"I'm all ears," Jade said, sipping from her soup.
Roland reached into his bag and unfurled a scroll. "We're going to the East Gate's sewer system. It's a C-ranked mission, but in reality, it's unknown."
Jade nodded, taking a sip of water. Leo looked down at his plate. Halfway through the horn of bread, he was starting to feel it. But he could feel energy slowly return, his hearing was sharper, and it was easier to understand what Roland was saying.
"Do we know what could be down there?" Jade asked.
"Rumors are a Draconic Eel could be down there," Roland said. "It would be pretty nasty if it were true. More likely, there's a kind of relic or artifact down there, guarded by the sewer monsters."
Leo stuck his fork into a piece of meat, looking at the sauce that glistened on it. This mission was no joke. Maybe it was why they treated him so well, kind of like a prisoner's final meal of sorts. He shook his head and ate it. There was no point in worrying. He was here now; that was all that mattered.
"That seems like a stretch. The eastern sewers aren't large enough to fit a Draconic Eel," Jade sighed. She leaned back in her chair. "Well, whatever it is, we'll have to be ready. What's the game plan?"
Roland took a bite of his salad before pulling out what seemed to be a pawn. He put it on the table, and after a moment, glowing white lines spread across the table in a maze-like pattern. Once the lines stopped moving, he looked at Leo, lips pursed before speaking.
"What we know is that the problem is on the left side of the system," Roland explained. "So we'll head there. Then the plan is to send Leo ahead to clear the way for us."
Leo's heart nearly stopped, hearing those words. His eyes stared at the maze below him, looking at the countless number of narrow paths that converged and diverged. He was supposed to sniff out any danger, like a dog, so Jade and Roland could work. He was the most disposable member of the teamâa sewer rat.
They must've noticed the shock on his face.
"Leo, I know it's a lot, but we're not just sending you out there to die," Roland reassured. "Once we make it to whatever is in there, we don't expect you to fight at all. That's our job."
Leo nodded. Of course. If someone like Jade got hurt, they'd be weaker. But if he died? They'd keep going. Nothing would change. But it still felt like a death sentence. He half-expected Jade to say some words of encouragement, but there was nothing.
"We're going to cut through diagonally, since we can clear the most space that way. I have a feeling that if we get to the reservoir, that's where the problem is," Roland continued.
"That's a lot of work in that nasty place," Jade said, face scrunching up as if she were in the sewers. "And there's no shortcut, huh. We also can't break the sewer system, or else the city will get on us. That sucks."
Leo picked at his food, unable to stomach any more. His first mission was underground, in the sewers with presumably giant rats, other monsters, and maybe even a dragon-like eel. On top of that, he was probably going to stink for a week and taste the sewers for weeks. The smell was probably going to stain his nose as well. This was not a glorious job at all.
"We can purchase supplies tomorrow. It restocks at around nine in the morning, meet under the sign outside," Roland concluded. Their rundown was complete. Now all that was left was their food and the dread hanging between them.
No matter how hard Leo tried to cope, he couldn't stop himself from worrying. The dread made his heart ache. He'd forgotten why he was here in the first place. They weren't his friends. For now, they were partymates. But he was still a Dwendol, and always will be. Dwendols belong with Dwendols, no one else. Killers deserve to be punished, and this was his punishment.
Leo tried to eat. His fork picked up some vegetables, but he set it back down. It's a shame that he couldn't finish it. The food was so good, but his appetite was gone.
"Sounds good," Leo said, but it came out like a mutter. His voice was frail, like his body.
Jade sighed, tapping her spoon against the bowl. "We'll make it out, Leo. We've made it through worse."
We. By the end of the mission, they might be alive, but he likely wouldn't. He knew someone had to take the dirty work, and he was that person. Who knows? Maybe he would be the heroâthe star player in this mission.
"I'm going to check out the rooms for us," Jade said, and left the table.
Roland didn't say anything as he sipped his tea. Leo could see that his demeanor had changed. Like he was leading a lamb to slaughterâbut instead of a lamb, it was a person. Someone like them, even if they couldnât admit it.
"Roland," Leo began, unable to look at anyone or anything. There was something he wanted an answer to. "Why do you two treat me differently from how you're supposed to?"
Roland paused. His fingers tightened around the cup before he set it down and rubbed his temple.
"How have people treated you so far?" Roland asked.
Leo didn't expect a question as an answer, and it was one he couldn't really answer. These two and those soldiers were the only interactions he'd had with others so far. Sure, he could feel the stares and hear the gossip, but that was nothing compared to actual interaction.
"I don't know. So far, it's only been you, Jade, and those soldiers," Leo answered. "You two don't seem that bad at all. But it doesn't feel right."
"Everyone has their reasons," Roland said. "Just because you're not a human doesn't mean you're trash. I've seen how humans treat each other, and it's not much different if you look far enough. There's nowhere that says one race is superior. It's just a thing people say, it doesn't mean it's right."
That was simple enough. Honestly, Leo thought that would be the mindset that everyone had, but that wasn't the case. He poked at his food. Everyone hated Dwendols, but he didn't know why. Roland didn't explain it, but he was sure that the time would come.
"That makes sense. I've never really understood why," Leo said as he took another bite. "But that clears it up. Thanks." He wanted to ask more, but he didn't want to look nosy. So there wasn't anything else to say.
"Don't mention it. This world isn't as loving as it seems, so I hope that after our time is done, you find a good group," Roland sighed. He pushed his plates forward and stood up. "Or you could go home, but you don't seem like the person to do that."
Leo followed, but froze hearing the last sentence. What was he going to do after this? Could he go home? Or should he? They might hate him now that he thought about it. But there was nowhere else to go. Roland had confirmed that this was just a temporary alliance, so that was out of the picture.
Heavy, methodical steps broke his train of thought. That's right, it was time to leave. The sewers were waiting.
Leo stood up, expecting to lose his balance, but surprisingly, his legs were sturdy. That meal helped, and so did that potion. He felt the warmth of energy flowing through each muscle and the flexibility in his joints. It was the first time in a long time that he'd felt like this.
Well, even if he felt right, it was still nerve-wracking walking through the tavern. His palms grew slick with sweat as he followed Roland. When would he get used to this feeling? Surely, one day, he would get used to the eyes on himâthe hushed voices, the inevitable mistreatment. But today wasn't that day.
They weaved through tables and dodged waiters as they walked to Jade. She was leaning against a counter near the door. A woman sat behind it, and the sign read: "Tavern Inn Registration".
"Took you two long enough. Here," Jade said, tossing two sets of keys.
A pair of them jingled through the air towards Leo. His palm opened, cupping as the keys bounced off his chest and onto his hand. A smile tugged at his lips. He didn't expect to catch it, but he did. A small victory, knowing his reflexes were there.
He looked at the bronze keys in his hand. A small tag was attached to the ring, which showed his room number.
"The rooms are up the stairs. Remember we're meeting under the sign at nine in the morning," Roland reminded them as he walked up the stairs.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Leo nodded and began walking up the stairs. Jade trailed behind, humming a song. The stairs leading to the halls were lit up and carpeted. As the hallway appeared, Leo could see that it was clean. The floors were tidy, and the wooden walls were polished. It felt like an expensive inn, but with the tavern below them, it might be hard to sleep with all the noise.
"Goodnight, you two," Roland said, disappearing into his room.
"Sweet dreams, everyone," Jade yawned as she opened her door.
Leo unlocked the door, twisting the knob. "Yeah, goodnight, guys." A door clicked shut behind him, and then there was silence. He took a step inside, the cool, polished wood pressing up against the bottom of his feet. The hubbub of the tavern below floated up the stairs like a ghost. After another step, he was inside.
The door shut behind him, isolating him from everything and everyone.
He looked around the room. It was quite cozy, with a few candles glowing orange on a rectangular wooden desk along the wall. The bed sat across from it. An actual bed, with sheets and all. It felt foreign compared to that slab of stone in the prison.
To his surprise, there was a bathroom to his left, which seemed out of the ordinary. Did this world have plumbing? Or was it using magic? Whichever one it was, it didn't matter. He didn't have to use the bathroom in public, so it was fine.
He walked towards the bed with a deep breath. Finally, he could sleep. It'd been so long since he'd slept in a proper bed. His legs flexed, ready to throw him onto the bed, but something pinged in his head.
He had to brush his teeth.
But he didn't want to. The sight of such a nice bed nearly sent him to sleep already. Besides, how was he supposed to brush them anyway?
The bathroom door was open just a crack, revealing a pitch black room. His eyelids drooped, shutting longer and longer with each blink.
He stared at it for a moment.
Then he turned, flopping onto the bed. It was a sacrifice he had to make; he'd figure it out later. For now, sleep can win.
The night passed by peacefully. He wasn't sure if he dreamed or not, because when the knocks sounded on his door, he couldn't remember anything.
"Wake up, Leo!" Jade's voice called from outside, as the doorknob wiggled.
Leo groaned, rubbing his eyes as sunlight flooded his room. Was it time already? His arms felt like stones, while his brain felt like rusty gears, struggling to catch up to the consciousness he had.
"Coming!" he croaked. His voice cracked, nearly going silent even as he tried shouting. He swallowed whatever saliva was in his mouth and gagged. The taste of last nightâs meal hit the back of his throat, making his stomach rile. But he somehow pushed through it, running to the bathroom.
"Leo, you alright?" Jade asked.
His hands scrambled over the counter in front of him. A metal bowl sat in the center, slowly filling with water as if it detected his presence. He cupped the cool water into his mouth, swishing it around, gagging as the taste dislodged from his teeth. He spat the water back into the bowl as pieces of food floated to the top.
"Leo, say 'Mundare'," Jade's voice bounced into the bathroom. The word was familiar, but he couldn't remember where he'd heard it before. Was it from his dad?
He blinked, nodding to himself. So Jade wanted him to use magic, but he'd never done it before. People always just said a spell and it workedâbut there had to be more to it, right?
"Mundare," Leo said. A few moments passed, and nothing happened.
"Leo, think of whatever you're trying to clean and then say the spell," Jade's voice said again.
Alright, that made sense. Why didn't he do that before? He closed his eyes, running his tongue along each tooth, imagining it in his mind.
"Mundare," he commanded.
Just then, something cool formed around his teeth, like a film, sliding over the faces and the crevices of each tooth. He looked up at the mirror, baring his teeth. But he froze.
Maggie had said he looked like his family. But he'd never looked at himself before. Even when heâd glimpsed his reflection in the manâs eyes, he hadnât really seen itâor remembered it. This was the first time he'd seen himself.
Brown, eyebrow-length hair matted his head, framing his thin face. Sharp, golden eyes stared into his, as a blue transparent film waved over his teeth. He couldn't help but stare at the Dwendol in front of him. He looked nothing like his past self. His entire facial structure was different, his voice, eyes, nose, everything. It shouldnât have shocked him. Heâd known what he was. But seeing itâreally seeing itâwas different. After all, he was a new race in this worldâa new person. He knew this was him, but it didn't feel like it.
"You ready? Roland's probably out there with his arms crossed right now," Jade's voice snapped him back to reality.
That's right. He had somewhere to go. The sewers were waiting for himâthe trailblazer.
"Yeah, sorry, I'm coming right now," Leo said. He jogged to the door and unlocked it.
"Took you long enough," Jade fake-yawned. "Let's go."
Before Leo could step out of the room, a bundle of clothes pressed up against his bare chest. It was a brown tunic, a pair of blue jeans, a belt, and some boots.
"Thanks, Jade," he said, sliding the clothes on. He nearly tripped putting on the boots, as his toenails clawed at the inside of them. But it worked itself out eventually.
They made their way down the stairs, taking a left out the door where Roland was waiting.
"Took you two long enough," Roland muttered, arms crossed.
"I told you he was gonna have his arms crossed," Jade smirked, nudging Leo's shoulder.
Leo nodded, not saying anything. No point in seeming like a culprit, especially if they were late. Jade can do all the talking.
"Alright, let's go," Roland said as he turned, marching towards the shop.
The sun was still low in the sky, barely peeking over the roofs of buildings. Leo's skin was cool, but maybe it was because he'd just woken up. It was normal to be cold in the mornings. However, a gentle summer breeze traveled through the street, as if it were trying to lull him to sleep.
People strolled along the sidewalksâsome munching on bread, others deep in conversation. They didn't seem to notice him yet, but eventually someone would. Even with clothes on, his blue-gray skin still exposed the Dwendol among them. It was weird how he hadn't seen another Dwendol yet. There was no way that his village was the only population here; there had to be more. But from what he'd seen, that wasn't the case.
After what seemed like a few minutes, they stood under a large, wooden canopy. Wooden pillars curved up against the building, supporting the canopy. The front door was wide open, as gear glinted from the sunlight. Around them, anvils and other smithing materials sat unattended.
"It's already pretty busy, let's get going," Roland waved them into the shop.
The smell of metal hung in the air, while the scent of leather entered his nostrils. Blades hung from the wall, while some were in glass cases. Mannequins displayed armor, shining in the sun, as geared people walked around, looking for their next item.
A short, broad-shouldered dwarf behind the counter squinted at them. An eyepatch covered his right eye, and a cigar drooped from his mouth.
"Welcome, welcome, now go ahead and get your things, you rascals," the grumpy old dwarf greeted.
"Good morning, Ellgrad," Roland replied.
"Morning, Roland, not every day you come here," Ellgrad said, rubbing his chin with a gloved hand. His hard brown eyes narrowed on Leo. "What's the matter?"
The hair on Leo's skin stood. He wasn't sure if the look was hostile or not. It was nearly unreadable, like the dwarf wasn't sure what to make of him.
"We have a quest today in the Eastern Sewers, but we don't know what's down there," Roland explained as he grabbed some potions. He raised them to the ceiling before sliding them across the counter.
Ellgrad's eyebrow raised. "That's the case, huh? Well, I wish you sorry-bunch some luck, but don't come back here stinking up my shop."
"You don't miss me, Elly?" Jade asked, pulling Leo with her to the weapon shelf. Her slender fingers wrapped around each hilt and blade, feeling their weight.
"Just because you look a bit better than a golem doesn't mean you can call me Elly," the dwarf said with a puff of smoke.
Jade laughed, picking up a slender, double-edged sword. She twirled it in the air, spinning it around her wrist.
Leo scanned the assortment of weapons in front of himâsilver, gold, and even glowing blades. He wanted one. Not anything too crazy, but something manageable and easy to use. A dagger could be easy for a noob like him to useâespecially since it was probably the closest thing to a knife and a sword combined. But he had no money.
"Yeah, yeah, dwarves can never admit anything, eh?" Jade set the sword on the counter. She turned to Leo. "You want one?"
A lump formed in his throat. Jade had already paid for his food. He didn't want her to use any more on him; window shopping was cool with him. One day, he'll get one of his own.
"Come on, pick," Jade grabbed his wrist, leading his hand up to a dagger. "I got you."
"No, it's fine, you already paid for my food," Leo objected. "I'll be alright." He was definitely not going to be alrightâbut that was fine. They've already done so much for him; the least he could do was save them some money.
Jade rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right, the least you could do is stay alive for us. A dagger will help with that. Besides, if you're in my party, you're going to have to look the part." She grabbed the blue-silver dagger with a twirl before handing it to him.
He hesitated, but it was too tempting. His bony fingers wrapped around the cool, gray handle, taking it from her. Each finger wrapped perfectly around it, the weight was just enough for him to feel it, but not enough to be a burden. The blade was slightly blueâlike he was. His brown hair and gold eyes reflected off it like a mirror. It felt tailor-made for himâthe blade for a Dwendol.
[Bluewater Dagger]
CONDITION: Brand New
RARITY: Epic
TYPE: Melee
PASSIVE ABILITIES:
'No Passive Abilities...'
'A light, flexible dagger, made from Bluewater steel...'
But he didn't need it.
"You like it? I can tell," Jade snatched the blade from him before he could argue, setting it on the counter alongside everything else.
"About time you walnuts leave my shop," Ellgrad sighed. "That'll be 7 Crests and 15 Alders."
Leo's eyes widened a little. Crests? He'd never heard of those before, but maybe those were the most valuable coins. It seemed like a lot.
To his surprise, neither Jade nor Roland complained. Jade took out 6 golden coins, laying them on the counter, and Roland paid the rest. Ellgrad grabbed the coins, attempting to bend them. After a few tests, he nodded.
"Y'all are good to go. Stay safe out there, you walnuts," Ellgrad said, sliding the gear forward.
"Thank you, Ellgrad, stay safe as well," Roland replied, grabbing the gear. Jade took her sword, leaving the little, blue blade on the counter.
He had a weapon. Something that he owned. But then it hit him.
Maybe it wasn't his. Jade could just take it back after their business was done, since she paid for it. It wasn't his. He was borrowing it until his job was done.
Ellgrad raised a brow. "You alright there? That fine dagger won't bite." Calloused fingers pushed the blade towards Leo. He could see the hesitation on his face.
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks," Leo said. His hand touched the handle, then wrapped around it.
"I hope so. You looked like you'd just killed someone. Take care, alright? It's once in every star shower that a Dwendol is an adventurer," Ellgrad sighed, scratching his beard. "Those two are the best you could hope for. Their hearts are better than most."
Leo nodded, taking the dagger. "Thanks, Ellgrad. I'll do my best."
A smile stretched across Leo's face. Maybe, just maybe, he found another person who didn't see him as trash.
Lucky.
That's what he was.