11 Town of the prairie

The room they entered in looked like it was for people on watch duty for the prisoners. It was mainly empty, except for a bed and a table with a few chairs. At the table two more ancients a man and a woman were sitting. They looked at Joseph as he entered and welcomed him smiling.

"Welcome my friend! It seems like you've woken up."

"We are very sorry about the treatment, but we can't show favor towards anyone in this town. We would've even had to put our children in prison, or we would lose our position as the leaders of the town."

He inspected them. They had gray hair and wrinkled face, but they seemed more like, just as Flinn, they had some skin issue, than they were old.

"Good day to you! I'm Joseph Smith! It is nice to meet you!"

"Oh! This one knows manners darling! How sweet!"

The woman started to laugh pleasantly.

"Yes my dear I hear it as well! No wonder he was on good terms with our son."

'They are the parents of Bran? Then Leafa is their great-granddaughter.'

His face turned sad. Flinn looked suprised by that.

"Why do you have that face, like someone just died?"

He sat down at the table and started to speak about what happened. When he finished speaking the woman started to cry.

"That creature took our Leafa! Why are the gods so cruel to us? First they cut us off from our family, then they kill them?"

His husband hugged her with an angry face.

"This troll will pay for this! I'll find him and turn him into ash!"

While speaking his tears were flowing from his eyes. Then the whole place started to shake.

"No! That would be not enough! I will make him suffer untill it can't take it anymore and then heal it up and start again!"

Everyone was shocked by what he said. Mostly because he might actually do it. Flinn instantly tried to soothe him.

"Elmar you can't be serious! You know if you go into the forest you will die!"

The old man's face showed incredible pain hearing it.

"Yes! You are right! But we can't let that thing roam free after this!"

"Don't worry! We'll make a hunting group and hunt it down. There are capable people in the town, who could take the request."

Elmar seemed somewhat calmer, but he was still crying with his wife in his hands. Bran whispered into Joseph's ear.

"We should leave now."

"Yes. Let's leave."

They left the two to grief.

When they left the building, they got on a street. On both sides of it it was filled with houses made from stone or tree. It looked like a city from the middle ages, except for the reason it was rather clean. On the streets there were elfs, half beast half elf creatures, goblins, orcs, skeletons and some strange creatures which looked like demons. It was like a scene from a horror story. Joseph was supprised at first sight, but then he remembered that, this town is "neutral".

"Hahaha! Seems like you didn't expected this."

"Not really, no! A lot of monsters and other beings just roaming free..."

"You should keep that in mind, that you look more like a monster to everyone, than anyone else."

He was smiling brightly all the way while speaking.

"Right. Humans do not exist here."

"Just as you said. But don't worry about it. Here in the town of Prery everyone and everything is welcomed. There is no discrimination. Or at least there is none until you obey the laws."

"What are the laws here?"

"You will see. I'll hand you over the book when we get to my place."

Joseph remembered something.

"Oh right. Speaking about books, where is my stuff? I had a book from Bran to you."

"It's with me. I'll give it to you later. So he sent a book? We'll see what's it about."

He looked at Flinn. He had no bags on. Not even any equipment, except for clothes.

'Maybe magic?'

"You said you have my stuff on you. But I don't see it anywhere. Is it spatial magic?"

"Hooo... You said something interesting there. You don't seemed to be that knowledgeable about magic, given your core is still weak. But you know about some advanced magic?"

"Hahaha! Knowing about something and doing it is quiet different aren't they?"

"That is right."

'Is he really over 3.000 years old? Or is he forgeting something simple, because he is that old?'

"We have arrived."

They stood before a garden fence, behind it was a big garden filled with different plants. Behind them there was a mansion made from stone.

"This place looks big and quiet beautifull."

"It is thanks to the fairies."

"Fairies?"

"Yes! We call the beastfolk who are little and have wings fairy."

"Oh I see!"

'I thought they are the fairies from different tales, but it seems like they are somewhat different.'

"Are they your servants?"

"More of employees than servants, but you can say that."

As they were walking on the path between the flowers and trees he saw a few of them flying around. They looked just like he imagined them.

'So they are still beastfolks, despite they don't look like beasts.'

"If you want to stay in town, you will have to find a job. What can you do for work?"

"I'm good with counting and paper work. But I would also like to learn magic."

Flinn seemed deep in his thoughts.

"Paper work you say. I would actually like it if you would become my secretary then. Also if you stay here, I can lend you books about magic and I can teach you as well. But it will depend on how compatible you are with magic."

"I don't think we have to worry about that."

"I see you have self-confidence. I like that! If you can keep this spirit, then you can learn casting magic in a few years."

"YEARS?!"

"Yes. What? You thought it will be just a day or two?"

"Ofcourse not! But years?"

'That seems a little bit out of place, if I think about my abilities. I might become a genious in this place!'

"It usually takes 10-20 years to learn advanced magic, but we will speak about it. Let's head in."

Just as they finished speaking they arrived to the door. Flinn opened the double door of the house.