Chapter 7 Part 1
Two days later and still in the church. Hilda is in the same condition, bed ridden and Engilram supposedly got a letter from the capital church to take part in a meeting.
"I need you guys to stay here for a few days and look after Hilda while I'm gone on a business trip," Engilram said.
"what do you need to do in the capital?" Heather asked.
"I don't know, the church has never summoned me to the capital before, so I unfortunately don't know," Engilram answered. "I have a carriage ready for me in a few hours. It should arrive today," He continued.
"we can handle things here. Just try to be back as soon as possible," Heddwyn said.
"even though you explained it to us, I don't understand how she hasn't gotten at least a little better. Having to keep changing her rags regularly isn't easy. Will she at least get a little better over the week I will be gone," Engilram said.
"she may, but researching Tuberculosis isn't an easy endeavour. She is going to lose a lot of weight. She may vomit. Have seizures. The list goes on with this horrific disease. It makes me think that she has had latent TB for months before symptoms. Maybe even years." Heddwyn replied.
"my carriage may arrive shortly, so I'm going to get ready by waiting in my chair at the dining room table for a knock on the door." Engilram declares.
"ok not a problem," Heddwyn said. As the door closed on him and the kids, he continued. "are you three ok? I know seeing the Sister like this must be hard for you."
None of the children could process the current situation properly and weren't really showing much emotion. Heather and Haider are sitting on the floor next to the chair that Heddwyn is sitting in. Christopher is standing near the door and looks to be trying to process what is happening.
"she was fine this morning. What the hell happened to her dad? Why did she get like this?" Christopher said, as he wailed in Psychological pain.
"the only thing I can think of is that she may have been suppressing and lying about her condition. There isn't much more I can say. I don't enjoy giving people false hope. Especially with the illness she has. I think it's smart to say your goodbyes soon. Pray for good fortunes to the gods. Anything you think that will allow you to cope." Heddwyn replied.
Engilram pops his head through the door and tells them that his carriage had arrived. the newly formed family of four follow him to see him off. It was an ordinary carriage. Much like the one Cleo had, with a horse and driver and a leather tarp covering the sides, front and back. Engilram grabs his bag and heads off. After the carriage headed off. Heddwyn opens his arms wide for a hug that the cubs did not refuse. They spend most of the day cuddling while Heddwyn changes the wet rag every now and again.
(narrator) this is quite depressing and the thing of the Father telling them about a letter is odd. I saw no such thing. I think we are going to follow him for a while to see what happens.
Now, following the carriage that Engilram was riding, we come to hear a conversation between the driver and his passenger. With the occasional neigh and grunt from the horse.
"so, what do you need to do in the capital?" the driver asks.
"stuff," Engilram replies.
"c'mon I promise I won't tell anyone. Ill nag you till you tell me," she says.
"really?" Engilram said.
"yup, I got to know all the juicy details. I'm nosy, as you can tell." The driver said.
"fine ill tell you. I'm off to the capital to see the high priest of the church. The Sister is very sick, and we need a potion that only they possess. At least here in Stocaea." Engilram leaked.
"oh my, now that is juicy. But why only go now? If she is sick, you could have just sent a letter for one, right? Oh, my name is Kate, by the way. Driver Kate, as I call myself." Kate asked.
"well. The Sister has Tuberculosis, its so unpredictable that she only developed serious symptoms a few days ago. I have people looking after her while I'm gone." Engilram said.
"shit. TB. Now that's something you don't hear every day. I'm sorry. If you would like, I'm in the capital often. While you wait for the audience with the priest, I can show you around. It should take us only three days to get there." Kate said.
"uh. Sure. Why not," Engilram chortled.
"oh, do you have rations with you? We are going to be sleeping in the carriage for a few nights. Oh, and a waterskin too?" Kate asked.
"yeah I have food and a waterskin," Engilram answered.
The ride went smoothly; the carriage plotted along until sunset. They then stopped on the side of the road to sit around a fire, eat, then sleep. Just before sunrise the next morning they headed off again towards the capital, running into a few young travellers that ended up also taking the carriage to the capital. The travellers weren't very experienced. The three only had Stocaean copper plated tags on them.
Each individual country has their own unique set of adventurer tags, each representing the country the person got them from. There are six ranks in each country overall. Copper, Tin, Iron, Gold, Platinum and Hero class. Classifications that are leagues above the last in skill and experience, with only Hero class adventurers being only one or two people having such rank in Stocaea.
The adventurer's guild isn't tied down by the country itself. Everyone must hire an adventurer in order to employ them. The adventurers themselves can perform acts of heroism to gain extra rank and coin, depending on the severity of the situation. The adventurer's guild is one of the few known worldwide guilds that cannot be driven by the regional leader. But is tied down by its laws, so in other words. For the guild to function in each country, it needs to abide by its laws. This can get very complex, so I will reveal more once we encounter it.
Now a few miles from the capital city, the newbie adventurers hopped off the waggon. They are hunting feral beasts that are terrorizing the country in the thick woods just on the border.
"hay, I know we haven't talked to each other. But my letter doesn't arrive to the priest until tomorrow. You don't have a healer in your party do you? I see a Barbarian, Ranger and a Knight. You still need a cleric." Engilram said.
"well, I don't know. You're not an adventurer. Even if you are a Priest, you don't know battle." The Knight said.
Engilram laughs. "you realise that being a priest isn't the only job I've had in the fifty-nine years I've been alive?" Engilram takes off the white collar and reveals a Stocaean iron adventurer plate. "I was previously an adventurer, although I may be a bit rusty. How long has it been?... twenty-five? Thirty years? Wow, I'm old. I used to be so young." He puts the plate away and puts his collar back on. "what do you think? Can I join you guys?"
The adventurers are dumbfounded at the fact that they just stumbled upon a retired iron plated adventurer. "I don't see why not." The Ranger said. The Barbarian grunted while the Knight sighed before the Ranger continued. "I guess that means you're welcome to join us."
"fantastic. Now how about we introduce each other's names and magic type. I guess I'll start. The name is Engilram Newman, and my attribute is wound, and my affinity is healing. Now it's your turn." Engilram said.
The thumping 6ft 5in tall Berserker Lizardman speaks in a deep thunderous growl. "name is Krenn Borg. Attribute emotion. Affinity rage."
The striking female Knight steps forward, bows and says, "it is an honour to meet an iron plate who is not a pervert. I always have men hitting on me. Anyway, the name is Thordis Benson. My attribute is fortification, and my affinity is sharpness. I know it sounds weird, so let me explain. Fortification just means the bending of matter in a sense. And I just 'fortify' an object to make it sharp."
"thank you for that rather long, interesting explanation," The Ranger said. "the names Mizubi Hyoka. I have the attribute of aerodynamics and affinity of aim. Ya know, it's kinda cool. I can use light to guide me to my target. Kinda how you can direct light into a point using glass and move it. The more I pour into my aim spell, the more accurate I am. Helpful for faster and smaller targets. My natural talent is what I usually need though," the slender male elf boasts.
"wow, and he thought mine was long winded." Thordis said.
"ok now that we are acquainted. Why don't you tell me where your mission is and what is the goal?" Engilram said.