City of Desire: Chapter 534 Ambush

Proofread By Thomas F

“All clear, go,” said the guard leader.

A moment later, the carriages moved out from the outer checkpost of the fortress of Baxzar. We didn’t enter the main fortress like we did in the Mahal.

Instead, we took the route around it.

The Baxzar Dominion is one of the most potent and significant countries in the Zenid.

It could be called an empire, but “dominion” best describes its political system.

It’s a country with thick forests that would make anyone get lost, with 80% of its population being orcs. The rest are humans, elves, and other races.

Our carriages moved toward the thick forest.

The whole dominion is like this. It is one mass of dense, lush forests.

It is not just because of the environment but also because of the primal nature of the classes these people have, which affects the things around them.

It is why not even Navr and its hordes could go too deep into Baxzar.

Due to this, the Baxzar dominion is one of the oldest kingdoms on the continent. Even the incursions weren’t able to wipe them out.

The carriages were at the edge of the forest. Lt. Colonel Zaris and Lena moved toward the twelve people waiting there.

The leader was the orc with two humans, and the man seemed like a dwarf.

These are the mercenaries we had hired to protect and guide us through the Baxzar. Before, there were only eight, but with the prophecy, I increased their numbers.

These people are from the Raxdar mercenary company. It is one of the biggest in the Baxzar; they came highly recommended.

Zaris verified the documents before they got into some heated discussion.

“What are they talking about?” I asked Zela.

“The mercenaries aren’t agreeing with the position Lt. Colonel Zaris wants them to take,”

“They are saying they need to be in the inner circle to protect you better from any threat that arises from here, which they say they are more capable of handling,” she informed.

Seeing that, I smiled.

Zaris would never agree to that. He takes his responsibilities far too seriously, especially after the prophecy.

A few minutes passed, and the mercenary leader seemed to give up as he placed his men in the outer circle.

A few seconds after that, we resumed our journey.

Although the dominion may have raw primal geography, it had good infrastructure, including great roads, and soon, the carriages were moving fast.

Our destination is Khulber City. It is a small city under the territory of the Baris tribe.

I have obtained permission from all the tribes whose territories I will pass through. I did not need to do that since I had received them from the supreme chieftain, but I wanted nothing to slow me down on this journey.

Once I cross the Baxzar, it will take less than a day to reach the archmage city.

“It reminds me of home; the place I grew up has forests as thick as these,” said Eudo, looking at the scenery.

“I heard it’s quite beautiful,” I replied. Eudo smiled. “It is,” he said before his smile turned sad.

I sighed seeing that, but didn’t speak and turned to the forest.

I watched it for a few minutes before practicing with the aura, and then I read the book before practicing it again.

Before I knew it, the sun had started to go down, and it became dark.

Thankfully, there are lamps.

It is one of the main roads of the Baxzar. It is well developed with all amenities.

Still, the guards became more cautious as their skills pivoted to look for any dangers.

I am glad they are cautious, but don’t want them to exhaust their vigilance skills. If they continue in such a state, it will happen.

Hours passed, and soon, it was past ten when we saw the city lights.

A few minutes later, our carriage reached the city's gates. Before we were allowed entry, they checked our documents.

There is no one to welcome us nor any pleasantries exchanged.

This is one of the things I like about the orcs.

Although they are big on pleasantries and formalities, like humans and other races, they agreed when we told them that we simply liked to rest in their city and didn’t want any disturbance.

The little gift I had sent ahead helped a little.

However, there was quite tight security when we reached our hotel.

It made me smile, and I slept comfortably.

When I woke up, I wrote a letter to its governor and left him something he would appreciate before leaving.

The carriages left the city before the sun came out. We have a long journey today and won’t stop in any town until Qildur Vor.

It is a big city with a legacy. We hope to reach it before midnight.

Two hours passed, and I was looking at a map. We are taking a longer route, but the safer one.

The popular and shorter one is too close to Navr. There have been incidents when the undead have made a move and captured the people on that route.

While the chances of them doing that are low here.

Even though they wouldn't dare mess with Archmage City, I could not take the chance. So, I listened to Cardin’s and others’ suggestions on a longer route.

It will delay the journey by about four hours, but I must do it for my safety.

Navr hasn’t done anything against me yet, but it is better to be careful of the undead.

Soon, we reached the intersection, and the carriages turned toward the longer route, to the surprise of many, including the mercenaries.

To others, we were taking the direct route. Only Lt. Colonel Zaris, Lena, and my sister knew the alternate route.

Others would only know the moment we did it.

“I wish I could do something like that,” I told Eva. I saw her create a purple metal sphere with green spots of crystals in between.

I had seen her do it many times, mesmerizing me every time.

The way she melts and controls those metals and gems is genuinely amazing. While traveling, she created many pieces of jewelry.

It gave me a lot of inspiration about my aura, and I am now trying many things.

One of which is helping me particularly.

“It is a good ability, but you have better ones,” she replied, smiling. I said nothing about that because she was right, but I wanted more.

More skills, even something like hers or Eudo’s abilities.

Telekinesis would be helpful. Though, with enough control over the aura, I could do what telekinesis could.

I pushed those thoughts away and picked up a book from the stand.

It is a good book about legacies. It’s from Old Vanis’s collection. I borrowed many books from him, and one goal while in Archimage City was to buy them.

Knowledge is necessary. There is never enough.

It is about the legacy that disappeared over millennia ago. It was a Grade IV legacy, a good one at that, lasting for nearly two and a half centuries.

It has information on its master and the legacy's abilities.

I read it for an hour before I put the book down and closed my eyes.

I took a couple of deep breaths and started the layering exercise with a different mindset.

I imagined myself standing on the sand and bringing the aura to my feet before imagining it melting into the glass.

It’s hard, but after a few attempts. I had understood the trick.

The sand beneath my feet melted and turned into molten glass.

As it did, I pulled it over me as thinly as possible.

It moved and began to cover my body slowly.

Soon, it covered my legs and moved up, reaching my waist and then the chest and neck before the head, covering me fully.

Bell says aura is about perception.

If you want it to be air, it will be. If you want it to be Earth, it will be. It is a manifestation of one’s will; it can become whatever one desires.

I succeeded in the first layer before and wanted to do the second.

I am not as tired as I usually am when I use my old method. That used to make me a lot more tired, take a lot more time, and take a lot of effort to maintain.

I didn’t begin immediately. Instead, imagine myself radiating the cold.

I am making the liquid glass solid.

As I did, I began on the second layer. I moved it slowly, but there was a more significant strain this time, but less than I felt when I did things the old way.

Soon, the aura covered my legs, and I moved it around my waist.

Once at my waist, I moved it up toward my chest, then to my neck, and finally to my head.

As I achieved that, a big smile appeared, and I wanted to try for the third layer, but I didn’t.

Instead, I froze it like the first layer and kept it up for six minutes before letting go.

I wanted to push, but getting too tired wouldn’t be wise.

Hours passed, and carriages kept moving, stopping only for the small bathroom breaks.

Soon, it was afternoon with a bright sun shining from above.

“I want to ride under it,” I said, to which Eva rolled her eyes. “You can try, but you will hear the same words again,” she replied.

When we stopped for the break earlier, I wanted to ride outside, but Lena and Lt. Colonel Zaris denied my idea, deeming it too dangerous.

I shook my thoughts and turned my eyes from the window to the book I was reading.

I am nearly finished with the book and will finish it in a few minutes. Then, I will practice the aura again and work on the layers.

I want to become good enough at them so that it becomes instinct.

“Ambush!”

I was in my thoughts when I heard the loud warning ring in my ears.