A few days later Nic was about ready to call it quits and more than tempted to open the scroll. He had been to different districts but hadn't found anything. The sailors on the ports had been not all that helpful, though that was a bit of a tossup as he could now at least fluently curse in the local tongue. Which did not help him make any other connections, as the cussing was probably of the very vulgar kind and when grown men turned away blushing you knew what kind of cussing it was. And trying to convey meaning was a bit hard with gestures, the misunderstandings weren't funny. Not at all.
He was especially turned off of fish, as someone had just grabbed him to try out a local specialty, which consisted of swallowing living fish whole. And the thing wasn't even all that tiny. He still could remember the slithering feeling down his throat, he shuddered.
The red-light district was another thing of strangeness to him. Loose women all nice and dandy. Men dressing up as women or the other way around, fine, even outside of the various theatres, alright. But why in the blazes he had been offered sweets left, right and center was a bit of a mystery to him and some people wanting him to go along to who knew where was a bit much. Thankfully he was nimble and just vanished into the crowd whenever someone made a grab for him.
In any case he was at the end of his rope and was nearing the point of not caring whether he called up a meteor or an inferno when he called upon something useful with Kwez' help. Yes, with his help, he was that desperate.
But well, that was a bit hard to do as he had all about ordered him to accompany Gertie a day before and to not do anything else until told otherwise. Which, in hindsight, wasn't all that smart, but he had thought it a good idea at the time.
Still, there was that other port he hadn't been to yet, so he postponed his immediate idea for the time being. The book would still be there and the scroll as well. If he hadn't been so hyped he might have contemplated calling it a day, but well, he was nowhere near calm or tired enough for that.
He ventured out again, even nighttime was ever lively in Kou. Many shops were open deep into the night, as they closed for an extensive break around noon when the heat hit or opened just in the early afternoon altogether. There were enough markets and shops that were open in the morning, mind, mainly selling groceries and the like. But those closed around noon and were open the next day again or for a couple of hours in the evening, depending in the district or the wares themselves. Though, most things sold in the evening were more things of luxury like wine, spices, fine fabrics and the like. The ports also kept busy, preparing the next ships for leaving or still unloading late arrivals.
On the port he was visiting now it was a bit quieter, he had taken the ferry to come over, but it was still busy enough. People were distributing wares; some were on the way for repairs and whatnot. Nic was attentively listening, a mixture of languages around him. But wait, yes, that might be the right place after all.
"...come on you wankers, get that shit off board!"
If he hadn't met sailors before he would have just turned around and left. But well, as the folks were fine enough, he went straight were his ears led him.
Let's see, what they could tell him...
"Ahoy," he called out, just as Van had told him. "From Piskisport, aren't you?"
He got a vague grunting in answer. Bingo.
"I have a question, you see..."
Sighing he was strolling through the exotic looking streets. His idea in the base had been a good one, just in the end not really all that feasible. The merchant he had been introduced to had flat out told him to either spend a pretty penny on a certified teacher, which was way out of his budget or try his luck in one of the alleys around the library. Many schools were nearby and there should be some pupils being able to speak his own language and may tutor him for a little less coin. Though how accurate that was in learning, well. Or he went to the library and just studied himself.
At least he didn't leave empty handed and had gotten a few books from the merchant as he had no further need of them. The guy had even given them to him for free, but they were a bit old, mind.
Should he maybe just...
Nic sighed again.
Now he just had to pass some time, as the ferries in the nighttime were not running that often, so he had a few hours on his hands.
He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't been looking where he was going. Sounds passed him by, lights flashed and he blinked. Looking around he found himself in the middle of some kind of dancing? Or something?
Rhythmic drumming reached his ears, some kind of stringed instruments were being played and flutes could be heard as well. He was standing in the middle of a colorful procession of sorts, one of the dancers took his hand and pulled him along. There was singing as well, though the only word he could identify was "Sol".
What had he landed himself in?!
He woke up in the next... Let's go with morning, though in reality late afternoon would probably be more fitting but his felt like it wanted to split itself in half so he was very much not caring. That was much too familiar, what had happened?
If he didn't feel that dizzy and wasn't feeling like he was about to toss his cookies at any second he might have tried harder. The exact place of the nearest lavatory was at the moment the information he most desired. He would go there as soon as the room stopped spinning though. And what was with this stench? It made him gag and very hard not to lose whatever his stomach had to offer right at this moment.
Everything else hurt and whatever he was lying on was rather hard. And somewhat wet? Or no, rather sticky. It reeked abysmally in any case.
"Master, there you are!"
Moaning Nic shakily waved his hand, wanting Kwez to tone it down. The metallic screeching reverberated in his skull and was so loud, he was sure his head would burst. In this moment he was just wishing for silence and fresh air. Or be rid of the pounding in his head and his stomach going back to normal instead of rolling like a ship in a storm.
His gesture seemingly wasn't very clear though, as he heard Kwez start harping again, "Nothing against a feast or attending one but in the honor of the sun god Sol?!"
The critter sounded terribly accusing, though was there a hint of amusement as well? Nic couldn't make heads or tails of Kwez' behavior, but well. Seemingly doubting his character, though he was not sure whether he meant his own or that of the cat. Honestly, he was rather doubting his own mind at this point.
At least he had finally noticed that he had fallen asleep on a rather low table and his legs were somewhat folded underneath him, that at least explained his cramping muscles, what with sitting on the floor and such. Heck, that was uncomfortable. But what in the blazes... Would it hurt Kwez talking a bit softer? Or whisper, yeah, that would be grand.
He had finally managed to look at Kwez and really, he could make an effort there. Or one of them at least. No, wait. That was his brain telling him something different with the three eyes than what was there. Probably.
Why did he look that gleeful though?
"That you would make it into the palace and create such a delightful bloodbath is a redeeming thing though," he cackled exuberantly.
Frowning Nic raised his head. He had what? Dizzy he looked around.
The scenery in front of him made him blink. It took but a moment until he ran, followed by a muffled blergh as he had stuck his head in a nearby tall vase, hurling.
Yeah, right. If one saw this one couldn't call it anything but a bloodbath. Everywhere around him there were body parts and fleshy bits and pieces of something strewn about. Blood was thickly coating furniture, walls and drapes, some already drying, some still in the process of thickening. So yes, it was gruesome and nothing one wanted to see but it didn't quite connect as to how he should have done it in the first place.
Arguably, he probably had done something, he just couldn't remember it. Which made the thing so much worse.
It took a while until he stopped gagging.
That was a bit direct.
Oh well, he'll be fine. Eventually.
You think? But really, the carnage...
My, my, it did start after he fell asleep black out drunk on the table, slobbering like that idiot dog, but well. He did start it though.
Didn't think that this spell would become a dare for the young and foolish.
Well, if he hadn't been backed by the pact it wouldn't even have worked as it had in the first place.
True, true.