Back to Krishmar

The sun was setting as they got to the carriage. The air got colder and snow started slowly falling from the sky as they left the campsite.

After 11 days of travel, they got back to the familiar view of Krishmar. The high walls in the middle of the open field and the wheatfields filled with crops in the descending sun's light gave them a feeling of ease.

Joseph was sitting in the front while Catherine was inside the carriage. Because of the golem's automaticity, they didn't need a driver, but he took the job of the lookout so that they won't be ambushed. Fortunately, they had no problems on the road, so they got there peacefully.

They showed their papers to the guards and entered through the gate. The first place they headed to was the tavern they had their rooms preserved.

They got inside and rested for the last part of the day.

The next day morning they went to the phoenix mansion and returned the carriage. Then they met up with Roland, who had an elf. It was one of the kids he saw at the training grounds back at the mansion. He had long light brown hair and was very young. He wore formal clothing that seemed like he got from Roland because it had the phoenix emblem on it.

They greeted Roland, then he turned to the kid.

"It is good to see that you got out of that jail, isn't it?"

His head was red but didn't say anything.

"No remarks?"

Instead of him, Roland replied to the question, while writing on some papers in front of him.

"He can't speak. When they put him into a cell he tried to escape a few times but got caught. The guards said that he chanted spells to escape, so instead of putting him into a special cell they just silenced him with a curse."

"A curse? Can he speak ever again?"

"He will be able after you leave the city. But he can never speak here ever again."

"That seems like a little excessive."

"This is just a small price for freedom."

Joseph nodded at the statement.

After the conversation, they shared their findings and knowledge about the place, leaving Tobald out of the explanation.

"So it was one of the cities from ten thousand years ago and that tower was on the hand of one of the great mages? These findings are amazing!"

Then he handed over the papers he was writing.

"But it is surely sad that we lost so many good people at the excavation. They are irreplaceable."

'Irreplaceable? This guy only looks at the value of people by how much money they can make, or what?'

They looked at the papers he handed them. The writings included all the formal parts, also the job completed notice for the guild, the formal papers for the release of the elf, and a reward of 1000 gold pieces for both of them have been handed over in two bags by one of the maids while they were reading the papers.

"With all this, our business has been concluded. I'm happy with your finding, but if you excuse me I have work to do. George please lead them out."

"Please come this way."

The butler led them outside of the mansion.

While they were walking back to the tavern, the elf was looking the two of them questioningly. Joseph shrugged.

"I don't know what you want, but you have to wait until we get out of the city. If you are curious about what happened, I'll tell you about everything back at the tavern."

Then he looked at one of the buildings on the side of the street.

"Maybe I should just buy you some papers to write on."

The kid nodded.

"Alright, we'll do that."

They returned to the Drunken Dwarf and spent the rest of the day explaining to the elf.