Lying on a hard bed, with barely enough space for two, I stared up at the wooden ceiling of Catalina’s wagon, the legacy of her late husband. Light began to filter in through the gaps of the heavy shutters, telling me that a new day was now upon me. Putting off what I knew I must do, I took a moment to review my current Status.

[STATUS] Calling: Gilgamesh lvl.13 Paladin/Reaver

Strength: 32

Dexterity: 26

Constitution: 43

Intelligence: 25

Wisdom: 22

Charisma: 14

Luck: 23

Entropic Mimic [Creature of Entropy - lvl.24]

Health: 474/474

Stamina: 60/60

Mana: 1/1

Adaptive Defense (lvl.2)

Shield Form (lvl.2)

SKILLS & PROFICIENCIES

Pain Nullification (lvl.3)

Power Strike (lvl.4) 10

Endure (lvl.5)

Stealth (lvl.2)

Rest (lvl.4)

Backstab (lvl.2)

Dodge (lvl.3)

Polearms (lvl.3)

Dual Wield (lvl.2)

Critical Hit Mastery (lvl.4)

Improved Unarmed Combat (lvl.1)

Hammers (lvl.3)

Flails (lvl.3)

Maces (lvl.3)

Shields (lvl.3)

Medium Armor (lvl.4)

Improved Heavy Armor (lvl.1)

Axes (lvl.2)

Daggers (lvl.4)

Throwing Weapons (lvl.2)

Double Throw (lvl.1) 5

Shield Bash (lvl.2) 10

Riding (lvl.2)

Dash (lvl.1)

Swords (lvl.3)

Crossbows (lvl.4)

Blind-Fighting (lvl.2)

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Rush Strike (lvl.1)

Tracking (lvl.1)

Trap Detection (lvl.1)

Frenzied Strikes (lvl.2)

Monster Taming (lvl.1)

SPELLS & MAGIC

Heal (lvl.5) 5

Rust (lvl.4) 2

Identify (lvl.4) 1

Silent Casting (lvl.2)

Mana Regeneration (lvl.3)

Purify (lvl.2) 3

Greater Heal (lvl.2) 10

Holy Aura (lvl.3) 2

Decay (lvl.1) 1

Drain (lvl.5) 2

Entropic Aura (lvl.3) 2

Inferno Bolts (lvl.2) 2

GIFTS

Curse of Entropy: -20% to all starting attributes.

Mark of the Paladin: 10% resistance to Dark/Holy magic, 5% resistance to Physical.

Touch of the Void: 10% reduced resistance to Holy/Fire magic, 20% resistance to Mental Effects, 15% immunity to Mental Effects.

Mark of the Adapting: Helix 5% Resistance to Physical Minor Regeneration

Experience to next level 167/1069

Health: 383/383

Stamina: 71/72

Mana: 18/18

General improvements across the board, with even my passenger improving its skills. It was time to bite the bullet. Steeling myself, I prepared for what I had to say.

“Today, I am leaving,” I began, whispering to the woman lying next to me.

Catalina was not beautiful, not objectively in the sense that, let’s say, Cordelia was. But she had a pretty face and full figure backed up by a certain enthusiasm that added a lot of spice to our nocturnal activities. My encounter with Iasis had changed me, and Catalina had borne the brunt of my frustrations as I sought relief. I had asked her to do certain things—acts of dark fantasy that I had never had the guts to ask of a girl before. She did them all willingly, with minimal coercion, her weak, pretend smiles the only sign of her pain and discomfort. The next man who enjoyed her basically owed me a favor for opening up her horizons. It had been a liberating experience for both of us. Today would be the end of all of that.

She started to cry, though whether this was sadness from the thought of our parting or from my slightly rough treatment of her last night, only the gods knew.

“I can not take you with me, you know this right?” I stated simply in a soft voice. She only sniffled pathetically in response, her back to me.

“Where I go is dangerous, and my enemies follow me, even now. I could not endanger you. Think, too, of your son,” I added, more to convince myself than to assuage her feelings.

Finally, she turned to me, her voice hollow as she touched her stomach, “No, it is not because you can’t, it is simply because you won’t. There is always a way for those who want it. Young I may be, but I know well enough a soft-spoken lie.”

“I am not lying…” I tried to counter.

She plowed on, disregarding my excuses, “At the start, I was lonely, too drunk with the grief of my loss. Too soon, the other women said, but who are they to know of the empty places of the heart? I saw you there, surrounded by such merriment, yet alone.” Pausing for a moment, a squall of repressed emotion clouded her features, “I thought we were perhaps alike.”

“Do not lay all the blame at my feet. It takes two to…” I started again, only to be cut off. I must have failed a Charisma check or something, as this conversation was not going as I had planned.

A testament to the unpredictability of the fairer sex.

“And I am sorry that I saw something that never was. I knew, but still, I had hoped. I wanted to make you happy, in any way that I could. You must think me a foolish, easy woman,” she said bitterly, recrimination present in all of her words.

She continued with her monologue, every word steeped with emotion. “Truly, you are a great one. Everyone, screams of your holiness. Even Abas Yar, that bitter excuse for an old man, sings your praises. That you are a hero, that the Goddess herself watches you. You are not holy, or Avaria is a jealous bitch that can not share her chosen with this mortal woman.”

Her voice cracked. “I gave my everything to you…”

I did not bother with a rebuttal as I got dressed, leaving her to wallow in her misery and ignoring the rest of her tirade. Guilt pricked at me as I left her wagon. However, this feeling was soon erased as I felt an impact at the nape of my neck as I began to close the door behind me. The woman had decided to stupidly throw the coin purse I had left behind for her. The amount I had agreed with Laes. With a shrug of my shoulders, I left it where it had fallen. She would see reason soon enough. It seemed, however, that the old adage was right, there was no pleasing everyone.

I passed by Dumuzi, not meeting his eyes, I just decided to ruffle his hair as I walked past. He had been a good lad. Soft, though. I could feel his accusatory gaze following me for a good while.

*****

Catalina’s recriminations were still playing in my mind, her words, what I remembered of them anyway, on an endless loop. It was a bad habit of mine, reviewing the past in search of an optimal answer. Elwin and Kidu sorted out our things, loading the bulk of our belongings onto Patches, while Cordelia and Larynda paid their respects to Ankhset, the Water Mage of the Ravens.

I had questioned Ankhset more than a few times about my personal quest. Her answers were always vague and mysterious, full of clichés and esoteric nonsense. In the end, I learned nothing of note from the old witch.

With little else to do, I sat on the steps of the wagon that had been my home throughout this long journey. My true quest, my search for immortality, had become more concrete. Snippets of information had given shape to my once vague goal. Iasis, of all things, had given me hope. My mind drifted in a half-daze, replaying the thousand and one experiences I had lived through.

It was during this strange time that I received a summons from a boy, a mere slip of a youth. His face and manner were unknown to me, but he was polite in the way of these people and came before and bowed at the hip.

“Master Gilgamesh, Gelgor of the Crows would appreciate your help in matters regarding his health. He believes that you may be able to render assistance, and that you will be well compensated,” he finished bowing low as he waited for my response.

After my wages from guarding the caravan, gambling, odd jobs, clearing my inventory, donations for healing, Catalina’s settlement and other miscellaneous expenses, I had on my person around two gold in various denominations. While I was not destitute, my financial situation was precarious, especially considering the high cost of city life. Despite Khalam's earlier warnings to avoid Gelgor, this close to my goal, I felt emboldened to disregard his advice. The rebellious part of me actually took pleasure in this defiance.

With a mischievous smile, I conveyed my reply, “Inform Master Gelgor of my interest. I will meet with him within the hour.”