Despite his young age, Lyon is impressively fast in his wolf form. I don’t even have to slow down.
Currently, what really concerns me is the fact that Curtis wanted to buy the Etherbloom. It's an extremely rare flower that only appears in deep dungeon levels. Dungeons are perilous places that humans have yet to fully understand. Sometimes, the concentration of magical energy in some dungeons is so high that it forms what are known as Death Zones. These zones are lethal; anyone without a sufficiently high level who enters them can suffer from mana overload and die within seconds. However, a few rare plants, such as the Etherwood, can thrive in these zones. Its flowers have the ability to absorb and neutralize the surrounding mana, creating a ‘safe zone’ for the plant's growth. Therefore, it makes sense that Curtis would want to buy the Etherbloom to aid his daughter's condition. It's a logical approach, and I believe it will be effective to some extent.
But what the guy was trying to do, buying the Etherbloom from an auction, is simply a foolish move. Etherbloom, aside from its calming effect, also has the amazing ability to increase one’s control over mana. Due to its extreme rarity, it's a highly sought-after item. People will literally kill for it, especially mages who want to enhance their mana manipulation skill. Thus, even if Curtis could surely afford the flower with the money from selling my silver bullets, the real question is, can he actually bring it home safely?
As we are about to cross a dark alley just minutes away from the Auction House, Lyon suddenly halts. His ears perk up, and his nose twitches, the fur along his back stands on end. Seems like there’s something in there that makes him tense.
And then, “DAD!!!” he shouts, his voice echoing off the narrow walls as he bolts into the alley.
I follow swiftly, hoping that my predictions are wrong.
But as the dim light barely illuminates the scene…
“Dad! Dad!” Lyon's voice breaks as he reaches the figure. It's a man, sprawled haphazardly across a pile of discarded items, his body still and quiet. Lyon's paws shift to hands as he transforms back, shaking the man's shoulders, trying to wake him.
“Stop, Lyon, let me look at him,” I say and proceed to assess his current condition.
At first glance, the man doesn’t appear to be wolf-kin; instead, he looks like a wealthy human merchant. But judging from Lyon’s reaction just now, the guy must be Curtis. It seems that he had the right idea of using Chameleon Earrings to hide his identity, but of course, that wasn’t enough. Whoever wanted his Etherbloom still found him, and when they did, they beat him mercilessly. His injuries are severe: all of his arms and legs appear to be broken, and his clothes are drenched in blood from deep cuts inflicted by swords.
But, miraculously, he’s still clinging to life.
“Ly…on?” Curtis’s voice is barely a whisper, his eyes fluttering open with immense effort. Each shallow, labored breath he takes seems to be a battle against the pain racking his body.
“Quick, we need to get him to the Monastery,” I urge.
In this world, traditional hospitals are scarce; instead, religious institutions provide sanctuary and healing. They have skilled healers and clerics who possess the power to mend wounds and cure illnesses.
“Wait…” Curtis shakes his head weakly. “The flower… for Lumi… I must…”
“Don’t worry,” I assure him. “I will take care of it.”
Hearing my voice again, and perhaps smelling my scent too, recognition dawns in his eyes. “You are… the man who was… with Sophia?”
“That’s right,” I reply. “And just so you know, Sophia is going to have quite a few words for you later. So be prepared.”
With that, I quickly perform first aid and take Curtis to the nearest Monastery. I also pay the clerics there for his treatment.
Moments later, Lyon and I exit the monastery.
“Now, Lyon, can you do this?” I ask, holding up a piece of torn cloth. Although Curtis was defeated, he managed to grab something from his attackers. This cloth carries the attackers’ scent. With his wolf-kin abilities, Lyon will be able to track them down.
“Yes, let’s go,” Lyon responds. With anger and determination blazing in his eyes, he transforms once again.
Time is running out.
If we want to save Lumi, we must retrieve that special flower.
Bluebery
Guys, thank you so much! I have 8 ratings now, doubled from yesterday!
Yay!
Despite his young age, Lyon is impressively fast in his wolf form. I don’t even have to slow down.
Currently, what really concerns me is the fact that Curtis wanted to buy the Etherbloom. It's an extremely rare flower that only appears in deep dungeon levels. Dungeons are perilous places that humans have yet to fully understand. Sometimes, the concentration of magical energy in some dungeons is so high that it forms what are known as Death Zones. These zones are lethal; anyone without a sufficiently high level who enters them can suffer from mana overload and die within seconds. However, a few rare plants, such as the Etherwood, can thrive in these zones. Its flowers have the ability to absorb and neutralize the surrounding mana, creating a ‘safe zone’ for the plant's growth. Therefore, it makes sense that Curtis would want to buy the Etherbloom to aid his daughter's condition. It's a logical approach, and I believe it will be effective to some extent.
But what the guy was trying to do, buying the Etherbloom from an auction, is simply a foolish move. Etherbloom, aside from its calming effect, also has the amazing ability to increase one’s control over mana. Due to its extreme rarity, it's a highly sought-after item. People will literally kill for it, especially mages who want to enhance their mana manipulation skill. Thus, even if Curtis could surely afford the flower with the money from selling my silver bullets, the real question is, can he actually bring it home safely?
As we are about to cross a dark alley just minutes away from the Auction House, Lyon suddenly halts. His ears perk up, and his nose twitches, the fur along his back stands on end. Seems like there’s something in there that makes him tense.
And then, “DAD!!!” he shouts, his voice echoing off the narrow walls as he bolts into the alley.
I follow swiftly, hoping that my predictions are wrong.
But as the dim light barely illuminates the scene…
“Dad! Dad!” Lyon's voice breaks as he reaches the figure. It's a man, sprawled haphazardly across a pile of discarded items, his body still and quiet. Lyon's paws shift to hands as he transforms back, shaking the man's shoulders, trying to wake him.
“Stop, Lyon, let me look at him,” I say and proceed to assess his current condition.
At first glance, the man doesn’t appear to be wolf-kin; instead, he looks like a wealthy human merchant. But judging from Lyon’s reaction just now, the guy must be Curtis. It seems that he had the right idea of using Chameleon Earrings to hide his identity, but of course, that wasn’t enough. Whoever wanted his Etherbloom still found him, and when they did, they beat him mercilessly. His injuries are severe: all of his arms and legs appear to be broken, and his clothes are drenched in blood from deep cuts inflicted by swords.
But, miraculously, he’s still clinging to life.
“Ly…on?” Curtis’s voice is barely a whisper, his eyes fluttering open with immense effort. Each shallow, labored breath he takes seems to be a battle against the pain racking his body.
“Quick, we need to get him to the Monastery,” I urge.
In this world, traditional hospitals are scarce; instead, religious institutions provide sanctuary and healing. They have skilled healers and clerics who possess the power to mend wounds and cure illnesses.
“Wait…” Curtis shakes his head weakly. “The flower… for Lumi… I must…”
“Don’t worry,” I assure him. “I will take care of it.”
Hearing my voice again, and perhaps smelling my scent too, recognition dawns in his eyes. “You are… the man who was… with Sophia?”
“That’s right,” I reply. “And just so you know, Sophia is going to have quite a few words for you later. So be prepared.”
With that, I quickly perform first aid and take Curtis to the nearest Monastery. I also pay the clerics there for his treatment.
Moments later, Lyon and I exit the monastery.
“Now, Lyon, can you do this?” I ask, holding up a piece of torn cloth. Although Curtis was defeated, he managed to grab something from his attackers. This cloth carries the attackers’ scent. With his wolf-kin abilities, Lyon will be able to track them down.
“Yes, let’s go,” Lyon responds. With anger and determination blazing in his eyes, he transforms once again.
Time is running out.
If we want to save Lumi, we must retrieve that special flower.
Bluebery
Guys, thank you so much! I have 8 ratings now, doubled from yesterday!
Yay!
