Chapter 6: Book Worm Stefan
"Yes yes, he is that type of Worthless. He came for a visit a few moons ago and now he is going to help me sell my goods." Explained Woldemir trying to avoid uncalled for punishments, these people are notoriously known for double standards.
"Very well, you may enter. But if you commit a crime this time, you won't get so lucky. Either one of you. Understand?" Told one of the Gate keepers as they were abnormally laughing with each other. Afterwards he turns his head up and shouts, "Open the Gates!"
Afterwards the great wooden gate started opening. It was quite flattering to see a ten meter tall gate open, showing a 500 house Town bit by bit along the way.
The strength and people needed to open it isn't exactly small either for a door that is 16 meters across, one simple Guard can't ever open it regardless of his strength.
Upon entering Crutal Town, Mogranius was dumbfounded on how much the city expanded behind these 10 meter tall walls. Last time he was here there were roughly 200 houses.
Now he is witnessing well above 500 houses! More than the eye can capture at once, it is just a miracle. Crutal Town couldn't get more beautiful, it will likely never fit the description of an eye sore.
They made their way towards the Town center after walking through a 5 meter wide alleyway for a while. It was very populated, far exceeding the number of people this Town can hold, especially this month when it is harvesting season.
People from everywhere who aren't living in this Town come to sell their crops, the competition is rough although it is bursting with buyers since this domain holds over 3,000 people.
When they reach the Town's centre, they see a lot of men and women trying to sell their crops. Some carrying them with carts and some have settled in a small wooden booth, dragging more attention.
"Fresh wheat grains here."
"Get your potatoes here."
"Get them while they are fresh."
"I have the most orange Carrots."
Shoutings like that were heard over and over from people going an extra mile to sell their crops, it shows motivation in a way but at the same time it can become ear piercing when so many are yelling at once, not to mention customer murmurs.
Taking a left turn away from the Town's centre, the bookshop they were aiming to reach was very close by. It only took half a minute of walking to reach it.
When they entered the bookshop, The bookseller instantly notices new "Customers" since he isn't used to illustratios or Ignites being crazy about reading, it isn't so popular yet.
He gets a little disappointed when he sees Woldemir and Eric walk in but still welcomes them with a good greet and after asks, "Who is your friend there Woldemir?" Thinking it's a book buyer.
Knowing that this topic is rather delicate to talk in the open, and of course trying to avoid any trouble coming from the illustratios, Woldemir replied. "He is a friend, here to talk to you about something very important. We need to talk privately or else we can be as good as dead if anyone else overheard."
His eyes jerking open, comprehending the importance of this situation, Stefan answered. "Of course, let's go to the storage room in my basement. No soul could hear us there."
Eric can't be a part of this conversation, or else he will be exposed to topics he isn't yet ready to handle so Woldemir assigned him with a little job. "Eric you stay here, knock three times if anyone walks in the shop to alarm us."
Swiftly noticing that his father is trying to hide something again, similar to everything else he hid for the past 15 years, Eric just nodded in agreement and grabbed the closest book for comfort.
Making their way down to the basement, they didn't find much to see down there. Only wooden crates who were either empty, cracked or filled with books halfway, rarely full. Some half full bookshelves were here and there, forced in to fit in this small storage room.
Taking a seat above crates, lighting a little candle over a big crate in between them after, now they set a better atmosphere to hold a proper conversation.
With his tone staggering quiet after his first word, Woldemir started shedding light upon this abnormal situation. "I'm going to sound like a madman right now for saying this but, this man skipped two hundred years and appeared here in our time and year."
Pulling his head back, highly doubting he coughed once and expressed. "You got the Madman part right! How on Earth would he skip two hundred years and appear here?"
Stefan isn't buying this of course, he finds himself smart enough to not believe everything anyone says but of course he had to crack a little joke about it. "Seriously, how? I wanna do it as well to get out of this illustratio infested place."
Pulling a little golden feather in this conversation, Woldemir replied. "I still have doubts myself but Eric saw him in action blasting Fireballs, we both know that Eric never lies and we both know that there aren't supposed to be any Witches or Wizards anymore!"
"You have a point there, that kid barely even speaks and Magic is banned. But can you at least explain how you "skipped" these two hundred years and came here? I'm sure being shot from a Catapult wouldn't do the trick." Stefan spoke, again with never ending sarcasm and jokes. For a bookworm he sure has a big mouth.
Trying to push jokes away, even from Stefan, he got straight to the point. "Mogranius survived because he skipped through the entire war when Akareas unleashed a teleportation spell towards him."
Unwilling to drop sarcasm, Stefan added. "Right and I'm the Queen of Fruit tarts."
Turning his head towards Mogranius, who hasn't yet spoken since he got here, Woldemir pointed out the obvious. "This man won't believe us no matter what we say, so show us a little Fire."
"As you wish but I hope you know what you are doing." Gently told Mogranius who has been holding in a lot of sarcasm outbursts, if Stefan is the Queen of sarcasm then Mogranius would be the King.
After that Mogranius breathes in and as he breathes out delicately, fire bursts out of his palm and grants proper illumination to the entire room.
This isn't a fireball to be clear but just a small amount of fire rising above the palm of his right hand.
After it starts off from the palm, it goes down to the back of his hand as well. Reaching down towards the fingers after, Mogranius' right hand became completely surrounded by that fire that started off like a little pimple in the beginning.
His face turning pale which is weird because he is close to a hot fire, Stefan asked. "You are a Fire Blaster alright, but how can I help you?"
Thankful that Stefan wants to help, Woldemir explained slowly and quietly. "My friend, you've spent your entire life buying and selling books, I'm sure you can help us get unique books that will prove useful, maybe about Teleportation? And a bit more knowledge on how the war happened would be useful too of course."
Breaking another sweat, still unable to forget that already shunned Fire, Stefan spoke swiftly. "With those I can be useful up until a Certain point, help yourself with any book you please sir Mogranius. And about the unique books, what exactly are you looking for?"
Smirking, happy that he started asserting dominance here, Mogranius answered. "Teleportation books, or Akareas' Journal maybe?"
Stefan backed up Woldemir's words although he didn't know. "The Crutal Castle likely has those, if they didn't burn them that is. They don't really show stuff like that in a gold coated display."
Seeing that everything leads to the Crutal Castle, Mogranius replied. "I guess I need to cast an invisibility spell on myself and sneak into the Castle, other options seem to be nonexistent."
Knock knock knock!
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
MisterE05
MisterE05 Fruit Tarts should be a breakfast meal.
-Stefan :}
Chapter 7: Trouble
Stefan didn't waste a second once hearing the three knocks, he took charge of the situation right away while remaining calm but yet again urging the two to follow the plan. "Quickly now, both of you grab a small crate and act like you are carrying them up to the store."
Mogranius and Woldemir did so right away and started following Stefan who was walking upstairs empty handed, as if he hired these two just to carry. And the moment they got up there they walked into five illustratian guards.
Calmly, trying to avoid trouble Stefan asked. "Welcome. What do I owe the pleasure of this visit Guard Commander Chan."
Chan, with a strongly weaseling tone replied. "That's Guard Commander to you bookworm. I never said you can call my name."
"My apologies sir. How may I serve you." Added Stefan aiming to raise Guard Commander Chan's ego, playing with his mind like a toy.
Trying to find a problem, Chan asked with his tone rising. "I will ask the questions here! What were all three of you doing in the basement and left a child up here? What are you up to?"
Forming a believable lie in a matter of seconds, Stefan answered with his tone calm. "I paid them to help me bring some crates up, I pulled a muscle earlier so I can not lift. I need to sell more books in order to keep up with the taxes. Taxes aren't cheap as you know."
Afterwards, Guard Commander Chan turns to the other Guards and yells a command. "Crack those crates open and search them. There better not be any books that teach magic there, or else you will lose everything."
"I'm sure there aren't. They come from Meridionali Ignis, meaning no magic books." Confidentiality added Stefan. Knowing what to expect in those crates.
After that the Guards cracked open the crates, they weren't gentle at all with the crates. They damaged multiple books in the process but no one said a word because the illustratio are clearly in charge, they are indeed brutal if someone opposes them, even with an argument.
Noticing there is no book that would break any law, Chan went back to his reason why he came here in the first place. "Alright, it seems like the crates are clear. However I'm here to inform you that the Merchant tax increased. You paid three hundred gold pieces this month, you need to pay another one hundred, King's orders."
"But I'm broke, I can't afford it right now. I gave everything three days ago." Gently told Stefan, using reason over yelling but inside deeply suppressing his rage and hate towards the illustratios.
"That does not concern me, pay the tax or suffer in the dungeon peasant." Being unreasonable isn't something unusual coming from Guards or Guard Commanders. Stefan can die for all Chan Cares, it would be "one demon less" on his sight.
Losing his patience once noticing Chan's smirk, Stefan shouted. "Is this your King's continuous attempt to put the Ignite Merchants here out of business?"
Guard Commander Chan replies with continues smirk, practically taunting Stefan and furthermore making him feel small. "Again, this is not my concern peasant. Pay up."
Insisting on his points, Stefan shouted. "I'm broke, how am I supposed too?"
Getting his way, Chan pointed towards Stefan. "This way, Guards. Arrest the peasant. Six months in the dungeon for refusing to pay the tax and calling me by my name. Your worthless book shop and your house now belongs to the King."
Refusing to be savvy with his shouts, Stefan insisted. "But you can't do this. This is insane, this is insane!"
Unwilling to tolerate this situation any longer, Eric caught their attention with a low volumed demand. "Let him go, while you still have the chance."
"What are you going to do about it you filthy dog? Have your mother to spend a night with me. Oh wait..." Chan was well aware that Eric lost his mother, he knows... He damn well knows.
"Oh no!" Murmured Woldemir, sensing what's about to happen next.
Eric tightens his fists, anger overwhelming his logical judgement as a tear broke down along with another!
Walking one foot forward and then proceeding to move his arms in front of his torso as well, Eric blew out a short tailed two foot wide Fire Ball towards Guard Commander Chan, which both gave a physically strong strike on his chest and lit him on fire.
Chan was down screaming and burning 6 feet away from his former spot while a Guard yelled. "Get the kid."
Right after that, Mogranius shouted, "No you don't."
And blasted concentrated one foot wide Fire towards the Guards from both of his hands, which both broke the two guard's ribs, penetrating every organ after the ribs and pushed them right through the store walls and twenty feet away from the place they were first shot at, leaving them split in two.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
MisterE05
MisterE05
We shall not tolerate double standards anymore.
-Eric
Gifts
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received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
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