I thought that persuading Celestine to stay with our kids and John was going to be hard, but she actually offered to do that on her own. There was unfortunately something else she proposed. She wanted me to assist until they would shape proper living conditions, which put me in an awkward spot.

After all, I had different plans. Fortunately, I somehow managed to persuade her that my hunting in Loistavadvaar is a better idea. After all, I always could pop in and bring them supplies.

The negotiations evolved then, and they stopped at me delivering a crystal from Loistavadvaar so they could have a headstart. Until I got one, they were supposed to be left on their own.

In such a way I was left by myself in Arc.

I continued the chase after the ghost, delivering the promised crystal a few days later. They already had the city built by that time, but the upgrades they could afford to the device thanks to my contribution were welcomed. After all, they didn't want to waste their time hunting goblins, when they could chase the bigger game.

Then I finally was able to do what I wanted to focus on. I wasted a few more days looking for ghosts but was unsuccessful. That made me decide to say 'Fuck it' and actually start preparations for the siege of Aaraam'soturi.

I packed some food, the gear I made back in Petrograd, including the golems, and in the middle of the day want to visit the wastelands. I guess I was nervous because I couldn't make myself just go for it. Instead, I walked more casually.

The official reasoning behind that was 'to not alarm anybody because Will is for sure observing me', but the truth was simpler. From the perspective of time, I can't really blame myself. The place was scary. Even Ixa got her ass kicked there. Well, she made it a bit weaker, but still got overwhelmed, so I had at least a slightly easier job to do.historical

It's been a while since I visited that part of the lands sounding Arc. They were as I remembered, depressing, colorless, kinda hostile in the way they looked, but for the most part empty. A rocky desert, where the rocks look like the massive claws of a beast that wants to kill you.

The dark crevasses in the ground looked like somebody was about to jump out to rip your face off. Not to mention the fine dist in the air, which I kept away with some 'Telekinesis'.

I kept my eyes wide open, expecting some enemies to appear soon, even if I barely left the city. I couldn't just shake off that feeling. There was some truth to that since Ixa and her lackeys definitely pulled some of them out of Aaraam'soturi. There was also a lot of false since if they would be that close, they would definitely attack the city.

I should also mention the fact that the guards on the walls and the gate reported me to Will. I glanced over at one soldier and saw a guy pointing at me to another guy, who already had a phone in his hand.

"Fucking technology" I remember thinking. Back in the day, Will wouldn't know that fast, but with the infrastructure built by Joseph's company, communication was way easier.

I immediately started hoping that my friend wouldn't come running after me to stop me. Not only I didn't want to hear his preachings but also didn't want him to get killed if my stupid plan would derail its terribly built tracks, which was a big-ass possibility. So yeah, I had a lot of intrusive thoughts.

Fortunately, they got kicked out by memories. I started having flashbacks from my earliest visits to the place. The whole story of releasing Ki'rai from the hands of Xuvi basically got projected to me by my own mind. I remembered how scared I was of the first ever ghost I saw, and he wasn't even that strong.

Then I remembered my escapade to find Loistavadvaar, when one of those assholes almost killed me. Thet one was indeed strong. Not the strongest I've encountered, but definitely far away from the weakest ones.

With those thoughts occupying my mind, hours passed. Hours without Will coming after me screaming that I'm an idiot. Which he would definitely do. This assured me that he wouldn't come.

He probably knew just as well as I did, that there was no way I would back down from this plan. He would probably somehow persuade me to return this time because I wasn't feeling that confident, but I would never drop the whole idea.

At that moment, I guess he had more faith in me than I did. I was actually scared shitless, although I wouldn't admit that. The clearest indication was that I wasn't even using my skills, just walking like a complete moron. Wasting time, and getting distracted by thoughts, while getting closer to a very significant danger.

I should have prepared myself. Transformed, and enhanced my strength and endurance, but I was so scared that I'm gonna lure an army towards myself by doing that,t get I prepared to stay silent, like a sneaking mouse to steal some cheese.

Eventually, the night came, because the wastelands were actually a massive space, which I somehow pushed out of my mind. After all, I spent a lot of time searching for Loistavadvaar when I tried to find that place. Suspecting that I'll arrive in five minutes at Aaraam'soturi was just stupid. I don't blame myself, though. I wasn't really being rational.

I ended up setting a camp, hiding under one of those massive sharp stones. Not to rest, since I didn't need that, but rather to eat, while I would sort my thoughts. I simply realized that I need to get my shit together if I want to have a shot at succeeding.

Either way, it was going to be a tough battle, but If I was distracted by other shit, if I was not believing in my success, there were no chances of winning.