When Lucas and Gio finally returned to the village, there was no sign of Qalda, Evelyn, or Edir. So they headed straight for the tavern where Qalda had secured their lodgings.
The men were set to share a room. Since the Drukyr had yet to return, Lucas and Gio claimed the beds against the opposing walls, leaving the empty one in the middle for Edir.
“I thought your kind didn’t sleep,” Lucas said and began to strip off his clothes.
As he pulled the tunic over his head, the muscles in his arms seized up, forcing a grimace on his face. His entire body felt stiff, battered by the day's exertion.
Yet, no amount of pain could sour Lucas's mood as he prepared to collapse into bed. He could already imagine it - the relief of a soft mattress and the warmth of a thick blanket wrapping around him.
However, his fantasies were not destined to come true.
A cloud of dust puffed up from the mattress the moment his weight hit it. Lucas coughed and winced as the particles tickled his throat, but he was far too tired to care about the hygiene of a village tavern.
“Did you truly expect the linens to rival a prince’s bedchamber?” Gio smirked, noticing Lucas’s reaction.
The Sanguine looked annoyingly pristine, already settled on his own bed with a small, leather-bound book in hand. Hovering just behind his shoulder, a pale gray stone cast a soft, cold light onto the pages.
“I meant to ask, how long do you intend to cling to that crystal? You truly need to master our tongue.”
“It’s only been a day,” Lucas muttered, his voice muffled as he adjusted the pillow, trying to find a spot that wouldn’t choke him with dust. “I can’t learn a new language in such a short time.”
“Ah, my apologies. I often forget the limitations of inferior species,” Gio said with a lazy smile.
He stole a glance at Lucas, who merely grunted and rolled over, turning his back to the Sanguine. “And those inferior species need sleep, so please be quiet.”
He wasn’t planning to sleep just yet, though. He lay still in the dim room, his heart rate picking up. He needed to check his progress - especially his new skill.
Mental Traits
Magical Traits
AP Available: 1.2
SP Available: 5
Lucas stole a glance at Gio. Only when he was certain the Sanguine was completely immersed in his book did he turn his attention to the floating blue windows.
The first thing his eyes locked onto was the Attributes section. Even though he knew exactly what changes to expect, he had been the one to invest AP in them, after all, seeing the confirmation in writing was deeply satisfying. Every point, every increase, filled him with an indescribable sense of pride. It was proof that he wasn't just surviving - he was growing.
As his excitement dimmed, his gaze drifted lower, past the newly acquired Coward’s Eye. He paused. The number next to Skill Points had changed.
It was no longer 0. It was 5.
I thought the system notified me whenever I gained something, he thought. Did I miss it during the fight?
He didn’t dwell on the matter for long. His focus shifted immediately to the decision at hand - which proficiency he should upgrade first. However, before committing any points, he decided he needed to learn what Coward’s Eye actually did.
Finally, something that can bridge the gap in my knowledge.
Lucas was delighted. This skill would be more than just an information tool; it was a survival mechanism. It would help him avoid enemies he had no chance of defeating. If the skill failed to provide details, he would know immediately that his target was far stronger than him, and the only strategy would be to retreat.
Lucas feigned a yawn, stretching his stiff limbs before rolling over to face Gio. He fixed his gaze on the Sanguine’s profile, illuminated by the floating crystal.
Coward’s Eye.
[
Name: Gio ***
Race: Elf/High Vampire
Level: ????
]
Lucas blinked. He ignored the blue window for a moment, carefully studying the Sanguine. Gio continued reading, his expression unchanged. Either he was feigning ignorance, or the skill was subtle enough that he hadn’t felt the intrusion.
Lucas sighed in relief and turned his attention back to the text, which had barely provided any information. Still, he was glad the skill had worked at all; he had no doubt Gio was far above his level.
He couldn’t help but smile faintly when he saw that the system identified him as a High Vampire, not a Sanguine.
It must be a term he prefers to distance himself from what he is, he decided.
He dismissed the window and glanced back at his own stats. The five unspent Skill Points tempted him, but dumping them into Archery felt like a waste. He wasn’t convinced that a simple bow and arrow would make a dent in the powerful monsters of this world.
The image of the dragon was still vivid in his mind. If his suspicion was correct and he was somehow connected to a dragon, then raw physical power might become far more important for him than precision or dexterity.
In the end, he decided to wait.
With that thought, he finally let his heavy eyelids close. He no longer cared about the dusty bed or the Vampire next to him. All he wanted was some rest.
The rhythmic, dry sound of Gio turning a page was the last thing he heard before sleep took him.
<<<>>>
“So, tell us. What happened?” Lucas asked Qalda, scooting over on the long wooden bench to make room for Edir. Then he activated the Coward’s Eye.
[
Name: Qalda
Race: Human
Level: ????
]
“When you left for the swamp, an imperial emissary arrived in the village,” Qalda said, pressing her lips into a thin, grim line.
“What unfortunate timing,” Gio snorted softly. He adjusted his hood as the innkeeper approached, placing four large clay cups brimming with frothy ale onto the scarred table.
“Wine’s comin’ for the lady,” the man grunted, bowing slightly to Evelyn. She returned the gesture with a curt nod, and he shuffled away.
“So?” Lucas pressed. “Aren’t you going to finish?”
“War, Lucas. There will be war,” Qalda said calmly. She reached out and slid the cups across the table, distributing them to the group.
“War?” Lucas repeated, his tone dripping with irony.
Since arriving in this world, misfortune had stalked him like a shadow. Once again, it seemed Tyche had no intention of showing him favor.
“Did you know?” he asked Edir and Evelyn, quietly using Coward’s Eye on them.
[
Name: Edir
Race: Drukyr
Level: ????
]
[
Name: Evelyn ***
Race: Human
Level: ????
]
She has a last name. Lucas’s eyes widened briefly before he regained composure.
“Aye. We beat ye back, and Qalda filled us in,” Edir rumbled. He lifted his cup and drained it in one long draught. Slamming it down, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Pah! Tastes like horse piss. Only Drukyr know how to brew a drink with teeth!”
He pulled a battered flask from beneath his leather tunic and splashed a viscous liquid into his empty cup. Edir licked his lips in anticipation, while the rest of the group shot him glares.
“So, what now?” Lucas asked, pulling his collar up over his nose to block the pungent fumes coming from Edir’s cup.
“We have a bounty to complete,” Qalda replied evenly. “But after that, we must leave the southern region immediately. The last thing I want is to encounter those lizard riders.”
Lizard riders? Lucas repeated the term in his mind. But he didn’t question her, as Gio chose that moment to speak.
“We should review our little... endeavor. I admit, I am rather intrigued by the complexity of the mess we have stepped into,” Gio said. “Lucas and I toured the swamp yesterday. A total misnomer, really. Crystal clear water, no stench. Certainly not as much as our current atmosphere.”
He nodded pointedly toward the Drukyr, who was greedily downing his cup, drops of the potent alcohol dripping from his thick, black beard.
“The beasts have made their lair in the water - though it’s more of a grand pond than a swamp. I found tracks. Quadrupeds, moving in a pack. If I had to take a guess, there are at least ten of the wretched things.”
“Ten, huh? It can’t be a new colony then,” Qalda muttered, brow furrowing. “Is that all?”
“Hardly,” Gio shook his head. “We found heads. Severed, discarded. They seem to have a distaste for the skull, or perhaps the staring eyes offend them. Who knows?”
He paused, a smirk curling his lips.
“Oh, and I nearly forgot. Our new friend fought bravely against a pack of wild dogs. And surprisingly won.”
“I did,” Lucas chuckled. “What about the graveyard? Did you find anything?”
“The graveyard was empty. Quite literally,” Evelyn said calmly, pausing to nod at the innkeeper as he placed a cup of white wine before her. She took a delicate sip. “The more recent graves were breached from below. Tunneled. They took the bodies... save for the heads.”
“A colony of ten can’t be new. They must have been feasting on the graves for years, and when they outgrew that food source, they started hunting the living,” Qalda mused aloud. “But it is very rare for creatures who feast on fresh meat to be content with the rotting flesh of the dead.”
The table fell silent. Everyone understood that they were missing a piece of the puzzle. One single piece that would explain everything.
“This makes no sense,” Lucas said, breaking the silence. “The Village Elder said they have been avoiding the swamp for generations. If that same swamp is where the beasts live, does that mean the creatures have been there for decades? If so, why haven't they attacked the people before? And more importantly, why attack now?”
“I have a theory,” Evelyn said, placing her cup back on the table. The pale wine was barely touched; she had taken only the smallest of sips. “What if the creatures have survived on the graves for generations? They would have adapted to that supply, perhaps even limiting their numbers to match it. But recently…”
She gestured toward the window, pointing past the glass to the skeletal frame of the temple rising in the distance.
“The village started burning their dead. The beasts lost their food source. However, there is one detail that eludes me. What kind of creature lives in water, burrows through the earth, and consumes corpses…?”
“Horseshit!” Edir cursed loudly, slamming his cup down. “I might know the beasts ye speak of. But pray that I’m mistaken.”
The next chapter will be out Tomorrow.
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