"So this is Rafia," he said as he entered the city gate.
The buildings were incredibly tall, reaching towards the sky, and the market was bustling everywhere. Vendors shouted out their prices, and the smell of various foods filled the air. "This is very crowded. How can I find Ramo's friend?" Theodore thought to himself, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety.
He continued riding through the throngs of people. "I think I should sell the horse. I just must find a place to sell horses." He felt a little sad about selling his horse, but he knew it was necessary for his journey.
Theodore was amazed by the height of the buildings and the grandeur of the palaces. "Look at that one! It must belong to someone very important," he muttered, glancing up at a particularly ornate structure with intricate designs carved into the stone.
"I guess I should ask someone about where to sell my horse," he said, dismounting and scanning the crowd. He spotted an elderly man leaning against a wall, his face weathered but kind.
"Sir, excuse me," Theodore called out, approaching him. The old man looked up, squinting in the sunlight.
"What do you want, kid?" the man replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Hi, I just want to know where I can find places to sell my horse?" Theodore asked, his voice filled with hope.
"Oh, yes! Follow me, kid." The old man started walking, and Theodore hurried to keep up.
"Why are you selling such a good horse?" the man asked, glancing back at Theodore.
"Well, I need some money to sleep in a hotel, and I don't have enough to feed him either," Theodore explained, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"I can buy it. How much do you want for him?" The man turned to Theodore, a calculating look in his eyes.
"Thirty gold pieces," Theodore replied, trying to sound confident.
"Well, I won't argue with that because the horse is really worth the price," the old man said with a nod. "Follow me, kid; I have my money in my house."
"Okay," Theodore agreed, following him through the narrow streets.
After many steps, they arrived at a house similar to the village houses Theodore had seen before. "That's it," the old man said, gesturing. "Just wait here while I get my money."
Theodore stood in front of the old man's house, tapping his foot impatiently. After a moment, the old man returned, a bag of coins in his hands.
"Here we are, kid. That's your money," he said, handing Theodore the bag.
Theodore began to count the coins, his heart racing with excitement. "Thanks, man. He's your horse now," he said, feeling a sense of relief.
"But I have a question. Where can I find a good and cheap hotel?" he inquired, looking up at the old man.
"Mmm, are you a mercenary?" the man asked, his eyes narrowing with curiosity.
"Well, I'm not one yet, but I'll go to the Mercenaries' Guild to become one," Theodore replied.
"Okay, you must be one to sleep in a mercenary hostel. It's cheaper and actually better for mercenaries," the old man explained.
"Where can I find the Mercenaries' Guild?" Theodore asked eagerly.
"It's a big building. You can tell by the mark on the top of the building; it looks like two crossed swords with a coin in the middle," the old man described.
"Okay, sir. Thanks for helping," Theodore said with gratitude as he turned to leave.
Theodore kept trying to find the building, repeating to himself, "Mmm, two swords and one coin." He walked for a while until he stopped in front of a building that looked similar to what the old man had described. "I think that's it," he murmured.
He entered the building and was immediately struck by the atmosphere. The air was filled with chatter and the clinking of mugs. There were many mercenaries inside, most of them young men in their twenties and thirties, all with serious faces. He noticed women among them, too, some laughing, some discussing strategies.
The mercenaries looked at Theodore as he entered, their eyes skeptical. A fifteen-year-old kid wanting to earn money by killing was hard to believe. He felt a mix of nervousness and determination.
He stood in front of the mercenary office, where a woman was seated behind a large, cluttered table. "Hi, sir. How can I help you?" she asked, looking up with a friendly smile.
"I want to become a mercenary," he said with a serious face, trying to hide his nerves.
Some of the mercenary men who were sitting at nearby tables started laughing loudly. "Go home, kid! This is not a place to play. Hahaha!"
"Don't pay them any attention," she said, her tone firm. She took out a registration paper and pushed it toward him. "Please fill in the paper with your information."
He nodded and began to fill it out, his hand shaking slightly. "I'm done," he said after a few minutes.
"Sign here, please," she said, pointing to a spot on the paper.
Theodore signed and handed her the paper, feeling a sense of accomplishment.
"These are all the quests hanging on the wall. You can choose one of them," she said, gesturing toward a wall covered with papers.
"Mmm, I guess I'll choose this one," he said, pointing to a specific quest. "There are ghouls in the south of the city. You must kill them and collect their eyes."
"Okay, it's easy," he said confidently, turning to head toward the door.
All the mercenaries looked at him with surprise and laughter, but he didn't pay them any attention. He just walked through them with determination.
After a long walk, Theodore reached the south of the city. It was different from the north and the center. The buildings here were run-down, and the people looked weary and poor. He kept walking until he found the required location.
He arrived at a large farm, and though it was beautiful and the place was full of golden wheat swaying in the breeze, the houses there were burned and destroyed. "What a terrible sight," he thought, his heart heavy.
He walked toward a burned house and pulled out his sword, ready for anything. The door was ajar, and he entered cautiously, aware that the ghouls had done this.
He moved with slow steps, scanning the dimly lit interior. He checked all the rooms on the ground floor; they were empty, save for the remnants of what had once been a home.
Then he began climbing the stairs, his heart pounding. He entered the first room, which was surprisingly clean, and started heading toward the second. As he opened the door, he was met with a strange sound—a soft, crying noise coming from within, especially from the closet.
He approached the closet, heart racing, and carefully opened it, ready for anything.
Inside, he found a young girl who looked like she was six or seven years old, sitting with her hands on her face and crying softly. "Hi, little one," he said gently, crouching down to her level. "What's wrong?"
"I saw them eating my parents," she said, her voice trembling as she started hugging him tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"It's okay. Don't worry; you will be fine," he reassured her, putting his arms around her, just as Nova had done with him during his moments of fear. "Can you walk?"
"Yeah, I can," she replied, her voice still shaky.
"Now, get up, please." He helped her to her feet.
"Okay," she said, standing up but looking around nervously. Just then, a dozen ghouls began to appear from the shadows, emerging from the walls to attack him.
"Stay behind me," he commanded, gripping his sword tightly as he began stabbing the ghouls forcefully, one after the other. The sound of steel meeting flesh echoed through the room.
After a fierce battle, there were lots of corpses on the ground. He had killed them all, panting heavily. Ghouls were considered a weak group, but they were infamous for their collective and destructive behavior.
"Stay here; I'll just collect their eyes, and then we will go, okay?" he said, glancing back at the girl.
"Okay," she said, holding onto him tightly, wanting him to protect her.
"You'll make my job difficult. It's safe now; you can leave my body," he said, gently nudging her away. She looked around and finally stepped back, giving him some space.
Theodore began collecting the ghouls' eyes, working quickly. "I'm done; let's go now," he finally announced after finishing the last one.
The girl started following him as they left the house. They walked back toward the mercenaries' building, the sun beginning to set and casting an orange glow across the sky.
As they entered the large door together, Theodore placed the bag of eyes on the table and said, "These eyes and this little girl I found in one of the houses that were attacked by ghouls."
The employee looked at him and then at the girl, her expression softening. "Okay, your job now is done. You can take your money, and we will help the child," she said kindly.
The woman handed Theodore the money, and he felt a surge of happiness. "Is this more than the mission money?" he asked, surprised.
"Well, civilian rescue missions increase money," the woman explained with a smile.
"Oh, okay. I see, thanks," Theodore replied, a grin spreading across his face. He felt proud; he had not only completed a mission but also helped a child in need.He started to feel like a human and not a weapon.
He glanced at the girl, who was now being hugged by the woman. Her eyes were wide as she looked at Theodore, and he could see a flicker of hope in them. "Bye, little one," he said gently, waving at her.
"Bye, and thank you," she replied, her voice soft but filled with gratitude.
Theodore smiled back, feeling a warmth in his heart. He turned and headed up to the top floor of the building, specifically to the hostel floor.
As he walked through the hallway, he noticed the walls adorned with shields and swords, trophies of past mercenaries. It was a place filled with stories of bravery and adventure, and he hoped to add his own soon.
He approached the receptionist to rent a room for a month, counting out his money. After paying, he received the key and thanked the receptionist.
He quickly entered the room and closed the door behind him. The room was small but cozy, with a bed, a wooden table, and a window that looked out onto the bustling streets below. Without even looking around, Theodore lay down on the bed, feeling the weight of the day crash over him.
He fell asleep deeply and quickly, his mind finally at ease after the events of the day.