Grim Reading

While waiting to hear word from the herbalist in Beanstalk Village about the plants, Leona decided to finally do something that benefited Silver Wolf. She had been vowing to do it for weeks, but somehow she never got around to it. Today she would. Or, tonight she would. She would go to the library and research a region of Earthland to visit.

Wearing her white t-shirt and desert camouflage shorts with boots and Argent Gloves, Leona left her backpack in her room. Fen was curled on the bed and asleep. She left him alone. He would be bored in the library... besides, they did not allow pets there anyway. She took her knife on the off chance someone or something attacked the guild hall.

Thankfully the library was empty except for one or two staff members. Leona was glad for that. She browsed the shelves for books on various regions of Earthland.

Desierto? Nah. She wanted to give that place a break for awhile. Besides, the Crimson Sashes were probably looking for her there.

Unknown Lands? That sounded interesting, but she would pass this time.

Cursed Lands? Now Leona was interested. She focused on the books and grabbed one on Silent Cemetery. She had been there once before.

Leona got a wooden table in the bottom right corner of the library. She placed the book with a brown cover on the table and sat down. It was entitled "On Silent Cemetery" and the title was written in white letters. She opened it and could practically smell the dust floating up from the pages. When was it last read?

"Silent Cemetery is nestled in an area known as the Cursed Lands. As the name indicates, the region is infamous for the variety of curses that have inspired dread in nearly all travelers for centuries. It is also infamous for its wide range of undead and ghosts." The book stated. Leona frowned. She could have told them that. Where was the interesting stuff?

Leona slogged through the dull writing in search of reward. She was interested in information on artifacts, especially weapons, armor, or items that boosted combat effectiveness. As a mage who frequently engaged in fights, Leona could benefit from anything in that category. The hope of finding something along those lines was what drove her through the dull book. The next section did not promise to change the tune.

"Travelers are advised to avoid the region entirely. However, if one must travel through the Cursed Lands, it is prudent to be prepared for a fight at any time. It is recommended to bring Holy weapons or Holy magic, preferably both. Also, traveler accounts have strongly suggested traveling with others. The account of esteemed scholar and Holy Mage Thomas Beckit of a quest through the Cursed Lands to Silent Cemetery should prove most enlightening." The book continued. Now Leona was mildly interested. She needed to find Thomas Beckit's account. What was its name?

"Thomas Beckit's account, entitled The Eternal Crusade: Trials Of A Holy Warrior, recounts his four-year journey with other Holy mages on a quest to purify the Cursed Lands. He speaks from experience gained from his many travels on his quest to rid Earthland of necromancers and their vile creations. He credits his sword imbued with holy magic for his many victories over the forces of darkness." The excerpt stated. Leona was paying full attention to the text. A weapon that could make short work of the undead would be very helpful.

"Beckit's sword Lifebringer is legendary and is sought after by many. It may sound like an ironic name for an object meant to take life, but Beckit's fellow warriors and the countless people he rescued from the forces of darkness have provided detailed accounts of how it lived up to its name. Zombies, vampires, witches, necromancers, werewolves, and all manner of spirits were felled by its blade. Many whose lives were saved by Lifebringer can attest to its unquestionable effectiveness against beings of darkness." The excerpt continued.

It went on through numerous accounts of how the blade ended the unnatural lives of many of the denizens of the Cursed Lands. Leona was ecstatic. Then she saw something that dashed her plans.

"Thomas Beckit lies buried in Holy Castle. His tomb is vigilantly guarded by those of his order and the watch never sleeps..." It said. Leona was crushed. She was not going to raid the Holy Castle for the sword. She looked down in dejection and nearly closed the book. However, her thumb got stuck and her efforts to free it made the book open to an entirely different section. It was about the tomb of someone named Carl K. Blaskowitz.

According to the paragraph of text, he was a legendary mage who was proficient with all manner of magical firearms and used a Re-Equip Magic called Armaments Magic. He once foiled an attempted demonic invasion of Earthland by traveling through a portal to the source and banishing something called the "Visage of Evil." Much of the text was worn away, but she gleaned that his tomb was in Silent Cemetery. Leona's hope was rekindled. She would go to Silent Cemetery and visit the tomb of Carl K. Blaskowitz.

Buoyed by this discovery, she read further. There was precious little text, but what was there stated that Blaskowitz made use of several powerful artifacts during his counterattack. These artifacts went by simple but descriptive names like the Sphere Of Spirits, the Aggression Pack, the Orb of Specters, the Orb of Empowerment, and the Orb of Immunity. Leona was eager to read more about the artifacts, but there was little more to be read. That was a disappointment... she was willing to wager that his adventures were exciting, to say the least.

Leona's spirits were revitalized enough to re-read the entire book. She went from start to finish in an effort to find more information about Carl Blaskowitz. Going over the Table of Contents and the Works Cited pages with a fine-tooth comb came up with a book title. It was called To Infernus And Back: The Untold Story of Carl K. Blaskowitz, Savior Of Earthland. Leona would need to find that book some day soon.

After finishing the entire book, Leona closed the tome and carefully put it back in its proper place on the shelf. She then turned around and left the library. She was already planning her trip to the Cursed Lands. She wondered what could be waiting for her there. Well, what was waiting besides the undead.

Leona would need to prepare for the trip carefully. Aside from food, water, and clothing, she would also need anti-curse vials. Being bitten and turned into an undead being would definitely put an end to her plans. She would also need medicine for more mundane injuries like cuts, bruises, and burns. Finally, she would need to leave a travel plan with the guild so that they could send help if she remained gone for more than a few days... or retrieve her body if the worst happened.

The blonde preferred not to think about that sort of thing. She would come back. She would return with something worth studying. She would finally do something for the guild. She went back to her room, shut the door, and tried to go to sleep.

[Word Count: 1,226] [Total Word Count: 1,226/1,000]