Chapter 21- A New Journey

Dion sat in his leather chair, tapping his desk. The door opened and two people walked in.

“I’m sorry about what happened to Archie.” Dion said.

“He was a grumpy bastard, deserved it anyway.” A female Scarecrow said.

“Details?” Dion asked.

“Two marks, possibly more.” A male scarecrow answered.

Dion pouted.

The lady saw his silence. “I wouldn’t do anything yet, he isn’t even over a hundred.”

“True, but the last double mark recorded was a decade ago.” “And he’s a chimera too.”

“Filthy beasts.” The man said.

“Enough, fuck off back to the Empire if you think that.” Dion said, making the man visibly sweat.

“We’ll do nothing for now, if we hear word that he’s done something else in due time we will send him a few trials.” Dion said.

The lady agreed.

Dion sighed. “Lucifer took a job up north if you’re interested, dungeon suppression.”

“Fuck the north, it’s colder than Skadi.” The man stated.

“I’ll go, haven’t seen him in a while.” The lady said while getting up.

“He got more terrifying apparently.” Dion said.

“More?” The lady questioned

—————————————————

Morpheus awoke, still slightly sore from his day of drinking. He lit a cigarette and went to write in his notebook his plan but he apparently already had a plan.

‘I don’t remember writing this.’ He thought.

‘Wrist Armour’ ‘maybe sum nice booths’ ‘gloves’ ‘glamping equipment with wifi’ ‘

Morpheus shook his head, he must of written this when he was at the tavern.

He had found an Inn nearby last night and crashed, it was worth the three silver to him at the time but he now regretted it.

The young chimera got changed and headed to Drakon’s smithy.

“Morning Jack.” He said in a chirpy mood

“Who are you?”

“Ah it’s Nvos, I’m actually a chimera. Was just hiding it.”

“Prove it.” Jack said.

Morpheus brought out Black Steel Force. “Remember?”

“I do, how have you been? Ain’t seen you for a couple weeks.” Jack asked.

“Pretty good, killed some alphas, you know the usual.” He joked.

“Ha, what can I do for you?”

“I’m looking for some expensive wrist armour, gloves and boots.”

“Price range?”

“Three gold.”

Jack coughed. “Yeah and I’m Loki, who are you really?”

Morpheus slipped on his ring.

“Fuck I thought someone was pulling my leg. You the one who saved Olivia?”

“Maybe, so the wrist armour?”

“You mean vambraces?” Jack said with his arms folded.

“Yeah, hold on let me get Drakon, he won’t believe you’re actually a chimera. He dated one when he was younger.”

Jack called for Drakon, and the hench dwarf came shuffling out with a scrunched up face.

“Ha, Nvos how have you been.” The dwarf said.

“Good Drakon, how's business?” Morpheus asked.

“We’ve been busy, I can’t take any orders at the moment.” Drakon said.

“I just need some armour, I got a new axe anyway.” Morpheus said, handing him Brevair’s axe.

“Well my boy this’n be a beauty.” The dwarf said admiring the axe.

“I need some vambraces, gloves and some nice boots since I’m travelling to Southcross soon.”

“We got gloves and boots pre-made. I had a young noble lassy order some black vambraces but she never picked them up.”

“Black’s my favourite colour.” He truthfully said.

“Come round back then and take a look at them.”

Morpheus followed Drakon, the clash of metal soon filled his ears.

“Ah, here they are.” The burly dwarf said, lifting up a pitch black pair of vambraces from underneath a metal table. Along the side of them were sharp edges pointing towards the wearer's body.

‘Black Wyvern Vambraces’ these are perfectly hand crafted vambraces made by Drakon. Made from the hide of a black wyvern. Quality-Very Rare. Cost-1 Gold 80 Silver. State-New.

“I’ll do ye a deal, I’ll give ye the best gloves and boots along with these for two gold.”

Morpheus turned to Jack.

“Don’t ye fucking dare.” The dwarf joked.

Morpheus stretched his hand out towards the dwarf and he shook it, crushing his hand.

“What breed are ye?” The dwarf asked as he was rummaging through boxes.

“Human, elf, and troll.” Morpheus replied.

“Troll? That’s a strange one.” “I used to date a lassie with a snake body.”

Morpheus knew the exact person who he was talking about.

“She used to wrap her whole body around me, dangle me upside down n’all.”

Jack coughed, and a snot bubble shot out of his nose. Morpheus burst out laughing and Drakon just grinned from ear to ear.

“Father, please not when I’m around.” Jack said, wiping off the snot.

“So ye travelling to Southcross?” The dwarf asked.

“Yeah, I’m going to take my time. Visit the city and towns on the way.”

“Good choice, got me a brother who works down in Southcross, real eccentric.” The dwarf said.

“He’s gay?” Morpheus asked. He assumed eccentric would mean they were gay.

“More than just gay.” Drakon responded.

“I’d like to meet him.” Morpheus said. To see an eccentric dwarf would be added to his bucket list.

Jack jutted in “You should be careful though, slaves are bought and sold in Southcross. People will offer you money, or a job as their slave.”

“I thought slavery was illegal in the Independant?” Morpheus questioned.

“Forced slavery is, the slaves in Southcross willingly sell themselves.” Jack responded.

“Why?” Morpheus again asked.

“Some are dirt cheap peasants looking for a better life. If you own a slave you have to take care of them, that’s the rules. Others could be a group of adventurers looking for a good teammate, so they buy a slave.” Jack explained.

He thought for a moment about it. If it was for a better life it would be worth it.

“I suppose it’s better than forced slavery.”

“Ye be right. Soft slavery they call it, a good business.” The dwarf said.

Drakon finally found a pair of comfy looking boots and gloves. Morpheus gave Jack the two gold and he put his new gloves and boots on.

The gloves were fingerless and black. His new boots were made out of hard leather, with fur on the inside. They felt ten times better than his old ones that rubbed his feet when he was fighting.

“Do you two recommend any stores that sell camping equipment?”

“Aliandros is what you’re looking for. Great place, they even have enchantments on their tents.” Jack said.

“Nice I’ll check them out.” “If I don’t see you guys again, I’ll probably be dead.”

“Ha, good luck Morpheus, Hermes speed.” Jack said.

“Find strength in your steel and sharpness in your blade, young chimera.” Drakon said.

He walked out with a wave of his hand and headed off in the direction of Aliandros.

It was a huge store, all wooden with a sloped roof. He strolled in and walked up to the clerk behind the counter.

“Good morning young chimera, what can I do for you.” A guy with a big bushy beard said.

“I’m looking for a tent.” Morpheus said.

“Well you’ve come to the right place. You looking for anything in particular?”

“Something where I can sleep anywhere and in whatever weather.” He answered.

“Ah the boss has just made a new one, it’s a three man tent, it can be hung from trees, be attached to a cliff face. It even comes with a light crystal and heating crystals.”

“You’re a good salesman, how much?” He asked.

“Only fifty silver!”

“Can I have a look at it?” Morpheus asked.

The bearded man walked over to a corner where a pyramid shaped tent hung from a wooden beam.

“This beauty doesn’t need to be made or anything, it just pops right up.”

“Just take my money.” Morpheus joked.

The man laughed.

“Do you guys sell blankets and pillows?” He asked.

“Of course, I’ll throw in two duck feather pillows and two shadow wolf blankets for sixty silver in total!”

Morpheus laughed, the drive this guy had was incredible.

He left sixty silvers short and with a new place to sleep . The young chimera bought out a bakery and an orc meat stall in total for his journey.

It was eleven in the morning and he wanted to look out over the city one last time. He scaled a clock tower using Taste of Talaria, and sat up there for a bit. His feet dangling over the edge as puffed away at a cigarette. Ervos meant a lot to him and he had met a lot of kind people. He thought about his old life, how boring it was, how all his time on Earth he never knew a place like this existed.

It was now noon and the young chimera floated down, appreciating the wind on his face. Morpheus jogged down to the South Gate and out into the farmland. He saw none other than Henry, the farmer who he first met when he arrived in Arios.

“Henry!” He shouted.

Henry squinted his eyes.

“Ah my boy how you been?”

“Good good, hows the farm going?” Morpheus’s asked.

“She be blooming, winter won’t be a struggle.” Henry replied.

“Mind if I catch a ride?”

“If you give me one of those cigarettes.” Henry said.

He laughed and handed the man a couple cigarettes. The young chimera hoped on his cart and Henry snapped the reins.

“Ye been killing a lot of monsters then.” Henry said, looking above him.

“I’ve been busy, killed some alphas, met the king.” He casually said.

“Ha, ye really have been busy.” Henry said.

He enjoyed the ride up to Henry’s farm. The fields of wheat reflected the sunlight, coating the rolling hills in a golden light. The fresh smell of the countryside filled his nose.

“Well boy, I’m stopping here, where you heading?”

“Southcross, visiting the cites in between.”

“I grew up in Citite, lovely place.”

“I’ll definatetly check it out.” Morpheus said, getting up and leaving a few silver coins.

“Ye really are a nice lad.” Henry said.

“For the winter.”

He was walking away when he heard Henry shout something.

“Loki sends his regards.”

He spun around like lighting, Henry and his cart was gone.

“Cheeky bastard.”

Morpheus laughed internally, as if Henry was working for Loki the whole time. He shook his head and carried on walking up the road, into the forest. The young chimera had also just lost a few silver.

He checked his map, if he was to follow the road to Citite, it would take him around two weeks, whereas if he went over the mountain range it would only take him one.

Morpheus of course took the mountain range, it was called the Bording Mountains, he assumed it separated the border between north and south. He would need to follow the road for half a day before he went into the forest and up the mountain range.

He ran, much faster than when he first arrived. Using Taste of Talaria, he flew past carriages, carrying people and cargo.

You have levelled up Taste of Talaria Level (13)

Night soon came and he had finally reached where the road turned to follow the mountains. The trees had gotten increasingly larger, the canopy, three times as high as the oak sow trees. Barely any sunlight penetrated the canopy, and the forest was eerily quiet. He approached with more caution than usual.

He weaved in between the trees trying to find a branch he could hang his tent off. He had finally found one but it seemed to be home to another creature, clinging to the tree.

(Pilocal, Level 105)

The cheetah like beast had fur matching the tree’s bark, if it wasn’t for his eyesight he wouldn’t of spotted it. Around it’s neck were small white tipped quills. He brought Pride of the War Orc out and approached with caution.

The beast pushed itself off the tree towards Morpheus, luckily he was expecting it. He used Arcane Step to dodge forward, behind where the beast landed, closer to the tree. The beast didn’t hesitate, aiming straight for his neck with its mouth open. He pushed his axe sideways into the beats jaw stopping its bite. Morpheus skidded back into the tree while still keeping his axe in the beast's mouth.

He pushed back but the pilocal fired off its quills towards Morpheus, two of them went into his shoulder, but just barely penetrated the skin. He could feel a poison of sorts flowing into his body and Arcane Rebirth kicked in.

A Paralsying Toxin has entered your blood stream!

Morpheus pulled out Black Steel Force in his right hand. He dislodged his other axe while spinning around, cutting into the beasts rib cage. He didn’t hesitate and brought Pride of the War Orc down on its head, splitting it in two.

“I really love this axe.” He said out loud to himself.

He suddenly went limp on the floor, it seemed the paralysing agent had kicked in. Morpheus panicked, it was an uncomfortable feeling to not be able to move.

After a minute, he could stand up. He was glad he had Arcane Rebirth, if another pilocal came in the time he was paralysed he would have been dead.

He put the body in the his pouch, extra food would always be helpful. He climbed the tree to reach the branch he saw and brought out his tent.

He pulled the string which was tied around the tent and it popped up in his hands almost hitting him in the face. He hung it off a branch, the entrance facing towards the tree. He made sure it was definitely secured and then climbed in, bringing out his blankets and pillows. He saw on the bottom there was an enchantment which glowed when he got in.

Runes were beyond Morpheus but they were interesting to him none the less. He turned on the heating crystal and light crystal and the tent became his new house. He dangled his feet over the edge and lit a cigarette before he went to sleep.