Chapter 86 Better Than Running.

“We could use a good hunt.” Isaac told Alice while resting his elbows on her counter. “We’ve been out of combat for too long. What’s the situation out there?”

“There are still some skeletons wandering around. They keep turning up and causing problems.” Alice explained. “Not very many but enough that the Guild Master is thinking about putting together a sweeper team to handle them.”

“Just thinking about it?” Isaac asked.

“Last I heard, yeah.” She replied. “The spider population is low enough that if you go back to hunting them as regularly as you had been, they might all get wiped out within a month or so.”

“Is that a good or a bad thing?” Isaac wondered.

“I would have thought you were joking a few months ago but rare spider parts are actually a low volume export of ours now, so I’ve been told to keep track of the estimated population numbers and to try and keep them between one and three hundred.” Alice explained. “They are under a hundred right now so I’ve been telling adventurers that, for the time being, the open bounty on them has been rescinded. The problem is that they are still worth a lot if you sell them for ingredients.”

“What are the estimated population numbers for the skeletons?” Isaac asked.

“No idea.” Alice replied. “The number I have is fifty but that hasn’t changed no matter how many have died.”

“That’s odd.” Isaac thought aloud. “Is there anything noteworthy about them? Are they missing limbs or have a lot of preexisting damage?”

“Yes and no.” Alice said. “It is all far too random to be helpful. That is why the Guild Master has been thinking about just sweeping the area.”

“I’ll see if Jala has any helpful information for us. Either way, we’ll be back to take that job. Have Edward put an actual bounty together for us, yeah?” Isaac told the receptionist.

Alice nodded. “I can do that. Good luck.” She told them. Isaac and Lenna had barely taken one step when Alice stopped them. “Actually, uh, I don’t know how to ask this…” She began. “Is Lady L’Vore actually as scary and crazy as everyone is saying? She seemed a little odd but pretty normal for a wizard to me when she was here.”

Isaac chuckled. “Jala was trying to seem normal when she was here. She can be like that when she wants to be, but she is a mad alchemist, dumping frog tears and unicorn sweat into a cauldron to try and make something else that doesn’t actually exist.” He explained. “If she seemed nice to you then you should keep that image of her in your head. Everyone sees her in a different light. I doubt she would be opposed to seeing you if you brought her something interesting.”

Alice nodded. “I’ll think about it.” She replied. “I heard that Lord L’Vore can use his magic again.”

Isaac nodded. “A bit of it. Not enough to be unstoppable or even enough to escape on his own, but he is still a grandmaster sorcerer.” Isaac explained. “He could give Alexander a run for his money, but anyone from Edward’s old team, save for the duke, could probably deal with him.”

“Speaking of the Guild Master,” Alice said and leaned in conspiratorially. “Do you know what’s with all the ladies that keep showing up around meal times?”

Isaac smirked. “I think I do, yes.” He replied.

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

“Oh? What is it? Who are they?” Alice questioned in a whisper. “I know they aren’t, you know, from downtown, because that isn’t his style but it just makes us even more curious about it.”

Isaac winked at her. “It’s a secret.” He replied.

Lenna chuckled. “You should let the poor man have his secrets.” Lenna told the young receptionist. “Gods know he doesn’t have very many.”

“I’d say, about one.” Isaac added with a grin.

Lenna elbowed him in the side. “Let’s get going before you open your mouth again.” She told him.

“Hey, c’mon, that’s not fair!” Alice called after them. “Why do you get to know but we don’t?!”

—

“Any ideas?” Isaac asked Jala and Fen after he explained the skeleton phenomena to them.

“Demidimension breach.” Fen replied casually. “You killed the anchor and Jala has been bleeding him dry.”

“If the crack didn’t appear in here then it must be where you first injured his heartstone.” Jala added. “Or it could be where the portal to it last existed.”

“Those places are right next to each other.” Isaac explained.

“It has to be there then.” Jala replied.

“Unless it is where he spent the most time.” Fen countered.

“If that were the case then the skeletons would all be inside Contantis.” Jala retorted. “Not in the Horror’s Stolen Web or the Bloodriver Cavern.”

“Are those the names of the tunnel system with all the spiders and the large cavern on the other side of it?” Isaac asked.

“That is their designation in Neckeden.” Jala explained. “I had already left Contantis by the time the battle had taken place so I don’t know what Contantis calls it. The Horror’s Stolen Web is an old name for them that is older than me, I don’t know what the kids call them now.”

“Those names are better than any of the others I’ve heard.” Lenna replied. “I wonder if they’ll catch on if we start using them?”

“Probably.” Fen replied dryly. “You are celebrities in this anthill.”

“Back on topic, is a demidimension breach exactly what it sounds like?” Isaac asked.

“The demidimension is trying to merge back with reality now that it is no longer anchored properly. The actual rift may take any number of forms but considering everything that has happened, I would say it probably looks like a stab wound in space.” Jala explained.

“Or like someone blew up a mirror and tried to put it back together using telekinesis with their eyes closed.” Fen added. “It depends if the breach formed in the wake of the meteored portal or the stabbed heartstone.”

“Thanks for the information.” Isaac replied.

“If I’m right, I want you to count this favor against our debts.” Fen told Isaac.

“If I’m right, I want an assistant.” Jala added. “I can’t be in two places at once.” Isaac and Lenna almost missed Jala add one more word under her breath: “Yet.”

“Fen, deal, Jala, I’ll see what I can do but I can’t promise anything.” Isaac replied.

“If Jala is right, I choose dinner when we get back.” Lenna bet Isaac.

Isaac chuckled. “Sure, you’re on.”

—

Isaac and Lenna stopped by the Guild Hall and got a written gold rank bounty to find the problem and fix it. It was well below what they were used to for bounty payouts but it was a fair amount for the service to be rendered. The skeletons weren’t a big enough problem to waren’t calling in a team of platinum level adventurers, Isaac and Lenna were just bored, and a team of golds could handle fifty skeletons without breaking a sweat. The real issue could be resolving where they were coming from.

With the bounty registered, the duo left town and made the trek to their most recent battlefield. Once they were well out of sight from Safeharbor and any spies that had been keeping an eye on them, Shamesh arrived out of Isaac’s shadow with a bow.

“Can you pull us along again?” Isaac asked the skeleton.

“Of course, my Lord.” Shamesh replied with a bow and began casting his spells. He cast Levitate on both Isaac and Lenna and then cast Flight on himself. Isaac and Lenna each took one of his hands and Shamesh flew towards the location of Shamsha’s demise.

“How many spells can you maintain like this at a time?” Isaac asked their transport. The feeling of weightlessness was similar to being submerged in water. There was still pressure coming from above and below him but seemed to equal out to allow Shamesh’s magic to raise and lower them at will.

“Shamsha could maintain Levitate indefinitely but I cannot.” Shamesh replied. “I can almost maintain it but I fall short by one Levitate standard duration per two hours.”

“How long can you maintain two Levitates and a Flight?” Isaac asked.

“Almost four hours.” Shamesh replied. “We should be able to cover most of the distance before then.”

“Set us down before you run out of mana.” Isaac instructed his familiar. “If my math is right, it should take you almost thirteen hours to refill your reserves based on the levels of the spells you are using.”

“That is correct.” Shamesh confirmed.

“We won’t need you at full power but I think a third of your reserves would be nice to have.” Isaac thought aloud. “Set us down after three hours of flying. Do you refill your reserves faster in the void?”

“No.” Shamesh replied. “I will not refill my reserves properly in the shadow world.”

“Then we’ll jog the rest of the way. Lenna and I will handle any enemies we encounter so you can save mana.” Isaac informed the other two members of his team. He sighed contentedly. “This is so much better than running.”

“As much as I believe you should continue to work on your endurance, I have to reluctantly agree.” Lenna replied. “Thank you, Shamesh.”

“Of course, my Lady.” Shamesh said with a bow of his head. “It is my pleasure to be of assistance.”