Unlimited Isekai and Other Unfortunate Magic

"An injured human adventurer stumbled into the smithy yesterday," Remicra growled with a hateful look. "He wanted to sell some metal insects."

"You've offered him the lowest price possible, yes?" The crystalline Overseer demanded authoritatively.

"Yes," Remicra replied, nodding her red mane. "I know the rules! I offered him two coppers… for 32 bugs."

The Overseer's stone-textured fingers hovered menacingly over the rune dial designed to inflict a world of pain upon her serf. "And how, pray tell, did this battered adventurer find himself lingering at the very edge of the smithy's protective ward all night long?"

"He was exhausted and it was getting late! The idiot refused to leave!" Remicra growled exasperatedly. "What would you have had me do? I can't leave the ward to drag him to town!"

"Fair enough," the Overseer conceded. "Should it happen again, be more resolute."

"I was very insistent, damn it!" The dragoness protested. "I threw him beyond the boundary of the ward!"

"This is not a public house for vagrants!" The Overseer declared. "As a consequence of your failure and... attempt at deception, a week's worth of food delivery shall be withheld from you."

"What?" Remicra barked.

"If it happens again, knock the vagrant out and let the shadows claim them," the Overseer said impassively. "We cannot allow vagabonds to loiter at the edge of the ward, stirring the shadows and depleting the ward's mana!"

"I understand," the blacksmith lowered her head in begrudging submission.

"Good," the stone-faced Overseer stated, "I'll see you in a week if nothing else... unexpected happens. I'm tightening the ward and leaving this Custodix Kitlix here to watch for further trouble. If any single customer stays longer than thirty minutes inside the smithy per day, I will know, so make sure to kick anyone out who... lingers."

Remicra opened her mouth.

"Throw a rock at their head or dump boiling water on them from the top of the tower if you cannot reach them," the Overseer said, opening a pouch and letting out a silver-cyan-violet Kitlix out, putting it atop of the shelf. "I don't care. You are to manage your customers' duration of stay from now on. Do we understand each other?"

"Y-yes, Overseer," the dragoness nodded.

The gray-skinned woman turned around and rapidly departed from the scene, silver cape fluttering behind her, jagged crystal formations glittering atop her head like a diamond crown of regal authority.

Dave lingered in the bushes, waiting until the echo of the Overseer’s footsteps had faded into the distance before he cautiously stepped into the smithy. Remicra, her scales shimmering with the colors of the setting sun, was rubbing her neck and trembling ever so slightly.

"Now I feel bad for haggling with you," he said. "I understand why you gave me such a low offer."

Remicra raised her violet-gold eyes to meet his, a myriad of emotions clearly swirling within their depths, but she remained silent.

"I brought dinner," Dave said, placing a net filled with a bundle of fresh groceries upon the worn wooden table.

"Take it and go," she said, her voice strained. "If Burgundy or his minions discover that you're staying here and aiding me, they will feed you to the shadows."

"I ain't afraid of a little shadow kitten," Dave said resolutely. "I am not going to abandon you."

"You're an idiot," Remicra sighed. "You're free. You have a bit of money now. Rent a room at a pub, do jobs for the Guild and forget about fixing this place."

"No," Dave said defiantly.

"No?"

"Six years ago, I was merely a lost cog in a vast, uncaring machine, a wheel that spun without much purpose or function," Dave said, thinking of his job at Serv0tek. "I got into an accident and a… mmm... Healer named Lari pulled me from the brink of death. She became my best friend, my guiding star. She taught me not just how to float about, but how to truly live, how to take chances and make a difference in the world. This smithy, and you... represent my chance to repay that kindness, and I'll be damned if I simply abandon you to what I see as clear, absolute villainy! I can't just abandon you, not when I know that she's watching over me!"

"What?" The dragoness blinked. "Who's... watching you?"

"The girl portrayed on the stained glass upstairs... she's my friend. Lari," Dave revealed. "She lived here, in Shandria, almost two hundred years ago. Saint Saria! I asked you about her earlier, remember?"

Remicra opened and closed her mouth.

"Tell me the truth," Dave said with sincerity, extending his hand towards the dragoness. "Do you want to be free? I promise I'll do whatever it takes to help you break that collar."

"If the collar is broken, the hexagrammic runework chain within it becomes interrupted," Remicra shook her head. "When this happens the collar gives me a powerful magical shock, disabling me long enough for the Overseer to gate here."

"She can teleport around?" Dave’s eyes widened.

"Lord Burgundy has many dangerous wizards working for him, including a Waymancer," Remicra explained. "An entire hunter team with a tracker and an enforcer is immediately dispatched via a gateway to my last known location if I use my tools or hands to rip this thrice-damned collar off me!"

Dave sighed, his shoulders slumping momentarily before steeling himself.

"Then I'll find a way to free you through legal means," he said.

"You're gambling your life on a foolish, unattainable goal," the dragoness warned. "You'll get yourself killed."

"I'll die anyway if I don't get the felislice flakes out of my body," Dave pointed out. "And I'll get horribly injured in the wild if I adventure without armor again. Hell, a few bugs nearly tore me to shreds."

Remicra sighed.

"I'm not hearing an answer," Dave insisted.

The dragoness came up from the floor on unsteady legs, her scales dancing between red and orange.

"I obviously want to be free," she admitted. "But unlike you, I am being realistic about my chances."

"At worst, I'll get killed, and you'll get pain-zapped for a bit, right?" Dave asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yes," Remicra answered. "I'm an expensive slave with a highly coveted blacksmithing skill, so I wouldn't be executed for disobedience. Most slaves are free to visit the town from their stations. My boundary leash is only so tight because I refused to bow down, tried to run away numerous times and now it's just been made even tighter because of you."

She glanced at the Custodix Kitlix occupying a tall shelf and silently staring at both of them.

"Listen," she said. "You have to go. You can't stay here... or this bugger will report you and then an entire Hunter team will gate here to deal with you."

Dave looked up at the Kitlix, his mind racing to find a solution.

"Alright," he said slowly, turning back to Remicra. "I'll go for now. But I'm not giving up on you or this place."

"It'll be your funeral then," Remicra sighed.

"I'll be back tomorrow," he said firmly. "I'm leaving this food here for you. I'll eat at the tavern. We just need to figure out how to work around this new... obstacle."

"You're annoyingly persistent, I'll give you that. But persistence won't save you from Burgundy's enforcers," she replied, shaking her head.

Dave paused at the door, turning back to face her.

For a moment, Remicra's scales flickered with a soft pink hue before settling back into their usual violet-blue. "Quit staring at me like a dumb Kitlix and depart, before I have to throw a rock at your head. Shoo," she added.

"See you tomorrow, Remicra." Dave said.

He heard nothing in reply as he left.

He felt no despair about the Custodix Kitlix timer impediment, not because he saw himself as an all-capable mage, but because Lari's glass eyes were watching over this very tower, reaching out from two centuries ago, keeping him on the right path.

As the dance of the sun and the black hole above began to paint the sky in hues of orange, Dave made his way through the bustling streets of Shandria towards the Nightingale tavern.

The tavern's warm, golden light spilled out onto the cobblestone street, a beacon of comfort in the gathering twilight. As Dave pushed open the heavy wooden door, he was greeted by a cacophony of laughter, clinking glasses, and the strumming of an instrument that sounded like a mix of a guitar and a violin.

His eyes scanned the crowded room, searching for a familiar face. It didn't take long to spot Dumpich, the apprentice healer, seated at a corner table, a frothy mug of ale in front of him.

"Woo! Dave!" Dumpich called out, waving enthusiastically. "Over here, mate!"

Dave navigated through the throng of patrons, nodding politely to a group of feathered birdfolk and catlads who were engaged in a heated game of dice. As he approached Dumpich's table, he noticed the healer's cheeks were already flushed from his drink.

"Glad you could make it," Dumpich grinned, gesturing for Dave to take a seat. "I was beginning to think that you totally weren't hiding in that closet. That would have been embarrassing if I was talking to a wall, ha ha."

Dave slid into the chair beside Dumpich, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. It was good to see a friendly face after the day's trials.

"So, mate," the apprentice Healer began, "how's life as an adventurer treating you?"

Before Dave could answer, the tavern door swung open, and two familiar faces caught his eye. Leon and Terri, dressed in casual, subdued robes, made their way through the crowded room. Their Vitalix Kitlix were perched on their shoulders, tiny crystalline bodies glimmering in the tavern's dim light.

Dumpich's face lit up at the sight of his colleagues. He stood up and waved them over with enthusiasm that nearly toppled his mug of ale.

"Oi! Leon! Terri! Over here!" he called out, his voice carrying over the din of the tavern. "Come meet the vanishing man himself!"

"THE Vanishing man?" Terri asked, looking Dave from top to bottom. "What, he's actually real? You ain't pulling my hoof?"

"Oi!" Dumpich huffed, his voice filled with mock indignation as he hugged Dave tightly as if to prevent him from vanishing again. "When have I ever deceived you, my fair Lady?"

Terri rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know. Perhaps that time you convinced me that Kitlix could speak if you fed them enough Intelligence-aligned mana crystals?"

Dumpich waved his free hand dismissively. "I still maintain that Kitlix can speak. They just choose not to around you."

"Uh-huh," the female apprentice nodded. "Sure."

"My esteemed colleagues!" Dumpich suddenly announced with all the gravitas of a town crier. "I present to you the legendary Dave!"

Dave became concerned that Dumpich would loudly out his skills to the entire tavern.

"The only person I know who can make Sylphaera speechless!" Dumpich declared. "Dave, these are my best mates from Healers Hall - the charming Terri and plant-obsessed Leon!"

Dave cleared his throat, offering a sheepish smile. "I think Dumpich might be overselling things a bit," he said.

"He does tend to do that," Leon nodded.

As they settled into their seats, a curvy waitress in a long black dress with cat ears and a fluffy tail approached their table.

"What'll it be, loves?" she asked.

"A round of Stormfall Stout for the table," Dumpich announced grandly. "And a basket of your dragon crisps!"

Dave raised an eyebrow at Dumpich. "Ordering for me already?"

"Trust me," Dumpich grinned, "you haven't lived until you've tried the Nightingale’s special brew. It's said to have magical properties."

"Magical properties?" Dave asked.

"Oh yes," Leon chimed in. "It magically empties your coin purse and fills your head with regret come morning."

"Unless you've got yourself a Vitalix, of course," Terri grinned, petting her partner.

"Yeah, Dave," Dumpich nodded, his own Vitalix rushing to sit atop of his head between his curled horns. "Insta-hangover cures are pretty much the biggest advantage of being a healer!"

Dave sighed thinking of Healy.

The table erupted in laughter, and Dave felt a warmth spreading through his chest. For a moment, he could almost forget the dangers that lurked outside, the mysteries that plagued him, and the challenges that lay ahead. Here, in this cozy tavern, surrounded by his old-new friends, he felt... normal. Like he belonged.

Dumpich raised his mug when the maid returned with drinks for everyone. "To new friends, vanishing acts, and questionable life choices!"

As the group clinked their mugs together. Dave took a sip of the Stormfall Stout, enjoying the strange, somewhat alien, rich flavor. He couldn't help but smile as he listened to the banter between the healers.

"So, Dave," Terri leaned in, her green antlers catching the soft tavern light, "Dumpich tells us you've got quite the talent for healing. Care to share the secret of getting a Kitlix way past your stated level?"

Dave chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, you know, just lucky I guess. Right place, right time, that sort of thing."

Dumpich snorted into his drink. "Luck, he says. As if anyone could just waltz in and bond with a thirty four Green by sheer chance."

"Honestly, my life lately has been extra-full of weird bullshit," Dave said. "It doesn't stop. As soon as I think that things get somewhat normal, either something surprising or horrible happens."

"Sounds like a dark curse of the Spiderhoff Wintertide Witch," Dumpich wiggled his fingers, making Terri giggle into her drink.

As the evening wore on, the atmosphere in the tavern grew livelier. The violin-guitar hybrid instrument that had been providing background twinkling of a musician adjusting their instrument became more focused, louder and clearer.

The round Kitlix-lamps suddenly dimmed, and a Kitlix spotlight illuminated the small stage at the far end of the tavern.

Dave's jaw dropped as he recognized the dark gray figure seated on a simple wooden chair. It was Cedez, wearing a black dress covered in sparkling blue gems. She was holding a jet-black instrument covered in silver-blue runes. The instrument looked like a cross between a guitar and a violin, its shape both familiar and alien.

When Cedez began to sing in addition to playing the instrument, her voice crystal clear and melancholic, Dave recognized the lyrics.

"I've heard there was a secret chord

That David played, and it pleased the Lord

But you don't really care for music, do you?"

Dave felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him as Cedez stared right at him.

"Your faith was strong but you needed proof

You saw her bathing on the roof

Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you"

Dave's heart stuttered.

"I did my best, it wasn't much

I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch

I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you

And even though it all went wrong

I'll stand before the Lord of Song

With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah!"

Cedez sang. Dave felt a lump forming in his throat.

As the last notes faded away, the tavern erupted in applause. Dave found himself clapping along mechanically, his mind reeling from the words that seemed to be meant for him alone.

"Dave-o," Dumpich's voice cut through his reverie. "You alright there, mate?"

Dave blinked, turning back to his companions. "I... yeah, I'm fine. That song just... it reminded me of home."

Terri leaned forward, her antlers catching the dim tavern light. "You recognized it? Is it from where you are from?"

Dave nodded, taking a long swig of his ale to compose himself. "Yeah, it's a pretty famous song from Earth. I just... I didn't expect to hear it here. Also, I didn't expect to see... her."

"Oh, you know Lady Stellaris?" Dumpich grinned. "She plays at this tavern every night and never disappoints. She's the primary reason why I drag these two here!"

Dave stared at Cedez - or Lady Stellaris, as Dumpich had called her - his mind whirling with questions. She met his gaze for a brief moment, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.

"You know her?" Terri asked, her green eyes wide with curiosity.

Dave hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "We've... met," he said carefully. "I didn't know she was a musician."

Dumpich laughed, clapping Dave on the back. "Oh mate, you're in for a treat then! Stellaris is a legend around these parts. They say her music can heal the soul... or totally break it, if you fall for her. She's eternally single, rebuffing all suitors. Maybe that's why her music is so wicked sad."

Cedez shelved her strange instrument and walked over to their table, her black dress shimmering with each step. To everyone's surprise, she pulled up a chair and sat across from Dave, her silver-blue eyes examining him as if she was seeing him for the first time.

"I couldn't help but notice you seemed quite moved by my performance. Are you perhaps a fellow musician?"

"Uhm," Dave said as everyone's eyes focused on him. He stared at Cedez. She didn't look the same.

This woman, while bearing a striking resemblance to Cedez at a distance, was not the same person he had met at the Snail Cafe. Her skin was dark, yes, but it was skin, not fur. Her hair was longer, cascading down her back in silky black waves. Dark freckles dotted her cheeks and nose, a feature he was certain Cedez didn't possess. Even her ears, while still pointed, seemed less fox-like and more like that of an elf. In fact, she had four ears, two smaller ones peaking from beneath her black hair bound with diamond-covered bands.

Dumpich, oblivious to the tension, beamed at the singer. "Lady Stellaris! What an honor to have you join us. Dave here was just telling us how your song reminded him of home."

"Is that so? And where might home be for you... Dave? " She asked.

"A place called Earth," Dave exhaled.

"Earth?" Stellaris repeated. "I don't believe I've heard of it. Is it beyond the Misty Mountains?"

"You could say that," Dave replied dryly.

As Dave stared at Lady Stellaris more closely, he felt a sudden, growing sense of unease. Sherlock's violin began to play a soft, warning melody in the back of his mind, warning him about something Cedez told him earlier. Dave shifted all his points into Wisdom.

Stellaris leaned forward, her silver-blue eyes studying Dave with an intensity that made him feel like a specimen under a microscope.

"So, Dave," Stellaris began, "tell me more about this Earth of yours. It must be quite a place to produce such... unique individuals."

Dave felt his heart racing as Stellaris leaned closer, her silver-blue eyes locked onto his.

The sounds of the busy tavern around them seemed to fade away, the chatter and laughter becoming distant and muffled. He was acutely aware of every detail - the soft shimmer of her dress, the faint scent of lavender that surrounded her, the way the Kitlix lanterns reflected in her ocean-blue eyes.

Eyes that belonged to Cedez. Body that didn't.

Her gloved hand covered in blue diamonds suddenly reached out to cover his.

A blue notification window flashed from his bracelet.

[Nightingale Tavern - Quest: Accept this Quest. Be mine. Forget Cedez Astra. Reward: Being alive. Failure Clause: Exposure as Necromancer. You have ten seconds to decide. Nine...]

[Accept: Y/N?]