The Special Economic Zone Chapter 2: Chip off the Old Block

 

Chip off the Old Block

The former slaves ate their food with extreme gusto. It took Thorn two more times to summon enough food for them. When they were done, Thorn stepped up onto a small platform.

“Okay, yeah. So you guys are free to go now.”

The former slaves stared at Thorn.

“Um, yeah. I need to know some of your names. I can’t keep calling you “you all.””

“Our names are gone.” A woman with bunny ears and whiskers, but who otherwise appeared normally human, stood up.

“Um, really?”

Aki leaned in and whispered to Thorn. “The slaving ritual cast upon monsters and demihumans extracts their names. Thus, they have none.”

“Can they be restored?”

Aki shrugged. “With what I’ve seen you do, I don’t think it’s impossible.”

“Our names are lost forever.” The bunny ear woman bowed. “We cannot imagine such kindness if you were to give us new names.”

“Sure then.” Thorn pointed at the bunny ear woman. “Lila.” He pointed at a man with scales on his face, like a lizard. “Bron.” He pointed to a girl who appeared to be an anthropomorphic pig. “Jess.” One by one, he gave all the demihumans back their names.

As he named each one, shining light surrounded them, and their physical appearances changed. New traits appeared, and some of them looked totally different.

“Are names really that powerful?” Thorn sat down beside Aki. A carriage passed by on the road next to which Thorn had set the tables. He waved at the driver, who waved back.

Aki chuckled. “You really don’t know the power of name magic, do you?”

“Actually I don’t. I don’t know anything about anything in this world.”

“You freely admit that?”

“Hey, I have an idea. Can you be my magic teacher?”

“Um, sure.” Aki did her best to smile. “I do have a question. Where are you going to put all these, um, these people?”

“Can’t they just go home?”

“Their homes are very far away. Far too distant to walk.”

“I have an idea.”

Aki tilted her head. “Yes?”

“How about we build a village in your domain?”

Aki blinked a few times. “There’s a reason humans haven’t expanded there yet.”

“Yeah?” Thorn took a small cracker and ate it.

Aki sighed. “Yes. I’m not the only monster that lives near Farrow Dells.”

“Is that what that place is called?”

Aki stood up. “At the very least, we can try negotiating with her.”

“Who’s she?”

“Her name is Regolith. She’s a giant wolf who prowls the undergrowth of Farrow Dells. She hates any and all humanoids with a passion.”

“How were you able to coexist with her?”

“I’m not exactly humanoid, am I?” Aki took a bow.

“Well …” Thorn rubbed his chin. “Yeah. I guess so.” Even though she was in human form at the moment, Thorn got the distinct feeling that she really, actually, meat what she said. He stood up. “Well, lets get going. We can scout out the city later.” Thorn waved his hand at the crowd of demihumans. “Come on! There’s a great place for you guys that I think you’ll really like.”

Everyone piled onto the carriages and they drove back towards Farrow Dells. The journey took about two days, during which Thorn got to know a few of the demihumans, as well as Aki. Thorn’s power to create food out of nothing was indispensable.

When they reached the pass that led to Farrow Dells, Thorn called the carriages to stop. He stepped out of the lead carriage, followed by Aki.

“You’ll be safe here, right?”

“Yes, my lord.” Lila bowed. “This location has no monsters nearby.”

“I’m not worried about monsters.”

Aki started towards the pass. “No humans have been here for generations.”

Thorn followed Aki down the trail. “None?”

“You’re the first human to look upon this valley in decades.”

Aki and Thorn traveled down the mountain pass and into the valley. Aki held her fingers to her mouth and whistled. The sound echoed through the woods, sending birds scattering into the sky. A rumbling began in the ground, growing to the intensity of an earthquake. The trees parted, pushed to the ground like stalks of grass. A gigantic wolf, the size of a house, rose from the forest.

“Whoa.” Thorn looked up, meeting the wolf’s gaze.

“Why hast thou entered my domain?” The wolf growled. Its voice shook the leaves and sent dust into the air.

Aki stepped towards the wolf. “How do you do, Rea?”

The wolf leaned onto its front feet. “I told you not to call me that, Akkandocastulcar.”

“What’s wrong with that, Rea? I told you to call me Aki.”

“It is wrong.” The wolf snorted. “Names are a sacred thing.” The wolf looked at Thorn. “Who is this … Magnificent lord doing on our grounds?”

“Lord?” Thorn was confused.

“Your aura is that of a heroic figure.” Rea sniffed at Thorn. “You may be strong enough to achieve something special with these grounds. I know you intend to use this valley.”

“It’s that easy?”

Aki rubbed the wolf’s gigantic nose. “Thanks, Rea. You’re the best.”

The wolf puffed into smoke. When it cleared, a single girl with a wolf tail, dressed in crude animal skins, was standing in the meadow. “It hath been some time since I last assumed this form.” Her voice sounded like the voice of an actor in a period drama. “Have you a question for me?”

“Would you allow me to build a city here?”

Rea tilted her head. “A city? Why would you want something such as that? Are there not many cities in the human realm already?”

“Well, that’s the thing. This city wouldn’t be for humans.”

“Then who, may I ask, would it be for?”

“Demihumans.”

Rea rubbed her chin. “Hm. I shall think on it.” She turned around. “If you want me to cooperate, then you shall get something for me.”

“Sure.”

“You do not yet know what that something is.” Rea flicked her tail. “Why have you agreed?”

“Because in exchange I’m going to be able to use your land. I think, whatever you ask of me will be fair compensation.”

“Hm.” Rea sniffed. “Many of my lesser vulpine brothers and sisters have been enslaved, as many demihumans have been. I would like you to free them.”

“Of course.”

“I was not expecting such cooperation.” Rea walked up to me and smelled my neck. “You smell strange, for a human. Like tar, but far more refined.”

“You’re probably smelling gasoline and concrete.” Thorn turned away. “Rea. Do you think you can get the caravan of people settled in this area? Tell them that they can start building a town here.”

“I do not believe any of the people you rescued have experience in construction. For that you would need to ask a dwarf.” Aki flipped her hair. “I do not believe that bunch will be able to build more than a shabby hutch.”

“Then I’ll find some dwarves. But in the meantime, I want you to help those people as much as you can.”

“Of course, my lord.”

Thorn pursed his lips. “I don’t believe I deserve to be called that.”

Aki bowed. “But you are much more powerful than any being I have ever met.” Aki snapped her fingers and a ring appeared in her hand. “Your magical aura is leaking. If you approached the city, the people within would believe a dozen demon lords were at their gates. This ring will suppress your magic power, to a degree.”

“Of course.” Thorn took the ring and slid it onto his finger. The ring started glowing a deep purple.

“Your magic knows no bounds!” Aki laughed. “Well, I shall do as you have requested of me. Go, and make sure to bring back Rea’s vulpine brethren.”

Thorn tapped the ground with his foot and flew into the air. “Bye!” He shot towards Albern, just below the speed of sound. About two miles away from the city walls, he landed. With a short spell he conjured some traveler’s clothes, so as not to stand out.

“Now, to do some investigation.” Thorn approached the city gate. When he came close, he became stuck in a traffic jam.

“Ey, what’s going on up there?” The cart driver next to Thorn spat into the dirt. “Those dirty govners are holding things up again, I bet.”

“Excuse me.” Thorn waved at the cart driver. “Could you explain what a govner is?”

“Oh, ya don’t know? You’re from out of town, are you?”

“Yes, yes I am.”

“The govners are the king’s men. They take whatever they want, and call it tax. You can’t get past them without paying an arm and a leg. Sometimes literally.”

Thorn looked ahead. “Thanks for the warning, good sir.”

“Top of the day to you.” The cart driver sniffed, spitting again. “May I ask what your business here is?”

“Are there people called adventurers here?”

“Adventures? Sure. They’re everywhere. What, you want to become one?”

“I do.” Thorn flipped a copper coin at the man. “Is there a guild where I can register?”

“Aye, yes. But you’re going to have to go through a lot. First you need a sponsorship, and then you have to pay the fee. This city really isn’t friendly to young folk trying to make a go of it like yourself.”

“I’m okay with that. I can handle that.”

The cart driver eyed Thorn’s ring. “That’s a mighty fine piece you have there.”

“What, this? It’s nothing. A keepsake from my father.”

“Your father must have been an important person.”

“He, ah, he kind of was.” Thorn’s father had been a dean at a famous college in the US. He didn’t like to think about that, however. Thorn scratched his neck.

The line finally started moving.

“Well, I have one piece of advice for you, as a veteran of this Empire’s crazy bureaucracy. If you try to innovate in any way or in any form, you will lose. The Empire doesn’t like new things.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Thorn looked away. “Why did you tell me that?”

“Because you look like the inventing type. An old man like me can tell.”

Thorn was silent. “About the slaves here. Are they really all demihumans?”

“Of course. The church only allows non-human slaves.”

Thorn looked ahead, watching the soldiers at the gate inspect a cart. “It …” He sighed. “Never mind. Thanks for the advice, good sir.”

The driver tipped his hat. “No problem, my young lad. And thanks for the tip.” He smiled, as he pushed his horses to move the carriage forward.

When he got to the gate, Thorn tried to look as inconspicuous as possible. However, he was spotted almost immediately. A soldier stopped him with a pike.

“Your entry papers, please.”

Thorn tried to look as if he were searching for them. “Oh, I’m sorry.” He turned up his hands. “I seem to have lost mine.”

“Then get out of line.” The soldier held his pike between Thorn and the city gates. “If you try to enter without papers again, I will send you to the jailhouse.”

Thorn stepped out of line. The cart driver he had spoken with leaned forward. “Sorry, that’s my nephew. He tends to forget things.”

“Are your papers in order?”

The cart driver handed over a wrinkled piece of parchment. “Yes, sir.”

“Then move along.” The guard looked away, disinterested.

“Thanks.” Thorn followed the cart driver into the city. “I never asked your name. My name is Thorn.”

“Ragivan.” The cart driver waved. “I’ll be seeing you around, eh?”

Thorn waved goodbye as Ragivan drove his cart around a corner and disappeared.

“Well, I guess I’ll get started.” Thorn put his hands in his pockets and headed towards the adventurer’s guildhouse.