"What do we do now?" Brat asked first. Since it involved the Weave, he instinctively felt that the well-read Mage would have a better idea.
"Your reasoning makes sense. Most Underdark Creatures dislike light. We'll hide out on Dust Eagle Mountain tonight, but we can't stay in Baldur's Gate for long.
"The Underdark is barren and brutal. The Gray Dwarves definitely won't leave easily once they come up. The Sentinels won't leave Upper City, and the Flaming Fist can't be relied upon. We have to get out of here. Waiting around could make things worse.
"Tomorrow we'll head for Flying Dragon Bridge. There's a Flame Fist Fortress there, and once we cross the Chongsa River, we'll be safe," Anse said thoughtfully.
"Your call." Brat nodded slightly. Leaving really was the safer choice.
Flying Dragon Bridge lay southeast of Dust Eagle Mountain. For the Underdark Creatures to reach it, they would have to circle around most of the mountain from the north and pass through several Outer City districts. They couldn't possibly get there so quickly.
"But," Anse continued, his expression complicated, "before that, I have to go save my parents. They're in Pig's Trotter District. You don't have to come with me. We'll split up first thing tomorrow morning."
He didn't feel much affection for his parents. His memories were like a slideshow, incomplete and difficult to connect with emotionally.
Still, if he had the chance, he wanted to try to save them. If he simply ignored them, it would weigh on his conscience.
But if they encountered danger, he would definitely save himself first.
"I'll go with you." Brat didn't hesitate. "Pig's Trotter District isn't far from Flying Dragon Bridge. They should be fine."
"Let's hope so. How are you feeling?" Anse felt a hint of urgency. The darker it got, the worse things would be for them.
"I'm fine. I can fight and run. Don't underestimate a Warrior's ability to recover." Brat tied his hair back with a strip of rag, looking alert and capable.
"Let's go." Anse stood, grabbed his staff, and headed out.
Brat shouldered his pack, tightened the straps, then quickly overtook Anse and walked ahead with his sword in hand.
Night fell. The cool Moonlight spilled down, making the Chongsa River shimmer, but the surrounding ruins and bodies strewn everywhere made the scene look like hell.
"Don't take Cliff Gate. Follow the Chongsa River into Rollover Zone," Anse warned quietly after they had hurried on for dozens of steps.
Brat understood and immediately turned south.
The Gray Dwarves were an intelligent race and might well occupy key routes, waiting for humans to come to them.
These fleeing crowds usually carried valuables and food. The Gray Dwarves wouldn't even need to waste time looting and packing.
After they had gone several hundred meters, the buildings grew sparse, leaving little cover. A section of city wall, most of it collapsed, stretched across their path.
As they reached the largest gap, Brat suddenly stopped. His nostrils twitched, and his eyes swept over the slimy dirt coating the stones, filling with wariness.
Anse sensed something amiss, too. "Let's find another way."
Brat nodded slightly, sword in hand, and slowly backed away. Once they were more than ten meters from the gap, they continued south along the wall.
Several curses came from the darkness. They both quickened their pace. Escape came first; they couldn't afford to get tangled up with them.
Whenever disaster struck, there was always Man-made Disaster, too. What could be worse than people?
After that experience, Brat deliberately chose a section of wall that was half-collapsed. It was strewn with rubble and uneven, making it difficult to cross, but at least it was safe.
Brat really was a Warrior. His athletic ability far surpassed Anse's. Carrying a large pack, he scouted ahead, climbing and jumping, stopping every so often to keep watch and let Anse catch up.
Anse smiled wryly to himself, admitting that Brat's miserable appearance at first had fooled him.
In the game, even someone with terrible attributes could become a Professional. Reality was different. Without some talent, it just wouldn't work. Nobles and major organizations alike wouldn't waste precious resources on dead weight.
Unless you were lucky enough!
"Look out!" Brat called urgently.
Anse instinctively threw himself down and rolled.
The next instant, a shadow swept over his head, moving too fast to make out. A faint smell of blood stirred in the air.
[You were attacked by a Mosquito Bat. Missed...]
The combat log flashed by.
Anse started. Mosquito Bats were a social species.
He gripped his staff and scanned the area, but saw no swarm. He only heard the faint beat of wings somewhere overhead.
"What the hell was that?" Brat had also been attacked, but his senses and reactions were sharper.
He dropped his pack and took a few quick steps to Anse's side, standing back-to-back with him as they kept watch.
"Mosquito Bats. Blood-sucking creatures that live in groups." Anse pulled a stick enchanted with Light Spell from his clothes, but didn't unwrap the Black Cloth.
Brat looked up for a moment but didn't spot any other threats. "Seems like there are only two."
"Maybe they got separated, or maybe they're drunk on blood," Anse guessed.
Mosquito Bats fed on the blood of living creatures and weren't very intelligent. Now that they had reached the surface and found humans so easy to prey on, it wasn't strange that they were running rampant.
"They're still here."
"Let's keep moving. Wait for your chance."
"Okay."
They continued forward slowly. Brat followed behind Anse with his pack, waiting for the "chance" to come.
Anse stayed calm. Mosquito Bats were weak, and their attacks weren't fatal. Besides, he had Shield Spell, which could conjure a force-field shield the instant an attack hit him.
As the two of them were about to enter the Dust Eagle Mountain area, the Mosquito Bats could hold back no longer. They swooped down almost simultaneously.
Brat paused. "Here they—"
Before he could finish, Anse yanked away the Black Cloth. The sudden light drove back the darkness, revealing two strange creatures that looked like a cross between giant bats and giant mosquitoes.
Mosquito Bats feared light. Startled by the sudden brightness, they abruptly changed course and tried to flee.
Whoosh—
A flash of swordlight passed. One Mosquito Bat was cleaved in two, its blood spraying in a streak.
"Frizzare" (Freezing Ray)
A streak of white light shot from Anse's palm and struck the other Mosquito Bat in an instant.
The Mosquito Bat stiffened. White mist billowed around it, and it dropped to the ground with a thud. Its wings twitched twice, then fell still.
[You cast Freezing Ray on a Mosquito Bat. The enemy was startled. The Mosquito Bat was hit and took 4 cold damage. Critical hit. Target killed. Gained 25 Combat Experience...]
Brat wasn't taking any chances. He stepped forward and pinned it to the ground with his sword.
"Ugly." Only then did he get a good look at the Mosquito Bat.
It had the shape of a bat, but a long, needle-like proboscis. Its entire body was scarlet, with black fuzz on its head and back. It had many claws and a long tail.
Anse wrapped the Glowing Stick back up and tucked it into his clothes.
"Come on, let's go." As he spoke, he picked up his staff and headed off.
The light helped in a fight, but it could also attract danger.
"Ugh." Brat glanced at the Mosquito Bat corpse on the ground and sighed. Then he picked up his pack and followed.
"Based on my Adventurer experience, Mosquito Bats are definitely excellent Magic Materials. It'd be a shame to leave them behind."
"Let's focus on staying alive." Anse found it strange. He hadn't expected Brat, who seemed so cautious, to be so greedy. Was that a common Adventurer trait?
"You don't understand. You can't get anywhere without money." The thought of all his worldly possessions turning to nothing made Brat's heart ache.
"We'll figure something out tomorrow."
"Well... I hope we don't run into the Flaming Fist. They never listen to explanations..."
Beyond the collapsed wall lay Dust Eagle Mountain. At its foot was the Outer City district of Rollover Zone. The two of them had seen no lights and no people along the way.
A day had passed since the disaster. Everyone who could flee already had.
Anse didn't venture into the district. Instead, he followed the Chongsa River east and finally spotted some fleeing crowds at Cliffside Cemetery.
They didn't stop. They made their way into Dust Eagle Mountain and crossed a ridge, stopping only when they found a secluded hollow high up.
There was a small patch of woodland there, and the mountain blocked the view, enough to hide them from other creatures.
Using his staff like a walking stick, Anse made sure there were no snakes hiding in the grass, then dropped his pack and plopped down, letting out a long breath.
"We should be safe now."
Brat set his pack down beside him and cleared the area with his longsword. He also cut some branches and put together a few simple alarm devices.
Anse had Survival Skill and knew a little about surviving in the wilderness, but he didn't move.
Right now, he was just hungry and exhausted, his mind worn out. Casting Cantrips wasn't without cost.
Before you continue