Luck settled into a rhythm, following the guy through the maze of alleys. The smells, sounds, and textures of the slums were becoming familiar, but there was still so much he had yet to map out. The streets were usually alive, buzzing with life and furore, but here in these sets of mazes, everything was eeriely
The guy suddenly stopped, "Alright, we just climb this ladder and we'll be there."
Luck bent over, hands braced on his knees, panting heavily. "W-where is there exactly?"
"Where I live," the guy replied, a grin in his voice.
Luck wiped the sweat from his brow. He had run more today than in the last two days combined. His muscles burned from exertion, but he forced himself to straighten.
"Make sure to keep a good grip on the bars," the guy warned, already climbing. "It rained earlier, so they might still be slippery."
Luck reached out, his fingers finding the cold metal. He tested his grip, then started climbing slowly. His hands and feet moved with practiced caution, tracing each rung carefully. His world was built on touch, and he couldn't afford a single misstep. The ladder groaned faintly under his weight, but it held firm.
It felt like an eternity before he reached the top. As he hoisted himself over the edge, he heard the guy's footsteps shifting nearby. Luck turned his head toward the sound.
"This is it," the guy said. "Home sweet home."
Luck straightened, his hands brushing against the wooden floor. The texture was rough, splintered in places, but sturdy. He reached out further and felt walls surrounding them—tall, cracked, yet standing strong. A faint draft slipped through the gaps, carrying the scent of damp wood and something metallic.
Luck exhaled, still catching his breath. . It wasn't much, but compared to sleeping in the alleys, it might as well have been a fortress. He tilted his head slightly, his cane tapping the wooden floor beside him as he adjusted his stance.
"Well, I believe it's about time for introductions, don't you think?" the guy said, his tone casual but expectant.
Luck frowned. "Right... I just realized I've been refering you in my head as "The guy", why don't you introduce yourself first"
Rook let out a chuckle. "Fair enough. Name's Rook."
Luck raised an eyebrow. "Like… a bird?"
Rook snorted. "Like the chess piece."
Luck shrugged. "Never played chess."
Rook clapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Well, you just found yourself a teacher, kid. 'Cause if you wanna survive in this city, you're gonna need to learn the game."
Luck looked at him deadpan. Not amused by Rook enjoying his own poorly made joke.
"Ahem- Well first things first I'll just explain some things to you since I doubt you know much about this place."
Rook stretched his arms behind his head, leaning casually against the wall. "Alright, listen up, 'cause this is important. You probably figured it out already, but we're in Lowspire, the worst dump on this entire continent. It's the slums, the gutters, the place where people get thrown away. You got thieves, beggars, gang lords—basically, if you ain't tough or clever, you're dead. Simple as that."
'Lowspire...what a quaint name for this disgusting hell hole.' Luck noted and then paused while raising an eye brow. "You say continent like there is more than one."
"Hold your horses, I'll get to that soon enough." Rook continued, "Anways, above us, both literally and figuratively, you got Trestor—city of the rich and powerful. That's where the nobles, merchants, and scholars live. Whole different world up there. Fancy buildings, magic-powered streetlights, food so good it'd make you cry. The folks there like to pretend we don't exist, unless they need cheap labor or someone to blame for their problems."
Luck scoffed. "Sounds about right." Noting that this talk might take a while he felt his way to a fairly clean area for him to sit in.
"Now, as for the people walking around these streets— you probably heard 'em, but let me break it down. You got humans, like us, which makes us the most common and also the most boring. Then there's the Drassk—big, hard-skinned folks, tough as hell. Kinda like walking human looking reptiles, but don't let 'em hear you say that. They've got sharp retractable claws, better night vision than us, and can take a beating. Their skin is a greenish tint and their ears are sightly sharper than ours but other than that and their height and tails they could be mistaken for human. Most of them work as mercs or enforcers, 'cause people are too scared to say no to 'em. "
Luck tilted his head, intrigued. "And the others?"
"Next up, you got the Elves," Rook said. "You can tell 'em by the way they move—light, graceful, like they don't even touch the ground. Pointy ears, too, if you ever get close enough. They're sharp, fast, and good with magic, but most of 'em stick to Trestor or the fancy parts of the continent. You won't find too many of them down here unless they're looking,desperate or hiding from something."
Luck nodded, filing away the details.
"And then there's the Avians," Rook went on. "They ain't as common, but you'll know 'em when you hear 'em. Their voices got this kinda… wind-chime sound to 'em, and they move fast—real fast. Some of 'em got wings, others just got the sharp eyesight. You won't find a better messenger or scout. Most of them are traders or couriers, but if you piss one off, you'll never see 'em coming."
Luck took a moment to absorb the information. "And the people outside of here? You said this was just one continent.
Luck felt Rook's smirk fade a little. "Yeah… and then there's them. The ones from Veyska—a whole other continent, far east from here. Different culture, different everything. The folks there are... let's just say they don't like us. Their rulers are big on conquest, and word is they've been eyeing our land for a while now. We get a few Veyskans here and there, usually spies or mercenaries, but you can always tell 'em apart. They fight differently. They think differently. And if the rumors are true, they're planning something big, however for now were on some sort of treaty that prevents fighting for about 12 years."
"Great. So we've got nobles stepping on us from above, thieves and killers all around us, and a foreign power waiting to invade." Luck exhaled, almost wishing he was back in his own world where there was only one big old continent.
"Yup, but don't worry I'll make sure your ready for it all." Rook said while stretching his limbs. "Say...What age are you?"
Luck hesitated for a bit "That...I'm not exactly sure but I think I'm four or somewhere around there."
Rook paused for a moment while murmuring something under his breath. "Okay good, this is the best time to instill good habits, skills and methods into you but before that we're going to need to determine your blessing and curses."
Luck raised an eyebrow.
"Right, I sometimes forget how young you are despite how you talk...Blessing and Curses are additional traits that are bestowed upon birth by some sort of deity. To put it simply," Rook continued, "they're what make you special… or cursed, depending on what you get. Some people are born with abilities that make them stronger, faster, or smarter, while others get hit with drawbacks that make life a whole lot harder."
Luck frowned. "And how do you know what you've got?"
Rook leaned further back against the wooden wall. "There's a way to test for it. You need an inscribed scroll, crafted by artificers. Drop your blood on it, and glowing orbs appear. Warm, bright ones mean Blessings. Black, cold ones mean Curses. The bigger the orb, the stronger the trait."
Luck absorbed the information. "So people can tell just by looking? Whether you're 'blessed' or 'cursed'?"
"Pretty much," Rook admitted. "And, well... let's just say people don't like those who've got more black than gold. More Blessings mean you're seen as pure. More Curses?" He clicked his tongue. "They'll call you a demon."
Luck stayed quiet for a moment, his grip tightening slightly on his cane. "And what about you?"
"Me? That's a story for another time."
He pushed himself off the wall. "Point is, we'll need to get you tested eventually. Better to know what you're working with than to walk around blind." He winced. "Uh—"
Luck sighed. "Just keep talking."
"Right. Anyway, don't let it get to you too much. No matter what shows up on that scroll, what really matters is how you use it." Rook's tone turned serious. "And I'll teach you how to make the most of what you've got. No matter what."