The experience from France wouldn't leave his mind. It was so similar to what he was feeling, but there was a difference, which he couldn't quite put his finger on.
As his mind raced, a reminder at the back of his head forced its way through: his mana pool. For a split second, Anzu closed his eyes and checked his mana stat:
STAT CHECK: Mana pool at 72%.
That should be enough for what he was planning.
'The sage will stand up,' the Grand Ensi declared, his voice assuming the weight of ceremony. 'Will you willingly come forth and participate in the Discernment Ritual, or must the guards drag you up here?'
Anzu stood slowly, chains clinking.
"Gladly."
He raised his bound hands as he stood up, with the left fist clenched so that the unassuming wooden ring caught the torchlight. The priests watched with smug anticipation and were expecting submission. They didn't know what the ring was. The guards who'd confiscated his staff and dagger had dismissed it as worthless ornamentation, which was a clear mistake on their part.
Anzu focused, swiftly channeling mana through the ring. The [Clay Spewer] erupted with green light, as cuneiform symbols glared across its surface like bright emeralds.
The Grand Ensi's eyes widened in horror, and a touch of panic made its way there, too.
"You were supposed to disarm the Sage, you imbeciles!"
It was too late.
"Shu-bar!"
The words tore from Anzu's throat as he thrust his other hand toward Itani, grabbing her wrist. The [Obliterate Mind] spell projected outward in an oval sphere, matching the outline of the room, as white mist flooded the chamber. Mind magic mostly came in large area-of-effect varieties, which was a problem usually, but it was a perfect choice for this situation
The seated priests jerked, scratched at their heads, with their eyes glazing over with confusion. They all assumed a certain type of blank expression, which Anzu was expecting to see.
But he did hold his breath for a moment. Mind manipulation magic was particularly fickle. Resistances to it varied wildly, which made it unpredictable. But these priests topped out around level seventy, maybe eighty, or one hundred. Against his [Level 120] stats, they stood no chance.
None of them shook it off.
"What..." one muttered, blinking.
"Where...?" another asked.
The Grand Ensi swayed, as well, the scroll slipping from his fingers.
Anzu didn't waste the opening and channeled mana again, faster this time, and cast [Paralyze]. The spell consumed less mana and was faster, but also more efficient. Every single priest in the chamber froze mid-motion. He had a good minute, maybe less, as the effect wouldn't last long.
His mana pool dipped again, but there was probably enough left for a minor heal or a very quick fight if needed.
Jumping out of the prisoner's dock, he had a quick look around, and in a stand close to where the Ensi stood, lay items Anzu recognized with affection.
"Ah, these priests are much too sure of themselves. Look," he gestured to Itani, "our weapons."
He grabbed his staff, Itani's bow, and both their daggers with his hands still bound together by the thick rope the guards secured on them.
Itani stared at him, wide-eyed, and her mouth slightly open.
"Here, take your dagger and cut me free. Then I'll do the same for you."
It took them just a few moments to get rid of the constraining rope and equip their gear, but Itani still looked a little slow to respond, likely due to shock.
"Come on." Anzu tugged her arm, breaking her stupor. "We need to move. Now."
She stumbled after him as they sprinted toward the top of the oval chamber with their footsteps echoing against the clay-brick floor. Anzu's pulse hammered in his ears, but he was in focus. The guards outside the spell's range would be alert, probably armed and ready. He just had to hope they wouldn't come across any of the ones that actually brought them in.
He slowed down near the exit, forcing his breathing to steady and grabbing Itani's shoulder.
"Listen. We walk out of here like nothing happened. Natural. Calm. The spell didn't reach the guards outside, understand?"
Itani's face was pale, but she nodded.
"If we run, they'll know something's wrong. We just walk, casually."
"Walk, right," she repeated.
Anzu adjusted his robe and smoothed his expression into something neutral. Behind them, frozen priests stood like statues, but they were bound to wake any moment now.
He pushed on the heavy door.
It swung open to darkness and rain, but no guards were posted at the entrance, and no torches burned along the ziggurat's outer wall. There was only the steady tapping of water against brick. Except for one thing: the faint glow of moonlight that cut through gaps in the clouds. They could use that.
Anzu paused, letting his eyes adjust. The rain had drowned the torches. Good. It made for better cover for their escape.
Below, at the base of the long staircase, something flickered, though. It was a weak light source that kept dying and re-igniting. Anzu gestured to Itani and started walking down, taking each step with care. The stone was slick and smooth. One misstep would send them tumbling down, and explaining bruises to curious guards wouldn't help their story at all.
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Itani gripped the wall as they descended, taking shallow breaths.
As light grew clearer, a guard began cursing, trying to keep his torch lit against the downpour. The flame caught, sputtered, and caught again.
Anzu leaned close to Itani's ear.
"Extra natural now."
She nodded, but her eyes were filled with tension.
They reached the bottom, and Anzu forced a casual smile.
"Good evening."
The guard glanced up, rainwater streaming down his helmet.
"Oh, they're letting you go already?"
"Yeah, it was just a mix-up that needed to clearing up."
The words left his mouth before he realized the mistake. The Grand Ensi himself had been summoned. For a simple mix-up? The guard's brow furrowed slightly, but Anzu pivoted quickly.
"You must be waiting to get home to the little ones by now, eh?"
It was a gamble. He was testing pure luck.
The guard's expression softened. 'Gods, yes. It's an annoying shift tonight. The rain's a nightmare.'
"Well, I hope it eases up for you."
"Much appreciated."
Anzu nodded and kept walking with Itani beside him. But with no hurry. They were just two people released from a bureaucratic misunderstanding, heading into the wet night.
They turned into a smaller street the moment they cleared the guard's line of sight with a normal and controlled pace. Then Anzu broke into a run, and Itani swiftly began to match him stride for stride. They flew through a narrow passage, splashing through puddles, turning into an even tighter alley before finally stopping.
Anzu leaned against the wall with a heaving chest, while Itani bent down, also catching her breath.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "For dragging you into this."
She straightened, water dripping from her hair. "You didn't drag me anywhere. I followed you."
"Still." He wiped the rain from his face. "We're only safe for the moment. Those guards who arrested us, they weren't at the trial, and they'll talk to the priests soon enough. You're safest with me right now. My spells bought us time, but not much."
Itani stared at him, emotions warring across her face. Anger. Fear. Something like awe.
"That magic you used back there..." She shook her head. "I've never seen anything like it. You just... froze them. All of them."
"Well, desperate times..."
"You're terrifying."
"I know."
Silence stretched between them, broken only by the rain.
"The tavern we talked about before, the Salty Date, is out of the question now," Anzu said finally. "It's too obvious. The Mardukists will be watching."
Itani wiped her face.
"There's another place. The Torched Scroll. It's invitation only, but I've got strings I can pull. We'd be safe there. It's very low key."
"Good. I don't know that one. But I also need mana potions. Is there an alchemist nearby?"
"Very close, actually. Two streets over."
"Perfect." Anzu adjusted his staff.
"I need to stop at the Ranger's guild," Itani added. "It's an urgent appointment. I can't miss it, even with this mess."
Anzu nodded. "We stay stealthy, split up, and then meet back here again."
They exchanged one last look, and understanding seemed to pass wordlessly between them. At least, Anzu hoped it did.
Then they moved, making as little noise as possible, each in their own direction.
Itani pressed herself against the damp stone wall, ensuring her boots stayed silent in the muddy gutter. Rain streamed down her face as she waited for a pair of guards to pass, as their torches hissed in the downpour. Her ranger training served her well. She just had to stay low, quiet enough, and blend with the shadows.
Oblivious to their surroundings, the guards just moved on. This is what she needed, and maybe a touch of luck.
She slipped forward, keeping to the edges of buildings where light didn't reach. A part of her couldn't believe she'd insisted on this detour. Though hunted by Mardukists, she was heading to the guild like it was just another evening. She usually liked to play it safe, but this was exactly the opposite.
She'd gotten mixed up in murder and had been tried for it. The Grand Ensi himself had presided over their trial.
But then, was it really murder when the priest had been part of that tyranny? When he'd been dragging an innocent woman to gods-knew-what fate? It was something that needed to be discussed.
But she couldn't deny that someone had to stand up to the priests eventually. The Mardukists couldn't rule through fear forever. As long as she didn't end up dead. Or worse, strapped to an altar for one of their arcane rituals.
She shuddered and kept moving.
And Anzu. What was she supposed to make of him?
Of all the stupid things she'd done for leveling, this was maybe the stupidest of them all. Following a Sage for the promise of a quicker, less painful grind. Her impulsiveness would be the death of her one day.
But there was more to the matter.
Perhaps she was being too harsh. The problem was that Anzu's background seemed a little shady, and he was definitely higher level than he seemed. She wasn't completely sure that she could trust him.
However, his heart did seem genuine. He risked everything for a helpless stranger in the bazaar, and later apologized for dragging her into danger.
But Blood Magic? Of all the paths he could have chosen, he'd picked the darkest, most forbidden one. And it didn't match the person she'd seen. There was no hesitation in him when it was necessary to attack, but then there was a sort of horror in his eyes when the priest died.
Fate had bound them together now, whether she liked it or not.
The Ranger's Guild loomed ahead. It was a functional building with minimal decoration. There was no temple grandeur here, just practical stone and narrow windows, with the Ranger flag hung outside. A simple bow on a green background.
Itani paused at the corner, scanning for threats. There was nothing but the rain and empty streets. She approached the door and slipped inside.
Warmth hit her immediately, along with the familiar smell of leather and weapon oil. A man sat at a desk near the entrance, barely glancing up from his ledger.
"State your business."
"I'm handing in my level forty-five quest and picking up the next one."
He made a note in his ledger.
"Is anyone working at this hour?"
"We're always open. Even at night." He set down his quill and dropped his voice. "Priscilla's handling quests tonight."
Pangs of annoyance crawled up to Itani's stomach.
Priscilla. Of course, it had to be Priscilla.
Itani rolled her eyes the moment she heard the name. She'd had dealings with the dwarf before. Fifty-odd years of age and cranky didn't begin to cover it. The woman made vinegar seem sweet.
"It's fine."
She moved deeper into the building, boots squelching on the stone floor. At least there wasn't a queue, which was a small mercy at this hour of the night.
Priscilla sat hunched at her wooden desk, visibly annoyed that someone had disturbed her evening. She set aside her knitting with a loud sigh, needles clattering against the desktop.
"I've completed my level forty-five quest," Itani said. "Fifty sand lizard skins and bones."
She summoned her inventory, and a large stack of leathery skins materialized in her lap, followed by a clattering pile of bones.
Priscilla's scowl didn't deepen, nor did it disappear. It just stayed there, exactly as it was.
"Skins again." She stood up with a grunt, grabbing armfuls of the materials. "I can tell you, working at the Warriors' Guild was much better. Well, at least the smell was better.'
"Just take them, please."
Priscilla gave another long and theatrical exhale as she began stacking the skins and bones onto the shelves behind her desk. Each item was pushed to its position with precisely the same motion and the same amount of force. It was like watching an automaton work. When she finished, she turned back with her usual tepid glare.
"Will that be all then?"
"No." Itani straightened. "I want to receive my level fifty quest."
"Right. The big one."
Priscilla rummaged through a mess of clay tablets and vellum scrolls scattered across her workspace, muttering under her breath. Finally, she extracted a clay tablet and thrust it forward.
"Hand."
Itani placed her palm on the cool surface. A faint white light flickered beneath her skin and soon faded. She withdrew her hand.
Priscilla rotated the tablet, studying the symbols that had appeared. Her expression shifted, but just very slightly, into something approaching satisfaction.
"Ha. It's a good one."
Itani waited.
"First, the location." Priscilla tapped the tablet. "You need to travel all the way south, to Eridu."
Itani's stomach dropped. Anything but Eridu.
"Listen, you don't understand." The words burst out before she could stop them. "Not Eridu. I can't go to Eridu."
Priscilla's eyebrows rose, and it was the first genuine expression Itani had seen from her all night.