Chapter 503: The swarm of ghosts
The next day the dragonkin patriarch Somei approached Allen.
"You're really going already then? Even though you only arrived yesterday?"
The patriarch's mansion did not have many rooms, so Allen's group ended up spending the night in a meeting room. The next morning they were getting ready to go hunting, which startled the patriarch, so he went to the room they spent the night in.
Allen replied, before glancing at Merle, who understood the sign and went to kick the dwarves awake. They had emptied all the barrels the night before, getting completely drunk.
"Yes, thank you very much for everything last night, we'll be heading out as soon as possible."
"I see. I'll write you a letter for the warden then."
Allen would have liked it if he had written that letter during the night, but he only started now.
While they left the meeting room, the letter was done and it was handed to them, and they were told what it said.
[To the Warden Leader Abigayle,
Some people have finally crossed the Gate of Judgement.
I want you to go with them and obtain Spirit Crystal Stones.
Show them the power of Shandar and dragonkin!!
Yours truly, Patriarch Somei.]
"...So is this Abigayle the warden of the ghost swarm?"
Allen felt like the letter was too pretentious.
"Yes, he is. Katakuchi will show you the way there, as it's a 10 day long trip."
"Don't worry about that, we have a golem with us."
The swarm seemed to be at least 300 kilometers away from the city.
There were multiple ghost swarms in this world, but that one was the closest.
Allen's group had golems, so riding on them would make the trip much faster.
Everyone said good-bye to the patriarch and boarded on Tam-Tam Mode Eagle.
Merle could fit 30 Stone Slabs in her Magic Cube, which let her make Tam-Tam 100 meters long, have the [Eagle] Stone Slab, and still have space left for Agility Stone Slabs.
Galara's party also had Stone Slabs to make flying golems, but they were slower.
Everyone boarded Tam-Tam and gathered in the cockpit. The screens there showed what Tam-Tam's eyes were seeing.
"So this is the right direction?"
The gatekeeper Katakuchi leaned over the map and verified they faced the right direction.
He knew the location of the ghost swarm, so he was in Tam-Tam as well.
(There's trees growing on the clouds...)
"There's some weird plants out there."
Kuena looked at the vegetation that looked like large broccoli and lettuce, some even forming forests. The vegetation of the divine realm looked different.
The screens showed the changing scenery. It looked like a vast paradise on top of clouds, really giving them the sense that they were in the divine realm.
"Wha-?! Nestiad?!! Was it near here?"
Katakuchi sounded surprised.
"We don't know, but the ghosts have gotten really annoying lately!!"
(What's Nestiad?)
'That's the leader of this swarm, a very powerful ghost so we shouldn't get anywhere close.'
Nestiad was the name of the leader of the ghost swarm.
"Anyway! The Warden Leader is on the fort so come with me."
The dragonkin told Allen's group to follow. They entered the fort and were led to the rooftop, where many dragonkin were moving around frantically.
"There's ghosts active nearby, they're heading this way!!"
"There's too many of them, we'll be overrun!!"
"We can't run! We're the wardens!!"
(Somehow I feel like I shouldn't bother them right now.)
But it was the patriarch's fault for sending them there.
"E-excuse me, is the Warden Leader Abigayle here!!"
(Is he serious? I guess Katakuchi is the type that puts his duty above everything else.)
Everyone's gaze focused on them after Katakuchi shouted in a loud voice.
"Hm? Who are you? But I'm Abigayle, the Warden Leader."
A large dragonkin, around as tall as Ignomas, approached Allen's group.
"Ohh, so you're Abigayle. I'm Allen, the patriarch entrusted me with this letter."
Allen hurried to not disturb them further, introducing himself, and giving him the letter.
"Hm? A letter?"
All the dragonkin looked as Abigayle read the letter.
(Hmm, his hands are starting to shake now.)
"I'm really sorry to disturb you when you're so busy."
Allen apologized again, but something else caught their attention.
'AAaaaAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!'
An eerie shriek came from deep within the forest. A dragonkin came running from there then.
"Ruuuuuuuunnnn!! The ghosts are almost hereeeeeeeeeeee!!!"
The instant he was close enough the fort's door was open to let him enter. Many of the wardens looked pale, like the end of the world was about to happen.
Meanwhile Abigayle looked at Allen.
"I don't know why you arrived at this time in particular, but in a way this letter says you'll help us...correct?"
"Of course. We're here to hunt."
Allen replied instantly.
They were about to face off against the ghosts.