Despite Tier’s runaway journey to Arikad was not exactly a peaceful one, his first action was to warn Renma to not get close to anywhere near Arikad.
[Ah, okay… I guess I will find another place to level up, then. Thanks for the heads up, bro.] Said the priest with a rather worried tone. [I don’t know what you’re doing there, but please get away safely.]
“Can’t guarantee, but will try,” Tier answered honestly while his eyes kept wandering to his minimap. He also hurriedly warned any players he met to leave the area. Considering the tendency of Slicer, as a former teammate, Tier knew exactly the rogue would be more angry to Arkengrad’s helper than Arkengrad herself.
Tier also switched his tracking between humanoid tracking and beast since he had his suspicion on the owl that Mark brought. Considering that Mark was clearly a Hawkeye focused hunter that attacked from very far, Tier guessed that the owl might be some sort of spotter for him. As far as he knew from reading about his own class, this was a common choice taken by Hawkeye focused hunters.
His suspicion rang true several times when he saw one icon of a beast was rapidly moving around the southeastern edges of his minimap. Though the icon quickly entered and went out of the minimap border, Tier had the opportunity to focus his mind on the icon and got the information he needed. The name indicated by the icon was ‘Target, Mark’s Companion Beast’.
Not taking any chances, Tier drove his rhino to move between trees and contours in such a manner that he guessed the owl would have problems in spotting him. He also had to move slightly more eastward when he saw the owl move rapidly towards Arikad. Tier believed that, though annoying, Mark is not a fool. That hunter probably already guessed that Arkengrad and her helper would go to Arikad.
That was also why Tier is considering skipping Arikad altogether and just go straight to Ishunda. However, he wasn’t sure if he could outrun Mark. If he was not mistaken, elves have faster riding speed than other races. The longer the ride, the bigger the chance that Mark could catch him.
Maybe it’s a wiser option to just go to Arikad then log out.
“Over here….”
Tier heard a whisper coming from the direction of Arikad. He looked around but didn’t stop his rhino. Near one of the trees, he saw a restless Arkengrad sitting on her strider - an ostrich-like creature with an eagle shaped head. From the way she positioned herself, it was clear she was trying to avoid being seen by Target.
When she realised Tier had seen her, she didn’t bother to give any more gesture and just rode northwards.
“Really?”
Tier mumbled as he hastily tried to judge whether it was a wise decision to follow Arkengrad or not. Yet, considering his odds, he had nothing to lose. However, he still followed Arkengrad by not moving directly behind her but rather a bit on the side, relying on his tracking to spot her.
The hunter’s worries quickly dissipate when his minimap showed Arkengrad approaching a player named Krysta in a location far northeast of Arikad. If he’s not mistaken, Mana once mentioned the name as a friendly wizard friend of hers.
“I was surprised to finally hear something from you today, even more that you asked for my help again.”
Tier heard the soft and confident female voice greet Arkengrad. Knowing the wizard was definitely not a hostile player, Tier galloped faster. Slowly he started to see the shape of the wizard.
“Let’s just say being smacked on the face by my own ability due to some magical mumbo jumbo done by a scary zombie wizard really knocked some sense into my brain,” Arkengrad answered the short haired human wizard.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“Well, I can see you’re also helping someone else in the process of getting some sense,” answered Krysta calmly. When some bright light managed to push through the thick trees and fell to her hair, it was clear that her short hair had 3 shades of different colour; dark brown, red, and yellow. Also, there was a small shield with a clear surface like those of a mirror strapped on her left arm.
Arkengrad shook her head. “He helped me first, though unwarranted.”
“Oh, it’s him. No wonder, then,” Krysta chuckled when she saw Tier approached. “Boss mentioned him numerous times. Grok as well.”
Krysta waved her long fingers in the air and touched the surface of her shield. She then drew a faint blue light, which formed into a glowing card. She greeted him, “Nice to meet you, Tier, but our time is short based on what Arkengrad told me.”
“Uh…,” Tier scratched his head. “H-hello, Manna mentioned about you before.”
There was a sweet smile drawn on Krysta’s lips when she confirmed, “I bet she did, the boss mentioned that you lot had a wizard that needed some advice. She’d probably used my name to convince your wizard to take Enlightenment.”
She then turned to Arkengrad, “Where to?”
“I don’t know, Krysta. Maybe Ishunda or Grandar?”
“Really Arkengrad? You never really think things through, huh? They would definitely hang around those places.”
“Then where? Hammerthorn or Fellenforge?”
“Those two would be very safe but would pose a problem to the boss' man here.”
The debate between Krysta and Arkengrad made Tier remember Renma’s plan earlier. He opened up his friend list and magically saw his ex-deskmate was in Rottendor. There was also Zackhs there.
“How about Rot….”
“...Rottendor would be a great choice, I heard Slicer got a very bad reputation with his own racial faction,” Krysta offered while accidentally cutting Tier’s attempt to suggest anything.
Begrudgingly, Arkengrad agreed, “Yes, whatever. You should’ve mentioned that much earlier.”
Krysta giggled a bit, before realising she had cut Tier’s sentence. As she was about to open the portal she asked Tier, “Apologies, Tier, were you suggesting somewhere else just now?”
“N-no. I was about to say the same thing.”
“Good, off we go, then. [Conjure Portal: Rottendor].”
Krysta waved the card on her hand in a motion similar to the exaggerated style of the anime protagonist of a card game that Tier and Renma often play at school. Then, after a gesture similar to the likes of showing a card to her opposing duelist, a portal showing the image of Rottendor appeared before her.
Tier really wondered if this one particular wizard actually played the same card game with him and Renma.
The three of them quickly jumped into the portal before Kryta closed it down in order to avoid suspicion or letting Mark or Slicer know where they went.
However, she finally showed her true colours once the situation had dissolved. Extending her hand, she demanded, “I still need some payment, you know? Double price for a dangerous situation.”
“What?” Arkengrad protested. “Shouldn’t I get some discount for… uhh… being your friend? Can’t you give me a friend discount or something?”
“Ahahahah. Look who's talking, you’re acting like that one friend who disappeared and only appears to offer us some pyramid scheme now if you ask for a discount.” There was a clear flicker of mischief in Krysta’s eyes when she debated. “Also, shouldn’t a friend be more eager to help their friend's business by paying a special extra price?”
“Special extra what?”
Tired of seeing people argue since he entered the game today, Tier finally rose up to the occasion. “Uh, I will pay.”
“Now, that’s really the boss' man. 150 gold.”
“Not on my watch!” Arkengrad roared. She pushed Tier away to stop him from giving the money to Krysta. “150 is too much, you old hag!”
“Excuse me? Who are you calling an old hag?”
“You!”
Tier sighed. 150 gold is still a worthy price to pay, at least he had enough money. He prepared to just give the money directly to Krysta without saying much.
“Hold up, buddy!”
Before Tier could continue his payment to Krysta, there was a hand that suddenly grabbed his shoulder. In that instant, Tier felt a void yet somewhat chilling sensation.
It was Zackhs and Renma who suddenly approached them. There was a clear shadowy aura emanating from the avenger as he asked, “How on earth could you know these two ladies?”