Chapter 38: The Book
One peculiar observation: there was no smell of decay. Actually, the only scent I could perceive was a faint sulfuric one, likely from the river which was now rushing and frothy. The river's flow over grayish rocks and sandy banks, sculpting patterns in slate, were the only sounds present.
I felt Opal shivering inside my cloak.
"You alright?"
"I'll survive, boss."
I sat up and observed Drevolan; he appeared even more fatigued than I was. He was soaked to the bone, shivering as I wasa detail I found strangely satisfying.
He noticed me observing him and, guessing some of my thoughts, frowned at me. His hands were twitching, and he muttered, "Magic is useless here." His voice sounded strange, as if muffled by a thin barriernot quite distant, but not entirely close either. He added, "Wish we could dry off."
"There's barely a breeze," I replied, "Looks like we'll remain wet for some time." My voice mirrored his, which I found unsettling. Although I still felt cold, it was less harsh than in the river.
"Let's move on," suggested Drevolan.
"After you," I replied.
We managed to get up, taking in our surroundings the river at our back, bodies on either side, and the mist ahead.
"This place is uncanny, boss."
"I've noticed."
"Did you notice the corpses don't smell?"
"Yeah."
"
Perhaps it's the soul that emanates the stench, and since these bodies lack souls, there's no odor."
I refrained from asking Opal if he was seriousI didn't want to know. Drevolan's hand on his sword hilt and checking his staff served as a grim reminder of our mission. He motioned to a direction to his right. Mustering my courage, we pressed on.
I reclined in my cherished relaxation chair at home, contemplating how I would bring an end to Lynn. Ideally, I'd confront him directly, no matter his location or company. This approach typically serves me well. The complication was that he was aware of the conflict brewing and had taken precautions to never be alone.
Why I decided Fedya's place was the perfect spot to strike is beyond me, and in hindsight, I believe it was a miscalculation on my part. I was resolute in not allowing such preconceptions in the future. I was confident in my ability to confront him in public, since in my childhood, I had witnessed a public assassination at my father's inn. That was also when I first encountered Liora, but that's a story for another time.
As I deliberated over my plan, Opal proposed, "Boss, if a diversion is what you need, I can assist."
To which I retorted, "Over my dead body."
* * * *
We found ourselves wandering in dense, swirling mist, which was merely bothersome until I realized there was no wind causing the fog's movement. I shared this observation with Drevolan, who responded with a curt, "Quiet."
A smirk crossed my face as a barren tree branch smacked into his face. His frown deepened as we continued our journey, at a more cautious pace. Apart from the fog, the only thing visible was the soft, sandy ground that seemed incapable of nurturing life. As I came to this conclusion, an abrupt shadow materialized in front of usit was a tree, as bare as the one before.
"Boss, why are the trees leafless in what should be summer?" Opal asked.
"How would I know? Besides, if it was summer, we wouldn't be freezing," I replied.
"Fair point."
Trees started appearing as if springing up before us, and we maneuvered around them, roughly maintaining our direction. Shortly after, Drevolan paused to examine what appeared to be a pathway veering off diagonally to our left. He thoughtfully muttered, "I don't think so. Let's continue straight."
As we moved on, I questioned, "How do you know?"
"The book," he replied.
"What book?"
"A book given to guide me through these Paths. Alyssra assisted as well."
"And who gave you this book?"
"It's a family heirloom."
"I see. And how reliable is it?"
"We'll soon find out, won't we? You might have been better off without me. Then, Alyssra could have shown you safer routes."
"Why couldn't she tell you the safer paths?"
"Because I'm Imperion. I'm not allowed to know."
"Really? Who makes these rules, anyway?"
He merely shot me a look of contempt in response. We soon encountered another path, leading off in a slightly different direction.
Drevolan suggested, "Let's try this one."
"You've memorized the book?" I queried.
"Let's hope so," was his reply.
The fog was less dense now, and I asked Drevolan if that was a positive sign. He merely shrugged.
After a while, I asked, "Is there a good reason you didn't bring the book along?"
"Bringing it is forbidden," he responded.
"But our whole expedition is forbidden, right?"
"True, but why exacerbate things?"
I pondered over his words before asking, "Any idea of what lies ahead?"
"We will stand before the Arbiters of Afterlife and plead for my cousin's restoration."
"And why should they agree?"
"Because we had the audacity to ask."
"I see."
Soon, we came across a large, irregular grey stone embedded in the path. It was around two feet wide, four feet long, and protruded roughly six inches from the ground. Drevolan paused to examine it, gnawing on his lip. After giving him a moment, I asked, "Want to share what's on your mind?"
"This stone suggests a choice. Depending on which side we pass, our path will differ," he explained.
"And if we step over it?"
He offered only a disdainful glance as a response. Sighing, he chose to walk around the right side of the stone. I followed suit, but could not perceive any notable difference in our path, which continued through the naked trees.
Soon, we heard the distant howls of wolves. Drevolan shrugged, commenting, "I'd prefer an external threat than an internal one at this point."
Deciding it was best not to question his meaning, I refrained from asking. Opal shuffled nervously on my shoulder. I said, "It seems like these challenges have been set up intentionally, almost like a test."
He agreed, "I've been thinking the same."
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