Chapter 229 - Vol. 4 - 28

Before she could activate the Sites of Power, she needed to know where they were. So, she had to ask around, and she figured the best option for that was Zafir if she could catch him. 

Ash searched the halls of the Manor, looking for the man in question. For a while, she couldn't find him, but as she went to the back, where a staircase led to another floor she hadn't explored yet, she found Zafir walking down the steps, with Sorcerer Alys next to him. 

"Of course it's necessary," Zafir was telling Alys. "If not now then when?" 

"I simply wonder..." Alys muttered before he paused as he found Ash standing in front of them. 

"Hey," she called out. 

"Hm? Ah, Savior, what can I do for you?" Zafir asked. 

"I heard there were some old churches around here," Ash explained. "I need to find them." 

"Oh? For what reason?" 

"It's a long story," Ash shrugged. Nodding, Zafir said:

"I suppose I could find someone to mark them down on a map for you. Is that what you seek?" 

"Yeah, thanks." 

Alys walked away on his own after that, as Zafir pulled someone aside and asked them to look for a map. 

As the two of them waited for the servant to come back, Ash crossed her arms. Neither said anything. While Zafir maintained a polite smile, Ash just tapped her foot against the ground, waiting. 

When the servant returned, Zafir was handed a pencil of sorts and he marked the locations down himself. 

"You know them by heart?" Ash asked. 

"Of course," Zafir replied. "Any decent Senator must know the region well. Will this suffice?" 

"Mhm. Thanks again," Ash quickly walked away. 

With that done, Ash exited the Manor with the map in her hands and her mind feeling clouded. It was incredibly hard to focus on any one thing right now. Everything that was going on felt like it was pulling her in multiple different directions. 

Keiko, the spells she wanted to learn, the spells she could make, her levels, whatever it was that would lead to Kaori's return to this world. Just thinking about it right now nearly made her head ache. 

Ugh, focus, she told herself. One thing at a time. First... go ask the alchemist about the ingredients. Then, go over to some of those churches and then do some hunting. I'll start trying to make spells later.

Deciding on that, with her Lust tied to her waist, she moved onto the dirt streets. As per usual, all eyes landed on her as Ash made a beeline for the alchemist's shop. The only people whose stares she returned were the guards, as even after all this time and work that she'd put in, she still hadn't forgotten how the ones at Jade treated her. 

By the time she arrived, the sun was nearly at the center of the sky above, and Ash could hear the alchemist arguing with that apprentice of hers. She entered the store and interrupted that conversation. 

"I put in three teaspoons!" Martin said. 

"Well, clearly you didn't because if you had it would be blue and not green!" 

"I'm not lying to you, I swear, I-" Martin stopped when he saw Ash, as did the alchemist. 

She gawked at her and then walked over to the woman with a confident swing in her steps. 

"Well, well, finally realized that alchemy's where it's at?" 

"No." Ash quickly replied and the alchemist scowled. 

"Oh. Well, why the hell are you here then?" 

"I need to know where I can find some ingredients," Ash quickly stated. She wanted to get out as soon as possible, so as to not waste any time in her day. 

"Sure, what do you need?"

"A dragon's eye, a sand reaver's claw, and a mistborn flower." Of course, as far as the dragon's eye was concerned, she already had it in her mind to go back to where Gurron had died and pry his out of his body. However, she needed to know where the other two ingredients were. 

When she heard that, the alchemist pulled back. She was silent for a few seconds and Ash narrowed her eyes at her impatiently. 

"So?" Ash asked. "Where can I find them?" 

"... I take it that girl that came around before knew you, then?" She sighed. "Oh, goodness." 

"I just want to know where I can find them."

"I understand," she nodded. "And, well, I'll tell you like I told the other girl. That's a suicide mission you're setting yourself up for." 

"I don't need the lecture," Ash stated.

"... Fine. As for the dragon's eye, well, dragons are unpredictable by nature. All I can tell you is that they tend to rest atop mountains, but outside of that, it's pure luck whether you run into one of those or not." 

"And the others?" 

"Eh..." She looked away like she was trying to recall the information. "Sand reavers are pretty common in the Sea of Sand, east of Amber. Less than a day's walk away, you'll know you're there because there will be these strange plants with water inside of 'em. I'll advise you though, even with your level, sand reavers are dangerous creatures. They're deceptively fast and incredibly large. Show caution when you get there." 

"Okay, and the flower?" 

"For that one, just head for the Mist Realm. Take any flower from there, at all, and bring one back to me. You can find the Mist Realm northwest of Amber, a day and a half away."

"Okay, thanks." 

Just like that, Ash turned around and was about to exit the store, when the alchemist called out to her. 

"Hey!" 

"Yes?" Ash turned. 

"You're going to go get these things for that pregnant girl, are you?" 

"Yes." 

"... Wait one moment then," she said. The alchemist walked into the back room and came out with a small black flask. "This thing, it's a potion that keeps your mind from wandering when you're in the Mist Realm." 

"What?" Ash asked. 

"The Mist Realm distorts reality, kid. But not just that, it can mess with your senses too. Make you see things that aren't there. This thing will keep that from happening."

"... Okay, thanks." 

Once that was done, Ash re-emerged back out, and at this point, the streets were particularly crowded. There were civilians walking around with their heads down, and a magician selling books on by a stall marked "Fire Spells On Sale!". 

Ash absent-mindedly walked through it all. That was until someone bumped into her. A kid, so short her head only reached Ash's waist, collided with her. 

"Hm?" Ash hummed as the kid fell back. 

"U-Uh, sorry!" 

"... Whatever," Ash replied as the kid got up and walked away. Ash's eyes followed him for a moment, and, she shrugged.  What the fuck's got him in such a hurry? 

She walked away then, however, she took around ten steps before something told her to stop. Looking back at him, she narrowed her eyes as she could just barely see something glowing in his hands, as he made more and more distance between them. 

What the...?  She looked down at her own waist and found that her  Lust was missing. 

"Oh, motherfucker!" 

As she realized what had happened, Ash ran after the kid, but he'd already moved off of the streets. He ran to the right, between some buildings, and Ash pursued the kid, earning some yelps from citizens she nearly ran over. She followed him until he rounded a corner and suddenly disappeared from sight. When Ash reached that point, she understood why. 

...  Crap.  She thought as she reached the cliff that separated the two halves of Amber. Below, she could see the bridges leading down to the different levels of the city, with houses stuck to the dirt walls. Where...? 

After a few seconds, she saw the kid, hopping from one bridge to another, with the confidence of someone who had been doing this for a while. 

Okay. Fuck it.

Ash took two steps back. 

And then, she jumped off. 

The wind pushed against her face as she fell through the air, landing on one bridge with a thud. Ahead, she saw the kid continuing to make his way down. 

Okay, okay, one at a time... Then, I'll get my  Lust back, and I'll kick that kid's ass. Easy. 

She said that to herself, but as the bridges began to be just a little farther from each other, she felt a hint of nervousness in her gut. Her levels weren't gonna stop her from falling to her death, after all. 

Still, she needed to recover her Savior's Weapon. So, she jumped from one bridge to another, nearly slipping off, and paused.  Okay. Again. 

One by one, Ash followed behind the little thief as he made his way to the ground level. Once he did, Ash did as well just a moment later. 

Okay, now... 

However, she stopped. 

She had arrived at a place that was unlike anywhere she'd been to. In front of her, all she could see were people. People who were covered from head to toe, trading items with each other that she hadn't seen before. Behind them were pathways leading to what looked like cramped, natural alleys. There were doors leading into places built into the dirt walls, and Ash hoped the kid hadn't gone into any of these yet. 

This was one time though where her height ended up working in her favor, as she looked over many of these people's heads and saw the kid trying to subtly make his way through the crowd. 

Glaring, Ash tried her hardest to push through these people, shoving anyone who threatened to stop her momentum out of the way. She tailed him until finally, he entered through one double-door up ahead.

Ash walked in after him, pushing the doors open, and stopping in her tracks. 

Now, where... 

But, for the second time, Ash was too shocked to move. 

What... The... Fuck? 

She had ended up in a bar of sorts. There was music playing at the back, some drunkards playing some game on a green table to the right, and everywhere Ash could see were two kinds of people. 

Humans and half-demons, talking to each other casually.

Level 21

MP: 400/400

Level 19

MP: 200/200

Level 4

MP: 20/20

Their levels varied wildly, with the highest belonging to the person farthest away from Ash.

The kid who'd taken her Savior's Weapon ran up to that person, at the back, who also shared Ash's horns and white hair. The man looked down at the kid, confused as he saw what he had in his hands. 

"Bo, what's this?" The man asked as Ash took a deep breath and started walking up, eyes moving toward her. 

"I took this off'a someone!" The kid said proudly, and the man's eyes went up to Ash. 

"Well, you really didn't have to do that," he muttered as Ash stopped in front of him. 

Level 34

MP: 500/500

Okay.  Ash thought.

She dusted the dirt off of her dress and said:

"That thing's mine," Ash said firmly, and simply. 

".... Yeah, I just about guessed that," the half-demon replied.