Senjira

"Falgur, do you know the story of the lady of the lake? I do not remember who mentioned her, but I do remember that person saying she started her journey where the village was had been built."

"No, I do not know it. My father never mentioned her to me. I guess it was because I was always training and learning how to read and write which was heard given that all the books had been taken buy the previous generation."

Sheyken sighed. It was the fourth day of the last stretch of their journey and they had made camp by a beautiful waterfall. Lasore was fast asleep, tired from all the walking he was doing. The two boys were laying on the ground outside their tent looking at the stars in the sky as it was a beautiful night with no single cloud.

"Why did we not process the bird beast."

Falgur asked out of curiosity.

"I think something on a high level as that bird beast would give out some sought of mana signature. It might just attract other powerful beasts like the last ones that had chased us. We also have to keep a low profile after what happened in the village. If they try to track us down and they find some sought of a signature from the beast when we had tried to process it, they might know what type of beast it was and track us down when we sell its material or meat."

"I also thought of all that. Guess we might think alike."

Falgur said with a smile. Sheyken did not like him testing his intelligence so he smiled and looked at him.

"There are two more reasons."

Falgur thought hard but could only find one.

"That we do not know how to process such a beast."

Sheyken frowned.

'Well, that one was obvious so I should not get mad.'

"Yes, and the last one is because even if we tried, I do not think even Plot Armor can cut through its skin."

"Doesn't that also have to do with processing it? So, I think I got everything spot on."

Sheyken wanted to punch him but thought of something else.

"Then why do you think I left the body of the student there?"

Falgur, thought hard but did not have a plausible answer. Sheyken smiled, stood up, and went to bed. Falgur wanted to punch him so bad.

The next morning Sheyken gave Lasore coins that were equivalent to 3 gold coins with the money a mix of copper, silver and gold. The villagers rarely had anything to spend their money on as they had the tendency to batter trade. They had spent their money without reservations with the expectation of getting it back since Dunnam had promised them. He had gotten 5 gold coins and 8 silver coins from Ningal from Vitula's sale of the beast meat and they had taken their cut.

He had given the coins to Lasore so he could make the arraignments they needed to make when they reached Senjira and so that he could be the one to give the passing fee to the bandits if they ran into them.

He had changed and was wearing the clothes that Falgur had given him which fitted him like they were his own. They walked for hours and by midafternoon they saw the town on the horizon. As they came closer, they were relieved that they did not meet any bandits along the way. The town had no walls and it was lively as ever. The people seem happy.

They first past some few houses that were on the outskates of the town that looked like they were made with clay. As he entered the city it felt like an oasis in the middle of the desert to Sheyken. Even though he had never seen or been in one he felt like that is what an oasis would be like as there was sand all over the place.

The trees that looked like coconut trees, the open markets that sold colorful fruits, the building that seem to be all made with clay, and down to the outfits that the people wore that looked like they were in a desert town. The town was big but the river they had been following continued on to cut through the it and went as far as the buildings could allow him to see.

The people looked like they had been sunburnt which reminded Sheyken of what how he used to look like. Many of the villagers had a darker skin tone just like him so he never paid any attention to it. The girls in the town all wore clothes that were a little bit reviling and Falgur could not stop looking, getting a slap on the back of the head from Sheyken for it. Now that he was in the city, he noticed how hot it was.

Lasore told them to follow him because he wanted to show him something. It took them time to traverse the city as they went from ally way to ally way. The buildings in the town were built high of the ground resembling two story buildings, and each street was busy with lots of people. He found that he could read the signs and they spoke the same language. After a long walk, they finally arrived at their destination, and what they saw was not what they expected after traveling through so much greenery, beautiful mountains, and waterfalls.

In front of them was a desert stretching as far as their eyes could see. It made sense why the place felt like an oasis to him now and why the people would dress light. Where they were, they could see the river going far into the desert.

"If you follow that river, it will take you straight to the capital of the Kingdom of Serpersalbum after passing two cities. On the right side, you will find the nation of Zerxebel, and on your left the nation of Dererters, both ruled by the Serperslbum royal family. The two nations act as a last line of defense for the capital and royal family just in case there is a war and the other 4 nations have been destroyed."

Lasore explained.

"I know you are looking for a school or guild to join. Honestly, I do not know even one. So, you two will have to decide which nation you will spend most of your youth in as you grow stronger. You are young but strong and you can already make grown-up decisions, so I will live that up to you. As your interim guardian that is my take on that matter. Now, we will have to do our research to find the best one."

'Look at him trying to act responsibly now.'

Both Falgur and Sheyken thought.

"I know we are closer to the capital and I am sure you would think the best school would be there, but take to considaration that the kingdom has many nations under it and each nation should have their own beast schools and guilds. I am sure it will cost an arm and a leg to get in but you two have Blessings, so I am not sure.... hahaha... look at me talking like I know about this things. I will just leave it to you two then."

He said brushing the back of his bald head.

"But one thing I know is that where ever we go, we will need to traverse this desert. There is a teleportation station here, but you need magic crystals to use it. I do not know about that since the word magic crystal is the first time it came out of my mouth. I would not know where to even start to find one."

'He has a point. So, Flosbris must have had many for her to just give me one for something as small as an Aranue. Well, it did help her with her plans. I am sure she thought she would get it back.'

There is only one guild here. I think we should check it out first before we try and get a place to sleep. It is getting late after all. They went back into the town and found the guild fairly easily as there were signs all over pointing to it.

'Seduralto- The Desert Guild' the sign on the door of a big building in the middle of the town. It was made of clay just like the rest of the building but had a skull of some beast with horns under the sign.

They walked inside and the place was buzzing. It was like as in the books he had read. They were people drinking and laughing their lungs out. A mix of male and female warriors, mages, and others he did not know how to call. The only thing they had in common was the hardened faces they had, showing that they had been in the guild for some time. Most of them had scars that had healed but looked to be of deep wounds. Some had a missing arm or leg.

They went to the counter and he was disappointed at who he found. It was not a sexy, hot-looking woman with sex appeal that was out of the world, but a big muscular man that had an arm missing and a large scar on his chest. Lasore seemed unfazed and approached him.

"We have 6 Pinsch that we would like to sale to you."

He said while Falgur took out six already perfectly processed Pinsch. The meat had been kept wrapped up by its hide that Sheyken processed and the meat had been cut perfectly by Falgur who insisted to cut it since he had been thought by his father. The man at the counter's eyebrow went up and the guild went silent.

"Boss!, They are finally here."

The three of them did not expect him to say that. They did not know what he was talking about since they had no appointment with anyone there. Steps could be heard from the top floor as someone approached the steps leading to the second floor.

A woman who looked to be in her twenties appeared up the steps. She had a female warrior's outfit on that was brown and complimented her figure well. The outfit looked like it had a hidden quality to it. She came down and you could hear the man gulp as she approached as her outfit showed her well-toned thighs and did not make an attempt in hiding her well developed chest.

"It has been some time since the people from the snake's end came to visit us. We thought the Finis did not train their children in their ways anymore. I am Seduralto, master of this guild. I am pleased you finally came. Seeing you go through and to the end of the town, we thought you would pass us. Please, come to my chambers so we can talk amongst ourselves."

'Well, there goes my plan on disguising ourselves. Even though you would see a person coming a mile away from that direction, I still hoped no one would notice that we are from Finisrepo."

Sheyken thought as she guided them up the steps to her quarters. Falgur was looking at her behind as they went up the steps and received another slap on the back of his head from Lasore this time. They had left the processed Pinsch with the man at the counter.