Chapter 126 – Gorig’s return

Two carriages loaded with crates rode the forest road for a few minutes before stopping with people quickly dismounting and looking around as Gorig and his team quickly walked out of the forest lush carrying three women on their shoulders.

They quickly jumped inside the carriage and put the three tied-up unconscious women inside the empty crates before covering the crates with other stuff that was inside the carriage.

"What took you so long?" Said the servitor coming up to Gorig.

"Huh?" Gorig turned around and looked at him with squinted eyes, making the man jump up from fear.

"I mean, Master Theron was asking. He was really pissed. The auction is starting soon and we were supposed to bring the good for sale yesterday." Stammered the man.

"Theron is here?" Asked Gorig surprised.

"Yes. He came in the morning but went to the black market to plead to be allowed to bring the goods late. You know how special this time's auction is, it is crammed with items. We would be lucky if they list these three women now after being so late."

"What about the other woman?" Asked Gorig ignoring the servitor's concern.

"She was already sent to the auction venue yesterday. We could not wait any longer. If we did not submit some goods they would throw us off the list for sure. People stand in line to get their items to the auction this time as you know."

Noah's hands stopped as he was closing the crate with Samantha inside. He looked inside the crate and saw the woman staring at him with eyes wide open from hearing the servitor's words.

This was bad. They already sent the captured woman to the black market auction venue. Meaning she was inside the dungeon. This was very bad news.

Noah looked back at Gorig that threw the gaze in his direction as well. A few moments of silence later Noah pressed lips together and closed the crate while nodding at Gorig.

"Let's hurry then." Said Gorig and jumped at the seat of the carriage with crates that carried the three women, while Noah jumped into the driving seat, and Brianna sat at the back occupying all free space.

"Where are the Frostgale family's people?" Asked the servitor looking around and not seeing Tariaqsuq.

"How the hell should I know? Once they are under their illusion, even I have difficulty finding them." Said Gorig, annoyed. "Stop wasting time. Let's go."

The Servant and the people looked at each other with strange faces but did not say anything fearing to irritate Gorig and walked to the first carriage that was filled with useless stuff just for appearance.

As the City Guards may be on the lookout for a team with a single carriage, they decided to pretend as a bigger team with two carriages. This would throw off the city guards' suspicion.

As they turned around the carriages and rode back toward the city, Gorig turned to Noah with concern on his face.

"What are you going to do? If she is already in the dungeon. It is too dangerous to try to rescue her."

"I will think something out."

"Are you crazy? You can enter the dungeon but you will not exit. The entrance can be changed. If you raise an alarm when freeing the woman, the dungeon master will block the exit and you'll be locked inside with the most dangerous people in the underworld after you. This is suicide." Said Gorig.

"I know. But I promised them. I'll just have to find another way out." Said, Noah. If things went for the worst he was sure that he could grab Brianna and run away to where Tessa or Priscilla is. As he now had a connection with all three monster women that allowed him to talk with them over the distance and ask them to "call" him, he could meet the conditions of his skill that allowed him to transfer through the dream realm. The only problem was Samantha and her friends.

Although he could let Brianna inside his mind thanks to Ugy's manipulations with the mate bite marks connection, he was not sure he could do the same with Samantha. Also, he was not sure he wanted to disclose his abilities to them, as he was not sure where they stood in their relationship right now. They agreed to his help offer, but were they friends or enemies after that?

"What did the servitor mean by saying this time auction is special?" Asked Noah, changing the subject.

"I am not sure. There is some corrupt memory of some kind of potion or something like that. Gen…Gensera? Something like that. But I am not sure why it is important."

"GenSera?" Asked Brianna surprised, crawling over the crates from the back of the carriage to look at the Gorig. "Did you say poison of GenSera?"

"You know it?" Asked Gorig looking back at Brianna.

"I heard about it. GenSera is an alchemical compound that is akin to myths in the alchemical circles." Said, Brianna.

"What does it do?" Asked Noah.

"It is a potion with a very dubious and questionable effect. But basically, it is a panacea that can heal any disease and even bring back youth."

"Wait, you said it's a poison, not a potion." Said, Noah.

"Well. There is a side effect so to say, that makes it more of a poison than a legal potion. There are many legends about it. The name GenSera comes from the name of an alchemist who created it first and his daughter Gen and Sera. Alchemist Gen created this potion to save his dying teenage daughter, who had a sickness that no potion could heal. However, when his daughter, Sera, drank the potion, she immediately died. Gen was astonished and decided to kill himself as well. He drank the same potion but instead of dying, he gained the youth of a teenager."

"One person died while the other became younger? How does it work?" Asked Noah.

"There are several very complicated theories explaining it. Some say it must be because of divine entanglement. One and the same potion was in two states, poison, and panacea until two people drank it. One of them died from its poisonous state. The other got the second state, which is the panacea. The other theory says that a potion transfers the life energy of one person to the other. But there is very little written material on it. One reason being that it is a forbidden alchemical compound. And the other is that the potion is most likely of a divinity type and can't be made by just anyone."

"Divinity type?"

"This is the legendary rank of an alchemical compound. Unachievable for mere mortals. As you may know, Divine magic is the most powerful magic that humanity possesses. Its power is equal to a pure miracle. The potions of divinity rank are said to possess divine energy which allows their effect to defy logic and laws of metaphysics, creating miracles."

"I see. So what, this GenSera poison, is being sold at this auction?" Asked Noah looking at Gorig.

"No. As I read from Gorig's memory, that potion was sold a month ago, at the previous auction." Said Doppelganger concentrating on the Gorig's memory.

"If it was sold, how does it concern the auction this time?" Asked Noah.

"Noah, the fact that someone sold a divine class potion means that there was someone who could make it. A divine alchemist appeared in this region. Countless people would like to get to know such a person. People are probably hoping that they could meet this person if he sells some more alchemical compounds or at least to buy a creation made by such a legendary person."

"It may have been a potion from someone's collection or the person just passed by and long gone from this region." Said, Noah.

"Whether he is going to really show up or not, is not as important as just the possibility of it happening. It created hype that attracted people from all over the place. I bet the person that conducted this auction was spreading rumors on purpose, that he may show up to attract a crowd. Countless people would want to sell their items in this auction as there will be a lot of rich guys showing up. The prices of any item sold today would soar." Explained Brianna.

"And auction houses selling shares would be soaring as well." Said Gorig, nodding.

"Exactly."  Said, Brianna.

"That's why Theron went to the risk of selling Samantha and others at this auction. The price he'll get is just too attractive." Muttered Noah thoughtfully.

"Probably." Nodded Brianna.

"With all those wealthy people around, security will also be as tight as ever before." Said Gorig.

Noah nodded in silence. With the lack of information, he would have to improvise on the spot quite a lot. Which means any plan was almost useless. Once he gets inside the dungeon he would rely on his wit and skills. So thinking too deeply about the problem was useless.

*Ding.*

*Skill upgrade has been finished.*

Sounded the announcement in Noah's head.

/What is this about, Ugy?/ Asked Noah in his head.

/The skill of the Second Skin illusion has been upgraded. Remember you were able to smell the stench inside the mind realm last time after leveling up? I analyzed that effect and our lust skill and deemed it possible to not only hide our face with illusions but also smell. It looks like the more senses we synchronize with while leveling up the more freedom I have in my capabilities. I have added a new folder of smells in our database and we can save the smells just like pictures. Also, these smells can be applied to your Second Skin Illusion now. For example, the smell you and Lady Brianna now have are exactly those two people whose faces you now wear./ Explained Ugy proudly.

As Noah and Ugy were having a conversation both Brianna and Gorig turned to look at him with strange faces.

Just now they sensed something strange. Brianna's sense of smell was not as good as a wolf's but she was still a monster and realized immediately that the smell she now exuded was different than a moment ago.

"What the?" Said Gorig sniffing the air and then looked at the two people in the carriage with shocked faces.

/Just who the hell is this guy? These skills he has are too damn omnipotent. If he can change the smell like that, does it mean the best rangers in the world are useless if he wants to hide himself?/

*****

As they neared the city, they met the patrol on the road, but City Guards just made a skimming check without checking the contents and faces thoroughly and just a few minutes later they were released to travel forward.

The carriages however did not ride into the city. As the road started to become slightly more populated, they turned to the side road and rode in the other direction.

Half an hour later they came in front of a mansion belonging to one of the lesser nobles living in this area and drove past the gates, that guards at the gates quickly closed the gates behind them.

They drove around the mansion and stopped near the back of the building.

"Master Gorig. Finally, finally." Exclaimed a fat man in noble attire walking out of the back door while wiping the sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief.

"Quickly, bring the goods to the basement." He said to the servants walking behind him. "And be careful, these are precious goods." He ordered the man that started to take out the crates from the carriages as Noah, Gorig, and Brianna dismounted from the carriage.

Noah carefully looked around while making sure to not look suspicious and stood behind Gorig to let him lead the conversation.

"The event is in a few hours. Master Theron and his Lady went ahead. The people from your esteemed Bloodhound family and Frostgale family are waiting for you inside.

Gorig nodded, not bothering to reply, and walked to the mansion followed by Noah and Brianna while the servitor stayed back to make sure the crates were transported without problem, watching over the fat nobleman's shoulder as if his superior.

/Is this noble Theron's subordinate?/ Asked Noah from Brianna, through their connection.

/He is probably one of those people that wish to become a vampire, swearing loyalty to the Vespertine household./ Answered Brianna.

/Usually, Cassandra decides the members, but as a second nosferatu of the family, Theron has the right to choose his own subordinates. As you understand, Theron himself is not very powerful. Such trash noble, who bought the lowest title with money is probably the best he could find to serve him./

As they walked in, Gorig stopped for a moment remembering where to go before turning to walk in the direction of a basement.

When they walked down the marble stairs, Noah saw a small crowd of people waiting for them. There were a few people in the same uniform as Noah and Brianna now wore and they stood near a man that Noah recognized from Cassandra's ball. He was from the Frostgale household. As Noah looked around he saw another man that was at the ball with Theron. This man silently nodded at Gorig as they walked into the basement. Werewolf. This was a member of the Bloodhound family and just like Gorig, he had a top notch sense of smell.

As the three of them stepped inside the basement, Noah and Brianna warily watched this man to see if he picked up something strange from them. But as expected, Ugy's criminal abilities were top notch and even werewolves with a keen sense of smell did not notice Brianna's spider monster smell or Noah's different human smell.

Three days ago, when the ambush on Samantha's team had failed, the assault team was divided into a few groups. A few people from the leashed dog team belonging to the Frostgale family went back to the mansion with the captured Daniella, while Theron's mercenaries stayed back to wait for Gorig who went with two Tariaqsuq and the main assault group to follow Samantha, Lilly, and Kate.

"What the hell, Gorig?" Said the man from the Frostgale household. "How did so many of my people die? Only two survived? Is this a joke?"

"Why do you ask me, Taur? Your people were there as well."

"Those two cubs are still wet behind the ears. That's why I trusted you to lead my men this time." Said the angry man.

"We met the border patrol. We were lucky to return at all after a scuffle with them. You do realize your men are nowhere near the levels of border guards? If it was not for me, your two cubs would have been dead as well."

"Tsk." Voiced Taur. "Where are Tai and Tei?"

"Don't know. They disappeared behind their veils as Theron's boys went here in the morning and I have not seen them since."

"The hell?" Asked Taur, turning to look at Noah and Brianna successfully mistaking them for his subordinates. "Is this true?"

As Noah and Brianna nodded he looked at them carefully. They did have a strangeness to their behavior in their reserved answer and not calling him master as they were trained, but he had dismissed it as their being too ashamed to utter even a word because of their weakness that led to their whole group being wiped out.

Monsters were so dependent on their keen senses that once you deceived these senses they would not even doubt you, so he did not even think that their strange behavior might be because they are frauds.

"Where the hell are those two then?"

Gorig shrugged with one shoulder as if it wasn't his problem, making the other member of the Bloodhound family smirk.

"We don't have time to solve your family problems here. Admonish them later. We have to hurry or Theron will be pissed." Said Gorig.

"Fuck." Said Taur and turned away walking deeper into the basement room, stopping near the wall at the back.

Placing his palm on the wall and muttering something, a dim light shone from his palm and the stones of the wall suddenly shuddered and became transparent, opening up a wide tunnel that led somewhere even lower than the basement.

The people in the basement grabbed the crates with three women that the nobleman's servants brought in and walked into the tunnel.

Gorig, Noah, and Brianna followed after them into the darkness of the tunnel that gave off a deep stench of mold and stale air.