FSE

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Noon had just hit the city of Ontary and the streets were filled with people. Businesses paused their work to let employees have a moment to eat. Restaurants and pubs are packed wall to wall with hungry men, women, and children willing to pay for a good meal. And then there is me, stuck in an alleyway, waiting for a guy who might not even show up. I pull out my pocket watch. Half past one, "he's late." I lite another cigarette and lean on the wall, "I swear, these recruits don't know a damn thing about being punctual. When I was a recruit, being even five minutes late gave you more than just a scolding." Granted I might be jumping the gun by calling him a recruit, but this test is simple enough that few fail it if they put in the work. I take a hit of the cigarette, letting the smell of burning tobacco fill my nostrils before turning back to the street for the recruit. The road was still filled with people but was slowly thinning out. This street is used as a shortcut between two districts. I was given a brief description of the guy, a big green lizardfolk from the Gateny Swamps. Should be easy to spot.

A minute later, a lizardfolk matching that description walked into the street. His scales were a shade of green that reminded me of algae in the swamp. As for clothing, he wore no shirt but a leather kilt covered in bone charms possibly made from whatever he hunted back in the swamps. He was carrying a stone spear that rested on his shoulders. He walked with a strong stride and pose one gets through battle. I watch the lizardfolk look around the street, eyes darting around as though he was looking for something or someone. He moved through the crowd with a dancer's grace, maneuvering around them without breaking his stride.

Well, I can see why the order is willing to give him a chance. Warriors like that are hard to come by.

As he comes closer to the alleyway, I try to lock eyes with him. I certainly stand out in a crowd with my crimson scales, but what I am hoping he would notice is the armor of a thaumaturge and the wand on my side. This would be his first test in getting into the order, he should have been given all the information he needs to pass.

He turned in my direction, staring at me before walking past the alleyway. I exit just to see him leave the street and turn left.

I sigh, "and he was doing so well." I put my cigarette out and hurried after him.

I didn't have to chase him far as I saw him staring at the post which tells the street names. He held a piece of paper up to the post, moving his head between the two. After a few minutes, he put away the slip of paper and pulled out a pamphlet from his pouch. He unfolded it to see that it was the map of the city. I see his face scrunch up as he just looks over the map.

So that was why he was late, he was just lost. The city of Ontary was built like a maze, if he only got here, he would have no way of passing the test. I sigh again. Cotan was a real asshole for making this his first test. I approached the lizardfolk, obviously going against the nature of the test, "excuse me, you're Halacy, correct?"

The lizardfolk looked away from his map and saw me, "kobold," he said in a gravelly voice, "leave me to my business." he turned back to his map, which I just noticed was upside down.

"Not even going to remark on your name, or even try to correct me if I am wrong."

"Halacy is my name, but I am busy. Do not make me repeat myself, kobold."

I sigh, pulling off the emblem of the order, "Halacy, I want you to look at this and try saying that again."

Halacy looked at my emblem and looked shocked, "you were who I was supposed to find?"

"Yes, I am."

"Bah, this must be a joke. You were not the one I was told to look for. I was looking for an orc called Gunther on Heltan street."

I rolled my eyes, "Okay, I know where this is going. Show me the sheets."

Halacy pulled the sheets from the bag and handed them to me how this test worked is that the recruit was to be given a bunch of info about the city and who they are supposed to meet three days later. At that time, they are supposed to investigate the info given to them both about the city and the teacher. However, false info is also put in as well to confuse the recruit. They can use whatever resource they need to separate the false and true information. A thaumaturge survives on information and his ability to find out such things, so this test work as intended.

I go through the sheets and the info that was on them. Sure enough, my description and location were right there in ink, along with another colleague's name, an alternate person he can look for, and a whole bunch of fake or misleading info for the test. There were no marks on the sheets to indicate that he figured out what was fake or real, "Halacy, how much did you investigate the info."

Halacy looked genuinely confused with my question, "What is 'investigate'? I was told to use those sheets to find someone. I was looking all over the city looking for the orc and where to find them."

I paused from looking through the papers, trying to completely hide my shock, "you didn't investigate anything? What have you been doing these past three days?"

"Looking for the Gunther. If I found them early, they would have let me in."

Either he didn't listen to the explanation or Cotan didn't explain it right. "Halacy, some of the info on these sheets are fake, you were supposed to investigate that for yourselves. Weren't you told how this test works?"

"Bah, why would I do an 'investigation'? I am a proud Iruxi warrior, I am strong. I have hunted many beasts back home. That should have let me join the guild when they saw my trophies." Halacy pointed to the bone charms on his kilt. Sure enough, he had plenty of them, but I couldn't tell where the bones come from and I could have guessed neither could Colton.

I sigh, already imagining where this conversation was going to go, "Halacy, being a strong warrior would help get you in other guilds, but you are applying for a guild of thaumaturges. If you are a thaumaturge, you have to know how to do investigations, or at least a will to study things. That is what this test was trying to do. If you actually looked into our registry, which you can look through as part of the test, you could have found out that only two of the people on these sheets are real and it's not the orc."

Halacy looked pissed as I feel him stare daggers into me, "then tell me who the real one then."

"Halacy, I cannot do that. This is something you do yourself if you want to be accepted. It's clear to me that you didn't understand how this test worked before now. I suggest you head back to the order and inform them you couldn't do it, then Colten can-" in that instant, everything froze as a dreadful feeling came over me. I was in danger. I manage to move to the side just in time to avoid getting impaled by Halacy's spear. I looked back at him, "what the hell?"

"No kobold is stopping me! If I have to bring your body back to them to join, I will!" the lizardfolk swung his spear at me again.

I barely dodged that strike, rolling back and stumbling onto my feet. Fuck, is he trying to kill me? I pull out my nightstick and wand, prepared to fight for my life.

Halacy lunged his spear at me. This time I was prepared and was able to parry the tip away from me. Halacy swings the spear at me. I ducked under it and got hit with a tail to the stomach, knocking the air out of me.

Around us, pedestrians flee the streets as they see the two of us fighting. Not that I blame them when one is a lizardfolk out for blood.

As I struggle to breathe, Halacy brought his spear down. I quickly moved out of the way of it and put space between us.

Fuck, he might actually be trying to kill me. "Halacy, calm down! Let me explain-"

"No more talking, Kobold!" he yelled, "I will be joining the order with your blood." he swung at me again.

I managed to dodge by a hair and sprint down the street. I need a moment to think of how to get myself out of this situation. Okay, what do I know about Halacy? He's an idiot and hot-tempered. He has charms made of bones of what I assume he killed himself, and he is from Ganety Swamp. I don't have anything to which a lizardfolk might be weak, so I guess I have to make one myself using the wand.

Halacy quickly caught up to me and brought the spear down on me. I feel the sharp tip pierce my armor and go into my back. I see a sneer show up on his face, "you are weak kobold, puny before the might of an iruxi warrior." he removed the spear and kicks me, sending me down the road.

I roll down the cobblestone road for a few feet before stopping. I am hurt but I can deal with the pain. I just need something I can exploit. Any little thing would do. I rack my brain for something, anything I can use. Then it hit me. The cold. The swamps are hot and humid, it's a bit of a stretch but I have to bet on Halacy here not being used to the cold. I feel the wand activate, having finished charging. I raise my wand high, concentrating the magic on the tip of it. A ball of electrical energy appeared and I launched it at Halacy.

It connected with Halacy, launching him backward as he hits the ground and starts twitching.

I take my chance and sprint into the next alley, crossing it and going into the next street. I scan the street for something cold. Cold cold cold. Need something cold. My eyes spot an ice cream stand a few feet away. Perfect.

I charge at the stand when I hear Halacy scream from the next street.

I get up to the human working the stand and held up my nightstick, "put this in the ice box."

The human looked confused, "what?"

I flash him my emblem and forced the nightstick into his hands, "Put this in the ice box, I will explain later." I hand him some gold pieces as I hide behind the stand, one of the few times I am thankful for being so small.

The human, still looking lost, put the nightstick in the ice box and closed the lid.

"KOBOLD," I hear Halacy yell, silencing the noise of the street. I hear movement on the other side of the stand as bystanders moved away from us. I hear the lizardfolk yell at the bystanders about where to find me.

One by one, I hear people flee the street, running from Halacy. Trying to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

I look at my watch. A minute should have passed by now. Hopefully, the nightstick is nice and chilled now. I pull on the human pants leg to get his attention, "get the nightstick." I mouthed at him.

The human nodded before opening the ice box but slammed it shut.

"You, human," I hear Halacy's gravely voice say, "where is kobold?"

Shit shit shit. I dig into the stand with my back. He shouldn't see me from where he is standing, but my concern is for the human beside me. I have no idea what Halacy might do to him and I don't have any spare weapons on me to protect him. I just need a moment. If I can just give the clerk just a moment.

"Hey," a voice said down the street. I peeked out of the stand in direction of the voice and see a familiar ratfolk in a hood. His fur was a shooty black and with piercing red eyes. He brought up a chalice to his mouth and took a sip. "I do hope I am interrupting something important here." I see Donitelo glace at me before turning his focus onto the lizardfolk.

"Rat," Halacy snarled, "did you see kobold run here?"

"Hmm, I have seen many kobolds, my friend, you will have to tell me more."

"What is there to say, he is small and a kobold. What is there more to tell?"

The ratfolk just tilts his head, "come again, you must forgive me but my ears are not what they are used to. You will have to get a bit closer to me."

I hear Halacy huff as he stomps to Donitelo, "I am looking for a kobold, I must defeat him to be accepted as a warrior."

"You don't say," Donitelo said, almost bored of the conversation already. "And this kobold is someone you have to beat?"

"Yes, now tell me where he is, rat?"

Donitelo took a sip of his chalice, "Nah."

"What?" Halacy grabbed his spear and swung it at Donitelo, who just moved out of the way, "you will tell me where he is!"

"Why should I? You don't even know if I have seen this kobold of yours." he takes another sip, "if you actually stopped being angry for a minute you might have found him by now." I see him make a few gestures with his hand.

I turned to the clerk, "now."

The ice cream man opened the ice box and handed me the nightstick. It was cold alright, just enough to make this plan work.

I leap out of my hiding place and raised my wand. Immediately it lit up as the second effect of the wand activated.

Halacy shielded his eyes from the light, "ah dirty trick kobold."

The light died but I know the magic worked. I charge the lizardfolk with my nightstick.

Halacy readies the spear and thrusts it at my head.

I sidestep it and swung the nightstick at his legs, making a thwap sound on connecting.

Halacy screams as he pulls away from me. In the spot where hit, frost seemed to have appeared there. "What did you do, Kobold?" he swung his spear at me.

I manage to dodge and hit the arm with the nightstick.

His grip on his spear loosens as Halacy pulls away from me. The once confident lizardfolk now showed fear as he looked at me. "What did you do?"

I didn't respond as I charged him. Halacy went on the defensive and backstepped my swings. Each swing and thrust of his spear only served to try and break my momentum. He kept just moving slightly out of my range or maneuvering in a way that I can't get a hit on him. But I was getting a read on his movements as we continued to fight. My opening was going to open soon.

The lizardfolk swung his spear at me. Three.

I braced the back of my nightstick with my wand and stood firm. The spear hit my nightstick, but I was able to stop it. Two.

I used this moment to charge the lizardfolk and aim for the head. One.

I pool all my strength into one mighty swing. Thwap. The nightstick hit Halacy in the face, I could feel the body give way and move to the momentum of my swing.

I watched as Halacy collapsed on the street, shivering from all the cold and frost on his body.

Donitelo claps beside me, "bravo, bravo, splendid show." he held up his chalice to me.

I give the rat the stink eye and grabbed the chalice, "You could have helped you know."

"You had it under control. Besides, it was more fun to watch."

I brought the chalice to my lips and took a sip. The second that sour taste hit my mouth I sip the contents out, "oh fuck, what the hell did you have this time?"

"A drink I found on my last mission. It was all over the place in the city so I thought I would bring it back as a souvenir. Bottoms up."

I sigh and drink as much of the sour liquid as I could handle. I could feel my face scrunch up from the flavor. As I drained the chalice, all the scraps, brushes, and wounds I got in the fight started to heal. By the time I was done with the chalice, I looked like a new kobold.

Donitelo stood over Halacy, who was still unconscious and groning. "So who's he?"

"And applicant for the order. He failed his test."

"What failed him?"

"He did no investigation and was searching for a fake person for three days thinking that would get him in quicker." I hand the chalice back to Donitelo, "when I told him he failed, he attacked me thinking if he brought my body back with him, he would get accepted."

"Well, that would get him in some places, just not ours." Donitelo crouched down and picked at the bone charms on the lizardfolk's body, "still, it's probably for the best. From what little I saw, he couldn't fight as a thaumaturge with that spear of his."

"Also for his hot temper and unwillingness to do investigative work," I added. "I'm sure when he wakes, he might try to go back to HQ looking for me."

"Probably." Donitelo picks up one of the bone charms, "well it would be Cotan's problem if he did show up, you did your part."

"True," all I had to do was report back and I would be free for the rest of the day. I felt my stomach rumble fiercely. The sooner I report back, the sooner I can eat. I put away my wand and nightstick, "I am going back to HQ, you coming?"

"Nah, I'm going to study these charms. Never really seen them before."

"Fair enough." I walk away from them. I pulled out my cigarette and lit it, taking a drag of it before puffing out some smoke. I really hope nothing else happens today.