After using my bike for three days, I finally began to approach the area of the next labyrinth… I knew that this place was big, but it was still a bit surprising. It was also surprising how the weather didn’t make any sense and the area ahead was completely cold and covered in snow.
“I wonder if this is because of the mana in the environment or something… in any case, you are from here, right? Why did you leave this area?”
Glacien didn’t say anything, she just meowed or whatever the heck her species does. Thanks to her presence the Tame skill also got some levels, and after doing some tests, I could make her use her own stamina to activate the second skill of the class, it made me recall a certain MMORPG where I could control the skills of the pets and other creatures.
In that game, I could use my own magic to make the creatures use their skills, but here it was different. In any case, she didn’t get much experience, since she only used her aptitudes here and there.
Fortunately, I already had a plan to make her get stronger and faster in a labyrinth. It would make me save time as well, so it was a win-win.
“Well, first… I have to find where the labyrinth is here.”
The western side of the Skarnash Tribelands was filled with mountains covered in snow. I couldn’t see any signs of towns around, or roads for that matter. I guessed that this environment was tough even for the orcs, goblins and ogres… even though it would be the perfect kind of place to train their bodies and minds.
Regardless, I could pathfinder to look for the labyrinth, so it wasn’t a real problem. The skill made me follow the path to the peak of the closest mountain. Climbing that even on my bike was a massive pain in the ass, but nothing major happened. When I reached the peak, I soon found the path toward the labyrinth leading to another mountain. I felt like sighing, but at least the other one was smaller, and I could see the ocean on the other side as well.
‘I guess it is almost on the coast… since this area is cold, it should be an ice labyrinth or similar.’
I didn’t have many good memories about labyrinths like that, but I couldn’t avoid them. Besides, Glacien would be useful and I had fire spells at decent levels as well.
In any case, I climbed down the mountain using my bike. I felt like I was in a motocross competition thanks to the harsh terrain and the insane speed I was going down. Still, it was fun… even though I sped up the degradation process of my bike. I couldn’t do that often…
After climbing the next mountain, I had the chance to see the vast ocean ahead of me… it made me wonder what I would find further west. The map of the world that I had seen didn’t show anything in that direction. There were the Elves in the north beyond the Sea… probably a week away from the boat.
‘Crap…’
While I was thinking about that, I saw something on the horizon. I decided to use camouflage to hide and then stored away my bike and then put Glacien behind me. Something was coming…
I had to wait for a while before I could see ships. A couple of them approaching the coast of the land. I finally could understand the feeling that I had felt before. The thing that I felt before that was off was this… the other sides of the Skarnash Tribelands were completely unprotected since they were fighting using all of their strength against the humans and Aquarians.
Both groups should know that and they could try to make good use of that opportunity. Humans would have to take a roundabout way to reach these parts. The shortest route would involve following the northern route, but that would make the elves possibly aware of their actions.
The Aquarians didn’t have to worry about that, but they didn’t use ships or boats for that matter… so it was hard to say what the new party was.
‘I can’t go to the labyrinth without confirming what their goal is… I don’t want to join this war, but… I would feel terrible if the people here were attacked from behind. Then the war would truly end in a genocide.’
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Most of the warriors were on the eastern side of the land, after all. Those in the other parts probably could fight, but they weren’t real fighters. In any case, a nation cannot sustain itself with only fighters because a functional society requires a diverse range of skills and professions to thrive. Even for the orcs, goblins, and ogres;
Fighters and warriors are essential for defense and maintaining order, but they rely on the infrastructure provided by others to fulfill their roles effectively. A society must also have governance, trade, and healthcare systems, ensuring stability and resilience in times of both peace and conflict. Well, I guessed that the skarnash tribelands still could prosper without most of those.
A balanced society ensures that fighters have a purpose beyond war, reducing the risk of stagnation or internal strife. In essence, a nation is like a body: while warriors act as the muscle, other professions form the organs and systems that keep it alive and healthy. Without these essential components, the nation would collapse, regardless of its military might. They were going to see that first hand… hopefully, they will survive and learn their lesson.
‘I really don’t want to get involved in this… However, leaving another party here while I explore the labyrinth would be the same as asking to be almost drowned again in a labyrinth.’
Unlike the previous group, this group would have the chance to do things until the very end and not be stopped by the war. It was better to make sure that no one would get in my way.
After waiting for a while, I saw the ships heading north. That ruled out them from being the Elves. They would have come in that direction if they truly were from Aeloria Dominion. Even though I used Hawk’s Vision, I could see some silhouettes on the decks, but I couldn’t see their appearance very well. They were using thick clothes too… so they shouldn’t be people that are used to cold climates.
‘I have to get closer…’
I went down the mountain while heading in their direction and Glacien stayed quiet on my shoulder all the time. She was quite behaved for a kitten… the plan to make her do some grinding would have to wait.
A couple of hours later, I reached the place where the ships were anchored. It wasn’t a real port, but a part of the land was frozen enough so that they could use it as a port.
From this distance, I should have been able to see them well, but they were truly cloaked, so I couldn’t see their expressions at all… in the next moment, Glacien began to growl in anger.
“What is wrong? Are you sensing something?”
It was insane of me to expect something like a proper answer, but I trusted those who had wild instincts. Nimir messed up with me in the end, but his instincts were very useful.
In any case, the cloaked guys left the ships while jumping and then gliding in the air for a bit. They were magic users. I had planned to use identification on them, but I changed my mind. They would probably find that someone tried to do that on them.
They looked around as if they were trying to find someone that might be watching them, so they probably could sense if something was off in the air as well. Regardless, that confirmed that they were up to no good.
‘They don’t look like warriors or knights… so they shouldn’t be from the empire. Who are they?’
A bunch of them left the ships and then began to move in all directions. They didn’t even talk about anything, so it looked like they had planned all the actions here. Still, it was odd… the war only started a week ago. They shouldn’t have had enough time to prepare for anything. Unless they had privileged information.
I already have some experience with criminals that in live in the underworld, but I could tell that these guys were probably worse than all the others… it was just my instincts warning me of that. Glacien, too. She was still on my shoulder in that pose that cats assume to scare their targets.
All of a sudden, one of the cloaked guys raised its arms and then created a purple cloud and summoned a giant bit. It was a weird one, though…
It was a giant undead bird… a twisted mockery of life that exuded decay and malevolence. It had a massive frame cloaked in ragged, rotting feathers that seemed to drip with a sickly green glow. Through the tattered plumage, I could see its skeletal structure, exposed in places where flesh had long since rotted away. The bones looked unnaturally strong, as if death itself had forged them anew, and the gaps in its wings created an eerie, whistling sound whenever it moved.
Its hollow eye sockets burned with an ominous light, glowing with ghostly blue. The jagged edges of its cracked beak looked ready to crush or tear through anything, and its massive talons, sharp and stained with something I didn’t want to think about, seemed built for destruction. A dark mist spiraled around it, leaving a trail of necrotic energy wherever it went.
It was only for a moment, but I saw the hand of that guy… it wasn’t a normal one. It was swollen, and the veins were pulsating with a purple glow.
‘Are they… the forsaken?’
There were only rumors about them… The Forsaken are those who have been cursed or mutated, rejected by other vampire factions due to their instability or deformities. They believe that they have been wronged by both their fellow vampires and the world, and seek vengeance or redemption.
Their goal is to either find a cure for their afflictions or take revenge on those who cast them out. They often work to undermine the established vampire order, either through dark means or by rallying other outcasts to their cause.
They were a troublesome group… on the same level as true vampires.