The Great Hunt 2

5 gold.

Considering the price of things and how money worked here, wasn't that price way to cheap for a chance to know anything you wanted?

He walked into the dark rancid alley. The rats scurried off as he entered the alley. He walked towards the unassuming man slowly, a chilly presence emanated from him. 'If I mess up I might die. How is it that everyone ignored this man until now?

The man looked up as Chris approached him.

"Gu, ha, ha, ha , ha, ha." He laughed insanely.

"You can see me? What an interesting young man. It's been a while since there was help from the helper, what would you like to know?"

Chris swallowed.

"I want to know if I can win against the Lepercuchin?"

"Hahaha" the old man was in shock, he hadn't expected such a question, much less a direct question.

Most of the few people who came across him usually started off by asking for his name, or who he was, or why he was in such a filthy alley, making such outrageous offers of giving him whatsoever he wanted in exchange for his loyalty. Had anyone ever truly asked what they wanted to know?

They wouldn't. They didn't believe that their worries would be resolved over a mere 5 gold. Rather they were more interested in his over whelming strength which he didn't even bother to hide, that was where their faith lay. They hid their true nature and darkest intentions behind a false facade.

"I'll tell you for 5 gold."

Chris quickly gave him the money.

{You have withdrawn 5 gold}

The old man chuckled. "I'm but an old beggar, I belong to a small group of people, The Beggars Den."

"It's a group of beggars."

He watched the reaction from Chris's face.  Surely the punk would be angry by now, he would realise what a waste of time this venture had been, he would probably get up and leave in disgust, his mind filled with disbelief and uncertainty. In one word, Doubt, and a great deal at that. A slow technique that would eat him away from the insides. A silent killer that would slowly seep in and eat away at every part if his life.

Chris stood still, listening quietly, so he continued. "We are tasked with helping visitors and the helper of the helpers, such as yourself," the man slightly opened his eyes as he told him this.

What would be his reaction. Would he act high and mighty and ridicule him, or would he slowly walk away? If not, 'would he try to get on my good side, or would he show a great deal of passion?'

Instead, Chris got down and sat on the muddy, greenish floor, like the beggar.

"The pleasure is mine for such a great person to seek me out."

His eyes shook.

Was it unpredictability or gullibility.

'He has no spirit, how can he be so humble?' The beggar was touched, or was it pity.

'Tsk, this world is doomed.'

◇◇◇

The great evil walked into Anna's cell, his whip in hand. Anna's eyes were dead, she had long since given up. She just accepted the torture and no longer sought to appease the great one, nor did she long to escape. She knew she would die at this point.

Huff.

Fwip, Fwip, Fwip, Fwip.

The great one torn at Anna with his whip, he slashed her from left to right, from right to left he tore her skin. Anna bled, she didn't even bother putting up a fight.

'Tsk. This was no fun.' It wasn't fun any more, she wasn't acting in the manner he wanted, it was a pity, truly.

If only she called him a bit more, a bit sooner, even now, if she called, he would make it so, as if nothing ever happened.

But she wouldn't.

"I guess I was wrong about you, you're just stupid like the rest of them," he stormed off from the chamber, there was no need to give her any attention.

The great one glanced back at her one last time before he withdrew his authority from her. It was then that Anna's real torture began.

◇◇◇

"Well alright, I must say you are quite the interesting fellow, since you've got this far, I've taken a liking to you." The old man waved his hands, and sand flew from the side off his sides, off his stick covering their vision.

Chris found himself in a dimly lit room. He was served some tea. "From what I can see, you'd be dead by the time you fight the Lepercuchin. The best you can do is block a strike, and you'd be bashed to pieces. Do you still wish to continue?"

"Yes. Your probably right." Chris stated.

"Hmm-hmm," the old man chuckled.

"Probably?" He brought the tea cup to his lips and took a loud sip.

"My friend, that's quite the answer. Good. I love the fact that your hell bent on trying, even if it costs you your life. If you need any help while you're here, let us know and we'll be glad to help."

Chris nodded in appreciation. Not sure if the old man should be enjoying his demise that much.

"All you need is but a word, just say the word, and we'll be there," the old man walked over from his seat to Chris, he took Chris by the hand for a strong shake, and shook him by the shoulders, a smile beamed across his face.

'Finally. He might be weak but at least he's a decent helper.'

"Now all we have to do, is restructure your bones to give you a fighting chance."

"No, thanks."

A look filled with question marks was shot at Chris?

Chris smiled strangely before continuing, "I'm strangely committed to a saying, in which it states that our bodies and beliefs are gate ways to untapped power. We are made from the image of a great unknown, so altering my image doesn't really sit well with me." Chris fiddled with his thumbs not sure of it was a convenient excuse.

Chris had stumbled upon this in a very old book filled with cryptic writings, by the corner of the training area. It was so fragile that it looked like it would crumple to pieces if touched carelessly. He had studied it in his spare time, and it had shown depictions and compounding evidence in the great unknown, and the foundation of the human body.

Altering his body would be like severing a link, he didn't know why but he didn't want to do that.

The leader of the beggars den, pinched the Bridge of his nose and sighed. "That is one of  the ultimate teachings and knowledge of the archaic texts written by the great unknown and his helpers. It was written in the beginning of thoughts. How did you know such highly classified information?"

"Well the helpers serve the great unknown, it appears this religion was prevalent in your world too.  The helpers made the restructuring process to make it easier in order to fight the great battle. It enables the likes of us to get stronger quickly."

"I say this for your own good, but it is in your best interest to get the restructuring. If you proceed at your current rate the battle will be upon us before you are fledged and we'd all be dead."

"Well, anything worthwhile can't be got easily. I'd rather remain as I am, if I change what I am then it wouldn't be worth it."

Sigh.

"Very well, if you change your mind, we'll be here as long as it's not too late." The old man pondered for a bit.

"Take this," he shot him a black liquid in a transparent container. "Use this if you ever get stuck, and if you need anything else, like I said, just come meet us, and we'll take care of it for you." He also handed him a small piece of papyrus.

"Thanks a lot."

"Sigh," these young people. He wanted to be in a form that resembled the great unknown. "I hope he keeps his determination."

'No one had the courage to keep such a form. People would rather die of frustration than aim to attain such a thing.'

'And yet that's what he wants?'

He chuckled.

He didn't know but frustration was Chris's Middle name.

"You live a long life, and just when you thing you've seen it all, you see something even more bizarre."

It also appeared that the helpers favoured this helper a bit too much.

"I begin to wonder what the future holds at such an old age, truly pitiful."

{The great unknown favours you, ??? increased by 1 point. Your negative luck has been cancelled}

{Your faith has increased by 10}

{Prayer of a loved one has been strengthened}

What was this? All he did was state that he believed in the great unknown, and now he was given a gift.

'Well, it wasn't too bad.'

His shitty luck was finally looking up.

Chris went back to the inn at the agreed time, he took Sim with him to the stable.

When he arrived, he met the innkeeper.

"Do you know I believe in the great unknown?"

The woman looked at him like he was crazy in the head.

"Yes, he leads the helpers, and the number one religion in Prytis, along with other sub-religions."

She handed him a small sack, filled with dried up nuts, seeds and meat. "It is for the young master to snack on during the journey, along with the rest of the party, make sure to share."

"It would do you good to place your faith in him. On your journey and beyond."

"Alright."

{1/?}

'It didn't go up?' well it was worth the shot.' He had attempted to increase his points by telling people of his belief.

It would be weird if it went up that easily, "should I try it out in the slums?" Perhaps it didn't work on the innkeeper because she was already aware.

Chris shook his head, he had more important things to do.

Likewise, it's not like he would get free points for telling people of his world views.

Perhaps, "should I try convincing people to believe in the great unknown?"

Chris let out a chuckle, "pfft."

The innkeeper, and stable man gave him a weird glance.

If it wasn't for the system, his experience, and the book he had found in the corner of the training room, he too would not have believed in the great unknown or his nemesis the great evil.

He believed that the dungeon was connected to the great unknown, and that he might somehow find out the reason for his encounters.

◇◇◇

"Follow her, find out what she is doing and if possible, destroy it."

Noct the magic tower master, instructed his faithful henchmen, Bien mu.

"Yes, High Lord, as you command."

Whoosh, he disappeared.

◇◇◇

Chris went on a journey with the guide, and stable man that the innkeeper had got him.

It seemed the innkeeper had pulled out all the stops for fear of her life.

The guide was the same one who had first found the Lepercuchin. The beast that was said would bring about the destruction of the world. He had barely come back alive, no, it was more like they let him come back alive. Even then, he had almost lost his life when he went to see the Chief.

"Tsk have you told anyone about this."

He gulped, the village chief looked at him with such blatant murderous intent.

"Yes, …"

His lips tremble, but he soon found his courage. "The people are outside waiting for your reply."

The armrest broke into fine powder.

 Sigh.

"Things are getting more complicated than they need to be, now I can't kill this fool." 'If I do, the people outside will surely be suspicious, even if I say he had already left, no one actually saw him leave.' He needed them for a certain purpose, and he didn't want his foolish daughter butting in.

He had only left her alive because she looked like the spitting image of her mother, but she didn't know how to be grateful and instead caused him headaches.

'In any case it won't change the fact that many of them are closely related to him, and everyone knows It was I, who order the statue to be torn down.'

'I must control my anger.'

"Well, tell them we will work towards a counter measure, after all the age of gods is gone, and it is now time for humans to reign."

"Hahaha."

A chill went down his spine.

"The Chief is really not planning to kill us all, right?"

He was quite unfamiliar from the Village Chief that he knew.

It was a terrible memory, not even a month old. It hunted him like a nightmare every night.

That was why when he had received word that someone had come to take care of the disaster, he decided that it was worth risking his life if it meant he would be able to protect his wife and children.

It didn't matter, the gold was just an extra that would keep his wife and children afloat for a long time after his demise, in case he had a run-in with danger and didn't survive. He had said his good byes to his wife after they shared a passionate night together. It could be his last trip and she knew it, she couldn't stop him, all she could do was send him away in tears.

So, he accepted it, but now looking at the young man who was wet behind the ears, he began to sweat and feel nervous, especially when he started talking to his dog. He felt he should not judge him too soon, after all experts and recluses couldn't be judged by common standards,  but the young man was getting scared by every common creature they met on the way.

Was this what he was risking his life for? How would this lad fight the Lepercuchin? He stole a glance at the stableman who manned the horses for a bit of reassurance, but even the stable keeper looked perplexed.

Suddenly he had a thought.

"Ahh … I'm fucked!"

"I'm really going to die.