Chapter Two Hundred and Forty One - 241
Felix stood atop Haarwatch's once mighty Wall as dawn broke. It was sunken and pitted in spots, the red-gold metal having lost its luster. He looked down, at the massive rent that split the wall almost in two, where the Apollyon had forced its way through. Felix had tracked that creature's progress through the city, and the...renewed Frost Giant had indeed run right back into the Foglands.
Those dark forests were bathed in the shadow of the mountains, without a stitch of fog but impenetrable just the same. Felix turned away from them and considered the city.
Golden sunlight skimmed the tops of a thousand thousand roofs, the skies above a vibrant orange, unburdened by clouds. The heavy cover that had sat atop the city for weeks was gone, and he could even see the glimmer of a few lingering stars and moons. The Bloodmoon was the most prominent, larger by far than the others, as if it had drawn closer to them somehow.
Felix shook his head. The Berserk Blood condition had run its course, those affected having simply fallen to pieces afterward. The enhancement, however, remained. The few surviving creatures had Bodies that were greater than previously, juiced up on magical moon steroids. They had done what they could to eradicate all the monsters within the city, but it was an ongoing process once the monkeys and bugs scattered. It had only been four days since that fateful battle, but it felt like a lifetime.
With Portia and Aenea's help, the leadership had swiftly constructed an area for triage and treatment. Portia and the poorly named Fiend's Legionthose patients that had miraculously recovered during the camp's assaultthey moved across the battlefield and administered what aid they could, whether tonics or Skills. The Alchemist, in turn, had transported the majority of her equipment to the border between the Dust and Sunrise; she whipped up what she could with those resources they had to hand. Luckily, with the Sunrise Quarter so close, they had a rich source of supplies.
The Inquisitionthose that survivedhad all fled the city entirely. Felix had considered chasing after them, but they weren't worth effort. According to Zara, the news of their activitiesof the Primordial, the Authority, all of itwas already out. In a few weeks time, the Inquisition would reach the nearest city beyond the mountains, and soon after that word would reach the head of their order.
The goal now was to make sure they were prepared for what followed.
The merchants, nobles, and families of all stripes had seemed relieved to learn the redcloaks had fled. Cautious cheering had met the news that DuFont had been defeated by a Challenger, though many were concerned that it was a Guilder who once again held Authority. Some loudly proclaimed Haarwatch's time of troubles over, which had made Felix laugh. So far, it was going well. Felix didn't know what to expect from the nobility. His experiences with them were mixed, at best.
The core of the Sunrise Quarter had escaped the destruction visited on the rest of the city, and the people were healthy and well-fed, if a little wan. When Aenea had burst into their temporary shops and demanded reagents for tonics, salves, and potions, they were less than pleased. But the woman paid for what she could, and commandeered the rest; there were people in trouble. The merchants cried foul at the rough treatment, but Felix found it hard to sympathize with them.
The reagents were put to use, instead of gathering dust in their storehouses. Profit could wait for another day.
It was well the stocked up on all the did, as they'd found more survivors than expected, and not just from their assaults. Many had been gathered by the Inquisition into the Sunrise Quarter, but more still had holed up within the Crafters and Dust Quarters. Stashed in basements and root cellars, malnourished and terrified of the monsters that had prowled the streets. It took some convincing to get them out, and their efforts were ongoing, but Haarwatch was coming back to life. The city had survived.
Now the question was what to do with it all.
"I still think you shoulda taken the Authority, Felix," Evie said, kicking her heels over the edge of the Wall.
"I thought you would be happy to see Cal given such power," Vess asked. She was crouched nearby, along with Atar and Alister, inspecting the burnt out sigils along the inner edge of the battlements. Hector and a few others were down the way, further into the Wall's guts. "The Authority is better placed in her hands than Teine's."
"Hm," Alister said, not disagreeing. "How is Teine? Has he woken up?"
"Not yet," Atar answered and stood up. The fire mage wiped his hands on a greasy rag. "Portia doesn't have much hope either. Whatever those Arcids did, it ruined his foundations."
Felix winced. "What about the Wall? Can we fix it?"
"Not without some serious work," Atar said. "I'll leave the real diagnosis to Hector, but at the very least the sigaldry has to be reshaped."
"Not to mention the orichalcum needed to patch the holes," Alister pointed out.
"Can't Callie just," Evie wiggled her fingers.
"She's still figuring out the limits to her Authority, but DuFont sapped too many of the city's resources. We're running on empty," Vess said. "That's why we're here."
Below them, lined against he rent in the Wall, fifty Tin Rank fighters were in a loose shield formation. It was crude and wouldn't stop anything truly strong from the Foglands, but it was all they could manage right now. Felix rubbed the bridge of his nose.
You've proven yourself worthy in a trial by combat with a Master Tier existence! The Key is yours by Right and Might! Seek out the Temples to discover its true purpose and unlock its power.
Rewards:
+1 Level!
+Title!
New Title!
Inheritor (Unique) (Evolving)!
You are the master of the Nymean Key! Evolve this Title by seeking out Nymean Temples!
You Have Gained A Level!
You Are Now Level 49!
You Gain:
+2 to PER! +2 to VIT! +4 to END! +5 to INT! +6 to WIL! +4 to AGL! +7 to DEX!
You Have 27 Unspent Stat Points!
Inheritor?
"Do you know what this sword is, Zara? What it does?" Felix asked, muscling down the rise of System energy in his core. It was becoming easier with single levels.
"I saw DuFont use it to unravel spells cast upon her, and it is made of an exceedingly rare metal. It has enchantments that are hidden from me, which I assure you is not a common occurrence, and it came from the Foglands." Zara spread her hands, palms up. "Did I miss anything?"
Felix nodded, holding the sword aloft. It felt good in his hand, and the longer he held it the more his Wild Threnody pulsed inside his core, as if pushing him to use it. To fight...and more. That was why he'd left it behind; he didn't need anything else in his head.
"It's a key," he said. He twisted the Crescian Blade in his hand, tilting it back and forth in the mid-morning light. "It opens a door into a Nymean Temple deep in the Foglands."
"Truly?" Zara said, curiosity dancing in her eyes. "And what is within that Temple?"
Hidden Quest Discovered!
The Door Of The Lidless Eye!
Seek out the Temple you once took refuge within, Ascendant. Dire secrets dwell within, waiting the Inheritor. It is your duty to prevent the darkness from escaping into the light. Do not tarry, for the Archon is close, and the darkness closer.
"What else?" Felix said, whipping the sword down and sheathing it opposite his club. "Bad magic."
