Kaden didn't know the area, but a bit further away from the ruins he found some forest area. He did know that most of the northern part of Brit was uninhabited or at least very little human population. That included elves too.

Most humans lived near the shoreline which was closer to the mainland empires. As for the northern parts, a lot of weaker beasts could be found there. Yet, those parts were a bit too far for Kaden's purposes. Otherwise he would have gone there and possibly dominated a territory for himself.

No, he had to stay somewhere relatively near the ruins. Around those parts there probably were only very weak beasts not worth being even noticed. There was probably a few dire beasts around. If there was a high beast somewhere, it would be quite long distance away. Kaden didn't even sense such presence. That meant he, at the very least, wasn't intruding on any territory.

"If there is time, I might do a little excursion up north", Kaden muttered to himself as he searched for a place to stay at. "A High Beast corpse would provide me some cultivation material. More so, if they have right kind of core."

As Kaden examined the area, it seemed people rarely came there. At least there weren't much of any kind of signs that too many people passed the place often. There were some signs, though.

"I wonder who it is", Kaden thought. "Elves?"

Kaden had very little idea where they lived. They probably liked to keep their home secret anyway. He was also pretty sure they wouldn't live anywhere this close to the ruins. It was probably some hunters and adventurers who occassionally passed by.

People wandering around was also slight problem to Kaden. If he was to sit down somewhere to heal properly and cultivate, he didn't need random passersby.

Due to this Kaden decided to continue further.

He did eventually find some places he could consider living at. These were mostly the sort of places he had been to when he was in the wilderness. Caves and other places where one could usually find beasts. Kaden didn't really mind, but his opinion of himself had grown quite a bit from since those times and he wanted place that would match his status.

With a few formations he would be able to hide a cave, make it clean and arrange it to be better in general, but Kaden would only do that, if he didn't find any better options. A cave would still be a cave.

A dream dwelling would be upon near or upon a volcano. Even mountain would suffice. Such dreams were only that, dreams. There were no mountains and surely not volcanoes nearby. Kaden also lamented again that he had no wings and it would be annoying to get up a mountain side without flight.

As Kaden was distracted by his random thoughts, something happened that roused Kaden instantly.

Bzzzzz.

"The fragments!" Kaden realized immediately.

He pulled them out of his bag and held them. It didn't change anything, but he hoped having them would extend his attention. He knew he might just randomly be distracted and the buzz would end and along with it he would even likely lose memory of ever hearing it. Even if that suddenly happened, if the fragments were in his hand, he would know he had heard it.

Kaden still was unaware what they were, but they had concealed him even from an inquisitor and had been able to fake godly influence. That was not normal. Kaden suspected the fragments might even be by far the most valuable objects he had. Possibly priceless.

Tossing aside any ideas or random dreams of finding a temporary home, Kaden started to follow the buzz, keeping it carefully in his mind and not be distracted.

The buzz still continued as Kaden quickly rushed towards a direction he felt was right.

"The previous one was relatively near when I heard the sound", Kaden thought to himself. "This is already far greater distance. Perhaps it is because I have more than one of them. If that is the case, finding all the others will become more easier with each I find."

This pontential discover made Kaden feel extremely happy. Finding all the fragments didn't seem impossible task anymore. Even if they eventually didn't have any other useful function than to be able to fake gods influence upon him, it would still be more than worth it. Yet, he was certain they had some greater purpose.

The forest got a bit thicker as Kaden followed the buzz and somehow it felt even slightly darker. Kaden thought it was probably the larger trees blocking the sun better, but the mood did change. It was also very quiet.

If it was first the atmosphere, then eventually Kaden slowed down as he sensed slightly unusual mana in the surroundings. It was even somewhat familiar, though not much. Kaden was pretty sure he had felt the sort of mana somewhere before, but had only vague memory of it.

Then he heard rustling from nearby bushes. Kaden stopped to see what it was. Once whatever it was came to view, Kaden took a step back due to some amount of recoil due to surprise of seeing such a thing.

To be accurate, a corpse that was shuffling around slowly. It had long since dried up and was in a pretty bad state. This could only mean one thing.

"A necromancer", Kaden muttered to himself.

The zombie stopped and twisted its head towards Kaden. It didn't seem to say anything, but a voice still came out of it.

"Please do not intrude", a voice that seemed to echo from somewhere far away. It was actually said in rather polite voice, not angry or anything. Then the zombie twisted its head back to the position where it had been and started to shuffle away.

Kaden had used necromancers as excuse to his mutations since it was believable, but he had actually never encountered one directly. The place where he had sensed the sort of mana that was in the surrounding must have been in Trohin's lab, even if only trace amounts. The man had long since perished by the time Kaden found his lab in the remnant. Only reason the mana had even stayed there that long was because it had been in a remnant which had stale mana. It didn't move anywhere.

There was also one other thing he that was common in this situation. The fragments. Kaden had found first of the fragments at that same lab which had belonged to a necromancer and a worshipper of God of Lies. Second one he had found at hideout of cultists who were worshippers of God of Lies too. Were the fragments something to do with the dark god?

Kaden had not used them on any worship and they had still functioned. Gods would demand worship for special spells and other such things. Kaden felt pretty sure that evil god like God of Lies wouldn't just hand out anything for free and if the stories had any truth in them, he wasn't even capable of doing so due to other gods imprisoning him.

"I would meet with you", Kaden said towards the zombie that Kaden quessed to be around just to announce people to leave, but he hoped its master would be able to hear him.

The zombie stopped and it again twisted its head towards Kaden.

"What do you want?" The voice asked.

"I believe you might be able to help me with something", Kaden explained. "There might even be possibility of some trade. I would discuss some such matters with you."

Kaden wasn't going to force anything. He wasn't sure what kind of force the necromancer might have. It was unlikely that the shoddy zombie that was about to break apart was the only one. Nor could he say for sure what quality the rest of them were going to be. What Kaden could tell is that the necromancer had probably lived there for quite a while due to the mana he was sensing and that would point to the nercromancer to not be a novice.

It was likely, if Kaden did attempt anything, he would soon be swarmed by the necromancers mindless minions.

Yet, Kaden did not worry. If he wasn't able to arrange any deal with the necromancer, he could leave. Since the necromancer had been there for a long time, it was likely it was going to stay that way. Kaden could easily return once he was stronger, butcher the necromancer and then take what he wanted.

Sometimes necromancer were difficult to kill. Losing, for example, a head might not actually be fatal, but Kaden wasn't worried about pissing off one, if it meant he got the fragments. At that point he'd be strong enough to disregard any objections.

While Kaden usually liked to be direct with his methods, he wouldn't lose anything by talking a bit. Besides, the necromancer likely knew the area. Perhaps even what Sacronan was doing. Also local information like where elves where, in case Kaden had to find Emina.

Kaden had nothing against necromancy so he had no qualms about speaking with a necromancer.

The zombie stood where it was for a while.

"Come in then", the voice finally replied.

The zombie raised its half rotten arm and pointed towards the direction Kaden had previously been going to.

Kaden didn't hesitate and continued past the zombie. The still going on buzz was indeed the same direction. He also noted that the buzz was lasting longer than previous times. Perhaps because he had two pieces?

Anyway, soon Kaden found himself in front of a relatively large house. What such building was doing middle of nowhere, Kaden didn't know. It was somewhat old and it had clearly been repaired a bit at some point. Perhaps the necromancer had just taken over the old building? Kaden doubted he would have been there that long and have it built himself. Even if a necromancer could live unusually long.

Once Kaden stepped close to the front door, it opened by itself. He didn't see any zombies nor formations responsible for the convenience, but he did sense some mana.

Kaden paid quite a bit of attention to these small details. He wanted to know how strong the necromancer was in case he had to kill him or at least run. What if the necromancer was a cultist? And then he just happened to show up and ask for possibly valuable item that no cultist would ever want to let out to even exist?

Trade was still the best possible choice. Then again, the necromancer might try to kill him, if he knows anything about the fragments. Yet, so far, they seemed to have just been left out for people to see.

The first one at Trohin's lab? It seems he just left it there. To just leave extremely valuable item behind? Nonsense. He probably didn't know its worth.

The cultists? The fragment was just there on their altar for all the cultists to see. What Kaden knew of the fragments, it should have probably been pocketed by their highest leaders, if they knew anything of them. That had not happened either. They probably didn't know anything about it either.

Kaden didn't know much either, but he had happened to see at least their effect that required a few coincindences to happen.

This was what Kaden was betting on. Price could be acceptable to convince the necromancer to part with the fragment, if the necromancer didn't know anything about them either.

Around at that point a man with a stained dark robe appeared from a doorway that seemed to lead to a cellar level.

"Welcome to my abode", the necromancer said. "I am Nosran."