Chapter 562: Miracle Medic
25 years after the events at the Phoenix Peaks
Given my druthers, I’d stay locked away in my library, letting Skye and Titania rotate the books, happily devouring books as I nibbled on snacks. Maybe I’d occasionally meditate for the health benefits - the giants really knew how to combine the two - but all in all, I’d probably retreat deep into my happy little shell and isolate myself.
It was a good thing I wasn’t alone! After going to the moon, we’d taken a year-long break, but Iona was restless and filled with energy. Nina swinging by was a good reminder to break out of my shell and go explore the world, and to be fair, the most interesting things did happen when I was out and about.
Once my initial inertia was overcome, I was reminded of how many books were everywhere, and I worked on leveling my [Relentless Pursuit of Knowledge], nevermind that it was capped. There were people to be healed, and while all of Pallos was a tiny blue marble when viewed from a distance, it was a deep and complex marble, filled with joy and wonder.
Which is how I found myself on a caravan with Iona, slowly rumbling over the desert sands of Ankhelt without Fenrir or Auri. Fenrir wanted to fly and push himself when he wasn’t snoozing - that, and he caused panic everywhere he went - and Auri was having a grand old time with her bakery, and we did pop back frequently enough to not be missed. Also, when I was on-duty, we spent sixteen years in close contact, a little bit of traveling and separation for a few weeks now and then helped us stay friends, as odd as that sounded.
All the countries had a long history, but Ankhelt in particular had HISTORY. The shifting sands of the desert along with the construction method of their buildings made them particularly suited towards remnants surviving Immortal Wars. Entire cities would get swallowed up by the sand, regardless if a Classer was involved or not, only for the shifting winds to unbury them thousands of years later. Bodies would be preserved and mummified, and entire cities worth of loot were simply sitting there for the [Treasure Hunters] to loot.
Speaking of alternative careers I wanted to try out sometime - [Treasure Hunter] was pretty high up there.
The caravan’s path to Augustine was winding. The Blue Fire Wastes on one side, and wurm territory on the other. Most of the animals in the caravan had been hobbled as to not attract the fearsome beasts.
I, personally, was hoping we’d see some, and I knew Iona was itching to fight one. The creatures were rare and majestic, similar to the wyrm we’d battled but also completely different. They made vast swathes of the desert difficult to traverse - for those who couldn’t fly.