By the ti Lotar returned to where he'd plucked from, several hours had magically passed it seed. Anselm's sense of ti is broken so I couldn't actually confirm this but the sun rose up just as I was thinking about setting up camp.
Giving up on the idea of getting any rest, especially any safe rest with the sun lighting up everything, I continue on with the journey tosowhere.
I still haven't the slightest clue where I should be headed. But the path is clear, broken with previous attempts to improve the infrastructure and the stubborn, resilient flowers that broke through the stoned path, but it is clear.
I don't have to know where I'm headed, I just need a general direction and a vague expectation of what I am to et. All which I had.
Just keep moving forward and I'll et people who can give actual directions. At least, that's it for the primary goal; becoming so well-off noble. My secondary goal however, destroying the Cult of Phien.
Honestly, I don't expect to find them by looking, they felt real, they are real and yet they felt like the subject of rumours, things spoken in the dark, in secret and by candle light.
And yet they were a crisis of this world, a scourge important enough to warrant the attention of a being like Lotar. Although, I'm not sure how much he ranks on the power scale, he is certainly otherworldly enough to throw soone like Perlman out of the water.
With a heavy sigh I release a ball of mana and summon Anselm, the road ahead is barren with life, there's nothing but stone, flowers and grass set on the sides.
"What's got you down?"
"What's your guess?"
"Could be anything, outside circumstances affect you a lot you know? You're hungry, you're scared, you're mildly love struck, hungry again this ti for power. Oh, and recently, it's all just been power."
I click my tongue, "You always have sothing to say, don't you?"
Anselm grins, smugly impervious to the scorching sun and every other natural elent. "But I do know what's troubling you. That wolf, right? You want to back out of the insane deal, don't you?"
"What? No. Well, I'd definitely appreciate a change in the terms, the Cult isdaunting to say the least. There's so little we know about them and that last encounter with them doesn't exactly make eager for another go."
"But regardless you're still going for it." Anselm sighs.
"What are you huffing about, you're the one who's immortal."
"That's not my problem, my problem is you likely dying. I can't intervene without you summoning so my convenient immortality doesn't extend to you." He grumbles.
"Right." Anselm's only true concern was my survival, it would be touching if it weren't self-preserving. Though, I couldn't bla him for feeling so, I definitely don't understand what it's like to live in just outside of touch but, I could relate to wanting to protect a way of life. And his way of life just happens to be .
"Sorry, I'll be careful. But I have to do this."
"Sure, whatever, there's a fort ahead."
"What? A fort?"
I poke my head out and look over the horizon. True to his word, there is a large construct waiting ahead. I can't tell a lot from where I stand but I am hopefully.
"Who do you think is in there? What should I expect?"
He turns to and gives a tired look, "Soldiers."
Right. It's a fort. "So that ans people."
"It ans hungry people," he groans, "Especially if there's a war so keep your coin tucked safe and away from sight."
"You think they'll rob us?"
"I know they'll rob us."
I gulp but head on anyway. It'd suck if they tried to rob us, but I'm prepared to defend myself and eager to test out my dagger.
***
As we trekked the road ahead, watching out for whover would hid behind rocks or in the thin bushes that sparsely covered the road, I got anxious with very step.
Anselm is very certain that whoever we find in that fort, broken down as I now began to see it to be, would be thirsty or greedy enough to attack and rob us of everything remotely robbable.
It's good I can expect the worst but not so good that it's all that lies ahead.
The fort is on a hill, or at least elevated from where I stood by a significant amount. I imagine this to be a natural defence. Speaking of defences, there's a large, wide wooden wall with spiked pikes lining from end to end. There's a lot more wood littered around but it seems like so siege destroyed all of that.
This is sothing I can understand with easy. Total War gas are very educating. There was a battle here at so point, and this fort lost.
I walked up closer to the broken, defeated fort, to its walls. There's no entrance here, but there is a smashed archer's perch. Archery or Magic projectiles? I'm not sure, it could be magic projectiles. This world seems to be set beside itself with magic worship and fear.
To the extent that races are segregated or rather, enslaved and prevented from developing any potential for power. Humans, very impressive when it cos to subjugating others.
I turn and start to look for the entrance, it couldn't be to the back else I would have seen it coming so it'll have to be at the front. I start to follow the path, the wall to the end when my ears perk at the whistling sound coming straight at .
I tense and imdiately an arrow lodges itself in the wood ahead. My head whips around as I look to find my assailant, anwhile I try to look for cover; it doesn't take a Total War ga to let know archers do heavy damage to exposed infantry.
I can't find anything. The sun is blinding and even worse, they could have already determined to kill and that shot was not a warning.
I found a large rock and slapped my back to it. Breathing in I call out, "Hey! Hello! I'm just a lone traveller now, I'm not looking for any trouble. I was just a bit curious you know?"
There's a bit of silence but that's expected. Wouldn't want to give away their position now. Besides, I need so ti.
I summoned Anselm again, wisely, he appears right be for and imdiately goes invisible.
"I'll scout them. Wait here."
I nod and feel him fly off. Turning invisible and flying would put a huge drain on the mana his has to make him tangible but, it'll be worth it if I co out alive and well.
Then I hear it again; the whistling. I duck and the arrow barely lodges itself in the rock. They could see here? Shit.
I move out into the open again. There's no cover left. I'd have to make a break for it but I know I wouldn't make it. There could be more than one archer and there's got to be soone on foot.
"We can see you wherever you are, adventurer." It's a feminine voice, calm with a pinch, dab and whole bag of arrogance in it. "There is no treasure here for you to loot. Fall over and die."
How polite. I'm not sure how true that saying is about bullets and zig-zag motion is but I'm willing I could substitute an arrow for a bullet in this situation. I jump out and start moving in the most random movents I can think of.
"I'm not an adventurer. I'm just a traveller trying to get to the next town or village. Don't shoot!" I turn around as I'm doing so form of hopscotch all about the place.
For my troubles I get another arrow flying at . It misses completely. Huh.
"I shouldn't be worried, you're a bad shot anyway!"
I hear an enraged growl from over the wall and soone jumps to their feet. It's a woman after all. Her hair whips around her head as she cries out and nocks her bow, "Just stand still and I'll show you a good shot!"
CRACK
She doesn't get the chance to show that shot. Her head snaps back violently with a bone scratching crack. Her body falls limp imdiately and she falls over the wall like a marionette cut off from its strings.
"Nice." I pant, taking a break from the erratic dancing.
"Watch out!"
Too late. I'm tackled to the ground by yet another growling person. This one straddles and imdiately starts punching my face. Giving no ti to recover.
I'd forgotten what being punched felt like. It's a different kind of pain, an attack on your face. Getting so of my bearings I try to block the heavy fists from landing any more solids on .
I'm not successful, but I didn't need to be. Anselm co flying at the man, shooting him off of with the force of his weight and his speed.
I groan as I get up. My eyes were shut for the duration of the beating I just received but upon opening them I find I'm surrounded. Anselm is still beating the shit out of the man who just beat but they don't pay that any mind, they have their bows drawn and pointed at , the swordsn among them have their weapons drawn and are glaring at and finally there are several spearn.
A complete encirclent.
I sigh. This is not good.
Anselm gives one final grunt and stands over the man whose face had just been pulped by his fists and that one rock nearby.
"Anselm?" I call out. "We've got so other problems."
He turns, looking about us and groans, "I shouldn't have let you co here."
"I shouldn't have let co here."
"Hush you adventuring blight!" this ti a man speaks, a swordsman. He must be the leader because his armour looks so much better than the rest. "If you want to live, you will strip."
I blink. Strip? Did he say strip?
"I'm sorry what?"
"You heard . Both of you, especially you!" He jabs his sword at Anselm, "I want your armour, rather, so of us could better use it."
"For banditry and thievery no doubt." Anselm spits.
"The Kings lapdog will understand nothing of the plights of the nation, the army provides, it takes from all and gives to none in the na of protecting the kingdom. Strip! I am so inclined to change my principles and have you fired on like the scum you are." The man sneers. There are couple of jeers and curses that all call for the latter action to be taken.
"Anselm, you're running out." I whisper.
"I know."
"So, let's make this quick."
"You'll die." He says through gritted teeth.
"I'll die trying to live a life with clothes on my back."
Not waiting for another response, I summon mana into both my hands and shoot it out in speed. "Death Grip!" I call out as my tendrils latch onto the necks of two of the three archers, with a squeeze I snap both of their necks instantaneously.
Anselm jumps at their leader before anyone knows what's happening, and with a sword in hand, though I'm not sure where he picked that from. He lunges at the man, his sword hamring against the man's hastily lifted one. He begins to float around, spinning and swerving in the air like a mosquito who'd just gotten away with a pinch of blood. The advantage is clear.
The others roar into action, most haven't realized that two of their archers are dead, I look for the next and fine him pretty easily, not wanting to waste my mana I quickly latch onto him and another swordsman coming my way. Squeeze and dead.
Absolutely no resistance. It's like they didn't even have mana to fight back like Perlman did. Still, no one seems to realize what's happened until another swordsman cos at .
I dodge, deftly, surprising even myself. Taking advantage of the opening I slap my hand on his head and, "Soul Drain!"
Frankly, it's my first ti using this skill on a living human. It's unnerving how quickly the skin crumbles away, and the muscle shrinks to the point of being wisps on the skeletal bone that now loosely wore the brown leather light armour.
"AHHH!!" the resounding screech cos from a swordswoman who falls to her knees, her sword clattering to the floor.
"It's a mage! It's a mage!"
They begin to look about themselves but I'm not satisfied leaving them in shock and awe. I latch onto two more with Death Grip and snap so necks. They fall beside their comrades like rags.
Even more screams. Imdiately there are desertions, too quick for too kill. But quick enough for to feel relieved that my less than aweso powers struck fear into these people.
I look over to Anselm and find the bandit leader in a haphazard shape. It looks like Anselm took slices of him for a barbecue, yet he was still alive. Anselm's nowhere to be found though, ran out of mana.
"PleaseKill ." The man begs. It's the quickest downgrade I'd seen honestly, from making demands to pleading for rcy.
Anselm was very angry at this man though, for him to co out like this. Knowing him he probably did this with the intent of making him suffer.
I have rcy though. With a quick squeeze I put him out of it.
"Summon Spirit."
"You should've let him suffer."
"This side of you is new, Anselm. rciless? Yet you wouldn't help steal a few coins from the villagers in Ioina."
"It's not a question of rcy. This is justice, justice against those who would do harm to the livelihoods of others without any remorse." He stares pointedly at .
"Whatever." I grunt. "The entrance is right ahead. I can be a robin hood and return all the stolen goods hoarded in there to the poor of the next village or town we co across." I give a forced smile as I say this.
"And risk yet another ambush from these guys? Sure, why not? After all you weren't just almost killed." He laughs a dry sarcastic laugh.
"Oh, I'm feeling plenty confident I can take these guys on. They're afraid of mages, can you believe that? I'm a mage Anselm." I grin.
Anselm rolls his eyes. "I'll scout ahead." He mumbles, flying off.
I smile to myself and start off on my own work. Looting their bodies. They've got to have sothing of worth in them, right?
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