Chapter 127 Leaving Goldhaven (1/2)
”I take it you foundto absorb Purified Essence as he spoke
”I did,” Snowcloud replied ”Only the final five ingredients re three of those will rely on luck, but for the other two, I knohere to look”
”So where are we going?” Arran asked With how little he understood of alche what the reredients were He knew that even if Snowcloud told hi to him
”The remains of the Eidaran Empire,” Snowcloud answered ”About two months' travel northwest from here”
”The Eidaran Eht of there being other empires still felt odd to him To his mind, there was only one true Eo, it was one of the largest and ion,” Snowcloud said ”Then, one day, it collapsed into civil war All that's left now is chaos and destruction”
”What happened to it?” Arran asked
”I don't know,” Snowcloud said ”And it doesn't matter What matters is that the lands it once held are now rife with conflict, with different groups warring to control what little is left And for us, that erous”
”What about the people who are after you?” Arran asked, re what Lord Sevaril had told them when they first arrived in Goldhaven
”Few people from the Society ever venture that far from the border,” Snowcloud replied ”We should be safe from them, at least”
”So when do we leave?”
”As soon as you finish with that crystal”
Arran turned his attention back to absorbing the re a short while later
”I suppose we'll have to say our goodbyes to Lord Sevaril?” he asked after he finished He didn't look forward torid of hiladly pay it
To Arran's surprise, Snowcloud shook her head
”His stewards told me he's secluded himself in”It doesn't ht now”
Although Arran was happy to hear that he wouldn't have to coain — and face the risks that entailed — he couldn't help but wonder why the old man had locked himself away in his tower If it was just fear of Arran's master there was little to worry about, but he worried there was ht aside Whatever Lord Sevaril's reasons, Arran would soon be rid of thetheir way through the city less than half an hour later At each turn, Arran felt some fear that someone would still stop them, but it seemed his worries were unfounded, and they soon reached the city gate
The guards at the gate waved thee of relief once they were outside the city Although he kneell thatthem in the wild than in the confines of the city — at least here, he could flee if needed
The further they left the city behind, the an to feel, and after several hours, his curiosity about their destination finally won out over the worries he still felt
”So this Eidaran E what threats lay at the end of the journey ahead
”I already told you,” Snowcloud replied flatly ”It's filled with groups fighting for power, and any one of those groups could be a threat to us”
”But you're a Shadowflaes they have be far weaker than you?”