[Little Breeze sails away]Another ship approached Hightown, and this one, unlike its predecessors, successfully docked at the pier. Five men and one woman disembarked.
- What a lightning storm, truly beautiful! - Marcus Vanlanot came from a wealthy Vaironian family and had only recently joined Victor's squad; therefore, he often displayed a lack of discipline. The other members of the group were less impressionable, and they reacted to someone trying to sink their ship with somewhat less enthusiasm. Like Marcus, First Watchman Victor was a Vaironian, Ligon and Tai Khontai, Tikhomir a Tirian, and Yuan Bao a rare visitor from the eastern continent. - This job will be a piece of cake. After all, we have the First Watchman and the man who defeated Despair!
- Today you can kill a high demon, but tomorrow a simple bandit might cut your throat. - Yuan Bao smiled slightly. - Be careful, Marcus.
The Watchmen surveyed the surroundings.
- Ligon, try again to locate Raina or Kenneth. - Victor ordered. The Khontai closed his eyes and concentrated.
- The redhead was on a reconnaissance mission here, what about the second one? - Marcus inquired.
- In Nevermore, we found Lillian's remains, but nothing else. Kenneth probably continued his original assignment and sailed away with Vincent Agares. Hightown is the most logical stopover on the way to White Lands from Nevermore.
- Nothing. - Replied Ligon, interrupting the ritual. - As before, I cannot detect their location.
- How is that even possible? You said that it’s possible to find even the dead using demon-born magic.
- For some unknown reason, I only sense the smell of money when trying to locate them.
- What kind of nonsense is going on here...? Alright, let's start by scouting the city. Bao and I will explore the town; Tai and Tikhomir will search the rest of the island. Ligon, try that ritual you learned from the shaman. Marcus, make sure no one disturbs him.
- The earth and objects within a 50-meter radius will tell me their story. Which place should I choose?
- The port. People come and go there.
*****
- What happened here? - Thought Tai as she and Tikhomir made their way through the wild terrain of the island. - Where did all the residents and visitors disappear to?
- Who knows? When magic is involved, anything can happen...
The Tirian didn't have time to finish his sentence: a bullet fired from somewhere in the bushes hit him in the temple, killing him instantly. The woman immediately spotted the spot where the shot came from and ran towards it.
"Damn," was all Bane Delacroix could utter; he hadn't expected to be discovered. He continued trying to shoot down the rapidly approaching woman, but it was futile; the element of surprise was lost. The Khontai covered the distance and made an unexpected move: she jumped over him and twisted the Katarian’s neck with both hands while in the air.
- I didn't expect everything to end so quickly. - Laust Brightstrider jumped down from a nearby tree and looked at the dead Katarian with some sadness. - Not everything went according to our plan.
- You should have run or attacked from behind when you had the chance. - Said Tai coldly, with a hint of contempt. - Prepare to die, Laust Brightstrider.
*****
Steel danced in the moonlight, Hightown crickets sang music for this battle… or rather, massacre? With each swing of his sword, Yuan Bao freed the Chosen Ones of the Moon from earthly bonds. Having defeated them all, he hid "Serene Repose" back into its scabbard and hurried towards the Sanctuary; that is where the First Watchman engaged in combat with someone named Iberius, apparently a very dangerous sorcerer. Arriving there, he found Victor standing over the lifeless body of the sorcerer.
- Are you alright, Commander? - In fact, it was obvious without an answer; the First Watchman was wounded and clearly exhausted.
- I need to catch my breath; go to the port, I’ll come later.
*****
He took her to a hut deep in the forest, bandaged her wounds, and laid her down on the bed. He didn't have much medical knowledge, but it was enough to do what was necessary. At least now she won't die from blood loss caused by the wounds he inflicted.
- Why am I even doing this? - Laust gently stroked the defeated woman's cheek; she was still unconscious and breathing heavily. After making sure she would be okay, he left the hut and headed for the port.
A few hours later, he fought Yuan Bao and Marcus Vanlanot. This battle turned out to be much more difficult than he could have imagined. Ligon was still focused on performing the ritual and wasn't distracted, and Marcus wasn't a big problem for him. However, he recognized the blade of "Serene Repose" immediately; he had once seen it in the Dal Shabet Museum. He understood that even a small scratch would be his end, but it wasn't just about that: for the first time in a long time, Laust felt that he was inferior to someone in swordsmanship. When Marcus used "Inferno," Laust's ring absorbed the magical energy, and its wearer released the accumulated energy back into the attacker. Marcus lost an arm completely and passed out from shock. After that, Yuan Bao used a special technique of Black Ice and cut Laust’s rapier in two, leaving him unarmed. Seeing no other option, Brightstrider decided to rely on brute force, and it worked: he knocked his opponent to the ground and slammed his head against the hard ground. Wiping sweat from his forehead, he picked up "Serene Repose" from the ground, intending to finish off his opponent. Tai, who appeared unexpectedly from nowhere, prevented him from doing so and struck him at a pressure point. Laust lost consciousness.
*****
- Did you find anything, Ligon? - By this time, Victor returned to the port, and the Khontai finished his ritual. Laust was chained up and thrown into the hold; all his belongings were confiscated, including maps. Marcus received medical attention.
- Yes. - The Khontai spread a map on the table and placed the sandworm Tarvicius next to it, which he found in the sand. Then a new mark appeared on the map. - They are here. My verdict: Zianna, demon-born, must be killed. Amos Zelig, dark sorcerer, must be killed. Tarvicius, demonic abomination, must be killed. Elin Bengtsdotter must be killed or imprisoned in the academy. There is every reason to believe that there are other sorcerers among them.
[Two months pass]Night, most of the crew either sleep or do their own thing in their cabins or on deck. In the distance, a ship can be seen rapidly approaching "Little Breeze." When it turns around and fires a broadside from its cannons, their motive becomes quite clear.
(In the hold, there were three manuals (doctor, inventor, archaeologist). Jervais + 2 other characters could learn one of these three skills during the voyage (without repeating)).
Heroist
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