"A competitor?

" The Master couldn't believe his own ears. Those two single words alone could mean that decades of hard work were at stake. If another Eldritch was involved in the purple crystal's disappearance, maybe it was an inside job all along.

It would have explained a lot of things. Abominations were fickle and greedy by nature, the only thing they respected was power. Eldritchs were the sum of their best and worst traits.

If any Abomination started to believe that the Master wouldn't be able to deliver their promise, they wouldn't hesitate a second to betray them.

"I believed all Eldritchs living on the Galen continent were on our side.

" The Master said.

"It could be an ancient one that just awoke from its slumber.

" Xenagrosh replied.

"Or maybe a youngster that evolved recently. The only thing I know is that the smell was that of a crafty Eldritch. It had distorted its scent by mixing it with several others, but my senses are not easily fooled. Otherwise I would have mistaken it for a human's.

"

"Let's not rush our judgment.

" The Master quickly regained their cool.

"Maybe it's not a competitor. After all, a purple crystal is an almost endless source of nourishment for an Abomination.

"It allows the likes of you to hide in plain sight without having to harvest energy from living beings. Best case scenario, its actions will get the Guardians off our tail. They can't distinguish between a rogue Eldritch and our own.

"

"Worst case scenario, it will ruin us all. We don't know how much it learned from Jarok, nor what it will do with such knowledge.

" Xenagrosh's warning was too ominous to ignore it.

The Master could only sigh and plan the hunting of this new player that threatened to topple their already shaky chessboard.

***

The city of Othre.

Lith reached the massive gates made of solid wood and steel as the sun was slowly starting to set. Othre was the biggest trade city in the Kellar region, also known as the Warehouse.

Food provisions were a big issue for cities without Warp Gates. Because of the north's harsh climate, settlements could remain isolated for weeks during the winter months. Blizzards were so powerful that even mages capable of flight would be stuck in their homes.

The cold season was closing in and merchants came from all the Griffon Kingdom to sell the food supplies they could spare for a price way higher than their market value. Every year fear bred crisis, which in turn provided to a few the opportunity to get rich at the expenses of many.

Timing was of the essence, because to avoid panic and rioting the local governor had the authority to fix a ceiling price. If a merchant sold too early, they would saturate the market and earn little, too late and fixed prices would lead to the same result.

"Where is the nearest hotel?

" Lith asked one of the guards that were checking the incoming carriages and taking note of all the food entering Othre.

The guard's annoyed gaze disappeared the moment her eyes met Lith's. The Ranger in front of him was way taller, more annoyed, and angrier than the guard. Thanks to darkness magic Lith didn't stink and water magic had allowed him to remain clean.

Yet after a week without a single second of relax, during which he had been forced to do his business behind bushes, Lith would gladly kill anyone standing between him and a bathroom.

"Go straight, then turn left on King's Road. You can't miss it, sir.

" The woman stepped aside as her survival instinct kicked in.

"A word of advice, sir.

" Her shift would last hours and she didn't want to see Lith again.

"Because of winter, dimensional magic is banned inside the city. Before entering you should take out whatever you may need.

"

Lith inwardly cursed against all the inhabitants of the north and their hate for dimensional magic. He took out a few coins, the Gatekeeper and both his communication amulets.

'Now I understand why the uniform comes with a utility belt.' He angrily thought.

While he walked towards the hotel, Lith reported his arrival to his handler.

"I'm sorry, sir.

" Said a kid bumping into him while playing with her brother.

"I'm not.

" Lith replied while grabbing her arm and dislocating her shoulder to retrieve his pouch which she had just stolen. The desperate cries of the girl drawn the attention of several people who stared at him in anger.

"What was that noise?

" Kamila asked.

"An accident. Over and out.

" Lith replied eager to stop talking with his handler and get in touch with his girlfriend.

"She's just a kid!

" Yelled an angry woman.

"Fucking Rangers! They should be kept in the wilds with the beasts, where they belong.

" A man added as several outraged voices joined the chorus.

Lith didn't even slow down his pace.

'Maybe I should rob them and see if their charity extends to their own money or is limited to mine.' He angrily thought.

'She is just a kid. Maybe she was hungry.' The popping sound kept echoing in Solus's mind. She felt terrible about what had happened.

'She could have just begged. I would have refused, you would have nagged me, and I would have given her some copper coins. She played with fire and got burned.'

A pebble struck the back of Lith's head, making him turn around. A small crowd was assembled around the two kids and were staring at him in defiance. Between the Skinwalker armor and his enhanced physique, Lith had barely noticed the hit.

Yet it had been strong enough to make a normal man bleed.

"Who threw that?

" He asked with a casual voice and received no answer but middle fingers.

"All guilty, then.

" A wave of his hand and an earth spell made the crowd fall on their knees while holding their heads in pain. Each one of them had been hit by a small stone, repaying them in kind.

"You are all under arrest for assaulting and slandering an officer.

" Another wave of his hand made their arms and legs sink into the ground.

"If and when I bother reporting this to a constable, they will free you. Have a nice day.

"

The moment Lith gave them his back, the two kids and their accomplices hiding in the nearby alleys robbed all those present blind.

'Was that really necessary?' Solus had hoped that after Kamila, after being alone for so long in the wilds, Lith would have softened up towards people.

'Poetic justice.' Lith replied. 'Look at the bright side. The girl now has more than enough money to get her shoulder fixed.'

He reached the Swan's Song hotel in less than a minute. It was a two stories stone building with a pitched roof and a banner representing a swan sitting near a maiden who was playing the harp.

The door opened into a common hall the pavement of which was made of hardwood.

Colorful carpets were placed under the wood tables that occupied most of the space. A huge fireplace spread light and warmth for the customers that were enjoying their dinner or simply resting from their daily activities.