Frostbitten Wayfarer

Zoe laughed at her impulsiveness, she’s going to live forever. There was no reason for her to rush into it. She didn’t think she’d regret it, she wants big spells, but it’s something she needs to get used to. Take the time, do things slow, do things the right way.

Zoe sat on the kitchen floor, focusing her attention inwards to herself, and her class. Ten minutes later, a window popped up in her vision, breaking her trance.

*Ding* The following classes are available;

[Innkeeper’s Apprentice] A studious follower of an innkeeper. Gain increased knowledge retention when learning from innkeepers.

Requirements: Work in an [Inn]

[Realm Traveller] A wanderer, seeking the information contained within the vast expanse of all the realms. Gain increased experience in realms you’ve spent less than a month in.

Requirements: Has recently travelled across realms

[Vampyre’s Thrall] Fodder, prey for the powerful. Gain vastly increased experience from being consumed by Vampyres.

Requirements: Be consumed by a Vampyre

[Apprentice Mage] An acolyte of magic, learning from a master or perhaps the very framework of magic itself. Increase magic power, increased ability to learn new magics.

Requirements: 25 Intelligence

[Apprentice Enchanter] A pursuer of mana, sacrificing raw power for lasting effects. Increased mana regeneration.

Requirements: 25 Wisdom

Zoe looked at her options, stunned. She wanted something special, something unique. She was transported to another world, where was her become a god class. Where was her ‘you’re a unique special person and get extra powers’ class?

Realm Traveller makes no promise to helping her travel the realms, only extra experience for doing it. Vampyre’s thrall wants her to be eaten by vampyres which was just ridiculous. Innkeeper’s Apprentice is not at all what she wants, and the two others just seem like glorified versions of the same thing. So she gets a little bit of magic and can clean dishes better, or maybe help Joe maintain the toilet.

She dismissed the window, leaning against the cupboard next to her and sighed. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but it wasn’t what she got. She wanted freedom, not to be locked into some specific thing. All of the options kept her stuck here, working for this random innkeeper.

Realm traveller was probably best, just because it might let her go home. She thought of taking it, resting her cold head on the kitchen floor. She wondered if she could still sleep, as her consciousness drifted off.

She dreamt of glorious battles between herself and dragons, the very earth beneath them shaking as their power clashed, flames spreading across the wasteland left behind them. The clattering of metal on metal ringing out as the dragon’s vicious claws and fangs were blocked by her blade of light.

She woke to the innkeeper slaving over the stove, pots and pans clanging, the sounds of grease sizzling and popping as the man handled the stove with an effortless ease.

“Not as cool as dragons…” Zoe mumbled as she sat up from the now warm floor, rubbing the back of her head.

“Ah you’re awake. Good.” He nodded at her.

“Good morning to you too.” Zoe said, rubbing her eyes.

The man laughed, “I’m Joe. I forgot to introduce myself yesterday.”

Zoe stood, “I’m Zoe. More dishwashing today?" She asked.

Joe laughed again, “Head out and check on the people. See if anybody needs a refill, you can handle that much at least right?” He nodded towards the door to the main dining area.

“I thought the deal was I would wash dishes though?” Zoe asked.

Joe turned to look at her, he shook his head and rolled his eyes. “With what skills Miss still level eight and clearly not taking the innkeeper’s apprentice class? Just head out there and see if anybody needs a refill. Barrels are labelled clearly. You can read right?”

Zoe nodded. “Yeah. Okay. Fine. Just go see if somebody needs a refill. I can do that.”

Zoe stood up, walking through the doorway to the dining area, looking at the customers sitting. There were two people seated, each at separate tables. One was a taller blonde woman reading with her legs up on one of the empty chairs near her. The other was a younger man with black hair, leaning his head on his hands on the table.

She focused on the man, probing for his emotions, but nothing seemed to be present. She wondered for a moment if he was dead, but pushed it aside, turning her attention to behind the bar. Mugs, plates and cutlery were organized into separate cupboards, stacked neatly with not a speck of dust to be found on any of them. Three large barrels sat at about waist height up the wall. One labelled water, another for ale and the last for mead.

Easy enough, Zoe thought. She stood behind the bar for a moment, building up the confidence to go speak with the customers. All she had to do was ask if they need a refill. It would be easy.

The woman would be her first target, Zoe decided as she stepped out from behind the bar.

Zoe stepped back behind the bar and waited, her hands idly running along the edge as she looked around. The customers could come ask if they needed something, there was no reason to go bother them after all, she thought.

There wasn’t much of interest here besides everything being more clean than she’d expect it to be. No pictures on the walls, not even a painting. The walls were plain gray stone with wooden boards strapped across every few feet. There were a couple of windows with crude wooden shutters by the entrance opposite the bar, showing the dimly lit road out front.

“Hello?” A woman’s voice broke Zoe out of her stupor. “You got some water back there lady?” She swung her mug in front of Zoe’s face.

“Oh. Sorry, yeah I can get you some.” Zoe took the mug and walked over to the barrels.

“You new here?” The woman asked.

“Yeah, I guess so. Just got here last night.” Zoe said, filling the mug from the tap on the water barrel.

“Well I’m Isla, nice to meet you.” The woman took the mug back from Zoe.

“I’m Zoe. Are you a regular here?”

“Oh no, I’m just in town on business for a few weeks.”

“What do you do, if you don’t mind me asking?” Zoe asked, hoping to meet her first adventurer. Somebody who prowled the depths defending humanity from the evils that lurked within.

“I’m a merchant, I deal in whatever I can get my hands on at the last place I was at. Mostly spices right now, but quite a nice selection of higher end clothes too. Come pester me if you’re interested in shopping sometime.” The woman said, heading back to her table, grabbing her book as she sat down once again.

The man from before still hadn’t moved, his head resting in his arms on the table. Zoe looked at him for a moment, watching his body slowly move with his breaths.

She wondered if she should wake him. It’s supposed to be an inn, but did that mean people could sleep in the dining area? Should she tell Joe? She pushed the thoughts aside. Not her job, all she had to do was refill people’s drinks.

Zoe lost track of time as she stood at the bar watching the near empty tavern, listening to the ceaseless clanging of cookware from the kitchen behind her. Her mind often wandered to the situation she found herself in, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. She pushed it aside, telling herself it was just a normal day at work. No reason to panic. Everything’s fine.

The windows lit up as the sun rose, and the bustle of society began to seep through. Carriages and people seen through the windows every so often as they passed by to wherever they needed to be. Patrons woke and came down the stairs at the back of the dining area. Most just left, but a few grabbed a drink from Zoe and a seat somewhere they liked.

Zoe focused on her empathy, trying to get a read on most of the people she saw both inside or walking down the street. It was a great mixture of emotions but the general vibe seemed to be excited and eager. People rising, ready to take on a new day.

She expected people to be more annoyed at mornings, loathing beginning work. Or maybe people really like their jobs here. Or maybe it’s just magic. It’s probably just magic, she realized.

The clatter from the kitchen behind her died down, and Joe came out, turning to look at Zoe.

“Good job, go sit down and have some breakfast.” He said, summoning a plate with some eggs that looked ever so slightly larger than she’d expect, and a chunk of brown bread.

Zoe took the plate and sat down at one of the empty tables. Ripping the bread into smaller chunks and eating it with the egg. She didn’t think she was very hungry, yet somehow felt a sense of energy filling her.

*Ding* You have consumed an Innkeeper’s breakfast. Stamina regeneration increased for eight hours.

She thought back on the meal she had last night, wondering why it didn’t give her a buff. What was different about this one?

A couple people came down the stairs as she ate. One of them just left without stopping for breakfast, something Zoe now thought of as being strange considering the buff she just got. The other sat down at one of the stools near the bar and started talking to the innkeeper.

“Mornin’ Joe, what’s breakfast today?” The woman asked.

“Ryz eggs and brul.” Joe said, summoning an identical plate to what Zoe had received, placing it in front of the woman.

“Got any ale left?” The woman said, grabbing the plate from Joe and stuffing her face with the brul.

“Sure do,” Joe grabbed a mug and turned around to the barrels, filling it with a pale yellow liquid from the ale barrel.

Joe handed her the mug, and their conversation carried on with small talk about the weather and random rumours from around town. Zoe tensed up for a moment when the woman mentioned a stray vampire in the area, but nobody seemed to notice or care, to her eyes.

“A vampire you say?” Joe asked the woman.

“Yup. That’s what I’ve heard. Probably just some drunkard who got lost in the forest again spreading lies.” The woman said, taking a final swig of her ale before she stood up.

“Werewolves a few weeks ago and now vampires. I’ll believe it when I see it.” Joe said.

“Well hopefully you don’t see it. Thanks for the food Joe.” The woman said, tossing a silver coin as she turned to leave the inn.

Joe caught the coin and turned to look at Zoe, his eyes squinting a bit before he shook his head.

“Hey girly, I’ve got a job for you.” Joe said, waving her up to the bar.

Zoe obliged, bringing her plate up with her. “Yes?”

“Take this,” he said, holding the silver coin out, “and head down the road to Flit’s Cloths. Get some new clothes. Something you can work in.”

“Okay, which way is Flit’s Cloths?” Zoe asked, taking the silver coin.

“Just take a right out of here and it’ll be just down the road a little ways.” Joe said, pointing to the door then gesturing to the right.

“Right. Okay. I’ll be back then.” Zoe said, heading to the door.

The outside road was still somewhat dead, the sun only just rising above the horizon. A few pedestrians walking down the road, and one person riding a horse with what looked like very full saddlebags hanging off it on either side.

Zoe started walking down the road to the right. She walked past several stores on her way, a couple that looked like carpenters, one that she assumed would be this world’s equivalent to office supplies and one that she couldn’t figure out from the name. Grandol, the sign said. There were no windows for her to peer into either, so it was left as a mystery to her for now.

It wasn’t a long walk, but she found herself loathing any time that she had to herself at the moment, her mind pushing her to think about her situation. To acknowledge the terror and horrors she felt deep inside. She struggled to keep the thoughts at bay, forcing herself to think positively. Magic, excitement, adventure. Not danger. This was fine. She was fine.

She felt a wave of relief as she arrived at Flit’s Cloths. It seemed to be built out of the same gray stone that most everything around was built from, with a sign that had a bolt of cloth drawn on it hanging out front, and big lettering written on the wall saying “Flit’s Cloths”.

The inside was rows of racks, bolts of cloth of various colours hanging from them. A small assortment of clothes hanging off on the wall to the side. Some shirts and pants, but it seemed like a side thought for the store.