Chapter Twenty-Two: Soren’s Summon
2015-05-15
Author: Floating Tower
(Below the storm, it looks like the water levels are rising. The power is out, using the remaining battery of the notebook. Let’s write as much as I can. It should be enough for two updates.)
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Under the dim light of dusk.
A figure cast a long shadow on the road, Soren was enveloped in a large cloak as he re-entered this once-bustling place.
Arendelle’s prosperity was supported by trade and taxes.
With the harbor blockaded by the navy of the southern kingdom, Arendelle’s trade was completely cut off, and many ordinary civilians lost their jobs at the port, having to find other ways to make a living. A large quantity of goods piled up near the tavern and inn, with hundreds of merchant ships coming and going daily; once they were all blocked here, many goods couldn’t be shipped out. Many places in the city were filled with complaints, but the profit-driven merchants didn’t consider much; they only hoped that the war would end soon.
Soren pushed open the tavern’s door.
The weather changed abruptly in the evening, and heavy rain began to fall. With summer approaching, the season of heavy rains was imminent.
With the rain washing over, the ice and snow were about to melt, and soon this cold land would burst forth with greenery.
“d*mn it!”
A drunken man raised his head and looked at Soren, who had let in a cold wind by opening the door, and cursed, “Close the door quickly, or I’ll throw you out.”
Soren approached him expressionlessly and then reached out, grabbing the man by the neck as if lifting a duck. Instantly, the over two hundred pound man was easily lifted up and tossed into the stinking ditch outside the tavern. Finally, the tavern fell silent, and others looked at Soren with surprise; some who seemed like adventurers watched him with interest, as if guessing his profession.
“A glass of fine rum.”
Soren shook off his cloak and ordered the best rum, but not for himself; he placed it on the seat opposite him.
He gently tapped his fingers while waiting, and others soon returned to their conversations.
It was just a case of throwing out a foul-mouthed drunkard. No one would care too much about such things, although the nearby adventurers seemed quite interested in Soren.
About thirty minutes later.
The tavern’s door opened again, and a cold-looking man with a scar at the corner of his eye walked in, appearing to be in his thirties. His sharp gaze swept across the tavern before he sat directly opposite Soren.
“Your Excellency.”
The cold man extended a document from beneath the table and said, “This is what you wanted.”
“Hmm.” Soren nodded slightly.
He then tossed a diamond across the table. He gestured towards the rum and said, “On me. When did the Thieves’ Guild start recording my information?”
The cold man hesitated for a moment, but as he met Soren’s gaze, he immediately lowered his head and replied, “Last October.”
“We collect all valuable information; you have always been a key focus for us, Your Excellency.”
Soren nodded slightly, his expression unchanged.
He stood up, looked at the cold man, and said, “Have your boss come see me when you have time. I have some matters to discuss with him.”
After saying that, he turned and walked into the heavy rain.
…………….
The dock under the pouring rain was eerily silent.
Countless piles of goods lay near the warehouses, unable to be shipped out due to the blockade. In the short term, they would likely have to be sold cheaply or stored indefinitely. On the side of the dock were low makeshift shelters; even the wealthy Arendelle couldn’t avoid having a group of poor people. Many strong men sat idly under the eaves, most of them dockworkers who relied on hard labor to support their families. With work at the dock nearly nonexistent, these people could only sit there idly.
Soren, walking alone in the heavy rain, attracted some attention.
People watched him curiously, eager to know what this adventurer-like figure planned to do.
Due to the heavy rain, the patrolling guard squad took shelter, so under the dark night, no one disturbed Soren’s activities. He made his way to the edge of the dock, standing in the sea, and drew a dagger that faintly reflected a golden light. He opened a cut on his palm. Drops of fresh bl**d fell into the sea, and as Soren submerged his hand in the seawater, an invisible spell light began to spread.
“What just happened over there?”
A boy, no older than fifteen or sixteen, shook his head and rubbed his eyes, saying, “Did you all see that? It seemed like a light spread out!”
The response was a chorus of head shaking, and nearby others seemed not to have seen anything.
“Did I see it wrong again?” The boy looked somewhat dejected, touching his toes and staring blankly at the sky.
…………….
Deepwater Port.
On the sea surface several kilometers from the port, a sudden wave surged, and the sea began to part. A pitch-black mast shot up from the depths. Phantom sails unfurled rapidly as the Requiem broke through the waves, and the undying begun their work. With the coldness of the night, a mist spread across the nearby waters, and the ghost ship sped towards Arendelle.
It felt Soren’s summon!
As a quasi-legendary level animated undead, the Requiem possessed the ability to navigate automatically.
Snake Island.
This once-destroyed stronghold had been rebuilt but clearly lacked its original scale.
Now it was just a way station, a supply point for overseas routes.
On the calm sea surface.
A massive shadow gradually surfaced; the first to break the water was a series of menacing, sharp spines, followed by chunks of pitch-black scales. This enormous ocean monster emerged above the water, pausing for a moment, then seemingly sensing some call, it swam towards the northern sea. Its massive body once again dived beneath the waves, progressing at a speed surpassing any warship.
Its master was summoning it!
The bl**d indicated the master’s location; even from thousands of miles away, it could track the position.
…………….
At the dock in Arendelle.
Soren slowly withdrew his hand. The wound in his palm had nearly healed. He gazed at the vast sea under the night, then turned to look at the Royal Palace of Arendelle, murmuring, “Three more days.” (To be continued ~^~)
