SoloAI - The Legend of the Crystals - Episode 2

 

After I was unable to help Stonebird resolve their issue with the undead, they, of course, refused to pay me or even let me stay in their community. I had no choice but to leave Stonebird as quickly as I could and continue my travels in the direction of the north.

My trip across the hills to the north of Stonebird took up a whole day of my time. I arrived at the highlands on the second day after leaving the town, and I was soon greeted by a cold wind that blew straight through me, even though I wore my thick cloak. The highland was green and fertile, with several farms in the area. I didn't see any towns or villages around, but a castle stood in the distance.

After spending the night on the abandoned castle without finding anything unusual, my journey lasted for a total of two days before I really stepped on the road to the north, leaving the foot of the mountain and following through the green plains. On that first day, I saw a small number of travelers making their way along the roads and footpaths that cut through the mountains, most of those were merchants and farmers. As I made my way northward, I noticed that the number of people traveling with me decreased until I was alone again.

The second day was very different. As I continued my walk, the land became greener and more fertile. The trees that grew here were taller than those that I'd seen so far, and the grass was thicker and healthier. I began to see more and more animals moving about the landscape.

It was on the third day when I saw the first human structure - a wizard's tower. At least fifty feet above me, the tower rose into the sky, and it was surrounded by a ring of trees. The place was not particularly well maintained, but it stood tall and sturdy against the elements. It was built out of dark stone, and its walls were thick and imposing. I knew it was a wizard's tower because of the strange runes carved into the walls, which looked like a mixture of hieroglyphics and ancient script.

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I overheard some sheep bleating, and as I turned to look, I saw a herd being led by a girl that emerged from behind the circle of trees and moved in the direction of the tower.

The girl was young, perhaps around fourteen or fifteen years old. She had a small build with a thin face and small features. She wore a short black dress with a blue sash tied around her waist. Her white hair reached down to her knees, and her eyes were deep green. She seemed quite annoyed with her flock as she struggled to control them.

As I watched her, she suddenly stopped in front of me. She turned her head toward me and gave me an odd look. "And who are you? An apprentice?"

"Just a traveler. Whose tower is this?" The girl looked at me for a moment with a puzzled expression on her face.

"It's mine." She replied, "You're the first person I've in months. Why don't you come inside?"

"I would love to." I answered, following the girl into the tower. "But where is the wizard that created this tower? Is he gone or...?"

"No, I am the wizard." She said, "My name is Alyn."

I was perplexed for a brief moment. She didn't appear to be any older than her teenage years at all! How was it possible that she was not only a wizard but also possessed her own own tower? Alyn seemed to know what I was thinking, and she quickly reassured me, "I'm not a child, I'm much older than you might think."

Alyn - Image generated with Stable Diffusion

Alyn led me up the stairs to the tower entrance. She unlocked the door with her magic and walked inside with me.

The interior of the tower was very large and spacious. The floors were made of dark wood, the walls were covered in bright paintings, and the furniture was simple and elegant. The room was lit by magical lights, which were placed around the room in various places to provide light.

I noticed that there were no windows, nor any openings leading outside. It was the most peculiar tower I'd ever seen.

"Nice place you have here." I said, looking around the room.

Alyn smiled. "Thanks for saying so. It took a lot of time and effort to get this place up and running. Now, do you want something to eat? It's late afternoon already. You must be hungry."

I nodded and followed the wizard to one of the tables in the center of the room. A small table for two was placed near a fireplace. It was a very cozy place. The room was filled with warm colors, and it felt very inviting.

Alyn sat down across from me and handed me a plate with some food on it. It was mostly vegetables, but there was also some bread and cheese. The smell was delicious, and I could tell it was freshly prepared. Yet, I couldn't help but stare at the wizard's youthful appearance the entire time I was eating.

"So, where are you heading? Are you going to continue on this path northward?" The girl asked.

"I'm trying to find the nearest city. I merely want to make some money by selling my wizardry skills." I explained.

"I don't know about that. Wizards aren't exactly popular with the people of the north."

"Why not?" I asked, surprised by her remark.

"Well, wizards are considered to be dangerous. Most of the people there don't trust wizards, and it's not rare for wizards to be accused of evil and witchcraft."

"That's a shame. Is in that direction the location of the capital?" I asked.

"No, the capital is south. But it will take a few more days to reach it from here." Alyn remaked while gesturing toward the south with her hand.

"Is there anything else I should be aware of?" I inquired.

"The route is rather peaceful. There are no monsters or bandits along the way, and the land is open enough for travel." She shrugged.

"And what do you think?" I asked with a grin.

Alyn took a moment to consider the question. "You are not really traveling for the sake of adventure, are you?"

"You got me." I admited the truth while putting my hands in the air. "I am gathering money to bail out my family. They were arrested in the middle of nowhere for some stupid crime they didn't commit. I am going to pay off their debt in order to get them back."

Alyn sighed. "Oh my… I wish I could say I was shocked by your revelation, but it doesn't surprise me at all. Brahne has a very twisted system of justice. I've heard about that before."

"Yes, but I'd rather bail them out than have to do some crime merely to get them out of jail. You say the situation with the wizards in the north is tense? I don't want to aggravate the situation."

"You shouldn't be a coward. Your family is more important than anything else." The girl laughed. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to help them. Besides, I don't believe that Brahne is the kind of country that deserves respect anyway."

I made myself comfortable on the chair. Even though I was full from supper, I found myself listening to what was being said since I found it intriguing. "Have you ever had any problems with them?"

The girl looked at me for a moment, and I noticed her eyes were suddenly distant, as if she had been transported somewhere else. Then her gaze returned to me, and her eyes seemed to glow with a strange light as she spoke.

"I'd rather not talk about it." She said, and her eyes suddenly glistened with tears as she lowered her head and turned her face away from me.

I watched as the girl wiped her eyes with her sleeve and then stood up from the table. I was confused by her sudden mood change, and I waited patiently until she finally turned around to face me again.

"Alright, madam. In case I have to use force to free my family. What would you advise me to do?" I inquired, lifting my voice slightly to lighten the situation. Apparently I was successful, because Alyn gave me a weak smile.

"I know somebody who might be able to help you, somebody that also hates the Brahne Empire. He is a Druid, and the Empire brutally annexed his people. He, in particular, is already making plans for revenge against the empire for what it did. His name is Dromond, and he lives in the northeast."

Alyn paused for a moment and looked at me with a serious expression. "He may be able to help you in your quest to rescue your family. But he is not exactly a friendly fellow. Do you understand?"

"I do," I answered, nodding my head.

I spent the night on Alyn's tower, and in the next day, continued my journey.

***

Two days passed as I traveled through the forest, following the road to the northeast. It was very peaceful, but the trees grew thick around me, and there weren't many places where I could stop and rest comfortably. At least the weather was pleasant enough to keep me warm throughout the day.

At the end of the second day, the landscape changed abruptly. The land was flat, but there were no trees or bushes anywhere to be seen. It was as if nature itself had abandoned the area and left behind a vast wasteland. There was not even so much as a single blade of grass growing on the ground.

On the distance, what appeared to be a wall blocked the way, but as I approached, I realized that it was not a stone structure, but a wall of oily, tentacled purple roots that rose up from the earth, forming a dome over a hundred feet in height, and which intersected across the road as if it were a natural formation.

As I came closer to the wall, I saw that it was formed by a great number of vines intertwined with one another in a complex pattern. The vines were twisted together, forming a living barrier that stretched all the way from north to south. It seemed as if this barrier extended for miles in both directions.

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I had spent enough time at Cid Academy to be able to determine that a crystal was to blame for that unnatural phenomenon, and that the crystal in question should be located within the wall.

Note: Cid High Winds, a gnome engineer responsible for several crystal and Shard-based innovations, created the Cid Academy 100 years ago. Its purpose is to develop theoretical and practical knowledge to better people's lives. Many of its members are interested in the Ancients, who formerly inhabited Gaia and left behind technological ruins.

I began to quietly chant magic spells as I placed my hand on the repulsive vine wall and began to press it against the wall.

As the magic spell activated, the vines began to freeze solid. The ice quickly covered a huge part of the wall in front of me, and I used my other hand to push on the frozen vines while continuing to cast the spell.

I pushed with my left hand while continuing to cast the spell on my right, and soon the vines broke apart and fell down. A hole opened up in the wall, and I jumped through it into an open space.

On the opposite side of the wall, the wasteland just went on, except it now had vine sprouts shooting from every direction. The plants were purple, similar to those of the wall, and they were taller than a man's height. As I continued my journey, the vines became more and more numerous.

I kept walking for several hours, and the vegetation gradually increased to the point that I felt like I was on a jungle of some sort. It wasn't just the vines either; the entire environment around me was purple. It was as if this place was some sort of plant-filled swamp.

When I did eventually locate Dromond, it was becoming dark. On the other hand, the encounter was nothing at all like what I had anticipated.

Before me was a strange structure with a dome shaped roof and a wide base that was about twenty yards square. It was constructed entirely of purple vines, some of which reached all the way to the top of the dome.

At the top of the dome, there was a figure standing motionless. Vines wrapped around his body in a complicated manner, covering him completely from head to toe with only a small portion of his face visible between two thick branches of foliage. Within his torso, a pulsating purple crystal could be seen, surrounded by a ring of tentacles that were also purple.

Image generated with DALL-E 2

"Leo Valwyn, I was expecting you." The figure spoke with a deep, guttural voice.

"You mst be Dromond…" I said, surprised. "What happened to you?"

"That has nothing to do with you and your concerns." The figure replied curtly. "Alyn told me that you wanted to save your family from Brahne. Is that true?"

"Yes, it is." I answered, and I noticed a slight hint of amusement in the druid's voice.

"And to do this, you want to face the Empire. You are asking me to help you in your quest for vengeance, aren't you?" The druid said, and his tone suddenly changed to one of mockery.

I didn't answer at once, but instead took a few moments to think before answering. "You want something in exchange for the help, don't you?"

The druid laughed again. "Of course! If I am going to risk my life for a stranger's quest, then I must have something in return."

"I see. And what would that be?" I asked, trying to conceal my annoyance with his mocking attitude.

The druid grinned. "South of here, you will reach the shores of the sea, where the Brahne Empire controls the largest naval base on Gaia. There is a pirate fleet there, and one of the ships belongs to the pirate King Rastor. He is the worst enemy you'll ever have to face, but if you kill him, and bring back his treasure, I'd be willing to help you."

My eyes widened. "A pirate king?!"

"Good luck." The druid chuckled. "Now, if you excuse me, I need to meditate."

The purple vines suddenly expanded, and the dome-shaped structure seemed to swallow the druid. After several minutes, the dome vanished, and the druid was gone.

I stood there dumbfounded, staring at the empty space where the druid had been. A new quest. A strange druid who may be able to help me in my search for my family. I couldn't believe it. I never thought that this kind of thing could happen to me.

To be continued...