I could have gone east— to Anibes— but that would have required going through the Chalstics Confederacy. And despite freeing dozens of their soldiers from prison and potential… torture for some, I did not trust them to give me a warm welcome if they had found me in their territory; to them, I was a Dark Crusader— a heretic part of a siege on one of their key fortresses— my one good deed would not have fully abated whatever ill feelings they would have had towards me.
Regardless, now I was in Laxis, which had the Incen Mountain Range wrapping around almost half of the country, starting from the southeast, before going up to cover a quarter of the north. I had entered closer to the southeast, and strayed away from the valley with the orphanage which I first found myself in. But that did not mean I was any further from the Incen Mountain Range than I had been before.
Even from the city of Locke, I could see the undulating crests in the near distance, neverending, going beyond the horizon itself.
It was just almost 40 miles to reach the foot of the mountains. Supposedly, somewhere in that general area to the east, there was an Abomination infestation at the base of the mountain range. All the villages and towns in that direction claimed that they had seen Monster or animal carcasses with the signature blue lumps on their body, wandering down the hills. And considering that the Hunters sent to investigate have not been heard from again, along with the recent influx of Monsters attacks, the Hunters Guild has been led to believe that the rumors were true.
After having my dinner, I first went to the Hunters Guild to ensure that the job had not been taken, and while I was met with an odd look by the receptionist at the counter, she confirmed that I was not wasting my time doing this. Then I gathered my things and started for the distant hilltops, trudging along the roads that brought me closer to it until I could follow it no more.
While I did have the strength of an adult thanks to whatever spell or miracle removed the mark from my face, I still had the small stubby legs of a kid; pushing hard off the ground in a run might have carried me further than anyone my age could have possibly sprinted, but my walking speed still remained roughly the same. It would take me until dawn to arrive at my location, and I would probably have spent more time even finding where to begin my investigation.
So I did not rush. There was no reason to. I had even packed a bag full of traveling necessities, since it was likely that this job would have taken at least a full day. Likely even more if the Abominations were somehow well hidden.
I trudged under the thick canopy of trees, vines reaching down from branches like tendrils, smothering me in the darkness. The sweat on my hands— the only part of my body left uncovered— barely glistened under the light from the crescent moon hanging atop the sable night sky. It was more humid here than it ever got in the Free Lands; the close proximity to the sea, and the fact that I was probably just above the equator now made the air, thin as it was in this attitude, much more damp.
I had long since been unable to see the South Star at the edge of the horizon. And I was only going further north in the future, as my destination for now was the Taw Kingdom, a Dwarven country close to the very top of the continent. I almost felt glad that I could not see that dim red glow of the Inferna; its presence would have reminded me of Karna, and the knowledge that I had called him a friend only to betray him had weighed me down for more than just the first few nights after gaining my freedom. It would not do for me to be distracted and die in an ambush to some Monster, so I stayed focused, paying attention to every little sound and movement all around me.
Unlike the last few times I had gone out to fight, I had my staff with me to aid my spellcasting. I did not intend to fight what was possibly hundreds of Abominations unaided by magic— discretion was not necessary when there was no one around. I had worn my mask only as a precaution: if I was somehow found out, I could always dump my mask and cover my face with a new one and everyone would be none the wiser.
At least, if it was an isolated incident. I did not intend for such a thing to happen often, if at all.
Regardless, I was not sure if I even had to use magic for this extermination mission. One of the factors that pushed me towards doing this was my first encounter with the Abominations: I distinctly remembered being ignored by them when I saw them attacking Bys. I have not approached or come close to any Abomination since then, so I was not sure if this still held true. So to be cautious, I simply brought my staff with me.
Plus there were other reasons for me to have been wary. My eyes flickered to the side, as I caught a glimpse of movement. Something had brushed against the bushes, and I heard the faint rustling of leaves coming from the same direction.
I tensed— feeling the mana in the air, the earth, and my surroundings gather around me. No spell circle formed just yet. It was as if I were resting a finger on the strings of a bow. The arrow gently rested on the palm of
