Chapter 49

Two hours later, Gwyneth continued to check over her shoulder every time they crested a hill. Her tempered eyes didn’t spot anyone following them. She did locate a herd of fanged deer, a cow-sized hedgehog and a couple of gremlins scrambling into their burrows. However, the pair agreed that slowing down wasn’t in their best interests. Just because one party had gone downriver, it didn’t mean that there weren’t others. It wasn’t just that Gwyneth had a valuable spirit, but the grievance she filed with the city council most likely pissed the De Lawney heads too. Diya knew very well how spiteful the nobles could get.

Six hours passed before the pair spotted the first outer settlement. Unlike the previous ones, it was a solitary tower. Its height and single entrance made it a strategically sound construction. The De Lawneys wouldn’t need many Climbers to defend it. If it were up to Diya, he’d arm the building with plant and tool-spirit users. Defensive spells or summons and long-range attack spells would enable them to hold off most attackers.

“How up to date are you with current DeLawney affairs?” Diya asked, inspecting the building through the looking glass. The pair had taken cover in a thicket of trees to avoid getting spotted. “This place feels isolated enough for them not to have regular contact with the others. Could we trick our way in and then make a break for the door?”

“That’s not a good idea,” Gwyneth said after a moment’s thought. “Sure, they don’t see people often, but parties preparing for the sixth floor still come down here. The Hyenes are good training opponents for people heading to the next interval. Their tribes have aged members amongst them with cards that give them supernatural abilities.”

“Speaking of cards, do dual Hollow Souls fair in the long term? The few upgraded souls I’ve encountered so far are significantly stronger than me. If not for my martial abilities and the fountain’s versatility, most half-decent climbers will outclass me any day..” The thought had been bugging Diya for a while, and he needed clarification. “I didn’t have the time to research the matter while in the city, but after seeing the De Lawneys, the difference feels too great.”

Gwyneth shrugged. “Perhaps Arthur’s research will have answers for us. Mine feels mostly on par with the average tool or plant soul after the upgrade. Getting more cards to upgrade my light might prove difficult, but I’ve been wondering whether I should focus on the other abilities first. A telekinesis upgrade could improve my control over Lamp. If we don’t find that, it should be possible to upgrade the metal shell, at least.”

“I don’t know what I want,” Diya said. “There are far too many options out there, but I think finding something compatible will prove difficult. Eirkh’s card is convenient, but I don’t know whether it's the best pick.”

“It’s one of those things with souls like ours. It’s hard to predict how things will develop. I know you’re not too keen on the poison route—”

“Is that why you gave me Intoxicating Rose?”

Gwyneth nodded. “Get a feel for it. If you like it? Great. A vast range of options open up for you.” She paused. “However, the poison line requires dedication. You’ll have to build your deck around it and continue investing in the soul’s poisonous aspect every other interval. Otherwise, it will prove impotent on the higher floors.”

“Aren’t there a lot of creatures in the tower that are immune to poisons? Like entities with biologies outside of our understanding.”

“Of course. There are the weird inky slug monsters, stone golems, or animated suits of armour. However, Gaia doesn’t force you to face any opponents. You have to go looking for them. I suppose we’ll just have to avoid such foes.”

“You shouldn’t worry too much. Since we’re avoiding the beaten path, there should be plenty of beasts, treasures, and secrets unknown to other climbers or noble houses.  So, you shouldn’t worry too much. It doesn’t have to be a monster card. An exceptional spell could upgrade our spirits, too. There are a lot more of those, and if we’re lucky, Arthur’s hidden troves might have some of them, too.”

Satisfied, for the time being, the pair focused on the tower again. They watched and waited, counting the number of people on watch, and tracking patrols.

“Look, over there,” Gwyneth said, pointing past the De Lawney tower. A small party of Climbers were trekking towards the plains beyond. As soon as the watcher atop the tower spotted them, he disappeared into the structure. Within two minutes, the door below it opened, and a trio in De Lawney colours rushed out. They made a beeline for the party, armoured and weapon in hand.

“Perfect!” Diya exclaimed. “Let’s make a break for it.”

"Careful, though. I'm pretty sure I saw a rifle. I don't know whether it's Core-enhanced or not, but a danger to us either way."

He didn’t know why the others had entered the noble house’s territory so carelessly, and he didn’t care enough to find out. The pair needed to get past the tower without drawing any attention, so they pushed on. The others would either be forced to retreat or drawn into battle.

Hopefully, they will keep the De Lawneys busy enough for us to get out of the tower’s range.

Diya led Gwyneth down a serpentine path, weaving in between the hills. It would’ve taken them less time to go straight across, but he worried it would get them spotted. Besides, the constant up and down would most likely tire the pair out quicker. The sun was almost over their heads now. Half the day had already passed, and they still had a long way to go before clearing De-Lawney-controlled lands.

The map showed a deep valley ahead. Diya hoped following it would take them straight through the hills to the plains beyond. He had no interest in exploring for once. After the close call they had earlier in the day, Diya wanted to get off the floor as soon as possible. So, he risked leaving cover for five painfully long minutes to slip into a thicket of trees. It would shorten their journey significantly since it flowed downhill towards their destination. His heartbeat sped up as they broke into a jog with their shoulders hunched. The cover was only a minute away. Then Gwyneth grabbed his hand and froze, her eyes focused through a narrow gap between mounds down into the valley’s base.

“What is it?” Diya asked.

Instead of answering, she pulled him along towards whatever she had spotted. The answer came as soon as the pair rounded a tree. It was an under-construction village. Gwyneth raised a hand, pointing at the structure in the middle of the village. Even though Diya’s eyes weren’t tempered, he could see it clear as day: an upgrade station, a binding sphere, and a gateway.

“I was wondering why they built such a small structure for a door,” Gwyneth commented, staying low. Following her eyes, Diya spotted the party they had seen. They had altered their route and were heading straight for the settlement. The De Lawney guards that had met them were now heading back towards their tower. Gwyneth fished the guidebook out of Diya’s bag and pointed at the other settlement. “I bet that one is just a tower too. They probably set these two up first as defensive measures to ensure no one else found the site.”

“It also explains all the carts in the main hub with building materials,” Diya whispered. “The Delawneys are setting up a new base to make money off the Hyene tribes.” He pointed at the workers. “They’re wearing the other houses’ colours too. Perhaps they’ve hired help from allies to speed up building. What if we casually walk in like that other party and then sneak through the gate during the night? They’ll have a guard, but I’m sure there is constant traffic of builders coming in and out..”

“We don’t have many other options.” Gwyneth sighed. She let go of Diya’s hand and stepped out of the hill’s shadows into the open. “I bet besides the handful of supervisors, there won’t be a whole lot of big shots there. If they don’t recognise us, I bet we can get through without much trouble. Let’s do it.”

Diya nodded. He summoned his pen and held it within his left sleeve before joining Gwyneth in the open. If push came to shove, he’d call the gauntlet immediately. Then they started their descent towards the growing settlement.

Due to the downhill path, the journey went quickly. Diya practised his breathing while Gwyneth hid her face once again. Thanks to the cold breeze, her hood and mouth-covering scarf didn’t look out of place as it did in the main hub. Diya lifted the summoned coat’s collar to cover his neck. It did nothing to protect his ears from the chill, though. When the other party waved at him, he was thinking about making alterations to the summon’s design.

“Why are they heading towards us, Diya?” Gwyneth asked, slowing down. “They don’t have their weapons out.”

Diya raised an eyebrow studying the group of five. His hand drifted to the axe hanging from his waist. “What else do you see?” Diya asked. “Could they have recognised you?”

“Only two of them are De Lawneys and going by the badges pinned to their coats. They’re new. Chances of them recognising me are low.” Gwyneth squinted as she studied them. “I’ve never seen the other three. The man and woman are dressed like nobles, and the other looks like a commoner. They’ve got a white wolf in tow as well.

Diya’s heart skipped a beat. Instead of drawing his axe, he pulled out his looking-glass once again to study the oncoming group. “It’s my former party.” He groaned.

“They don’t look Japanese,” Gwyneth said.

“Not them. It’s the Boleyns.” Diya’s chest felt tight, and his feet refused to move. “I was hoping the three of them would take their time, working their way up the floors.”

“But they partnered with the De Lawneys and came straight here to get a leg up on the competition.” Gwyneth shook her head. “How typical.”