The Arcane Archer - Chapter 38 Chance

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate the heat? No? Well let me tell you then.

The heat is horrible. Cold temperatures are much more preferable in my opinion.

It’s been another couple of hours of just pure walking, trying to find a group of things to kill to gain some Xp but I was unable to find anything. Night came quickly and also passed by quickly as I continued just walking.

Eventually after a while, I took off my shirt and wrapped it around my head. Why? Because that’s what they do in movies, so I assumed that it’s the correct thing to do.

After a bit, I saw what appeared to be some buildings in the distance.

‘Maybe it’s a mirage or something?’ I asked myself.

Taking a sip of water from my magical water bottle, I slowly made my way to what I saw. Getting closer and closer, I saw what appeared to be people just walking around and talking.

I at some point noticed a sign nearby that was broken and, on the ground, covered with dust and mud. Wiping it off, I saw that it said “Chance”.

“What a stupid name for a place.” I muttered to no one.

“But it’s what we call home.” A woman’s voice said behind me as something cold and metallic was put against my throat. “So, mind telling me who you are and how you came upon our home?”

“Would you believe me if I just said I came upon it randomly?”

“Hmmm.” The person behind me slowly pressed the knife slowly into my skin. Just before she started cutting, he withdrew the knife. “Sounds legit enough. Welcome to Chance traveler.”

The person walked in front of me and saw that they hand what appeared to be some regular clothing but with a hood covering their head and a scarf covering their mouth. I shrugged it off as proper gear for this type of environment compared to what I was wearing and what I was doing with my shirt.

Running to catch up with her, I eventually stood right next to her as we walked our way to Chance. We eventually got into the town and the people who were outside at that time just stared at me.

“Is there some place to eat and sleep for the night?” I asked after we were in the town for a couple of seconds.

“Yeah, that would be the Mimic Inn, it’s where I’m taking you right now. How about we save your questions till then where we can buy some drinks”

I just nodded.

Few minutes passed as we eventually got to the Mimic Inn. Walking inside, she easily got in and sat down in a chair with no noise. I took a single step in and a floorboard beneath me creaked loudly. All the noise that was there previously just disappeared into a dead silence.

The couple of people that were in the just stared at me as I made me over to a chair. Once I sat down, the noise started back up and people stopped staring at me.

“I’ll take a False Paradise with a hint of lime.” The person ordered. “So traveler, how about you tell me your tale and how you’ve gotten to our nice little town here?”

“Uhhh” I looked away from her to the bartender. “Can I get some water if you have any?”

The bartender just nodded before getting a glass underneath the counter. Turning back to her, I gave a basic recap of the last few days but without describing what I was running from, and any real specific things and ending it with how I found this place.

She nodded along and at the end of my story, she took a sip of her drink before saying, “That’s how the town of chance works. You run away from your problems and stumble upon this place by chance. Why we called it that.”

“Then what were you running away from if I may ask?”

She finished up her drink and ordered another one.

“That’s not something you ask a lady.”

I shrugged before taking a drink of my nice ice-cold water. “You asked me so I assumed that I should ask back.”

We continued back and forth for a while with some regular banter here and there. As time passed, I eventually paid the bartender for my drink before asking about rooms and actual food. The bartender indicated towards another area of the building before going back to work.

Paying for a room and some food for 2 silver and 7 copper, I thanked the person for being nice and not killing me immediately when I got to town before making my way to the door so that I could watch the sun set.

As I was about to put my hand on the doorknob, she said “No problem Leo.” Which made me stop. Afterall, that entire time I didn’t tell her my name, just a somewhat true version of what happened.

I pulled out my bow with a arrow already knocked on the string and turned to her direction. She just continued to sit there as she took sips at her drink. The rest of the residents have gotten up from where they were sitting and had daggers in hand, ready to rush at me.

“I would just like one day where people don’t try to kill me!?” I screamed out as I pulled back the string a bit more.

She took another audible sip.

“And why do you think we’re going to kill you?” She asked after taking another sip.

“Cause you’re all human from what I can tell and might be followers of Aetius!”

There was a silent pause.

“That’s is very racist of you to say. You’re human yourself and do you follow Aetius? Not everyone needs to follow him you know Leo.”

I was genuinely surprised at what she said. I slightly loosened my grip on my string before tightening it once again.

“I’ve had a rough week ok!?”

The other residents and I continued to stare at each other before the door behind me opened and pushed me forwards slightly. Seeing their chance, the people jumped at me and formed a giant doggy pile on top of me so that I wouldn’t be able to move.

I struggled to get out but was unable to with my strength. As she finished her drink, she slowly pushed her chair out before making her way over to me and kneeling down to meet me face to face.

“I can tell you this, none of us here follow that stupid religion of Aetius or whatever they’re calling it. Most of us even ran away from it when things got bad because of what you did.” She booped my nose and burped loudly. You could smell that she must’ve had a bunch more drink prior to even meeting me. I was slightly awed at how she was even standing at the moment. “Names Ava by the way”

I struggled a bit once more but eventually gave up and gave a sigh of defeat.

“Names Leo but everyone already knows that already.”

She smirked slightly upon hearing that before indicating everyone to get off of me. Once everyone was off, she helped me up off of the floor.

“You’re incredibly weak you know?”

I brushed off whatever dirt or dust got onto my clothing.

“Yeah I know. I’m reminded of that every other hour or so. Trying to fix it but that takes a lot of time and I’m spending most of that time running away so that I can find a place to stay and get stronger.”

Picking up my bow as well, I noticed that the wood broke from the fall.

“Shit.” I said as I tried putting it back together even though I knew it wouldn’t do anything.

“Well, you’re welcome to stay here and train if you want. We’ve got a whole bunch of people that should be able to help with that and it’ll be hard for Aetius’s people to find us here with all the magic nullification around.”

My eyes widened a bit because that meant I would be unable to cast any spells including mana bow and at the moment, my bow was broken. She must’ve noticed this however as she slapped me on the back.

“You’ll be fine. As long as we put your name into our list, you’ll be able to cast magic without being traced and found!”

I looked up at her in hope.

“I can actually stay somewhere for once without fear?” I asked in hopes.

“Somewhat. You’ll have to fear Harold though. Harold doesn’t like work and won’t like having to add you to the list and having you give him some more work to make sure people don’t discover us from Aetius’s religion.”

“That’s better and even more then I could’ve asked for! Please, let me buy you some drinks as thanks!” I said, all to willing to pay her back for the opportunity to actually grow stronger.

Once again, she slapped me on the back, this time hard enough to actually send me forwards a couple of feet.

“That’s the spirit!” She said with a drink already in her other hand.

The next few hours passed quickly as I emptied out my wallet and went into the negatives. Let it be known on that night, I officially went into debt.
for visiting.