Four days passed and Al’nehak could see the city of Rhyad coming into view. In that time, she had learned a great number of things about the current state of the world. She was still reviled worldwide and textbooks across many schools painted a rather dire picture of her. It was understandable. Revealing herself now would only bring headache but fear was a potent weapon. For now, she decided to travel quietly and avoid trouble. Perhaps there would be a time to reveal her identity.

Her homeland, Zidel, had recovered a great deal since her death although there were still isolated areas that were marked with her corruption. The worst of them, specifically Pila, was quarantined instead. As to what manner of corruption had lingered so strongly after so many years, the crewmembers gave her several fanciful explanations: that Al’nehak cursed the city with her most powerful spells with her dying breath to the most absurd explanation of all was that the Council of the Twelve had deliberately left the city to its own devices in order to study necromancy themselves! 

It was an amusing theory and yet it was the only one that gave her some pause. In the many hypothetical scenarios she ran in her head, she found it impossible for the Council to do something like that. They were stubborn and clung hard to the old traditions. To do something so radical was unlike them. She scoffed. Would the blight last if left to its own devices for 4 centuries? No, it seemed very unlikely especially without someone to control it. Then again, it was her most potent version of the blight.

For now, she would dismiss it as nothing more than gossip. Perhaps she’d get to the bottom of it later. What was more pressing was the issue a darkness coming from the east two decades ago and bringing with it, strange and alien creatures, all of them hostile to humanity. And to herald its coming, the lands afflicted with the dark become a frozen wasteland, devoid of light and warmth. The surviving kingdoms have banded together to combat this threat with mixed success.

She felt her brain squirm violently. Strange new alien creatures originating from the east? The very same east where she had felt fear in a very long time? A chill ran down her spine and she felt her fingers twitch uncontrollably. She smiled. There were new specimens to be studied and carefully dissected. Helping humanity in the meantime? That was a nice secondary benefit.

The Grey Goose began its descent into the city’s airport. Not a moment later, the Grey Goose docked and the crewmembers aboard began to unload its cargo. Edward Levin was already on the ground when Al’nehak joined him.

“Here we are, Rhyad. Ms. Amari, You know how to get to Bervenia from here?”

“Yes. It’s all in my head.”

“For someone who kept asking so many questions about the world these four days, you just happen to know the way to Bervenia? Now that is strange indeed.”

Al’nehak gave no answer and instead, merely nodded at Edward Levin. “Thanks for the ride Mr. Levin. Before I depart, let me give you this piece of advice. If I were you, I’d sell that amulet as quickly as I can. I just remember that those who are bound to it experience misfortune. I’d know.”

Before Edward Levin could respond with anything, his mind still processing what Al’nehak was trying to say, the necromancy disappeared into the crowd. Edward Levin scratched his head and took out the amulet he had received as payment. 

“Damn, she can be fast when she wants to. Huh, so this amulet brings misfortune?” he said to himself, utterly confused. “It looks completely normal and nothing misfortunate has happened these past 4 days. Maybe I should magically appraise it first. She seemed deadly serious about it,” Edward pondered a moment before he pocketed the amulet once more.

7 silver coins and a list of things to buy. First on the list was a set or two of new clothes and a nice backpack that was good for long distance travelling. For that, she spent 1 silver pieces. Then to secure a ride to Bervenia, she paid 5 silver pieces for a camel as a caravan ride was too expensive. 

As the reins to the camel was handed to her, Al’nehak looked at her palm. A single silver coin. A piddling single silver coin. Al’nehak groaned audibly. So much for the list of things to buy. With one silver coin, she’d had to scrap the bottom of the barrel. The most important thing to secure now was provisions but how much could a single silver coin could buy?

“Blast it, I forgotten how much easier it was to just take everything you wanted for yourself,” she thought to herself. “Coming from money does help a lot too. Being good is a pain.”

At the end of her shopping, she had acquire water, some jerky and nuts for the desert trip. For any other normal human, the quantity of the foodstuff she had acquired would be inadequate for the trip but Al’nehak was no normal human. Thanks to her modified body, it was enough to last the trip. The camel would serve as emergency food if things truly went bad in the desert. 

Packing everything in her bags, she mounted the camel and began her trek towards Brevenia. Perhaps these visions of the city would clear some things up.