Journey to Taican

Now ten days have passed. I had hunted seven magical creatures that appeared from out of nowhere. I had help of course from a few experienced people from different backgrounds. Most of them were from the hunters guild and some of them were elfs.

I asked the elfs about the Kingdom of Taican and I mostly got negative comments. Most of them said that it was heaven for magicians but mostly corrupt society. They said as long as you were on good terms with one of the council of five, you were allowed to do almost everything. As long as you didn't get on the council's bad side, you were on the clear. Get on their bad side however, you would be reminded that you were in a country ruled by mages who like to experiment their theories.

So my first impression wasn't the best. I hope it isn't as bad as it sounds. It can't be that bad can it? A country ruled by mages can't be real. Surely there must be at least some people governing it right? Let's hope this friend of Aktor's isn't any lunatic mage. Surely it can't?

Now that I think about it, I'm starting to worry if I will be safe there. Or will I be turned into some animal? For once I feel like praying for some gods.

Today is the day we leave. The supplies have been gathered. The horses have been actually bought this time, instead of renting them and forgetting how long we can keep them. I said my possible goodbyes to the lady of the tavern Mina and the friendly guard Jery for I can't tell if I will ever return here again.

- Aah Thorn. You bring me so many good memories and now is our time to part ways.

- It's almost like you are married to the place.

- Don't ruin it for me this time Aktor. Please? Let me have this one time.

- Sure. Whatever.

- Perhaps one day I shall return for your warm embrace and shower you with my love again. Farewell. My dear Thorn. Farewell.

...

...

...

- You done?

- I think I'm good.

- Great. You are starting to sound like a romantic sailor. Or something. Weird as hell.

- At least I'm not the only weird one here.

- I beg your pardon?

- You are a little loose when it comes to social interaction. I like to leave things on a nice note.

- I... Suppose I'm not the best at talking to people. But at least I can handle myself when fighting.

- Well as long as you are aware of it.

And on that note our four day journey started. Along the way we had to fight a bunch of magical creatures and I got to show how well I have improved since the fight against the jawcrawler. There were some times I was in a pinch, but I managed to hold most of them off by myself. Each time we met a new type of magical creature, or just a normal one, Aktor would tell me about them in detail.

Sadly this time we couldn't collect materials from the magical creatures as we normally would. This time we needed to stay as light as possible, so that the horses could travel as much of a distance as possible when we weren't on a break. We got to use some of the magical creatures' meat when we were close to the break and if it was edible.

On the second day I decided to ask Aktor.

- What is the Kingdom of Taican like?

- As long as you follow simple laws and don't annoy certain people, you are in the clear.

- That's quite different from what I heard.

- What did you hear?

I explain my interaction with the elfs.

- Well it can be quite chaotic from time to time. The basic rule with magicians is that you don't get on the bad side of the council of five. Especially the Master of that bunch but he is quite hard to annoy. Other than that, you are free to research whatever your heart desires. Be it good or bad. Oh and also there are two separate entities ruling the kingdom. The Mages tower of Taican where the mages gather to research and where we are headed. And then there is a covering king and queen of that region. It is a very small kingdom, consisting of about three cities and a couple of villages, but it still is a very powerful kingdom, thanks to the Master of the Mages tower of Taican.

- Well now I see why they would see it as a corrupt country. But now I feel a little bit at ease. A little bit that is.

- Good for you. You don't have much to worry about. As long as you follow my lead.

Then on the third night, on a campfire I tried asking Aktor a important question.

- Aktor.

- Yeah?

- Can I ask you something about yourself?

- I can use both of my hands about the same, but I prefer to use my left hand. I swing both ways. And I'm over 60 years old.

- Not that. But what the hell? You are over 60 years old? But you look like you are in your mid twenties.

- Yeah. My mother was most likely a human. But my father was from some other race that lives a long life. That's how it works. We always look like the race of our mother, but if our father's race is different, some of the things pass to the child. That's what happened to me most likely. I happened to get my fathers long lifespan but I still look like a human. Currently the thesis is that I can live for little over 200 years and my father was most likely elf.

- Wow. So you are old enough to be my grandfather.

- I actually might have a grandkid or two with my luck. I had enough experience.

- Well that's how you can know a lot of stuff. I was about to ask you how you could know so much at such a young age.

- Yeah. I have traveled a lot in my time. Hey, why don't you go to sleep. I can take the first shift.

- Okay. Just one last thing. You have been suppressing that ability of yours haven't you? Otherwise why have we been attacked by so many magical creatures?

- You are right. I have been somewhat suppressing it so that you get to train some more. Rest assured. I was planning on letting it work its magic the rest of the way.

- Thanks.

- Now rest. We got some ground to cover tomorrow.

- Yeah, yeah.

So I went to sleep and the next day we traveled with not many attacks from magical creatures. And on the noon of the fourth day we arrived at the edge of the Kingdom of Taican. We passed through the capital city called Myst where I noticed that the architecture was quite different from Thorn. And then headed towards the Mages tower of Taican that was in the forest of Ehen.

When we got closer to the town where the tower was, I noticed a huge tree in the distance. It was so huge that I could see it past the other trees surrounding us and it seemed we were headed towards it.

- Don't tell me we are headed towards that big tree.

- You see. That tree IS the Mages tower of Taican.

- That's not a tower. it's a tree.

- Well no matter what it's called. Bunch of mages do their research there and it is our destination.

- You gotta be kidding me.

- True as it can be.

We headed closer and closer toward the tree and the closer we got, the more unbelievably huge it got. And when we were at the wooden gate to enter the town, it looked like it could hold a whole town inside of it. I was awestruct for a moment.

- Oh, by the way. This tree was apparently inspired by the great soul tree in Ehen and it was created by the Master of this tower. It is actually the guy we are headed to meet.

- I see. Wait. WHAT!

- Yep. The Master of the tower, an ancient high elf, is the guy we are going to meet.

- How in the hell can you contact someone that important!?

- I did a job for him when I was way younger and he owes me a couple of favors.

- Why didn't you tell me!?

- I thought I already did.

- You...

- I sent him a letter explaining the situations we have, so he is expecting us.

- I... I see.

And so our journey for answers was getting closer to its climax.