthy of entering the stronghold, something Grimsley had briefed Lone on during their conversation.

They were brought into a building that had been situated right outside and to the side of the massive set of doors where everyone hoping to gain entry first went. It was carved into the side of the mountain and actually quite hard to detect without being close to it.

"Names an' occupations," the Stone Dwarf demanded a bit rudely but such was the way of the dwarves.

Lone responded, "Lone Immortus. I'm an adventurer by trade, a scholar at heart and apprentice blacksmith by skill."

Soph smiled sweetly and answered, "Sophie Vladimirovich. I'm a housewife!" She quickly got a bit of a look from both Lone and the inspector which made her curl up a bit as she held Kyuubi. "And, uh, I'm an adventurer too..."

The inspector nodded though his eyes seemed distrustful and a lot of that distrust appeared to come not from Soph's words but something else. Lone assumed her species.

"An' you, lassie?" the man asked as he stared at the Crimson Foxkin of the group.

Breena looked down as she replied, "... Breena Redtail. Adventurer."

"Nae much of a loud speak'r, huh?" the dwarf said to himself with a grunt. "An' the fox? It's nae a secret Divine beast or somethin', is it?"

Soph shook her head. "She's called Kyuubi Immortus. Her occupation is... uh, daughter? Sleeper?"

Lone smiled wryly. "She's our pet, Sir."

"Okay. An' yer purpose of visit?" the dwarf asked.

"We intend to stay in Krieg Moor for a few months to a year to rest and plan out our future journey. We intend to return this one to her clan, you see," Lone explained as he patted Breena's head, causing her to jump a little.

The inspector raised an eyebrow. "Doesnae seem 'at fond of you, laddie."

A skill that allows the host to gain knowledge and sometimes permanent power from observing or creating history and matters of culture.

Ordinary moments and sites of history witnessed or created

Exiled elves of the Western World Tree | Ranton's Grand Colosseum | The death of a human summoned hero | the Estoplian Wasteland.

Extraordinary moments and sites of history witnessed or created

None.

Miraculous moments and site of history witnessed or created:

None.

Ordinary moments and sites of cultural significance witnessed or created

The beauty of the Stone Dwarves underground stronghold city, Krieg Moor.

Extraordinary moments and sites of cultural significance witnessed or created

None.

Miraculous moments and sites of cultural significance witnessed or created

None.

Permanent bonuses granted: 20 Luck | 5 Charm.

Cost:N/A Mastery:Beginner Level 1

Lone's eyes widened as he felt knowledge of the listed historical and cultural moments which he didn't know enter his mind. "That is a lot of info and I've never seen a skill like this one before..."

"Hmm?" Soph glanced up at Lone curiously.

"Uh, it's nothing. Just a skill with a big description and lots of details," Lone said dismissively as he took her hand in his and started walking with Breena not far behind the two of them. 'So skills like this exist which give you stat bonuses and extra information on things... I wonder how rare they are?'

Regardless, Lone was happy to have been rewarded for his enthusiasm towards architecture, steampunk-esqe technology and history.

As they walked Lone waved at a cycling female dwarf to get her to stop.

"Whacha wan', sonnie?" she asked with a sweet voice despite her thick accent and grumbling tone.

'I'm so glad female dwarves don't have beards, still, their faces are quite angular, aren't they?' Lone thought in passing as he said, "Sorry for stopping you. We just gained entry to the krieg. Would you be so kind as to possibly point us in the direction of a good inn or home up for rent?"

"Oh. Sure." She raised one of her stubby arms and pointed down the street before saying, "Down at' road, turn right, third left down an' ye'll find the Rusty Sprocket. Expensive place despite the name but it's a good place tae rest. Ya look like ye need it, sonnie."

"Haha, thank you," Lone laughed half-heartedly. "You wouldn't also be able to tell me where I could buy one of those, could you?" he asked as he gestured to her bike. "It seems like a fantastic invention."

"A steam-wheeler? Aye, 'at ah can do." She then described which direction to go in to buy the intriguing mode of transportation. "Ye look after yerself, sonnie. Krieg's nae as peaceful as it used tae be. Ye'r a good lad. Rare tae find people as kind an' respectful as ye amongst travellers."

Lone thanked the lady and they then parted ways.

Soph glanced up at him and asked, "... Rival?" with a troubled expression on her face as she squeezed little Kyuubi.

Lone smiled wryly and patted her head. "No, you dummy. That was a middle-aged woman."

"She was shorter than me," Soph said with a pout. "You like short girls."

"What? No I don't," Lone protested as they walked towards the mentioned inn, the Rusty Sprocket.

Soph stared at him in disbelief. "I'm short."

"Yeah, and you're also Russian. Doesn't mean I like all Russians," Lone responded with a sigh.

The two bickered for a while about this meaningless subject until, finally, they and Breena had arrived at the Rusty Sprocket.

Lone booked two rooms with a double-sized bed, one for him and Soph and the other for Breena. With that done, they immediately retreated to their new accommodations.

Lone was now sitting at the end of his and Soph's new bed with the mana orb Sophie had taken from the dead crown prince of Milindo. "I wonder if you'll help me remove my MP seal..." he whispered to the orb before chuckling, "I've not had great luck with orbs thus far but I can still hope for the best."