3 The town

Mike woke up at first light and stretched his body before he opened his hand and the sacrificial knife which he had dropped during his sleep flew up from the ground and laned in his hand before he began spinning it around like a toy, jumping down from the tree and sat down on the moss and ate some of the dried food he had acquired yesterday before he started walking towards the river. Soon he found it and began following it downstream, and around noon it finally happened. He reached civilization or at least some tall walls with a gate manned by guards that wore some kind of metal armor and carried spears.

'Okay let's just play it cool…'

Mike walked past the guards while nodding to one of them, to his surprise the guard nodded back with a smile.

'Okay so good so far…'

Mike kept his knife under the makeshift parka, as he walked on the streets of what looked like a medieval town while he observed the people walking past. Some were humans while some had long ears or were short like dwarfs, Mike did his best not to stare too much while searching for a smithy of some kind where he could sell off the two swords and just maybe the broken one too.

'Now if I were a smithy where would I be..? Probably by the walls?'

Mike walked down a side street and followed the walls around and after walking for about half an hour he found what looked like a smithy, the building had a tall chimney and unlike the other houses this one was made of stone. Mike gave a nod and walked in while he called out.

"Excuse me."

The inside of the smithy was cosy and the walls were lined up with various weapons, Mike walked over to the counter and waited for about a minute until someone walked out from the back. It was a human with long ears like the ones he had seen in town, he wore an apron that was blackened with smog and he showed off his pure white teeth in a perfect business smile as he asked.

"So what can I do for you?"

Mike dropped down the backpack and pulled out the swords while he spoke.

"I came across some copses in the forest, they were awful, looked like they had been drained of blood, but these perfectly good swords was lying beside them."

The man narrowed his eyes before he asked.

"Care to swear on the goodes that you found these and didn't rob them?"

Mike was taken aback before he quickly formed a plan in his head as he thought 'well I did find them.'

"It's true, I found them in the forest, I swear by the goddess."

The shopkeeper waited for a few seconds before he gave a sigh and apologized.

"Sorry about that, it's just I sold these swords just yesterday to a group of adventures… To think they already are gone… Well I will however buy them back at a good price, how about 50 for both?"

Mike was stunned again as he though '50 what? Bananas!?' but managed to keep his poker face as he asked.

"How about 75 for both swords, and then you get this broken sword too?"

The shopkeeper gave a slight frown before he asked.

"And what do you suppose I do with the broken swords that's worth 25?"

Mike gave a slight smile and confidently spoke.

"You can grind it down into a dagger and easily sell it for 25."

The shopkeeper gave a sigh and spoke.

"You're right… 75 it is for the two swords and the broken one."

Mike gave a smile and put the two swords and the broken one on the counter before he received one silver coin and five bronze coins, Mike showed a smile and thanked the shopkeeper before he turned and was about to walk out of the shop when the shopkeeper called out to him.

"Oh right, you said the corpses were drained of blood right?"

Mike stopped and turned around again.

"Yeah?"

"You might want to report that to the guild, maybe they will reward you for it."

Mike walked back up to the counter before he spoke with a slightly embarrassed face.

"Sorry I'm new in town, where can I find the guild?"

"At the main road, you know the building with the sword sign hanging out front?"

"Oh right… Thank you."

Mike left the shop behind and walked back to the main road, he didn't know if it was a good idea to report it to the guild but he figured that getting some extra coin could not be a bad idea. Soon he found the so called 'guild' and walked in, inside of the building was filled with people in armor of various kinds that also carried various weapons, Mike looked ahead and saw a reception area and walked over to the counter and waited until a receptionist walked over to him and asked.

"What can I help you with?"

Mike leaned forwards slightly and whispered.

"I have some information that might be worth something."

The receptionist gave a nod and gestured to a door behind the counter, Mike walked around the counter and into the back room where he found a table and two sets of chairs, on the table stood a clear crystal ball, the respotnist walked over and sat down before she gestured to the chair across from the table.

"Please have a seat."

"Okay."

Mike sat down before the receptionist spoke again.

"Please put your hand on the crystal ball."

"... What is it the crystal ball dose?"

The receptionist narrowed her eyes slightly before she asked.

"Never seen a crystal ball before?"

"No I grew up in a small village…"

"Oh I see well in that case, allow me to explain the crystal ball detects if you have committed any crimes also if what you say is the truth."

Mike gave a nod and put his hand on the crystal ball that began shining in a green light, the receptionist leaned forwards slightly.

"So what information is it you have?"

Mike considered his words carefully so he didn't lie.

"Well I came across some corpses in the forest, it looked like they had been drained of blood…"

The receptionist gave a nod before she asked.

"How exactly did these copses look?"

"Well there was a stab wound in the leather armor that one of them wore…

Besides that they looked like they had been drained of blood as I said before…"

"Very good, you may remove your hand now."

"Okay."

Mike took his hand off the crystal ball before he leaned back on the couch, then the receptionist spoke.

"What you found was most likely victims of vampires, you have done well to report it to the guild and you will be rewarded 100 by our standards."

Mike gave a nod, the receptionist gave a smile before she spoke again.

"Please wait here while I collect you reward from the counter."

Mike leaned back on the couch and waited for the receptionist which returned within a minute and handed two silver coins to Mike.

"Is there anything else?"

"Hmm… Can you tell me a little about the guild, I heard some stories in the village and would like to register myself."

"Certainly".

The receptionist sat down again and spoke with a business smile on her face.

"The guild or the adventurer's guild does various things, but the most important thing is that it pays for proofs of subjugation from harmful animals and monsters, besides that the guild also buys hides and meet like for example the poncho you are wearing would fetch about 250 if you had the whole hide."

Mike gave a nod and asked.

"How much does it cost to register?"

"It cost 25 to register, this gives you simple identification which can be used to enter a bigger city and freely access the temple."

Mike didn't know what was so special about the temple so he asked.

"What does the temple do?"

The receptionist gave a sigh before she complained.

"You really are from small village… The temple handle all level ups."

Mike gave a nod as he felt his gamer sense stir before he reached into his pocket and pulled out five bronze coins and showed them on the palm of his hand and said.

"I would like to register."

"Certainly, please follow me to the counter."

Mike got up from his chair and followed after the receptionist out of the room to the counter where he was handed a needle and a piece of paper.

"Please dirp some blood on the paper."

"Okay…"

Mike poked his finger with the needle before he dripped a drop of blood on the paper and handed it to the receptionist that took the paper and put it into what looked like a small fax machine made of stone, it glowed slightly before she opened it again threw the blood soaked paper into a bin. Then she opened another machine and pulled out a blank black card which she handed to Mike.

"This is your guild license, please not that if you lose it, it cost 50 to get a new one."

"... How do I use it?"

"You simply have to hold it in you hand and then say status."

"... Status?"

As Mike spoke some words appeared on the card.

Name: Mike

Age: 26

Level: 0

"Well this is neat."

"Right? Now be sure not to lose it, you can bring your profs of subjugation over to the counter over there, you can also take a look at the request board if you are looking for some more reward, but you probably need to visit early in the morning as all the easy requests gets taken in a hurry… Is there anything else?"

"Oh that reminds me, do you know of a nearby inn?"

"Yes there is one further up the main road to you left when you leave the guild."

Mike gave a nod.

"Okay thanks."