The caravan moved at a slow speed compared to what Jake had to go through. So he took the time to look around and learn about everyone in the caravan.
He saw that there were many men here, but the female population was not that small either.
Among there were priestesses, swordswomen, paladins, and a few mages. The diversity was notable.
But the most important of them were the priestesses. They were going to make the difference between victory and defeat in the adventure that they had undertook.
Jake made conversation with the friendliest looking woman of the bunch. An NPC named Annie, a priestess who was in the fourth tier.
"You know, you are the first polite noble that I have ever talked to. All the other nobles have that arrogance that makes them look at us commoners with disdain." Annie said, smiling.
"You jest, Sister Annie. I am as common as you are. A disciple of god is far more important than a mere baron." Jake smiled, shaking his head.
This was the person he would have to rely on in the Evil Lands.
"So, for what reason did you undertake this behemoth task of coming to the Evil Lands? I don't mean to offend you, but you are far too weak to be coming to the Evil Lands." Annie said.
"There is no offense in what you said. Only the truth." Jake said, shaking his head.
"I am here on the command of the Adventuring Gods. This is the trial that they have chosen for me in exchange for my ascension." Jake said.
"Your ascension? What sins have you committed in the past for your ascension to be so difficult?" Annie took a step back. She clearly knew something that Jake didn't about how the ascension trials were given.
"No sins. I have done nothing but what was right." Jake shook his head.
"Maybe the gods thought that my trial had to be made more difficult than anything else because I am a special case?" Jake postulated.
"That may be the case. I can sense that the God of Light has shone his divine brilliance on you. In that, you are certainly a unique case. I have never seen someone who has been blessed by the divine, and yet punished in the same way." Annie shook her head.
"This is too depressing to talk about. I have already been through enough in this trial. Best not talk about those circumstances." Jake smiled bitterly. He didn't want to be reminded of his terrible luck regarding the Tier Ascension Quest.
"That does make sense. Why talk about something so misfortunate indeed." Annie nodded.
"So then, I must ask, as this has been clawing at me since I came here. Who is the respected senior within the carriage? For someone to be in the carriage, and with a Tier Five Magical Swordsman leading the way, that senior must be exceptionally gifted or powerful." Jake asked.
"Oh, you just came here, didn't you? You don't know the particulars of the quest. That is Father Joseph. He is the High Priest of the temple of the God of Light in the Ancarra Region. He came here for this quest." Annie said.
"The High Priest? Of the Ancarra Region no less? That must mean that he is of the sixth tier!" Jake gasped.
"That is indeed the case. Whoever wants the Holy Grounds purified has invested a lot into the manpower." Annie nodded.
"Saint Ester was a legendary existence during the golden age. When he lived, the Evil Lands didn't dare cast their eye on the Jinnah Kingdoms. The moment his Holy Ground fell and when he met his unfortunate demise, terrible things happened to the alliance, and five kingdoms fell." Annie said, shaking her head.
Jake was piqued by this story. This was the first time that he was hearing of this. A new story line that he had never heard before.
"Then could Saint Ester be…"
"He is someone who took the title of Saint. And someone who took that title has to be someone above the eighth tier." Annie nodded.
"Someone in the eighth tier also fell. Just what evils lie inside the Evil Lands?" Jake shivered.
He knew exactly how impossible it was to get to the tiers higher than the sixth tier. After the sixth tier, each tier ascension was impossibly difficult. And never minding that, getting to the next levels was also too difficult.
Jake could think of only a few names off the top of his head who actually got to the eighth and ninth tier.
And as for the tenth tier, the legendary peak of Gaia, not a single player ever got there. For that was the realm of gods, a realm that no player could touch, at least in Jake's past life.
For someone in the eight tier to die to have an unfortunate demise, it could only mean that there was someone strong enough to fell someone close to the power of a god!
"Do not fret, young Baron. Although no one knows the particulars of what happened that day, there are no existences within the Holy Grounds higher than the fourth tier. And for those who are going to be attracted to the tainted grounds, we have an artifact that should help us out a little." Annie smiled.
"Annie." An scratchy, hoarse sound came from the carriage that was a few meters forward.
"Father!" Annie looked up at carriage, her posture becoming erect.
"You have told the young guest enough. The trees and bushes have ears. Best not speak about some things." Father Joseph said from within the carriage.
"Forgive me for this offense, Father!" Annie said hastily.
"Do not worry. It is a mistake that anyone would make. Just remember everyone. We entered the enemy's eye the moment we left the city. And the moment that we leave the kingdom's border and officially enter the Evil Lands, silence should be best observed."
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