Zectas Book II: Heraldic City of Coatl (9 page)

 

 

"Thank you so much! I'll use this properly when the time comes. Alright, I'll head out to the central district's library now."

 

 

Smoke equipped with his hooded cloak, 'Wings of Cologus', and a basic Swordsman's attire proceeded to the teleportation circle in the southern district.

 

 

                   

 

 

 

 

Sometimes merchants and other vendors would recognize him as Ilad their southern district representative. He would wave and smile at them cordially.

 

 

NPCs would go near him and shake his hands, all except for the stalls near the female Gnome called Kort. The NPCs there would avert their eyes when they saw Smoke coming their way.

 

 

Smoke failed to notice this and continued onward to the central library. He stepped onto the teleportation circle targeting the central district.

 

 

It wasn't only the NPCs that crowded around Smoke, there were players as well that would ask him to add them to their friend list but Smoke would refuse all of them politely. If he did that, they would discover his real name.

 

 

He finally came upon the special casting circle. This was his first time using a teleportation circle and he felt weird. He thought that it would be a seamless experience but it felt like his brain was jiggled up a bit. Like an elevator making an abrupt stop.

 

 

Before, he thought that the southern district was already crowded but it could not compete with the population of the central district. Players and NPCs numbered in the thousands.

 

 

There were shops that were catered to specific players like the 'MaguStore' and the 'SnipeRus'. Of course the Knight specific stores still dominated the market place.

 

 

He was excited to check each store, but his preparations for the finals superseded anything else. He went directly to the central library.

 

 

Smoke had never seen this many books in his entire life, the real world included. Inside the central district's library there were thirty floors, all of which were filled with books.

 

 

The central library was the tallest building in Coatl city, but he didn't think that all of its floors were filled up with books.

 

 

He was salivating when he imagined just how much acquired knowledge and Intelligence stats he would receive if he were to read all of these books.

 

 

A tall male HighElf with golden hair was standing at the front desk. Smoke went to him and asked to see the head librarian, Madry.

 

 

"I'm here to see the head librarian. Madam Dawny sent me."

 

 

The HighElf looked at him curiously. He was not used to see a Swordsman inside the library. He would occasionally see some Alchemists, Mages and Wizards, maybe even a Priest but never a Swordsman.

 

 

"Hmm, Madam Dawny, huh? Let me check if she is available."

 

 

The attendant with golden hair disappeared into the backroom. After a few minutes he came out and told Smoke to follow him. They went to the fifteenth floor of the library.

 

 

They arrived at a normal looking door with the label 'Head Librarian'. The HighElf knocked twice, and a deep voice answered them to come in.

 

 

Smoke couldn't have guessed what the head librarian looked like. Sitting in front of them was an old female Ork with glasses.

 

 

"Well, what do you want? I know that we may not look busy, but we actually are. The sooner you tell me the reason why Dawny sent you here, the better."

 

 

"Of course, first let me greet you on this fine day. My name is Ilad. Madam Dawny told me that you could help me acquire the ability Life Share'. I desperately need it for my upcoming tournament."

 

 

"Tournament? What tournament?"

 

 

The HighElf quickly answered the head librarian.

 

 

"I believe it's the Swordsman to Knight Tournament. I think he is the southern district's champion."

 

 

"Oh, it's that time of the year huh? Strange, you're the first one to ask for this ability. Also, I don't see why you we need an ability to heal someone when the tournament is one on one?"

 

 

"I have took the time to know my enemies, and for me to be able to assure a just victory I know that I would need that ability."

 

 

"Very well, since you were recommended by Dawny, I shall allow you to purchase the ability tome. You just need to pay us ten million zecs."

 

 

"What? Ten millions zecs? Isn't that too pricey for a mediocre ability?"

 

 

"How dare you? You don't ever call an ability mediocre! For that insolence, you've forfeited your right to buy the ability tome."

 

 

"No, no, no, I'm so sorry, I meant no disrespect. It's just that I'm really poor. I think you can tell from my appearance just how poor I am."

 

 

Madry examined the DarkElf closely. Smoke thought that the Ork was convinced that he was penniless as he claimed to be.

 

 

"Yes, you do look like you can't afford to buy for ten million zecs. Nonetheless, I can't let it go for anything less than a million zecs."

 

 

Smoke thought that he could offer up his newly obtained glaive 'Rzeka' but its attack at 80 was twice the attack of his green dual knives. He also needed the weapon when he would be disguised as a Knight.

 

 

Then, Smoke remembered that Laernea and Gandiva brought twenty pieces of double bladed mantis swords. Each sword could probably sell at around 20,000 zecs to 30,000 zecs.

 

 

"Would you be open to a trade? I have with me ten pieces of double bladed mantis swords. These swords are still quite rare. I think there are less than twenty of them including these in Coatl city."

 

 

"I am not a weapon's appraiser. If you want, you can take them to one of the shops outside and sell them there."

 

 

Smoke thought that it would be troublesome to sell each blade. His furrowed eyebrows and deep sighs caught the attention of the female Ork. He was about to give in and pay her with actual zecs when the head librarian spoke out.

 

 

"Hmm, it would seem that I could take the risk of accepting this offer, provided you pay the sum of one hundred thousand zecs."

 

 

The DarkElf did his best to suppress his smile. He quickly turned around and pretended to be counting his money. He couldn't believe how useful his 'Beggary' ability was.

 

 

"I would like to inform you that this is my whole life savings. If only I didn't need that ability tome I would have walked away from this deal. Against the better judgment of my pockets, I accept and will pay the said amount."

 

 

Madry motioned for the HighElf to retrieve the book. Upon his return, he went to Smoke and opened a trade window. After which, they successfully traded the agreed upon items.

 

 

+Received Ability Tome: Life Share

 

 

Smoke eagerly inspected his traded ability tome.

 

 

 

The head librarian then spoke out and said.

 

 

"You've received the ability tome, but I doubt that you could use it."

 

 

Before Madry finished her sentence, Smoke had already activated the learning process of the tome and acquired its ability.

 

 

The female Ork's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe that there was a Swordsman who could meet Intelligence requirements.

 

 

Smoke took notice of the head librarians reaction and decided to ask the question that had been bugging him since he saw her.

 

 

"Forgive my rudeness, but I just have to ask how did you manage to become the head librarian?"

 

 

"Oh? Because I'm an Ork?"

 

 

"No, of course that's not what I meant. I just mean that you look too young to be the head librarian."

 

 

Madry raised her eyebrow. She thought to answer his question because she had one of her own.

 

 

"I'm not your stereotypical Ork. I am a MaduHai Ork. There are only a few of my kind left and we are the most magically gifted among the Ork sub-races. Now that I've answered your question, can you answer mine? Why would a Swordsman invest as much as 150 to his Intelligence stat?"

 

 

"Oh, that's because I was taught that brain triumphs over brawn."

 

 

 

 

 

Central district's coliseum was four times larger than the one found in the southern district. It was made to fit every audience from all districts.

 

 

Duke Burmistrz, the mayor of Coatl city has been invited to be the guest of honor for the 'Swordsman to Knight' tournament.

 

 

The old Human Viking War Lord had been in various epic battles, and although his job was not of the Knight variation, he was included in the order of 'Legendary Knights'.

 

 

Rumor has it that Duke Burmistrz was once a High Commander of the 'Ladrones del Mundo', the secret society of marauders and thieves.

 

 

Before the start of the tournament, the guest of honor asked to speak before the entire arena.

 

 

"Citizens and visitors of Coatl, I am honored to have all of you here in our sacred stadium. I am sure that we will witness a most enjoyable battle. Still, I find that the rule for having a one on one to be dull. I propose that we hasten the inevitable and have them all fight in a free-for-all battle. What do you say, my good people?"

 

 

The crowd cheered loudly as a new format for the finals was implemented. The screens that displayed the original sequence of fighters had updated into a bold and eye-popping "FREE FOR ALL FIGHT - four Swordsmen enter, one leaves as the champion!"

 

 

Smoke didn't mind the new format. In fact, he welcomed it! This only hastened his fight with his desired opponent, Swordsman Sagen.

 

 

He was given his own private area to prepare. Laernea and Gandiva were allowed to join him in his private quarters.

 

 

They were there to give him their support, they worried that he would experience another episode of blind rage. But were relieved because Smoke looked to have recovered from his anger streak.

 

 

It was about an hour before the start of central district's championship. The southern district's representative was busy preparing his equipment and cooking his meal.

 

 

He was excited to use the new spices and garnishes, and to test out his newly learned recipe, when a call abruptly interrupted his preparatory measures.

 

 

"Smoke, why didn't you tell me that something was up? How do you think I felt when I heard the news from Laernea that you were rampaging in Coatl city?"

 

 

Sierra had called the troubled DarkElf. He didn't have any reasonable answer for her. He barely understood what he was actually feeling during those flashes of rage.

 

 

"Listen, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't mean to hide it from you. It's just these emotions keep coming out of me. I think you remembered the time before I quit the diner? I'm having those feelings again but this time they're getting stronger."

 

 

"I thought that you already got past that. Aren't you here to enjoy this other world where you could be a different you?"

 

 

"I am here to enjoy Zectas, but I also think that I'm discovering the real me. Don't worry, Gandiva and Laernea gave me a pretty solid advice on how to deal with my anger."

 

 

"Well, I guess if you got a handle on it, then I guess you're alright. You are alright, right?"

 

 

"Of course! Trust me you won't see me picking fights in the real world."

 

 

"What was that again? What was the last part you said?"

 

 

"I said, I'm fine. Honestly. Anyway how is your search for the village? Have you found the exit to the labyrinth?"

 

 

"I'm still waiting for Adder's report. You know how he likes to be thorough. I think we will find the exit in two days, worst case maybe four."

 

 

"Don't hurry on my account. I'm still trying to get the recommendation to enter the labyrinth as well. It looks like my original estimate for this quest was wrong."

 

 

"I know! I had a gut feeling from the moment you told me, that you expected us to be done in a week. Anyway, don't worry about it too much. I'm still having fun on my end. I'm learning a lot of new things in my Werebear form. You know, just in case it will take us longer to break the curse."

 

 

"That's great. Not that you would be stuck in that form, but you getting better at your Werebear form. I hope you know what I meant."

 

 

"Yeah, I do. Smoke, please talk to me if something is bothering you."

 

 

"Don't worry I've really got it handled."

 

 

"Alright, stay safe, I don't want to hear you having any mental breakdowns. Take care!"

 

 

Sierra was very worried about his well being. He also knew that each member of his private army wanted to check up on him.