Frostbitten Wayfarer

Zoe woke a few hours before the sun rose and made her way down to the tavern with her bag. The tables were empty, and even Joe hadn’t gotten up and started preparing the meals for the day. She walked over to the kitchen and tried to open the door, but found the door locked.

Instead, she grabbed a chair and sat down with the first book she got, the one on local geography. She never really ended up looking through it much, just hoping she’d see Moscow or something. But she clearly wasn’t on earth anymore.

The book described the location of the landscape surrounding Flester. Mountains, rivers and forests all marked and labelled. The forest to the north where she had been gathering klir was called Flester’s forest.

How creative, Zoe thought.

To the south was a mountain with no name, but a marking of a skull at its base. A dungeon maybe, or a scary monster?

Many of the pages described the wildlife around Flester as well. A wide variety of birds found their home in the area, foraging for the plentiful berries and herbs that grew in the forests. There were deer and lots of smaller animals roaming the forests too. Most of which were rabbits and rats, though capybara called some of the rivers their home too.

Wolves and boars stood on top as the apex predators, often fighting for territory as their populations expanded.

Zoe continued flipping through the pages for a while before Joe came down the stairs.

“Oh, good morning Zoe.” He said, walking to the kitchen.

“Morning Joe. I’m just going to say goodbye to Rizick then I’m out to go shopping I think.” Zoe responded.

“Alright, good luck then.” He said, closing the door to the kitchen behind him.

Rizick came down a few hours later with Isla, the two of them chatting about their plans for the day. Setting up the carriage, and discussing the last supplies they have to purchase for their trip.

“Good morning you two,” Zoe said.

“Oh Zoe! It’s been a few days since we talked.” Rizick said.

“I’ve been out working random jobs lately so wasn’t around much. Joe told me you two were leaving today?" Zoe asked.

“Yes, I’m set off to Korna today. They have quite the vibrant selection of clothes and I thought it might be nice to expand my stock.” Isla answered.

“And she’s so graciously allowed me to come along for the ride!” Rizick exclaimed.

“He’s really lovely company, you know? It’s often so lonely on the road.” Isla said.

“Don’t you bring guards or something at least?" Zoe asked.

She scoffed, "They hardly count as company. Competent folk but never the same and so very rarely kind.“

“So you’re almost all packed up now then?” Zoe asked.

“Yup! We’ve just gotta go load up the carriage, get our horses ready and buy some last minute food for the road and we’re outta here.” Rizick explained.

“That sounds exciting. I’m glad you’ve got things figured out Rizick.” Zoe said.

“It is, thanks. How have your jobs gone?” Rizick asked.

“Pretty well. I got paid a lot yesterday so I think I’m going to go shopping today, actually.” Zoe said.

Isla’s eyes lit up, “Shopping, you say? For what, might I ask?”

“I’m thinking of getting the winter’s master feat, so I need to stay outside for an entire winter. I’d like some supplies, maybe some basic weapons to hunt with.” Zoe said.

“Ahh, too bad. I don’t have anything that would help you now. Unless you needed salt by any chance?” Isla smiled.

“No, I think I’ll be okay. Thank you though.” Zoe said.

“I’d go to Paul if I were you. Runs Paul’s Goods down on Norlon. He should have most of what you need. Nice fellow, too.” Isla said.

“Oh, thanks. I was just going to wander around till I found a store, honestly.” Zoe said.

Isla laughed, “Yes this town can be a bit confusing at times. At any rate, we do need to get going. It was nice speaking with you again, Zoe. Hope things go well for you.”

“Yeah, nice meeting you Zoe! Might see you around sometime if we ever end up in the same city again.” Rizick said.

“I’ll keep an eye out then, but I’ll probably be sticking around here for quite some time I imagine. Safe travels to you two and good luck.” Zoe said.

Zoe watched as the pair said their goodbyes to Joe and left. She’d probably never see him again, which she found to be a strange feeling. Back home there was always phones and the internet to talk to people, but here, there might be mail if she was lucky. She had never had an actual goodbye before. It almost felt surreal, to her.

She looked to the kitchen. Was she going to say goodbye to Joe? She already had, she supposed. How did it feel when she said that she was leaving? They were acquaintances at best but was that just a normal thing here? People coming to your life and then disappearing to never be seen again?

Zoe sighed. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but she focused on her current task. Paul’s Goods on Norlon road.

Paul’s Goods was easy enough to find, just a few doors down from the tavern she found Liz’s klir job at. It was a building made of dark, knotty wooden planks. There were two windows on the front with clear glass revealing the store inside.

A couple shelves sat in the middle with various products on display. Ropes, bags and blankets, hammers and screwdivers with buckets of nails. Various tools she didn’t recognize and fabrics she didn’t really understand the purpose of.

Zoe entered the building through the wooden door at the front. The walls to either side had racks of adventuring supplies — torches, tents and the like. And towards the back of the building was a glass counter displaying some smaller more valuable looking items. Vials filled with colourful liquids and many different gemstones.

Hanging on the back-wall behind the counter were bows, knives and some sets of leather armour. Standing behind the counter was a short chubby man.

“Hi there, what are you looking for today?” The man asked.

“Well I’m going to be camping out for a lot of the winter and need some supplies.” Zoe answered.

“Wonderful! Is there anywhere in particular you plan on camping?” The man asked.

“No, I just kinda need to stay outside for most of the winter for a thing I’m working on.”

“Well my recommendation to you then would be a tent, cold-weather sleeping bag and some nice heavy clothes at a bare minimum. We’ve got all of that here at a fair price, barring the clothes.” He responded.

“I can’t use a tent, it’s a whole thing. No shelter allowed, unfortunately.” Zoe said.

“Ah the winter’s master feat, then?” He asked.

“Yeah, that’s the one.” Zoe answered.

“Well then my recommendation would be to travel south before you try something like that at your level. Get to a warmer climate and take away the risk of the cold.” He said.

“I think I’m just going to try it here and see how it feels at least so I just want some supplies for that is all, please.” Zoe pleaded.

“Alright but don’t say I didn’t warn you. With no tent, I’d say get everything else and find a nice cave to call home or see if you can live in somebody’s backyard for the winter. Or some nice expensive enchanted clothes, but no offense, you don’t seem like the rich type.” He said.

“None taken. So you have everything I might need here then? I was thinking about getting some hunting weapons too, how much do those cost?” Zoe asked.

“Yes we do other than the clothes. I’d go find a nice clothier for those. For a good sleeping bag, a bow, a knife and a dozen arrows I’d need twenty five silver from you.” He said, pulling down a couple of the weapons from the rack behind him.

“Do you have a firestarter, too? I’d rather not rub sticks together if possible.”

He grabbed one of the orange gems from the glass case and placed it next to the weapons. “Two silver, should last you the whole winter.”

“How about a storage item, do you sell those?” Zoe asked.

“Nope, you’d need to find an enchanter for that.” He said, walking around the counter to one of the shelves.

“Do you know how much they’d cost at least?" Zoe asked.

“Generally run you about two gold per bag of storage, far as I know. Though it can vary a lot.” He said, looking through some of the blankets.

“Thanks, and how do I use the firestarter?” Zoe asked.

“Just point it at what you want to be on fire and channel your mana through it.” He grabbed one of the thicker blankets. “This should be good for your sleeping bag.”

“Okay, that should be it then. Oh, actually a bag would be nice too. Big enough to fit all this stuff and this too.” Zoe said, holding up her bag of belongings.

The man looked through some of the bags hanging from the shelf next to him, grabbing one from near the middle.

“This should be good for you,” he said, putting it down on the counter. “Fifty copper.”

“Oh actually, sorry, something to help carry the bow and the knife? Maybe a quiver too, I guess for the arrows?”

“Sure thing,” he said returning to behind the counter. He grabbed a leather belt with a sheath along the side that fit her knife and a small quiver.

“Bow can be attached right here,” he pointed to a couple loops of rope on the quiver. “Stays mostly secure but be careful if you’re pushing through a lot of brush.”

“Okay, thanks. And how much for those?” Zoe asked.

“For the belt and quiver, another twelve silver.” He said.

“So thirty seven silver, fifty copper total then?” She asked.

“Yup!”

Zoe pulled out her silver square and handed it to the man.

“Thank you very much, please keep us in mind whenever you need anything else too!” The man said.

“I will, thanks Paul.” Zoe said.

“I’m not Paul, I’m Henry.” Henry said.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I just thought since it was called Paul’s Goods, you would be Paul,” Zoe said.

Henry laughed, “I get that a lot, but no. Paul’s my husband. He works mostly on the administrative stuff. Keeping us stocked, getting new products in and all that. I just man the front.”

“Well thanks anyway, Henry. You were a great help.” She said.

“Anytime! Good luck with your feat.” He called out as she left.

Zoe fumbled with the belt and quiver, feeling a little embarassed at her mistake.

They were a bit tricky to get on, her current pants not having a loop to put the belt through, which was already quite wide to accommodate the knife sheath. The quiver was simple enough to wear but attaching the bow required untying and then retying the small rope knots that held it in place.

She wished she paid better attention in scouts as a child as she fiddled with the ropes trying to attach her bow.

Twenty minutes of fumbling with her new purchases later and she managed to get everything attached to her. The quiver on her back hanging from her right shoulder, knife at her waist and new bag hanging from her other shoulder.

She fiddled with the orange gem as she walked down the street. It was probably unwise to play with it in town, but it excited her anyway. This was magic, it was commonplace maybe, but to her it was new and exciting. She would channel her mana and create fire and her heart raced with giddy excitement.

Zoe turned to the north, heading to her familiar klir hunting zone. The guards at the gate nodded as she left, and she carried on down the road a little farther than she normally did before she stepped off a few meters.

She spent the next half hour clearing away the snow, gathering some twigs and rocks to make a small campfire. She wasn’t sure why campfires in every game she played had rocks around them, but they did, and it might be for a good reason maybe.

With her assembly of twigs and rocks, she took out her orange gem and pointed what she thought the pointy-est end of it was at the campfire.

She thought about her mana, focusing on the gem and trying to push whatever energy she had through it. Nothing happened at first, but she kept trying, imagining different things happening and different pathways through her body.

A few minutes of trying later and a puff of flame burst out from the gem, except instead of firing towards the campfire it smashed into her face.

“FUCK!” She screamed, dropping the gem and diving into the snow.

“What the fuck?” She said, taking deep breaths and trying to calm down.

It didn’t hurt at all, but it was startling. All she could see for a moment was the bright orange flame washing over her and she panicked. Zoe reached for her face, rubbing at her eyebrows. They were still there, though she wasn’t sure if that made it any better.

The first time she ever used magic she failed to even burn hair. Zoe Mara, mage extraordinaire. Hurling harmless fireballs at only herself. She laughed.

She sat for a few moments before she grabbed the orange gem and tried again. This time facing what she thought was the pointy end towards herself and repeating the process of channelling her mana through it.

The same puff of flame burst out towards the campfire, pushing a few of the loose leaves around and igniting the twigs.

“YES! I’M A MAGICIAN!” She screamed out.

Zoe wrote off her first attempt. This was her real first time using magic, and she was successful. She looked at the growing fire surrounded by heavy rocks in front of her.

She threw another twig on the fire.

Burning herself didn’t hurt at all, she thought. She could use another two resistances.