§hard had finally reached another town where he could relax and buy supplies just the other day. He was on his last day's worth of rations when he saw the city in the distance, and had been relieved that he wouldn't have to forage and hunt for food again. He had spent the last two nights at a local inn and enjoyed the comfort of a bed compared to sleeping on the ground. Yesterday he had spent the last of his money buying food and lodging, and now he was dirt poor again. He would be sleeping on the ground again soon if he didn't find work here. Now he was out in the marketplace asking around to see if anyone could use his services. Unfortunately, he wasn't very good at anything but fighting, and there were no wars or bandit raids or anything for him to help against. So he would just have to find some work that required just a strong arm or something.

After a few hours of asking around, he found a butcher who would pay him a few silvers to chop some meat to be sold later that day. §hard quickly did the job with his sword, washed it off and collected the money the butcher had offered him. He thanked the man and returned to the marketplace. This silver would only last him another day or two, and he needed much more to afford food and lodging for the next few weeks. Plus whoever he found to teach him more sword techniques would likely charge a hefty fee, since §hard was no novice warrior and not just anyone could help him improve further.

Later that day, just as the sun was starting to set and evening came, he found a lumberjack who could use his help cutting down a few more trees before the day was done. §hard followed the man and asked what trees he wanted cut down. §hard walked up to one of them and touched the topaz on the broadside of his greatsword and red mana flowed into him, making his muscles bulge and causing him to grow another foot taller. The lumberjack gasped at this and §hard smiled, thinking how rare magic must be around here. §hard pulled his sword back for a swing, then remembered the treefolk Xanthos and his time with the living Green Bastion. He sheathed his sword for a moment and put a hand to the tree. Green mana flowed from his hand into it, and §hard determined that the tree would feel no pain now. He drew his sword again, pulled it back, and swung, cleaving the tree near the base of the trunk. He quickly tossed his sword aside and pushed the tree in the direction he wanted it to fall, and with his enhanced strength it worked. He breathed a sigh of relief that the tree didn't topple over on him and the lumberjack. He proceeded to do this with the other trees the lumberjack wanted cut down. When he was finished he chopped the limbs off of the trees and then cut the trunks into sections small enough for him and the lumberjack to carry back. They hauled the lumber back to the home of the lumberjack and set it in a barn. The lumberjack thanked him and gave him a small bag of gold coins for his help. §hard went on his way and returned to the inn for the night.

The next day §hard learned that a master swordsman resides in a nearby town to the north, and set out to visit that town and see the swordmaster.

~ /\/\ist Phantom ~
§hard, Sword Mage
Traug, Troll Mage
/\/ecronis, Lord of Undead