The City I Live in, Riveria

(This world's currency)

1 gold coin = 10 silver coins = 100 bronze coins = 1000 copper coins

1 silver coin = 10 bronze coins = 100 copper coins

1 bronze coin = 10 copper coins

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I was walking alongside Jerry as we were heading back to Riveria from the burial.

We had just buried my father and mother so we, or at least, I, wasn't in the mood to talk much. That was fine by me, back then, all I just wanted to do was go back to my parents and hug them as hard as I could, but now, I realized that I would never ever have that feeling again.

As I was thinking about my lost parents, my vision became a bit blurry and tears started dropping from my eyes, not again.

"Come on kid, we are arriving at the city" - Jerry announced, which got me to my senses back again.

"Yes" -I quickly said as I rubbed my eyes. I wasn't much of a talker, I usually answered with short sentences when I could, don't know if that's a good or bad thing.

Riveria really isn't much to look at. It's a small and poor coastal city next to the sea of "Barbarus". Riveria is a bit different from other coastal cities, in here, the sea water is full of bullcrap, for real. For some reason, when our supposed saint god Gadir was making this world, he decided that our seas ought to be toxic and mortal for your health, great idea. It has always been like that ever since, even before my granparents' generation, that is what my parents told me.

No one knows why this happens. They say it was a curse put on by the demon clan, others say it's caused by an evil god, god knows who. The thing is, our sea water can kill you if you drink it and it is corrosive for your skin. A lot of people have been badly hurt because of it.

Another interesting fact about our sea is the monster infestation. There are magical beasts called "Feisties", E rank water monsters of small size with really pointy teeth and a fish-like appearence, they apparently aren't affected by the toxic water.

Riveria has a long river nearby, it's called the river "Tanus". That's were we get all our water from. However, because of it's clean and abundant waters, it gets monolized by stronger cities like "Keyran". Even though the river is in our territory, because we are considered one of the weakest cities in the continent, the people think they have the right to stomp all over our belongings and rights. The make us pay for our own water, which is extremely unfair and expensive, we bearly have enough to eat as it is. That's, at least, what a lot of people think, but we can't retaliate against them, their adventurers and mages are a lot more powerful than ours.

There obviously is magic in Riveria. But being one of the poorest cities in the continent makes it hard to make strong mages who protect us or adventurers who can take care of the monsters.

Riveria also has no magic schools, so when children have their magic awakened, they usually go study to other cities to improve their powers. I also want to follow my dream and become the greatest mage ever, so that's what I plan on doing, or planned, at least. I didn't expect my parents' death, it was so sudden.

Riveria is surrounded by wooden walls to protect us from invasions and monster attacks. Other cities are defended by stone or brick walls, even magical protections, however, we don't have the power nor capabilities to do that, so we have to make do with what we have.

Either way, we shouldn't have to worry about the protection of the city, it is pretty peaceful. Riveria has one of the weakest dungeons ever recorded in history. That's another reason for not having strong allies nor fighters join us. The good thing is that we never have problems with magical beasts (expect the one with the Feisties) because there aren't really strong monsters around and they don't get attracted by the mana.

Behind the city walls, there lies the insides of the city. They aren't a feast for the eyes, that's for sure. Many of the building are really run-down, made out of cobblestone or bricks. The city has no cleaning service, so the building are dusty and some are even falling apart. We have no money to repair them, there's none to spare.

Some people, like me, are the lucky ones. Even though they are utter crap, they get to live in wooden houses for themselves. I suppose that, now that my parents are gone, their house is now being passed on to me, or what's left of it. Nevertheless, my parents did have some money in the old city bank, I suppose I'll inherit some of that money. Around this parts, that is quite a lot.

There are no rich parts in Riveria, everyone has issues and problems in this city. No one usually cares about you and you don't usually care about them, that's the way it is. There is also a place called the slums where the worst things happen, you shouldn't go there.... ever.

Going back to my current situation,

I was walking near the city entrance with Jerry, when I spotted something, an old man. The man was asking for alms, which wasn't a strange thing to happen around these parts, but the abnormal thing was the cane that stood beside him.

The man was sitting just after the big door on the entrance. The stick he carried was probably the walking stick he used to help himself when walking, but I knew there was something going on with that stick.

Since I was a child, I've always wanted to be a mage. My parents used to tell me stories about magical beings, dragons and heroes, so I was fascinated with them.

So I instantly knew that that stick, the one beside the old man, that was a magical staff.

As we entered the city we passed through the check-point and entered the city. When the old man saw us he raised his head. The man had white hair over his head and a kind look on his face. He looked around the age of 70, a lot older than Jerry.

"Could you be so kind as to give this old man some pieces of copper?" - he kindly asked.

"Sorry but we really can't" - Jerry responded

"No, actually, I can give you some" - I said as I pulled 7 copper coins from my pocket.

"Are you really going to give him that much, Ryan? That is a hole meal, around these parts" - he asked araused.

"Yeah, I feel like doing something good today" - I replied as I gave the old man the coins

"Thank you young man" - he gladly took them and put them in his pocket

"It's alright, now, shouldn't we get going, Jerry?" - I asked him as I paced away in the direction of Jerry's house.

"Yes, we should" - he asnwered

"Giving away money like that, what is he thinking? Is he crazy? Well, it doesn't really matter, it will be all be mine, I just have to wait a bit more" - thought Jerry as he look at Ryan from behind with a mischievous stare.