The three of them sorted their supplies into their own backpacks, with Brat carrying a little more of the communal items. Since it was still early, they went to browse the trade market.
There really were quite a few good things there. To stay alive, many people had brought out treasures they'd kept hidden away for years to sell. Unfortunately, the three penniless men couldn't afford to buy anything.
The prices of items used by mages had plummeted. Take Spellbooks, once worth a fortune and impossible to find—no one was willing to make an offer, even for one filled with third-circle spells.
The prices of food and livestock had multiplied several times over. Anse had wanted to spend the more than two hundred Gold Coins he had left on three riding horses, but even at triple the usual price, he couldn't find any for sale, so he had to give up.
Still, he managed to find Finn a Studded Leather Armor in decent condition and got Brat a shield and a few hand axes. None of them were magical, but they would do.
Just then, the sky abruptly darkened. Thick clouds blotted out the light, and it grew so dark they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces.
They hurried back. The moment they shut the door, lightning flashed and thunder roared outside. The wind howled and torrential rain poured down, pounding the windows with a crackling din as if they might shatter at any moment.
Finn called Gray Hawk back to the inn to rest and pass along the latest intelligence.
The Underdark Creatures had quickly retreated after probing the defenses of Flame Fist Fortress. While facing off against the Upper City, they had occupied Baldur's Gate's Outer City. They hadn't wreaked widespread destruction, instead seeming intent on settling there.
The good news was that Flying Dragon Bridge was still intact.
In the room, Finn sat on the floor, cutting strips of meat into small pieces. He tossed one casually, and Gray Hawk, beside him, caught and swallowed it.
The Gray Hawk was exceptionally majestic, nearly a meter tall when standing on the ground. It carried itself with an air of authority, its gaze sweeping its surroundings.
Now it leaned against Anse, letting the man wipe the raindrops from its feathers without the slightest resistance.
"Looks like it's not just people who like you. Animals like you too. Sorcerers really are loved by everyone..." Brat couldn't hide his envy.
He liked Gray Hawk a lot, but it refused to let anyone but Finn near. Anse was the sole exception. Gray Hawk had even approached him on its own, and kept snuggling closer.
Anse smiled and tossed the damp towel onto a nearby rack.
Gray Hawk didn't like him just because he was charming. The magic around him was as docile as a kitten, and Primal Beasts instinctively avoided chaotic magical environments.
"You've worked hard today. Here, have one." He took out the remaining Magic Berries and casually tossed one to Gray Hawk.
Gray Hawk stretched out its neck and caught it neatly, then tilted its head back and swallowed. It narrowed its eyes, looking quite pleased.
Nearby, Brat took out weapon oil and carefully maintained his magical longsword, the most valuable thing he owned.
"I heard the guild just put out a no-rank bounty for hunting Underdark Creatures. You can claim a reward by bringing in their intact heads or left ears. The three Grand Dukes are offering the bounty..."
Anse paused, his face pained. "I've lost big. I've lost big..."
Brat chuckled. "Two Gold Coins for a Goblin, six for a Hobgoblin, twenty for a Bugbear, thirty-five for a Gray Dwarf. Professionals are valued separately..."
"That's... way too stingy." Anse was speechless.
Even the weakest Goblin minions were armed monsters, and they often traveled in groups. Risking their lives just to earn a few Gold Coins seemed hardly worth it.
"They're already being quite generous," Brat explained. "If the bounty were any higher, the Grand Dukes probably couldn't afford it."
In Baldur's Gate, even a skilled old craftsman earned no more than a few Silver Coins a day.
"Fair enough." Anse figured that as long as the rewards were paid, plenty of Professionals and commoners would be willing to take the risk.
He ate a Magic Berry and lay back down on the bed. "I'm going to meditate. I'll skip dinner."
"Okay..."
Brat and Finn answered, their hands slowing.
Anse focused on meditating. Over the next two hours, he attuned himself to the Spell Storing Ring and Protection Cloak, one after the other, and recovered some of his magic.
Next came storing spells inside the ring.
It was more difficult than simply casting a spell. He couldn't release the spell completely; he had to control it until it was on the verge of firing, then store it in the ring. Its power depended entirely on the caster.
That posed no problem for Anse. He had excellent control over magic, and soon he had finished casting and storing the spells.
Five first-circle spells: three Magic Missiles and two Prismatic Spheres.
The blue runes on the ring glowed brightly, as if shrouded in a faint magical radiance.
The spells inside the Spell Storing Ring still needed to be activated and directed. They weren't instant, and Metamagic couldn't be applied to them, but they could be cast faster. Unleashed in quick succession, they'd likely overwhelm any Professional below level four.
After spending five points of magic, Anse felt somewhat drained. He kicked off his shoes and flopped onto the bed.
The heavy rain outside made sleeping especially comfortable.
Who knew how long had passed.
"BOOM—"
A deafening explosion drowned out even the thunder, its shockwave sweeping across Rivington.
Anse's heart lurched, and he abruptly opened his eyes. The room was pitch-black, and the soft patter of rain came from outside.
"Something's happened!"
Brat was already up, standing by the window. He pulled it open a crack, and the sound of the wind and rain grew louder, mingling with a commotion of voices.
The window faced south, so they couldn't see what had happened to the north.
Click. Anse opened his pocket watch. It was three thirty in the morning, the time when people were sleepiest.
"Fuck!" He hadn't had a decent night's sleep since he'd crossed over, and he was getting a little worked up. Magic surged around him, and a faint light shimmered in his eyes.
"Open the window," Finn reminded them.
Brat pulled the window all the way open. Gray Hawk leaped onto the windowsill and looked around. Then it pushed off with both legs, spread its wings, and vanished into the night.
"Pack your things. Be ready to leave at any moment." Unease stirred in Anse's heart. He got dressed and put on his shoes, then set his backpack by his feet.
"I'll go find out what's happening." Brat was already fully dressed.
"Be careful. Don't go far," Anse cautioned him.
"Got it."
Finn sat on the edge of the bed. Gray Hawk had already flown too far away for him to communicate with it through Enchantment, so all he could do was wait for it to return.
A few minutes passed. His eyelids drooped, and his gaze turned vacant. Yet a hint of alarm gradually appeared on his wooden face.
"What's wrong?" Anse's heart sank.
"Flying Dragon Bridge collapsed. The river changed course and flooded into the city. The Underdark Creatures..." Finn forced out the words one at a time.
Anse shuddered all over. Turmoil surged in his heart, and his fists clenched involuntarily.
"That was an explosion!" he said with absolute certainty.
There were large numbers of Underdark Creatures in Rivington. Combined with the sound of the explosion, he already had a theory:
The Gray Dwarves had launched a night raid. Flame Fist Fortress had fallen at the first blow, and it had happened so quickly they hadn't had time to sound the alarm.
But the Flaming Fist commander had been prepared. They'd blown up Flying Dragon Bridge, damaging the river embankment. The southern stretch of the Chongsa River had been cut off, and the swollen waters had changed course and flooded into Rivington.
High tide, torrential rain, and the overdeveloped Dock District had all helped bring disaster.
"Bong, bong, bong..."
As he pondered, the piercing bells of the Adventurers Guild rang through the night, cutting through the darkness and carrying far into the distance.
With a crash, Brat burst through the door, gasping for breath.
"Come on, hurry! The Chongsa River has burst its banks, and monsters are in the city!"
"Move!"
Anse slung on his backpack, pulled up his hood, and hurried out the door.
Outside was pitch-black. He raised his hand and cast Light Spell on his staff. Its bright glow immediately drove back the darkness.
The corridor was in chaos. Many doors stood wide open as Adventurers rushed toward the stairs, some still half-dressed.
The three of them hurried downstairs. The little lobby of Adventurers Home was already empty, with only a wall lamp casting a faint glow.
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