Halonar: I have declared war against these tyrannical Otherworlders!

第22話

“What the fuck?” he heard someone behind him whisper.

He pulled the bag across the ground, the scales jumbled.

How much can I get for this?

Hans leaned forward. “Whoa, mighty big catch. What is that? Some sort of scale- oh.”

The guy leaned back. “So you killed the boss, good work. I won't buy the scale, but I'm sure some sorry-ass villager here in Gavhin might. The fact is, that stuff just isn’t worth much to us, not that i’m trying to downplay what you did- how’d you kill him anyway?”

“Ran his mouth too much, kept him talking, so I shut it for him.” Jack replied, coldly.

Hans stroked his chin, “Thank’s that guy’s been bothering us for weeks. Constantly whispering shit in our ears, I was sick of it. I would have gone down there, but I’m stuck here. I sent a few Aldarians down there, they returned empty handed, well, except for the treasure they found, greedy little fuckers.”

Jack swallowed. “There was treasure?”

Hans coughed. “Yeah but don’t get sad about it, there’s plenty more in other dungeons. If you go looking hard enough, you might find one lying around.”

“What do you mean lying around?”

Hans whistled. “I dunno, it could be a hole in the ground, a weird looking rock with cracks, an old building.” He wiped his nose. “You can buy stuff here. We have starter equipment. He pointed to another stand. There was a full arsenal of weapons.

“You have a nice looking sword there, and a knife” He pointed down to the bulge on Jack’s hip, “Don’t think you’re fooling anyone, If you really want to hide it, you better get a concealment enchantment. My point being, that you don't seem to have a bow or slingshot or anything.”

Hans pulled out a bow from his back, it came into existence before Jack’s eyes. “You can have my old one, free of charge. Just gimme a scale and we’ll call it even.”

Jack tossed him a scale. Then he attached the bow to his belt.

“See ya later.” The guy called out.

The first thing he did as soon as he was out of sight of the building, was go to the nearest Pawn shop, and sell the bag of scales. Of course, the shopkeeper attempted to haggle, but Jack stood his ground, and ended up walking away with a decent amount of money.

The next thing that Jack did that day was buy a better map. The one he had up until today was old and looked as if about to come apart. He headed to a nearby shop in hopes of finding a replacement.

Inside the store was relatively empty of people, but scrolls hung on the walls. Many, many scrolls.

A woman sat at a desk, she appeared to be reading something. “Hi, how are you? What do you want to buy?”

Jack observed the gallery of maps. Some were unraveled on display, some were rolled up and stored in rows.

A stone tablet caught his eye. “Is that a map?” He asked.

She looked at it for a second. “I don’t really know what that is, I assume it’s a map of some sort.”

Jack pointed at another weird looking map. “What about that one?”

She took it off the shelf. It was a small metal plate, glowing faintly.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know, I think it’s a map, It’s old Versurdi technology, I haven’t been able to get it to work.”

“How much is it?”

The girl shook her head. “No offense, but I don’t think you can afford it.”

“How much?”

“A few chestfulls, I suppose.” She replied, scratching the back of her ear.

Jack was blown away. He never had enough gold to fill a bucket. This map alone cost more than his lifestyle.

Okay, what’s your recommendation? I want a good map, but not too expensive.”

“Alright.” She pointed to the glass display near the counter. “One of these, you want a map of Davwlands, right?”

“Yes.” He responded, as she handed him the map.

“Thirty copper please.”

Jack handed her ten gold coins instead.

When he found a good view, Jack opened the map. He focused on the bottom right corner. The map was made of some sort of fabric, so it would not tear very easily.

The plains would slow him down too much, he didn’t want to get too close to Keywark either, the king probably had a search party looking for him. His best option was to go south, then east. But that would mean going near the coast. He would also be near Skull Cove, a popular place for piracy. But it was a risk worth taking.

If he was spotted by pirates, there wasn’t much they could do to him. They would have to drop the anchor and change course. But then again, while most pirates were practically running for business, some pirates were murderous, and would go out of their way to kill and cause destruction.

He took a closer look at the map.

He could go diagonally.

Yes, it would work. He would be able to maintain a safe distance from both Keywark and Skull cove territory.

He grimaced. Lead hill.

Lead hill was the biggest military disaster in recent years. Gavhin had sent troops east to take the hill. But the only problem was that Keywark didn’t really care much about the hill.

Paknov sent troops directly to Keywark to fight, but after a while they quit fighting and left Gahvin to fend for itself. Once he got past Lead hill, he would have to look for Gor.

Jack folded up the map again, and began walking.

Rock, another rock, tree. Jack sighed. He was beginning to regret not renting a horse, traveling on foot was tiresome.

Jack leaned against a particularly shaded tree, he took a sip of the water pouch on his side. It was not stuff Bel had given him, or stuff that he owned. It had the Autumn Branch insignia on it.

Jack didn’t steal anything from them when he left, yet somehow he had found it mixed with his other stuff. Maybe someone put it in.

He slumped down, resting his tired legs. He wondered what the autumn branch was doing.

He wondered if Kuhara was a good leader for the rest of the team, if Carl got over his alcohol addiction.

“So, I guess it’s the both of us then.” A familiar voice spoke.

Jack shot up and jumped away from the tree at the last second. The tree exploded into a ball of flame.

The girl from before.

Another arrow flew past his face.

He looked in the direction of the arrow. Sure enough, It was the same girl from before. She was priming another arrow. It wooshed past him. He felt the heat of the arrow.

Jack ran down the hill. He pulled his bow out and primed an arrow. He fired it in her direction. It missed, and she responded with another fire arrow.

Jack fired another arrow, he ran his fingers across his quiver. Ten, nine left.

Another tree next to him burst into flames.

“I just wanna talk!” She called out.

Jack fired an arrow in the direction of her voice. “We are, aren’t we?!”

“Cut your bullshit, you fucking spy!” The girl growled. She fired another arrow. It hit Jack’s leg right on his kneecap.

She appeared. Standing at the top of the hill with an arrow pointed at him. She appeared to be out of fire arrows. Jack was glad, otherwise things could have been a whole lot worse.

Jack yelled in pain. He ripped the arrow out, clenching his teeth.

“Hey, get up!” She yelled. She grabbed him, and to Jack’s surprise, she lifted him with ease. “Tell me where the rest of you are, and I won’t kill you right now!” She pulled out a short sword and pressed it against his neck.

Jack kicked her in the leg, causing her to lose balance. He slammed his arm into her other leg causing her to topple. He slammed his shovel into her side, causing her to fly into a tree.

She got up quickly, and drew her bow again, firing another arrow.

Jack pulled out his shovel, blocking the arrow just barely, more like just deflecting it.

Jack charged at her before she could line up another shot. He slammed her into a tree trunk and pressed his shovel against her neck. He was becoming quite familiar with the process.

“What’s your name?” He seethed, still feeling the pain in his kneecap. “And what the hell do you want?”

“You aren’t a hero.” She spat. I know that well, but what are you then?”

“It doesn’t matter what you think I am! Now, answer my question quickly before you run out of breath.”

He pressed the shovel further. She gasped. “You're a spy from Keywark! You must be!”

“You don't know what you are saying!” Jack shouted at her.

He stared at the girl. She must have lost someone in the war, or maybe they got executed.

Jack knew her pain. He understood it well.

He laid down the shovel. She fell forward, gasping for air.

“I am sorry for whoever you lost. And I understand your pain-”

“What?” The girl asked, as if offended. “I lost my JOB! I lost all of my support because of you! You really think I’d give a damn who dies? It’s a fucking war!”

She leveled the sword at him, but Jack flipped the knife, putting the cleanest slice he had ever seen across her chest. She didn’t seem to have been harmed, probably chain mail underneath. She swung his barbarian sword at him, having somehow gotten it off his back during the fight. She stabbed him in the shoulder. Jack roared in pain. He swept his leg under hers, attempting to knock her off balance. She was surprisingly quick and dodged his slash. She attempted to grab his shovel but the smooth head slid down the soft hill.

As Jack moved, the sword, which still went all the way from his back to the front of his shoulder, grinded against his muscles, not only causing him nearly unbearable pain, but limiting his movement greatly.

She grabbed an arrow from his quiver and stabbed his leg with it. Jack winced again, trying to match the girl's strength.

Then he got his chance.

She looped her bow around his neck, but instead of struggling against the bowstring, he turned his whole body around. He grabbed her head and shoved her body over his shoulder.

She gasped, then growled at him. Jack, with his other hand, pulled the sword out of his back. He nearly blacked out from the immense pain of the blade lodged in his left shoulder. She fell to the floor, wheezing.

Jack kicked her with all of his strength, but it was like kicking a bag of sand. She went rolling down the hill, tumbling. He stumbled down the hill after her.

When they got to the bottom, Jack turned her over on her back. She spat at him.

“They’ll kill you!” She coughed. “Every god damn one, you fucking cerise!”

“I told you to call it quits, but now it’s my call.” Jack coughed.

He drove his sword down, stabbing her right through the chain mail. She writhed for a bit. Then at some point she stopped moving.

Jack didn’t know how long he stood there with his sword buried in her chest, or when he finally removed the blade. Maybe when the puddle of blood grew to a concerningly large discoloration did he finally snap out of his trance. He began to feel the syrupy liquid roll down his legs like rain and collect at his feet like a crimson shadow.

He stumbled backward.

Red. A red circle. Like a banner.

Dry blood cracked as he moved, opening new canals, for more small rivers of blood to roll down.

He caught himself on a tree trunk. He had stopped bleeding, but he felt nauseous.

The sword.

He looked down at the Barbarian sword. Faint letters that floated over it formed sentences.

+ Near-death recovery per kill

- Durability

Jack grunted. He never bothered checking the effects of the sword, he had assumed it wasn’t enchanted.

He sheathed the sword. Lead Hill was much closer.

He shook dirt and blood off his shirt, which was now riddled with holes and cuts, and his pants, which had been torn from all the stabs. He fished his handkerchief out, but dropped it when he realized it was also soaked in blood.

Jack climbed over another hill. He felt himself getting better slowly.

Dammit, He thought.

When he reached the top, he finally spotted Lead Hill in the distance. The area surrounding Lead hill was a wasteland. Dead trees were here and mud and dirt were turned over and over again until they could no longer bear grass.

The hill itself was surrounded by thick stone walls. He noticed a giant cannon at the top of the hill, which was odd, considering he never read about a cannon like it in any history books.

Lead Hill was a remarkable landscape, at least until it was ravaged for whatever riches laid underneath. Lead hill had always been rumored to have gold. When no gold was found, people hoped there would be silver, or copper. Eventually, interest in the hill was lost.

Until at least a century ago, that is.

Lead could be used to make many weapons, but was also extremely resistant to magic. It was rumored that if one wore lead, they could be resistant to any elemental attack. Jack was not very versed in spells, but it was common knowledge that only elements coil resist one another.

He stopped when his feet brushed a dead bush.

What am I doing? He thought. Lead hill could be occupied or guarded. Keywark did win the war, meaning they captured Lead Hill, they could spot him.

Jack made his way around the fort carefully, making sure he wasn’t out in the open. He rested only to take a sip of water.

After he made it past Lead Hill, continued his pace in the direction of Gor.

There it was. A cave sat in a ditch in the ground. It was covered in vines, but Jack could still see it.

He climbed down slowly.

Cling.

He looked down. His foot caught on a string.

Suddenly, more bells rang. It was coming from the cave.

“Are you Gor?” Jack asked. The ringing bells stopped.

“Yes, I am.” A voice called out from the cave. “Scram, you summoned! If you take another step, I will kill you!”

A chain flew out from the cave, missing Jack’s torso by only a couple of inches. The point buried itself in a rock behind him.

“Bel! Bel sent me!” Jack yelled. Flames erupted from the cave. Jack put himself low to the ground as the heat burnt the hairs off his back. Finally, a large boulder rolled out of the cave. Jack got up again and it pulverized a path in the ground where he was just moments ago.

“Liar! I know she is already dead! Even if she has not yet perished, her fate is already sealed tight…”

“She is very much alive!” Jack shouted. “She needs your help! I need your help!”

No sounds came from the cave. Then, a hulking figure came out from the cave. A broad-chested creature stood outside the cave.

Jack cocked his head. A troll, one of the last few hundred probably. Genocide wiped out most trolls due to their resemblance to orcs and ogres.

He coughed. The tools on his back rattled with each wheeze. “We need to rescue Bel! She is in Keywark-”

“How exactly?” Gor asked. “You plan to run toward the kingdom with no idea where you will start?”

Bel has a plan. The daughter of Boneh… She is how we can get to the king, how we can bring it down.

A grin spread across his face. “Ah! Belladonna always has a plan!” His smile quickly faded. “But I considered it already. That is until the Vocatis got involved.”

“The Vocatis?” Jack asked. “You meant the Aldarians ?”

“I mean the Summoned.” Gor grunted. “At least two. Not low level or inexperienced, they are brutal. Do not take them lightly.

He turned, showing his back, which was blackened and burned.

“This from the last time against a Vocati.” Gor grunted. “I escaped with my life.”

“I am not like the others.” Jack gritted his teeth. “I am wiser now, too late for my family, but not too late for my friends.”

Gor grunted.

“Zalina!” Jack remembered. “Zalina Boneh! Where is she?”

“Give me your map.” Gor asked.

Jack handed it to him. He pulled a piece of coal out from his satchel and drew a circle on the map.

“Here.” he handed back the map.

“Aren't you going to help?” Jack asked.

“No, I would only be a burden…“ Gor gasped. “What is that on your back?”

Jack hefted his shovel. “This?”

Gor made a retching sound, he weeped. “The bone and blood of gods…”

“I got it from a-a blacksmith!” Jack lied.

Gor shook his head. “Only the worms have eaten the remains of dead gods! Now tell me the truth! Where did you get it?”

“The worm… It ate me and spat me back up.” Jack admitted.

Gor sat down on the rock again, with a distant look in his eyes. “When the first Knights of the Horizon drew their swords, they silenced the deities of the realm. Their armor, blade glinted. The blade of justice, no longer here, but… A blade with two edges…”

He trailed off. “But the metal was practically a ceremonial piece, worth nothing to the summoned. Only a faint reminder that at any moment, any deity can be slain. The worms are nothing special, the king of worms is just a myth, but they have lived since the time of the gods, and they have decomposed what little is left of them.” He refocused his gaze on Jack.

“...”

“That metal you wield, it was what came out of the belly of the worm. A gift. You fell in, and came out. You saw your life flash before your eyes…”

“What did you see?”

Jack stood for a moment. He scoffed, but then he really thought about it.

“Death.” Jack said softly.

“Take my books.” Gor swung his arm. Faintly in the cave, were bookshelves. “You will need them, to stand a chance against the summoned.”

Jack grabbed a magic book from the shelf. It read: Food and Fun! Another read: Essential Spells for Travelers.

“Now go! Run! If Belladonna dies, the revolution will mean nothing!”

Jack didn't stop running until halfway to the forest. He frantically fished out the books. Somewhere in the back of his mind, was a faint voice urging him to drop them, most commoners never used spells or spellbooks, even non-invasive spells. Never had Jack ever known a sane village man who would open a book and start reading, learning.

Spellbooks weren’t illegal in most lands, but they were taboo. Why would a peaceful man educate himself in the art of violence and aggression?

Well, Jack wasn’t a peaceful man, not anymore.

His whole life he wondered if had real mana power, he never found out, and his interest in magic died out.

But now. he needed to know.

He opened the “Essential Spells” book, and flipped to a random page.

Page 1:

Fast scab.

Heya traveler tired of the constant monster attacks? Potions makin ya feel sick? Don't fret! Harry the Hero here! You gotta a lot the learn-

Jack’s eyes darted downward, a fast read, but he needed the spells, not an exposition.

Well, no one wants to bleed out! Fortunately for you, you can slow down your blood! You can fight harder, longer, and rake in the loot! Let’s begin, shall we?

Remember, Klomo = Stop

Now “Blood” is “Dranox”

Say “Klomo, Dranox!” This means: “Stop, Blood!”

Now, put your hand over a place you want to really stop blood.

Now say: “Klomo, dranox, prazu!” That means “Stop blood here!”

(Fun fact: If you practice enough, you can just think it and it will cast the spell).

Now, onto lesson two!

Jack flipped far past lesson two, his eyes darting for an interesting spell, stopping on a page titled: Bolster Support.

Your armor may protect you, but you aren't really taking full advantage of it. Bolster support puts an extra shell around your armor. Whether it be a ceremonial piece you don't want damaged, or you want that extra protection just in case, Bolster Support is for you!

For passive protection: Fuzi guzuza falti, tafranu bizi, barofu, sulanu, murzi zoziru.

For Blast Resistance: Moni zazu, tronu zazu zili ki tufi. Rupriparu faluzi.

Make sure you don't forget the priming, too.

Jack squinted his eyes, Parsu text. This was the real deal. For a summoned, learning a new language was a walk in the yard. For a commoner, it would be mind-breaking, filling your head with spells.

Jack grunted, and forced himself to decipher the text. Priming?

Prime the armor.

Nonononono, he was getting ahead of himself. He should try the blood clotting first.

He unlatched his knife. It didn’t ignite, maybe because he was already controlling the object well. He hovered it over his wrist.

“Klomo dranox!” He yelled. And with that, he slit his wrist.

He prayed, silently. But in his mind, screaming. Give this to me. Just one thing.

He braced for the blood to shoot out of his arm, but nothing but a single drop fell.

He shuddered, staring at his arm, wondering how he was still alive. Of course he would never understand the mechanics of it, as the spell was probably thousands of years old, and no one ever really figured it out, but it gave him a rush.

Finally, he broke down crying. This was it. He could turn around, make a new life for himself. He could forget about Bel. He could forget about Wyatt, Kuhara, Carl, Ruben.

He could practically imagine it.

Remember what they took. Remember what more they can take.

Tears rolled down his face. There it was. A small voice in the back of his brain drowned out by stupidity and foolishness. He wanted to hear it.

He gripped his shovel, and to his surprise, it began to shift.

He stared at the shovel.

“What the…?”

The metal liquified and took new shape, becoming sharper, like the head of a spear, while still resembling a shovel.

But it turned. It turned right before his eyes. And it pointed towards the forest.

Jack was frozen in shock. He looked to the forest.

He shut the book, shoving it back into his satchel, which also had magical properties, as whatever he put inside would have no weight.

He held the shovel up. It was indeed warping and twisting towards the forest. Finally, it relaxed and shifted back to a shovelhead.

He made up his mind.

The forest was dim, its thick dark trees blocking out most sunlight. The ground was soft under his boots as he trekked.

The shovel felt like it was gravitating in a direction, he let the shovel point. Then he followed.

He did this for a while until the shovel dipped down to the ground violently, dragging him down with it.

Just as he was about to get up, he heard a voice.

“Who’s there?”