Geoffrey was not offered a place to sleep, he just had to find it himself. He did not want to intrude upon the grieving men, so he slept on some miscellaneous cloth on one of the lower decks. By the time it was morning, the ocean view was clouded in mist and the temperature was a lot colder. Geoffrey found an odd charm to the infinite plain of azure waves that filled the horizon, the white spongy clouds penetrated by the slight warmth of sun rays. The boat continued to sail throughout the night, but not as fast as when everyone was awake. Geoffrey was very aware of the tensions between the two northern powers, he had heard many reports of ships from the Allah Empire (Alsufuns) attacking and pillaging Ebisuan ships as they travelled over the waters of Fauxwood.
The constant conflict between the two factions had been going on for as long as anyone could remember. Rumour was that the truth was written in a forbidden book, so people could only speculate or imagine a false version. It was said that the previous Emperor, Yuki Hayashi, had inquired for a new trade deal with Sultan Kemuel Wibawa of the Allah Empire. They held a glorious parade to welcome the high ruler to their foreign land, keeping him within the palace and taking royal walks with him. Without reason or any understanding, the Sultan was never seen again. The Allah Empire presumed dirty play was involved and that they had killed their leader and vowed war between the two nations. The wars continued for many years, no one ever surrendered, no peace was ever restored, nobody was ever found for the Sultan. Although there were still tensions between the two factions, no fights between them had occurred in seven years, people questioned if another would break out or if a peace deal would ever be made.
The mist began to part, exposing the powerful capital of Ebisu, the Imperial City. The vast size and beauty of this advanced nation was hidden from the side, but still provided and immensely beautiful landscape for travellers. As the boat continued to part the surface, everyone was on deck to gaze at the city. The city had been constructed of three dividing rings, each holding an era of time that the city had gone through. The outermost ring was the Traditional World, it was home to older members of the city who much preferred the simple and peaceful life that they once had. The middle section was the Futuristic Metropolis, a place of technology and power, but also pirates and criminal gangs. In the main area, was the Royal Town. A section home to the richest of shop owners and the Imperial Palace, it was the most populated part of the city.
The boat was a couple of minutes from the port.
Geoffrey observed as people began gathering along the pier where the boat would soon cease its movements. The people who stood watching seemed to differ vastly in appearance, some were quite shabby and tired whereas some were very refreshed and more professional looking. Takahir emerged from the lower decks of the ship and walked over to Geoffrey, he seemed to be better than he had the previous morning.
"Morning, Geoffrey." He began, his voice more profound than usual.
"Morning to you, Takahir. How are you doing?" Geoffrey asked, looking out for his friend.
"I still feel the guilt of my brothers, I will never forget what I caused on them."
"Do not burden yourself, your brothers were mighty warriors and did their duty."
"I understand what you mean." He paused, Geoffrey looked over at the mentally wounded man, taking in the landscape of the city, "The city is beautiful, especially from here."
"Certainly, it gets more incredible every time you see it." Geoffrey agreed, continuing to browse the appearances of the people that were much closer to him, "Why does these people celebrate our arrival?"
"The people who look fresh are locals of the Traditional World, they come and watch Imperial ships pass-by now and then. This boat, the Yamato, is beloved by many. It served the emperor on his final attack against the rebel leader during the Ebisuan Civil War. The people who look scruffy are the remaining population of Matsumoto. They are hoping that you are here to save them."
That last part stuck in Geoffrey's mind. Why did they hold such hope in one man? Soon after, the boat came to a stop within the harbour. Takahir lead Geoffrey off the ship and onto the pier. There was a massive divide in appearance, those for Matsumoto, their clothes were diseased with the ash of their homes, drenched in puddles of soot, and embroidered with patches of dirt. Beneath Geoffrey's feet, the pier was made of strong cedar trees held together be a rope of natural products. They continued down the pier, surrounded by excitement and desperation for them. Unexpectedly, from part of the crowd, a young women kneeled before Geoffrey. She was malnourished, her eye's graced with water. She was begging Geoffrey for help in her native speak, which Takahir translated for him. Geoffrey could not just say nothing to the people who now put their beliefs and hopes in. He told the women that he would get her home back and they would be safe once again, he hoped. The women rose back to her feet, hope restored to her, clearing the path for the men to continue.
As they moved, Geoffrey observed the ground beneath him. Through the uneven ends, he could see the waves beneath him. This soon changed from the pretty aquamarine water into the rise of verdant green grass. The paths of the town were still made of cedar trees, but the age of them cause a slight dip whenever an unusual amount of weight pressed onto it. The buildings along the paths were made of a dark wood and covered in yellow thatch, Geoffrey wondered how people still coped in conditions like that. Every few paces were large ceramics in the centre of the walkways which held tall black pines. The trees often resulted in large groups of needles loitering the floor from the high winds that the oceans produced. It also became more noticeable that the town mostly consisted of fisheries and simple homes which were practically identical, except for the large colourful signs for the shops.
Takahir took Geoffrey down an abnormally large street that mainly had shops. Towards the end of the street, seemed to be an entry gate. The walls of the gate were made of a type of stone which had a secondary door just next it as well. Takahir opened the door and went inside, Geoffrey also followed. Inside was just a small wooden table and chair, a small kitchen area, the walls were a bleached white and a ladder leading up to a second floor. Only one gatekeeper occupied the table.
Gatekeepers within the Traditional World were often volunteers, they were paid no money for their service. Often neglected by the central occupation, these people had to survive on nothing, hoping that someone else could pay them. For the other areas, they did not have a huge deal when it came to gatekeeping. Low pay was better than nothing. The Gatekeepers in this section wore much simple clothes, mesh-like apparel. They also carried a Naginata spear for any disputes or searches they needed to conduct, as well as a crossbow for any long-distance requirements. Their feet were concealed within leather boots (second-hand boots) that covered most of their shins.
"Izanagi!" The lone gatekeeper exclaimed as he got up from his chair, "General, I was not aware that you would be visiting. Apologies for just sitting around."
"Do not worry yourself, I know you do not get paid to do this. You are more than entitled to sit around," Takahir responded, "I require you to open the gate."
The man walked over to the ladder and climbed up to the next floor. The two warriors also departed from the small tower they had entered; onto the street they had travelled down. Geoffrey looked up, observing the Gatekeeper rise at the top of the wall. The keeper walked over to the far end of the outlook and pulled a large wooden stick towards him. The peaceful street behind them was now dampened with the sound of gears churning and the wooden door in front of them slowly opening. They continued through the gate, the path they were on now stretched even further. Once they crossed the border, Takahir turned and thanked the keeper for his time which was shortly followed by the gate closing. Geoffrey was now deeper into this magnificent city.
The inner section of the city was even more bemusing than the first. Geoffrey's view was immediately engulfed by sudden lights of neon yellows, greens, and blues. The streets occasionally puffed out large clouds of steam, Geoffrey did not know why, he presumed it was some advanced technology of which he was unaware. They walked. In the far distance, a similar-looking gate. This section was a lot more different from the previous, the vastly beautiful Traditional World was now a technological wonder. Everything was constructed from metal, not wood. The buildings, which Geoffrey presumed were homes, were made mostly of large sheets of shiny metal with yellow trimmings along the border. Much like everything else between the two sections, the people were just as different as well.
The traditional people wore such enticing clothes and the vibrant colours of their kimonos and yukatas massively contrasted the old, withered cedar planks. They also had their hair tied up in either plats or buns, with their faces a very pale white. They walked around in sandals and the women carried either a red or pink umbrella to shade them from the sun. The futuristic people, however, wore darker colours, contrasting the bright lights of their surroundings. They mainly wore knee-length T-shirts and jackets that were a relatively bright grey, and their lower half was baggy trousers. Trainers of varying styles concealed their feet. These people, however, had a certain trait that the traditionalists did not. They had cybernetic enhancements. These were mainly eyes and earpieces, but those with missing limbs or genetic disorders had robotic limbs to help them with their everyday lives. Most people did not understand the purpose or need for these enhancements, but the people who used them seemed to enjoy their lives just as much as anyone else does.
The place was also home to a different tree from the traditional district, this time the beautiful sakura tree. The pink blossoms had typically stayed on the branches, but that did not stop the community of blossoms that socialised on the walkways from falling to the ground. Geoffrey also happened to notice the occasional glances from the locals, perhaps his scruffy armour was not very fashionable for their modernistic ways. The concrete and asphalt paths were a lot fresher and more solid in comparison with the decaying logs. Unlike the fishmongers and the homes of the previous district, this long stretch was full of shops. These ranged from clothing shops to cafés and one unusual shop.
"What is that shop all about? It seems a bit dark compared to the others," Geoffrey established.
"That is a Jidō-ka shop. Where man becomes machine." Takahir consolidated with a bitter tone.
"You seem a bit uneasy about the Jidō-ka shops,"
"I do not agree with these enhancements, they are supposed to make you better and stronger, but I do not believe it. These businesspeople take the old parts of people and sell them on to make a profit, sometimes the body rejects the new system and causes a Seishin Konsui. The Seishin Konsui are left for my brothers to manage and mostly end up in a hefty death toll,"
"Why does the emperor do nothing about it?" Geoffrey questioned.
"Money. Under the 1473 Cybernetics Law, for any human parts that are sold to organisations, the seller must pay 25% of the profit to the government," Takahir informed.
Geoffrey's opinion of the emperor grew stronger and stronger, he did not like him to begin with, but his blatant disregard for his people was absolutely immoral. Takahir also seemed to have similar thoughts about the situation but did not express it as much as Geoffrey could. They soon reached the second gate. The experience here was the complete opposite to that of the previous one. The gate was already open before they arrived, Geoffrey was thoroughly inspected, and they were let through swiftly. This caught Geoffrey by surprise. Why did the two gates have such a large divide in efficiency?
Takahir put this simply to Geoffrey as well. Money. These men were paid substantially for the protection they provided. Takahir tossed his belief into why this pay dispute was even a thing. He believed that the emperor saw the traditionalist people as a waste of space and irrelevant to his fortune, so by decreasing wages and crushing jobs, they would be forced to move into the futurist beliefs. Once again, the men had travelled to what felt like an entirely new world.
The concrete paths turned into a more pebbled ground and the houses were a lot more reminiscent of a rural Japanese home. They were painted similarly to the Yamato, the very deep brown complemented by red and green. This part of the city was also home to the Imperial Palace, somewhere Geoffrey thought he would not end up again. The palace was a similar composition to a Woden Castle, but its architecture and colour were a lot more pleasing than the grey stone walls. This place was filled with a mixture of people, either people from the traditional district or just rich people, but more notably rich people. The way to the palace was loitered with shops and kissatens, all varying in unique styles. Takahir walked him to the centre of the district, just in front of a huge white sakura tree. Takahir looked around seemingly more relaxed to not only be safe but also to have delivered Geoffrey to his designated place. This was not like Geoffrey who looked around the rich environment in pure amazement.
"Geoffrey, my friend, my duty is now complete," He stated, "I trust that you will stay here. I have other duties to address. I will have to inform the families about the death of my brothers and report to the emperor,"
"I understand, I hope to meet again, my friend," Geoffrey responded.
"I too, hope we meet again." Takahir bowed and then walked away.
Geoffrey found it slightly unfortunate to now be alone, but he was now in an entirely new and rich place. How long he had to wait before the emperor saw him was another question, so he was left to the wonders of the Royal Town.
Geoffrey stood there, questioning what to do next. He just wandered around the district, passing around all sorts of shops. There were many clothes shops, restaurants, and expensive hotels. The streets also had little vendors trying to earn a living from their little trinkets and food. Geoffrey did enter one shop, which was called 'Apparel and Me'. The shop was a lot different to the outside mood. The floor was engulfed in a vermillion red carpet which was the foundation for shelving for clothes and items. Each section had different pieces of clothing such as fine clothing, plated armour, footwear, and accessories. Geoffrey was not as bothered about the fine clothing or accessories and mainly focused on the other two. They had all kinds of different chest pieces, which varied from steel, leather and even coblium. Geoffrey looked at each plate but had no desire to replace the piece he had forged 2 years ago. He did spend quite a lot of his time browsing at different boots and eventually settling for a pair that was stronger and more durable than his current. This was down to the fact that they were incrusted with coblium particles. Coblium was cheap, yet strong when weaved into the structure of any material. He ambled over to the counter with his new addition and waited a couple of minutes to be served. A cashier called out, prompting Geoffrey to come over. The cashier spoke in Japanese, puzzling Geoffrey.
"Apologies, I do not speak Japanese," Geoffrey stated.
"No need to worry sir, is there anything else that you require with your purchase?"
"No thank you, just these fine boots are all I need." Geoffrey stood as the cashier pulled out a large handwritten book and began vigorously turning through the pages.
"That will be a total of 158 sol, but for an extra 12 sol, I can also throw in a Japanese-to-English book to help with your stay here." The cashier stated,
"I suppose that would be helpful, thank you!"
Geoffrey handed over the 170 sol and left with his new footwear. It was not as warm as it was now, the day turning progressively into the night. Geoffrey removed his old footwear from a nearby bench and placed his new ones on. Comfortable they were indeed. Geoffrey did not want his old ones to go to waste, even if they were severely worn out and were remarkably close to having holes in them. This caused him to look for an unfortunate soul on the streets of the district.
After strolling around for some time, Geoffrey soon discovered a man, wrapped in a singular blanket with a small bowl in front of him. Geoffrey's gaze moved to the carved sign next to the cup, inscribed with Japanese symbols. With his newly acquired book, Geoffrey began to translate. It read: "There is no jobs for my family, they are slowly starving". He placed the shoes before the man, offering them to him. He kindly accepted, revealing bare feet. Geoffrey also placed a couple of Sol into the man's bowl, smiled, and continued to search around the town.
As he meandered along the streets, he realised how hungry he was. He stopped at a small noodle stall set up on the street and ordered a medium bowl of Soba noodles. The man on the opposite side of the stand pulled out a packet of Soba and dowsed them with boiling water. Geoffrey liked this little stand, it was made of metal and was clearly from the futuristic district, it did have a nice charm though.
* * *
Just outside of Matsumoto, over one of the hills, a man arose. He was certainly not from the Ebisu empire, but another land. The man had just leather clothing and barely any protection other than his short metal dagger. A similar-looking person also accompanied the man, they both seemingly wanted to get into Matsumoto.
"Nyongesa, are we getting close?" The other man stated.
"It is just over there, brother," Nyongesa replied,
"Why are we even here, I have no faith in being able to destroy the Firecracker!"
"Now, Ibrahim, do not lose faith. We are more than capable to defeat the beast,"
"Really? A 40-foot dragon against your small guitring dagger and my bow does not spell success to me," Ibrahim interjected.
Nyongesa did not respond to his complaining and just rolled his eyes. The two men continued towards Matsumoto at a steady pace. The smell of the fresh Ebisuan meadows slowly turned into a strong smell of ash and fire. The houses of the village became more and more distinguishable, each being deformed from severe fire damage. The presumably brown woods were not just black and scorched. The ground changed from the grasp of grass into the stale crunch of ash, the men were now inside (what was left of) Matsumoto.
Ibrahim took off to one of the first houses to see what was inside. The house was no longer a complete home, the roof had been torn off and now laid waste to the ground. Ibrahim opened the scorched door of the home. He was met with the sign of charred corpses, which were a mid-thirties woman and an incredibly young child. Ibrahim presumed that the beast ripped the roof off and just barrage them with its intense breath. He searched the home for anyone or any resources, but most homes were just ruined.
"Why did we even decide to do this? Our lives are in so much danger from just being here!" Ibrahim stated,
"The emperor is paying a high price of 50,000 sol to the person who slays the beast, we cannot let an opportunity like this slip us by!" Nyongesa replied.
"I understand that, but I have a family! I have my wife, Lishan, and my soon-to-be-born daughter. You have a whole life ahead of you! We should not be here!" He screamed.
"Well, we need this money, it will he-" He began to reply.
"RUN! Get out of here! It is coming!" A lone man shouted running down the dirt road.
The two brave adventurers were confused by the sudden appearance of this lone man, but their courage was soon to be lost. As the man continued to run towards the 2 Ngaian men, from the clouds appeared a red creature. The beast was forty feet tall, piercing through the dark clouds that covered the village. The beast held four large limbs at its side whilst it flew above the ruins, its feet large enough to crush an entire squad of soldiers. Also attached to its huge muscular torso were two large wings, the skin between them was a raw pink with the occasional hole inside it. Not many people got to stare into the eyes of such a murderous monster, but those who did, saw into big blue eyes. Its long scaly face also had two large protruding horns which the emperor would see as priceless pieces of jewellery. The beast's gaze dropped down to the shouting man. It dived. Within seconds, it became level with the man, consuming him whole. The creature halted, raising its head, crunching the bones of his most recent victim.
Ibrahim had taken this opportunity to climb into one of the decaying homes. He had passed by scorched furniture and burnt corpses to get to an upstairs balcony which had a small amount of protection. Nyongesa stood in the road frozen in fear at the sheer size of the creature. In his mind, he realised how much of a mistake he had made and how unprepared they were. He had condemned them both to death. Suddenly, an arrow glided through the sky and pierced the neck of the creature. The beast announced a huge cry and look over in the direction of Ibrahim. The creature stomped its way other letting aloud war cries, scaring the two men. Nyongesa took this opportunity to also hide from the beast in the home just to his right, avoiding the attention of the beast. He considered helping his brother but would rather live than get killed. Ibrahim watched as the beast moved closer and closer towards him, he had lost all hope in surviving now. The beast stopped and rose onto its back two legs. "Lishan, we will meet again…" He whispered to himself. Then the dragon's body came back down, crushing the house and Ibrahim. Nyongesa heard the crash and also a slight pop, maybe it was Ibrahim's brain exploding under the pressure of the beast's foot. Then the noise stopped. It was dead silent. Nyongesa thought he had escaped. He had pushed himself up against the wall of the building, protecting himself from being visible. It was not enough. The beast burst through the wall and grabbed hold of Nyongesa with his sharp fangs. The man screamed before being snapped into two halves.
The two brothers died together. No one was going to remember them. Ibrahim's wife, Lishan, will question where her husband has gone and if he left her 6 months pregnant for a reason. Nyongesa had no one, his friends had left him, his parents had disowned him and even if he had returned and told Lishan what had happened, she would have despised him.
The Firecracker prevailed…
* * *
Geoffrey had finished his bowl of Soba noodles; he very much enjoyed them. He paid the man but stayed seated there for a little while. The city was now engulfed within a thick cloud of mist that caused all the surrounding light rays to become more visible. The streets were now becoming less populated reducing the excitement of the luxurious shops. Geoffrey continued to wait for his call to the palace. The journey he had been on was quite magnificent from his point of view. The vast scenery that he got to indulge his eyes on and the people he got to meet. Let us not forget the obscene amount of drink. The little skirmish from that street gang also brought Geoffrey some joy. Geoffrey looked to his left, watching the shadows of a young couple entering their home, the two lovers laughing as they went inside. The adventurer smiled knowing what they were about to do, but deep down he wanted that, he could not adventure all the time, he was so lonely. He turned back to his bowl, almost as cold as the world around him. Then he turned right.
Beside him were two very tough-looking men, covered in black and gold armour plating. Geoffrey knew precisely who they were, the Palace Guards. They wore a half faced oni mask, like Takahir, both of their designs differed from each other's. They also carried Yari, a long metal spear at their sides. They did not seem as happy as Takahir typically was, they mainly held an expressionless face. Even their eyes did not convey anything, as if the windows to the soul had nothing to present. One of them spoke to Geoffrey, he did not understand. The other man continued; Geoffrey reached for his book. The men stopped him immediately as if Geoffrey were about to start an act of aggression against them. They grabbed his shoulders with a firm grip and pulled him from the chair he was sitting in. He could not stand up properly, they just dragged him along the streets and towards the palace.
He was led up a large number of stairs, towards the gate of the courtyard. They continued through, only one tree stood inside the courtyard. Just like the technological district, congregations of petals also covered the pathways. The courtyard also had training dummies and targets, presumably for training new garrisons for the Imperial Army. The dummies were a bit withered with the straw sticking out from patches and the targets had many wounds from arrows. The courtyard was surrounded by a stone wall that had constant patrolling from guards and the floor was built from cobbled limestone.
They brought him through the huge oak doors and into the main hall. The room was a remarkable sight. Bright red walls, green and gold infused pillars and several pots and sleepers filled with unusual fauna. The main hall had two ponds on either side of the walkway, filled with Koi fish varying in diverse colours. This was unlike any palace Geoffrey had ever seen. The two strong guardsmen dropped Geoffrey just below the emperor's throne. It was quite the sizable throne; the chair was covered in a soft red fabric with golden wood protruding outwards from the seat. Sat in his golden kimono was the emperor himself.
"Geoffrey Gold, it is most displeasing to see you in my palace once again. I despise your presence, but I require your skills." Geoffrey did not speak. "You are to deliver me news of the Firecracker being slain. Once I have seen significant proof you will have my thanks. Then you will be escorted by my men back to Woden and never to return to my Empire again. If I smell your retched sent on my land, I will make sure that you never break my laws again, you will not receive a trial, you will be sentenced how I see fit."
"I understand. What if I do not comply with what you offer me?" Geoffrey taunted.
"Your demise. I will personally execute you in front of my people, for all to see."
Then, from the left side of the room, a servant-looking man strode towards the emperor. Geoffrey began to panic, feeling his heart rate increase. The man covered his mouth and whispered something to him. The emperor's face dropped. The man stood back from the emperor, he still looked displeased. The emperor took back to his throne and gestured towards the servant. "Good evening, I am Souma, if you would please follow me," The man stated, pointing towards the left side of the hall. Geoffrey stood up from his position and followed the man. The emperor stared at the floor as Geoffrey went past, followed by Souma.
The hallways beyond the Main Hall were just as magnificent. The floor was concealed by a deep red carpet which went as far as the eye could see. The walls were a lot different, completely black with golden patterns across every section. The walls were occasionally divided by a long green pillar, connecting to the ceiling above. The two men continued down the halls, passing a slightly opened room. As they passed the room, Geoffrey peered inside. There she was, Kei Hayashi, the one Geoffrey fell in love with. She was just as beautiful as Geoffrey remembered, with her long black hair, her sparkling eyes, and her determination. She also glanced out the door, towards him, and stared with a hidden admiration. She was surrounded by maids, wearing many royal garments, helping her get ready for bed.
The two men eventually reached a room, and Souma stood in front of the door. "Please refrain from speaking to Miss. Kei, you leave when you can provide a suitable plan." Geoffrey nodded in return and entered his temporary accommodation. The room was nice, with brown wood along the walls with patches of white as well. There was a little table and a set of chairs to go with it, the only other thing in the room was a bed. Although it was not as rich looking as the glimpse of Kei's room or the rest of the palace, it would do Geoffrey simply fine. Souma had left Geoffrey at his temporary resting place, so with nothing left to do, he decided it was best to sleep.
He ambled over to his bed, noticing a small package laying on his silk covers. The package was covered in a soft silky-red cloth, with a message embroidered into it. The inscribed message states:
Dear Geoffrey,
Please take these gifts from me as a
welcome-back gift. I look forward to
meeting you again.
Kei Hayashi
Geoffrey removed the silk cloth, revealing a black box. Geoffrey pulled the two pieces away from each other, like separating two attached sweets. Inside was an earpiece. It was just a simple-looking ear plug, but with an added button. It came with a card, welcoming people to the Imperial City and saying that to turn on the earpiece, just simply press the button. Geoffrey followed the instructions but had no idea what on Fauxwood this piece of metal did. He did, however, find a small dose of serotonin in the fact that Kei had given him such a peculiar gift.
He removed his armour and nice shoes and got into the velvet covers that would pin him down throughout the night. Geoffrey stared up at the ceiling, nothing on his mind, other than Kei. However, it was not long before he fell into slumber after his long calm day.
* * *
Knock Knock…
Knock Knock…
Geoffrey awoke. He was still a bit sleepy, but the knocking kept on going. He looked out the window to see that the moon was still high above the horizon. He put on his armour in case this was his signal to leave for his mission and answered the door.
"Hello, Geoffrey, would you please come with me, your company has been requested," A small palace maid stated towards the adventurer.
"Do I need anything with me?" He replied.
"No, follow me, please," She finished, walking down the corridor.
Geoffrey followed along, back through the way he had been before his sleep. Then they turned down a different direction and out onto a balcony, it was a bit chilly. Across from him was the physical entity of beauty, according to Geoffrey. Kei Hayashi, the opposing princess. The maid gestured Geoffrey towards her and then left the two of them alone. Geoffrey felt quite awkward at first but knew that there was nothing between the two of them left.
"Princess," Geoffrey opened with,
"Please, call me by my proper name," She replied, seeming a bit resentful.
"Apologies, why did you want to see me? I have been told to stay away from you," Geoffrey questioned.
"I could not miss the opportunity to see you again, even if I never do again. You are just as stunning as when I first met you. How have you been the past 9 months?"
"Ever since I escaped, I have just been doing the occasional quest back in Woden. I was collecting treasure and the odd creature part to sell within my shop. Started looking after my opposite neighbour, Wilf, because he has no one left in the village. I saved a child from a mountain troll and got some recognition for that. I did then get abducted by your people and ended up fighting alongside the great Takahir, which then leads me pretty much to here."
"Quite the adventure, I do admire your work,"
"Thanks, how has it been for you?" Geoffrey asked.
That was the last thing Geoffrey would say for a while, he got the privilege to listen to Kei go on and on about her recent affairs.