Chronicles of the True Wizard

Felix waited as the initial part of the hunt went exactly as it always did. Afterwards they agreed to find a Parroukan for Felix to fight, which only took a few minutes. As before, Felix was the first to make it to the fight due to his equipment's ridiculous movement speed buff.

[E - Common] Caregarr Parroukan (Lvl 46)

Is there a pattern here? Why are the Parroukan's I've been fighting exactly 2 levels higher than the last every time? That's just luck, right?

Felix positioned himself exactly where he wanted to be, far away from any trees. Felix had Alrik agree with him fighting this one differently from the last ones. Felix wasn't going to kill the Parroukan right away, instead he was going to use it to practice his reflexes and energy infusion. If and when more Parroukans showed up to aid this one, Felix planned on testing his reflexes against them all.

The Parroukan, as always, charged at Felix. Felix waited until the last second and jumped off to the side. When going for the kill shot, he needed to jump over it to get in range of it's head, when practicing reflexes and timing, it was much more efficient for him to side step it.

Felix was slightly early, but less than he expected to be. He was leaning towards being earlier than he thought and adjusting marginally from there because being too early was a mistake he could survive.

The Parroukan finally managed to come to a stop then, turned around to charge at Felix again. This time he was still slightly early, but closer than before. He didn't want to get too close as he was pretty sure the Parroukan would kill him if he tripped or something else.

After practicing on a few dozen more charges Felix killed the Parroukan.

Ding You have slain a [E - Common] Caregarr Parroukan (Lvl 46)

Ding You have gained 2 levels in [E - Common] Caster

I wanted to practice more but I'm already so close with my timing that getting any closer is going to get too dangerous. Also I thought more would have shown up by now. I should practice against something that isn't going to instantly kill me, but is still high enough level, and has enough agility, to be fast and thus challenging. Maybe if I figure out a better defensive option than mana shield I can practice some more.

Once again, no other Parroukan showed up in defense of this one, even after waiting a quarter of an hour. Felix retrieved the body.

Guess there just weren't any nearby, huh.

Felix hung around as the rest of the guards fooled around with the Parroukan for a little while then headed back to the village with them. Today was a specified training day for the guards so Felix planned on sparring with them.

Felix spent the day practicing his reflexes against the guards, who were excellent practice considering, even buffed, Felix's agility was significantly lower than theirs. He was barely managing to dodge their spears when he did dodge them, which he often didn't.

Battered and bruised Felix ran out deep into the jungle, right to the edge of the dungeon to sleep.

The next morning Felix opened up his quest screen.

Quest Dungeon C

A Monster plagues the people of the Caregarr Forest, hunting them, at night, every 9 days or so. The monster has hunted the people for generations and rarely eats people from within the village, mostly hunting those that risk the outside. There is an unofficial curfew to keep people from being taken and most believe this keeps them safe.

(1/6) Gather information [Complete]

(2/6) Wait for the monster's next hunt [Complete]

(3/6) Find the monster yourself or using bait

Ran back to the village and headed over to see Borrugra. He had her pluck and cook half of the Parroukan corpse for him. Either she didn't notice or didn't mention that he didn't sleep in the tavern that night.

He spent most of the day talking to people he found throughout the village. No one seemed to have been taken last night, unless they weren't noticed yet. No one even noticed anything off or strange occurrences of any kind, sight or sound.

Maybe I was wrong. Guess I'll find out later today, I am pretty sure I know some of what is going on, but I won't be sure until later. In the meantime, I need to come up with a way of convincing Alrik to- actually, I think I've got it. If things today play out the way I think they might, I need to start preparing.

Felix cast the faintest blue Light spell he could and held it just above his head, barely perceptible in the daylight peeking through the trees. He then continued what he was doing, walking around the village and talking to everyone he could except now he didn't bother asking them about last night, he simply wandered around and made small talk with as many people as he could. He made specifically sure to walk to everywhere within the village, within a few hundred meters of everything and everyone he could. As he passed by people, he moved the faint blue light around a little, just wiggling and swinging it around.

On his walk back to the tavern, he spotted elder Arzime who appeared to be loitering around walkways nearby talking to random shopkeepers. As Felix approached, she quickly disengaged from her conversation to approach him.

"Ah, I've been looking for you. As you know I want you to feel welcome, as a role model of the Drakene Code, so I made you something."

Damn, exactly as I expected.

"Oh I already feel so welcome in the village, you really didn't have to."

"I insist, it's just a small thing. Please, take it, I hope you will look back fondly on your time here and if you ever become a powerful sorcerer, you will remember our humble tribe."

She reached her hand out and produced a wooden ring. The ring was glazed with some sort of reflective coating and had brilliant blue and green colors embedded within.

[E - Uncommon] Ring of Energy and Mana

This ring increases your mana and energy by 50 points.

"Of course I will. Wow this is excellent, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. If I ever become a true powerhouse, I will be sure to remember my time here."

Felix took the ring and Arzime smiled, nodded and walked off, "I will see you in a few days, yes?"

"Of course, I am greatly looking forward to it."

As soon as she walked far enough away, Felix checked the time.

Damn, still a few hours left.

Felix turned around and walked back towards the guard house. He walked inside and right into Alrik's office.

"I lied to you. I've been here looking for the monster the whole time, I wasn't just passing through. I found the monster, and I've set my trap. Tomorrow, I will present it to you. I respect you, so I came to see if you want to help and share in the credit, I don't want to make you look… incompetent."

Alrik laughed, "I knew that, I am the guard captain you know. This isn't the first time someone was taken then a loved one got upset and hired someone from outside the village to help. Rarely are they so confident though. Don't worry about me, if you can catch the monster I will be more than happy, I don't care that much about my reputation, we Drakene are not that prideful, or at least I'm not. I am curious though, how do you plan on catching it where we have all failed."

"Ah well that is exactly how I came up with my plan, I thought about what can I do that none of you can? The answer is magic. Earlier today I walked around the village and cast a spell to place magical trackers on everyone. Tonight I will lie in wait just outside the village, as soon as someone is in distress or takes any damage, I'll know."

"I'm not sure how I feel about you casting a spell on every one of our citizens. I guess if they didn't even notice it, since no one has come to complain to me, it's fine. Not a bad plan, good luck. I guess if you do find it, and you need help taking it down, you are welcome to recruit some of the guard, they should be in the tavern tonight, as always."

"Thank you, I appreciate the thought, but I won't need them. I killed the Parroukan in one spell, remember? I can definitely manage this one, plus I wouldn't want any of the guard to get hurt when they don't need to."

Alrik frowned, "I see, well, good luck, for your sake and ours."

Felix left the building and walked back to the tavern.

Well that sucked. Even if he is a dungeon construct, I did like him. Luckily I think he mostly bought it, even if my acting was poor. The way I conveyed the general message should obscure it enough that it doesn't matter. I wish I had thought of something better than arrogance though.

Felix waited around the bar for the guards to show up for the next part of his, completely on the spot made up plan. Felix waited until the guard he wanted showed up but almost went with his back up when his original target walked into The Tipsy Tree.

"Ah Brask, perfect, just the Drakene I've been looking for. Let me buy you a drink."

"Uh, ok thanks."

Felix walked up to the bar and pretended to order something but instead grabbed the drink he had already ordered fifteen minutes ago for just this occasion. He handed the mug to Brask who took it and immediately took a swig.

"Woah, what is that. It's really strong but really good."

"Oh it's something a little higher end, I just appreciate you and I think everyone takes you a little for granted."

"Yeah they kinda do, don't they?"

"In fact, I even got you a gift, it's not much, but it's all I had. I hope you like it. But careful, I don't want the other guards to see that I got you something before I find something for them, don't flaunt it."

Felix reached out and placed the ring Arzime had given him onto Brask's finger.

"Oh wow, thanks Felix I really appreciate that." He proceeded to finish the entire mug, so Felix produced another of the same stuff and handed it to him.

"Well I'll be honest, I'm not buttering you up just cause I like you, I need some help. I set up a trap for the monster, tonight, but I don't think I can handle it. Since you are one of the most capable of the guards and Alrik can't leave the village undefended, I was hoping you could help me out."

"Ah, I see. I thought something might be up, I'm pretty smart about these things you know. Makes sense you would come to me with this, I can handle it for sure. Where will the monster hicc gonna be?"

"Out in the jungle." Felix opened his map and pointed to a random point in the jungle, "I didn't want anyone in the village to get hurt so I set the trap here."

"That's smart, something I would have thought for sure." Brask leaned forwards and whispered loudly in Felix's ear, "Don't worry, I'll handle have this one."

Brask patted Felix on the back then stumbled out of the tavern.

Felix walked over to the guards usual table and sat down.

Alright that should do it. The hardest part is gonna be the timing. Hopefully I am right about all this though. It makes sense, but I do tend to way over think things. It is possible the ring was just a gift and the monster is real. She just seemed so suspicious and… off.

First, the monster takes out dissenters. What kind of unintelligent beast targets people based on their ideals and political beliefs, but maybe it's just luck or something directing a beast. Second, one of the elders comes to welcome me to the village, not two or three of them, only one. Even though she claims it was part of the Drakene code, wouldn't the others welcome me if it was so important? When she does, she slyly asks if I am going to be staying for a while by creating plans a week from now. Why not any time sooner than that, again it could be her schedule and maybe I'm overthinking it.

When the guards mentioned she was cunning and capable of creating grand conspiracies for something as simple as a surprise party. I suspected she might be the monster herself or directing a beast somehow… probably rituals. If she was behind everything and is as cunning as they say, it would make sense for her to take me out, and take me out a night early just to make sure I didn't suspect anything. When I wasn't around the night before the monster was supposed to attack, she sought me out the next day.

Now her plan is thrown off, she planned on taking me out a night early but she couldn't find me, so now she has to be sure she gets me. She creates a simple ring that she can use to track me somehow and presents it to me as a gift. She probably suspects or knows I am searching for the monster, as Alrik did. Who, I unfortunately had to lie and be a dick to, since he likely reports everything to the council or her directly as part of his job. If I convince him I don't need the guard, he will either report that he offered and I arrogantly refused or leave it out as irrelevant. Hopefully he's not in on it too, that would be a pain in the ass.

As I can do with most people that are a citizens of my fort, she can probably track every Drakene within the village. So now she has tracking information on everyone, me and the Drakene, or so she thinks. That's why the bait needed to be outside the village, so the tracking doesn't work. Hopefully she doesn't have tribal tracking that lets her see their location anywhere, cause she likely won't fall for it if she doesn't think I am alone. That's the other reason Alrik needed to report that I wouldn't use the guards, even though I need them to witness the event if it does play out the way I think it will.

Hopefully I am not just overthinking everything. Worst case scenario, I am and none of that is true, in which case Brask is just good bait. . . . . .