Two weeks later…
Jonn had just finished his conversation with the Council members when a village guard brought him the largest and fastest horse available.
Half the Council stood by the village’s bamboo gate, watching as the black-and-white horse with a black mane trotted slowly towards them, led by the guard holding its reins.
Petyr wore a serious expression, staring at Jonn, feeling that the plan should be different. Jonn shouldn’t go to Littlewood alone, as he had told the Council. This mission required a group, at least a team of guards.
However, Petyr had already been overruled by Jonn earlier and could only sigh now. He couldn’t prevent the boy from endangering himself, as he had promised old Hewet.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked one last time.
Jonn looked at Petyr and sighed. Then he glanced at Asher and the two men who had just returned from their exploratory trip to Littlewood. “I’m certain I need to go to Littlewood. The mystery to the west concerns me, but it’s the human minds that unsettle me the most. I don’t want to risk facing problems both to the west and south simultaneously, so this is what I must do.”
Asher and the two men who had traveled through Littlewood stared at the ground, unsure of the consequences of Jonn’s impending actions.
They had completed Jonn’s request: visiting the town, gathering information, and returning with necklaces Jonn had prepared for them, previously. He had instructed them to wear it at all times while in the town. Although they didn’t know the necklaces stones’ purpose, Jonn’s immediate decision to leave upon receiving them was telling.
Despite their ignorance, they realized Jonn was pursuing an opportunity. Yeoman Ferry was hunting Sayer and those responsible for Jack’s downfall. Meanwhile, Count Riverash sought Yeoman Ferry’s destruction, which suggested vulnerabilities on both sides of the power struggle in Littlewood.
Acting now was better than waiting for one side to claim victory. The three men who had just returned to the village agreed on this point.
As the strongest horse in the village, the first to become a beast in the area, halted before him, Jonn mounted and cast one last glance at the people gathered to see him off.
“Stay vigilant while I’m gone. I’ll return as soon as possible.”
Elia sighed and said, “Good luck on your journey. But don’t overextend yourself. We’ll handle any problems together.”
He smiled at her and heard similar encouragements from others.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll do what I can.”
Jonn looked at Ice, noticing the sad expression on the animal’s face, eager to accompany him.
“If you want to come, know you won’t enter the city and will have to wait outside.”
Ice’s eyes sparkled with energy. Accompanying his master in was good, regardless. Waiting outside Littlewood wouldn’t be a problem for him.
Jonn waved to his animal and bid farewell to the villagers. “That’s it. See you in a few days.”
After Jonn’s words faded, he directed the horse southwest. The animal took off, leaving a trail of dust, with Ice easily keeping pace. The villagers remained silent as Jonn departed, watching for about five minutes until he vanished beyond the horizon.
Wy clapped Petyr on the shoulder, saying, “Don’t worry about the Elder. He’s the best fighter in the village.”
Asher and Eliot, familiar with Jonn’s combat skills from previous battles, agreed on that. Sarre wasn’t worried either. Despite the dangers of traveling ‘alone,’ Jonn was likely the only one capable of undertaking the journey and returning safely.
‘The Elder certainly has his secrets, and Ice is no ordinary animal,’ Sarre thought, more concerned about their situation than Jonn’s future. ‘Acting alone is risky, but it has its advantages. He can infiltrate enemy territory without worrying about allies. That’s something we can’t easily measure and might be worth the risks.’
----------------------------------------
As a cloud of dust rose behind him, Jonn observed the dark horizon of the Barren Hills of Deepshadow, which lay completely empty at the moment.
His journey to Littlewood would take several days, even with a beast like Windy leading the way. With nothing in sight to cause concern, he took a moment to evaluate his status and assess his chances for the mission ahead.
Jonn Irondoom
Level 2 (55%)
Health: 345/345
Mana: 580/550 (+30)
Stamina: 313/313
[Attributes]
Strength 30.5 (+4) Agility 29.4 Dexterity 27.9 (+4) (+10) Constitution 34.5 Endurance 31.3 Intelligence 55 (+3) Wisdom 50.8 (+3) Charisma 21 (+3) (+10) Luck
20 (+2)
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[RESISTANCES] Fire (level 1) +10% Fire Affinity [REPUTATION] [Elder of the Eternal Village] +10 CHA [RACE] [Human (Mage)] +10 DEX [Artifacts] [Wildheart Talisman]
+2 LUC, +3 INT, +3 WIS, +3 CHA
[Mysterious Magic Dagger]
+3 DEX
[Scorching Spear]
+4 STR
He had gained a few more attribute points, which he allocated primarily to his mental attributes. These points resulted from the emergence of six more beasts among the village’s animals, as well as a new advancement related to the [Magic Cave] quest.
With this latest progress, he had reached the final stage of the [Magic Cave], needing just one more advancement to complete it.
The recent progress in [Magic Cave] occurred as he used some items hidden in Count Francus’ cave for the village’s benefit. Jonn had lent Asher’s group special mana-sensitive necklaces, capable of absorbing mana and recording the signatures of different types of mana.
According to what [Analysis] revealed about these necklaces, they could capture the unique signatures of mages when within a few dozen meters of the item, showing how many mages might be present in a area.
The necklaces marked with a unique color and shape each type of mana. Natural mana could have varying markings based on the surrounding elements, but ambient mana was peculiar, far apart from mages’ mana. This could and already allowed Jonn to differentiate the markings on the necklaces Asher’s group had used.
Because of them and the actions of Asher’s group in Littlewood, the young man riding southwest now knew that there were over five mages in Littlewood!
He couldn’t determine how strong these mages were compared to himself, so he needed to travel to Littlewood to assess the local situation firsthand.
Yet, Jonn understood that the strength of the Littlewood mages didn’t vary significantly from one another. They were generally on the same power range, and he estimated that the difference in strength between the weakest and the strongest might be just one level.
It’s a good thing I’ve been investing in [Intelligence] and [Wisdom] lately, he thought. Having ample [Mana] would be crucial if he had to confront a mage.
Besides [Intelligence] and [Wisdom], Jonn had also allocated an attribute point to [Luck] and another to [Charisma]. In the village, these two attributes hadn’t been particularly important for him most of the time. However, on this journey, he might have the opportunity to experience the effects of these traits more profoundly.
He then reviewed his quests.
[Quests] [Progress] [Save the Eternal Village] 3/20 -3 [Magic Farm] 16/41 [Magic Cave] 10/11 [Exotic Animals] 0/5
The situation with his principal quest wasn’t looking good. No matter what Jonn did, it seemed that nothing else would help save the village.
Sigh! That’s probably the additional quests and the problems we’re involved in suppressing us. As long as [Exotic Animals] and the problem with Yeoman Ferry aren’t resolved, I imagine I’ll be at this bottleneck.
But I believe I’ll get some points out of this trip. It’s possible that [Magic Cave] will end if I get new information or {Spells} from the Riverash Family and that might somehow give me a chance to dig another progress point in [Save the Eternal Village].
The strong mid-afternoon winds, intensified by Windy’s speed, whipped against his clothes and hair, but he stayed focused on his plans and prospects.
I should gain a few more attribute points through [Magic Farm] in the next few days. Five animals were over 98 mana and should become beasts in my absence.
And later when I return to the village, Annabelle, and Mimosa will be very close to reaching level 2. I can start exploring [Exotic Animals] after that.
Jonn was still uncertain about how Annabelle and Mimosa could assist him. But the description of [Exotic Animals] clarified that the beasts of the village would contribute to the development of the quest. That’s why he was waiting for them to advance to level 2, since he didn’t really know how different they would become at level 2.
However, he didn’t expect any help from his beasts in combat. No matter how much stronger the village’s beasts would become with their advancement, that was nowhere near the level they would need to deal with Triceratops!
Feeling a slight headache from these thoughts, Jonn sighed, trying to calm himself and release what was beyond his control for the moment.
This is all important, but I’d better not get ahead of myself. Right now I have to focus on just Yeoman Ferry and the Riverash Family.
I hope that they have weakened since my group left Littlewood. Everything will be easier for me that way.
Officially, this was a trip for him to deal with Yeoman Ferry’s group. Jonn didn’t hide from the members of the Council his intention to attack and take down the enemy before additional groups like Jack’s came to the village to threaten them. But only he knew what he wanted to do with the Riverash Family.
As he felt Windy carrying him, his body rising and falling amid the horse’s fast run, he tightened his fingers around the animal’s reins as his gaze deepened.
I don’t want to make new enemies in Littlewood, but I won’t return to the village without at least one offensive {Spell}.
His eyes now carried a depth that his fellow villagers wouldn’t understand.
My current capabilities are too focused on support. I have to change a bit on this journey, even if I have to attack this noble family.
Jonn looked up at the sky, wondering if his grandfather was following his journey. But he knew that, whether Hewet was watching him from afar, the man would be proud if he saw him now. The old man was not someone who looked for trouble. But he was very clear about prioritizing his own and doing what he could to help his people, whatever the cost.
Jonn was certain that Yeoman Ferry was merely one of many who would oppose his village. To prepare for future adversaries, he sought the {Spells} of the powerful and ancient Riverash Family.
Thus, he set his sights on the opportunities in Littlewood, venturing outside the Barren Hills of Deepshadow for the first time.