Opening his Quest inventory and looking at the 'item' with a strange expression, the Necromancer closed the interface while pitying the poor Jargal.
His 'baby' was stiffer than a sculpture, and Michael was a bit worried about returning to the man with such grim tidings.
When he reopened the MAP to see the location, he got another Quest update notification, which almost made him trip over another strange thing.
[ Gan's dead body
The goat thief's body has turned to dense salt. Large portions are missing as if eaten. ]
Realizing that the goat was next to the dead merchant's body, a strange image appeared in the Necromancer's head.
"To think that he stole the goat, only to end up being eaten by it after he was cursed by the demon. How ironic..."
Wanting to maintain common decency, Michael reached out to Gan's body to store it in his inventory and figure out what to do with him later.
Upon touching it, however, it disintegrated into a small mound of salt, leaving no traces that might point to a previous human being.
Shaking his head and waving his head with all his strength, the airflow created by the swing scattered the salt in the wind.
Even if it wasn't ash, it was still the remains of a person. He didn't want someone to find it and use it as a spice for their food.
[ Side Quest updated - Salt Begets Salt
Objective: Return Tuji's body to Jargal
Description: You've retrieved Tuji's body from Qara-Yisu. It seems he and the thief, Gan, were victims of the demonic corruption that turned the city to salt.
You should return Tuji's body to Jargal. ]
Pitying Gan further, Michael realized that the Sanctuary gave Tuji preferential treatment since it had also undergone the 'saltification' process. Still, unlike the thieving merchant, its body was maintained without scattering into salt.
Next, he rechecked the MAP and sighed in exasperation when he saw another Quest Marker less than two hundred meters away.
[ Side Quest: Blood and Sweat (Level 50+)
Description: Carry a father's dying wish to his daughter. ]
With such a description, no matter how unfeeling one might be, his consciousness would ache if he overlooked it and went about his day.
"*Sigh* I guess since it's in the way..."
He passed through the city's outskirts between ruins of demolished buildings, only to be greeted by a small horde of demons.
There were no Elites in their midst, but the large variety was somewhat annoying.
From the typical Hellions to the flying Succubus, the Balrog-like Overseers, and finally, a big-fat Warden that looked like a version of the Butcher that spent too much time at KFC - he exterminated every last one of them.
[ Bloodstained Letter ]
After getting rid of the trash in his way, Michael quickly located the Quest Item and somewhat reluctantly picked it up to read it.
[ My Bright Ray, I received your last letter from Alzuuda and the gold you sent. I wish you would give up this mercenary life and come home. Having you here is a greater blessing than gold. I have kept Little Tuya safe - ]
An intense feeling of unease churned his stomach upon reading the words 'mercenary life' and 'Tuya.'
Taking a deep breath only to smell the disgusting salt in the air, the Necromancer felt sick.
"Not only did Arban mention this man as one of the people who died in the Stronghold Event, but the name Tuya... I might know that person."
When he visited Alzuuda previously, he had met Tuya during his Exhuming Faith Quest.
He remembered paying her 1,000 gold coins for taking him on a tour of the outpost.
The conversation was still somewhat fresh in his mind.
"What are you doing out here?"
[I'm from Qara Yisu, far to the east of here. My father is a miner, but work is hard, and gold is scarce. Being a mercenary is dangerous, but this way I can send money back to him.](Tuya)
The feeling of sickness continued messing with his stomach for a while, but there wasn't anything the Necromancer could do about it.
One thousand gold coins is not a small amount, but maybe because of him, Tuya believed that she could make even more by sticking around in Alzuuda.
On the other hand, the fact that he did give her that much and made her greedy for more might've inadvertently saved her life since she might've been caught up in the demonic corruption incident this morning.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
"Back on Earth or here, life is still just as shitty. The only difference is that in Sanctuary, the Wanderers are a bit more in control of their fate, able to swim for a longer while against the current. But in the end, stronger or not, they are still humans."
Shaking his head and placing the letter in his Quest inventory, Michael continued on the path that led outside of the city.
[ Side Quest issued - Blood and Sweat
Objective: Search for 'Little Tuya'
Description: You found a dead miner in Qara-Yisu. His letter indicates he was keeping something for his daughter. You should find it and take it to her. ]
Michael stopped in his tracks and saw a small area highlighted by the Sanctuary. Judging from the torn-down walls, this must've been Tuya's and her father's home.
It wasn't that difficult to find. On the floor, covered by a loose stone, he found a small wooden box buried in the ground.
Carefully taking it out, he 'unboxed' a small, ragged doll.
[ Side Quest issued - Blood and Sweat
Objective: Bring the doll and letter to Tuya
Description: The miner was keeping his daughter's old doll safe. You should deliver it to her in Alzuuda along with news of her father's fate. ]
It was at times like this that Michael strongly disliked his 'job' as a Wanderer.
Exiting the city's outskirts, he found himself in the area called Yin'ada Gur.
It was at this point that he realized why the Quest was called Phases of the Moon.
[ Moon Clan Maraurder (Minion) - Level 51 ]
[ Moon Clan Striker (Minion) - Level 51 ]
Seeing the goatmen that didn't look very different from the other three types he had seen so far, he re-summoned his minions and proceeded to vent the negative emotions away.
Taking out the pocket watch he had gotten from Aylin, Michael realized that he had gone overboard when he saw that it was already 6:30 p.m. and he had long completed the requested collection.
Annoyed but feeling slightly better, he returned to Qara-Yisu and found Arban to hand in the Quest items.
"I've returned. Here are the Khazra bones."
[Thank you, Wanderer. Hope this helps. I would buy you an ale if we had anything decent around here. Your payment, as promised.](Arban)
Accepting a purse with around forty gold coins, Michael accepted it with a smile and placed it in his inventory as the system counted his Quest as complete.
[ Side Quest complete - Phases of the Moon
Reward 1: 17,072 experience points
Reward 2: 2,120 gold coins
Reward 3: Gem Cache. ]
Walking to Qara-Yisu's Waypoint, he 'registered' his energy signature and directly teleported to Jirandai.
Prepared to be the bearer of bad news for two different people today, he first found Jargal.
He took out Tuji's body and carefully placed it at the man's feet, worried that it might turn into a small mound of salt at the slightest impact.
The Necromancer offered his condolences, explaining what had happened to Gan, the merchant who had stolen Tuji.
"I did find Tuji, but as you can see... I'm sorry."
[No, no, he's not dead! Tuji always goes into a deep sleep after he gorges on salt. It's his favorite treat!](Jargal)
Confused, he initially thought the man was too saddened by the news to accept reality until he saw the goat stand up wobbly and walk toward its owner.
His confusion only deepened upon realizing that the goat wasn't dead when it was stored in his inventory, making him question everything he knew about the system.
After all, he had tried to store living things before, and not even insects could be shoved in, much less a goat.
Yet somehow, Tuji was stored in his Quest inventory while in a coma from eating too much salt, and the Sanctuary permitted it.
[Though, where did he get so much salt from? His smile is as wide as his belly.](Jargal)
Seeing the man happily playing with the 'resurrected' goat, Michael temporarily dropped his urge to investigate the situation since it would only ruin the mood.
As for explaining what sort of salt Tuji enjoyed, it was better to keep that secret to himself since it's unknown how Jargal might react to the information.
[ Side Quest complete - Salt Begets Salt
Reward 1: 17,072 experience points
Reward 2: 2,120 gold coins
Reward 3: Salvage Cache. ]
[ Region Progress Rewards Earned - Dry Steppes
Rewards are available to claim. ]
Bidding farewell to Jargal and the fatty Tuji, the Necromancer opened his Region Progress and saw that the third tier was indeed available to claim.
An extra 25,000 gold coins, some experience points, as well as an additional skill point entered his pockets.
Just like with his Paragon Points, he decided to keep them unspent for now. At least until he talked with Natalia and figured out what the best way going forward was.
Returning to the Waypoint, he traveled to Alzuuda, where he mentally prepared to once again be the bearer of bad news.
While a miracle happened once, with Tuya's father gone, there was no chance of a second one happening.
He found the woman at the local inn, worriedly looking at her cup of ale.
"Hello, Tuya. We meet again."
[Huh? Oh, you're the generous Wanderer from back then. What are you doing in Alzuuda? Here for a Quest?](Tuya)
"Something like that. May I sit with you?"
After ordering food and drinks, Michael took this opportunity to properly look at the young woman.
She was slightly older than Evelyn, Tia, and Neyrelle but definitely younger than Mina, Aylin, or Helen.
Realizing that she was closer in age to Mei and Hella, the Necromancer concluded that she should be around 20 years old.
[I have good news. Since the last time we met, I received a World Recognition Quest, and just yesterday, I became a Wanderer myself!](Tuya)
"*Sigh* Congratulations are in order, then. Before we talk about that, I came here from Qara-Yisu to find you."
[Did my father send you? He never responded to my last letter, and I've been worried. Now that I am a Wanderer, I can travel to Qara-Yisu and activate the Waypoint. Then, I can visit him more often.](Tuya)
Silently taking out the bloodied letter and the doll, Michael explained what happened this morning and how her father passed away by getting caught up in the process.
Tuya tried to remain stoic, but it was obvious that she was suppressing her emotions.
[My doll. Father kept it. We argued just before I left, you know. He felt it was too dangerous to become a mercenary. But so was mining in that area. I was going to come home. After I'd saved up enough gold to move him somewhere nicer. Somewhere, he didn't have to work so hard.](Tuya)
Seeing her fingers clench the bloodied letter so tightly, Michael quietly listened to her until the point where she couldn't hold back her tears anymore.
Patting the head of the girl crying like a small child, he wondered what he could do in this situation.
Judging from the state of her 'home,' she had nothing to return to. Her house was gone, and her father was turned into salt alongside the other five workers.
That meant no body to bury. Furthermore, she had just received the Sanctuary's recognition and became a Wanderer.
Seeing the two swords on her waist, he sighed and prepared to first see what her plans were.
"Do you have any other relatives in Qara-Yisu?"
[None. Father was the last family member alive. Mother died years ago, and I am an only child.](Tuya)
"What do you want to do next?"
[I... don't know. It feels as if everything came crumbling down so suddenly.](Tuya)
"Do you plan to continue as a Wanderer? I might have an idea in that case."
[Idea? What?](Tuya)
"Are you against leaving the Dry Steppes if needed?"
[Not anymore. Not that my father's gone...](Tuya)
"I see. Give me a moment."
Activating his Ring of Communication, he contacted Beatrice.
[Please tell me you didn't find another tribe or outpost that needs help. My finances are already dried...](Beatrice)
"Not exactly, but you might want to have someone check on Qara-Yisu. I just cleared a Stronghold event there, and some people died. I couldn't properly estimate the damage done to the city, so I suggest you send someone to check."
[Got it. Also, the people I sent to the Crane Tribe arrived there an hour ago. They already reported the general situation, and it looks pretty bad. Was that all you wanted to tell me about?"
"There's one more thing. I found someone who became a Wanderer yesterday and wanted to recommend her for the Elite Newbies training program. Do you still have spots left?"