My work here concludes. The cleric announced abruptly. The faint glow around faded as her hand dropped to blood-red robes, a quick and curt nod given. Tell the orc that I have rendered the services I was hired for, and expect the other half of her paynt soon. Have it delivered to the fort.
You seem eager to leave. I pondered out loud. More of an observation of the obvious than a jest.
Dead eyes started back at for a second before she shrugged and stood from her chair.
You are, best as I can tell, hale and healthy. Your body was kept from atrophy by my hand, and no ill effects linger upon you. All I was paid for to do has been fulfilled. Unless you wish to purchase the pleasure of my company, other matters await .
I recall you asking to see the healing milk my farm provided last we t. I threw in as I stood. Might as well get that over with so she had no need to return.
I did. And now I have seen and tasted it. Part of the orcs paynt to . Its secrets will remain with , before you ask. For once, there crept the rictus of a smile onto her face. The Red God has..similar power to grant his followers.
With that, the woman turned and swept from the lodge, gone with the sa speed as her arrival. She left only confusion in her wake. I watched her departure from my doorstep, inwardly wondering what I was going to do for the nights remainder. There was not an ounce of tiredness within to weigh down, so sleep was a far-off dream. I had been comatose for nearly a month, and had little desire to return to that state.
Nightti found wandering around the farm, lantern in hand as I took in all the changes. Thich, tall and nearly ripened, the crop looked ready to be harvested within a few weaks, if the weather permitted. The cows slept, unbothered as I lumbered past their fields. There was a solitude here, one that I found myself not particularly fond of. Faint mories of endless fever dreams and visions drifted back to from within the void. My ti locked within sleeps hold had not been pleasant, I gathered.
Disconnected nightmares and ethereal visions plagued , barely rembered save for the feeling of dread. The woods were unnaturally silent as I paced through the trees edges hours later, bored and with little of my farm unexplored. I stepped around massive trucks, waded through bushes and snapped plethoras of twigs in my wake. Little moved here, and this gave concern. Up until now, the forest had been active all tis of night, cacophonies of sound that all mixed together.
Now, still as the grave.
A mossdeer stood frozen, its one eye turned at as I erged from behind a tree, contemplating how much of this I would need to clear for more farmland. Perhaps my presence so close was what frightened it, or mayhap my stench alard the poor thing. It bolted imdiately after, the sounds of its bounds soon swallowed by the dark woods.
Constant checks kept just a few paces inside the treeline, lantern held high as I explored. To wander in the woods at night was foolishness, I knew. Yet I was bored, and more than likely the most dangerous monster that stalked this place. Much of the smaller wildlife seed to have just vanished. In scent and sight I could find no traces, and scouring provided only old evidence of their existence.
Curiosity mounted as the hours dwindled away in my increasingly mad search. I knew that this was not sothing that personally affected , yetI lacked better things to do. Morning found sitting on a stump -freshly created, but that was its own problem- awaiting the sunrise and Ishila. The orc arrived just ahead of the light, tiredly plodding down the road.
There dawned a smile as the rays of sunlight blood across the sky, and I could not tell which was more radiant. I had but a chance to stand before her arms attempted to wrap around my fra and squeeze into a hug. A valiant effort, even if the finished attempt was sowhat awkward. Still, I truly appreciated it. Excited conversation told she was happy to see finally awake, and a quick stream rattled off everything she had done around the farm.
Forget the farm for a ti. I gently interrupted. How are you?
This caused her smile to fade sowhat.
Alright. She grunted after a few steps back. Could be better, I guess.
Well. I stepped back and gestured towards out usual gossiping place. Tell all about it.
Lerish has disappeared. Ishila started off once we had settled in. After we killed the Arnthema Overmind, she just abruptly left into the forests. Hasnt co back out since.
The hurt in her voice has old, but still there. The familiar feeling of soone who yearned for another.
Dont rightfully know why. But she hasnt co back out. Ma has found traces of her, mostly her Apex form. But I cant find er.
Thoughts churned inside as I contemplated this, even as Ishila went on to explain she had been training with her mother as of recently. With the cat well and truly out of the proverbial bag, her parents had abruptly decided that she would now dedicate all her free ti to learning what they deed important. Combat, survival and stealth. To their credit, they had not held on to the idea of trying to hide her for much longer, and rather doubled around to focus on her training.
Do you think, I wondered. She might be scared?
Ishila blinked for a mont.
Of what? Shes a terrifyin Apex that can rival anythin here in sheer power. Gods Above what would she ever be scared of?
Your rejection. I replied in a heartbeat. Losing you. You have beco sothing, soone she is close to. It could very well be that she prefers not to take that chance that her true identity would drive you away.
Gods Above! ishila exclaid in frustration, her hands thrown up.
There could be other reasons, but that is the one that cos to mind.
Ishila simply groaned into her hands as I tried to reassure her.
You were saying things have changed, earlier? I prodded gently in an attempt to steer the conversation away. This worked, after a mont as she began to recount the frankly large changes in the area. Hullbretch was now a hub of delvers, slayers and adventurers, whose presence had in turn brought in rchants, alchemists, armorers and the like. It made sense that large congregations of n and won with fast blades and faster purses would attract those opportunistic in the search of coin, but not the danger.
The town had blossod, as had the price of most things. Higher demand ant higher costs as those with wares to sell took advantage of this short boom before things would begin to settle once more.
I was inford that there had been a fast, ugly streak of tensions after the baron had locked off access to the dungeon upon the Overminds death. For two weeks, only his soldiers had been inside, with increasing hostilities as various freelancers and guilds demanded their rightful access.
Not to side with the man here, but if this is not his land, is it not his right to control who enters and who does not?
The orc shrugged and slumped forward, hands upon her knees. Her answer was half-hearted at best, I found.
While it is the barons land, it is by divine decree of the Gods Above that all may be permitted access to the dungeons. Conquierin em, growin stronger an such. While it is the right of lords to see who may wander upon their land, divine precedent overrules the will of n. There are tis when this can be altered, such as during the siege upon the fort, but those are not ant to be frequent.
The words ca as if she was repeating sothing, and after a mont she noticed my raised eyebrow and saw fit to give explanation.
Pas teachings about how adventurin works. Delvers, slayers and the like rarely align themselves politically, lest those who governs the lands they wish to travel have reason to keep them out. Unless you are powerful beyond mortal reason or stand to gain massively, choosing sides in a matter of politics often signals the end of an adventurers career. There are exceptions, such as the Highlands of Catahr, which are ruled by adventurers themselves and ho to a wealth of dungeons.
And this establishes that Ironmoor cannot bar adventurers access from the dungeon, yet he did. I mused. These matters of politics did little to interest , and I tired of them quickly. Yet I refused to remain ignorant to currents I would have to navigate.
For a bit, She nodded.
How fares the fort?
Bolstered. The Verdant Dawns elite hunters arrived nearly a week after we slew the Overmind. Their presence there does much to keep tensions quashed. Your friend may chafe at being forced ta give up control, but thinks hes glad its soone elses problem now.
And you? I returned to the subject.
Training and working. Pa has split his ti between constructing more of the fort and learning in matters of politics and how to navigate all these places I can hardly rember. Ma has a much more upfront approach. Out into the forest to stalk and hunt with her. Fight so monsters. All that. End of the day I still maintain the farm while youve been locked asleep.
Sounds to like youre busy, then. My gaze turned around to the progress that had been made during my coma. Too busy to be building all this.
That was a gift. Your friend Raffnyk. He said he had little gold to spare at the mont, and instead sent n and won down here. Tah help build all the things we talked about, rember?
I did indeed.
But why?
Ishila blinked and abruptly stood.
There might be a few things yah want to see, Garek. Back at my folks place. Didnt think it was safe to let everything sit here while you were out for so long.
Brisk strides carried alongside ishila as my curiosity mounted.
Gol and Artyom have been stayin the nights at my folks place. Pas put alarm wards round your farm to tell him if anyone intruded, but we decided it was best to leave you there and not attempt to move you. But it isnt really safe for them there all alone.
She looked up at with dead-serious eyes as the tres passed by and a faraway sun rose across the clouded sky.
You killed a newborn God, Garek. People know, and they want to get to know you. Do you have any idea how many ssengers and couriers have showed up with letters, gifts and gold? Everyone wants a piece of ya. To butter ya up and get you in their good graces. Youre famous. The System specifically nad you. And people have co lookin.
This was distinctly not what I wanted. The opposite, even.
Then let them co. I grimaced. Im not going anywhere. I am still a farr, and I intend to stay that way.
Not if the world has anything to say about that.
Her parents farm lay not far ahead, although the walk there seed to drag on forever as anticipation mounted into swarms of butterflies that buzzed within my stomach. Ishila marched up the porch, slamd open the door and led my actually snugly-fitting form down a wide flight of stair hidden away in the corner.
There, neatly stacked before us, sat an entire trove of treasure. Just for .
Go ahead. The orc grunted. Its all for you, after all.
And I did, quite happily. After all, who didnt deserve a reward after the monuntal task we had undertaken?
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