Civilization

Day 1, part 2.

The middle aged man presented himself as Thail von Graus. He seems to be a merchant or something similar, and not a farmer as I initially guessed. Seeing as the cart is full of various trinkets, with no veggies to be seen anywhere.

While riding the cart and talking to Thail, I learn a lot about Krei and its local politics.

The country I am in now is called Raz and is a minor kingdom with a much smaller landmass and population than the neighbouring Drea republic to the east, respectively Bal kingdom, to the west.

The kingdom of Raz's Capitol is named Gerela, and it's where we are currently heading towards.

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Just before the last light of the day starts waning, we reach the gate in the stone wall.

An impressive feat, to say the least, the wall stands at over 6 meters high at the lowest point and at certain points reaching up to 20 meters high.

I dread even thinking about the labour and time needed to build it.

Built halfway up, and into the wall, is a guardpost with an about 5x10 meter ramp leading down to the ground.

The guard post seems to be built outermost, with the actual gate being behind the guard post.

That way it acts as a natural checkpoint, as you need to access the ramp and pass through the guardpost before you can even reach the gate into the city. While the cart me and Thail are riding slowly climbs the 5 meter or so high inclined ramp, I look around the plaza outside the guard post curiously.

It is being manned by more than a few dozen guards, all with matching white and red chainmail sets as well as halberdiers. They all have a giant lizard insignia carved into the left side of their chest, about where their heart is.

Some of the guards inspect travellers and their imports while others are running to and fro. Doing what, I don't know, but they sure look busy.

The rest are either doing weapons training with their weapon of choice or eating while talking loudly with their comrades in the rightmost corner of the guardpost.

Coming to a stop behind what looks like a trade convoy, Thail turns to me and says "Well Ray, this a' where' we part. I must submit a' report of me goods and by tha looks o' it, it'll be a' while. It'll be much faster fo' you to take the regular gate, then a' wait 'ere at tha' trade gate with me."

Jumping down from the cart I turn and bow to Thail. "Thank you so much for the lift, I would no doubt be camping out in the wilds by now otherwise." I say and smile at him. "Also thanks for the information. I'm sorry for not being able to do much in return." I say and bow to Thail.

"Nonsense" he replies while shaking his head. "It's a' duty of the old to take care o' the young. Ah, before I forget'; 'Ere" he says and tosses me a small leather bag. "Ya dun't 'ave any, right?"

Catching it with my right hand I clearly hear the clinging of metal on metal. Money.

Looking inside reveals what I assume is 1 silver coin and 4 copper coins.

"Thail, I can't accept this…" I say weakly.

Chuckling Thail replies: "Ya can, and ya will. Tis no' much, but it shoulda last ya a few days. Hopefully ya'll manage' ta find a job in that time."

"Thank you Thail, truly." I say while bowing 90°, tears threatening to leak.

"I can't do much to repay you right now, but I'll work my ass off and someday, someday I'll repay you. You have my word." I say resolutely and meet his gaze. "But if you ever need help with something, anything, send word to me, and I swear I will come flying to your aid."

Nodding slowly he replies "I'll keep'it in mind. Do take care now, Ray. It's a dangerous world out 'ere."

Nodding slowly, I say: "I will. Take care until next time we meet then, Thail von Graus."

As I walk up to the guardpost, one of the guards with a particularly impressive moustache, lifts his left hand in a stop sign.

"Where are you from, and what is your business in Gerela, boy?" He asks stony faced and rather bluntly.

"I am from a small village out in the wilderness to the South." I say and look the guard in the eye.

"I seek work and shelter as there was little of either in my village."

Pausing, I remember Thail was talking about some basic training regimen. "I heard there is an open invitation to join the basic training regimen, is it true?" I ask the moustache guard.

"Oh? Looking to make something of yourself, eh boy? Good, good… yes, it is indeed true." he says and l nods.

"2 silvers pay a month, room and board provided. In exchange for training, you will be assigned duties for a few hours a day. " he says and waves towards a lighter geared bunch of people being trained in sword fighting in the training yard.

"It's a pretty good deal if you ask me. What do you say? Want to join?"

Pondering my other prospects at finding both work, room and board, I figure everything in one is hard to beat.

Especially when I don't have any valuable skills, except maybe my fire abilities which I have no idea how they work… It's decided then.

"I'll join" I say while looking mustache guard right in his eyes.

"Hmm… you've got some resolve at least. I think we may yet be able to make something out of you yet." he says ponderingly.

"Right then, follow me." He says, turns and walks away without looking back to see if I'm following or not.

Taking a glance back towards where Thail was, but is now empty ground; I turn and jog after moustache guard.

Catching up with him, I keep pace with him while staying one step behind him.

"By the way, I am Corporal Kal" he says suddenly, without looking back at me.

"I'm Rayder. Rayder White. Everyone just calls me Ray for short though." I say while looking to see if he reacts to my name.

Since it is most probably a strange name to people from this world. Kal doesn't react in the slightest though.

"Do you have any kind of identification?" He asks without turning around or glancing back at me.

"No… never needed one in the village." I reply simply

"Ok then, we start from there." He says and turns to the left towards a giant desk where a huge crystal is taking up most of the desk.

Arriving at the desk, Kal talks to an important looking woman in a black business skirt and navy blue blouse.

After a few back and forths with Kal, she turns to me.

"So, he says you need an ID, yes?" she asks and tilts her head slightly to the left.

"Yes, I do." I reply and wait for the inevitable questions.

None come, however, as she walks away to a cabinet she grabs and starts writing furiously for a minute.

Then she comes back and stands in front of me. "Touch the status stone on the table, then press your finger in the circle here" she says as she indicates a big circle on the top of the paper.

With a simple "Ok." I do as I've been asked.

Touching the crystal sends a tingle through my body but doesn't seem to do much otherwise.

Next, pressing my index finger against the specified circle makes the tingle go away as scribbles and symbols start appearing on the paper.

Giving the paper a once over she says "One moment." and promptly strides off to another cabinet and comes back with a small, credit card sized, metal plate. "Again, in the circle, please." she says as she holds forth the metal card in front of me.

Pressing my finger on the metal card the same scribbles and symbols etch themselves into the metal plate.

It's done after a moment and after giving it a once over, probably to confirm the details, she nods and gives me the metal card.

"There. To see status just say "ID status" and it'll show your current bank balance, status, title, rank, owned property etc. If you ever happen to lose it, just say "ID retrieve" and it'll materialize in front of you. There is a cool down timer of a month for using that command though, please do try to not lose it." she says.

Then she just keeps looking at me, as if she is waiting for something.

"Questions?"

Oh…

"No, I think I got it;

"ID status" to see current status and "ID Retrieve" to recover lost card, one month cool-down timer." I recount back to her.

Nodding she smiles slightly and says "Have a good day then."

"Thank you, you too." I say and turn back to Kal, who's waiting a bit further back.

Walking over to him he leads me to another giant desk, this one without a crystal.

"Right, put your ID card in the slot here and it'll register you to the training regimen." He says and indicates a card sized cutout in the table.

Putting the card into the cut out it glows blue for a moment and then the glow disappears.

"All done, you can take it now."

Kal says, so I take my ID card and put it in my pocket.

"Welcome to the basic training regimen or Base as we guards say." Kal says and snaps his fingers. "Right! Let me get you your basic gear. One mo'." he says and disappears behind a corner only to return a second later with a decently sized bag containing a full set of clothes and basic leather armour.

"Here." he says as he gives me the bag. "Report to the training ground in 2 days, a bit after sunrise.

Now, I need to get back to my post, so I'll get someone to come here and teach you the rest; wait here." He says and speedily walks away.

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End of chapter 2.