Blood flowed across the road paved with sandstone blocks, quickly washed into the crevices by rainwater.
"Damn foreigners!"
The remaining soldier grabbed his weapon and charged forward. With a metallic clang, the soldier's wrist went numb as he felt a stabbing pain throughout his body, stumbling and falling to the ground.
Thorns III: It caused anyone making melee attacks to suffer certain retaliation damage.
Soon, the last charging soldier also fell silent.
"I don't kill civilians," the man said.
Just as he'd stated, when only civilians remained at the scene, he sheathed his sword. This declaration deterred several people nearby who had grabbed makeshift weapons, including the fruit vendor behind him, who had picked up a cleaver, apparently planning a sneak attack.
Indeed, everyone present were civilians, but if the weapons in their hands came swinging down, that would be another matter.
No one moved. Fear spread continuously to the surrounding area. Following silence came screaming and commotion.
"Ahhh!"
The crowd gathered in the market immediately scattered, fleeing in different directions despite the heavy rain.
The fruit vendor lost his footing and fell to the ground with a splash, trembling as he crawled backward. Not caring about his mud-covered hands and the dirty water on his clothes, he screamed and ran toward the distance after standing up, only to fall again after two steps, tumbling headfirst into his own fruit stall.
Silver coins from his pocket scattered across the ground.
Shaking his head, Levi walked toward the prison cage, broke open the bars in a few strikes, and pulled out a bottle of regeneration potion to pour down the commander's throat.
His health slowly began to rise.
This was the last regeneration potion in his pack. Speaking of regeneration potions, their production was truly limited. Brewing them required 'Ghast Tears,' dropped by a low-spawn-rate Nether monster called 'Ghasts.'
This meant every time Levi ran out of regeneration potions, he had to camp in the Nether for ages, and even then wasn't guaranteed to get any.
Compared to regeneration potions, instant healing potions were much cheaper to make. Only requiring 'Golden Melons' crafted from watermelons and gold nuggets.
Though their overall effect and healing amount weren't as strong as regeneration potions, they took effect instantly and were inexpensive to produce.
Now that he had watermelons, he could achieve instant healing potion freedom.
Hoisting the slowly recovering Gondorian commander onto his back and casually picking up a blanket from the market to drape over him, Levi began retracing his steps.
Carrying a barely perceptible scent of blood.
Splash splash.
Numerous hurried footsteps mixed with the sound of raindrops hitting the ground, forming a low drumbeat.
"Where is everyone?"
The military commander stationed in the Harnen River basin arrived belatedly. Looking at the chaotic market and damaged prison cart, the commander's anger nearly overflowed from his face.
"Damn it, what happened now..."
Just then, a small movement came from within the market. The commander turned his head to see someone crawling out of the fruit stall.
"Stop!"
He roared, and the person trembled all over, immediately freezing in place.
Moments later, two soldiers dragged the fruit vendor before the commander.
"What happened here?"
Faced with the commander's overwhelming presence, the fruit vendor dared not hide anything. Trembling like a sieve and pressing his hand to his heart, he managed to say:
"There was… there was a terrifying fellow in robes who kidnapped that Gondorian prisoner's corpse. I heard he came from the East."
"What else?" The commander grabbed the vendor's head and pressed for more.
"What else, what else..." Under the commander's pressure, the vendor desperately tried to remember: "There was, yes! A soldier tried to cut him with a sword, but it was like cutting himself instead. He uses magic, magic. Yes, he used magic to reflect other people's attacks! That's all I know, really..."
Thud.
The fruit vendor was thrown to the ground as the commander clenched his fists.
From the East, uses magic, and likes kidnapping people.
"That wizard again!"
"A bunch of fools! The town is full of wanted posters for that wizard. Didn't anyone recognize him!?"
"That blue-robed archer who kidnapped our court mage..."
Suppressing his anger for now, the commander waved over his deputy: "Gather all available forces in the town, and contact the guards at the ford. Don't let any suspicious persons through."
"We're going to catch that wizard."
"Commander, might this be somewhat dangerous?" the deputy questioned.
"I hear that wizard has various strange abilities. Even our court mage was no match for him."
"Good point." The commander thought briefly: "Have the soldiers all take shields to guard against his magic and arrows."
"Will shields alone really be enough to defend?" the deputy asked frankly.
"I know you're always cautious, which is useful on the battlefield, but this time you can set aside your doubts."
The commander said: "Surely our strong warriors' shields can block those pebble-sized ice balls?"
"Just ridiculous tricks."
"I understand."
The deputy took the order and immediately went to handle what the commander had assigned.
"The Black Serpent will strangle the White Tree."
The commander looked toward the ford, murmuring words like an incantation.
The Black Serpent was the common symbol of the Haradrim and Umbar corsairs, uniting them in shared belief.
Umbar's symbol was two golden serpents coiled around a staff, Harad's was an ouroboros with head meeting tail, and Near Harad's was a thick black serpent.
No matter how it changed, it always involved serpents.
This was why the Easterlings thought they were abnormal. These folks did nothing but play with snakes all day.
As for the White Tree, naturally that was Gondor's symbol, originating from the tree planted on the lawn of Minas Tirith's palace, which, like the mallorn, came from the holy land of Valinor.
Currently only one remained in all of Middle-earth.
"What can taking away a corpse possibly change?"
Harnen Ford.
This riverside area was always heavily guarded to prevent enemy agents from infiltrating from the opposite shore.
Today was no different. But unlike usual, this time many soldiers had come with a mission.
"Wanted: Blue-robed wizard who kidnapped the court mage and a Gondorian prisoner's corpse. Note: this person is skilled with bow and arrow and throws pebble-sized ice balls for harassment."
Hearing these rumors from this Haradrim settlement, Levi felt speechless.
Wasn't this describing Alatar? Had he also started robbing prisoners like himself? What a coincidence.
Speaking of which, what was this about a court mage? It couldn't be the other Blue Wizard, Pallando, could it?
These two really were something. One serving as advisor to the King of Khand, the other becoming Harad's court mage. They were doing quite well for themselves.
But judging from the news, the wizard on Harad's side didn't seem to be in good ideological shape, or he wouldn't have been "kidnapped."
Amid the flurrying urgent wanted notices for the blue-robed wizard, Levi swaggered along carrying the Gondorian commander, staying well away from the heavily guarded ford bridge meant for pedestrian crossing. He came to another part of the riverbank and crafted a small wooden boat on the spot, settling the still-sleeping Gondorian commander in the back while he sat in front and began rowing north.
As he leisurely rowed the boat, Levi couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
Alatar was a good wizard. Thanks to him drawing away most of the attention, this Ford operation had gone so smoothly.
Perhaps this was a wizard's foresight.