Chapter 19
I dragged Siena through the woods back to camp as fast as I can. She is asking me what the problem is but I don't have the time to explain. I am fairly certain that Mabel is about to kill Reid about now, it may even be too late
After getting back to camp I ask Long-fur if he had seen Mabel or Reid and he informed me that Reid just left with some ale to the river. After pointing us in the direction we quickly depart to the river.
I shoot off like a rocket leaving Siena behind. I must make it to him in time, I must prevent this from happening. With my low-light vision and moonlight I arrive at the river.
I am too late.
I look at Reid's body laying on the river bank bleeding from his neck. Wait he's still bleeding! I look at has status while I leap to him pulling out two high potion from my spacial ring. He is has under 100 health and losing it rapidly. I quickly pour one full potion all into his neck wound, I used my best potion of the four I made. I pour second down his throat. Surprisingly he still is conscious and paralyzed but I can see his eyes light up when I came to help him. I finally give him an antidote for the paralysis the health potions should heal him but if I can get rid of his paralysis I can stabilize him a lot quicker. I hear a noise I swiftly whip out my crossbow if Mabel is coming back to make sure Reid died I wont let her waste the 3 potions I used to save his life. Its not Mabel its just Siena.
“Oh my goodness Reid? Are you ok?” Siena was shocked at the scene with all the blood.
“I thought dark elves were supposedly very sneaky, you do not give credit to that rumor. I could have easily ambushed you if I was an enemy.” I tease Siena for being very load. I am somewhat serious we are walking a tight rope right now and need everyone to tread carefully. She however is a bit ignorant of the situation and I will let her off with only a tease.
“Ok Lara its time to tell me what is going on. I don't know what to think anymore. You sleep walk far away, you wake up and rush to a bloody scene by a river. I am not going to take your traditional vague answers anymore. We are friends right? Friends don't keep friends in the dark about things this important.” Siena rightfully wanted answers however at this time I can't answer her all her questions
“Well what is going on is simple, we have been infiltrated by Eclipse and they have attempted to take out our main healer. I used some of my potion's to save his life.” I explain the premise of the situation.
“Why would eclipse infiltrate us? To stop us for exploring the ruins?” I nod to her.
“So how did you know this was going to happen?” I suppose I will just tell her the truth not that it is believible to most.
“You may not believe this but I had a dream about this happening, and a lot of things happening after this.”
Siena's expression quickly turned more serious then I have ever seen her. She got close up to me and looked me dead in the eyes.
“Lara if what you told me is true you must promise not to tell anyone else about it. People who possess physic powers are very sought after and are very valuable. They are so rare when people do discover one they often get roped into becoming someone's seer forcibly. I don't understand though, people with physic powers have no mana, you clearly have mana so how is it that you posses both?”
I was about to chalk it up to being Grena's champion however I remember the dream vision skill wasn't under Grena's champion it was just alongside all my other skills.
Status WindowName:Kara RosewoodTitle:The Angel of Death Race:HumanGender:FemaleClass:ShadowbladeSubclass:BardAge:8Level:44TitlesThe Songstress Princess,Prodigy, Princess, Champion of GrenaResourcesHealth:2225/2225Mana:6315/6734Psionic Power:200/710Stamina:2550/3650StatsStrength:245 Intelligence:328Agility:355Charisma: 392Wisdom:115Precision/aim:89Vitality:262Luck:105
Is gaining physic power part of being Grena's champion? If it is why is not listed under her champion buff in my blessings.
“So do you? I know you can check your status even though you lied to us about it when we first met. I figured you were hiding something and I didn't want to push you for it.” Siena may be many things but stupid is not of them.
“I don't understand how it happened but I do. What does this mean?” I really hope I can talk with Grena about it my sleep.
“To be honest I don't know. Lets just say its a good thing people cant see your status. If I know anything it is that people who have gifts or physic powers are valuable assets.”
“Ughhhhhhhh” Reid groaned as he was coming out of paralysis. He leaned up and looked at me with the hugest smile, however the blood stains all over him and the ground around him wasted it.
“Tyr has sent an angel to his humble servant in his hour of need. Mabel almost killed me there. I however am afraid it is going to take me years to repay you for the potions you used to save me with. I will serve you dutifully to the best of my abilities until that my Lady.” He tried to kneel in front of me but he fell down the idiot just lost an insane amount of blood he needs to rest.
“Reid I am just happy you are still alive, we will talk about the debt you feel you owe me at a later date in the mean time here eat this I made it myself. It will help replenish some of your energy” I pulled out some of the cookies I had made prior to leaving for this trip with my level 6 cooking skill. Although it was a pain making my own peanut butter, it was absolutely worthwhile to do it for these peanut butter cookies. Keeping them in the spacial ring kept them pretty much fresh. I handed them to him.
Reid gratefully accepted the cookies and after just one bite he quickly consumed the other five I gave him at a world class rate.
“My Lady this is absolutely the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. I think I have fallen for you.” Really after eating a few of my cookies, you fall in love with me? Well I guess I did just save his life too but still.
“Lara you should totally go for it Reid is a definite keeper! So dreamy!” Siena squealed into my ear. She tried to nudge me forward but I swiftly sidestepped her.
“I am afraid, that it is a one-sided love. I however will be your friend if that is acceptable.” Siena gets way to excited about this stuff. I am only 8, she thinks I am a teenager though. Guess I will have to talk to her about it I haven't had a good opportunity to confess what I have been hiding from my friend.
“What is important now is to get you back to our tent without being noticed so you can get some rest. We have to act like Reid is missing for the moment so we can capture Mabel without incident.” I explain the next course of action we need to take.
“Oh Lara inviting him to the tent already! Don't you think you are going to fast?” Siena needs to get serious this inst fun and games.
“Siena do you ever take anything seriously? Reid was almost killed a few minutes ago, we have a traitor in the group everything is going to hell!” I didn't mean to vent on her like that but she is the one acting like the 8 year old when she herself is 107 years old.
“Come on Lara I am always serious, I think however you need to lighten up. I have been through a lot of stuff and trust me stressing out and getting way worked up is not the way to go. You can be serious and crack a joke or tease a friend at the same time.” I am too serious? I guess its true but I don't let things frustrate me usually. My attention quickly turned elsewhere as a sweet voice manifested itself in my head.
“Help me”
I heard the voice say. Extremely creepy. Siena and Reid ask me if I am alright as I am somewhat staggered by the random message. Since I cant really do anything else I return to the task at hand.
I conjured up an illusion spell to hide Reid as we returned to camp. Reid was severely weakened from the assassination attempt so Siena had to help him walk by lending him her shoulder. Knowing her, she was probably loving it. I did not see Mabel anywhere as we got back to camp the only eyes that were there was Long-fur and Grimblee. We got Reid into our tent and I told them to wait while I went and got Diana. Diana still had a lantern going in her tent at least I wasn't waking her up.
“Miss Jones? We need to talk but here is no good, can you come to my tent? Its extremely important.” I get her to follow without her asking a question. Does she trust me or is just naive? Well lucky for her I am on her side but if I was Mabel I could have easily killed her with this ploy. Maybe I am too paranoid? We arrived to the tent that could fit the 4 of us very snuggly.
“Lara so what is it that you wanted to talk about and why is Reid here?” Diana finally asked a question.
“So tonight I was going to the river to wash up” I began and then Siena interrupted.
“I bet you were going to see Reid naked!” Siena this is not the time or place.
“Like I said before I was very rudely interrupted.” I give Siena a death-stare to let her know to hold it in for a while. She knows I have to lie about the dream and her teasing me was not helping.
“When I got to the river I had discovered Reid severely injured and fortunately I had the necessary potions to heal him.”
“You healed him with potions? They must have been high potions where did you acquire them. Master alchemists are very hard to get a hold of.” Diana stated.
“I was wondering that too, I have seen many high potions before and the bottles they were kept in were a lot more ornate and fancy then the ones you used. Yours were in simple flasks you would buy from a vendor.” Reid added. Its true expensive potions tend to be in ornate bottles and mine are in basic ones.
“This type of plain bottle I have seen before but where...............oh yeah on Lara potions she makes. They are always plain like that.” She then covered her mouth realizing her loud mouth had just exposed me. It is partially my fault because I kept the fact I have level 8 alchemy from her, so she too didn't know where I got the potions.
“Yes I made them. I have level 8 alchemy if you don't believe that is fine I don't care. Just don't tell other people about it. This a much smaller issue then the fact that someone tried to kill Reid and she is a member of this raid group.” I changed the subject because I didn't want to have to go through the whole oh my god a master alchemist thing again.
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“A member of the raid group? Who?” Diana was obviously astounded that her raid that she probably help pick had a traitor in it.
“Mabel, she showed up at the river when I was already there she started to undress so I turned my head away in respect. This must have been when she added the poison to my drink to paralyze me. After we had finish washing up we both toasted to a successful mission. Next thing I knew my body was completely numb. She pulled out a knife and approached me and told me she was sorry for what she was doing but me dying would save the other member possibly. She then cut my throat which was a very weird and horrifying experience since I could not feel it being done. As I was dying I prayed to my god Tyr to save me and this little angel here came and brought me back from death's door.” Reid explained how the events had played out from his perspective.
“So right now we have to successfully apprehend Mabel, she thinks that Reid is dead. Based on what she said to Reid there likely a trap in the town a few hours away Jaminton. We need to entrap her and interrogate her to see what we can find out.” I explain what our priorities need to be right now.
“We need Oliver's help to create a magical barrier. I don't know if Mabel has a way to communicate to her group, also her ring is definitely a spacial ring we don't know what cards she has to play in there.” With Oliver's help this should be pretty easy to do.
“What if she doesn't want to talk?” Reid asked.
“Well I have a solution for that, there is a potion I wanted to try out. I just need to grab a couple herbs that are common in this area. I can entrust you guys to capture her while I gather these herbs?” With Oliver's help there shouldn't be a problem, Siena alone can capture her. Without access to her spacial ring she isn't going to be able to use any poison.
“Yes I think I am going to get the help of Basu as well. Reid you stay here for now we don't want to accidentally spook her before we have a chance to apprehend her.” Diana added.
“I have no issues staying in my ladies quarters as long as she would have me.” Reid better stop this whole lady thing I might start regretting saving his life.
The sound from earlier returned.
“Please someone help me!”
The voice sounds so somber and defeated, I don't know who it belongs to but I definitely feel empathy towards the voice. I really hope I can talk to Grena in my dreams when I sleep there is a lot I need to ask her.
With that I went to grab a few herbs for a special potion I have always wanted to try out. In my old world there was a drug called sodium pentothal it was known as a truth serum. The potion I wanted to make was somewhat similar. It makes the person talk truthfully, you just have to get them to talk. There is also a secondary reason for this little expedition. There happens to be a necromancer I need to kill for real this time I figure if I don't take care of him now he will become a thorn in the side in the future. Also there is a chance I gain some more intel from him.
I quickly set off in the middle of the night. Once I cross the river I can hone in a familiar presence of Eanton's abomination. I assume Eanton must not be to far from him. Once I find the ugly monster I look around and find a cave entrance not too far from it. I approach the cave carefully and for good reason because Eanton has a poison gas trap rigged up decently well hidden it can not hide from my gift however. I skillfully run up the side of the cave making use of my acrobatics skill, totally avoiding triggering the trap and making as little noise as possible.
The cave is very large and Eanton has it pretty decked out he has a mini library, alchemy station, a ritual circle. Basically anything a necromancer could want. There was also a terrible smell in here, and it wasn't coming from the dead bodies lying around......... Seriously man take a shower sometime necromancer-san.
Eanton is lying down on a bedroll and he is clutching a book. That must be a grimoire, I grab a book from my ring that was about the same size and do a switcheroo with the grimoire that Eanton is holding. The passed out necromancer grasped the new book and continued to sleep. This book is the Grimoire of Undeath. It explains everything on how to reanimate a corpse as well as other interesting things. I thumb through it for several minutes before I am interrupted.
“GIVE ME IT BACK” it appears Eanton has awoken and found he was missing his most prized possession. He ran at me to grab me, I duck under his arms and use my attack of opportunity to knee him in the gut knocking the wind out of him. I summon a mini-fireball in my hand that is not holding the grimoire.
“Tell me what I want to know or this gets burned to a crisp!” He was still recovering from my last attack but the mention of his book getting destroyed made him prostate in front of me.
“Anything I will do anything just please don't hurt my book!” That was pretty easy time to probe him for some information.
“Eclipse who is the leader, and what is there agenda.”
“I don't know.” I didn't like his answer and I brought the fireball closer to his book.
“I seriously don't know! I was recruited by a woman called Mabel, she serves as my liaison to the group!” He desperately pleaded.
“Anything else?” If I moved the spell any closer it would start to burn.
“Mabel has a book it looks like a journal. It is enchanted and linked with another book, this is how she communicate's with Eclipse. When one book get's written in the other does too.” That is actually super cool it appears I just need to get my hand on that book. I unsummoned the fireball. Eanton seemed extremely relieved he reached out to grab the book as if I would just return it to him. I swiftly grabbed my dagger with my off-hand slash him across the throat. I never said that I wouldn't hurt him, just his book. Eanton looked at me in horror trying to talk but all I heard were gurgling noises. He likes dead things so much I figured he wanted to be dead too.
After raiding his cave of several books I found interesting as well as his alchemetic ingredients. I left the stinky cave. His little pet was now wondering off towards the lake. Fortunately Eanton had some nightshade which was exactly the herb that I required. I quickly returned to camp. When I got back I noticed that several people were outside Diana's tent. I could sense a sound and magic-preventing barrier also around the tent definitely the handiwork of Oliver. I returned to my tent and found that Reid was still there.
“You know you can leave now they have captured Mabel already.” I said sort of annoyed as I pulled out my alchemy set from my ring and started getting everything ready to make the potion.
“Does my lady want me to leave? I will do so immediately.” He went to get up and leave I sort of felt bad for how I treated him just now.
“Well if you want to help me go fill these water skins up with water from the river.” I gestured to a set of water skins that I had set on the makeshift table I had set up.
“As you wish.” He smiled happy that he was of use to me. Ugh this charm effect can be extremely annoying at times.
After finishing grinding the nightshade I had acquired earlier Reid had returned with the filled water-skins. I began boil some water so that I could supersaturate it with honeydew. Reid just watched mesmerized as I worked my magic.
“So this the work of a master alchemist simply amazing.”
“It's nothing really with enough practice you could do the same. You can cure people with magic alone that is much more interesting then this.” Flattery wont get you any brownie points with me Reid. I start to explain the basics to Reid whom seems very intrigued by my alchemy.
“The are going to sacrifice me please someone help.”
The voice continued to plead. I feel so helpless that I had no idea how to find this person. The voice had caused me to lose focus for a second and I almost let me flask to boil over. Reid could sense something was bothering me.
“Something bothering the Lady?” I really am sick of this Lady crap I got enough when I was younger.
“Please call me Lara, like I said you don't owe for those potion's as you can see I can easily make more.”
“As you wish my Laaa......ra” He almost slipped up there.
I finally finished the potion. I went and grabbed two mugs and filled one of them ale slipping my truth potion into one of them. I headed to Diana's tent. I put on an actual pair of fake elf ears I had made by Zyra matching my skin color for situations with magical barriers such as this after having learned my lesson with the prince a few months ago. I knocked on the door and Diana came out and briefed me on what happened. Basically they had apprehended her after tricking her into entering the magical barrier afterwards they interrogated her accusing her of killing Reid and asking about her affiliation with Eclipse.
She was very surprised we were able to pinpoint her as the culprit. We explained that someone spotted her returning from the river around when Reid was killed. She denied involvement and wouldn't give any details about Eclipse. Our rogue Mason was in the process of breaking into her spacial ring. I told Diana I wanted to be alone with her. I entered with two mugs of ale.
Mabel face was slightly roughed up I can see several hand prints. It seems she has been slapped a few times. I guess this is time to play good cop bad cop. I set her mug by her and untie her hands, she isn't going anywhere because her feet are also bound and there is no way she could untie them before I would notice her doing it.
“Oh my goodness! I cant believe they are treating you like this. They told me to come here and give you some company while they discussed things.” I try to act very sympathetic to her.
“Yes they think I killed Reid because I was spotted coming from the woods around the time he was killed” She stated sort of annoyed voice.
“Reid is dead?!” I say in a shocked voice.
“Oh they haven't told everyone yet? Yes apparently that's what they are accusing me of doing.”
“You coming from the forest could have been you taking a tinkle? Is that all the evidence they have? Are you alright?” I continue to work my my charm on her.
“That's what I tried to explain to them but they wouldn't listen. They just started slapping me when I told them I had no idea what they were talking about.” She reiterated to me. She seemed to be enjoying my company and her body language has become less tense from when I first entered. She began drinking her ale looking at me.
“I am so sorry I am sure they will get this all cleared up for you soon. There is no way you could be a bad person, you were so kind in explaining about the hierarchy of gods to me.” I say in a very positive tone to cheer her up.
“Lara I am curious about you for such a harolded fighter very little is known about you. You are obviously trying to gain my trust by your behavior. What is your angle here?” Mabel was suspicious about my behavior but it wouldn't matter once the potion had taken effect.
“Why do I have to have an angle perhaps I just wanted to talk to you?”
“Haha if that is true what do you want to talk about?” I could tell that she was now under the influence of the potion.
“Oh I was just wanted to continue our chat from earlier. There is a particular demi-god I wanted to talk about his name is Sanite. What is the his relationship with Eclipse?”
“Well I don't know the exact details because I am just a mid level acolyte but I think by protecting him from outsiders we would have an easier time gaining control of Zyrus after it wains from his influence.” She said to me truthfully.
“Who is at the top of Eclipse there is a god which I am guessing is a local god, and a champion.”
“Outsiders known him as Yolondo he is a ancient human god of Order and Peace, I don't know the true identity of his champion. He simply goes by the name Cain.” She doesn't even realize that she is completely telling me everything.
“Other then the ambush in the town and Eanton in the swamp what other ploys are set up right now?”
“Other then those two? Well there is me to sabotage from within but I guess that has been foiled. There is a small defense team by the serpent tree but they really aren't meant for you guys. There are all sort of traps within the interior of the cave up to the entrance of the Atlus.”
“Who is the grand-master alchemist who is supplying you? I assume he is level 10.”
“Cain, he also happens to be an extremely powerful elemental mage
“The book you communicate with is there any secret code or method you guys use?” I am guessing the book is within her ring being opened up by our rogue.
“The message are encoded, the third letter of every word exactly 6 characters long is the cipher.” After this I rebound Mabel's hands and left the tent I had everything I needed to know that potion was amazing.
Mason was still working on the ring and now Oliver is helping too, I told Diana to let me know when they are able to crack it. I am very tired and need to lay down for a few hours. I head back to my tent and thankfully there is only a sleeping Siena inside. I quickly doze off.
“Help me, they are going to use me for there ritual. I need someone to save me.”
I could see a young girl who was in a locked cell. She was roughly my age, she has jet black hair and emerald green eyes. There was two things that stuck out about her. Her aura seemed so powerful almost like it didn't belong on such a small girl. Also something about her felt familiar almost as if I knew her but different I couldn't put my finger down on it. I tried to get more information but I felt a mental tug from another force, I tried to resist it but it was too much and the vision turned white.
“Thou had innate physic power, this is something that was not foreseen. This does help explain thou rapid physical development, thou vessel is trying to keep up with the overflowing power thou possesses. This is extremely problematic. Thou has not trained in physic control like thou has magical control, this will temporarily be a glaring weakness that can be exploited by enemies.” Grena had manifested a meadow on a sunny day with table and tea into my dream we both were sitting at the table.
“A vessel that carries both physic and magical pathways could only happen one way. Thou soul carried physic pathways from another realm into this vessel with magic pathway's already. Thou's soul was not wiped clean when thou reincarnated. Thou has memories from another realm?”
“It is as you say. I had no idea that in my previous life I possessed such power” I confirm to her. So I had physic power as Taiko? I suppose I sort of did have a kind of sixth sense to detect incoming danger but that was the extent of it.
“Unawakened physic power is impossible to detect. The pathways run through the void of ones body and soul. The only way they are tangible is when they manifest. They were stagnant but when our soul's formed a pact the pathway through the void between us caused them to awaken. Thou needs to quickly learn to shut off exterior influences. Thou has already picked up on one.”
“That girl I need to help her something is telling me that she is important.” I can't just let her be sacrificed.
“Thou realizes that this is perhaps a ploy by our enemies, a trap if thou will. If thou decides to pursue this do so with extreme discretion. Seek the free spirit's advice about your physic ability she once knew one with similar power” With that the scene faded away and the voice calling out me returned to come save her form her fate.