The gathering in Mountain Hollow seemed quite appealing. Whether it was actually the target of their trip, however, remained unknown.
Ruger watched the unhurried figure, lost in thought. Deep down, he hoped they would get results this time; otherwise, they would have to keep going. But in theory, since Wizard Zorn had said they would earn a considerable number of merit stones on this trip, things could not be that simple.
Ruger rose as he pondered.
On a dark road at night, a dog-headed fellow suddenly emerging from the grass on the hillside was naturally an eye-catching sight.
Yet the man only looked at Ruger second. His first glance went to the wizard apprentice lying beside the road-the first visitor to Mountain Hollow whom Ruger had knocked out, now sleeping soundly.
Just the right spot, Ruger thought.
He had been waiting for this fellow to walk over there. Having them fall together would make them easier to watch over, and it would look nice and tidy, too.
His senses told him that this seemingly middle-aged man was a one-ring wizard with fairly good faith power. By "good," he did not mean its concentration. The true measure of faith power lay in another dimension: whether it was sufficiently clean and pure.
This meant the guidance along his path of faith was exceptionally clear and his territory was developing very well. It also meant he was a capable, intelligent fellow.
So Ruger decided to add a little extra force. It was his way of showing respect for an outstanding one-ring wizard.
The Weighty Book flew from his hand and bore down on the man's head, though naturally not at its greatest weight.
At the same time, Ruger's form changed. His eyes widened, and an overbearing wave of mental intimidation instantly enveloped his