Chương 2: 1-1 Welcome to Highsend

Josef was having a bad day. No, a voice in the back of his mind insisted, that description didn't do his current situation justice. It was an extraordinarily bad day, the kind he could tell his grandchildren about decades later, insisting that all roads went uphill, both ways. If he lived long enough to tell the tale, that was. Not that he was in immediate, life-threatening danger.

Standing on a dusty road, facing an enormous stone wall that presumably surrounded a civilized settlement, he was suffering from a crisis. Right now, he was dealing with a type of snake, though it wasn't the venomous kind. Strangulation was a possibility, but that was more of a societal danger than a predatory one. It had caught him hours ago, when the sun was still high in the sky and his curiosity had still outweighed his fears.

A little later, he had reached a point where it would have been too awkward to turn around and walk away. Caught in a queue, Josef had little choice but to make his way towards the not-so-distant town, suffering under the sun and lamenting his situation. He wanted to blame implicit social pressure for that predicament, but it wasn't as if he had an issue with the destination itself. There were far greater problems than being stuck en route to a town he couldn't even name. As for his particular troubles?

There were many of them, both large and small. For one, his current outfit was an awkward fit, a blue robe that just didn't want to hug his form properly, clearly made for someone with different proportions than him. Fortunately, it was made of cloth that was both light and breezy, so he hadn't suffered too badly in the noon sun. On top of that, his shoulder was getting awfully stiff and his neck was hurting something fierce.

Those pains he had to thank his travel companion for, who was sitting firmly on his right shoulder. Not that the little critter would care about his complaints, because whenever he tried to talk to the furry thing, all he got was an unblinking stare from those beady red eyes. That needy little bugger was called Dusty. Dusty the Dustbunny, on account of his black fur, and he was Josef's familiar. At least, that's what a persistent little memory in the back of his head reminded him of when he looked at the creature.

And that's where the crux of the matter started, his memories. He would never claim his was the most reliable, occasionally forgetting stuff, but right now he was dealing with more holes than in a slice of cheese. On the one hand, there was the lack of any private life he could recall. Colleagues, friends, and family? All gone, beyond some blurry faces and distorted voices. Sure, those losses were unsettling, but it was also hard to mourn someone who you could barely recall existing.

On the other hand, he was missing the where and why of his situation. But he knew for certain that this wasn't Earth anymore. However, his issues were to be expected, though, as he had soon found out. Witnessing the 'Dark Sea In-Between' while being dragged across dimensions wasn't healthy for the mortal mind, and few could endure such torment without losing their marbles. That's what a neat little notification tucked into the corner of his awareness had reminded him of, and blue boxes weren't supposed to lie.

He knew he had received that one right as he entered this world, though he couldn't exactly recall when and where that had happened. While that told him why he was missing pieces of himself, it didn't quite explain the extra set of choppy memories that kept creeping into his consciousness. Like knowing he had received a Heartstone, some kind of magic rock that allowed him to level up, have skills, and even cast magic.

On paper, that sounded really awesome, but as all adults knew, the good shit always had a cost, often hidden away in the fine print, or behind a twist of words. Josef didn't know if he had been plain idiotic when he accepted this power, too shocked to think clearly, or just stupidly softhearted. Not that the latter would be a problem anymore, because the Heartstone was to be taken literally. The damned thing had buried into his chest and replaced his own fleshy muscle.

His memory of the moment could barely be called fuzzy, and it was the one time he was happy about that. Those glimpses of sensations were rather horrible and nothing he wished to relive. And all of it happened because he was supposed to save dragonkind. Apparently, dragons were real, and one had dragged him across dimensions just so he could fix whatever ailed them. Not that he could even recall their issue, but that was the hook they sunk into his flesh. And if he abandoned that goal, he would lose the Heartstone.

If Josef were a betting man, he would have put all of his money on not getting his original heart back, should it ever come to that. Hopefully, they had put him within sight of this city for a reason, because it was the closest thing to a lead he had. It was also just about to be his turn with the guard at the gate. Focusing on the weird sensation of magic within him, particularly behind his eyes, he successfully used one of his skills.

☆☆ Discerning Eyes (Advanced) It only takes one look to understand what you see. A much more basic version of the true eyes of a dragon. None the less a foundational skill.

'Lancor': Elven Guard - Level?? He inspected the guard in front of him, but the difference in levels, compared to his untrained self, clearly limited the information he could see. Even so, by concentrating, he could open some additional information. Elf Humanoid race with high magical affinity. Descended from the Sylph of the Emerald Glades, this race occupies most of Aurum's central continent. They are known for a tendency to look down on other races, though many mellow out with age.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The length of an elf's nose is a great matter of pride for them. While many legends about the origin of this trait have been spun, the truth is <redacted> Josef could barely suppress an audible sigh. There was just no way he could meet these inhuman beauty standards. That's probably why so many elves stared at him, or he could chalk it up to the profaned aura of wearing socks with sandals that the locals just couldn't handle.

Reaching the armored elf, it was his turn to talk with the gate guard. Normally, the prospect of having to communicate with an, to him, entirely unknown civilization would have been quite daunting. Especially since he didn't even know what the local language was called. Fortunately, he had a skill for that. ☆☆☆☆☆ Draconic Thesaurus (Pinnacle) A treasure hoard of linguistic knowledge collected by dragons since the beginning of civilizations. You can understand, speak and write all languages recorded within.

"Name and occupation?" The man sounded about as tired as Josef felt. However, seeing the obvious difference between the lip movements and the voice of the guard in front of him was rather uncanny. How would this skill interact with his own body while speaking or writing?

"I'm Josef, and this is my familiar, Dusty." His mouth was a little tingly after talking, making him wonder if the skill actually influenced his muscle movement while talking? That idea sounded both amazing and terrifying. The guard mustered him for a moment, as if he could see straight into his heart. He was just about to amend the missing information on his occupation, trying to figure out a cover story, when the man coughed and removed the need for one.

"Be aware that summoners may not have more than one active familiar while on the streets of Highsend," the guard stated, the line clearly rehearsed.

"There is also a size limitation, though it doesn't look like you are in any danger of reaching that." Was that a dig at his capabilities as a summoner or a disguised insult about the length of his nose?

"Rare affinities get into town for free while we are prepping for the tide. But once the beasttide begins, you better be ready to be called to action." While his words sounded gruff, there was a hint of elation audible within them. Having more rare affinities in the city was a good thing for these people, Josef wagered. But should he tell them he had even more? No, he'd rather not put all of his talents on display, not without a better understanding of his situation.

He didn't even know how literal that beasttide was. Standing out too much would only invite unwanted attention and, eventually, uncomfortable questions. Finally, he got to step past the guards and through the gate, entering Highsend. His new home away from home. The sight really made him miss- He took a deep breath to calm himself.

He had to compartmentalize his problems like any grown man, because if he acknowledged everything wrong with his current situation, then he might just collapse under the weight of emotion. Walking down the cobbled street further into town, he let his eyes wander over the city proper. The place mostly reminded him of renditions of medieval towns in Central Europe, with facades made from wood and rock, and shingled roofs on top. Though there were some details that threw that image off.

Like the glowing signs in front of shops, or the crystal-topped street lanterns. Those, and the many races wandering the streets, both scaled and furry ones, gave the scene an otherworldly touch. Following the mostly straight street, Josef was eventually pulled along by his nose, as the smell of food lured him forward. While he was clearly late for the full experience, the plaza he reached still contained several food stalls offering more or less mouthwatering wares.

As he was considering his options, stuck between slices of a pink fruit that looked like a pineapple, and meat skewers with 'Rachse' meat, a tumult at the edge of the market caught his eyes. There was a wolf-like person, kneeling in front of what appeared to be a temple, pleading and whining loudly. She, as he deduced from her voice, was apparently looking for someone to heal her daughter. The scene momentarily stirred a sense of embarrassment in him before he squashed it down.

Some reasons were good enough to make a scene, and the health of a kid surely was one of them. That's why the treatment she received in response left him shocked. Why would they strangle this poor mother? How could a supposed place of healing treat anyone that way? If they did not have the capacity to help her, then there were gentler ways to turn someone away.

"Things always turn messy with that one on duty. Onyx, he is called." An old elf with a goatee had shuffled up beside him.

"Most would be too scared to approach Sanctum with him around, but desperation can be a powerful motivator."

"Looks like she got lucky though," Josef stated as he watched mother, child and reptile disappear into the temple, following behind a robed elf. A pair of surprisingly piercing eyes met his own, as the elf harrumphed, "Take my advice, boy, stay away from Sanctum. Something isn't right with them. There are better ways for you to help the people." Looking back at the temple, he couldn't suppress a shiver.

He was very glad he had received magic that was suitable for healing, because if this was the only clinic around, then he didn't want an appointment. Though, with the way the old man had phrased that…

"How did you know I can-" He found himself alone, the man he had just talked to having seemingly vanished on the spot. With a shrug, he filed that situation under things he was too tired to care about, and went to get a skewer before the stall could close on him. Stuffing a hand into a pocket, he called on one of his skills to fish out some copper coins. ☆☆☆☆☆ Portable Hoard (Pinnacle) No treasures left behind. Whatever adventurers may claim, dragons invented it first.

Dip into your spatial affinity to create a simple storage dimension. Does not accept sentient life or spatially enhanced objects. Current Size: 25cm³ He couldn't recall how or when he had filled it, but there were worse fates than finding your wallet too full. At least the coinage of this world appeared to be pretty simple, using copper, silver, and gold coins, on top of one more he couldn't identify.

Using that skill felt like shoving his hand into a tight, cold hole, which then promptly shoved whatever he wanted to withdraw into his hand. Purchasing a skewer from the overly excited vendor, some small mangy creature with both scales and fur, he retreated to the edge of the plaza to eat in peace. Leaning against the wall of a house, he sampled the meat. It was bland and chewy, but edible.

Even Dusty didn't seem interested in it, though that could be for a variety of reasons, like being a rabbit or a summoned creature. Just as he had wrapped up his meal, he spotted someone running out of the temple. It was the same woman as before, the child still clutched in her arms. The way she jumped down the stairs of that Sanctum place told him that things hadn't gone well for her. And now she was running right his way, probably aiming to rush into the alley close to him.

Josef chewed on his lip, considering what he was about to do. This was clearly trouble, and it had nothing to do with him. He could just let this whole mess pass him by, turn away and walk off. Why would he get involved in someone else's business when he hadn't even found a place to spend the night? There was no logical reason to follow them, but he was a sentimental guy and couldn't just abandon someone he could reasonably help. Especially when that someone was a little kid.

"Hey Dusty, can you follow that wolf lady for me?" The little black rabbit launched himself from his shoulders, making not a single sound. Hopefully, his magic rabbit knew how to track.