“Since our trail is still fresh here, let’s get moving toward where we need to go,” Viana said. “We can get other things later, unfortunately, we’ve drawn too much attention to this area as it is.”
She took the lead once more, and the three were once more on their way to find the dragons. Around midday, they reached more of a swampy area. Not too far in the distance was another settlement of civilization. Though much smaller than the rest, a proper village.
“I really do not want to sleep outside in all of this,” Lucy said as she looked around. The main path was a dry road, along with most of the immediate area around them. However, it did ebb into murky water in a few spots, the trees were gnarled, and they were surrounded by more of the murky water. The deeper one looked in one direction, just seemed like an endless ocean of the gnarled trees and grassy, muddy, water.
“I’m in total agreement with you on that,” Viana said. Both sent a semi-glare at Ardonis, daring him to object in any way.
He rolled his eyes, “Then let’s flip up our hoods, go into the village, and see what we can find. As long as we are cautious and don’t let our identities slip, we’ll be fine.”
He took the lead as they entered the small village, there wasn’t very much, a small docking area with a few boats. A couple were missing and on the water with a few people on them with spears and fish nets. There was the echoing clang of a hammer from the probable sole blacksmith. A market or two, and the rest of the residents going about their day. It was clear the place didn’t get very much attention from outsiders. As the main population of people consisted of bipedal lizard beastkin. Some of which had more aquatic features like webbed hands or fins on their back or arms.
Ardonis stopped by one of the market stalls with the other two behind him. “Excuse me, would you mind pointing us in the right direction for camping supplies and tents, and such?” he asked the man behind the stall.
“There are only three shops in the whole village,” the lizardkin said in a raspy, slightly high-pitched voice. Ardonis wasn’t entirely sure if it was a man or woman, as there was no true indication among them. Their autonomy was different from other humanoid species in that they were androgynous. He could assume based on the slightly sleeker face than some of the other, more buff-looking lizardkin around. But face shapes even among them varied quite a bit. Some had similar sleek designs to the one before them, some had gruffer and rougher looking designs, others had a mix, etc.
“Though if you really didn’t want to check each of them, I suppose I could tell you which one specifically. You would have to buy one of my wares, however, for that information,” the lizardkin indicated to the display before them. There were a couple of rings, a large arrow, some sort of large bone, a dagger that also seemed to be made of bone, and random large scales of varying color.
“I think we’ll just check on our own, thank you, though,” he said with a nod. “Oh, before that, have you heard any rumors going on recently, maybe about a trio of wanted criminals?
“The same offer as before, I’ll even throw it in as a two-for-one and give you both pieces of information,” the lizardkin said with a sly smirk.
Ardonis sighed, “Should have expected that. Fine, I’ll take the dagger.” He took out the ten silver he saw next to it and handed them to the lizardkin. “A pleasure,” they said as they handed off the dagger. “Now then, the shop you are looking for is the one closest to the center of town. Called “Garlik’s Stuff”. As for the rumors… if you are looking to make yourselves good on bounty, be cautious. There has been word that one used high-level teleport magic in an instant, effortlessly, and disappeared. Currently, their location is unknown.”
“So they went into hiding, huh? Well, that means more money for us, as we are getting paid to pin down their location. The harder they are to find, the higher our prize for being the ones to find them. Anyway, thank you for the information.”
“Oh no, thank you for the business, mysterious hooded stranger.”
Ardonis left the stall and indicated the other two to follow him, signaling Lucy to open a telepathic link. A moment later, he felt a slight probing in his mind and let it through.
You two heard all of that? That is the role we’re going to be playing from now on. It’ll throw suspicion off the three hooded strangers that are wandering around everywhere.
Quite clever, Ardonis, it will also allow us to make diversions as our real selves elsewhere as well. Very clever indeed, Viana said through the link.
It’s not that-
It’s not that clever, Lucy said at the same time. He looked over at her, and she stuck out her tongue. I know how you work, Ardonis. Sure, maybe it isn’t some completely out-of-the-box unique idea. But how many would actually think to do that in the moment and not simply leave after getting the information they wanted? It isn’t necessarily the idea itself that makes you clever, but your ability to see in the moment and use it to your advantage.
He chuckled lightly to himself, I suppose you have a point. Now let’s get our supplies and then get out of the village. Cover or not, with it not being too far from the last town and such, I don’t want to take any chances. Which also means you’ll have to wait a bit longer before you can get your drinks, Viana.
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It is what it is, she responded.
After they got all the supplies they needed, including a good-sized tent imbued with temperature adjusting magic and element resistant magic, they left the village. Once it was out of sight, they sped up a notch. Ardonis was starting to find it a bit hard to keep his mana signature completely hidden. Viana caught him leaking it a couple of times, and he had to concentrate a moment to get it back down.
“Why am I having so much trouble keeping it down now?” he asked with slight frustration during one of their breaks. It was evening now, and they already had the tent set up on the side of the road. On the driest part they could find in such a place.
“Well,” Viana began, “Outside of being new to that level of power, along with your normal and divine mana combining… it makes sense that it would be more challenging. Even someone who has mastered the art entirely can find it difficult to hide their power after such a change and jump in power. A young god like yourself having trouble is entirely normal. You specifically are just a bit special in that you studied and trained harder than most of your peers to obtain such mastery faster.”
“Anyway,” she continued, “Not much you can do but catch it when it leaks until you are completely accustomed to your new power.”
“Speaking of our peers, I wonder how a certain ex is doing right now. Hopefully, staying out of trouble long enough for us to meet up with him. I would use that mirror we have, but I don’t want to risk unwanted attention being drawn to us.”
Ardonis nodded, “Using your own magic is one thing, but I did create the spell of that mirror with the basis of Milsa’s that she uses to watch over the planet. Not risking it right now is our best move. We’ll save chancing it for when we are actually on the same continent at the least.”
Viana stared at him wide-eyed, “You mean you managed to-“ she sighed, “You know what, never mind, you managed to break the seal around my lamp, I shouldn’t even be surprised about you modifying her spells. Damn anomaly of a god.”
Lucy giggled, “She does have a point there, Ardonis. When you get to the bottom of it, you really are just an anomaly. No amount of studying or innate magical prowess should let you do the things you pull off.”
He shrugged, “I don’t know what you want me to do about it, these are just the dice that were rolled. Maybe there is more to me, maybe there isn’t. Either way, nothing about my goal has changed. I still want to be the most powerful magic god in the multiverse.”
“You told me that before,” Viana said, “But I don’t think you ever told me why. Or rather, I don’t know what you are going to do once you have that power.”
“Neither do I,” he answered, “I just want power; the details about it can be worked out later. Maybe I’ll rule a universe or something, I don’t know.”
“For as studious as you are, you sure are lax when it comes to the future,” Lucy said. “You’ve always been like that. Whenever I asked what you’re going to do, you’ve always just shrugged and winged it.”
“I have my ambitions, yes, but I’m also the type to go with the flow when I see no point in resisting. I won’t blindly follow along with something, of course, but details are nothing to be stressed about until the time comes. I don’t really have a grand plan beyond obtaining power. Though if I could, I would like to have a conversation with someone like Lady Gaia.”
“Well then, I suppose I’ll really be stuck with you,” Viana said. “Or rather, you’ll be stuck with me. Because where there is power for one, there is power for more. I may not have the same ambitions as the two of you. But having power for my own safety is a necessity.”
Lucy yawned, “I don’t know about the two of you, but I want to get some sleep.” She looked over at Ardonis, “Join me?”
Ardonis, in turn, looked at Viana, “It’s fine,” she said with a shooing motion, “Spend some time with your girlfriend. I’ll keep watch out here just in case anything unexpected comes up. And to give you the privacy you want. Just, please remember to use a silencing ward for my sake.”
He rolled his eyes but couldn’t say anything as he caught a glimpse of a certain something in Lucy’s eyes. However, the advice was taken as Viana didn’t hear a peep from the tent. Though she could somewhat see their silhouettes if she really tried. She sighed, “Maybe he’ll be the one I can actually fall in love with this time. A harem huh?” she giggled, “Never thought I could ever be in one. But if it’s with these two, who knows? It may be fun yet.”
She looked up at the brightened full moon sky, stars shining and dotting the rest of it. “I just hope he doesn’t end up going down the same path. They share the same ambition after all. It seems I’m just attracted to power-hungry, and potentially dangerous gods. No… if it’s Ardonis, I know he’ll make the right call in the end. I’ve never seen a god with as much raw potential as him. Perhaps I’ll play as the flirtatious guide a little while longer. See if I can’t help mold him into an honorable god… even if it may end up burning me in the end for flying too close to the sun.”
She shook her head, “Listen to me, acting like a philosophical human wizard. But I can’t help it, if these two were to turn on me, I…” she couldn’t finish as a shiver covered her whole body. Raw fear in her eyes before she closed them and took a deep, calming breath.
“For now, our objective remains the same. Find the dragons, and get one as an ally to help us to the other continent. I can only hope I still have some left among those old crones. Perhaps Lihketh or Malibve are still alive and around. Fifty thousand years is a long time, though, even for dragons. An uncountable number of events could have happened to those two in that time.”
She smiled bittersweetly at the memories of her old friends, there was a third dragon, Kahji. But he had died, sacrificing himself so that she and the others could escape. She had lost many more friends than that in the fight against Milsa, though. The rebellion that was completely wiped from all history.
“I promise, Milsa, I will be the one to claim your life for what you had done. Your betrayal will not go without consequence any longer. And this time, my rebellion will succeed… as long as I can get a certain young prodigy to help me, that is.”
She gripped her left arm, the illusion hiding her scars fading temporarily. Half of her arm and part of her side were permanently burned by divine flame. A scar in her midsection that was parallel to one on her back from where she was stabbed clean through. A large spiderweb-like scar on her right shoulder that extended down to her breast. Her legs had long scars from a sword that created large gashes in an attempt to cripple her. Another on her forehead that went down in a straight line. And her right eye was completely black with a glowing red pupil.
She took her right arm off of her left, and the illusion that hid it all came back into place. “In time, I will tell them the whole story. The real reason why Milsa must be brought down. And the bloody war that will ensue, trying to fight against her.”
