Bloody mist filled the night air as the wolf’s head was turned to mush between Dren’s boot and the tree. By the time the corpse hit the ground, the assassin was already out of sight. Dren hadn’t slowed down when the monster appeared. Putting everything into a kick with all his momentum behind it. Then rushing off further through the woods. The moment he made it back to the road he summoned his mount. They had taken a steady but leisurely pace previously. Now he pushed his mount to its full limits. Even better, as the thing wasn’t a true living being he didn’t need to worry about it getting tired.
Things moved in the darkness around them but Dren didn’t pay them much attention as they raced down the paved roads. Part of his mind appreciated just how smooth the pre-system roads had been. But mostly he focused on keeping Ren comfortable. His Aranea companion had helped him deal with the solitude of the dungeon. She provided support and was a valuable combatant. But mostly she was the closest thing to a friend or family he had on this strange world. It was unlikely he would get to see his family again. It was a truth he hadn’t been brave enough to speak aloud. In the time since she was born. Ren had started to fill that role in his heart. Now, some crazy overpowered native was trying to take that from him. But Dren wasn’t going to let that happen.
Someone shouted and he heard the whiz of a projectile go past him. But he ignored it. As long as he didn’t try and fight back or the mount took too much damage. It would just continue along. Dren didn’t even have the mental energy left to vow revenge on whomever it was that attacked him.
The return trip to the Necropolis was much faster than the trip out. Still, it was daylight before the walls came into sight. Ren was curled up in Dren’s lap. She held onto three fingers of one of his hands. All three were badly bruised now from her constant squeezing of them. It had even worn down his toughness over time. Another time he would have found that interesting, but for now he had no thoughts to spare.
His approach on the giant mount made a scene. People were already moving to see the strange sight but Dren just urged the mount forward through the gate. People had to rush out of the way and shout their displeasure. It was only once he was in fully and the streets were too crowded for him to force his way through that he leaped off with Ren in his arms. His mount vanished as it was returned to his spatial storage. Only then did he realize he didn’t know where to find the Seer. Just as he started to shout out for her, the movement of off-white robes caught his attention. Maria stood there with a gentle smile on her face.
“Come with me. I have a room set aside so we can talk.” She gave Ren a sad look before turning around to walk away. Dren didn’t hesitate to follow.
“I need your help. I need a healer for my companion.” Dren said as he popped out of nowhere to appear half a step in front and beside her. For her part, Maria actually missed a step seeming surprised. She wasn’t the only one but Dren ignored them all.
Maria for her part regained her composure almost instantly and resumed her walking towards one of the restaurants. “Let us get in private and we can talk then.”
Dren started to snap at her. To demand she help him here and now. But he held back. After all, he didn’t have any other leads. Perhaps the adventurer’s guild? For now, he decided to follow her. But if this woman wasted his time and couldn’t help. Dren resolved to kill her after he did find help for Ren.
Soon enough they were in a private room. She did something and Dren felt a wave of energy wash over him. But neither he nor Ren seemed worse for it. So he stood there holding his whimpering companion while straining to stay patient.
“Ok. Now our privacy is assured.” She smiled calmly and sat down at the table in the center of the room.
“I need a healer for my companion.” Dren said immediately, his tone impatient.
“I see that. But no healer can save her from what Scourge did to her.” Dren gritted his teeth unaware his mask took on a bestial appearance. Leaving him looking like he was snarling, all teeth and angry eyes. His mind was so full of fear and rage he didn’t even question how she knew it was the strange native with the Scourge class that had done it.
“There has to be a way.” Dren stated emphatically.
“There is.” Maria said with a smile. “A woman with a rare class is only a day’s travel from here. She can cleanse your companion.”
“Where is she?” Dren said. Looking ready to rush out the door the moment he got the directions.
“I can tell you where she is. But she won’t help you.” Maria said and Dren snarled for real this time.
“I’ll make her.” His voice held such cold assurance that even Maria flinched.
“You can not make her, only kill her.” Maria cut him off as he started to respond. “I can help you enlist her help though.”
Dren seemed to relax, if only a tiny bit. From a string wound so tightly it was fraying to one just on the edge of snapping. “Ok. Good.”
Maria nodded. “But it won’t be for free.”
Dren’s eyes narrowed, for a moment he wanted to lunge at the woman. But that wouldn’t get him anywhere. “Fine. I’ll pay. How much?” He was suddenly furious with himself for spending so much money previously. He hoped he had enough credits left.
“I do not need your credits, Dren. I will help you for a favor is all. I will need to cash in a favor I am owed by the Purifier just to get you a chance to see her.” Maria explained. “You will still have to work out payment with her but that shouldn’t be a problem. Your payment to her will become clear once you are there.”
Dren blinked at her and then instantly agreed. “Fine. I owe you a favor. Where is this Purifier?” What did he care if he had to promise her a favor? After this, he didn’t plan on coming back to this town if he could avoid it. Especially if he could just make contact with this Purifier directly in the future.
Maria smiled. “That won’t work. You will need to sign a contract with me.”
Dren froze for a moment. While he was willing to do just about anything for Ren. The idea of signing one of these guide made contracts didn’t sit well with him. Ignoring the owing a favor. There were many risks with signing one.
“Don’t worry. Signing a contract won’t give out any incriminating information. Not about your real level, class, or that you are an invader.” Maria smiled reassuringly at him.
Dren would have drawn his dagger and lunged at the woman instantly had Ren not been in his arms. He was just wound up too tightly. Instead, that short moment bought him time to think.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Dren lied then felt Ren squirming in his arms as another tick of health draining sent waves of agony through her small frame. “Just give me the contract and the information.” He didn’t care what was going on. Right now all that mattered was getting Ren help.
A moment later a system message popped up. It was the contract she had mentioned. It was simple and to the point. That he would owe her a favor that needed to be done for her within one week of Ren’s full recovery. It had her name and his name, nothing else that indicated it any other information being traded. The penalty for not upholding his part of the contract was simple. The inability to gain experience for a year. Dren had a few problems with the contract. But it was clear, he only had to do her a favor if Ren fully recovered. That was good enough for him. Without waiting he signed it.
“Ok. Now give me the information.” Dren said, not wasting any time.
Maria nodded and a system message chimed in his mind just as she started speaking. “Head due east from here. There is a road that almost completely leads to their own Haven. With your mount, you should get there early the next morning. I have transferred a favor debt to you owed by the Purifier. It will ensure she is willing to meet with you but that is all it will guarantee. As I said you will need to work out payment with her if she is to help you. But that shouldn’t be an issue. She will need your help when you arrive.”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Dren didn’t bother waiting any further and simply turned around to leave. Barely remembering to mutter a thank you as he left. Later he would have questions. But right now. There were more important things to do.
*****
Like a storm, he had ridden in and then rode out of the town. Despite only being there a short time his stay caused a bit of a commotion. Some recognized him from his recent visit, so word that he was a rare class spread. Speculation on if the giant lizard was his beast or an item or even a power got people excited. Had he known the level of rumors his actions would spawn that day. He might have done things differently. But probably not.
Within minutes of leaving the private room with Maria, he was mounted up and rushing to the east. Maria smiled slightly as she stepped out. Her response that she couldn’t share private information about those she helped didn’t placate people. But they did at least stop asking her, eventually. Once back at her actually home she sat down and closed her eyes to read through the calculations provided by her class. To see the paths branching and building around her. It wasn’t perfect. There had been slight deviations in what the system showed her. But the more she did this the better she got at navigating the tangled mess of information she was provided. Right now there was nothing else she could do to impact the invader boy’s path. Not until he came back to her. So, rather than waste time she selected one of the paths where he didn’t and started trying to navigate her next move. Just in case things with Dren didn’t work out.
*****
Dren had been certain he could get to this Purifier faster than Maria thought. His mount was tireless and fast. She most likely had predicted the time to get there based on traveling on foot. Yet, dawn was just breaking when an obvious haven came into view. It had walls of stone just like the Necropolis. Yet, they weren’t nearly as tall. While being made out of pure white stone instead of the black stone used at the larger settlement. Yes, the Necropolis was substantially bigger than this settlement. As Dren rode up he found it had a double door like the Necropolis. It did have a moat around the town as well. It was deep and dry with what looked like stone spikes at the bottom of the pits. A single land bridge crossed over to the double doors. With no other entrances in sight as he rode up to it.
Also, unlike the Necropolis the gates were closed. It also had guards. Two defenders and an archer on the wall above the gate. The two defenders were seventeen and eighteen. Not a bad level. But the archer up top was an impressive level twenty.
“Whoa.” One of the defenders called down as Dren rode right up to the gate.
Jumping off as the mount returned to just being a statue right before being shunted into his storage pouch, Dren shouted out. “I’m here to see the Purifier.”
“Sorry, I see you have someone wounded with you. But the town is under lockdown. We can’t let you in without word from our lady.” One of the defenders called down. But to their credit the other was already gone, having left to inform the Purifier of his arrival. Unfortunately, they underestimated Dren’s impatience. He was just about to run up the wall and over it when a system chime stopped him. He glanced to find that the contract favor transferred to him from Maria was gone. Ahead of him, the gate doors started opening on their own. Dren started moving the moment a gap opened wide enough for him to pass through. While overhead the guards started shouting their panic making it clear this wasn’t their doing.
Before all hell broke loose someone running towards them shouted. “It's ok the Lady said to bring him!” Running towards them was the defender that had left with another man Dren hadn’t yet seen. With a faint pop, Dren vanished and appeared before the two running men. Both nearly crashed into him in shock.
“Take me to this Purifier now.” Both men seemed less than pleased by his attitude but glancing at Ren they seemed to understand. With a nod, they turned around and Dren followed after them.
*****
“Maria sent you?” Dren looked up at the woman as she entered the room accompanied by a mage and a defender. The guards had brought him to a small room with a bed to place Ren in. Something about the sparsely furnished room made him think of his own room from before the integration. Why did all rooms for the sick seem the same? Even on another world.
“Yes, she said you could help Ren.” Dren answered while sizing up the woman. She was small, a tiny woman. More so she was rather old. Stick thin arms stuck out of the sleeves of her robe and her curly hair was pure white. Not the ephemeral white that Ren’s hair had but the white of hair that had long since been leeched of any color. Her wrinkled face was sternly set but somehow still conveyed a gentleness. Despite her frail elderly appearance Dren could sense strength coming from her. Most likely because when he identified her she was level thirty three Purifier. Her profession was Alchemy and that too was an impressive twenty one.
The woman didn’t bother to introduce herself and barely glanced at Dren before moving to check Ren. She showed a bit of surprise at finding the young girl wasn’t human. But it passed almost instantly. Instead, she gently placed a hand on Ren’s brow. A light glowing beneath it shone through her hand as if it was translucent. Dren could see the bones and veins in her hand clearly. When the light faded she turned her gaze on Dren and he couldn’t read her expression.
“Who are you?” Dren recognized when she identified him. Her eyes widened just a tiny bit but otherwise, her expression didn’t change.
“My name is Walter. Maria said you could help my companion Ren.” Dren cut straight to the chase. Reiterating what he had already said.
“This… ailment. What caused it?” She glanced at Ren with a complicated expression.
“I was attacked by some guy outside a dungeon. He did this to Ren when she tried to save me.” He paused for a moment. “You can help her right?”
The Purifier pursed her lips. “I have never seen an ailment like this one. I don’t believe I can cleanse her.”
Dren’s heart stopped beating and his blood froze. Maria had said this woman could cure Ren. He couldn’t accept losing his companion. He couldn’t accept being alone again.
“You are lying.” His voice was icy.
“Hey. Don’t talk to the Lady like that.” The mage snapped, his hand moving toward the wand tucked into his belt. Dren glanced at him, using Identify to find the man was only level nineteen. With an expression of abject disdain, he turned back to the woman.
His action only seemed to enrage the mage more. With a growl, he drew his wand but stopped when the woman spoke at him, her tone stern. “Gerald, do not embarrass me.” She then turned back to Dren, meeting his cold glare with a gentle but unyielding gaze. “None of my normal methods would cleanse this… debuff. The only ability I have that is strong enough to cleanse this would be a self only skill. I do have an Empath ability to take debuffs from others. But this… curse, yes I think that is what it should be called. Is potent. It would not be something I could do easily or without risk to myself.” The old woman gave Dren a sad smile. “I can’t risk my life for your companion. Too many rely on me.”
For a moment a wave of wrath washed over Dren. The urge to kill this selfish woman was almost irresistible. Yet, it passed just as quickly as it came. Her death wouldn’t save Ren.
“I can pay.” Dren was already cursing having spent most of his credits.
“It isn’t about money dear.” The woman said sounding honestly regretful.
“Maria said you would help. She said I just needed to make arrangements to pay you. That it would be obvious when I got here.” Dren growled. “There has to be something.” He paused. “I have a spatial storage item. A mount too. I can trade them.”
At his words, interest was evident amongst the three natives. But the woman’s expression quickly changed and Dren knew it wasn’t enough. He was considering taking one of the guards hostage when a system message forcefully popped up in front of him. Words soon accompanied it.
“Um, please forgive the inconvenience. But we have a hot patch we will be deploying now. Sorry.” The voice was that of a young male. Sounding almost like a terrified child.
“We made a terrible mistake with the last patch. Sorry. The level of the monster surge proved problematic. Sorry. So we are going to make some quick changes. Sorry.” The voice almost trembled with fear as if they expected to be yelled at any moment for their words. Was this really the system? What was going on?
“Damn straight there were issues. That many high level monsters was ridiculous.” The mage Gerald growled out.
“The level of the monster surge being ten below the highest level individual on your planet was a problem. Sorry. This did not help leveling as we wanted. Sorry. At ten levels below, they could only get experience for one level. We apologize for this inconvenience and have implemented the following to fix it. Sorry.” That was the issue? Not the fact that the high level of the surge was a problem for most people? He had heard of the high death rate during the first days of the surge. It was true that those that survived tended to level up quickly. Raising the average level quite a bit. But many lower levels were slaughtered.
“First, the monster surges will happen more regularly. Their frequency and numbers will be based on the number of system integrated entities in an area. Second, their level will be five below the highest level in that area. This way the strong can benefit from gathering more individuals around them. While rewarding their greater power. We apologize for the issues the previous Monster Surge mechanics caused you. May the strong grow stronger.” The voice stopped and Dren was left looking at the system message in front of him.
Monster Surge Level: Twenty Eight.
Time until next surge, two hours.