The Dragon's Consortium 2

50 - Life in Qostros

Soterios Dragvern - POV;

"Did you get the bread for me?" a voice asked from the kitchen as I entered the apartment.

"Hmm? What was that?" I asked as I walked in.

"The bread Soterios! I told you I need it to make sandwiches for lunch. We have a tight budget you know," Csilla pouted.

"I think it's obvious I forgot but have no fear my dear. I will just have you for dinner!" I declared and I wrapped my hands around her waist, pulling her closer. I bit lightly on her ear causing her to let out a squeak.

"Not infront the kids daddy!" a voice cackled in the corner. I jumped back as my head jerked in the direction of the sound. Dark Matter stood in the corner with an evil grin and next to him Alduin sat wide eyed with jaw ajar. A look of embarrassment overcame everyone's face....except for Dark Matter of course. That unfazed cheeky grin always managed to tick me off.

"Um, so anyone want to go to the baker with me?" I inquired awkwardly.

"SO- TER- I- OS!" Csilla shouted with a rolling pin in her hand. She gritted her teeth and her eyebrows were tightened into a frown. Her entire face was red from blushing.

"You always find a way to make a fool out of me in front of other people. I'LL SHOW YOU A THING OR TWO ABOUT THAT!" Csilla screamed and threw the utensil at me. I barely managed to duck and allow the projectile to whizz past my head.

"Crack!" I spun around and stared at the object which had become lodged in the wall behind me.

"You could have killed me!" I protested.

"That is the idea," Csilla said with soulless eyes as she plucked up one of her knives.

I rushed out of the house, tripping and tumbling as I frantically tried to escape the girl right on my heels. I burst out the door and jumped off the side of the flight of stairs going down to the streets. I ran up the roadway for a few feet before collapsing on the sidewalk panting.

"Don't forget the bread sweetie!" Csilla waved with an insane expression at the doorway before returning inside.

"I really am getting a bit out of shape," I lamented to myself closing my eyes.

"Wife problems there buddy?" someone questioned. I looked up to see a man standing over me with his arm outstretched. I grabbed his hand and he helped me to my feet.

"Girlfried actually," I corrected him.

"Ah, budding young love then? I hope you two aren't eloping or anything funny like that. You do appear really young now that I look at you," he remarked.

"No, of course we aren't doing something stupid like that. I'm Soterios by the way. We are new around these parts," I introduced myself.

"I'm Klein Spielberg. I am a wandering warrior of sorts," he shook my hand.

"A wandering warrior? In Qostros? But this land is extremely peaceful, what do you do here? Why not another continent?" I interrogated him.

He looked at me inquisitively before smiling. "You're not just new to Qaezia are you? You're from off the continent," he deduced.

"What? That's nonsense!" I bluffed.

He shook his head,"The people of Qostros aren't allowed to leave nor are others allowed to enter. I know not how you got in but you should be quiet. If you are found, you will be killed."

"Oh, is that so?" I gulped loudly.

"Don't worry, I'll keep your secret hidden. Let's go out for a drink sometime ey?" he pat me on the shoulder and shuffled off. He was a curious person but his features did fit that of a typical warrior. Middle aged with long dark brown hair and a matching moustache which joined into a goatee. Based on that I felt I could trust him.

I walked towards the most famous bakery in the region which sold such perfectly textured bread that it was said that the poor would sometimes use them as pillows. Qostros never ceased to amuse me.

As I waited on my order, I couldn't help but overhear a nearby conversation.

"Hey dude, did you hear the new rumour coming out of Uradora?"

"You and your rumours again?"

"This one is really juicy! I heard that Uradora had just managed to fight of the dragons invading from the north but one of their main heroes turned against them and helped the beasts run rampant before they returned to Drakhurith!"

"That sounds absolutely stupid. All we know for sure is that there is tension between Drakhurith and Uradora. I am sure all this crap about civil wars and alliance and invasions of opposing continents is all garbage being spewed. They are rumors for a reason."

It was apparent that the people really had no idea of what the truth was in the other lands. It seems that somehow word was being leaked however, although it was not treated as credible.

Hearing this situation brought up only deepened the pain embedded into my soul however. It wasn't easy for me to choose to seem to abandon everyone who loved and believed in me and leave them only to abhor me. The fact that Csilla had stuck by me side aided in the alleviation of some of this suffering but I couldn't help but feel as if I had made her throw her life away.

When we arrived on the shores of Qostros, we immediately moved to Qaezia as logically, this is the place where one would be able to enlist powerful allies to aid in a mission as ambitious as World Peace. As such, one could imagine our surprise to find that not many guilds were located in Qostros because of its peaceful tendencies. Even the few that were there recieved merely search requests the majority of the time and they would usually just look for lost pets or jewellery. A real warrior was very rare and when one did appear, he was usually some mere weakling.

"Hey, you there?" I asked in almost a whisper.

"Of course young master," Durnehviir responded.

"Something's been bothering me. Klein had said that no one can enter or exit Qostros and yet we easily sailed in without even seeing anyone looking out for invaders or general law breakers," I remarked to him.

"I heard this Klein's remark. My train of thought had followed your own at the point in time but then a memory had resonated with me," Durnehviir mentioned.

"A memory?"

"Yes. While we were entering the Qostrian waters, I felt the presence of a strong, ancient magic. A barrier had been created that would detect foreign presences both exiting and entering. I had cast a spell to mask the boat only moments after we penetrated the field. I couldn't recall where I knew the magic from at the time so I hadn't bothered to worry you about the incident but I belive I may now have recollection of what unleasehed this unique magic," he explained.

"Well then? What used the spell?" I pressed him.

"There is little doubt in my mind that this is the work of an Eastern Dragon."

*
There we go. New update for the beginning of the New Year. Welcome all to 2017!