Caesar looted their bodies, obtaining some decent items and even two artifacts.

[Item]: Orb of Divination – Rank 2

[Rarity]: Rare

[Effects]: When held in hand, doubles the maximum range of Divination spells and reduces their costs by 20%.

Now this is a real treasure.

[Item]: Robes of Ghostly Vapors – Rank 1

[Rarity]: Rare

[Effects]: When worn, increases movement speed and reflexes. Once a day, the robes can cast Ghostly Vapors, an Aeromancy spell that causes dizziness to those who breathe in the vapors in close contact.

Two more Common health potions made their way into his pouch, but surprisingly, the man had a Rare Mana potion as well. It healed up to five hundred mana over a minute – enough for any rank two Magic user. This cultist probably had to move a lot. No time to rest, or sleep to restore his Mana naturally. Although, it’d likely be worth more to him sold than used, seeing as he had zero cost-intensive spells.

Five more familiar chunks of glass, filled with swirling winds and marred with dirt, spilled out from the pocket of the man’s robes. He identified them and put them away. Presumably, they were from the Pax Society’s destroyed wind barrier, collected by the Order of the Fox after it had died down. It seemed they may have been trapped inside, allowing Rilia to escape.

[Item]: Tempest Shard – Rank 2

[Rarity]: Uncommon

[Effects]: A material imbued with violent winds.

The Bone Elemental left nothing behind, not even a stray shard or spike. He closed his eyes in remembrance and wondered about how his essence cores existed, since they all disappeared upon death. If his Stormheart Oak could produce its own fruit, he’d have a way to passively generate materials over time. But it seemed impossible.

As the ants began to return to their queen, he walked through the exit. The portal sent him to a place much further from the original entrance, into a field of grass taller than normal. Although slightly abnormal, it wasn’t as obvious as the massive trees at the entrance, and a large hill blocked this place from view.

It was time to find civilization. Alta dropped her Reinforced Iron Armor onto the grass, not wanting anybody to discover their hostile ties to the Forest From Before, or the Order of the Fox. They headed away from the area in a single direction, letting luck dictate their next path.

----

The first kingdom, Obsandalur, known for its beautiful rivers and seas, established their territory with the first nobles who tamed the wilderness together. Led by a king and protected by a vast ocean, they conquered much of this region and only the other kingdom posed a threat.

They first discovered humanoids with pointed ears in their territory and struck an alliance which had continued to this day. These people, called elves, were bestowed with natural talents and innate skills corresponding with a certain element. Those with water as their primary focus often held higher positions than others, thanks to their superiority in the kingdom’s most common environments. With their help, they repelled the other kingdom.

The second kingdom, Rishlik, known for its beautiful forests and mountains and powerful beasts, united into several states of primal tribes to defend against Obsandalur’s first incursions. It contained an abundance of luxuries such as furs and spices. Unlike Elamigrol, beastmasters were much more plentiful here and seemed to have a wider variety of abilities. Both kingdoms – desiring the resources contained here – established merchant guilds to gain as much as possible.

These two kingdoms battled for supremacy over the region. Wars were often waged between the two, but negotiations were said to be underway for the current war. Rank three leaders led important parts of the territory, and the Order of the Fox had plenty. But some crucial information was still lacking, like in Elamigrol. Caesar could tell.

Where the kingdoms acquired and maintained their power was known to few. Caesar was one of them. His parents had told him about the next stage of dungeons: Realm dungeons, beginning at rank three. That would be the next step after the Forest From Before, but for now, he simply left the library.

What can I do with all this? He returned to his new house, bought with the gems from Undead Swamp, and swallowed Alta’s cooked meal. Although suspicious travelers might expect much hostility from the town, Masquerade and Deciphering allowed them to fit in perfectly with the locals. It’s about time to leave.

New Traxis sat near the border between the two kingdom’s capitals, albeit still inside Obsandalurian territory. It was built to facilitate trade and thus held a considerable number of mercantile interests. Even the townsmen here had heard about the wealthy city, especially the grand market and auction held mid-winter every year, hoping to visit if they ever received permission to enter the Forest From Before.

A few cities near this town became newly established after the reveal of the Domain dungeon two months ago. Although construction was relatively easy, logistics posed a challenge for the kingdom. During Caesar’s expedition inside, some royal knights were dispatched to oversee the places, led by two rank three leaders. Presumably, one of these leaders was aligned with the Fox Cult, ready to abduct people to feed the hydra. Once the true importance of the dungeon was discovered, more might come, letting him blend in better.

He'd avoid those cities for now until the masses came. Instead, he plotted out a quick route to New Traxis along the rivers, prioritizing speed. He refilled his supplies, hired a few caretakers for his house, and left on horseback with his Doppelganger.

The town was becoming more and more popular with the appearance of the Forest From Before. He met plenty of groups traveling opposite his direction, obviously headed towards the new dungeon. Although Caesar avoided contact with most, two groups had discovered his route contrasted with theirs and decided to attack. His party killed them all. Unable to withstand his Kelpie’s wrath, most fled in a panic, not even attempting to work together to survive.

Both parties only had a single Common healing potion suited for his rank and some enchanted equipment he ignored. Most of these mercenaries were ill-equipped to confront the majority of the dungeon anyway, and only hoped to get lucky somewhere. Perhaps they thought of him as easier prey. All they accomplished was boosting him to Level 26, allowing him to place two more stat points into Willpower.

As Caesar approached New Traxis, forests disappeared, replaced with watchtowers. He glimpsed one towering into the sky and backtracked for a while, unsummoning his Kelpie unseen, then finished the rest of his journey on foot.

On the outskirts of the city, crowds of people moved everywhere with a clear purpose. None idled. Caesar and Alta greeted patrolmen and other wanderers they met on the way, acting like friendly travelers. A few smiled and waved back: it paid to have good relations in this city. Although those in carts looked busier than the rest, most still returned the gesture.

The great iron walls of the city resembled the strongholds back at Elamigrol yet appeared less oppressive and more welcoming. Guards manned the outside, signing off merchants to enter the city. Caravans wandered in and out the gates. The watchtowers contained two archers with visibly glowing eyes, while more teams peeked out from openings on the walls.

While Caesar waited in line for his turn, a merchant strolled in from behind. Red silk lined the outside of his fur coat. Around his neck lay a necklace of glass beads, cascading down to his chest in shades of gray to black. Three bracelets appeared on his left wrist, glowing in blue light – defensive artifacts. The man must been well-traveled, for all his clothes were treasures found from both kingdoms and dungeons.

“What’re you two here for?”

Alta said, “The auction.”

“Oh, arriving early? Smart. Most would be off exploring right now. This your first time here?”

She nodded.

The merchant smiled and said, “Then you’ll need to pay the toll for a permit. Word of advice? Buy off the guard. It makes things a whole lot easier.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem. You two look powerful, so why don’t we meet up inside? The Glass Serpent: very famous. You can’t miss it – just follow the crowd.”

Alta chatted with the merchant until they reached the front of the gate. Apparently, the man had recognized her khopesh and his halberd as artifacts and wanted to hire them for a job. They’d discuss more details later on, but for now, the two made small talk.

They walked up to a guard, dressed in sturdy iron armor and colored in dark red. It shone with a visible shimmer – enchanted, likely as a deterrence. Yet with his visor down, showing a friendly smile, he still looked welcoming to denizens of this city.

“Permit?”

“We’re looking to enter the city for the auction.”

The guard’s eyes lit up. “Newcomers, eh? Smart choice to come in so early. But you’ll first need to pay the toll. Joining the auction won’t be easy.”

Alta pulled out their last remaining gem and offered it to the guard, while the coins from his excursion against the Order of the Fox went to pay the toll. He had looted coinage from everyone he killed, and each kingdom used their own design. Although Magnus and his team provided him with Obsandalurian coins, he preferred to save them for somebody he couldn’t bribe.

Fortunately, the guard completely ignored the etchings on the coins and handed out the new permit to her. It looked similar to the ones he had seen in the Domain dungeon, but gleamed silver with specks of gold, signifying their status as a wealthy team.

Once they entered the city, immense buildings immediately stood out to them. While most of the people knew their goal, there were some travelers who simply wanted to enjoy the sights and sounds. A few boys in nice clothing and dirty hair offered to be their guides.

Alta chose one with more tattered clothes than the others, who looked despondent at the lack of business. He looked much happier after they secured his services, grinning dumbly at the three shiny silver coins in his hand.

The boy led the duo towards the interior of the city. While the shops at the gates looked luxurious, most products there costed more than normal and had worse qualities. Those who lingered near the area usually did so for the extra security and convenience. Land prices there were at a premium, held by notable families from the old city of Traxis, forcing other competition inwards where criminals operated.

“Some of these alleys can be dangerous, lors. Seen people go in and not come out.”

The Glass Serpent was built close to the city’s entrance, not far enough to enter dangerous territory, but also not close enough for others to overhear important transactions. A large tavern and inn, it provided merchants a safe place for meetings and discussions. Alta spotted a few cloaked men hidden in the alleys around the building, which their guide failed to mention.

Other than the tavern, this area of the city contained specialized merchants who sold the things Caesar had painstakingly searched for back in Elamigrol. There were alchemists, herbalists, smiths, and enchanters occupying their own individual places. Some of these were built close to one another, while others stood alone. Each hired their own guards with a different uniform than the others.

“Lookin’ for a blacksmith? This one here had the most people a few days ago.”

They walked inside and offered his halberd up for repair. No scratches or dents marred her Khopesh, saving them quite a bit of money. Along with a few coins, the blacksmith requested an entire rank one material afterward as payment.

It appeared the Pax Society’s meeting place was located inside the city’s safe area near the center. Alta gave the boy an extra gold coin, who skipped away to the gate entrance, and walked into the tavern instead.

They arrived in the merchant’s designated meeting room, where four people sat waiting in the corner. Sounds became dampened after they closed the door. A mage? Or is it the building?

One wore goggles and a neat suit adorned with gems. Likely the patron of the operation, the overweight man looked imposing and confident. While the other three wolfed down their meals, he stayed upright with his hands held together under the table.

As they drew closer to the group, the wealthy man said, “Hello there. Take a seat and wait.”

Light armor provided the other three with full-body protections fit for a dungeon adventurer. All pieces were enchanted, and they cradled their weapons with them like treasures. Wary of the others, all three kept only one hand on their food and the other free. Their eyes immediately locked onto Caesar and Alta, shying away from the Doppelganger’s gaze, but remained on his.

“You have one last chance to back out after this meal.” The patron rapped the wall and food arrived a few moments later. The servant set down the plates, bowed to everyone, and left as quickly as she came.

“Where’s the merchant?”

“He won’t be coming.”