The docks were a symphony of pandemonium, a bustling nexus of activity that assaulted the senses from every angle. When I arrived, it looked like plete mayhem. People moved with purpose, though their paths seemed erratic, crisscrossing in a frantice ency. Shouts and bellows filled the air, creating a cacophony that was both disorienting and oddly rhythmic. Workers pushed hand carts den with goods, navigating the narrow spaces with practiced ease, while others tossed crates to each other with a precision born of y.

  The air was thick with the tang of saltwater, mingling with the earthy st of various cargoes—spices, leather, and fresh produce, all blending into an olfactory tapestry that spoke of distant nds aic markets. Occasionally, a less pleasant odor would waft by—the unmistakable stench of rotting fish or refuse, adding an unwele o the sensory overload.

  Above the din, seagulls squawked, their cries pierg through the human noise, and the steady pping of waves against the hulls of ships provided a stant, calming undercurrent. The docks themselves creaked and groaned uhe weight of the activity, every pnk and post tributing its own voice to the chaotic chorus.

  Amidst this anized chaos, I noticed a man standing to the side, seemingly detached from the freiergy around him. He was writing on something resembling a clipboard, his focus intense despite the turmoil. His presence was an isnd of calm iorm, and I made my way towards him, weaving through the crowd of workers and dodging an errant hand cart that threateo clip my heels.

  “Excuse me, sir. you tell me where I inquire about a passage on a ship?”

  He didn’t lift his head from his clipboard but poio the right and said, “That building over there.” I looked and located the building.

  “Thank you.” He grunted in aowledgment.

  I went to the indicated building and looked i had an open first floor with a long ter and three people w behind it. There was a long line of people, and every time one clerk finished with a er, the person in line approached. After the chaos outside, I also expected a mess here, but it was orderly ae. The air was cooler inside, carrying the st of ink and part.

  I waited in liil it was my turn, which took about half an hour. After I approached the ter, the clerk asked, without lifting his head from his papers, “How I help you?”

  “I’m looking to buy a passage on a ship to Talis. Do you know of any ships sailing that way?”

  “We mostly know if the ships are goi or east, not specific destinations, especially not Talis, which is very far from here. You have two options: I give you a list of ships headi, and you approad ask the captains, or you pay one silver for a dock ruhat will go and ask for you.”

  “I will pay.” I gave him a silver and added, “The passage is for me and my dog, so I need a ship on which I take my dog with me.”

  He lifted his head for the first time and said, “Some captains might have a problem with that; not all dogs do their business in a chamber pot.”

  “I assure you my dog , and you promise the captain.”

  He wrote my information on a piece of paper and said, “e ba two days.”

  “Two days? Why so long?”

  “It’s te afternoon already, and most runners will be heading home. Your runner will start w tomorrow. He needs a day for each side of the river.”

  “Thank you. I’ll return in two days.” He nodded, and I left.

  Now, I had to occupy myself for the wo days and maybe longer, depending on the ship. I returo the inn, had an early dinner, and read a book in my room while scratg Stretch’s ears. The inn’s warmth and the firepce’s quiet crag created a cozy atmosphere. Stretch y tentedly beside me, his soft fur warm under my fingers.

  The following m, I approached Loman, who was busy iing a shipment of goods. I cleared my throat to get his attention and asked, “Do you have pawn shops iy?”

  Loman looked up, his brow furrowing slightly as he sidered my question. “Of course,” he replied, setting down his ledger. “What are you looking for?”

  “I thought to go ask about jewelry,” I expined, shifting my weight from one foot to another.

  He thought momentarily and said, “I direct you to two pawn shops I’m familiar with, but if you’re looking for jewelry, I pass the word between my ers. Many nobles sell their jewelry to buy new pieces.”

  “Thank you,” I said, nodding appreciatively. “Please pass the word and direct me to the pawn shops.”

  Loman reached into his pocket and pulled out a small notebook. “Do you have paper and charcoal?” he asked, gng around as if expeg to find some nearby.

  I pulled a folded sheet of paper and a pen from my Ste and hahem to him. He took the pen, turning it over in his hand with a look of suspi. “How do you use that?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

  Smiling, I gently took the pen bad demonstrated, drawing a quick line on the paper. His eyes widened slightly in surprise as he watched.

  “Just write with it like with charcoal.” Now I uand why Rob, the bath owner, looked at me with suterest.

  Loman drew a simple map and expined how to find the shops. I asked Stretch if he wao e with me and got a yawn in response. Message received, buddy. Message received.

  The first pawn shop was everything I imagined when I looked for pawn shops oh. It was dark and dusty, with various uuff on the shelves—precisely what a pawn shop should look like. The air was musty, carrying the st of aged wood aal, a hint of decay that spoke of fotten treasures and long-lost memories.

  The owner saw me as I stepped into the shop, his eyes lighting up with a weling smile. “Hello, good sir, how I help you today?” he greeted, his voice warm and inviting.

  “I’m looking to buy jewelry,” I replied, gng around at the various dispys.

  “Right away, good sir,” he said, nodding eagerly.

  He went to the back to get the jewelry, and I looked at one shelf. It was a strange assortment of stuff. On the same shelf were three spoons and a khat looked like they beloo the same set made of silver. A pretty doll of cloth and wood made with fantastic craftsmanship. The doll’s face seemed almost lifelike. A tool that looked like a big scraper with raised edges; I was unsure of its purpose. A box with ay ink well and three feather pens; one of them looked broken. A ring made of iron and an ugly gss bowl shaped like a g hand—weird stuff.

  He returned carrying a small wooden box and said, “That is all I have right now.”

  The box taihree rings with gems, hoop earrings, a medal with a relief of crossed swords and a bird, a delicate tiara with diamonds, and three brooches with gems. The jewelry was all made of gold. I appraised it, and the total was 317 gold.

  “How much?” I asked him.

  “250 gold if you take everything. Individual pieces will ore.”

  “I’ll take it.” Not even trying to haggle.

  I also purchased some pieces at the other pawn shop. When I inquired about additional pawn shops at the sed store, I received dires to another ohe proprietor said there were only three iy.

  I didn’t like the look and feel of the third shop; the owner felt wrong and a criminal. I didn’t know if it was my Sense Hoy, Perception, or Luck, but I didn’t want to have anything to do with him.

  “Sorry, wrong shop,” I said a.

  When I returo the inn, Loman told me some people would e to see me ter. The smell of roasted meat and freshly baked bread filled the air, making my stomach growl in anticipation. I spent a few hours in front of the fire with Stretd witnessed firsthand hoets and treats he was getting from the staff and the ers. He exuded smugness like body heat when I told him they were spoiling him rotten.

  Ie afternoon, Loman approached me and said that the first seller was here but would prefer to meet with me in my room; I agreed a up. In two mihere was a knoy door, and when I ope, I saretty young woman.

  “Hello, madam. Please e inside,” I said, stepping aside to allow her entrance.

  She entered, eyes sing the room before asking, “I heard you are buying jewelry. Is this true?”

  “Yes.”

  “ you guarahat no one will know about it?” she inquired, her voice dropping to a whisper.

  “Yes,” I reassured her. “I’m a traveling mert and don’t know anybody iy. I’m also leaving in the few days.”

  She rexed visibly, her shoulders l as she produced a cloth pouch from her cloak. Carefully, she ope and spilled its tents onto the table, revealing several lovely gold pieces. “Will you be ied in those?” she asked, her eyes searg my face for a rea.

  “Depends on how much you want for them,” I replied, pig up a pied iing it.

  “250 gold,” she stated, her voice firm.

  I appraised them quickly, estimating their actual value at 207 gold, and sensed something fishy about the transa. “Sorry, madam,” I said, shaking my head slightly. “But the price is higher than their worth, and it’s definitely not the price for sed-hand jewelry bought i.”

  She defted, her face falling as she muttered, “I told my father my face won’t help get a good price. How much are you willing to pay?”

  Sensing that if I bought them for a low price, she might get in trouble with her father, I took a different approach. “You, nothing,” I said firmly. “If your father es, I will iate with him.”

  She looked relieved, her tensioing away as she got up. “Thank you,” she said softly, before turning to leave.

  After she left, I went downstairs, but Loman told me to go back up and stay in my room. I had more nobles ing, and they didn’t like to be seen selling their stuff. So, I went back up and waited.

  Shortly, a gentleman arrived and sold me his te mother’s jewelry. I sensed nothing was wrong, and we iated a price we were happy with. After him, another dy arrived. She was selling the jewelry her te husband gave her. We iated a reasonable price, and after I promised her not to tell her new husband, she left. The third was again a man selling women’s jewelry. I still sensed nothing fishy, so we iated a price, and he wanted a promise I wouldn’t tell his wife. It tinued like this until te in the evening. I saw eleven different people, not including the first dy, and only two didn’t ask for a promise not to tell this person or another. I cluded nobles were a special breed.

  The day, I returo the docks a with the clerk. He gave me the name of a ship sailing to Talis in five days and where to find the captain.

  I found the ship quickly based on its description. It was long and wide, with a retively ft bottom, at least the part I could see, two big square sails, and upright oars resembling two lines of sentries. I approached the people he ship dog and asked about the captain. The sea breeze carried the st of brine and tar, mingling with the stant din of the bustling docks.

  After somebody shouted for him so hard that my ears rang, an entleman approached me on the dod asked, “You’re the one asking about going to Talis with a dog?”

  “Yes.”

  He looked unhappy about the idea and said, “I don’t like dogs on my ship. They do their business everywhere.” He crossed his arms, a deep frown creasing his forehead. “The dock runner promised me I won’t have a problem like this, but I’m unsure if I believe him.”

  I thought momentarily, my gaze drifting to the bustling docks before returning to him. “I uand your care for your ship; it is endable,” I said, trying to sound reassuring. “But my dog is very smart arained as a mert guard. He travel on anything with no problems. He does his business in a tainer. And besides, I am a healer, not only a mert, and I have a ing spell. If he has an act, I after him.”

  I noticed a flicker of i in his eyes, so I pressed on. “I have an idea: I heard you leave in five days. How about my dog and I board the ship in four days and stay the st day on the ship? This way, you see for yourself, and if there is a problem, you kick us off before sailing.”

  He smiled then; the tension easing from his face, and held out his hand for a handshake. “If you are a healer, I have no problem even if y has an act.”

  I shook his hand firmly, meeting his gaze. “My name is John. It’s o meet you. What time do you want us to e in four days?”

  “Captain Natan,” he introduced himself with a nod. “e in the evening. We sail at first light, and I don’t o test y.”

  “How much will it cost, and how long is the passage?” I asked, curious about the details.

  He sidered for a moment, scratg his . “Do you wao feed you both, or do you have your food and water?”

  “We have our own,” I replied quickly, not wanting to burden him further.

  “Three gold for the two of you,” he stated, his toter-of-fact.

  “And how long is the trip?” I inquired, wanting to be sure of our pns.

  “It will take about two weeks to reaet without stopping, depending on the wind,” he expined. “In Mormet, we stop for at least a week or maybe ten days to unload and load new cargo. After that, it will take eight to ten days to Talis without stopping.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll see you in four days,” I said, nodding with satisfa.

  “See you then, d,” he replied, a twinkle in his eye. It still sourao me that people called me d. I knew I looked young, but I didn’t feel young.

  I returo the inn and asked Loman. “Do I have more nobles ing?”

  “I think a few more, but only tomorrow.”

  I thought about going to my room to rex, but then I got an idea. “Do you know where I rent a big warehouse for two or three days?”

  He thought momentarily and said, “Go past the docks to the west, and you will reach the warehouses. Ask around there; I’m sure you find something.”

  In the warehouse area, I found a warehouse avaible for rent for three days. I removed everything except food from my Ste and ahings. The vast space of the warehouse echoed with the sounds of my movements, the occasional k of metal, or the soft thud of the fabric against the wood. During the st month, I sold about fifty pert of my iory. I had empty boxes and crates, and the shelves were half empty. I sold about sixty pert when I added everything I sold on the road and in towns.

  I sold almost all my fabric, yarn, knitting, and sewing supplies, y pert of the metal cookware, most of the toys, all the towels, a sizeable k of the linen and bs, and about twenty pert of the gssware.

  I refilled the empty boxes and crates by category, ioried all the cloth products I had left except clothes, and collected all the gssware on twelve shelving units instead of een.

  The only products that didn’t sell well were the clothes and the office supplies, which I didn’t offer. I tried to think about how to sell the clothes and had an idea. In the clothes shops where I sold my fabric, I saw they had something simir to hangers. They looked like an F made of wood with an additional bottom horizontal liending to both sides. I’ve decided to buy some clothes hangers and then hang the clothes. Dispying them individually and not in baskets might help me sell them better.

  It was already dark outside, so I headed back to the inn. After I passed the dock area, I walked through an alley to get to the main road and suddenly felt an intense pain in my shoulder, and my back smmed against the wall. The pain was so intehat my mind bnked for a few moments. I was in shock. When my mind cleared, I looked and saw a crossbow bolt stig out of my shoulder and a group of people approag me. They slowly surrounded me, and I saw nine people, three with crossbows, and one of them was the pawnshop owner I didn’t like.

  He spoke first. “We saw you run around the city selling. Nobody sells in my city without paying a toll. Hand over half of yold, and you’ll live ao leave with the rest of it.”

  I got terrified for a moment, but then my adrenaline kicked in, and my mind cleared. With my strength and magical abilities, I had no reason to be afraid. I split my mind and, with one side, grabbed my blood so I wouldn’t bleed out, and with the other, cast a mana shield on myself, straightened, and lifted my left hand. Unfortunately, I couldn’t use my staff because I couldn’t move my right arm.

  I looked at him and said, “Leave, and you might live.”

  They all ughed at me, and the leader said, “Yuard dog is not here, anumber you. For your audacity, you owe me all of yold now.” He turo the crossbowmen and said, “Shoot him; we’ll take his iory.”

  The three of them shot me, and the bolts bouny shield, but the shield also shattered. There was an intense backsh in my mind from the shield breaking, but I kept my wits. Once again, I cast a shield on myself, aimed my hand at the leader, and fired a mana dart. I wasn’t sure if I was shaking too much or if I o train for accuracy, but my aim was way off. My aim was for ter mass, but he grabbed his crotd started screaming.

  Oops!

  I winced a a sympathetic twinge of pain as his scream pierced the air, high-pitched and agohe sound was gut-wreng, enough to make anyone’s stomach turn. The rest of the robbers froze, their faces paling as they stared at him in shock. One of them dropped his on, his hands trembling untrolbly. Aook a step back, his eyes wide with horror, uo tear his gaze away from their writhing leader. The severity of the injury was evident in the leader’s torted expression and the way he colpsed to the ground, clutg himself and curling into a fetal position, his screams eg through the surrounding area.

  Two of the crossbowmen shot me again. My shield held but was on its st leg. I cast it again and hit one crossbowman. This time, I aimed higher, just in case, and my aim was “better”; I shot him in the neck. He grabbed it and made choking sounds.

  Oops again?

  Still better than the crotch. I noticed I wasn’t scared anymore, not even a little bit. It felt like I was the predator, and they were the prey. For the first time, I uood the OP cept I read in the forums. I pared to them. It boosted my fidence even higher.

  Three of them turned around and ran away, but the other four that were still standing took out knives and attacked me. I reacted on instind Krav Maga training. One of them tried to stab me, so I grabbed his arm and, with all my strength, threw him sideways. He flew across the alley, hit the wall hard, fell, and no longer moved. Two of his friends stabbed me simultaneously, and the knives bouny shield. I grabbed one of them by the ned smmed his head into his friend’s head. Both of them fell to the ground, unscious. The st ourail and ran away.

  I walked out of the alley, took a deep breath, and shouted at the top of my lungs, “Guards! Guards!”

  I waited for a moment, straining my ears, and heard running footsteps approag rapidly. It took a few moments, and then two guards appeared, their expressions shifting from alerto as they saw me.

  One looked at the bolt embedded in my shoulder and asked, “Do you need a healer? What happened?” His eyes widened slightly at the sight.

  “I’m a healer; I don’t need one. But I need help removing the bolt; I ’t do it one-handed,” I replied, gritting my teeth against the pain.

  The uard, a younger man with a stern face, asked, “What happened?”

  “I’m a healer and a mert and sold many things iy. I was accosted by nine robbers who demanded I hand over half my gold as a toll. They shot me, and I defended myself. Four ran away, and the rest are in that alley,” I expined, nodding toward the shadowy alleyway.

  The first guard’s eyes widened in surprise. “You defeated nine robbers by yourself?”

  “I was well trained before starting as a traveling mert and have some basic spells for prote,” I said, trying to maintain a calm demeanor despite the throbbing in my shoulder.

  They looked at me with astonishment, and one of them asked, “You’re a mage too?”

  “No. I was taught two prote spells.”

  “Without being a mage? How?” the younger guard asked, clearly intrigued.

  “A mage taught me. you please help me remove the bolt? It hurts,” I said, my voice strained.

  The first guard approached me, examining the bolt closely. “I’ll o push it out. It will hurt,” he warned, meeting my eyes with a serious expression.

  In the meahe uard went into the alley to che the robbers. As he moved away, I could hear his footsteps eg.

  With determination, I readied myself, stored my shirt and jacket, and produced a stick I had for fire to bite on. I positio between my teeth and said, “Do it.”

  The guard nodded and pced a firm hand on my shoulder to steady me. With a swift, practiced motion, he pushed the bolt through. A white-hot fre of pain shot through me, and I bit down hard oick, my vision swimming momentarily.

  O. The pain was like nothing I felt in my life. It hurt!

  When the bolt was out, I cast two Healing Touyself until the wound closed, cast and Purify, took out clothes, and dressed.

  The uard called his partner, and I joihem in the alley. Those five I fought were still in the alley. The one I actally shot in the crotch was lying on his side, bleeding and whimpering quietly. All the others were unscious. The guards looked around, picked up some bolts, examihem, and checked the hands of the people on the ground.

  One of them said, “Criminal underground. Please describe to me what happely.”

  I walked them through the events as they happened, and one guard asked, “So this one was their leader?”

  “Yes.”

  “ you stop his bleeding so he won’t bleed out before we have a ce to question him?”

  I approached the ringleader and diagnosed him. His crotch was a mess. I decided I would not heal it, only stop the bleeding. I felt it was better to prevent the procreation of criminal elements. After I healed him, I examihe rest. The one I actally shot in the neck was dead; I cut and cauterized his airways with the mana dart when I hit him. The two I banged heads were alive but had a severe cussion, and the ohrew at the wall was dead with a broken ned spihe attack left me shaken up, especially after killing two people, although not as much as the first time I took a man’s life.

  I spent ahree hours with the guards while they called for help to remove the criminals and called for a mage with a Truth spell. I told him the stain, and he firmed it. He was also shocked that I was a Healer and a Mert and had spells.

  As I returo the inn, Stretch immediately approached me, filling my mind with worry and a question. I patted him and said, “Don’t worry, buddy, I’m fine. I’ll tell you ter what happened.”

  Loman noticed Stretch’s rea and approached me, asking, “What happened?”

  After I expined what happened, he looked worried and said, “I’m sorry, but I must ask you to leave. The criminal underground iy is rger than nine men. I ’t afford for them to attack the inn ialiation. Maybe you stay on the ship earlier?”

  After thinking about it, I said, “I get where you’re ing from, and I’m not mad. I will find a solution.”

  Extending my hand for a handshake, I thanked him for everything as he shook mine. “I had a great stay at your inn. No hard feelings.” He looked puzzled, but said nothing. I gave him two gold s and said, “This is for all the help with the nobles selling jewelry.”

  “Thank you, d, and I’m sain.”

  Sihere was nothing in my room, we simply left. I walked bay rented warehouse a up bs for Stretch, a mattress, and a sleeping bag for myself. It was warm enough in the warehouse, so we had dinner and slept. The warehouse, though sparsely furnished, felt safe and quiet. Stretch curled up beside me, his steady breathing soothing my frayed nerves.

  The following m, I cast a shield on myself and told Stretch I’d return in a few hours. He wao go with me, and I felt a powerful surge of protectiveness from him. I tried to cast the mana shield on him, but nothing happened.

  I tried to vince him to stay, but he wasn’t having it. We returo the city, and I was hyper-aware of my surroundings. On a couple of occasions, I felt people watg us, but nothing happened. I found a shop selling furniture and bought a feather mattress. I was berating myself for not doing it oh; the quality here wasn’t great—another ht. I sighed deeply and tinued on.

  We toured the food stalls, and I stocked food for our ship voyage. I found one of the city wells—at least it had a pump and not a bucket—and took out two water tanks I emptied, filled them and cast and Purify oer.

  We left the city to the east, past the tanners’ area. While walking past it, I thought about cheg again with the tanner but decided against it. It was his choice to pass the ce I gave him.

  After about a kilometer, we stopped, and I started a fire. I cooked until I filled all my takeaway tainers and had ready food in all my personal cooking pots and pans. I even made two pans of sagna. The savory aroma of cooked meat and herbs filled the air, mingling with the earthy st of the forest. We stayed out all night, and it was dawn already. I was still not tired, so I used oank to fill all my empty water bottles and rearrahe coolers to see how much meat I had left. After anizing everything, I had three coolers of meat, two coolers of fish, and cooked food for two months for both of us, not including the cooked food I bought.

  Additionally, I had an excessive quantity of alcohol that I her used nor offered for sale. That gave me an idea, and I returo the inn.

  When Loman saw me, he looked worried for a minute, but I told him, “Don’t worry, I’m not here to ask for a room again. I fot to show you something iing to buy.”

  I took out three crates of bourbon, took out otle, and said, “This one is a gift. Open it to taste the product.”

  He tasted it, and his eyes widened. “What is that? It’s amazing.”

  “A drink produced in my homend. It will cost you five silver a bottle, and as a gesture of appreciation, I won’t offer it to any other inn.”

  I don’t think he ever agreed so fast to anything.

  After that, we returo the warehouse, slept for a few hours, a out again to refill the emptied water tank.

  The day, I talked with Stretch, “Listen, buddy. On the ship, there is no ve bush or backyard to pee or poop. So, you will have to do it in a tainer.” I took out a big pstic bowl and showed him. “After you do your thing, I’ll throw it overboard and the bowl. It’s not a big deal if you have an act, but tell me so I it. But please try to do it in the bowl.”

  He didn’t look pleased about the idea, but agreed.

  I really love my dog.

  I did a st check of everything in my Ste and a final warehouse sweep, and we left for the ship. The air was crisp, and the sky clear as we made our way to the docks, ready for the leg of our journey.