Chapter 56: An Unexpected Path into a Foreign War (1)

A bluish energy rose from the serpent’s body, and as it flowed into Kaly’s, she began to glow faintly.

“What the hell?” the white-haired hunter said as she felt her spirit starting to grow.

Seeing the scene, Ebony was stunned, she could feel how the very last drop of life that had dwelled in the serpent had embedded itself into Kaly’s body.

Staring sadly at the serpent for a few moments, Kaly felt like she had been given a gift and a curse at the same time.

And so, in the silence, out of respect for that creature’s life, its scaly body began to vanish, turning into specks of spiritual energy that traveled on the wind, returning to nature.

.

.

.

The next morning, as soon as the sun rose, the three companions stepped out of a tent, ready to leave and continue their mission.

All three carried backpacks and their weapons on their backs.

Ebony had her giant shield, which now had a hole in it because of the dark elf’s sword.

Lucian, meanwhile, now wore at his waist—held in an improvised sheath made from old hides—the black sword that had once belonged to the dark elf.

“Well, it’s time to go, we’d better leave as soon as possible,” Ebony said as she adjusted the silver necklace that was meant to be delivered, tucked inside her clothes.

“I guess that’s for the best,” Lucian said as he started walking away from the camp.

Then, all of a sudden, the hunters began to emerge from their tents, none of them unscathed, but all of them came out, even Kaly, who spoke in a gentle voice.

“Leaving so soon? I guess you’re afraid we’ll be stupid enough to start another fight over your necklace,” Kaly said, looking seriously at Ebony.

“Well, when you put it like that, it’s hard to deny the idea, don’t you think?” the blonde replied, arms crossed.

“Heh… You’re pretty cynical for a lady… But you don’t need to worry, we don’t want to fight over the necklace, we only want the spirit inside it,” Kaly said, crossing both arms while her body was still covered in bandages.

“Seriously? Even now you’re still that stubborn over a spirit?” the blonde girl shot back, raising an eyebrow.

But when she saw the hunters’ refusal, she could only sigh.

“(They’re even more stubborn than I thought… They’re injured and barely recovering, but they keep talking about spirits this, spirits that… What a pain.)” the blonde thought, then tossed the necklace to Kaly.

The hunters’ leader, catching the necklace, smiled.

“Thanks for your kindness… We’re going to deliver the necklace… Well, our chief will,” the white-haired woman said as she walked over and handed the necklace to a young hunter who was barely ten years old.

“Huh? I thought you were the boss?” Ebony questioned, scratching her head.

“Yeah, that… It’s complicated… Doesn’t matter,” Kaly said, watching with resignation as the new chief prepared a small bonfire with green logs.

With the greenish fire lit and fed with spiritual magic, the boy held the necklace over the flames as he focused.

Suddenly, from the crystal, a black essence began to seep out slowly, dripping like tar and starting to stain the bonfire burning beneath it.

“What the hell is that?” Ebony said, her face tightening with worry.

“That right there is a toxic spirit, there aren’t many of them, and they always gather in huge mountains where poisonous minerals concentrate, or in the sea in hidden caverns, they’re often sold on the black market to kill others silently,” Kaly replied.

“That means…” Ebony’s eyes widened in shock as she watched the watery black spirit begin to take the shape of a small slime.

“Yeah… Whoever gave you that necklace was planning to kill someone, and from what I can tell, the seal they used on it had a countdown to release that spirit in a few days…”

Kaly then stepped closer to the spirit and lifted it off the ground with her hand, it was as small as a mouse.

“And if this little thing touched someone’s skin—someone without enough spiritual power—it could kill them in seconds, of course only if it touches them right as it’s being released, well, someone who doesn’t have control over spiritual energy like we do.”

After saying that, Kaly put the small spirit into a glass jar, then handed it to one of her group.

After that, Kaly took the necklace and, with a bow, said goodbye to her people, her eyes were sad, and she wanted to say a thousand things that all became one word.

“Take care.”

After those words, the white-haired woman started walking, and with a tilt of her head she signaled Ebony and her friends to follow her into the forest.

So the four of them left the hunters’ camp behind, and without looking back, they followed the white-haired woman’s path.

“Hey, what was all that?” Ebony asked their silent guide.

“It’s nothing… They have the spirit now, and since I broke our tribe’s law, I have to be exiled…” Kaly said, walking faster so no one would see her face, a face that was holding back tears.

“You mean because you started talking?” Daniel asked curiously.

“Yes… That’s it, kid… Our tribe is forbidden from using the power of our voice, because if we use our voice, we can invoke spirits so intensely that we can fuse with them for a short time,” the white-haired woman explained.

“(That sounds interesting… I’d like to ask more, but… I think it’s too delicate.) I see… I’m sorry,” Ebony said in a gentle voice.

Without looking back, Kaly smiled faintly, until the group reached the nearby lake.

“We’re here,” the white-haired woman said with a sigh.

“Huh? The lake? And why the hell did we come here? Our business is the other way,” Ebony said, arms crossed.

“Well… Now I’m the Lady of the Lake, so I decided to help you since you saved my people,” Kaly said as she felt her spirit react to the lake’s energy.

At that moment, the white-haired woman began to walk forward, and instead of sinking into the water, her feet touched the surface like it was solid ground.

“The lakes are connected through a gigantic network of spiritual currents, currents you can travel through with enough energy and knowledge.”

As she spoke each word, Kaly began drawing runic symbols on an elk hide that looked like a scroll because of its square shape.

“My people once used them to flee our homeland… It’s a complicated spell because you have to negotiate with the ruler of the lake, but that doesn’t matter now, so tell me, saviors, where are you heading?”

Hearing the question, Ebony finally understood what had happened earlier, that vital energy that entered her was an extension of the lake granted to its lord.

“We’re going to Sapphire Port,” Lucian said calmly.

“I see, that’s very far, it would take you days or even weeks to get there, but with my help you’ll take a shortcut right now, so relax.”

Kaly said, then tossed the hide covered in symbols into the lake, it began to spin into a small whirlpool.

“This passage will take you to a lake inside a nearby hexagon to the city, it’s the closest it can get you, don’t worry, the Lord of the Lake on the other side won’t hurt you, as long as you leave as soon as you arrive,” Kaly said with a smile, then tossed the necklace back to Ebony.

With a smile, Ebony let out a sigh of relief at the unexpected help, and the three of them nodded and decided to trust her, jumping into the portal.

“Thanks, bear girl!” Ebony shouted as her body sank into the water, surrendering her life to the current within.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep