After riding for three hours, we finally reached Kile City. Kile City was a cosmopolitan and a charming place to visit. It was very well known for it's fascinating infrastructer and exquisite Jems. The whole city was surrounded by mountains, each having mines in them. Long ago the residents of Kile City found a huge resource of Vasalladium in the mountains. Vasalladium has a huge price in the market. That is when the City got rich and since became one of the well known places to visit in the region.
However, there was another major attraction for tourists in Kile City. It was the two hundred year old Church right in the City centre. There are many myths that revolve around it. Some say that the Church is the Holyest grounds of them all. That the Angles came down from the Heavens and built it with their own hands and that it banishes dark entities no matter how strong. Some say that the water of the Church are the tears of an Angel. They can heal any wound, disease or curse. Being a Hunter, I am immune to such petty beliefs. As warriors, we need to use our heads rather than blindly hang on stories. However, some people are strong believers and donate a huge amount of money to the Church. In the end, it all goes to the City's vault.
Jade and I walked on foot since the streets were really crowded. We looked around for a cheap Inn to stay, as the fares for the Inns that we saw were ridiculously expensive. Finally we found one whose fare seemed affordable and had a stable. We handed our horses to the caretaker and went inside. As we entered, we saw that the Inn was quite vacant. There weren't many customers. Immediately the owner approached us and welcomed us inside. He showed us our rooms, which seemed ordinary but comfortable. Jade and I booked rooms for two nights along with meals and services for our horses.
Jade was tired from our Journey. His old bones had dealt with a fare share of trouble over the couple of days. So he went to his room and rested. Meanwhile, I went downstairs to have something to eat and get some information regarding Hugh Dexter. The bartenders are usually very talkative. They have to deal with every single type of customers and are normally aware of all the spicy gossip that goes around.
I sat at the counter and ordered some food. While the cook was busy getting my meal ready, the batender gave me company as expected.
"New here?" He asked.
"Yes." I answered.
"So what brings you to Kile City?" He asked.
"I am looking for someone." I answered.
"Oh. Well you can tell me. Maybe I can give you some directions. Tell me the name." The bartender insisted.
"Hugh Dexter." I said.
The bartender paused for a moment. His face turned a bit gloomy.
"I am afraid you have come a long way for nothing. Hugh Dexter is dead. What business did you seek from him?" The bartender asked.
"I do not seek any business with Hugh Dexter." I answered. "As a matter of fact, I know he is dead. I am looking for the one who he made incharge before he died."
"I see. Well I can tell you where he lives, however I won't get my hopes too high if I were you." The bartender said.
"Just tell me where I can find him." I said.
"He lives in small house to the East side of the city. That guy is quite isolated. Doesn't talk much to people. He is only seen when there is something dark around." The bartender said.
"What is his name?" I asked.
"Marwin. That is what they call him." The bartender asnwered.
After I was done talking to the bartender, I ate my meal and set off to see the hunter. I left Jade at the inn, since I thought it would be best not to wake him up. I followed the bartender's directions and finally halted in front of a small archiac house. The windows were broken, you could see thick vines climbing the pillars. It seemed as if nobody lived there. However, I still went and knocked the front door. After a while, someone came and answered. Behind the partially opened door, was a middle-aged man with long black hair and a thick beard.
"Who are you?" He asked. "What do you want?"
"I am looking for Marwin." I answered.
"What business do you seek?" He asked.
I took off my left glove and showed him the crest of the Hunters.
"A critical one." I answered.
Marwin welcomed me inside and served me some tea. The house was quite messy. His weapons and some books were scattered all over the place. Dirty plates were piled up on the table. Marwin sat in front of me and asked why I seeked his help. I explained him the current situation regarding Anthony, and what he intended to do. Marwin took a long sigh and scratched his beard.
"It is a dire situation. But what bothers me is how did that guy find the locket of Zarthar. The locket was destroyed." Marwin asked.
"I don't know. But somehow he has and now he must be stopped."
"I completely understand your situation. However, I don't think I can be of much help." Marwin said.
"Even a little assistance might save the lives of all those people." I said.
"Keiran Garginof was my master's greatest adversary." Marwin said. "He tormented thousands of people and it took my master two years to track him down and kill him. However, after that fight he was no longer the same. The damage he sustained, is what took his life afterwards."
"But he managed to do it. I just want to know how?" I asked.
"That locket is the reason why Keiran had powers. So my master discovered a way to dismantle it." Marwin spoke. "Maybe it might work again."
"What is it that he did?" I asked.
Marwin stood up and walked to the other side of the room he opened a chest and took something covered in a cloth. Marwin brought it infront of me and unwrapped it. It was an arrow. However what caught my attention was its tip. It was made out of a metal that I had never seen before and it was pretty narrow.
"This is no ordinary arrow." Marwin spoke. "It is made of Kronium. Kronium is highly effective againt dark mana. My master sacrificed a fortune to find this. It is quite rare. He made three arrows out of the Kronium he found. Two were utilized in that fight and Keiran almost managed to suck his soul. But finally my master found an opening and took it. He succeeded and defeated Keiran. However, since Keiran's magic drained his life aura, he only survived for a few months and passed away. This arrow was left behind by him. I kept it safe.
And now it just might come in handy. You obviously have only a single shot so don't waste it. But there is a catch."
"Which is?" I asked.
"You must fire this arrow when the locket's power is at it's peak. In other words you must allow Anthony to commmence the spell and when the right moment comes you must hit him." Marwim said.
"But at the peek of his powers, he will easily defend himself." I said.
"Yes. So you must come up with a way to make him vulnerable. That is a challenge on which this whole menace levitates. I am afraid, I cannot be of anymore help." Marwin said.
I took the arrow from Marwin and thanked him for his help. I went back to the inn and found Jade wide awake in his room, flipping pages of books searching for a way to defeat Anthony. As he saw me, he stopped everything and looked at me with hope.
"Did you manage to find the next of kin to Hugh Dexter? Do we have a chance?" Jade asked with glistening eyes.
I showed him the arrow and told him about the conversation that I had with Marwin. Jade looked a bit dissappointed.
"Hope is still hope no matter how dim." I said. "We cannot give up."
"I sure as hell not saying that we should." Jade said. "But we only have a single chance to hit that foul warlock. And that is when he is on the peak of his powers. It won't be easy to make him defenseless."
"Is it ever easy?" I asked.
Jade and I spent a few hours thinking of a way to defeat Anthony. Jade kept flipping books looking for something that might help us. While he was doing that, I managed to recall something. At the moment it seemed like a good idea.