A Lively Village

A tall towering mountain stands in front of him. Blue trees and vegetation cover most of the mountain's surface. With the sunlight, it made the scenery so calm and beautiful.

"Wow! So beautiful! I can't imagine that blue trees will actually look that good. This is why this world is called Blue Wonder. The majority of the plants and leaves have a bluish hue." He was truly mesmerized with the scenery. It looks quite different from where he came from.

He looked left and right and scrutinize the area. He feels that he just needs to find a suitable road on the mountain so that he can cross and get to Horn City. From far away to a bit from his right, a number of buildings can be seen. There are people going in and out.

"That will be one of the villages around the mountain. It's been a while since I've eaten. I'm hungry and I want to rest." He excitedly strides towards the village leisurely while appreciating the beauty of the place every now and then.

He just silently walked and people he encountered doesn't bother him in any way. Some of them glance but that's it. The majority just continue their way not paying him any attention. For them, he's just another one of those poor people around the mountain area.

He reached the village after walking for around fifteen minutes. The village is surrounded by shabby brick walls. At the entrance, there is a guard tower. There's a guard at the top that is busily watching the surroundings. A number of people are walking in.

There's a group of young boys and girls ranging from fourteen to eighteen in front. They were wearing a simply adorned robe lined with a maroon line at the center. At first glance, it is obvious that they are apprentice magicians. They were chatting loudly and he can hear them.

"Hey, be sure to behave properly once we are in the vicinity of the Blue Lightning Shrine."

"Don't forget what we've practiced!"

"Hmph! I will be chosen this time! There's no need for you guys to go."

"What? What? Did you say anything? I can't hear you properly."

The group just continue on their rumbling and they've only started to shut their mouths as they've neared the entrance.

He just followed behind them to the entrance.

"Halt!"

One of the guards on the entrance gate is eyeing him from head to toe and upon seeing his clothes ridden with holes, he was stopped. Then with a glare, the guard asked: "What is your name and what is your purpose on entering the village?"

Knowing he was being judged because of his clothes, he secretly sighed.

"I'm Geralt Werden. This is just my stop-over to Horn City. I would like to rest and eat before continuing my journey." He said with no expression showing on his face.

The guard glared at him for a second then said, "Pay the entrance fee of 5 Silver!"

He handed his entrance fee and then he entered the village. He felt some kind of barrier which subtlety resists his entry. This is the village's protective magical barrier. If the village is in lock-down mode, nobody can get through this barrier unless it gets broken.

Some of the girls from the group before glanced for a bit to the entrance before continuing back to their destination.

Buildings on this village were made up of shabby bricks. The layout is pretty simple. From the entrance is a road that goes straight to the Blue Lightning Shrine which is the core of this village. Aligned on both sides of the road are the buildings that cater to customer's needs. There's a blacksmith guild, alchemy guild, restaurant, tavern, market, inn, various clothing stores, jewelry stores, and treatment facilities. Further back the road is residential houses.

Situated in the center of the village is the Blue Lightning Shrine, which is the magician's guild for this village. The head of the village is the head of this Shrine. Besides the Shrine is the knight's guild, which houses the warriors that protect the people and maintains the order. Warriors are headed by their corresponding Captain and Captains follows the orders of a magician Elder. A magician Elder answers directly under the Village Head.

He went to one of the inns beside the road. He paid for one of the rooms and then asked that they bring him food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Of course, he paid for those in advance and he selected which food he wants based on their menu. He'll only be staying here for three days.

The room he rented has a simple design. Walls are made up of shabby bricks. There's a small window with a wooden cover. The bed is just an elevated plain of wood covered with a clean white cloth. There's a bedside table with a stool. There's an illuminating pearl that serves as a light. And there's also a wind shell that blows the wind to circulate the air on the room. In short, the place is cheap and just have basic pieces of furniture.

"Ahh! Finally, I can have some rest!" He sat down on the bed then laid down while his arms were outstretched to the side. He closed his eyes and laid there for minutes. It is not his intention but he fell asleep right away. It is evident that his body is really tired. Getting away from those bolts of lightning really exhausted his energy reserves.

He slept for hours until there's a knock on the door.

"Sir, we've brought you your dinner!" A voice can be heard outside the door.

He was bolted awake. While still feeling groggy, he shouted, "Coming!" Then unsteadily tried to push his body up. After some issues on balance, he was able to finally stand after trying for a bit. He then opened the door and get his food. He thanked the waitress then closed the door. The waitress sneakily glanced at him. Then with a smile, she strode off to go back to the kitchen.

After eating his fill, he went back to the bed and sat on its corner. His mind is clearer now after he got some rest and filled his tummy.

"I feel better now but I think I need a change of clothes. I look like someone who has battled for days." He remarked while examining what he is wearing.

After a while, he decided to go for a walk. He'll buy a change of clothes while on the way.

He strolled on the road and looked for a good clothing store. He made sure to watch his beloved bag all the time. It would be disastrous if he encountered a snatcher. After going through several stores, he finally found a good one that sells cheap but still of good quality. He's still an apprentice magician after all so he bought an apprentice magician's robe. It's a simple robe but comfortable to wear.

While strolling, he noticed the Bulletin Board. There are various notes and papers. Written on those papers are various missions. The difficulty is random. Some are easy, some are almost impossible. But, of course, the monetary rewards scale appropriately depending on the difficulty.

"In every village and city, there are Bulletin Boards like this. Once Geralt's father is fine, I can probably select some of these missions to earn the Gold I need."

"But, I'm so weak at this moment. I need to learn more spells especially for both defense and offense. Some support spells like increasing speed, invisibility, and so on are good too."

"I will have better chances if I join a magician's guild. They have the resources that I need."

After pondering for a while he decided to go to a park. He sat on the bench and just watch the other people. Magic is everywhere. There are kids eating a floating cotton candy that glows. There's this one kid that has a small wing, his wing resembles the one on a dragonfly. He's trying to fly but he can only lift himself for an inch for a few seconds before crashing down lightly.

"This world is fascinating! It's like Diagon Alley in Harry Potter!" He silently muttered to himself. He's wondering if some of these people came from Earth as well or are they all natives on this world? Are there any other worlds similar to Blue Wonder?

Then there are fireworks in the sky. Their fireworks dance like a person before it dissipates into nothingness. It's a pretty lively evening.

If you look at a certain direction, you will be able to see thick clouds with bolts of lightning. That's the Lightning Plain of Death. It is clearly visible during the night.

He looked at those lightning and was feeling lucky. He can't believe he was able to get out of that place alive. He remembers those moments where he almost died.

"There's no need to stay here for three days. Tomorrow, I'll continue with my journey to Horn City. I have to complete my mission." He solemnly declared to himself with a serious expression.