There were so many people so I lost visual track of the boy. Still, I know where he is even if I don't see him, something related to witch craft I suppose. I can guess his location but not his movements, he was already four compartments ahead of me,he got that far so quickly
"A little thief magic user ha!" I said as it was the only way to run that fast using his small frame, maybe it was wind magic.
''Huh'' I laughed slightly as I thought about a little kid one uping me. I have no affinity for magic, however I can change slightly the things I touch. Petty tricks that wasn't identified as any known form of spells.
Moving forward between the crowd was so slow, bumping every instant into someone and wasting time apologizing was not an efficient way to caught up to the boy who's pace wasn't slowing.
''Up'' I looked to the buildings roofs, it was the easiest way to advance.
'' 3.70 meter for each floor, that would be 13 meters. Considering my weight and the elastance I can creat ..hmm.... Alright I can do it''.
The earth under my feet was deformed brutally, going down then up instantly, launching me into the air a few inches above the roof.
[kyaaa!] [what was that?] A disorder arose among the people bellow. I made sure to reduce the deformed area to the minimum to not cause any harm for others, withal the sudden action created a wave-shock.
I turned back to see, it was dusty,only silhouettes that seemed coughing stood out on the surface ''Sorryyy!'' I said ashamed.
''Now then'' the boy's movements seemed to stop, I need to hurry before he starts moving again.
I ran as fast as my body could without getting worn out, constantly pressing the ground to help me get a momentum to accelerate and to jump from building to an another.
As it was a rare opportunity to have a panoramic view of the city, I also took my time to admire it. Yes I can see that view in my way back since I need to return and fix the foot steps from the roofs, But I couldn't help it, my face was constantly fixed to it while I get sure to calculate my steps.
The city was beautiful, the ochre buildings under the sun were pleasant to look to. They absorbed the light, vividly shining and blinding with the mountains behind.
Red, forest green and snow white were a great combinaison to the painting, add to them the castle from far away surrendered by the fall coloured trees. It was magical.
After running a little while, I stopped and stood behind a chimney to hide. The boy was sitting down on the ground, my money sack was tossed open beside him while he was checking a shining gold coin on his hand.
His breathing looked calm, He have a great speed and a descent stamina to keep up with it, I though he got tired and wanted to rest but he merely wanted to check on the goods after making sure I lost him.
It was clear that he was faster, revealing my presence from this distance to capture him was a bad idea.
''[Stealth]'' A basic skill for close range fighters to approach the enemy without getting detected, it's the only skill I can use tough.
'' These coins are weird'' the child said when still rotating the coin '' Made of gold and have some unknown scribbling I couldn't read. I thought there was just copper coins for changes and silver coins for higher currency''
he tossed the coin then grabbed it in his right hand ''First the city's weird architecture, its people who seems zoned out completely ignoring my existence and that guy, who was the first to notice me, was giving money that easily. I need to get out of here as soon as I get the chance'' he turned to put the money on the sack when he saw my hand reaching to grab him.
He avoided it, crap I was slow. He stepped back guarding his distance ''What is your play people?'' he shook his right hand to the side violently,then gripped his clothes from the chest in his left ''Do you enjoy entrapping lonely people and watch them despair that much!'' he added in a sorrowful angry voice.
I stood still puzzled by what he just said. ''Tch!'' Annoyed he turned and started running from me again.
''Wait!'' I yelled as to show I wasn't ignoring him like he claimed the others did, but my voice couldn't reach.
''My money!'' I chased after him before the gap widen. I also need answers regarding his weird speech.
He was clearly using wind magic to hop from building to building, keeping accelerating when time passes by. I need to go all out before he surpass my speed limit.
We hit the frontiers faster than expected, the city wall was the last barrier before he escapes to the woods.
He used his magic to fly jump while I hopped to the ground using it as a ressort to gain some height before I continued climbing. Obviously I set foot on the forest after he had a greatest advantage to disappear from my sight.
I concentrated on guessing his location, the forest was a dangerous unknown place, he couldn't get that deep, he had to just disappear between tree trunks or climb up the branches to fool me. But this ability of mine doesn't always work on my command, so I couldn't know where he is this time.
I looked around briefly before giving up on finding him.
I was heading back as I didn't find any traces, nonetheless I spotted something shining under the wall.
It was my coins tossed all over ''Did they fall when he was on a hurry!'' his struggle will then be meaningless.
I collected the golden pieces one by one, they were exactly the 7 coins I originally had. Thinking that it will be a shame, I left the two I intended to give him where they fell in case he maybe returned.
I felt sorry about his state, but that's as much as I can do, I still need money for my book.
''Master!''.... ''Master!'' it was Carl's voice reaching out from the ring.I approached it toward my mouth ''Yes, I'm here. Is something wrong?''. ''You sure are taking your time there'' he nagged me ''to chase a little scrap of meat'' he was clearly annoyed waiting for me.
''I was on my way back, I just wanted to check on something'' I looked around the forest when I got to the top of the wall ''It doesn't matter, I will be there in an instant''.
''Good. Hurry up we have other things to do'' he hung up.
I tailed my way back to fix the foot prints on the roofs, I can't let them be. I intended to do a silly out of track heading back after doing the fixing, but I need to return as soon as possible so I contented with my city contemplation from earlier.
I arrived to the building above the fountain, Carl who was seated down got up, I got down to him. ,
''Let's find your book'' without looking at me he lead the way after adjusting his clothes.
It got us various turns on the dark deserted allies to finally stop in front of a wooden mansion. It had one floor and stood up with different architecture.
The dusty entrance that Carl pushed indicated that few to none customers came by. I got in, the entrance closed on it's own behind my back and rose a bell click.
There was no one inside.
''Peanut butter, chocolate, tea petals...'' I was reading the names of the displayed products on the shelves when passing by them. It was a normal grosserie shop where you can find sugar and sorts.
Carl didn't stop walking, opened the counters little door, passed by, opened the rear door, turned right and disappeared.
''OY!'' I hastily followed him closing the doors he left open.
Reaching where he disappeared, stairs were leading to a basement. The lights were off but the reflected sunlight on the white walls was enough to drive away the darkness. Going deeper it was interesting that it still was light up, using a specific form for structure plus a set of mirrors throughout the way, it was possible. Anyhow I got more fascinated when I got to the basement.
I got startled from human skeletons who greeted me, they were automatized to speak and salute in a former manner but they looked scary as undeads.
My first impression was that man treat life lightly.
The piece was vast but seemed narrow with all the lyrics it contained; Legendary beasts corpses were displayed for show. S class medical herbs were grown on specific pots. Minds, hearts, eyes were preserved in weird liquid bottles. Magic books were on the waist heigh bookshelves, orbs, jewels and puppets were on top of the tables.Various weapons were hung up on the side walls. Things I only read on books were shown in front of me. I thought that I had no idea what happens in our city.
The shop keeper must have knowledge, skills, power, and connections to get this collection. It was a shame that he kept his accomplishements trapped in such place. It was weirder that my father didn't recruit such a competent man, maybe he tried and failed or he chose to do things his own way, maybe this man was helping his recherches from the shadows, that sounded cooler.
What got my attention was two weird looking skulls facing each other, the first had longer fangs than average and a red diamond embedded in the the back occipit, while the other had pointy teeth and a blue diamond. They were somewhat resembling human skulls yet had apparent other specificities. I read ''the all living guide'' and didn't stumble on something like that.
''Are you interested in those perhaps, young boy?'' a grave voice shook my internal thoughts. It was a bearded old man, well built in fur clothes. ''But I'm sorry, those are not for sale'' he put the pipe on his mouth.
''Do you mean that everything here is for sale!'' I responded.
He looked around then answered ''You can have everything you want, except those...'' he pointed to the skulls then to an abnormally huge sword.
''I understood, I can't have them but you can give me informations about them'' it's efficient to demand things the other party didn't set up, going down rectifying what they said would be unprofessional from there part ''I have no interest in the sword, however I want to know about those skulls''
''Hooo..'' He glanced at me ''What are your thoughts about them little man?'' that was a little test from his part.
''Well, considering the shape, maybe they are deformed humans or humanified monsters, the traits and volume of this one indicate it's a female while the other one is a male, and considering the state I could tell that they died before 40 to 52 years. Those are just assumptions from my part, they stay unknown for me so it's likely they had no gender or had a different pace of degeneration'' I talked without taking a breather.
We kept staring at each other
''Well you are not totally wrong. I got those some decades ago from a hunter friend of mine. I also suspected that they were a man and a women after he told me that they were vampires he hunted, but I didn't ask him directly''
''Wait, Vampires?'' I was shocked
''Yes indeed'' he said slowly
''You mean those creatures who were just in fantasies! Live nearly forever yet you can kill them by a steak of wood!'' I replied joking
''They also vanish in the sun'' he replied dead serious.
'' hhh'' I took out a mocking laugh ''They can't be real''
He moved silently toward a mummified beast like bear. He took it's claw and started massaging the fur. ''Magic to deform the world, spirits we can't see but we use their powers, absurd species of beasts around the world. The man's capability to forge swords, creat items from different ressources, and using herbs to grow whole body parts. All that seems impossible from someone else's point of view, yet it is reality''
''Well...'' I wanted to explain.
He interrupted me ''People say: well, There are logical explanations for such things. Then come up with an hypothesis to back it up and exhibit them with recherches to finally prove themselves true to the world.'' he read right into me.
''However, people came with there concepts after using experiences the world can offer . It happened, then people showed how it worked, even things they thought they come up with were already existing in the world by a further concept. It was bearable to stand cause they somewhat obeyed the only truth humans believed blindly; their corporal will and consciousness.''
He took a brief moment then proceeded ''But beings such demons, angels, vampires and other specific forces sounds absurd. Immortality, highest beings than humans but have critical weakness we face as a daily basis somehow, or something out there who didn't affect us to try it, things didn't add up.''
he put the claw down and looked toward me ''He said the answer was ....''
''As the world needs to impose itself into someone's mind to exist, everything you can imagine is surely out there'' I followed in this conclusion.
He stared at me when I interrupted his deep explanation. He come to me silently, it wasn't good to act as the 'I already know that' brat.
''That's right'' he said smiling. He reached his right hand to me ''What's your name young man?''.
I totally forgot my manners ''Arata... Arata FREIYA'' he shook my hand, it was a sign of respect.
''I'm De...De Xerxes''.