Chapter 167: Prep For War; Demme

When the sun rose and the soldiers broke camp, Juri did his best to pretend like he hadn't heard anything in the previous night that made him hold some suspicions and perhaps even doubts.

I'm not sure what the man is thinking, nervously tossing glances at Anselm and I, but I know he's thinking something.

It would have been strange if he didn't hear anything or see anything, in fact, with the way some of these soldiers look away from my gaze, I'd bet that quite a few must have heard something out of their minds last night.

But fortunately for me, this is the least of my worries or even my concern. Juri and a few soldiers may have seen and heard Anselm and I talking to a giant Wolf made up of grasses, talking about Gods and some strange Mark.

If this were to spread across the many ears of Aste I think it's only do me good, and do the soldiers good as well. To know that their Mayor consorts with such powerful beings must surely be a morale boost when you're about to go to war with the rest of the Kingdom.

Leaving potential rumours aside, I notice the terrible growing hunger I felt before baiting Lotar to reveal itself has now subsided…severely.

I think perhaps the Wolf Deity has finally kept up on its word and tweaked down the Hunger. If it has, then I'm thankful. I was planning on spending only a single day in Demme, both searching for Red and Quen as well as delivering my demands to the Mayor.

Obviously not something I can delegate so easily at the moment, but with the reduced hunger, I've been given some time before the Gamma at Frozia needs to die.

Though, the Wolf left me with more questions than answer. Like the fact that Phien was supposedly a human turn Deity.

So, all this time another human has been after my head? And here I thought he was special.

I wonder, did he have the Mark of All as well? Like the previous Necromancer and I? But…he's not a Necromancer, or was he?

Arggh!

I can't be sure if what you choose to practice defines what kind of Deity you'll be. My predecessor set foot on this continent not too many centuries ago, and she came as a Necromancer as have I.

Well, given the fact that I personally chose Necromancy as the school of magic to practice I'd say the System doesn't necessarily force you to become a God of Necromancy.

At the same time, I'm very confused about Phien. What sort of magic would he have practiced while he was human? What type of magic would he have chosen had the System given him a choice like it did me?

This line of thought only brings up more pressing questions, questions like…are all of us, Phien, the previous Necromancer and I, were we all thrown into this world like I was? Are we from the same world?

What if we are?

Arggh!

It's nearly mid-noon now, Juri says we're close but it hasn't rained in a few days and the Sun is scalding, not quite sure how much more I can take with my head manufacturing theory after theory. 

I really need a lesson in this World. Maybe I should find a library or something. No, I don't have the time for that, not a second to waste; Serue is out there, preparing just as I am to come back and take what I have stolen from him.

I can see the outline of the Forest in the distance, long, sturdy trees with birds flying above the tops.

"See that on the horizon?" Juri speaks, some level of excitement and relief in his voice, "That's the forest, it's another day from here, but that just means we'll be stumbling up on Demme soon."

"That's a relief. My butt hurts." As lovely as it is to gallop like some knight rushing in to save a princess, the aftermath of such fantasies is my butt hurting tremendously.

"Ah, we shall make haste then, my Lord." 

Lord. A title I haven't been called in a while, Juri has taken to calling me by it ever since morn. He's applied the same title to Anselm as well, I wonder if he knows Anselm is dead.

Probably not.

Just as Juri had said, we only have to travel for a few more hours before coming up on lights in the distance. The scalding sun had begun to set, in a few more hours it will eb entirely behind the horizon.

We're not the only ones who see something however, the lights that clutter the non-descript settlement ahead see us as well, I'm not quite sure how but they know quite soon to send out riders.

They confront us at the base of the hill, where their horses huff and breath from the long galloping ride here.

Looking down at them from the top of the hill it's easy to see major differences between them and Juri and the soldiers.

All three of them are fitted in light armour, with a small steel, albeit battered breastplate covering their chests. They're armed with the classics, swords and a crossbow.

From merely looking at their scouts I'd say Demme has more than enough armour and weapons, although, the strain of their battle with the monsters is immediately evident by the state of their weapons.

These scouts are much unlike my men who are nearly all covered in heavy, enchanted armour with clean and maintained weapon sets. I'd say I still have the upper hand.

"Who are you!" One of the three hollers, a young man by the sound of his booming voice, "State your business!"

Another speaks, "If you're trying to get on the other side of this forest you might want to take another route, you ought to know this place is infested anyway, aren't you lot a mercenary army?"

The last one shushes the other, eyes trained on us.

I smile and move my horse forward a bit, "I am the Mayor of Aste and I'm he-"

I don't get a chance to finish speaking as in a blinking instant, their weapons are drawn and pointed accusingly at me.