Jasen sat at the table, legs now crossed as he sipped on the tea. Saris stood Infront of Jasen her eye's narrowed. Jasen felt the air in the room shifted, and a strange sensation shivered through his spine.
"Explain to me how you new about this." Saris said with venom in her voice. She pointed at the card, her eyes look almost feral. Jasen thought the half elf looking girl was ready to stab him in a instance.
Jasen realized in this moment how much in danger he was. He didn't know if Saris's slightly pointy ears were for show or she could hear his heart beat which was ponding fast. He had two options. 1. Back down and apologize, or 2. Stand his ground but be smart about it.
Jasen was ready to back down, but another part of him wanted to stress test this girl. So far he knew he hasn't done anything wrong or disrespectful. Plus the Head Inspector gave me the right to choose.
"You know I have tolerated you disrespectful attitude long enough." He said coldly before sipping the warm tea."
Saris' eyes widen from confusion. "Excuse me. What did you just say ?"
" I said you been disrespectful," he repeated. "Since I got here you have been rude and disrespectful. I don't know the Sixth Eye's do things in other places, but I can say your the only one that has treated me so poorly. Maybe I should just talk to Vaelwyn and the Head Inspector Kaelen about having my questions answered."
Saris hostile expression stayed on Jasen. Then in a split second it shifted to a more composed calm expression. The air around her calmed as well. As Saris fixed her clothes, she bowed deeply in Jasen direction.
"Please excuse my disrespectful behavior Sir. It was unbecoming of myself, and please do not let it be a reflection of the order's conduct."
That was surprising. I didn't think it would work. Maybe it was luck or maybe being Vaelwyn student gives me some protection here.
"I accept your apology. Can you please explain the Path 0 for me."
Saris stood upward. " I can only disclose this to you, since the head inspector has cleared you for any path the order uses. What I am about to tell you need to kept a secret. Only certain people know about these paths."
Jasen nodded. So there are more paths. great I have more choices.
"Path 0: The Conqueror. Is part of what some call the reverse series. They are the opposite side of the paths of the ones I showed you. But none of them are for the weak of heart or mind."
Jasen's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Each path in the reverse series is harder and more deadly. But the power received from each ascension in rank, is greater in some cases to the upright version. Path 0: The Conqueror. Is about walking through your path more blind and lost then before. It is more reckless and more stagnant. It is said that the reverse pathways are trials meant to truly test a person."
Saris opened the Path book and casted a incantation on it. The book glowed and opened turning to the Conqueror. The First F ranked ability is called Tenacity. It allows you to fight through pain and exhaustion. Meaning you could keep fighting even if you been fighting none stop for hours or days."
That sounds very useful. A ability that lets me keep going past my limits.
"The second ability is called. Wanderer. This ability will help you get to were you need to be whether you know it or not. Basically you are never truly lost, your just taking a detour, but will put your life in danger."
Now that's worrisome. So basically my random encounter rate will increase, and more dangerous encounter's will occur. Please let this next ability be worth it.
"The final ability is called Intimidation. It's just like it sounds, you will be able to intimidate those weaker then you. There is a catch thought."
Jasen's eyes narrowed. "Catch like how?"
"For every person you manage to successfully intimidate you grow stronger. Whether they lose their ability to fight or even submit to you. Your physical and magical power will grow. This ability grows as you ascend the ranks to."
"What about the other paths?" He asked.
"Please research them on your own. We already have to much to do as it is." Saris gestured to the box, and pulling out a small leather pouch.
"Next up: currency and stipend. Since you're now on payroll, you need to understand how money works in the world. We can start you off with the currency of this country." Saris handed the small leather pouch to Jasen. It jangled loudly with coins.
"Consider this your initial stipend advance. Eight silver drakes and twenty copper shrikes. Plus the one-time outfitting bonus of two gold eyes."
Jasen loosened the pouch strings and peeked inside. Shiny silver coins the shape of a octagon, stamped with a dragon motif (these must be the drakes), and copper ones were round a bit larger etched with a bird in flight (shrikes, apparently).
There were also a couple of heavier coins that were gold with a eye etched in them, perhaps the bonus denominations? He hadn't sorted them yet.
"In Velduros," Saris lectured, "the currency system is decimal. A hundred copper shrikes make one silver drake. Fifty silver drakes make one gold eye. Eye's are high value; you won't see those often until you're making big purchases. To put it in perspective: a loaf of bread might be 2 or 3 copper, a modest meal maybe 5 copper, a night at a decent inn perhaps 20 copper, which is two tenths of a silver, and a set of sturdy clothes might be 1 silver or thereabouts. Eight silver and change will last you a couple weeks for basic expenses if you're frugal. We'll pay you that amount monthly for now."
Jasen nodded, mentally converting. This is a really generous starting sum for someone with room and board practically covered. That's if the living conditions with Vaelwyn didn't Change.
Not to mention I still need to get use to this city and the different area's part of it. Not to mention I should find a way to get some extra income to come in.
Saris continued. "Don't go blowing it all at the Dragon's Lair or the colosseum ," Saris added drily. "I've seen too many newbies do that and then cry poverty by week's end."
I guess economics education is not a thing here as well. "I'll be careful," Jasen said, cinching the pouch and tucking it safely into an inner pocket of his borrowed coat.
" Well shall see. Now for your gear." Saris moved to a cabinet and took out a few items, laying them on the table one by one. First was a pair of gloves dark, charcoal-grey leather gloves, supple and clearly well-crafted. An embroidered emblem of the Sixth Eye. It was stitched in black thread on the back of each glove's.
"These are your standard-issue Sixth Eye gloves," she said. "They serve a few purposes. They identify you as one of us when worn openly. They also protect your hands, obviously. But most importantly, they're alchemically treated to resist common reagents and magical residues. Means if you're handling evidence say a cursed locket or strange goods you're less likely to contaminate it or be affected by lingering hexes or corruptions."
Jasen picked up the gloves, sliding them on. They fit snugly. A faint tingle ran across his fingers, perhaps the residue of their alchemical treatment. He curled his fingers, feeling the fine grip. "Wear them in the field always," Saris instructed. "Keeps the locals from questioning you and keeps your hands attached when poking unknown substances. They are will not give you a 100% protections, so be careful."
Next, she handed him a small bronze badge in the shape of an eye. It wasn't as elaborate as Vaelwyn's silver pin, but it had a simple engraving of the Sixth Eye emblem. "Temporary badge," Saris said. "For now, it's bronze. Provisional members carry those. You display it if needed, like to a city watch patrol to show you have jurisdiction at a scene. Once you're fully confirmed in a Path and rank, you'll get a silver badge like Vaelwyn's."
Jasen nodded and fixed the badge to the front of his tunic. It glinted dully. For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt a spark of pride and belonging.
Saris wasn't done. She then produced a sheathed dagger, a baton. She then placed a thin notebook next to them. "Standard sidearms, you can pick one or both." she said, gesturing. "We're investigators, not an army, but it's wise to carry something for personal defense. You can also use your own personal weapon's, but they must be registered with us. Pistol's gun are issued to official investigator's. If you have your own and passed the qualification test, then your pistol can be registered. Short swords or twin blades are allowed. Nothing bigger unless dealing with a fallen path user or magical beast of grade 3 or higher." Saris all in a quick explanation.
"You know how to fight, I assume?"
"More or less" he responded half heartedly. He did know how to fight in a sense. Years of Military training, mixed with some wrestling, and boxing he did on the side.
"Good. Just keep those skills sharp and don't brandish these tools unless necessary." Lastly, she then tapped the notebook. "Field log. Use it to jot down clues, observations, or sketch runes and symbols if you encounter them. Many of us keep one. Memory can be fickle in stressful situations, and when magic is involved. Written notes might save your hide later when making sense of a case."
Jasen accepted the notebook, flipping through blank cream-colored pages. It even had a small charcoal pencil attached by a loop. He slid that into an inner coat pocket alongside his stipend pouch and ID parchment.
Jasen pulled out the ID, and look as the blank parchment turned hard and black. Gold engravings filled the card.
It read.
Name: Jasen V
Age: 22
Height: 186 cm
Address: Sixth Eye Velduros headquarters
Affiliation: Sixth Eye
Emergency Contact: Vaelwyn Drakon
"What is this?" Jasen asked.