The Young Master in the Shadows

Chapter 401: The Temple

“So this is our destination,” The old master inquired as his newly acquired ‘Elven Horse’ drawn carriage reached a large town, surrounded by a stone wall.

“Yes, master!” Sini said, “It is the last town before the frontier, behind it there are only a few miles of desert until we reach the Death Gorge that separates us from the demon lands!” she quickly added. She had long figured out that her new master was a hermit who had no idea about a lot of things.

“Death gorge ?”

“Yes, it is this huge and deep ravine that no one was ever able to explore… it runs the entire width of the continent with only a few bridges over it connecting the two sides!” Sini explained. “In the past, it was the old borderline for some old human empire… After that empire fell, it became borderline with the demons and the first line of defense! Although the demons crossed it many times, pushing the defenses with great numbers. The temple always managed to push them back behind it!” she said with stars in her eyes.

“The temple?” The old master asked again. “Was I in seclusion for so long that the world changed this much?” he added.

“The Defenders Temple is a multi-racial organization, in the past, was a minor sect that preached about the demons' danger, but no one believed them! Still, about 300 years ago, when the demons first arrived, they grew in importance after proving their worth on the battlefield! They managed to become the strongest force, managing to repel the demons and defeat them repeatedly!” Yoss explained this time. “If only the Matriarch of the Moon elves didn't stubbornly refuse their help, maybe we wouldn’t have been decimated in the last breach…” she sighed. “How can someone who came to help you selflessly be so bad…”

“Oh… They do sound sketchy as hell…” the old master commented in an inaudible voice. “They run this place now?”

“Yes! They took it upon themselves, the mission to control and guard the border towns after all the world’s kingdoms decided to withdraw their troops from the desert that was not worth protecting! They also have missionaries all over the world!” Sini explained. “They hunt demons everywhere as they have some technique to discover the ones who hide among people! They do not discriminate against any race!” Sini explained.

“I see… Do they also control the sale of all demon-repelling weapons?” he asked.

“Yes! Their skills and weapons are super effective against those demons!” Yoss said, “They can even cure their poisons!”

“Oh…”

“They also help the poor and the needy, They are the best thing that ever happened in this gloomy world!” Sini added.

“If they are so good, why is there a thriving slave trade everywhere here?” he asked.

“Ah… They don’t interfere in worldly manners…” Yoss replied. “They say their part is to only help!”

“How convenient!” he said “Oh… Can anyone join them?” he asked.

“I am not sure…” Yoss frowned.

“I know this!” Sini answered. “They only accept very powerful people, and the recruitment is done directly by their bishops! I am sure they would accept Master though!” she brightened up.

“I am sure they would…” he said as the carriage reached the town gate where two old guards stood. Both of them were half-breeds, having some ogre blood that was evident by their large builds and ugly faces.

“Slow down!” one guard in steel armor ordered. “What have you got there?” he asked, looking at the collapsed people in the cage.

“Merchandise for the morning market…” the old master replied.

“It is already noon…”

“I will be selling at a loss…”

“Do you have paperwork for these 'Merchandises’?” the guard asked. “And I also need some ID…”

“Sure…” The old master said, taking a bunch of copper coins and handing them to the guard. He got those when he caught the slavers.

“Everything seems in order… Carry on…” The guard nodded, gesturing for the wagon to move on.

“Thanks!” the old master nodded, “By the way, do you know any good honest dealer that might accept some perfectly legal ‘merchandise’?” he asked as the wagon began to move, tossing a sliver in the guard's hand.

“Go to the old street, it is the one next to the temple. Ask for old Timber, tell him old Jok sent you,” the guard said.

“Understood!” the old master replied and the carriage entered the town.

Chaotic!

This was the best way to describe this place, as the streets were filled with beggars, refugees, merchants, and random adventurers who came to accept the temple’s requests, fight the demons in the frontier, and try to get their level up at the same time.

They were of all races of this world, humans, elves, dwarves, and halves.

“The town is considered a safe place as crime is completely forbidden! So many people prefer to stay here even in the streets, to being outside where they can be kidnapped and sold for the flimsiest reason,” Sini explained.

"I don't see any guards though..." the old master asked.

"The temple doesn't use guards... Even the ones outside belong to the town hall, and are there just for the taxes," Sini said. "The temple seems to have some kind of artifact that can quickly discover any crimes committed inside the walls, and if anything happens, they will immediately dispatch a group of priests!"

"... This doesn't make any sense... Does that mean if I pickpocketed someone the temple would know?" he asked with a frown. Selling slaves in public doesn't seem to be a crime...

"Ahh... I don't know, but there was an incident like that in the past, and the priest really did find the thief!" she said.

“You know a lot about this place…” he said, as his mind turned, adding more random missions to his list... Damn it!

“The first time we were sold, we were brought here… We spent 6 months in training...” she said in a sad voice.

“I see…” The old master slowly patted the sad half-elf’s hair as the wagon slowly made its way through the streets. After asking a few passersby, it quickly found its way toward the temple, the tallest building in town.

Along the way, they saw a group of monks in white dresses passing the streets and heading to the gate while totally ignoring all kinds of sketchy peddlers who were shouting for their goods.

The old master gave them a fleeting look then shook his head and began inspecting the peddlers.

“WEAPONS! WE HAVE WEAPONS… USED ONLY ONCE… SOME NEVER USED “

“WE BUY GIRLS… ANY GIRL…”

“WE BUY CORPSES… SIR DO YOU HAVE A CORPSE? NO… TOO BAD…”

“WE HAVE GIRLS… HUMANS, ELVES, DWARVES, HAVE OGRES TOO IF INTERESTED!”

“MAP OF THE DESOLATE LANDS… BUY ONE, GET A COFFIN RESERVED FOR FREE!”

“MEN! WE HAVE MEN! PRETTY MEN, UGLY MEN, STRAIGHT MEN, GAY MEN… ALL KINDS OF MEN!”

“EXOTIC SPICES! CAN TURN YOUR GIRL INTO A WHORE!”

“ARTIFACTS! WE HAVE ARTIFACTS… ABSOLUTELY NOT FAKE!”

“HATS! WE HAVE HATS…”

“HORSES, NORMAL HORSES, ELVEN HORSES, DWARVEN HORSES….”

“BRIDGE PASS! WE HAVE SPARE BRIDGE PASSES!”

“Bridge pass?” the old master stopped the wagon and asked.

“Yes!” The peddler quickly ran to his side. “To go into the desolate lands, you need to cross the holy bridge, you need a pass of that…”

“Oh… Wouldn't it be usually sold at the temple?” Sini quickly asked, fearing that her master would be tricked.

“Ah…Don’t worry, these ones are totally legit!” the pedlar quickly said. “Some people just don't make it to the bridge… They die of totally natural causes… and we happen to find their passes…” the peddler said, not hiding a thing. Those who came here without sufficient power didn’t deserve to cross the bridge!

“Oh… how much for one?” the old master asked.

“The temple sells them for a gold piece each, I will take 7 Silvers!” the peddler said. “But you will need one for each of you…I can give you a discount…” he added.

“No need, give me one… And I will take one of the maps too…” the old master said, making the two half-elf girls look at each other worriedly as he inspected the strange green jade token the peddler threw to him.

“Don’t worry…” the old master said, hugging the two girls as the peddler left with his money. “I don’t plan to sell you…” he said. “This is just for a trip I may make in the future… You are too weak to follow me…” he said.

“Is Master planning to go into the desolate land to fight demons?” Sini asked worriedly.

“Who knows…” the old man didn’t reply as the wagon stopped next to a dark alley right before the temple.

“I am looking for old Timber…” the old man asked one peddler who was selling a group of macho men chained to a wall. Slavery seemed to be the norm here.

“There!” The peddler pointed, not toward the ally, but to a large gilded store right opposite the temple’s gate. Typical.

They quickly headed there.

“Old Timber?” the old master asked an old dwarf who was sitting on a high chair smoking a pipe in front of his store that clearly sold clothes for the temple.

“Yes?”

“Old Jok said you buy perfectly legal merchandise here?”

“I do… The girls?”

“No, the ones in the back…”

Old Timber jumped from his high chair and slowly walked behind the carriage, his eyes sparkled when he noticed the unconscious Litar.

“We don’t accept sun elves… Too much trouble…”

“Then I guess I will go somewhere else…”

“I will make an expedition…”

“How much?”

“1 gold for each, 10 for the elf…”

“Double it…”

“Impossible…”

“...”

“...”

“...”

“Fine…” the dwarf said as he gestured to two burly men who grabbed the unconscious slavers and then dragged them toward the dark alley in the back.

“Good to do business with you…” the old master said, as he counted the money and then put them in his pocket.

“If you ever need some fine goods, or want to sell, come find me…” the old dwarf said.

The old master nodded and drove the carriage away, giving the temple’s door a fleeting glance.

“Where to now?” Sini asked, slightly relieved that their new master didn’t really sell them! Maybe she should thank him tonight… He he….

“Find an inn…” The old master said. “I need to show you my cauldron…” he added, making both of the girls look at each other. Cauldron? Was this a new term for….

…

“Wow… '' Yulian said as he left the hotel, they were in a grand city with tall skyscrapers and many sceneries. “This city is really big… I couldn’t believe such a place existed in such a remote area!” he said.

“Don’t get fooled by how prosperous this place is, it is a completely sinful city with many shady things going on in the background…” Lily said. “The kingdom of Orva is made out of only this city that had absolutely no natural resources or industries… Can you imagine how they make their money?”

“Ahh... Crime?”

“Not if it is legal here… “

“What?”

“As long as you have money, there is nothing you can’t get here! From Drugs to Slavery, it is all accepted,” Lily sighed. “This place is also a runaway hub for all the corrupt politicians let alone overthrown kings and dictators in the world… They come here with tons of cash or gold bars to start a new life and enjoy their retirement!”

“Ahh...Wouldn’t their original countries ask for them?”

“They can… But no one will care unless one of the oligarchs intervenes. This place is under the protection of the Ashflint family,” Lily said as they reached a grand casino next to the hotel where many luxurious cars were stopping and dropping off VIPs, it seemed that there was some kind of event.

“Welcome to the Grand Ash Auction…. Do you have an invitation?” the guard at the door asked politely. He didn’t mind the masks on their faces as many Auction attendants wore masks due to the exotic nature of this auction.

“No, just tell your young master Liam that someone came for his debt,” Lily said flatly.

“Ahhh…. Please wait a moment…” the guard frowned, but didn’t dare to be disrespectful. The aura Lily was projecting was that of someone very important.

“Debt?” Yulian asked as the two of them were guided into a waiting room.

“Just something Victor scammed, he has no use for it, and it will get us into the auction easily and get us what we need… Just play along,” she said.

“Oh… Why not use that purple token instead?” Yulian asked. He saw her use it in the airport when they left Vein City. It made everything very easy.

“I don’t want to leave a trail… But I don't mind using it if things got troublesome…” Lily casually replied. She would use her iron bat first though...

Five minutes later the door of the waiting room opened, and a fat young man entered with a group of very muscular guards.

Yulian sighed… It was clear this young man was not going to cooperate.

“Who are you?” Liam asked.

“I came with a letter from the Emperor…” Lily said in a fake voice, giving Liam a golden piece of paper… No, a better description for it would be a bill…

…

“Is this place really inside the cauldron?” Sini asked as she looked around, they were in a virgin forest surrounding a small stone hut. “Master, you really have many secrets!”

“Yes… This is where I stay when I train… And the place where you will live from now on…” the old master said. “I plan to be somewhere dangerous, and you shall be safe here…” he added.

“Master is planning to go to the demon lands?” Sini asked in a worried voice.

“...Yes…” he said. He planned to do more than that though, and the girls being with him was not feasible.

“As long as Master remembers to come take care of us, we don’t mind staying here…” Yoss said. “But please be careful…”

“Don’t worry…” he sighed, “How about I tell you one more secret?” he asked.

“What?” both girls asked then gasped as the old Master slowly turned into a young man. Not just a young man… A very handsome young man… No… Beyond handsome…

“This is what I truly look like….” he said, revealing his entire charm just as a test. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked with a frown, but the two half-elf girls who opened their mouths like dead fish had no answer. Their batteries must have died.

“I guess I will have to recharge you…” he said as he dragged the stunned girls into the newly built hut.