"Damn, another bust of a quest," sighed a wanderer who wore a brown overcoat. It was the same one eyed by Litora's group two days ago, and introduced to Ashtrim by Slin on that same morning.
The wanderer was going from one quest issuer to another, hoping to find one he actually wanted to take.
Trainee adventurers, the term used by Ulrina, are newcomers who have a month to get acquainted with adventuring while having the right to deny the quests they may want to take.
The wanderer used this right on his last quest. But he somewhat liked the "old myths" one.
That one wasn't about actual "old myths" but about a place that was just over six hundred years old. Its history to be known more by people was hidden right in those keywords.
It wouldn't be a surprise to anyone in Ashtrim if that quest showed up a week or so later again.
At the end that place was a 'riot'. For every single new adventurer. This time, when the wanderer in the brown overcoat went there, it was just a measly nine dozen people.
A low count as told by a few older adventurers who come by from time to time.
The place was a worthy palace. The wanderer heard several names it held over the centuries. And every single one was true and respectful of the enduring architecture behind the palace.
The place just needed renovations. The only problem? More than half the place was actually built using 'action of earth'.
That was the problem as well as the easiest part. The new trainee adventurers and old ones had to come there to rebuild it, every time the effect of those actions were in need of repairs, or replacement.
The wanderer had some fun. The only thing he got from that quest was a history lesson into the rise and fall of kingdoms. And their reasons.
The reasons could be classified into grim, subtle, a slow burn, and a revolution beyond compare. Yet these kingdoms were of prominence no matter.
The kingdoms who conquered Ashtrim. These were claimed to become continent wide kingdoms.
And thus, the city shared its name with the only continent known to civilization of this world.
Although this recent one he declined, it was about finding the best massage that can be given by any adventurer. The quest in the Borough Hall of Receiving only had one dubious line.
"The quest will be explained on issuers place. Reward 10 metal Riga or 10 Beret coin."
'Incredibly unhelpful' that's what the wanderer thought to himself while taking the quest to reception. But Mina did suggest that if he does try the quest do some exercises before.
Now, he was on the way to Borough Hall of Adventuring.
He didn't feel a gaze again in this hall, but he somehow ended up questioning twice to Ulrina, "why does Mina work at all the Borough Halls?"
Ulrina snapped out of a self-induced trance, suddenly came alive.
Her deep blue eyes, inviting even the wanderer in, "because her quest in life is to have Ashtrim. Not the city, the continent. So she needs her people."
The wanderer nodded, Ulrina taking it as a sign of interest, went on.
"And my quest is to-!" She turned around to face towards the gallery above. The place from where a crashing sound came.
Ulrina rushed entering the quest the wanderer brought. She was halfway already to the stairs while she shouted some related knowledge about it to the wanderer who always wore a brown overcoat.
"Quest. Slin completed once. He's somewhere in steeled outskirts. Ask him!"
And she was swallowed by the gallery above. Sounds of crashing getting louder.
The wanderer was just half way through to the main door, and he was already under a wide shadow. He kept walking.
The wanderer didn't have to worry about Ulrina. She may be easy looking, but she wasn't. Not by a long shot.
That shadow was snatched away midair, he never looked up whom. Maybe the thing that casted it was pinned on the other side of the gallery.
Ulrina's intel on where Slin was, was completely inaccurate.
Because of inaccuracy, the wanderer was delighted of staying inside the Earthen wall. A feat of praise.
He was found tracing his steps back and forth in front of the third largest Temple of the Repenter in the city. And this too by the wanderer who wears a brown overcoat.
Slin was a bit baffled as to who the wanderer was.
The wanderer didn't remind him. Just showed his adventurer tag, and the quest request copy.
Slin realizing, "Ah! Did something happen in the hall you got this from?"
"Ulrina may have 'thrown'?... some large human over the gallery and then pinned that one on the other side of the gallery, I believe?"
Slin had a questioning look. But the wanderer proceeded.
"I just trusted Ulrina. And here I am, albeit I shouldn't have trusted her completely. After all she said you were in the steeled outskirts, but you are here."
Slin's unexpressed reason for worry was gone. He sighed, "that's good, that's good."
Slin had a look of contemplation. He was considering bringing up the topic of Cheal; he wasn't sure it was this particular traveler. He withheld his curiosity.
The wanderer did get the details about the quest. He was advised by Slin not to attempt it today. A very thorough detailed answer.
"The quest is a long one. It's best to prepare well before it, and yes it's doable alone. But you are new? So, try to get a group." That was Slin's advice.
As the wanderer left Slin alone to slowly get back into his absurd ritual of retracing his steps in front of the temple of the Repenter, he heard it.
Slow rising ringing of a bell.
Its ascension made him turn and look up. Look up at the tower it was coming from.
To some, that may have been a moving scenery. For Slin, it was weirdly the reason he showed disappointment in his demeanor.
But for the wanderer, a reminder. A reminder he doesn't know this city.
"Another bust of a quest", was the only response the wanderer who wore a brown overcoat, coming back from the streets closest to the steel outskirts.
The place where the quest issuer lived. "Weird one, rattled on and on about how the adventurers don't want to take their quest." He was just as forlorn as the issuer.
He traveled along with the light's fall to the evening.
He was now back to the 'To-Be Adventurers' Hostel'.
The wanderer never knew of his day's importance to him, until the door behind him closed of the hostel. He had completed a simple quest of his own, 'to have a normal day'.
Rather than sitting in his room, he was in its mess-cum-café. Revitalising his taste buds with a plate decorated with bread, mashed spiced peas, and a scoop of honey. A joyous response to his biggest victory.
"To a normal day and a normal night," he called out to himself as he forked down pieces of bread and peas. A quiet dinner.
A waitress did approach him, "sir, will you like to try some of the new meat?"
The wanderer shook his head as politely as he could.
The waitress went away, a welcome to his thoughts. He didn't want to face the few reminders of the life he has chosen for next couple of weeks, maybe months. He wanted to experience the true quest of learning of Ashtrim.
His denial of meat wasn't based in some non-vegetarian prohibition.
He was avoiding the sudden influx of swimbeast meat in the market. He was saving his only savings for some more traditional meat dishes.