Ash. The Legends of the Nameless World. Progression Gamelit Story by Kirill Klevanski (ink book reader .txt) 📕

Only a fool would think that a demon would help them out of the goodness of their heart. Ash knew very well that Helmer was doing this only because it benefited him somehow, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care what games the Order, Garangan, or this wretched demon were playing. If it was a problem, the Gods could interfere, this had nothing to do with him.

Helmer, though sitting cross-legged, gradually moved away from the Circle. He sat completely still, looking like a statue being floated away by some kind of magic.

“Oh, right! I completely forgot!” he said, snapping his fingers. “I owe you a prediction. You might want to tell your friends how much you love them, because they’re all going to die tomorrow. Don’t even try stopping it, there’s no going against fate, lad. Also, you will very soon decide that taking the life of an innocent will be the best fate for her. That’s all. Have a lovely evening!”

The demon disappeared, taking with him the hungry blackness and the devilish fairies. Ash dropped to the ground, arms outstretched in relief. Through the dense foliage, which loomed above him like another sky, the light of lonely stars, left alone by their queen, Myristal, occasionally broke through.

There were probably a handful of mortals who got to see Helmer and tell the tale, and even fewer were those who had received a gift from him. If you believed the songs and legends, everything that the ancient demon predicted eventually came true. No matter what you did or how hard you tried, things would unravel exactly as he had told them. The funny thing was that, sometimes, it was the attempts to prevent an unfortunate outcome that made the predictions come true,

Without hesitation, Ash crawled into the sleeping bag and covered himself, sinking deep into the wool and canvas. He desperately needed sleep.

Little did he know that one of the Stumps was lying wide awake.

Chapter 36

T he next morning, the group got up as usual, but Lari had overslept a little. All in all, the morning went like any other, but Mary couldn’t get her eyes off Ash. It wasn’t that he had woken up looking more handsome or attractive, but there was something under his usual carefree and child-like smile. He was constantly twitching at every rustle and creak and trying to cover Alice, who perceived everything as a game.

Mary had seen this type of behavior before.

Inexperienced Ternites, going on their first adventure, often couldn’t stand the road life and returned home. They made good artisans, explorers, and merchants, but not travelers. Perhaps Ash was one of those who should sit behind high walls and not roam the expanses of this nameless world.

“Are you alright? You look tense,” she asked, having caught up with him.

Ash twitched but still smiled. Even his smile looked a little strained.

“I’m fine, just tired. Do we still have a long way to go?”

“We’re getting closer.”

Mary had no doubt that Ash was close to breaking down and being afraid of even his own shadow. She patted him on the shoulder and stood at the left side of the cart.

Ash stumbled in surprise and for a long time couldn’t understand what she had meant by this gesture. Maybe she was in touch with Helmer, too.

Mary, on the other hand, was happy with the pace that the squad confidently kept. If Tul kept leading the Stumps past all obstacles and monsters, they might be able to reach the plain in two, maybe three days. There was a swamp close to Lurka, behind which lay a mountain chain called Rezaliks. From their snowy peaks, several volcanoes could be seen – the Fire Mountains. They should reach them in a month. It wasn’t the longest journey, but it was definitely one of the most dangerous ones. Rare were those who went there on their own and almost no one crossed the Rezaliks in the time of one campaign. Their journey might inspire ballads, bring them fame, and even more coin.

While Mary counted the unearned gold, the party went about their business. Blackbeard and Tul stood guard over the wagon, turning their heads left and right with such speed that you could hear their necks cracking. Tul confidently followed the trail, not suspecting that all the creatures in the area had fled because they were deathly afraid of Ash. Only Alice, being a healer and all, hadn’t been given any tasks, having been told that she needed to preserve her energy. Every now and again she’d try to start a conversation with someone, but they’d just wave her off, telling her that they were busy. Even Lari said only a few words before returning to his watch duty. Bored, she tried to chat with Ash, but he, as if he wasn’t being himself, ignored her.

“Fine, then!” She pouted and crossed her arms. “Be like that!”

Looking down, she kicked a couple of  pebbles and complained how disappointing it was that the Forest, so dreadful according to stories, turned out to be such a bore. If only she knew what kind of surprise the woods have been preparing for her, she would’ve shut her mouth and thanked the Heavens for the dullness that accompanied their travels so far.

Marry suddenly raised her hand, causing them to halt. Sun had begun to shine through the leaves. It was midday.

“Finally,” Blackbeard mumbled, plopping down on the grass. It was easy for everyone else to walk for hours on end, they didn’t have forty pounds of fine steel hanging from them. Nor were they lugging around a giant shield and an ax.

“Lunch,” Tul reported, walking over to the sacks with food.

Lari took his place. Any stop, no matter how short, was the most dangerous moment of adventure, according