Chapter 273 – The Lake of Myst

Chapter 273 – The Lake of Myst

“I hate traveling on foot.” Flynn slouched his arms forward to counterbalance his backpack, his boots tiredly crunching on the pebble road. With an orange race and profession, he had been hit the hardest by the forced march.

“Meow,” Hobbes agreed, sitting on Kai’s shoulders and grooming his backside. The furball freely roamed the mana zones and came to get carried once he got bored.

The shamelessness…

Kai was careful not to let his thoughts slip through their bond.

They had pushed the pace to reach Limgrell in eight days, the temperature dropping lower each night as they fared north-east. Mana zones also interfered with the seasons. The verdant woods had been painted in the orange, brown and reds of fall within a week. Evergreen pines and spruces stood out amidst the empty canopies.

“I can carry your backpack.” Rain offered, spryer than the day they left Varsea. A bundle of leaves in all shades dangled from his bag together with a hawk feather and a pinecone.

“It’s fine,” Flynn pulled on the straps of his backpack as if he could lift himself up. “We’re almost there, right?”

“Yes,” Daniel grunted, his scarred lips giving him a somber air. Since the night they got rid of their stalkers, the man had fulfilled his role as a guide with admirable zeal and cut down on his curt ways—especially if the siren was present. “We should be able to see Limgrell beyond that ridge.”

The cobbled path wound through two slopes covered in lush weeds with no plant higher than a shrub—far different from the Rustling Hills they had left behind. Kai had seen enough swarms of rattling beetles and snakes for a lifetime.

Crossing through mana zones had saved them considerable time. Daniel steered away from any mana zone higher than Orange-3, and Hallowed Intuition let them avoid any stray yellow beast.

Almost there. She’ll be fine.

It had been over two years since they last spoke. Someone should have informed her he was alive, though there was no way to tell how she’d react. Was it too much to hope she’d leave Limgrell and abandon the case of the missing people?

Being on the mainland should have made her more cautious.

Close to his goal, his mind played out all kinds of unlikely scenarios.

She won’t stab me before we speak…

The sooner they reached Limgrell, the sooner he could put his mind to rest and figure out his next step. Perhaps he could open that alchemy shop or visit one of the mystical places he had read about. Traveling would be much more pleasant if they didn’t have to march at breakneck speed through the wilderness. Everything would work itself out.

Damn it. I jinxed it, didn’t I? It should still be fine… Hallowed Intuition hasn’t—

Flynn clapped both his shoulders. “Stop thinking and relax. There is no point worrying until we know the situation.”

If only it were that easy.

“Yeah… Ahi!” Kai twisted his neck to glare at Hobbes.

The cat had nibbled on his ear with too much enthusiasm. “Mrow.” Two violet eyes watched him as if that were his fault for being foolish.

You can walk by yourself if you bite me again.

“Meeew.” The demonic furball licked his paw.

Spirits, how did you get so spoiled?

Their combined efforts had got him out of his head. The road was rising on the slopes, the sky covered by puffy clouds. A chill gust ruffled his hair, smelling of heather, moss and myrtle.

Climbing over the ridge, Kai saw their destination—Limgrell. A pale wall enclosed a smattering of houses poking out of a dense mist. The town size was unknown, though further beyond that, crystal blue snippets of the Lake of Myst and green islets peeked out of the fog.

He would have called it picturesque if the current circumstances hadn’t already tainted his impression into eerie.

“There’s your destination,” Daniel said with a labored breath, hands resting at his sides. “It should clear a little if the sun peeks through the clouds.”

“Oh,” Rain and Flynn gaped, mesmerized by the sight with almost coordinated expressions.

“Let’s go, shall we?” The seeker gestured at the winding path down with a pleased smile. “I’d very much like to have a warm meal and a real bed.”

“Not to get paid?” Kai mused.

A smirk pulled at his scarred lips covered by a dark stubble. “That too. We arrived a day earlier than promised. Are you not satisfied with my services?”

While not the most personable guide, no one could deny Daniel was competent. His knowledge of the terrain had saved them days of wandering; he spotted where to safely set up camp at a glance and recognized the markings of dangerous beasts.

“You’ll get your bonus.” Kai took the path toward the town.

Flynn and Rain were already running ahead. After a week on the road, the anticipation of food and shelter invigorated their legs for the last stretch. Water and Earth Magic made Kai look only slightly unkempt, but they couldn’t replace a warm bath.

The chilly mist washed over them as they descended the slopes. Despite the farmsteads and barns being somewhat visible, no one was working in the fields. This far north, they might have already harvested and prepared the fields for winter.

“Let me do the talking.” Daniel led them toward the barred main gate and knocked on a rusty panel with a hollow sound.

The shutter pulled back with a clank. A pair of beady eyes studied them with blatant distrust. “Who are you?” the guard snorted. “Traveling with three snotting kids?”

“Just weary travelers looking to admire the sights of the lake.” The seeker had the most affable smile that his scar allowed.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Pha!” The guard laughed in a shower of spittle. “No one comes to Limgrell in this season. You must be more adventurers looking for the bounty. If only those fools would accept their kids are gone, we wouldn’t have to deal with your lot. People have disappeared into the mists for generations, and no one ever cared.”

The Republic still hasn’t intervened to solve the case then… It’s too much to hope they’d do something good.

“May we enter the town, sir?” Daniel continued to smile politely.

“Who am I to keep you from wasting your time? Your IDs.” The guard opened a second shutter lower on the wall. A minute later their papers were shoved back. “Remember you have to register in the townhall if you stay longer than a day.” The shutters closed and a door creaked open beside the main gate.

“Such a warm welcome.” Flynn mused once they were out of earshot. “No wonder they don’t get any visitors.”

“Did we have to get treated like that?” Rain narrowed his eyes at the guard post.

“Standing guard at the gate of a town with no visitors is often assigned as a punishment.” Daniel dipped his head in apology. “It’s just faster to go along with it. This guy wasn’t that bad. Trust me.”

Inside the gate, the streets were just as deserted. Kai would think Limgrell was a ghost town if he hadn’t seen people and lights moving inside the buildings. Three alleys in, the first passersby threw them wary glances and whispered among themselves.