Chapter 491: The Man with Antidotes

Luke stood before Cassandra, Peter, and several officers. He had been escorted there after requesting a meeting.

“So, we meet again,” Cassandra said.

“Yeah. Sooner than I planned.”

“I’m curious about the price this time,” Peter added. “What will it be for more antidotes? Our treasure, perhaps? Or something simpler. Maybe the crown of our king. You’re imaginative.”

“I’m being serious now. I assume you confirmed the antidote is real,” Luke replied.

“It bore the seal of the Order of Ardan,” Cassandra said. “How did you acquire it?”

“I found it lying around in the forest.”

Peter clicked his tongue. “Truly a creative man.”

‘Too bad this idiot here actually found it just lying on the ground in the forest’, Artemis muttered in his thoughts.

“I’m willing to hand over all the other crates of antidotes I found. In exchange, I want only information.”

“What kind of information?”

‘The size of Cassandra’s’, Artemis started, and Luke shut her up mentally before she could finish.

He pretended to think it over, though everyone there could tell it was an act.

“I want to know how you captured this temple. What kind of enemies were here, how many, and what you fought to take it. And, of course, where the weapon was found. Whether it was easy to access, hidden, or just lying around at random. I want every detail.”

“That’s all?” Cassandra asked.

“That’s all.”

“Then we have a deal.”

***

Luke returned to his tent. Charlie was inside, while Franky slept on the floor, snoring loudly.

“Layla left a few minutes ago, Master Luke.”

“Good. I need to make sure she gets back alive. I arranged for her to move to a safer tent. Because of Eleanor, I have to see to it she returns to the United States in one piece.”

He began preparing potions in the cauldron. The ones he’d given Cassandra and Peter were useless for traveling through the forest, so they had little value to him.

“Charlie,” Artemis said. “Aren’t you worried that Luke… and Layla… you know, that he might harass her?”

“Me? Harass someone?”

“Master Luke and Layla are like fire and ice, so it’s fine,” Charlie said.

“Harassment? With Layla? I’d be way more likely to end up committing homicide.”

***

A few days passed while Luke prepared to investigate the Spore Forest. He brewed potions and antidotes, testing mixtures and refining formulas. From what he had observed, the Alchemists hadn’t managed to get very far. They had likely underestimated how much stronger the toxins became the closer one moved toward the center of the forest.

There was almost certainly a temple somewhere inside. From Cassandra, he had learned that temple regions themselves were like trials, environments designed to challenge anyone who approached them, and that was before even stepping inside the temple proper.

With his blood already resistant to poison and a stock of antidotes to reinforce that advantage, he expected to push deeper than anyone else had. And with Angie scouting overhead, his chances would only improve. As he walked through the village, Luke noticed the sheer number of soldiers stationed there.

Cassandra really is stretched thin.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

If she pulled all of them away, the village would be overrun. And this place was under the care of the Kingdom of Lagras. Merchants lived here, people with businesses tied to the rift, local trade networks. Cassandra and Peter were caught in a stalemate.

Why is that man Miles occupying the exit? There has to be another reason.

The Red Eight Fingers faction had taken control of the area and turned everyone into hostages. Luke suspected the reason was simple. Miles wanted the treasure Lagras had already found.

One of the four treasures is the key that opens the temple. I doubt he cares which one it is. If he gets all of them, he wins by default.

Leaving the village behind, Luke headed into the forest, making his way toward the ruins to test his new Witch skill. Angie stayed at his side while Charlie remained in the village.

“You’re going to test it now?” Angie asked when he finally stopped.

“Yes. Let’s see how good this one really is.”

Upon reaching level twenty in the Witch class, five skill options had appeared, but only two truly interested him: [Pentagram of Shield I] and [Telekinetic Impulse].

He chose the second.