End of an Era (Project Chrysalis Book 2), John Gold [ebook reader online txt] 📗

Bone Dragons, too. With my own eyes. The darkness, the clouds, the army! They have hounds of death, skeletons, ghouls, flesh terrors, and lots of chimeric beasts. All high-level.”

“Is that really so bad?”

“You don’t get it. They’re all over three continents! What are you doing, giving Hell more souls to send out?”

“I’m not the only one doing it. Hey, were there any lords here? I mean, black clouds with eyes that cast auras a long way?”

“No, I didn’t see any. Why, are they coming?”

“Sure… When they do, you’ll realize how bad things really are. Thanks for the information. You’re free to go.” The guy smiles just before another blow from a dwarf hammer sends him to the respawn.

Interesting! I need to head west. Zirda may be under siege. There’s an army of the undead to deal with and I don’t have anything to fight them with.

People might look for me in the city, so I need a way of staying out of sight. I need another look. If they’re looking for a fourteen-year-old boy, I’ll become a normal girl the same age. Of course, it’s tricky, but if you think about your body language and don’t talk… I should be able to pull it off if I put the whole thing together: hair, a dress, the mannerisms…

It takes me half a day to make a staff, the kind a girl might have. I assume they like trinkets and colorful stones.

Terrible apprentice staff

A well-meaning carpenter apprentice made a mage’s staff, though he wasn’t able to do much without a craftsman skill.

Effect: Mana +2250

Requirements: Intellect 80

Durability: 250/250

Yeah, I should have made something like this a long time ago. It’s a beautiful stick with a bunch of jewels and an enormous chunk of blood malachite on top. I have to jury-rig it, which is why it doesn’t give any attribute boosts, though I can enchant it later once I find some victims.

Next, I need a long-haired wig, and then the kind of dress a girl mage might wear. I end up buying them in Zirda at the auction. What about a mask? I decide against one, figuring that it would garner me too much attention. Using a potion that transforms my hair into what I’m looking for works much better.

After the news about the undead invasion, I hurry as fast as I can. If I don’t get there in time, it will be tough to get into the city.

It takes me a day and a half to get to Zirda, but I make it. The locals from the surrounding towns and villages are all pouring in. Whole columns of wagons are trundling in from the west, getting through without any real inspection, though the same can’t be said of those on foot. If they’re looking for me, I’m better off not being seen by the guards.

Running up to the very last wagon, I call up to the driver.

“Excuse me, could you give me a ride into the city?”

“Head in with the other kids. They’re in the cart two up from mine.”

“Nah, I’d rather go with you. You look way more fun.”

“Well, in that case, jump in. I won’t let you sit on the goats though.”

I get comfortable behind him, next to his load and two white goats.

“They’re beautiful.” I like animals. They’re often nicer than people.

“Those two are my favorites.”

“What are their names?”

“Mira and Tira. Those are my daughters’ names. They’re somewhere in Katain, off with some guys.”

“You must miss them.”

Sadness flitted through the driver’s eyes.

“Yes, but there’s a cost to everything.”

I knew that prisoners and convicts often flee here, so I know better than to ask anything else.

“Hey, did you live far? How long did it take you to get from there to here?”

“We’re from Vishki, a day away. Where are you from? You don’t look local.”

Vishki. That means the population is all headed here.

“I’m from Sural, here to go through the trial for the Hunters. Do you know who they are? They invited me, but they didn’t say anything.”

“Nope, though I can tell you that they aren’t normal hunters. How did you get here?”

“With my uncle, though he was killed by marauders. I was too afraid to stay in the woods, so I took off running in the direction of the city. I saw you just when my legs were about to give out.”

“Hey, we haven’t met yet. What’s your name?”

I’m stuck. If I don’t tell him my name, he might give me up to the guards. If he’s a follower of Leon or Teurus, he might give me up to them. Although, the important thing right now is to get into the city.

“Sagie.”

“I’m Metarion.”

Human, Metarion, Level 177

Huh… My red nickname doesn’t surprise him in the least.

We get through the city gate and find ourselves in the main square.

“Metarion, do you happen to know if a married couple came through your village two years ago? They were local, not wanderers. Arman and Camelia.”

“You have questions.” He shoots a sharp glance at me. “Yes, there was a couple like that. They stopped in the elder’s house before leaving, so you should ask him if you want to know more. Just remember that he’s a sly old dog. If you want information, you have to give him a rare item. He says they jog his memory.” Metarion laughs.

“Thanks. What does he look like? And how can I find him?”

“He’s at the head of the column, in the first cart. He looks like your normal old guy with a long gray beard, and his name is Flas.”

“Thanks.” I pull a handful of gold out of my pocket and drop it on the goats before running off to the head of the column.

He earned the