As I studied the card, a thought crossed my mind.
Before going further, it is better that I put it all in order.
This world, Aetheria, was vast and divided into several continents.
The two largest continents were Solaria and Drakmor, who formed one and the same country together.
Solaria was the heart of religious and political power, controlled by the Sacred Empire of Solaria.
It was a prosperous land, dominated by the holy knights and the clergy, where divine magic was reserved for elected officials blessed by the goddess Solaria.
Conversely, Drakmor was a dark and wild region, marked by wars, mercenaries and dangerous creatures.
It was a place without faith or law, where exiles and banished found refuge.
And that was where I, Arhon Kurogane, I forged my reputation.
But Solaria and Drakmor were only part of the world.
Beyond these lands, there were other continents still unknown, unexplored territories whose rumors were vaguely spoke.
Some said that the seas to the north sheltered a disappeared civilization, while others claimed that floating islands existed in the heavens.
But as long as no one had mapped them, they were only myths.
My eyes returned to the map, stopping on the benchmark indicated by Darius.
An old fort abandoned for decades.
In the past, it was a military base built at the time when the Solaria Empire was trying to extend its influence to Drakmor.
But the knights had failed to conquer these lands.
The wars against the tribes of Drakmor had been too violent, and the resources necessary to maintain the too expensive garrison.
Finally, the Empire had abandoned the bastion, leaving it to the ruin state.
Today, this dilapidated fort served as a hiding place for outlaws, the mercenaries on the run and, apparently, the fallen knights.
I folded the card and looked up towards Darius.
"Well, I see where it is."
He smiles, satisfied.
"So, what are you waiting for?"
I got up, storing the card in my jacket.
It was time to go and pay a little visit to these fallen knights.
I got up from my headquarters, ready to leave this damn villa and go to the abandoned bastion.
Darius did not seem to worry about how I was going to accomplish my mission. As long as the fallen knights disappeared, he had no reason to ask me questions.
As I walked towards the exit of the manor, the eight assassins of the black fangs followed me closely.
They said nothing, but I felt their presence.
The effect of the Omni charm cape always works ...
Without turning around, I sent them a few words:
"I advise you not to follow me. If you insist, you may never see daylight again."
The assassins stopped immediately.
They didn't need a demonstration to understand that I was not kidding.
Once outside, I took a moment to consult my interface.
Since the start of my trip, I have accumulated a lot of things ... It's time to do an inventory.
「Statistics - Arhon Kurogane」
Name: Arhon Kurogane
Level: 81
Reputation: 「respected」 (in certain regions)
Rang: Elite assassin
Class: Mercenary - Higher Assassin
「Resources and provisions」
Gold: 10,000 pieces
Provisions: (bread, dried meat, water)
Current equipment:
「Legendary sword: akatsuki」 (passive murderous attack)
「OMNI CAPE Charm」 (Increases luck and attractiveness)
「Reinforced light armor」 (agility bonus)
「Inventory」
Care potions (x3)
Mana potions (x2)
Cards and documents
Unknown key (recovered from the city of pleasures)
After finishing the analysis, I closed the interface and started.
The abandoned bastion was only a few kilometers from here.
It was time to go see what these fallen knights had in the belly.
The abandoned bastion was not at a distance that was a problem for me. I could have gone there, but I had no desire to waste my endurance for a simple journey.
Better to save my strength. I don't know what awaits me there.
So I got looking for a cart that could take me.
Along the lively streets of the City of Pleasures, several merchants and travelers were preparing for their own destinations. There were trolleys of all kinds: some transported food, other weapons or exotic goods.
I approached the first driver. A robust man, the tired air, who loaded wine boxes on his cart.
"Are you going north? I asked him."
He stopped for a moment to watch me, then shook his head.
"No question! The abandoned bastion is a problem nest. If you want to go there, do it on foot."
I tried my luck with another carrier, then another. All categorically refused.
Apparently, the reputation of the abandoned bastion is even worse than I thought ...
After a dozen unsuccessful attempts, I ended up falling on a man who seemed hesitant.
He was an old man, dressed in a worn leather coat, with a gray beard and a cunning look. His cart was less loaded than the others.
"Do you want to go to the bastion? he asked, gauging me."
I nodded.
"I can take you there ... but it won't be free."
"How much ?"
He displayed a sneaky smile.
"490 gold coins."
I haired an eyebrow.
This old man wants to steal me ...
But I didn't want to waste more time looking for another driver.
I plunged my hand into my bag and counted my gold coins before I stretched them.
"Make sure that the path is worth it."
The man nodded and indicated me to go back to the back of the cart.
Direction the abandoned bastion.
The cart set in motion in a slight roar of wheels. Sitting in the back, I let my gaze wander on the landscapes that paraded around me.
The City of Pleasures gradually disappeared behind us, its brilliant lights and its animated streets giving way to a dusty dirt dartwards, bordered by an increasingly rare vegetation.
At the start of the journey, the environment still looked like the external areas of the city: some scattered buildings, abandoned fields and some pressed travelers. But the more we advanced north, the more hostile the landscape became.
The cobbled roads give way to rugged paths, bordered by stony stones and roots. The silence began to weigh, only disturbed by the noise of the wheels on the ground and the creak of the wood of the cart.
The sun, formerly bright, began to disappear behind a darker sky, covered with thick clouds. A light mist floated in the air, giving the place a strange and oppressive atmosphere.
This territory exudes death and abandonment ...
By observing around me, I noticed obvious traces of past conflicts:
Ruins of watches, half collapsed, covered with foam.
Rusty weapons and pieces of armor, forgotten on the ground.
Common pits, where the vegetation tried awkwardly to cover remains of bleached bones.
It was clear that this place had been a battlefield formerly. Perhaps during a war between mercenaries, or a confrontation against the holy knights of Solaria.
The old man who was driving the cart broke his throat and threw in a hoarse voice:
"If you want my opinion, kid, there are only the madmen or the suicidaries that go to the abandoned bastion. Who are you?"
I let out a slight smile.
"A bit of both."
He nodded, without insisting more.
This guy seems to know more than he means ...
But I choose not to question him for now.
Night falls
After several hours of travel, the sun ends up completely disappearing, plunging the region into a sinister darkness.
Distant howls were heard, probably creatures roaming in the surroundings.
The air became more freezing, and an unpleasant feeling settled, as if something - or someone - observed us from the shadows.
The abandoned bastion was no longer very far. And everything indicated that this place hid many horrors ...