Chapter 565: The Empty District

Chapter 565: The Empty District

Theres no one there, a mercenary fury said as Dallion kept knocking on the door of Dirohs inn.

Seems so. Dallion turned around. What happened? There used to be lots of hunter inns a few months ago.

Guess you havent been here a bit longer than that. The fury smirked. He looked like a typical mercenary for hire, with a lot of mismatched pieces of armor and custom-made weapons. The one surprising thing was that he also had a spark of awakening in him. It wasnt mucha low double digit at mostbut for a fury that was quite impressive. Your kind stopped coming here for a while. After that, the noble closed most of the inns.

Why?

Do I look like a noble?

The conversation seemed casual, but thanks to his music skill Dallion could tell it was no accident. The calm determination emanating from the fury suggested that he was sent to keep an eye on Dallion. Someone was concerned that a hunter had come to town. Either that, or it was Dis place that was the focus of concern.

Any other place I can use? Dallion asked.

Not with the Order here. With so many of them everything that was open was taken by them. And when theyre gone, the imperials will pour in. Guess youre out of luck.

Quite straightforward. Hes insistently trying to get rid of you, dear boy, Nil said.

How do I get to talk to a noble? Dallion ignored the advice.

You dont. Nobles want their calm. After everything that happened in the last year its understandable. Theres not many of them left.

That came as a partial surprise. Dallion knew for a fact that the poison plague shouldnt have affected Halburn to this extent. And yet, even he had heard that an alarming number of nobles had died.

Then Ill check with the merchants. Plenty of them around.

Seeing that Dallion wasnt taking the obvious hints, flashes of annoyance flashed through the mercenary. There was also hesitation. The hunter emblem visible round Dallions neck not only offered protection, it was a testament regarding his strength. In a one-to-one battle it was all but certain that Dallion would win.

You really should leave. The fury went for the direct approach. Its not safe for awakened like you.

Youre an awakened, Dallion countered. So is everyone in both armies around here. Ill leave when I decide. Keep pressing and I might choose to look into the reason the ruler doesnt want hunters.

The threat was far from subtle, but made its point. With a slight nod, the fury took a few steps back, then disappeared in the blink of the eye. Furies usually did that, but thanks to his current traits, Dallion was able to see the mercenary do it.

Nice person, Nil said. Its doubtful he was the only one, though.Findd new stories at novelhall.com

He wasnt, Dallion replied.

If you have something to add, just come down here and say it, Dallion said, looking around.

To the untrained observer, it would seem that he was searching for something. In truth, he made a point of pausing and looking in the eye of the dozen other furies who were spying on him. He had noticed their presence ever since he had entered the old hunters section, which now was little more than a ghost town. All the buildings were closed and barred up, and not a single person in the streets.

There was a moment of silence. Without making a single sign the mercenaries left the rooftops they were hiding on. A few tried to be cheeky and stayed a bit longer just to check whether Dallion noticed. When he proved that he had, they had joined the rest, giving him some space. At least they were skilled enough to know when they were outmatched.

That meant Dallion had to be quick. No doubt right now they were reporting their findings to the noble who had sent them. It was likely that in a matter of minutes he would appear, and that would prove a lot more difficult than dealing with a bunch of mercenaries.

Is Di inside? Dallion asked the guardian of the building.

She doesnt want to see you, the inn replied.

She was happy to see me last time. What changed?

She doesnt want to see anyone. Just go. Youve caused enough trouble by being here.

I cant do that. Dallion grabbed the doors handle. Will you let me in or must I do it myself?

The room with walls?

Not just the room. The thing that followed. Id been among hunters all my life I thought I knew what it was. But it isnt. No one said anything about the pain.

Pain? Dallion didnt expect that. There had been no pain in his experience, only confusion. In fact, the greater part of the confusion was due to the sudden shift in worlds. What pain?

Like steel needles going through my veins and eyes. And they never stop.

This wasnt supposed to happen. Dallion put his hand on the furys forehead. She didnt feel particularly cold or warm. There werent any visible veins bulging, any signs of poison, or anything else he could come up with.

Skye, did she eat or drink anything strange before this happened?

No its not the plague, the cloud fox replied. I was very careful. I made sure the food was fine. She didnt do anything differently, she just awakened and then ended up in pain.

Any new strange abilities?

Not that I can see.

Di, I need you to let me enter your awakening realm.

Will it help? A flicker of hope could be felt in her words.

Im not sure, but it might. If somethings causing problems in your domain, I have a few friends that will find it. No need to worry, theyre my familiars. Just like Skye, but different.

The fury nodded. What do I need to do?

Just keep your eyes open.

PERSONAL AWAKENING

Reality changed. This wasnt the first time Dallion was in anothers domain, but he would be lying if he didnt say that this was unlike any he had seen.

The starting room was very much as he remembered it: a windowless room with a single archway to a corridor outside. A blue rectangle with the familiar YOU ARE LEVEL ONE message floated in the air. However, the room wasnt made of stone, marble, or any other common material; it was entirely of ice.

Guess you dont see this every day, Nil said.

A single framed ice dagger was mounted to the wall with an ATTACK plaque underneath.

I guess you chose attack, Dallion said.

Thats what I was given. Diroh walked up next to him. She seemed a lot calmer in the awakened world.

Sometimes theres no choice. Do you feel better here?

The pain is gone, but when I go outside, it returns.

And the rectangles said nothing?

They told me to choose a trait, then to go into the halls of destiny. I walked along a long corridor. At the end of it, there was a dagger.

And when you took it, you were back in the real world.

The fury nodded.

Well, lets go through the corridor together.