Amukelo wandered further into the shop, still feeling the lingering effects of his encounter with the strange mirror. His attention was caught by something peculiar sitting on a wooden counter—a bundle of carrots. At first, he thought it odd that something so mundane would be in a shop full of magical and bizarre artifacts.
But as he approached, he realized these weren't ordinary carrots. Each one had a face with closed eyes and a slightly grim expression. Amukelo leaned closer, curious.
The moment his face came within a foot of the carrots, their eyes snapped open. A collective, high-pitched scream erupted from the bundle. The sound was sharp and piercing, like a room full of wailing children. Amukelo recoiled, nearly stumbling as he backed away.
"What the—!?" he exclaimed, as his heart pounded.
As soon as he was a safe distance away, the carrots fell silent. Their eyes closed again, and their faces returned to the same dull, blank expressions. Amukelo froze for a moment, wondering if he had imagined it. But his curiosity got the better of him, and he stepped closer again.
Once more, the eyes snapped open, and the screaming began. Louder this time, as though the carrots were getting more irritated. Amukelo jumped away, nearly knocking over a nearby shelf, and the screaming stopped.
Amukelo sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. "What is wrong with this place?" he muttered. But as he stood there, catching his breath, his thoughts began to wander. He could almost hear Pao's voice in his head, her laugh echoing faintly.
She would've loved this place.
Pao had always been fascinated by strange and whimsical things. She would've laughed so hard at the screaming carrots. For a moment, he could almost see her standing next to him, teasing him for being startled.
He closed his eyes, forcing the memory away. With a heavy breath, he shook his head and turned away from the carrots, as he walked back to find Eliss.
When he reached her, the sight that greeted him was both baffling and concerning. Eliss stood near a shelf, her arms stacked with books. Her face was lit up with excitement, a wide smile plastered across her face.
Amukelo stopped in his tracks, staring at the pile of books she was trying to balance. "Whoa, why are you buying so much?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Eliss turned to him, grinning. "These spells are fascinating! I've never seen anything like them. I need them."
Amukelo crossed his arms. "Do you need them, or do you just want them?" He glanced at the pile with a mixture of disbelief and exasperation. "And how much have you spent already?"
Eliss waved off his concern, still smiling. "Not much."
"Not much?" Amukelo asked, his tone skeptical. "Define 'not much.'"
Eliss hesitated for a moment, then smiled even wider. "Just half of my money."
Amukelo's jaw dropped. "Half of your money!? Didn't you say your parents gave you a ton of gold before we left?"
She shrugged. "That was peanuts. These are worth it."
Amukelo rubbed his temples, trying to process what he was hearing. "Peanuts? Eliss, you spent half your money on books? What if we need that later? What about food? Lodging? Equipment?"
Eliss tilted her head, still grinning. "Well, you're here, aren't you? You'll figure it out."
Amukelo looked at her, stunned. He couldn't decide whether to laugh, scold her, or just walk away. After a moment, he let out a long, heavy sigh. "Whatever," he said, shaking his head. "But I'm telling you now—I'm not paying for you when you run out of money."
"You won't need to," she replied confidently, her smile unwavering.
"Right," Amukelo muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sure this is all part of some grand, well-thought-out plan."
"It is," she said brightly, as if completely missing his tone.
Amukelo rolled his eyes and turned toward the exit. "Let's just leave before you bankrupt yourself."
Eliss followed, her arms still loaded with books. Despite his frustration, Amukelo couldn't help but glance back at her. She looked so genuinely happy, it was hard to stay angry. With a resigned sigh, he pushed the door open and stepped outside, Eliss trailing behind him, still smiling like she'd just won a prize.
Amukelo walked alongside Eliss, trying to keep his focus on their next destination. He turned to Eliss, about to say something, when he collided into a massive figure.
He stumbled slightly before catching his footing. Turning around, he saw an orc—a tall, broad one, standing with his hands on his hips. The orc's expression was stern but carried a trace of amusement.
"Excuse me," Amukelo said, brushing himself off. "My mistake."
The orc let out a booming laugh, his voice loud enough to make nearby orcs pause in their activities. "Not so fast, human. I've heard about you," the orc said, pointing a thick finger at him. "You beat one of my friends in a fistfight, huh? Hahaha! Now I challenge you."
Amukelo sighed heavily. "He promised me he wouldn't trouble us anymore," he said, voice laden with irritation.
The orc tilted his head, grinning. "Do I look like him?" he asked, spreading his arms as if to show off his towering stature.
Amukelo looked him up and down, his face blank. "Eh… Yes?" His tone carried a mix of resignation and sarcasm.
The orc barked a laugh. "Hahaha! Lowly human, your humor won't save you. Accept my challenge!"
"I don't have time for this," Amukelo muttered, waving dismissively as he turned to leave. "I really don't."
But before he could take more than a few steps, the orc's heavy hand clamped down on his arm, halting him in place. Amukelo turned back slowly, exhaling in frustration. The crowd around them began to gather, sensing entertainment. Eliss, carrying her pile of books, lingered a few steps behind, clearly amused by the scene.
"Not so fast," the orc growled. "I'm not done with you."
"Fine," Amukelo said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Whatever. But we're not fighting to the death."
The orc smirked, cracking his knuckles. "That's fine. As long as you surrender."
Amukelo raised his hand, already turning away again. "Great. I surrender."
The orc blinked in confusion, then let out a loud, indignant shout. "That's not what I meant! Fight me!"
The surrounding orcs began to chant. "Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Amukelo rolled his eyes, handing his belongings, including his sword and bag, to Eliss. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he asked her dryly.
Eliss smirked but said nothing, retreating to the edge of the growing crowd.
"Alright," Amukelo said, stepping into the center of the circle forming around him and the orc. "Let's get this over with."
The orc grinned wide, throwing his weapons and armor aside as he cracked his neck and rolled his massive shoulders. He was clearly relishing the opportunity to prove his strength. Amukelo, on the other hand, remained stone-faced.
The fight began with the orc charging forward, his massive fists swinging in wide arcs. Amukelo sidestepped the first blow, narrowly avoiding the orc's heavy swing, and countered with a quick jab to the ribs. The orc barely flinched, letting out a low chuckle as he swung again, forcing Amukelo to duck and weave.
Amukelo took advantage of the orc's slower movements, landing a series of quick strikes to his torso and legs to wear him down. The orc retaliated with a powerful backhand, grazing Amukelo's shoulder and forcing him to step back.
The crowd roared with approval at the display of skill from both fighters. "Come on, human!" one orc shouted. "Hit him like a men!"
The orc lunged again, his massive arms aiming to grab Amukelo, but he ducked low, spinning around to deliver a sharp elbow to the orc's side. The orc grunted, stumbling slightly, but his grin remained intact.
"Not bad," the orc growled. "But let's see how you handle this!"
The orc charged, forcing Amukelo to retreat and defend. Their fists collided in a flurry of blows, each trying to outmaneuver the other.
Finally, after a grueling exchange, Amukelo saw an opening. As the orc overextended with a heavy swing, Amukelo ducked under his arm and delivered a hard uppercut to his jaw, followed by a spinning kick to his chest. The orc staggered backward, breathing heavily.
With one final effort, Amukelo lunged forward, delivering a swift combination of punches that forced the orc to fall to one knee. The crowd erupted in cheers and jeers as Amukelo stepped back, his chest heaving from exertion.
"I think that settles it," Amukelo said wiping the sweat from his brow. He turned to Eliss, extending his hand for his belongings. But before he could grab them, another orc stepped forward, pointing directly at him.
"Now I challenge you!" the new orc declared.
Amukelo froze with disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me."
"No!" another orc shouted from the other side of the crowd. "I challenge you next!"
The crowd roared in approval, their chants of "Fight! Fight! Fight!" growing louder with each moment. Amukelo's eye twitched.
Eliss stifled a laugh, clearly enjoying the chaos. "You're very popular here," she quipped.
Amukelo shot her a glare. "I swear, if you say one more word—"
The orcs continued to clamor, readying themselves for the next round. Amukelo sighed deeply, muttering under his breath, "Why me?"