Dimension System - Chapter 103

[Zanir]

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I politely declined the emperor’s offer to stay for dinner. Since I’d returned an imperial heirloom, he was in an extremely good mood. With a wave of his hand, I was dismissed and free to go, which surprised his advisors. Making my way back to the spatial mage citadel, I left a message with Tony at the reception desk. I wanted to let the higher-ups know that I might be gone for a few days, maybe even a few weeks, if things took longer than expected.

After leaving a brief note to explain the situation, I asked him which portal would be closest to the Axiom mountains. According to their network of portals, the closest point to that area was the most western city of the Iskarii empire, as anything farther would be well beyond the mountains. Blackthorne was colloquially referred to as the ‘Bastion of the West’, due to it being the largest mining city on the empire’s western border.

An average sized city that was filled with miners and masons, it stood tall and proud as the last beacon of civilization, before one crossed into the deadly Axiom mountains and the surrounding wilderness. Honest folk worked with their hands, tirelessly and thanklessly, to supply quality iron and stone that helped build the Iskarii empire into the power it was today. Those who chose to reside in the town faced a tough life with constant threats of monster attacks and economic isolation.

It wasn’t uncommon for outsiders to be treated to a cold reception. Who could blame them for such behavior? Almost all of the travelers who risked the long and treacherous journey charged a hefty premium. Left with little else in the way of options, they had no choice but to pay exorbitant prices for many necessities. Crops, for example, couldn’t be farmed in large numbers due to the inherent danger of the nearby wilderness. Things like that had to imported to support the population, after all, people needed to eat.

Once again, I had to thank Tony for the information and summary he’d given me. He was incredibly well-informed and had a vast knowledge of many towns and cities. Then again, he always had a book nearby on his desk. I figured that he must have kept himself busy, reading about new and interesting things. Before I left, I gave him a gift basket, to offer my appreciation. Fresh baked bread, cheeses, and a few smoked sausage links would provide a nice snack.

“Ah thanks man, I appreciate it!”

“I’ll be relying on you to keep me informed. Keep up the good work.”

Departing directly to Blackthorne, I emerged from the portal in yet another small safe house. It seemed that the spatial mages had them prepared in many towns and cities, in order to protect the portal anchors. The two mages guarding the converted residence greeted me, offering some of the stew they’d just put on. I opted not to join them, however, I did give them some fresh baked rolls to enjoy. The soft and warm bread was happily received by the hungry mages, who offered thanks to me.

Emerging into the city itself, I took a moment to observe. Hawkers plied their wares from roadside stands, as they called out to the citizens. Here and there, gruff groups of men passed by, covered in dust and soot. They spoke honestly and openly, filling the air with the sound of mingled conversation. Some complained about their work, while others considered buying something from the nearby stands.

‘What a long day, I’m beat. Ya wanna get something to eat here?’

‘Aren’t we heading to the tavern? We can get something there.’

‘Ugh, I hate the tavern stew. I’m gonna grab a bite and meet up later.’

‘You boys have fun and drink one for me, I gotta get home or the wife will kill me!’

‘Ha! We’ll see ya tomorrow’

People went on with their lives, while I quietly observed for a few minutes. Not wanting to offend anyone, I moved on to the other streets. Keeping an eye out for any shops, I meandered through the city. After visiting several of them, I didn’t discover anything new or interesting. Once I established the foundations of my empire, this city would see a lot more traffic and that would hopefully drive down the cost of goods for them.

Making my way through the somewhat dreary and depressing city, I ventured out through the gate and onto the road leading into the Axiom mountains. The gate guard had warned me that the wilderness was extremely dangerous, especially for a lone man to travel. When I flashed my spatial mage badge, he realized that I’d be fine but still advised taking caution. Following the road, I proceeded far enough away to avoid attention.

From the city itself, the road extended into the imposing mountain range in the distance. As it got farther from Blackthorne, the condition got proportionately worse. After all, it could only be maintained so far. By the time I’d gotten far enough from the city, the packed dirt road had tapered off into little more than a wagon trail.

Stepping off the road, I noted the change in scenery around this region. Small patches of faded grass could be seen all the way to the horizon, interspersing the brown color of dried dirt, though not enough to blanket the ground. Occasional bits of darker green came from shrubs and bushes, that ranged from ankle height to knee height. There were hardly any visible trees in the area, a stark contrast from the heavily forested regions I’d been traveling through.

If I had to define it, I’d call the surroundings a mountain prairie. The openness of the area gave it a certain grand quality that was charming and picturesque. It looked like the kind of place that you could film an old western movie in, reminding me of many national parks. Looming in the background, the Axiom mountains stretched up into snow-capped peaks. Some of the highest points even seemed to break through the clouds!

Using my ghost dragon hand, I summoned all of the available members of the Iron Devil Corp, along with two armored wagons. Feeling inspired by the scenery, I took a moment to design a black ten gallon hat, which I immediately donned. I also decided to swap out my usual suit coat for a more traditional looking leather jacket. Hopping up into the driver’s seat, I ushered forth the cattle, prompting our little convoy towards the mountains.

With the sun overhead, my crew at my side, and nothing but wide open terrain ahead of us, we set out for adventure. This must have been how the pioneers felt, when they set out to ride for the untamed west. Traveling the open road, I watched as the city of Blackthorne was slowly left behind, eventually leaving us in the midst of wilderness itself. The worn down trail was the only evidence of civilization now, displaying two lines where numerous cart wheels had passed by.

Eventually, night fell upon us, revealing a beautiful nighttime sky and countless stars above us. In the distance, a few campfires had been setup just off the road. It was the first group we’d seen, since we had left the area outside Blackthorne. As we got closer, I could see several men sitting around the campfire drinking. The first thing I noticed, was that they all looked like cowboys! I had to do a double-take, observing their various dusters and jackets, not to mention the hats and bandanas.

Nah, it had to be a coincidence.

When they noticed our convoy passing by, one of the men called out to greet us.

“Howdy mister! How’s the road to Blackthorne looking?”

Stopping the convoy on the road, I chatted with the man for moment.

“Road’s fine. You fellas headed that way?”

Obviously drunk, the man responded with details.

“Yeah, we ain’t got much of a choice. We was heading back to Dead Man’s Pass but there was a fucking landslide. Whole damn pass is blocked off, so we can’t get back to Arkana. Looks like we’re all stuck here in Iskarii country, for the time being.”

From my understanding, beyond the Axiom mountains was the Arkana confederation, a loosely knit group of states that was isolated from the rest of the continent. It was referred to as the ‘Wild West’, however, I never imagined that it would be the old west. At this point, I could only assume that someone who transmigrated had influenced them with a cowboy theme. I wanted to know more.

“Me and my crew were getting ready to make camp for the evening. Y’all mind if we join you fellas?”

Looking over at my hat and jacket, the man waved us over.

“Shoot, we ain’t got a damn thing to do but drink whiskey and swap stories. I’ve already heard all of theirs, so it’d be nice to listen to something new for a change. What’s your name fella?”

Parking our armored wagons, I stepped down from the driver’s seat. Extending a hand to the man, we shook and exchanged names.

“Zanir Coffey, pleased to meet you. That over there is Terry, my associate.”

Walking over to the group by the fire, he introduced himself along the way.

“Benton West, horse rancher out of East Arkana.”

Reaching the group, he yelled out to his ranch hands.

“This here is Zanir Coffey! Mr. Coffey and his crew will be joining our camp for the night. Let’s show them some good old fashioned Arkana hospitality!”

Several men let out a cheer, raising bottles of whiskey up and clinking them together. Everyone gathered together by the campfire, where we all sat down. True to their word, the group of ranchers offered us some of what little they had. I couldn’t help but notice that the soup was pretty thin and the whiskey that they offered had a mean bite to it. I just wanted to make sure they weren’t gonna try to rob us, before bringing out some good things.

“Mr. West, I have to thank you for sharing your supplies with us. Now, I don’t mean to be rude, but it seems like you’re already running low. Ain’t that cause for concern?”

He chuckled and took a sip before responding to me.

“Mr. Coffey, out here on the road, we have to take care of one another. It’s how I was raised and how I conduct myself. ‘Sides, we’re only a days ride out of Blackthorne. Ain’t like we’ll starve ‘fore we make it.”

I held my hand out to stop him from drinking more whiskey, which confused the rancher.

“I appreciate the hospitality, Mr. West, however, I simply cannot let you drink another sip of that… not when I got something much better.”

His confusion turned into a grin.

“Well, why didn’t you say so earlier partner?”

I laughed while retrieving some alcohol from the spatial world. With access to wheat and corn, the citizens had brewed up two kinds of whiskey, some bourbon, and some honey mead with the recent addition of the Dragon Bee’s honey. Witnessing my hand morph into an ethereal dragon startled the ranch hands. One of them blinked his eyes a few times in disbelief.

‘What the hell was that? Maybe I have been drinking too much?’

Handing over one of the bottles, I let Benton have the first taste of premium whiskey.

“Holy shit, that’s some good whiskey! The bottle’s even cold, how in the hell did you manage that?”

Pointing to the spatial mage badge pinned onto my jacket, the realization dawned on their group. One of the men blurted out the obvious conclusion.

‘He’s one of them fancy spatial mages.’

Everyone gathered around to get a drink from the liquor bottles. I assured them that we had more than those four bottles, bringing out some casks in addition. Witnessing how much alcohol was brought out relieved everyone’s worry of running out. Then I brought out some ingredients for more stew. Thick pieces of fresh ham and a mound of pristine vegetables were handed over to the cook.

With the camp’s mood uplifted, some of the men and woman retrieved their instruments from the nearby wagons. Banjos, fiddles, and harmonicas all made an appearance. One of them even brought out a washboard and spoons! It didn’t take long for a full-blown celebration to kick off. People were dancing, drinking, and enjoying good food all around.

One of the wagons opened up and a beautiful young woman emerged, heading over to join us.

“What’s got you drunkards all riled up tonight?”

As she approached, Benton stood up to call her over.

“Come over here Jessa!”

Walking over to his side, she kissed him on the cheek.

“Hey pa, who’re these folks?”

With a smile beaming on his face, he introduced her to me.

“I’d like you to meet this fine young man, Zanir Coffey. Mr. Coffey has decided to join our camp for the evening. He’s also decided to share some of the finest libations with us, so that is why we’re kicking up such a racket.”

Grabbing her hand, he guided it over to mine, placing them together.

“Mr. Coffey, this here is Jessa West! She is my beautiful daughter and the belle of Eastern Arkana, if I do say so.”

Shaking her hand gently, yet firmly, I couldn’t help but take a closer look at the attractive young lady. She had long black hair that was silky and smooth, falling just past her shoulders. A lovely green dress was draped over her shapely body. The neckline was low enough to be dangerous, yet high enough to remain tasteful. I had to fight not to stare, as her sizable bust threatened to draw my gaze to it. Moving on quickly, I forced my eyes to sweep past the rest of her. Wide hips tapered down to her legs, which were clad in boots, rounding out the cowboy chic look.

Looking back up to meet her gaze, I saw that she had also been looking me over. Dark brown eyes reflected what I hoped was approval. She broke into the same big grin that Benton had earlier, when I’d brought out the alcohol.

“Well ain’t you a handsome devil!”

Benton caught our brief exchange, which caused him to chuckle and tease his daughter.

“She’s single you know.”

She grabbed her hand back and playfully smacked her father on the shoulder.

“Pa! Don’t embarrass me like that.”

Unfortunately, the moment was interrupted by someone drunkenly calling out.

‘Hey, Mr. West! You gotta come try this stew. It’s better than anything I’ve ever had’

Shuffling off while snickering, he teased us again as he left to get some stew.

“You two kids have fun now.”

Jessa was quick to speak up.

“Well, let’s see what all the fuss is about. Where’s that whiskey I keep hearing about?”

One of the nearby ranch hands heard her and promptly offered over a bottle, before running off to go dancing. She took a long pull from the bottle, then handed it over to me. I took a decent swig and felt the familiar sensation of warmth, which paired perfectly with the cool night air. I looked over to the beauty beside me.

“Would you like to dance?”

She smirked at me and grabbed my hand, pulling me over towards the makeshift band.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Dancing together with her, I could smell the faint scent of perfume. To my surprise, she was very forward, which wasn’t a bad thing. We danced together quite closely and she wasn’t afraid to press up against me. After a few songs, we moved back over to sit by the campfire. Finding an open spot next to Benton, I sat down. Jessa surprised everyone by plopping down onto my lap. The nearby ranch hands and my guards drunkenly laughed at the sight.

“Mr. Coffey, you never told us what you do for a living. Would you kindly regale us with a tale or two?”

Reaching over to grab the whiskey bottle from Benton, I took a swig, before handing it over to Jessa.

“I’m a spatial mage in the employ of their guild. One could also say that I’m a traveling merchant of sorts. I work for an emerging company called the Dragon’s Den trading group. They’re responsible for the fine food and drink we enjoy.”

Jessa took a hearty swig from the bottle, then leaned over to pass it to a nearby guard. I was quite certain that she exaggerated her movement, causing her bottom to grind against me. I retaliated by pulling her even closer to me.

“They must be a very talented group of hard-workers. May I ask what brings you out to these parts, Mr. Coffey?”

I let him know we were headed up to the pass into Axiom.

“We’re actually headed into Axiom mountains, back the way you came from. I’m interested in trading with the Dwarves there, among other business.”

He brought up the point of the landslide again.

“It’s gonna be a few weeks ‘fore they clear out the pass. Trust me on that, saw it with own two eyes.”

A landslide could easily be cleared out by absorption.

“I can use my spatial magic to remove the blockage, Mr. West. It’s the least of my concerns.”

The ranch hands all cheered when I said that. Oh yeah, I’d forgotten they were trapped on this side of the mountain.

“You mean that we can go home? Hot damn! You’re a saint Mr. Coffey, a real, honest to goodness saint.”

Waving my hand to dismiss his praise, I tried to remain humble, as it wasn’t really a big deal for me.

“Well this calls for another toast! To Mr. Coffey, for his kindness and generosity!”

After another shot of whiskey, I was feeling a bit flushed. Jessa noticed and she stood behind me, rubbing my shoulders. Leaning in, she whispered into my ear.

“Let’s get out of here.”

Leaving together with her, we headed back to the two armored wagons. Stopping for a moment, I summoned a third armored wagon. I wanted to leave my guards somewhere to pass out eventually. Not to mention, I made sure to install extra soundproofing and a reinforced suspension. Since this wasn’t a travel wagon, extra comfortable padding was used on a large bed that took up the entire interior.

Giggling, she hopped inside with me, impressed by the lavish interior. That night she showed me another kind of genuine Arkana hospitality. Several hours of hospitality in fact! Eventually, we passed out together on the oversized bed.