The Hunters' Quest

Chapter Two: The Land of Carnality

"Glysith," Haleema says, jogging up to me. "What do you want with her?" She lightly tugs on the scroll to read the names written down. "What is this? I can't read these words."

"It is written in Kromagica," Ulrika answers, pulling back on the scroll just enough it moves out of Haleema's fingers.

"You can read that?"

"Of course, I can. My father made sure I could. I'm Kromagian by blood, so it was a must."

"Oh, okay. Do you mind telling me why Glysith's name was spoken?"

"Uh," Ulrika says, looking at me.

"Kaioson?"

"I don't know if I'm at liberty to talk about it," I say, taking possession of the scroll. From the bottom of my eye, I see Glysith's location update. It reads she's at a pub named Zealous Romantic. It's owned by a succubus named, Catsha.

"What the heck is it doing?" Haleema asks, looking at me and the words

"It's updating."

"What exactly?"

"Glysith's current location." Ulrika reads out the pub to her, then Haleema takes a step back from me. Just by that moment alone, including the deadlock stare she has on the scroll, I think she knows where this place is. "Haleema, do you mind taking us to this place?"

"Only if you tell me what you want with her." I take a quick moment to consider if it is alright for her to know Coretha's backup plan just in case this war doesn't turn in our favor. There are too many ears around me, and Oraya is looking straight at me. I don't fully trust the succubus nation being a strong ally in this war. Their country is small; therefore, they can possibly betray us. "I'll tell you on the way," I say, rolling up the scroll, then stuffing it back inside its holder. Ulrika takes it from me to strap it around her back.

"Why not now?" Haleema says.

"I'm with her on this," Oraya jumps into the conversation. "You are, as humans say, cutting around the bush."

"It's beating around the bush," Ulrika corrects as she takes a few steps toward the exit. "Kaio is not doing that. Aside from helping your people, we have a business to attend to. And the nature of it needs to be close-knitted."

"This does not sit well with me."

"Trust me," she says, opening the door and then kicking her head to the side to tell me to come. "Our goal is to help you if shit goes down."

"If that's a lie—"

"It's not. I was given an order by someone higher than any king or emperor," I say, walking up to Ulrika.

"Oh, I see. Sounds to me a divine quest, right?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Aw, interesting. I'm glad to see the gods are smiling upon us."

When Ulrika and I step outside the building, we are surprised by a small gathering of civilians. They stop chattering among themselves once they look up at us. There's a total of ten of them; three have glowing eyes, while the rest are normal.

"Uh?" Ulrika says, gripping my left wrist slowly. "Okay?" She walks me to the right side of the steps to go around them. Their eyes lock onto us as we move, then one of them approaches us. Ulrika extends her arm to push me away and quickly pulls out her dagger from her boot. "Not one step closer."

"Whoa, Ulrika," Haleema says, standing between them. She comes closer to whisper at Ulrika, saying, "What the gods are you doing?"

"Keeping them away from him," Ulrika answers in the same voice Haleema spoke to her.