A Rattling Monster

Chapter 29: Merciful god, ungrateful believers

My only problem right now is finding the source of the undead. Because, yes I find a lot of small group of skeletons but I don't know if I should go to the left after killing them or to the right. And I have to wait a few hours after each meeting because I don't want to finally meet something strong, just to found out I can't kill it. The good thing is my level. I got two more. So more everything. But my spells didn't change. I really think that humans give me more experience than the skeletons. Because just killing small children had granted me extraordinary rewards. I guess the System reward is based on the intelligence of the victim. Because the skeleton is clearly stronger than a little kid.

And again, small group, only 2. 2, 2, 2, another one bites the dust. Yes, I am bored. And I even said that I was thankful for the appearance of an undead. But now, I think that I have walked in a circle. And the main issue with my killing method is, there are no bodies afterward. I totally melt them. I have to, they are undead. But the small ashes left after they died are blown away by the strong wind. And then, how are you supposed to notice the difference between two dunes. I don't even know from where I come. If only I could see a rock or something. From my first encounter with a skeleton, I walk past one rock, a carcass of a large monster and 2 small withered trees. I just need to find one of those.

Ah, I finally found my rock. Or I think it is this one. Wait, no it's not the same. So I have never come here. And no undead nearby. Well, I climb a dune again. And I found my two trees. Yes, the potential of two other trees alone in the desert is too small. So, my fear has been confirmed. I have walked in a circle. And when I was in front of them, I have walked to the No, not from that direction. Yes, I was in front of that dead leaf. And I took, right. So now, I guess I go forward.

And I found the dead carcass. What sort of path did I take? I literally rushed toward any undead I found. So I keep going forward now. Even if there is a group of undead, I don't attack them. Just keep going. It's been a few days now, that I didn't meet anything living or dead. I don't know what to think about it. Maybe I am getting away from the undead. Probably I am doing it. I just want to leave that desert. Bring me back to the forest of my childhood.

Ok, first let's check something. My sense of orientation, bad. I mean, I didn't get lost inside Ronta so why in that desert I managed to return back into the oasis that I poisoned. It's the same, I remember it very clearly how it was. So I have lost, I don't even know, ten days at the minimum. To return from where I was coming. So I have a choice now. Go back to the fairy forest, or take my original road. The one I took before meeting the sandmen. Talking about the sandmen make me remember it's because of them that I have nearly been lost. And they were coming from that direction, a little North maybe, like North-East-East. Let's meet again, shall we?

After yet again, after many days of walking under the burning sun, I regret my decision. I should have gone back toward the forest. At least it has fresh air, peaceful shadows, cute little animals. All I can see is sand, more sand and finally yes, it's sand. System do you have a map? Every System has a mini-map or the map of the world. Do you have it? Please? Let's try with the username

-Marc Cassidy open map!

No, let me get lost. It's better. That will forge my motivation and my will. Or some old Chinese pieces of advice that no one follows really. They have advice for anything, I am sure they have an advice for walking thousands of kilometers in a desert. As far as I know, in Europe, there is absolutely no advice about the desert. Except one, don't go in one. And the other, if you are in one, leave it as quickly as you can. I should have followed that second fake advice.

Just make a monster spawn in front of me. Even if it is the final boss I don't care. I am at the end of my life right now. I have even found one oasis not long ago so I poisoned it. And I got no notification of killing something. Maybe it was an empty one. Aria, I regret immensely all the things I have said about you, please, give me a way out. I will go to the Heaven finally; I will even not say anything about the fact that you killed me. Just let me get out of this desert. I will even praise how smart you are, happy now?

Nothing, as I expected. She marked me to be invisible to any other divinities. Maybe even she was not spared. So that means no matter which god I beg, I am alone. Ok, I have enough of walking. Let's just sit right here, right now and wait. Maybe someone will notice me. Or I will notice someone. I am on top of a dune; I have a very good vision around me. That way I am both visible to others and I can see them.

It is the third night after I stopped. Yes, I have waited for that long at the same spot. I mean, since I saw a group of sandmen, there should at least be scouts or guards nearby. Or even other hunters. But there is none. No creatures, no animals besides a little scorpion I killed a night ago. I took six hours of my time to slowly mutilate it. Yes, it is a little cruel, but me being bored is even crueler. I am not even using my spells, to not scare anybody. Please, someone, I am a poor damsel in distress, stuck in the desert. Will a brave and proud white knight save me? I really consider saying this or not. Since I am in a cloaked cloth, they can't see for sure that I lied. But the reputation of the ratmen will be beyond reparation if that comes out.

I decide to walk again. The wait is inhuman and even for a ratman it's hard. I will just.. Wait, is this something in the horizon? Probably a mirage with my luck. But from what I learned in midnight emissions, a mirage is just something further away that it looks like. And that way I have a target.

They never really said by how much the distance was extended. But I have walked for a day, and I am not getting closer. Perseverance is the mother of success or some stupid advice like that. Well, that person that created this never had to walk for more than a month in a desert. I am getting to that point I think. I have spent more time in the desert than anywhere else in that world. And most of the time, and by most, I mean all the period besides hunting skeleton and talking to sandmen, I was lost.

Another day and not closer. But the mirage is still there. So it's not moving. I still don't really know what it is, I just see some forms on the horizon. Could be buildings, or just trees. But even that is better than nothing.

I finally begin to see what it is. It looks like a wall. So that means civilization. And civilization means somebody who can talk. And I will talk. Maybe I will even spare them from death. Because I am a merciful god. And a really lonely one. Yes, if it is not a sandmen village, I will spare them. As for the sandmen, well they shouldn't have thrown me toward the undead. I mean, I was thankful at first, but when I realized they didn't point me directly toward the strong one, that gratitude turned into resentment. And that feeling brings hate.

I can see some forms moving in the walls, I still can't see the race behind those. But they have some shiny armors, that's the spirit. Shining armors in the walls, to warn the strangers that they are strong. And it's visible so everyone can see the power of the city. Just a little closer and I will be able to converse with them.

It looks like they noticed me. Well, they don't have a lot of travelers I think. But I am a peaceful one. I just want to buy a map, and get the hell away from that desert. They should have a map. I hope that they can read and write. But the clear quality of the walls means they are at least a little bit smart. It's not like a goblin wall where there are holes everywhere. But it's strange, they are shouting. I am not that big of a threat. I am just a small cloaked unknown creature. I am not scary. But they are really organized. I can even see pull out their bows and Wait, why are they loading it with arrows? Oh, bloody hell.