Arc 6. A seemingly endless loss

Road to a Hero:

Three Chances in Another World

Chapter 33. A hidden blade

Gray walks out of the club, finding himself on the sidewalk beside the river. He hears a whistle and looks up to find Chester slouching on a covered wagon. He pets one of the two brown horses as he blows smoke into the air, smiling at Gray while he glares at him.

Chester: “Come on, I’m ya driver.”

Gray sighs while he walks up the small set of stairs, getting onto the main road. He steps into the wagon and sits on a bench without saying a word. Chester sits on the driver's seat, snapping the leads to get the horses going.

Gray {I’ve seen giant wolves, lizards, even dragons, but this is the first time I've seen horses, weird.}

Chester: “So, we're gonna ride there the whole time in silence, or do ya wanna talk.”

Gray: “It’s whatever. You gotta map?”

Chester: “Yep!”

Chester rummages through his dark red satchel, throwing Gray a crumbled map. He unfolds it, getting a good look at an up-to-date map of Valatrocitus. The Guard Fog that lies on Walgonia’s border, the Ever-bog that sits on Ravoria’s border, the Ever-desert behind it, and the Ever-forest to the southeast.

Chester: “Kinda looks like a boot right, like the continent is sticking its leg up.”

Gray: “Yeah, and it’s all so close together. Walgonia’s capital’s bigger but it doesn't feel like it, or it doesn't feel as alive. Each village and town is so far apart they feel like an oasis in the middle of infinite land, while here it’s just a few hours away.”

Gray looks closely at Consol on the map, giving him a better view of the area. They’ve been staying in the southwest corner and have traveled over the river to the mayor’s office in the center of the north.

Gray: “Didn’t know there was a park, haven’t been to the northwest side yet.”

Chester: “Yeah it’s weird right? I know Walgonia doesn’t have one, it’s got too many people to leave some space open, and Valatrocitus is too gloomy. I’m used to places being stretched for space, not leaving it open.”

Gray moves his finger across the map, going over to the closest town right down the road, Al-po. Chester stops the wagon, so Gray sticks his head out for a look. A guard walks up to him, asking him where he’s going, but once he sees Chester the guard chokes on his words. The guard waves to another one, signaling him to open the giant metal gate, and he does. The large gate echoes throughout the streets, overtaking the sound of the pedestrians nearby, it even makes Gray a bit anxious. But once they reach the outskirts of Constal, it is a bit too quiet. The wooden wheels of the wagon roll over the marshy roads, squishing and sliding while the horse clamps through it. The wet sloshing of the movement causes Gray to get a bit sick, and Chester laughs as he listens to Gray’s groans.

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Chester: “Hehe, you’ll get used to it.”

Gray: “Do we gotta worry about monsters? With all the giant Ever-biomes you’d think there would be a bunch walking around.”

Chester: “That’s the use of the holy land Constal’s built on. Something in the land is creating some sort of shield that works as a deterrent. Now, let’s get focused. Chezera might have people guarding him, wagons full of his men. He’s a big figure, he owns a small town called Al-po near here, and that’s where he’s heading. So you’re gonna have to be sneaky, remember that.

Gray reaches behind his back, going under his shirt to grab a wrist talon, which was wrapped in the Cloak of Darkness. Chester turns around, surprised by the hidden weapon.

Chester: “You had that on ya the whole time?”

Gray: “It’s an assassin-type weapon anyway, figured I’d bring it just in case.”

Chester: “Can I see it?”

Gray nods his head, tossing the wrist talon. Chester catches it, closely inspecting it.

Chester: “Fine craftsmanship, it’s just a metal brace…what’s in this little slit?”

Gray reaches over, grabbing the wrist talon. He then puts it on and focuses a bit of mana into the blank crystal inside of it, causing the blade to poke out.

Gray: “It’s like a hidden blade, but it’s thick enough to fight with, I’ve been thinking of ditching the swords for just this.”

Chester: “Might be worth it, You're quick, hit hard, and hard to hit, at least from what I’ve heard.”

Gray smirks at the compliment, but his smile fades when he looks out of the wagon. Small homes covered in moss, sinking into the ground. He assumes he’s in a small town, or what used to be one. Dark stone homes all sinking into the marshlands. The crops are dying, the people are sick, and the cattle are almost nonexistent, it reminds Gray of a normal medieval town.

Gray: “What’s with this place?”

Chester: “Don’t worry about it. Not all places are like Constal, Valatrocitus is a dangerous wasteland, it’s like it’s cursed. And Constal broke that curse, other towns exist, like Al-po, but Constal stands out in comparison.”

Gray: “I thought Walgonia was kinda boring, but it was nice. Green, alive, bright, and this is sad. Constal is its own experience, but this is more what I figured it to be. Is Ravoira like this?”

Chester: “Nobody knows. Nobody goes in or out, except Jimmy All and his crew. From what I’ve heard, it’s dying out. All but the Capital are living, it’s their fault anyway. They just kept getting into conflicts, fighting and starting wars they couldn’t win, and now they’re dying out. It's gonna be a race between Walgonia and Valatrocitus for who takes the land, unless they share it, which I don’t see happening.”

Gray leans back, watching the scenery go by and the sun go down, waiting patiently while approaching Al-po. After a few hours Gray’s finally able to see stone walls in the distance.

Chester: “There it is, Al-po.”

Gray: “I thought we were gonna meet him on the road, what are we doing outside of it?”

Chester: “I was told if we didn’t see Chezera on the road we had to wait here for a bit.”

A carriage is heard rolling towards them, slowly creeping to it whilst under the gaze of the old night sky, unable to see the moon through the thick gray clouds. Chester and Gray both look to see a carriage with the symbol of gear on the door. The door opens, and Rupert steps out, to the surprise of both Gray and Chester. Then, right behind Rupert, steps out the large Demi-human bear man Orson.

Chester: “Boss, Orson, what are you doing here?”

Rupert: “Something's got Chezera spooked, he hasn’t left Al-po for days, and he won’t speak to anyone but me. I was told this a bit after you left so I had to catch up fast.”

Gray: “Um, so am I still doing it?”

Rupert: “Yeah, you are. Chester, come with me to the front gate. They’re gonna check us, and while they’re doing that, Gray can sneak in over the wall. I want you to tail us and act when ready.”

Gray: “How will I know when it’s time?”

Rupert: “Trust me, you’ll know, and make it stylish.”

Rupert then throws Gray a recreation of his mask with the added detail of black lines stretching from the bottom, to the eyes, and to the back. Gray flips it, noticing an absence of a strap for his head.

Gray: “Hey, how do I use this? I can’t put it on.”

Rupert: “I dunno, this was quick, figure it out.”

Gray: “Why do I have to wear this, this look is matched with my face. They’ll know I did it.”

Rupert leans in with a smirk on his face, cheekily giving Gray an answer.

Rupert: “If he sees it and you let him live, he’ll know, but if you kill him, nobody will ever hear of this.”

End of Chapter Thirty-three