Chapter 616: Contact
Chapter 616: Contact
"What did you say? Lady Elastron is about to resign from her position as Archmage?" In casual conversation, Liam received a crucial piece of information: the Silver Moon Federation, the first unified government in the Northern Lands, was about to be established. This group of merchants was heading there because it meant further development in the Northern Lands. The upcoming Moon Festival would surely consume a lot of supplies, and the goods they carried would fetch a good price.
The merchant caravan in front of Liam was a small one from Silvermoon City, only running the relatively safe route to Deepwater City. Places further away, like Sandalbar or Adabar, were out of their reach.
In this medieval setting, long-distance trade was extremely dangerous. For example, in Middle-earth and the World of Ice and Fire, the armies of various nations, during peacetime, spent most of their time suppressing the endless bandits on trade routes. If this caravan hadn’t encountered Liam and his group, they would have been lucky to have half of their people make it through, with all their goods lost.
"We seem to have arrived a bit late. It looks like we’ll have to enter the city tomorrow." After clearing the battlefield, they quickened their pace. Unfortunately, when they arrived at the city gates, they found them closed.
"Where will we stay tonight?" Liam looked at the setting sun and asked the caravan leader, "We won’t have to camp out, will we?"
"Not at all. There are plenty of small villages around here. I have a friend nearby who runs a small inn. We can stay at his place for the night." The caravan leader led them off the main road and along the city wall to the east. They soon came upon a small village with about seven or eight buildings. One of the buildings had a sign with a wooden barrel and a pitchfork painted on it.
After the caravan settled in, Liam, Hermione, and Rose Crystal went down to the small tavern on the ground floor to gather information. It was a popular spot for local farmers to relax. They spent a silver coin (from their recent loot) on a few drinks and overheard some unusual news.
"You’re wizards?" a red-nosed farmer asked, sipping the ale Liam had bought him. "Then you should visit Andoline. She and her famous chef husband from Silvermoon City live in the house at the end of the fields. They’re a very kind couple. But this morning, the chimney of their house emitted the foulest smell I’ve ever encountered. I’m a bit worried about them."
"This sounds like the beginning of a quest", Hermione said to Liam after the farmer wandered off with his drink. "But for us, it’s a great opportunity to meet local casters and learn about magic. Let’s go now."
Liam agreed with Hermione. After informing the caravan leader, the three of them set off in the direction the farmer had pointed. It was getting dark, and the fields, free of light pollution, were pitch black. Liam and Hermione each held a lantern plant to light their way, while Rose Crystal flew low above them, holding her crystal sword and keeping watch.
After walking about five hundred meters, they saw a small wooden house nestled in a sparse maple forest. Strangely, the door was half-open, and through the gap, Liam could see that the interior was pitch black.
"This isn’t right. No one leaves their door open at night", Liam and Hermione said in unison, drawing their wands. Liam then conjured a gentle breeze to push the door open and lit his wand to illuminate the room. They saw a living room with a comfortable-looking sofa, a recliner by the fireplace, and a desk under the window.
"Nothing seems out of place, but I hear something being torn in the room ahead", Liam whispered after a quick look. They tiptoed through the living room, and as they approached the fireplace, the poker leaning against it suddenly came to life and lunged at Liam.
Liam reacted quickly, using his Armor Charm to block the blow. Then Rose Crystal pounced, swinging her Sword to cleave the iron rod in two.
"This must be an Animated Object. We should be more careful", Liam said after examining the two pieces of iron rod on the ground. They had abandoned their Magic Surveillance to avoid alerting any potential enemies in the house, but they hadn't expected a trap to be waiting for them.
After the initial attack, the three of them cautiously continued forward. However, they didn't encounter a second attack until they reached another door in the house.
"The sound is coming from inside", Liam said, closing his eyes and listening for a few seconds. Through the soul connection, he relayed the information to Hermione and Rose Crystal. "It sounds like there's an enemy in there. Get ready for a fight."
Once everyone was prepared, Liam hurled a Flash Grenade made from Sunlight Crystals into the room. Instantly, the intense light enveloped the entire space, and a scream of agony echoed from the left.
The source of the scream was a two-foot-tall, dark red-skinned creature with leathery bat wings, a spiky tail, and curved horns. As tabletop gaming enthusiasts, Liam and Hermione immediately recognized it as an Imp from Baalzebul's Hell.
The battle was over in an instant. While the Imp was blinded by the intense light and unable to react, Liam quickly cast a Binding Spell to immobilize it. Then, Rose Crystal swung her Crystal Sword, slicing the struggling Imp into dozens of small, ping-pong ball-sized chunks in just a few seconds.
After confirming the enemy was eliminated, they heard a weak moan. Liam and Hermione followed the sound to the bedside, where they found a man, covered in blood and bruises, tied up with his wrists and ankles bound.
Liam quickly freed the man, and Hermione used Magic to check his condition. The man's state was better than expected; most of the blood was actually tomato sauce. His current weakness was due to a paralyzing poison and dehydration.
After being given an antidote and a cup of Clear Water, the man regained consciousness. He told Liam and Hermione that he was Andoline the Wizard's husband, the chef Gandru. He had ended up like this because he and his wife had created a Cheese Golem. While his wife was in the laboratory studying Magic, an Imp sent by Vorgon, an old enemy of his wife, had come to cause trouble. The Imp had triggered the Golem's berserk mode, injuring Gandru and tying him up in the bedroom, where it continued to beat him.
"Remember, never use Flame against the Golem. Flame will only make it stronger, and the Golem is very powerful", Gandru warned them seriously when he learned that Liam and his companions planned to destroy the out-of-control Cheese Golem. He also mentioned that the Golem was still in the house, though he didn't know its exact location.
Liam and his team cautiously moved from the living room into the Great Hall, which looked normal and unremarkable. However, when they entered the kitchen through another door, the signs of the Golem's destruction became apparent: iron pots and kettles lay on the ground, ceramics were shattered, and broken fragments were scattered everywhere. The walls were splattered with various sauces, still dripping wet.
In the ruined kitchen, they noticed a door that seemed to lead to the basement. It was closed and barricaded with a chair, as if someone was afraid of something coming out. Considering Gandru's information that the Golem hadn't left the house, Liam and his team were fairly certain the Golem was in the basement.
After confirming they were facing a construct Golem, Liam summoned his Rose Madonna to float in front of his chest, then opened the basement door and went in first. He felt he had a Magic spell that would be effective against this type of enemy.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
