Chapter 1004 Early Withdrawal <TOC> Chapter 1006 The Depths of the Cave
Translator: SumTLMan
Spanning across the horizon lay a collection of rolling hills, their silhouettes muted under a silver cloak woven from the past few days of persistent snowfall.
Now, they presented themselves in an entirely new light, exuding an ethereal beauty.
However, Angel remembered the time when he had first arrived at Watchtower Fortress. He had gazed upon this place from the lofty tower, only to be greeted by a sight of desolation cloaked in the blackest night.
These were the Shadowy Hills, their very name sending shivers down the spine.
Following the breadcrumb trail left by Popoca, Angel had come to this location.
Within these hills flowed a river that, given a dash of luck, sometimes revealed the elusive eddying silver rings. Given the vicinity of Shadowy Hills to the fortress, visible even to the naked eye, the area was deemed safe. Consequently, it wasn’t uncommon for apprentices to venture here in their free moments, seeking whatever fortune they might stumble upon.
Yesterday afternoon, Popoca and his two comrades had been wandering around the outskirts of Shadowy Hills.
That was when they spotted Toby.
“At first, I saw him using his beak to peck at the ice in the river, attempting to catch some fish,” Popoca narrated. “But after what appeared to be an unsuccessful hunt, he took to the skies and disappeared. I’m afraid I lost track of where he headed; the snow was falling heavily and the night sky was as dark as obsidian. The moment he became one with the darkness above, I lost sight of him.”
This was Popoca’s account of the incident. While the others had had only a fleeting glimpse, Dash had indeed seen Toby take flight. Therefore, they could conclude that Toby had been near Shadowy Hills as of yesterday afternoon.
Upon receiving this information, Angel immediately set out for the hills.
When he arrived, he was greeted by an expanse of rolling hills veiled under a blanket of snow, their surface being constantly dusted with fresh snowfall from the heavens above. Locating Toby’s traces amidst this snowy tableau was no mean feat.
His first destination was the river where Toby had been spotted attempting to catch fish, according to Popoca.
Nestled in a valley between snowy mounds ran a rather spacious river, its once freely flowing surface now trapped under a layer of ice. A few snow-covered fishing baskets on the riverbank bore testament to the river’s frequent visitors.
The spot Popoca had described was under an overhanging ice cliff on a bend in the river. On the opposite bank stood two trees, their branches entwined like lovers locked in an eternal embrace.
These significant features made it relatively simple for Angel to locate the place, but overnight, the pecked holes in the ice had vanished under a fresh layer of frost, leaving no tangible proof of Toby’s visit.
However, ascertaining the thickness of the ice layer, Angel was able to identify the exact location where Toby had previously bored a hole.
In an attempt to reopen the hole, he discovered that water was still flowing beneath. Should one lend an attentive ear, they would discern the presence of fish gathering below the hole, attracted by the air seeping in.
Even though Angel was in no mood for fishing at the moment, just as he was about to depart, he noticed something dark encapsulated within the icy layer.
His curiosity piqued, he chiseled it out, revealing what appeared to be a small, dark fan-shaped object.
Sampling it with a lick, it imparted a pungent salty taste, redolent of a smoked delicacy.
“This taste…is this the smoked fish prepared by Head Maid Mana?” Angel rubbed it gently, scraping off the surface frost, only to realize it was a fish tail.
This was clearly one of Toby’s items, deducing that Toby had been gnawing on smoked fish while fishing through the hole.
Now, Angel was certain of one thing — Popoca and the others had not been fabricating tales.
However, even though a remnant fish tail was discovered, where could Toby have gone?
After some contemplation, Angel picked a high ground and released several scouting puppets. Metal orbs, replete with eyes, fanned out in all directions.
“If even the scouting puppets can’t locate Toby…” Angel murmured to himself, he would then have no choice but to request Sanders’s assistance.
The scouting puppets covered a wide expanse of Shadowy Hills. Due to their petite size, they could investigate many concealed spots, far exceeding the speed at which Angel could explore.
There was no sign of Toby to the east, nor to the west.
As the snowfall grew heavier, so did the seriousness on Angel’s face. He was now starting to wonder, could Toby have felt too at home amidst the aura of the Abyss, lost himself in enjoyment, and wandered away from the safe zone?
As time ticked away, just when Angel had decided to return to the fortress and seek Sanders’s help, he suddenly noticed that one of his scouting puppets had captured the sight of two shivering figures.
They were a boy and a girl, adorned in apprentice robes, shaking as they scurried down the slope of a hill.
Their faces were ashen, their hair crystallized by frost, and their lips turned progressively bluer as if they were sculpted from ice itself. However, Angel remembered that every apprentice arriving at the front lines was given a wizard’s robe by Frost Moon, with a spell to maintain constant warmth.
Upon closer inspection, he noticed that both apprentices’ robes had significant tear marks. Blood stains and claw marks decorated their garments, painting the picture of a recent battle.
The terrified expressions on their faces, their frequent glances over their shoulders to ensure they were not being pursued, gave away their state of panic.
A question flickered in Angel’s eyes: regardless of what they encountered that induced such fear, what puzzled him the most was, where did they spring from?
His scouting puppets had already scoured the entirety of Shadowy Hills, but these two had not been seen. They appeared as if conjured out of thin air.
Could it be that there was some hidden passage here?
Angel pondered, and with a faint glow twinkling on his boots, he instantly appeared before the duo, who were still reeling from the shock.
At Angel’s sudden appearance, the male apprentice tensed and stepped in front of his female counterpart.
From his protective gesture, Angel surmised that the pair were likely a couple.
Angel removed his hood, revealing his youthful face. His gentle smile, lingering at the corners of his mouth, managed to slightly ease their wariness.
Seeing their vigilance wane, Angel ventured further: “It seems that you might need some help?”
From his pocket, Angel retrieved a fiery red orb — a fragment of a Firestone. He had amassed a quantity of these during the Emberstone Titan battle from the Fire Lich. Though not immensely useful, they served perfectly as convenient heating elements.
Angel held the fragmented Firestone in his palm, “I can offer you this, but in return, I would like you to answer a few of my questions.”
The pair exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting a glint of hope.
Both of them were intermediate apprentices. Their tribulations had left their wizard robes in tatters, and their magic reservoirs hollowed out, to the point where they couldn’t even summon fire elements to fend off the cold.
Though the fortress was not far from their current location, they were thoroughly spent. Combined with the onslaught of wind and snow, it seemed the odds were stacked against them — they might not perish at the hands of those flying fish creatures but freeze to death on Shadowy Hills instead.
However, during their moment of desolation, they had crossed paths with Angel.
Having dared to venture into the Abyss, they were naturally familiar with the “Fragmented Firestone”. To Angel, it might have been of little use, but for them, it was material that was worth more than a hundred magic crystals!
Now, merely answering a few questions could reward them with something that not only kept them warm but also fetched a good price. Why would they refuse such an offer?
Without a moment’s hesitation, they nodded in agreement.
…
After a while, Angel’s eyes lit up. Not only did he get the information he desired, but he might also have found a clue about Toby. So, without any reluctance, he tossed the Fragmented Firestone over to them.
The fair-faced female apprentice reached out to catch it, but somehow, she staggered a bit, and the Firestone ended up in the male apprentice’s hands.
Upon receiving the stone, the male apprentice looked at his counterpart, concern etched on his face. “Are you okay? Be careful, there might be sharp rocks hidden in the snow.”
As he spoke, he helped the female apprentice up, all the while mumbling, “Let’s keep the Firestone with me for now. I generate more heat, and you can benefit from it.”
The female apprentice seemed to want to protest, but the male cut her off abruptly. He then turned to Angel and bowed in gratitude, “Thank you for your kindness, we’ll head back to the fortress now.”
After saying so, he looped his arm around the blushing female apprentice and began heading towards the fortress.
Angel watched as their figures gradually disappeared into the snowstorm. He squinted and let out a small chuckle.
The female apprentice’s stumble was not lost on Angel. It was clear to him that the male apprentice had caused it deliberately. Not only had he snatched away the Fragmented Firestone, but he had also taken the opportunity to hold the female apprentice close. He had truly lost nothing in this exchange.
A lingering whisper seemed to dance in the wind, a secretive exchange between the male apprentice to the female one, “This trinket holds quite the worth. Upon our return, I plan to sell it, splitting the magic crystals received with you…”
But would the male apprentice truly share the wealth gained from the sale?
Angel didn’t hold the answer. Nevertheless, judging from the radiant glint in the boy’s eyes upon laying sight on the Firestone, the chances seemed rather slim.
Earlier, the male apprentice appeared to harbor sincere protection for the female one. Who would’ve guessed his loyalty would shift so swiftly?
With a shake of his head, Angel dismissed thoughts about others. His eyes twinkling with anticipation, he ventured towards the pinnacle of the hill.
Earlier, he had gleaned some whispered secrets about Shadowy Hills from the apprentices.
Granted, they were not profound truths, but they were tidbits known only to a few due to their limited circulation.
Allegedly, on the other side of the hill, a hidden passage lay concealed within the hollow of a withered tree. This tunnel led to a cavern beneath the hill, named Shadowy, the very namesake of Shadowy Hills.
According to tales, every so often, Shadowy Hills would be visited by strange white apparitions, accompanied by the wailing of infants, eerily reminiscent of phantoms.
This news ran rampant among the apprentices. However, in reality, these ‘white apparitions’ were merely steam evaporating from the geothermal springs within the Shadowy Caverns, and the ‘infant’s cries’ were the strange noises produced by a certain whiskered fish species that swam through the underground river within the cave at regular intervals.
Although Shadowy Caverns was hidden, there were indeed a few who knew about it. However, the underground river in the cave produced a large amount of the precious whirlpool silver rings. In the interest of personal gain, many of those aware of this location remained silent about its existence.
The aforementioned apprentice couple had ventured into Shadowy Caverns in search of these whirlpool silver rings.
Their initial plan was to comb along the underground river during their exploration of Shadowy Caverns. However, their journey took an unexpected turn when they were suddenly attacked by a swarm of black flying fish. These fish, though on par with mere junior apprentices, posed a formidable threat due to their overwhelming numbers. Furthermore, the restoration of a wizard’s system here was exceptionally slow. Ultimately, the couple was forced to retreat, escaping the cavern.
Their experience was fairly unremarkable, commonplace even. However, Angel managed to extract a clue from their accounts, a lead that could potentially point towards Toby.
Even though they failed to lay their eyes on Toby amidst the enveloping darkness of the Shadowy Caverns, the female apprentice boasted an uncanny sensitivity to auditory cues. She professed that in her chaotic scramble to escape, she seemed to catch the echo of a bird’s call emanating from the depths of the cavern.
Casting the Sound Illusion spell, Angel perfectly emulated Toby’s call. Upon hearing it, the apprentice unswervingly affirmed.
“Yes, that’s the exact call I heard!”
Chapter 1004 Early Withdrawal <TOC> Chapter 1006 The Depths of the Cave