Under Derek's snoring and burning fireplace, Kain couldn't sleep, looking at the only useful thing he could get from the Dark Horn - Olaf's amulet.
'Hmm... I don't think it would help me against Valkyra, but it's useful.'
[Locked Martyr
Type: Accessory
Tier: I
Significance: Minor
Enchantment: [Hungry Chains.]
[Amulet depicting a red half-closed eye. It can be either a tired prisoner seeking freedom or a watcher waiting for his chance.]
[Hungry Chains] Description: [When activated, bloody chains rise from the ground and bind a single target. The chains will remain in place until they consume enough of the target's blood or are destroyed. Given the unusual nature of the amulet, besides the usual activation through energy, it is possible to activate it with blood. The quality of the blood has a great influence on the effect.]
A slight surprise reflected on Kain's face while his eyes ran up and down, rereading.
His blood was special. He knew that. But how much?
'You could say I was lucky, but...' Kain picked up the amulet. 'Considering Olaf had it, it's no surprise that it's blood-related. The Tier is still the same, but the Significance has changed. Most likely, Tier is more important, otherwise, it would help Olaf deal with Valkyra. Although... I don't know how strong she is.'
There was a long journey ahead, but first, he needed to get some sleep.
...
A splash of cold water gushed over Kain's face, causing him to awaken in an abrupt jump.
"Shit!" Kain collapsed to the floor as he looked at Derek standing with an empty jug. "Couldn't you wake me up normally?"
"Hah, I tried! You'll have a bruise on your shoulder, considering how many times I pushed you. You sleep like a bear, no waking you up!" Derek shook his head, throwing a rope in his direction. "Come on, help tie up the hides, then breakfast and on your way - straight to the Hollow Patch!"
Kain nodded, looking thoughtfully at the rope.
Ever since he'd started living on his own, after the death of his parents, he woke up to every rustle. A random tin can dropped due to the wind could ruin his sleep.
'It's weird,' Kain touched his shoulder. 'Derek's not lying, it hurts, he wasn't holding back his strength. Well, you'd have to be a fool to complain about a good sleep, right?'
Despite his non-seriousness at moments, Derek was a decent hunter and knew what to do, from hunting to preparing the goods.
Soon, they threw bags full of dried hides, fangs, and claws on their backs, along with a small handful of the crystals.
Locking the door securely, Derek turned around, gazing at the newly risen sun.
"Good, I love it when the sky is clear, it makes me feel calm. Kain, what do you think?"
"Can't agree..." Kain muttered sadly. "When the sky is overcast and there's gloom, it's easier to deal with problems, there's no illusion that things are much better than they really are."
Derek shook his head. "What's happening to the young people? Instead of enjoying life, you only worry about problems! They'll find you on their own!"
'Yeah,' Kain smiled bitterly. 'One of them is probably chasing me right now. I hope it doesn't work out.'
The place where Kain appeared, the Sacrificial Plateau was in the same region as the Scarlet Lake and the Dormant Worm Mountain. The Swirl Worm threw Kain quite far away, to Derek's hideout, yet all of these places were close to each other, unlike the Hollow Patch.
Besides goods for sale and weapons, Derek and Kain took dried meat, bread, and water. The road was long, through dense forest along the side of the main road and straight to the fang-shaped mountains in the distance, near the horizon.
From time to time, horses whizzed by them, some whistling in greeting and others leaving behind a cloud of dust.
Looking at the trampled earth, Kain turned to Derek. "Is this the main road to the Hollow Patch?"
"It is, not the only one, but on the south side, yes. Hah, I'm sure the distances here are greater than in your village, but don't worry, we'll be at the north gate by nightfall. By the way..." Derek patted him on the back. "Tell me about your village. You're from far away, right?"
"Hah, something like that," Kain scratched the back of his head awkwardly, looking for a way to change the topic. "I'd like to know more about the Hollow Patch. What to expect from that place?"
"Oh, damn, you don't know, do you? I always forget about it. Well, you can talk about the Hollow Patch for hours, or you can fit it all into a few sentences."
Derek waved his hand, pointing to the cliffs in the distance, the city hiding among the stone fangs.
"All the best and worst, poor and rich, knights and rogues gather there. Such people and the lack of a unified leader have turned the Hollow Patch into a swarm where everything is mixed up and constantly changing. Especially trade; you can get anything and sell it for a bargain if you know how to haggle well."
Kain raised an eyebrow at his question.
Without delay, Derek poked himself in the chest with a finger. "Don't worry, I know what to do!"
"I hope so."
Suddenly, a shadow fell across the road, like that of a bird, but the two wings grew larger, revealing a massive creature flying across the free sky.
Derek's eyes narrowed as he abruptly leaped to the side, disappearing with Kain into a grove of woods. Kain wanted to say something, but Derek's hand covered his mouth tightly.
"Shh, don't you dare do anything," Derek whispered, pointing at the massive raven. "We'd better stay out of sight of the Rusty Hook."
Confusion reflected on Kain's face until he noticed five silhouettes perched on the great bird.
Derek leaned forward. "These bastards live on robbing and kidnapping people. As you realize, their base is right here - at the Hollow Patch.
"Best and worst, you say?" Kain gulped.
"I won't hide. They're a threat to me, too, but I'm more worried about you. If word got out about the Sacrifices' escape, they could be looking for one and capturing them to sell."
"And..." Kain muttered. "That's their search area."
"Exactly."
In the speeding shadow, a harpoon pierced the raven's neck, causing the bird to rush toward the ground, leaving a trail of blood behind.
Then, a shudder reached Kain's feet from the crushing fall.
Derek lunged forward, seeing a cloud of smoke coming up the road in the distance.
They glanced over. Derek needed an answer.
Kain nodded deeply. They had to find out what happened.
'Maybe they're thieves, but...' Kain smirked inwardly. 'That means their corpses are like treasure chests, doesn't it?'