Unbound

Chapter Eighty Eight - 088

He slept like the dead. No dreams, no sudden monster attacks. Peace.

Finally.

He woke up only once, and that was to retrieve two dishes left at his door on a beaten tin platter. They were piled high with meat and bread, but he barely looked at it all. Felix merely pulled it into the room with a grunt and fell back asleep less than a minute later. Hours of oblivion passed him by, and it was glorious.

When he did awaken, Felix blinked groggily at a darkened room filled with dusty shafts of light. They cast from a small, shuttered window and etched a tilting set of lines across the door and far wall. Felix sat up with a great stretch and realized that Pit awake as well, busily munching down the majority of the food. Grumbling at the greediness of tenku, Felix wrestled away a piece of bread and a few cold, greasy slabs of meat. He Eyed them quickly, but they weren't made of any animal he recognized. Felix shrugged and tucked in, devouring it in no time.

He glanced around his room, truly taking it in for the first time. It was small, barely more than a closet, just enough to hold his narrow cot, a side table, and a small chest at the foot of the bed. That window opened out to the east, though it was covered by crooked wooden shutters. With a grunt of effort, he stood up, unlatched the clasp, and pushed them open. Light flooded the room, and Pit lifted his head with a trilling coo, while a breeze rustled Felix's hair.

Outside was a sea of tiled rooftops in shades of red, brown, and blue. Chimney stacks lined every structure, some larger than others, and a steady stream of smoke poured into the blue, cloudless sky. The day was well toward noon, and the few streets he could glimpse were bustling. Shouts and cries and laughter filled the air, a rowdy mix of sounds that reminded him of the busiest parts of Fort Lauderdale. Haarwatch itself was impressively large, something he hadn't quite appreciated during his wanderings the day prior. Perhaps because of how tired he was, or perhaps his lack of vantage. Situated atop the second story, Felix felt he could get a better grasp of the city's layout. The city was tiered, each street rising up a hill as it moved toward the center, each section built into steps and filled with buildings. The wall between the Dust Quarter and whatever lied to the east could be seen easily, close as it was, and the buildings over there looked to be in far better condition. What little he could see of the higher portions of Haarwatch were nicer as well. It was hard to tell through the glare of the sun, but it appeared that the highest tiers were large manors, while the very center of the city was a large fortification.

Who does that belong to?

*KNOCK KNOCK*

The knocking startled him, though Felix didn't realize how much until he looked down and realized he'd summoned an orb of dense acid. Huffing a dissatisfied breath, he dismissed the spell and walked to the door, activating Convergence again. He let the flash fade a bit before cracking open the door slightly.

"Yes?"

An elderly Dwarf stood outside the room with another tin tray. This one was piled high with what looked like spare ribs, a savory smelling soup, a whole loaf of brown bread, and a large bowl of baked tubers. Steam poured off the tray which was wider than the Dwarf holding it, and he pushed it forward at Felix. "Your meal."

He didn't sound happy to be delivering it, though with as many wrinkles as the Dwarf had, it was hard to tell what wasn't a frown. A mass of grey whiskers covered his chin and jowels but left his upper lip hair-free, and dark brown eyes stared at him balefully beneath bushy brows. He shoved the tray forward again, nearly causing the soup to slop out of its bowl. Reflexively, Felix opened his door and took the platter. The moment he did, the old Dwarf started back down the hallway.

"Uh, sir ah," Felix Eyed the Dwarf and caught his name. "Wulfand, please. Where can I get a bath?"

The Dwarf turned around with a glacial slowness that was so passive aggressive it looped around to regular aggressive. He fixed Felix with a dark eye and grunted. "Aye. Wait here."

The Dwarf continued down the hall without another word.

Felix watched for a minute longer, but the old goat didn't say anything else. He closed the door and considered the platter of food. He was starving, the paltry scraps he'd had nowhere near enough sustenance. Felix tore into the meal, drinking the soup and eating the ribs with gusto. An indignant squawk echoed through his bond, and Felix grinned. This is my turn, piggy.

The meat was tender and slathered in some sort of sweet sauce, while the bread was coarse and hot and heavy. The soup was some sort of vegetable medley but was delicious and salty, while the baked tubers tasted less like potatoes and more like a radish. All in all, it was a good and filling meal and he'd mostly finished by the time another knock sounded on his door.

Leaving the last bits of meat and vegetables for his Companion, Felix stood and opened it to find a large wooden tub shoved directly into his face. Barely dodging, Felix saw that beneath the tub labored a panting Wulfand. He brought the wooden tub into the tiny room and dropped it unceremoniously on the floor. A loud sloshing noise startled Felix as he realized that the tub had been absolutely full of water the entire time.

"Soap. Clean rag. Towel. Enjoy." The Dwarf was out of the room before Felix could fully register what he had said. As the door closed, Felix noticed on the floor a lumpy bar of soap sat on two folded squares of cloth.

"Oh uh, thank you...Wulfand," Felix trailed off ineffectually. What a weird guy.

Ten minutes later Felix luxuriated in the feeling of hot water on his skin. The tub had been filled with nearly boiling liquid, but apparently his Apprentice Tier Body could handle it easily. It felt perfect.

After locking the door and releasing his Companion, Felix focused on cleaning himself for the first few minutes. Now fully clean for the first time in weeks, Felix smiled and tried to relax. The tub was sizeable, large enough to fit his entire body beneath the water if he drew his knees up. Still, it beat washing in a freezing lake.

He watched birds fly outside his window, kestrels apparently, and observed the lazy wisps of woodsmoke stretch into the sky. It was blue and bright and wonderful to see after the endless black of the Void. Sounds were quieter away from the window, but Felix was still aware of countless noises and thumps all around him, evidence of many people packed close together. He dipped his his head beneath the water until his ear were covered, muting the constant tumult. All he could hear was a low murmur of activity, and the steady *thump-thump* of his heart.

I've made it. Civilization and people. Felix turned his gaze to the ceiling, running his eyes idly along the worn and ancient wood rafters. What now?

It was something he hadn't considered. For such a long time, surviving long enough to reach civilization was the goal. Now that he was here, Felix found himself slightly adrift.

Things I need to do: one, learn more about the Continent and everything I can. Ignorance had been the bane of his existence since landing on the beach. I need to find a library or something...and learn how to read. God that's annoying. Hopefully Keen Mind will make that easier. And two, get some new pants. Wait, no, that's priority number one. New pants and other clothes.

He sat up in the water as his mind engaged in the topic. New list, then. One: get clothes and avoid being naked all the time. Two: learn about this place. Magda mentioned an academy but didn't say if it was in Haarwatch.

Three: find a way to keep Pit hidden or hide his appearance. If we're lucky, Caerwin will come through for us and have something in a few days. Four, ugh, get rid of the Maw somehow. He groaned, reminding himself that it was still locked up within his Bastion of Will, though for how long remained an important question. Five: find my friends. If Magda...if she died and Harn was demoted, what happened with everyone else?

Felix was concerned that the Tin Ranks had made it back safely, especially since the Sworn had been after them. Or had they suffered for Magda's reckless charge into the Foglands? He hoped not, the last thing he wanted was more trouble for them. Not even Atar.

A thought struck Felix. Did Callie make it back? His eyes went to his tattered pants, piled on the bed. In one of his pockets was a triangular locket. Magda's last request was to bring that back to her ex-fiance. Six: find Callie.

He rubbed his face with a handful of water and blew out a lungful of air. Seven: stay away from the Inquisition. Keep my damn head down. And finally, get stronger. Train. I survived the Foglands and the Maw, now I have to make sure I survive dickhead guards or worse, more assassins.

Felix stood up, letting the water cascade down himself as he reached over for the towel. It was stiff and coarse, but absorbent enough. As he dried off, however, he noticed something had been beneath the towel. A mirror. Small and round, edged with tarnished silver, it was a handheld thing barely larger than his face. Overcome by trepidation, Felix stepped out of the tub and picked it up. He looked at himself, for the first time in weeks, and he nearly gasped.

The man in the mirror was not him.

The man he'd been before leaving Earth was pudgy and well on his way to thirty, while the man (boy?) in the mirror was maybe twenty and lean. The old him was in there, somewhere, but he'd been boiled away, refined into this sharp-jawed and square-chinned person. Felix smiled, noticing even his teeth were whiter and straighter, and his eyes...his eyes really were blue, dark like the eastern sky before nightfall. They had been brown just two weeks ago, just as his face had been more pinched and body flabbier even when he'd been staying in the Waterfall Temple. Did Tempering my Body change me so much? What happens when I Temper it at Journeyman?

"Would my family even recognize me now?" The thought hit him like a ton of bricks; even if he managed to get back to Earth, he was practically a different person now. And, in a much smaller voice: "Do I even want to go back?"

The words felt like a betrayal in a way, but Felix had changed so much since his arrival. Physically and mentally. He also had Pit now, who was closer to him than any pet or friend had been back home. Dangerous as this new world was, he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it on some level.

Pit headbutted him in the thigh and warbled in support. "Thanks, Pit." Felix took a breath and centered himself, something that had become easy in his time here. "We have work to do. You wanna come down or stay up here?"

Pit chirruped and hopped up onto the bed. He circled twice, sending Felix's clothes tumbling off the edge and nearly into the tub, then sat down. He began snoring almost immediately.

Felix rolled his eyes and snorted.

After dragging the tub into the hallway, Felix had a newfound respect for Wulfand. The wood of the tub itself was very dense, and the added weight of the water as well as how much it sloshed around made for a lot of spills. Felix could have chucked the tub across the room, but moving it without spilling a drop? That was beyond him.

So it was a slightly soggy Felix that trudged down the stairs, having left the tub in the hallway for someone to collect. He found the common room below filled with a bevy of people, and the mad din of chatter, crockery, and the occasional shout filled the air. Most folk seemed to be intent on lunch, though quite a few were nursing tall drinks and the smell of alcohol was thick in the air. Felix Eyed the crowd, skimming mostly while his perfect recall took snapshots of their information. Nearly all of the customers appeared to be laborers here for a midday meal, their heavy boots and worn clothing dusted with dirt and grime while they hefty large mugs of ale. They were the most sedate of the lot, though a low argument was happening somewhere across the room. Felix shook his head, his senses on overload until he focused, dividing up what he cared to listen to and what was just noise.

A surge of anxiety caught Felix unaware, however, as he started moving across the room. No longer exhausted or keyed up on anger and adrenaline, he found that his old social instincts were kicking in. Back on Earth, a crowded room filled with rough-seeming folk would have low-key freaked him out; but Felix reminded himself that he was (almost literally) a different person now. With a minor effort of Will he squashed the urge to flee up to his room, and he strode purposefully to the bar.

The Half-Orc bartender, who's name was apparently Ignatius Tanque, was quite busy. The guy moved up and down the bar serving drinks and food with rapid-fire precision, his dark green hands moving in a blur. One of the things he was serving was a tall ale and a crust-laden pie filled with the savory aromas of onions and garlic and some sort of meat. Felix's mouth practically watered while his stomach growled, his appetite practically untouched by his previous meal. When he made it up to the counter Felix gestured at the retreating platter of foodstuff. "Excuse me, what is that?"

"House ale and meat pie," grumbled the bartender. "You want some, kid?"

Felix nodded, not even minding the 'kid' comment. After all, he looked like one again. "Absolutely I do."

Ignatius apparently knew magic because within seconds a duplicate order was in front of Felix. The Nym gaped at the Half-Orc's speed, which was belied by his stocky, muscle-bound appearance. "Holy--wow, thank you. How much?"

The bartender's dour expression lifted a second in a smirk, the small tusks in his lower jaw sticking out further. "Nothin. You paid enough for a month. Up front, no less. You're good, kid."

Felix scratched his neck and considered the bartender as he moved back down the counter, serving other customers. He tapped at his chest, where the amulet set under his shirt. This thing cost me almost two years worth of lodging? Holy shit. I need to get a handle on this money thing.

Felix took his platter and made his way across the room again, this time to a small table further from the bar. He sat down, not quite alone but by himself. The ale was called a Westworth Ale, and he was thankful it was good, because his Eye told him it had 0% chance of intoxicating him or anyone with an Apprentice Tier Body. Not that he wanted to be drunk, but a buzz every now and again wasn't the worst thing in the world. The meat pie was great though, the crust buttery and flaky while the insides were savory. He ate the crispy thing in what felt like seconds.

"...listen! I got good news--"

"No no, you listen! We're tired of your 'good news' Gnokl! You peddle trash!"

The voices, which weren't trying to be quiet by any measure, were from a couple tables over, nearer the front door. A pack of five Goblins sat among the remnants of a huge feast, each one garbed in flowing robes and large sashes. Felix even spotted a curled slipper on a tiny Goblin foot. They had sharp features with prominent noses and lank hair that ranged from green to darkest black, and their heads were quite large compared to their slender bodies. Two of the five were arguing.

"I am offended! See, brothers and sisters! Hartl impugnes my honor! I'm impugned!" The Goblin named Gnokl screeched dramatically and thrust his hands at the others. "I only bring the choicest of news! From the best of sources!"

"Fine, fine. Stop yelling, Gnokl." A slightly thicker-set Goblin growled from the other end of the table. "Speak your piece."

Felix watched as Gnokl shot a victorious look at the one he'd called Hartl, who wrinkled her nose. "Thank you, Eukr. I heard that the Festival of Spheres is going to be held as normal! No changes!"

"What of the monsters?" Asked Lotr, a gap-toothed Goblin with a smattering of dark freckles on her pale green face. "The fog is gone and the monsters are worse than ever. Not to mention the murders."

"Murders? Just some nut about town. And what are monsters compared to the might of the Heirophant's own Inquisition? With the redcloaks defending the city, who would dare attack? Who could even succeed?" Gnokl dismissed Lotr's fears with a laugh. "Our time to profit is here, my family!"

"What profit is there in a Festival where none can attend?" Hartl sneered. "The Inquisition have the city locked down. No new arrivals! Who will buy?"

Gnokl's reply was drowned out by a sudden cheering from nearby, and Felix flinched, nearly tipping his ale over in surprise. A group of young people had wandered into the inn at some point and had sat down at a table next to him. They were cheering as one of their own tried and failed to chug down a extra large tankard of ale. Amidst the insults and jeers, Felix lost the thread of the Goblins' conversation. Now they were speaking about shipments or something, which was far less interesting.

"Hey! You here to join the Guild, too?" One of the group caught Felix's attention, looking at him with a smile. Deema Renn, according to his Voracious Eye, a Human with brown skin and light, amber colored eyes. She was wearing a suit of leather armor that looked barely broken in, and rested her hand casually on the sword at her waist. A staff of some sort hung over her left shoulder. She was maybe seventeen or eighteen, same as the rest and at a glance Felix noted that none of them were over level ten.

"Maybe. Haven't decided yet," Felix smiled at Deema and nodded at the others.

"Haven't decided? Why come here and not know?" A big boisterous teen with a wispy neckbeard and thick arms tilted toward them on his stool. He was also wearing armor, though it had elements of chain mail to it, including big old pauldrons on his shoulders. "Haarwatch doesn't have room for people not willing to help."

"Kelvin! Don't be an ass." Deema frowned at her friend before smiling back at Felix. "Sorry about him. He doesn't get out of his cage much."

"Hey!"

"Haha!" Another of their group crowed, his narrow face all sharp angles. "He's a beast all right! Can't take him anywhere!"

"Nice to meet you," Felix smiled politely and nodded at them and Deema before turning to his drink and pointedly staring into the distance. He hoped they would get the hint and leave him alone...but then someone pulled a stool out at his table and sat down.

Jesus. "Listen, I don't mean to be rude but--" He looked up and into the eyes of the Half-Elf proprietor herself. "Oh, sorry. I thought you were--"

"Some villagers too excited for their own good?" The woman grinned and flashed a glance at the group, which had somehow gotten embroiled in a drinking game with several elderly Dwarves. Felix even spotted Wulfand among them, miserable as ever. "It happens. Kids come into town looking to join the Guild. Test themselves against the Foglands. Then they cause trouble for the locals or themselves and everyone's the worse for it. Best if they're...managed, a bit."

Felix smiled. "Better managed by you than someone less reputable."

She smiled right back, eyes crinkling at the corners. "I think I like you, lad. And not just because you pay in gold."

Felix's smile soured just slightly, though he fought to keep it steady. "Glad to hear it. I wanted to ask you a few questions actually."

"Figured as much. Introductions first, yeah?" She held out a dainty hand. "I'm Jacinda Tellis, and this is my place: The Drum and Tankard, though everyone calls it the Drum Tank. Pleased to meet ya."

Felix gripped her hand firmly. "I'm Felix. Just wandering through."

"Well Felix the Wanderer, what can I help ya with?" She smiled brightly and the flash of silver at her ears and neck caught the sunlight. Felix finished the last of his ale and smiled back.

"What do you know about pants?"

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