World Isekai

You must all be new around here," said the man.

He walked behind the bar and started cleaning plates while talking.

"It was not in my time, nor George's time... But our great-great something were bent over by a vampire wench. Fucked the whole region for a very long time, we have records of it."

"Is she still around?" asked Aura.

The man spat again.

"If she was we'd be in a worst shape. She left for the mountains, but only after she did a number on us."

"What has she done?" asked Xannos, curious. "I'm guessing she killed quite a few for such a reaction."

"Oh, no, she avoided killing us," he replied.

"Then why?" asked Aura.

"That woman roamed around the region, killing cattle. At first, we were content with how she avoided unnecessary bloodshed, but she just never stopped. I'm guessing animal blood isn't as good as human blood for your kind. She decimated our animals. We had to relearn everything we knew and switch to plant-based farming."

"That doesn't sound so bad," said Aura.

"Yeah, you two are most likely related. You're as dumb as her."

Aura frowned, she made a move forward but Mori stopped her, shaking his head.

"Yeah, you came to finish the job huh? You know how many died, while she tried to take the peaceful route? We would've rather given up some of our own in exchange for peace. She made sure never to be caught, but when she was, she decided to retreat to the mountains. May she never return. Lucky for us, we were born after all of this happened, but we don't forge," he said, tapping his forehead.

"You guys didn't grow any plants?" asked Xannos, "That makes little sense."

"Where are you guys from?"

"I'm from Dustriver, he's from another world, and she's been secluded in a mansion. As for her..."

"I was raised in Dustriver as well," said Lilae.

"There you have it," said Xannos.

"The problem out here used to be the soil and climate. That's why our ancestors never bothered trying to grow anything. This is all we knew, animals. Now look at us, we're like those forest humpers because of that woman."

"She could be..." started Aura.

"No point in guessing. Let's just wait for Griswald to answer our questions," said Mori.

"In the meantime, would you be so kind as to feed our group? I assure you, we haven't come with ill intentions," said Xannos, smiling widely.

"Just sit at any table you want. It'll cost you extra for her."

Aura's fist tightened, but Mori's hand on her shoulder dissuaded her from intervening.

They walked to the table, dragging chairs from further away to sit together.

Their conversation filled the pub, while the sound of of a knife against the chopping board filled the background.

"How close are we, do you think?" asked Xannos.

"A few days, I would guess," said Mori.

"From where?" asked the man.

"We're heading for the mountains."

"You're only two days away. But I can tell, you're not properly geared for it."

They looked at each other.

"What do you mean?" asked Xannos.

The sound of vegetables being cut stopped, as he put his knife down to look at them.

"Well first of all, there's nasty monsters over there. The closest big city is Dustriver, and let's be honest, it hasn't been 'big' in the last couple of years. Nobody takes care of the monsters in the mountains, Dustriver sent no adventurers anywhere in a while, actually."

"We can handle monsters," said Mori.

"Then there's the cold. Something people don't expect, although it sounds pretty obvious. Some people think only the tops are cold, but that's not true. The nights will get ya, if you're unprepared."

Lilae turned toward the group. "We might need to stock up on some things."

"And that's not all," he added.

"What more?" asked Mori.

"It's the Unkindled's domain. He roams that place, or so people says."

Xannos nodded, "Thanks, huh..."

"People call me Raz," he replied.

"Thanks Raz."

Aura leaned in, to whisper, while the cutting sounds restarted.

"What do you know about all that?" she asked.

"When I played the game, many things were different." said Mori, "I've never been this far west, but also, your mother never terrorized any region."

"So we're going there blind, with the promise of a dungeon you've never seen that could also not be there in this world?"

"The Unkindled existed. I've read about him, and they said on the forums-"

"Forums?" asked Aura.

"A place where people would write to each-other, but publically, and anyone could jump in at anytime,"

"Oh... Okay."

"Anyways, I've read some people mention it, but it was an entity that couldn't be beaten. No lifebar, or even physical bodies to attack. People just get caught in his storms, and don't make it out."

"So you don't know anything about him?" asked Xannos.

"It doesn't matter much what myths may exist about that 'Unkindled'. We'll be avoiding these storms anyways, we should be able to see them coming."

"I just don't understand why that dungeon is so important to you, when there's plenty around," said Xannos.

Mori sighed, looking at the ceiling for comfort.

"I'm curious too," said Aura.

"You too?" said Mori.

"Sorry..."

"...It's fine. It's a 'Crowned Dungeon'."

"We know about those," said Lilae. "You beat it, then you rule it? But there's little use to that, even if we could create a sort of dungeon farm it wouldn't do us that much good, we don't even have ressources to-"

"This dungeon is different," said Mori.

"What, is there rare ore or something like that?" asked Xannos.

"I don't know. All I know, is that it flies."

Everyone took a moment to think, piecing together the puzzle Mori was giving.

"What's the point of a flying dungeon?" asked Lilae.

"Think about it, a nation that flies above other nations. Safe from invasion, but easy to invade from."

"A nation?!" asked Xannos, his eyes wide circles.

"Yes, a nation."