CH86

Helag mounted his horse, and Robert quickly followed, getting on his own horse.

Helag glanced back at the narrow mountain pass, still overgrown with dense shrubs.

He turned to Robert and said, "Look over there."

Robert followed his gaze and exclaimed, "What happened here? It wasn't like this when we came."

He looked bewildered, unable to comprehend how things had changed so drastically overnight.

"So, it's not just me," Helag thought. He had wondered if only he saw the changes, but it was clear now that the place had indeed transformed.

"Let's go."

Helag tugged on the reins and gently kicked his horse's side, prompting it to start galloping down the road.

He still didn't fully understand what had happened in Creek Valley Town, only that it held secrets beyond his current capabilities to explore.

There were many mysteries left unsolved, and he would need to return with greater strength to uncover them.

This journey had been fraught with danger, and his escape was partly due to luck.

If he hadn't met the blacksmith in the tavern and shared a butterbeer with him, he might have died at the hands of the little girl.

High risk brought high rewards, though. He had gained a lot.

The high-grade potion ingredients he had collected could fetch a good price when sold to Larry back in Moonlight Woodland.

Most importantly, he had acquired the ancient magic slate, a secret he would share with no one, not even his mentor Larry.

The slate contained a Level 1 spell, which he wasn't yet qualified to read.

He needed to advance to a third-level wizard apprentice and enhance his mental strength to near-formal wizard levels before he could safely study the slate's contents.

Helag wasn't in a hurry. Such things couldn't be rushed and required steady progress.

He also needed to learn more about ancient magic, as his current knowledge was limited.

The complexity of a Level 1 spell model was exponentially greater than that of a 0-level spell.

Helag had much to learn, and Deep Blue held a wealth of knowledge he hadn't yet had time to study.

During this journey, he planned to digest the information stored in Deep Blue, most of which came from the Moonlight Woodland library.

Robert rode behind him, looking worried.

He didn't understand what had happened and was afraid to ask Helag.

Seeing Helag's urgency to leave, Robert knew something serious was afoot.

Helag was a mysterious figure, and any place that made him uneasy was terrifying to Robert.

More importantly, Robert couldn't remember what had happened to him.

"Sir, my neck and limbs hurt," Robert said.

He hadn't noticed the pain upon waking, but now that he was riding, he felt it acutely, as if he had been slashed.

He touched his neck but found no wounds.

"Neck pain?" Helag thought of the dismembered Robert he had seen the night before.

He was puzzled.

"Robert feels pain in his neck and limbs. Was he really dismembered? But how is he alive now…"

Helag kept his thoughts to himself, not wanting to alarm Robert.

Telling him wouldn't solve anything and would only increase his fear.

They rode quickly, eager to distance themselves from Creek Valley Town.

Helag observed the surroundings on the way back, noting that everything seemed unchanged once they left the town.

***

Two days later, Stormwind City came into view.

Both men sighed in relief upon returning, feeling safer among the bustling streets.

The sounds of street vendors, arguments, and a child's cries being scolded by its mother were all comforting.

Helag headed straight for the Adventurers' Guild upon arriving in Stormwind City.

The guild hall was as busy as ever, filled with people.

"Where's Miro?" Helag asked a guild staff member.

The young man frowned at being grabbed, ready to snap, but then he saw Robert following Helag like a subordinate.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the man's expression quickly changed, and he smiled obsequiously. "Sir, the vice president is on the second floor. Shall I inform him?"

"No need, I'll find him myself," Helag said, releasing the man and heading upstairs.

Robert followed closely, glancing at the staff member with a smile but saying nothing.

Helag knocked on Miro's door and entered without waiting for a response.

"Mr. Helag? You're back," Miro said, sitting on the sofa with a book and a steaming cup of coffee.

Helag sat across from him and asked, "Are you sure you showed me all the files on Creek Valley Town?"

The people in Creek Valley Town were clearly all dead, and turned into restless spirits.

Helag couldn't believe he was the only one to have visited there over the years. Ordinary people entering would surely die.

The Adventurers' Guild, being such a large organization, couldn't be unaware of the town's anomalies, leading Helag to suspect Miro had withheld information.

Miro explained, "I did show you all the files. As I said, it's just an abandoned town with nothing of interest."

"What?" Helag's eyes widened, feeling like Miro was toying with him.

In just two days, Miro's story had changed completely, yet he spoke as if stating facts.

Miro hesitated. "Um… Mr. Helag, did something happen?"

He glanced at Robert, who was also looking at him with suspicion, sensing something was amiss.

Helag took a deep breath to calm himself. "Two days ago, you said it was just a normal town. You didn't mention it had been abandoned for decades."

Miro shook his head. "Impossible. Everyone knows Creek Valley Town was raided by bandits years ago. Everyone was killed, and the town was burned."