Level Up: Voidwalker

Atlas and the girls stood in line as panicked citizens and traders sought refuge at Wildreach. While waiting, he gazed at the city's massive protective wall made from Sea Stone that gleamed in the afternoon sun.

The walls rose nearly one hundred meters high, adorned with numerous cannons and towers spaced every ten meters. Atlas couldn't discern anything beyond the imposing fortifications from his vantage point on the road outside.

He noticed hundreds of guards atop the wall looking like they were preparing for something by loading the weapons. Atlas turned to Estelle, ''Can the smuggler get us out of the city?'' he asked nervously.

The blonde nodded, ''Yes, Le Messie Élu. There's no need to worry; we will be in Volantis by tomorrow afternoon.''

Atlas nodded with a smile but soon noticed they were next in line when the alarm started blaring as a soldier above shouted, ''The Ravenian army is here! Rumors say Cataphracts and the Bow Devils are with the mercenaries.''

When Atlas heard this, he looked at the girls, who looked just as confused until Amethyst informed them, ''The Bow Devils are the best horse archers on Astoria, Zarandar, and Aridonia. The Achaemenidians use them to harass the Nubians and to protect their Sandcrawlers.''

Everyone nodded, but Estelle spoke, ''That means the Ravenians are working with the Achaemenid Empire to conquer Astoria. Maybe the Thalassians will be attacked from the west, diverting the armies from the Wildheart Kingdom.''

''Why does it matter? War is war, blondie,'' Grishna said while the guards rushed the merchants in front of them through.

Before Estelle could retort, the Evergladian guards turned their attention to Atlas, who had his hood up. They exchanged glances and were about to speak when explosions erupted a few meters behind them.

The group darted through the gate, prompting the guards to chase them. However, they halted when they noticed others outside doing the same. Atlas paused at a nearby side street and glanced back at the massive city gate slowly lowering behind them.

After twenty minutes of searching, the group hid in an inn Grishna found not far from the docks where Estelle said the smuggler was. While inside, Artemis ordered food while the orc girls spilled the Ravenian loot on everyone.

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''Grak'Thar Gromog'ar. You get 3 gold, 31 silver, and 7 bronze coins. I split it fairly like you said,'' she commented while handing over the loot.

Atlas stored the coins while leaving the gold needed for their passage. He handed them to Estelle, saying, ''This is for our ride to Volantic.''

Artemis smiled, showing off her beautiful freckles, saying, ''We can pay for ourselves. You don't have to do it, Aetos.''

He shook his head before responding, ''It's okay. Pay for my food, and we'll be even.''

They all nodded gratefully and thanked Atlas. Ten minutes later, an older innkeeper brought out five plates brimming with food and carefully set them on the table. The group wasted no time and began eating while discussing who would accompany Estelle.

After another ten minutes passed without a decision, Atlas spoke up. "You all go with Estelle. I'm going to find a shop that sells spellbooks," he announced decisively. The others agreed, and once they finished their meal, the girls bid him farewell, instructing him to meet them back at the inn as Lilith climbed on Artemis's shoulder.

The four left him alone on the table they were all sitting at, causing the inn's owner to laugh while collecting the plates, ''Partying with a group of feisty girls, young man. I feel sorry for you.''

Atlas chuckled, ''They're not that bad; I love spending time with them.''

The older man laughed in reply, ''Wait until you've grown up, boy; they will be fighting to share your bed,'' he said before walking away.

He felt his cheeks going red when the lewd thoughts came to mind, but he shook his head before approaching the counter and questioning the owner, ''Are there any local shops that sell spells?''

''No, but you will find a few in Volantic, but it looks like the city will be on lockdown by the morning,'' the old man informed him. ''You could try Mother Delphi's shop that sells random stuff; a spellbook pops up there occasionally.''

Atlas nodded gratefully to the innkeeper and bid him farewell before stepping out into the bustling streets of Wildreach. He asked for directions to the shop selling spellbooks and set off toward the city square, his eyes scanning the surroundings in search of a market.

After fifteen minutes of walking, Atlas finally spotted the market and approached it, eager to find the shop he was looking for. The inn owner said he had to look for a pub and enter the opposite alleyway.

Soon enough, Atlas spotted the shop he was looking for and entered. Inside, he found Mother Delphi's shop at the end of the aisle. As he approached, he noticed the shop was filled with a mishmash of antique items and random curiosities strewn about.

While he browsed, taking in the peculiar assortment of monster skulls and other oddities, a woman's voice suddenly broke the silence. "What is a handsome young lad doing in such a peculiar shop?" she asked warmly.

Atlas spun around to see a young woman with chocolate brown hair and big green eyes that glowed under the torches. To him, she looked to be in her late teens or early twenties, but she was dressed like someone working in a shop.

He shook his head before answering, ''I'm looking for any void spells. It's a rare affinity to find, but I find the backstreet stores always have goodies for sale.''

The young woman gave him a worried smile before speaking, ''So the rumors are true; Shaytan al-Kharab is real and is in my family's store.''

Atlas rolled his eyes, ''Yes, the Devil who brings ruin. I've heard it enough times now. So that you know I'm not evil or bring destruction to Wildreach,'' he said in a fed-up voice, making the woman laugh.

''That's what the Shaytan al-Kharab would say, eh,'' the woman said with an amused smile. ''My name is Amy, and you're are in luck, devil boy. Father has a void spell that an old master sold when he realized it was worthless to anyone.''

She hurried into the back of the shop after instructing him to wait, which Atlas excited since he was eager to find more attack spells. It reminded him that he could potentially learn Void Blast, though he would have to wait until the group reached Volantis to pursue it.

Soon, Amy reappeared, holding a ratty-looking book covered in thick dust, which made him raise his eyebrow. The brown-haired woman quickly spoke, ''Don't look at me like that boy. Father bought it many years ago.''

Atlas nodded as she pushed it toward him, saying, ''10 gold and I'll throw in two Utility spells.''

''What's it called?'' he inquired while looking at the void spell.

''Hold on a second, let me get it,'' Amy said before vanishing into the back again.

When he brushed the dust off, he read the title, ''Void Wave.''

'An area of attack spell, this will be extremely useful in the future,' Atlas thought while taking out the gold coins needed to purchase the spellbook and placing them on the counter.

A few minutes passed when the young woman appeared holding a baby blue book and a white one. She placed them on the counter while speaking, ''Aqua Lung and Light. Very useful spells to an adventurer like yourself.''

He nodded before taking the books and storing them away. Amy took the gold coins and spoke, ''Thank you for shopping in Mother Delphi's Shaytan al-Kharab.''

Atlas shook his head before leaving the store and returning to the inn. While strolling through the city, he felt he was being watched, but Void Sight found nothing. After that, he smelled something he thought he'd never smell again.

'Chocolate!'

He scanned the street corner and spotted a quaint, sweet shop. The owner appeared to be closing up, but Atlas approached the man and woman at the counter and spoke politely, "Hello. I know you're closing, but I'd like to purchase as much chocolate as you have available."

The woman turned around with a concerned impression as she looked down and spotted him, ''Why would you want sweets at such a time, young man?''

''I haven't had chocolate in many years,'' Atlas replied, taking out two gold coins to show he had the funds to buy them.

The couple exchanged a glance, and then the man nodded. "Fill up three bags with all our remaining stock. We've sold a lot this week, but there's plenty of chocolate left for you, lad."

Atlas smiled gratefully as he handed over the coins, and the woman hurried inside to gather the chocolates. As he waited, he began to hear distant whistling noises approaching the city, but they abruptly ceased.

Suddenly, explosions ripped through the northern part of Tidereach. The man started to panic, but the woman reappeared just in time, holding the bags of chocolate. She handed them to Atlas before the couple hurried inside the shop.

As the man moved to lock the door, the woman turned to Atlas and asked, "Young man, would you like to join us? We have a bunker under the shop."

Atlas shook his head resolutely. "No, thank you. My girls are waiting for me. Thanks for the chocolates and the offer, but I must go now."

He hurried back to the inn, the sound of explosions echoing behind him. When Atlas arrived, the group was already gathered and waiting for him. Lilith spotted him and rushed toward him, climbing onto him eagerly.