Nearbridge was a town located on an isle south of West Harbour, and it was here that Astrid had set her sights on a Greater Rot Hound. These unfriendly creatures were once massive wolves who had fallen victim to a terrible disease that ‘zombified’ them and drove them into exile from their packs. They often dwelt in isolated caves and forests, and one could always find them by simply following their nose.
Rot Hounds – as the name implied – were wrapped in decaying flesh, and terrible mutations had them grow extra eyes and horns on their heads and backs. It was wise to keep away from them, for a single scratch or bite would fester immediately and poison the whole body within seconds. The one Astrid was hunting lived in a cave by the sea, where the air was cooled by the gentle ocean breeze.
Astrid had expected more of a challenge, and although the Rot Hound had officially been labelled a Greater Beast by the academy, this one skulked about with a tired limp and a drooping head. Astrid and her two assistants tossed some bait beyond the Rot Hound’s cave and waited with spears on the ridge above. When the hound emerged, Astrid made the first throw and hit her target in the back; before it could flee to the cave another spear caught it in the shoulder, and it wined and limped away.
“I pity this creature,” said Astrid, with a frown. “Let’s get down there quickly so we can end its misery. This is hardly what I’d call a hunt.”
Astrid slew the sad creature and returned to town to collect her reward. There she bumped into Victor, who was dressed in a dusty cloak and ragged clothes, and was quite weary. They stayed at the inn and had dinner together and some drinks, and shared what news that could on how the others were doing in their mission. Astrid recounted the disappointing nature of her own hunt. “But enough of that,” she said. “You never mentioned what contract you took.”
Victor hesitated and sipped his drink. “I plan on hunting a Roach up in Harbell.”
“Harbell? But that’s so far from here! What have you been doing this whole time?”
Victor quickly glanced over his shoulder and scanned for any prying eyes, but most were just patrons of the inn and merry fellows in their drink. “I have some disturbing news that we have to speak about, but it is not safe to discuss it here.” They went up to their room where it was quiet and there he began his story: “Before I left the academy Mr. Silver tasked me with delivering three of his texts all the way to the Library of Annath in Olvaile, and that is why I am here on my return journey. The journey was quite comfortable until I crossed the mountains to the south; there I ran into a group of Dark Ones, and what is worse, they followed me from the academy.
“I didn’t dare to fight them, not even with my escorts by my side, so instead we hid ourselves in the mountains. We must have played cat and mouse for over a fortnight; I felt like I was back on Draco’s Peak! But I won’t try to tell you how terrifying it was. I know how tough you are. Anyway, we slipped away and went in search of this Library of Annath, which we found on the bank of a great river in the west. It was a stunning and yet shadowy place, and ancient, and filled with mystery. I delivered the three books to a woman known as The Keeper of Secrets, and in return she gave me an answer.”
“An answer to what?” Astrid asked, her eyes filled with wonder.
“An answer to the one question I most desired to ask, and yet was too frightened to do so. I asked her: Who is Mr. Silver? And why does the World Government so desperately desire what he has?”
“And what did she tell you?”
“She spoke a great deal in riddles and I’m still figuring some of it out.” He glanced again at the door, and then leaned close to Astrid, speaking almost at a whisper. “Mr. Silver has a philosopher’s stone! The Grand Elixir! He completed the alchemist’s quest, but it was hundreds of years ago. The Keeper of Secrets told me that Silver discovered a place that mortal men cannot see, and there he made not one but many stones, and he has kept them for all these years. That is why he does not age!”
Astrid stood up. “Mr. Silver has the means to immortality? That is incredible! Could you imagine it? Having eternal life.”
“As enticing as it sounds, there was something else The Keeper of Secrets told me. She said that Mr. Silver was forced to sacrifice his most beloved friend in order to get the stone. She also said that monsters didn’t exist before Silver, and that when he returned from wherever he was, he brought the monsters with him.”
A shadow fell over the room. They did not speak for a while. Astrid paced back and forth and raised her voice. “I can understand that such a gift would not come without sacrifice, but why would he leave such a sacrifice in vain by hoarding the stones in his tower.”
Victor shook his head. “We don’t know everything…”
“Does it matter? We know that Silver sacrificed his friend!”
“Hey, calm down. We’ve dedicated out lives to the academy. We know that it’s purpose is just. Perhaps that is why he keeps the stones! Either way, who are we to assume anything of Silver?”
“What if we had the philosopher’s stone? You and I, Victor! Imagine how much power we could gain!”
Victor became cautious. Something had changed in Astrid’s voice. He knew that she was steering towards something dangerous, and he had to stop her. “Astrid, there are more important things than power. Right now, we need to be careful. I say we play this through and see what lies in wait at the end of The Path of Enlightenment.”
Astrid lowered her eyes. “But we already know what we might find…”
“And yet nothing is certain. You are right in one respect; I hate to say it, but if Silver unleashed these monsters upon us, then how do we know he is not really our enemy?”
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