Arcane Journey

Chapter 111 Invitation

The dim lighting in the Salamander Tavern creates a cozy atmosphere, but it's not so dark that it's uncomfortably dark.

Smoking kerosene lamps hang from the ceiling, and at the far end of the bar, flames dance merrily.

It was used as a temporary stage.

At this moment, a slender half-elf was playing on a dulcimer.

He moved his fingers like flying, hitting the metal strings with a small wooden hammer, playing a melodious tune.

A palm-sized salamander lay on top of the fireplace, watching the performers.

Because of its dark orange scales with golden luster, people call it: red gold.

It is the mascot of the tavern.

When the door of the tavern was slammed open, flames leaped from the scales of the little lizard, and it hissed and disappeared into the shadows with great speed.

A black leather boot was the first to step on the steps at the entrance of the tavern, splashing dust mixed with yellow sand.

A stranger in a black cloak walked in from the falling night.

The stranger was gazing at the crowd with eyes that shone like obsidian blocks hidden in his hood, and the drinkers were involuntarily quiet and a little nervous.

The stranger shrugged and took off his dusty cloak, and casually threw it to a wooden hook on the wall, where the cloak hung, shaking a few times, and the yellow sand covering the surface flowed down the folds.

This is a handsome half-elf man, his face is three-dimensional and deep, with sharp edges and corners, revealing the resolute lines like knives and axes, without losing the softness of the elves.

His clothes were well-cut and well-cut, showing that he was more like a rich boy. It can be seen that this outfit has once been fashionable, but the style of shirt and breeches is long outdated now.

The dark-skinned, skinny, and lame tavern owner put down his work, raised his head, and looked at the visitors with cloudy eyes.

He noticed some rust-colored stains on the half-elf's fine linen shirt, and a few spots of scarlet that looked like blood from a while ago.

The pupils of the tavern owner shrank suddenly, put down the pipe in his hand, and said in a low voice, "Would you like something, honored guest?"

"Have a beer." The half-elf said calmly, and walked harmlessly towards the bar.

Seeing this, the drinkers breathed a sigh of relief, and with the screeching sound of the benches rubbing against the floor, they gradually returned to their usual hustle and bustle.

"Grandpa Balleris!" At this moment, a boy about ten years old rushed into the tavern, shouting in a high-pitched child's voice.

Many customers turned their heads and looked at the intruder curiously.

"Levis!" shouted the elderly saloonkeeper, furrowing his bushy brown brows in confusion. "Damn it, come over here, boy!"

The boy with long, disheveled hair quickly ran to the side of the tavern owner who was called Grandpa, out of breath.

"Grandpa, I saw a big crouching dragon at the gate of our town." The little boy said excitedly, "Uncle Borg said, this is from the city of ghosts that can fly deep in the desert. The bride brought it to us in Mokou Town, and now I really want to visit the rock bunker in the town, can you take me there?"

"Tomorrow morning, Lavis, it's dark now, and I'm very, very busy." The old tavern owner looked apologetically at the half-elf who was waiting patiently, and said to the boy.

"But I heard that the bride is going to marry."

"I said, not now!" The tavern owner interrupted his words, showing a stern expression on his wrinkled face.

The half-elf standing aside has been watching this scene with great interest.

At this point, he cut in, "Your grandpa was right, little one, I have a little gadget that will make you forget about these troubles."

He stretched out his right hand, swung his slender and nimble fingers, and three balls of light appeared above the boy's head.

Levis gasped in surprise, and cautiously reached out to the gleaming orbs.

"Throw them up lightly, and they'll fall like snowflakes," said the half-elf wizard, smiling.

This wonderful spell immediately fascinated the boy, and he followed the bouncing magic balls obediently to an empty corner.

"Aha, young people are easy to be satisfied."

The old tavernkeeper sighed, and when the half-elf wizard turned to face him, a fleeting sharpness flashed across his cloudy eyes.

The old man stared into the deep eyes of the other party, "What's your name, kind wizard?"

"My name is Brian." The half-elf wizard looked at the tavern owner, his eyes moved from the thick layer of calluses on the old man's right palm to his lame left leg, and said to him in intriguing words:
"Perhaps some day I shall need your art, learned Ballerith, and I hope to have your help then."

Balleris blinked, avoiding the strange wizard's scorching gaze, and subconsciously said, "Of course, I am willing to help you."

Brian smiled and said nothing.

When the waitress came to the bar and brought him a glass of bubbling beer, he greeted again: "Have another glass for your boss, I treat you."

This girl is not beautiful, but she is curvy and has a pair of naughty smiling eyes, and the small upturned nose adds a bit of playfulness to her face.

When Brian placed a gold coin on the bar, she gave him a friendly wink, drawing his attention back to the stage.

He found that the current performer was indeed worthy of his attention, his voice was sweet and pure, and the harp with intricate patterns in his arms marked that he was a senior bard.

The half-elven poet has come a long way, Brian thought.

Because he saw the dark purple coat and rose breeches against the silver hair, which clearly showed that the boy was a stranger.

After all, the residents of Mokou Town usually dress more plainly.

"Behold, praise Mystra!"

A dark-skinned wanderer at the wine table took the initiative to greet Brian, "A wizard, he was sent by God! Come and moisten your throat with us?"

Brian followed the sound and found that besides a wanderer as thin as a monkey, there was also a warrior in black armor with a long sword hanging from his waist sitting beside the table.

The human warrior is tall, with bronzed skin and short, shoulder-length black hair.

He nodded slightly, and walked over with a beer glass.

"Sit, sit."

The wanderer greeted sincerely, pointing to an empty chair beside him fawningly, "My name is Tuka, an admirer of the Wizarding Brotherhood, how lucky am I to be able to sit with you, my lord."

"My name is Brian, from the Kingdom of Cormyr." Brian sat down, pondered for a while, and introduced himself.

He has just returned to the surface from the Underdark region. Before capturing Mokou Town, he must learn more about the specific division of forces in this border town. This is the purpose of his coming here.

"Isn't this Cormyr's territory?" the warrior beside the rogue muttered.

"Lando!" the rogue scolded, and the latter shrugged his shoulders with a disapproving expression.

"Mr. Bryan, it seems that wealth connects us together. Our team welcomes all skilled people, including noble wizards like you."

The rogue looked at Brian and said, "In fact, just yesterday we lost a rather talented fellow wizard to a...sudden accident, and we're here tonight to mourn his death leave."

"Accident?" Brian looked at the wanderer with interest.

He found that these two guys were very strong, especially the young warrior in armor, who was conservatively estimated to be at the third-tier hero level.

"He was standing among us, and a monster beyond description emerged. Then he bravely walked in front of us."

"It seems that we retreated?" The soldier named Lando interrupted abruptly, with an expression as if he was about to plunge a dagger into the rogue's brain.

"Well, I don't know how I can help in that situation." The rogue coughed dryly, stabbed his companion's armor secretly, and then deliberately lowered his voice and said to Brian:
"However, noble lord wizard, don't worry, I invite you to come here, not to ask you to take risks with us. In fact, I just want to invite you to join us for three days. Miss Natalie from the city of ghosts and A wedding held by the son of our Lord Graal, the lord of Mokou Town."

"Miss Natasha from the City of Shadows?" The half-elf bard who came down from the stage sat down with a glass of wine and said with a smile:

"The gods are really too cruel. I've heard that when Miss Natasha from the City of Shadows slept with a man for the first time, the floating city of the Netheril Empire hadn't fallen yet."

(End of this chapter)