End of an Era (Project Chrysalis Book 2) by John Gold (popular books to read .TXT) 📕

changes the offers you get, and I’ll tell you this right now: we don’t have your normal, everyday stuff. It’s much more interesting. The harder they are, the more commitment they require.”

“Thanks for the information. If I become a Hunter, I’ll definitely drop by to see what you think is so interesting.”

The man breaks out into a laugh, pounding on the table and only continuing once he catches his breath.

“Whatever you may think, people with outstanding abilities or character traits are the ones who become Hunters. They naturally attract the unusual, and sooner or later they always join us. Our mission is a world of absolute power, and it isn’t just anyone who joins. I’m telling you that because I’m sure you’re going to be one of us.”

“Thanks for that. All right, I think it’s time for us to go.”

We need to leave the city, and I need to buy a mount. We pick one up from a guy in the slums. It’s a funny picture, Fem carrying me and the horse on her shoulders across the tall city wall. Her armor is flooded with blood, and I have to heal her continually.

“Oh, I forgot to buy a sword!”

“You can get one from a bot, or I can make one for you. Alternatively, you could get to know the Golden Hand a little better. I’m sure they’re waiting for us at the auction.”

I need to head south, to where the dwarves are. It doesn’t matter to me one whit where Fem goes. Still, as soon as we get onto the road, I decide to ask.

“Fem, where are you off to now?”

“Wherever you’re going. I don’t care, so long as we do some leveling up.”

“What if I don’t want you to come with me? I don’t care about leveling up, so you just head off wherever you want.”

“I’m still coming with you. For the next two months, you’re going to be helpless, so you won’t be able to kill me. And I’m not an idiot like you’re always saying. I wouldn’t have gotten through the trial if it hadn’t been for you - nobody would’ve. You did more damage than the rest of us combined.”

“Get out of here. I can deal with my own problems, and you’ll just make things worse for yourself if you go with me. I’m a renegade mage, the kind of person nothing good happens to.”

“That’s more a plus than a minus actually. Where else am I going to find a blood mage who can support me in battle and heal me when I need it? You don’t even care about my armor. Why is that, by the way?”

“You just can’t leave that alone. I’ve seen a lot better than your armor.”

“Well, that’s just another reason to go with you. There are only one or two people in the world who fit with who I am.”

“Oh, screw it. Do whatever you want.”

It’s actually okay with me. She fits me, too, and now she’s also hiding from the gods.

We head south to see the dwarves.

A week later, I’m starting to trust her more and have given her almost all the items overloading me. I give her my set of strength and stamina rings, too. She’s a close combat fighter and traveling with me. It’s fun to see the happiness on her face. Even though I’m a child, I can see how it does you good to give things to other people, and the rings fit her more than they fit me.

“Where did you get things like this? Did you put money in the game and buy everything at the auction?”

“No, I made them myself.”

“That’s impossible! This is masterful artifactor work, the kind of thing masters invest their levels in.”

“I used blood magic, ritual magic, and sacrifices to make them. They’re perfect for your suit. Even if they don’t give you the kind of bonuses that epic, legendary, or unique items might, they’ll grow with your level. I’m planning on boosting my skills in that area pretty quickly, so I don’t need ordinary items.”

“So, you’re going to be working on leveling up after all?”

“No. I’m looking for enough strength to fight back, not to brag about. And right now, I’m looking for my parents. Last I heard, they were heading this way toward the dwarf mountains.”

“Oh, your parents play, too?”

“I don’t have real parents. My entire family is in Project Chrysalis. I’m looking for them.”

“But what if they’re…”

“They aren’t. I’m going to find them, and they’re going to be fine.”

It takes us twelve days to cross No Man’s Land. Finally, we reach the dwarves’ aboveground villages, which is where the entrance is to the underground highway leading to the mountains.

I spend the time using telekinesis to boost my Space Magic. The other spells I have require an opponent, and I can’t continually attack Fem. She gives me a hard no on that one and threatens to kill me if I send another flame in her direction.

There’s a full garrison at the entrance to the dwarf mountains, and they have news of my parents.

“I remember them. A couple with four dogs riding horseback. They headed south along the highway. For the toll, they gave us two animals since they didn’t have any money. These two dogs actually.”

I can’t help but remember the dogs. Our dogs. That means my parents were definitely here, as the dogs run up and start licking me.

“How much do you want for them?”

The dwarves prove to be among the greediest creatures in the world. They dicker with me, saying that the dogs have strong levels and skills, but refuse to show me their attribute windows. They claim it’s a trade secret.

“Fegeman, I know these dogs inside out. We used me to level up their skills. They look the