I look around the area. I just defeated a Lich. He is not dead completely. These undead can only be completely defeated by holy magic (which I don't use) or by destroying the object that is working as a Vessel for their soul.
And for what he said, I am sure he is too far away for me to even attempt to get close.
"Now, back to our mission." I say to Karina.
"Take your stuff." She returns the items she did not use to me.
"You helped me a lot in the last battle." I smile at her.
"Haha… of course, I am incredible, after all!" She has her hand on her chest, smiling and with eyes closed while gloating.
"Now, help me find the old man. You should have seen his soul."
"Oh! Yes! I can guide you!"
Good thing she now knows what the soul of the old man looks like. No more visual searching.
"Great. Now, seek, Karina!"
"Yes!" She smiles and advances, then stops.
Proceeds to throw a rock at my face.
Ouch!
"I am not a dog!" She pouts.
"Agh! Is it that hard to take a joke?!"
She sticks her tongue towards me and we return to our search.
But she guides me directly to him this time, and the old man, who appeared to save the woman, is hiding.
We reach a part of a park with a public bathroom. Beside the building there are several plants, like trees, flowers and bushes, doing their part as decoration.
He is behind a bush, which has a wall on the other side. Karina points at it. I cannot see him.
"He is behind it, hiding."
Huh… why is he trying to stay under cover?
When I inspect the bush, I find a small entrance between the branches that is hidden by the leaves. It is hard to spot unless you look directly.
I push through, and I find something I did not expect. A small tent is in there, hidden between the bush and the wall of the bathrooms.
It is made from random pieces of fabric, stitched haphazardly, with an assortment of random stuff thrown in the middle. There is a… distinctive smell in the area that I am not sure if it comes from the small camp or the bathroom.
"H-hello?" I call, seeing if he comes out.
There is silence for a moment, but then movement comes from the tent.
And there he appears, the same man, fitting the description.
"What do you want?" He asks, heavy voice, but raspy.
I can tell he doesn't want me here.
"Are you Ash, by any chance?"
He only stares, looking me up and down while I crouch out of the bushes and into his small camp.
"I am here because of the chickens found with your name." I say.
"Bunch of bullcrap." He scoffs. "You seemed brighter, but if you believe shit like that then you are another idiot."
Nice to meet you too.
"I don't want to bother you, but it seems the threat is real. The lich was in here for you."
"Simple coincidence. It only means I have to change cities now or it will kill more innocent people to get to me."
"And why is it chasing you?"
He stares at me with his only eye. Squinting it, I can tell he doesn't trust me. He scoffs, and then returns to his tent.
"Don't get into other people's business without a good reason."
"All I want is to figure out what are those chicken thrown around the city and why are people dying after they appear."
"Have you probably considered it is the other way around?" He speaks from inside his tent.
"What?"
"The person doing those rituals is an idiot with no idea how they work. Did you consider that?"
I did not consider that. I don't know if either Lisa or the Father did.
"Hmmm… how can we verify it?" Karina asks.
"Yet the lich was here to kill you."
"And I am alive." He answers. "Either the ritual doesn't work, or you are that powerful. Believe what you want."
That felt insulting.
But he is right. The ritual did not work and I doubt it is that I am a miracle type of person that can defeat rituals if I just intervene.
Something else must be at play.
"But there are other dead people and the Mayor is on that list."
"You grabbed interest when he was on the list, right?"
"No, I did when a teacher's name appeared last night."
There is another pause.
I can only hear the sound of the trees. The park was evacuated.
"Which teacher?" His voice changed in tone.
"Leiva."
I hear him growl.
Seems I touched a nice point to get him on my side.
Maybe he knows about the teacher. I threw it in an attempt to show him that I was intending to talk with him as he was answering, but it seems I struck gold there.
He appears again.
"For your own good, don't be lying to me. Are you telling the truth?"
"What is your connection to the teacher and the Mayor?"
"Don't play smart and answer, did you find her name?"
Yes, I found something. I can progress.
"I am not lying. Her name was with three other people on a bag I found last night. I was going to speak with her after meeting with you."
He sighs and stands up.
"Okay, we are going to visit Leiva, but you won't get to ask any question."
"Hey, I still want to know your connection."
"I said no questions." He passes by me. "For me, you are nothing else than a simple adventurer that is on it for the money."
Yet you are so worried about this teacher that you will trust me enough to carry me along.
Good, anyway. I am already curious to know who this old man is. He knows how to fight and defend himself. He delivered a strong punch against that wolf and is hunted by a lich.
Even when it is a Lower Lich, it is not like that is something to scoff at.