Chapter 128

Water Walk

Abigail

A goblin! What a strange turn of events.

I made my way southwest toward the coast. I knew I’d be walking for at least a couple of hours, but there was no rush since Hawkin and company would meet me there later.

If the goblin lied to me for whatever reason, I would just track her down and find Hawkin anyways. It would only cost me a day’s worth of effort at most. But there was no reason not to trust her.

So I told myself until I arrived at the coast.

The first thing I noticed were the hundreds upon hundreds of goblin ships that were north by half a day’s travel by foot.

I took in the intimidating scene for quite some time.

When I took in the rest of my surroundings, I saw the Mist Hidden libation point floating at sea. It was easily within swimming distance. I saw Hawkin’s tracks fading on the beach.

I didn’t see their camp so I walked up and down the coast for some time and searched the trees. Several libations of Clairvoyant Tracker revealed nothing new. I went into the woods and searched for paths. For anything. After another two hours of searching, I became increasingly frustrated so I returned to the coast.

I decided to go out on the water for a better vantage point.

I fished out bullhead lily stockroots from among the ingredients I’d purchased from Wex Hill. I brewed a simple light lager and imbued the ingredient into the beer using Alchemical Control. After fermentation and carbonation, my special attribute beer was ready to drink.

[Light Lager.]

[Gold Rank. Greater Legendary 20/100.]

[Brewed by Abigail Yak.]

[Special Attribute: Water Walk.]

I took a nice long swig of the lager and strode out to sea. Each step bent the surface of the water down into a firm foothold. The salt of the sea crashed at my ankles. The wind billowed around me. My hair and my dress snapped in the wind.

When I came to the libation point, I turned and looked at the coast. I surveyed the beach that extended north. Then the beach that extended south. The tree line held no evidence of human living.

There was no camp.

“Not surprised,” I muttered. “One thing after another on this wild journey.”

I was about to return to the coast when I heard a distant commotion. I took another swig of my light lager and turned my gaze to the goblin ships. I could see more of the coast now and realized there were a handful of orc ships as well. And a port.

Several of the ships nearest to the port were maneuvering around in a panic. I squinted to make out the flurry of activity on the deck of each ship. Sails were raised. Small goblin figures waved their arms about from the helm.

What on earth is going on?

I heard a horn blare and echo along the coast. Two ships collided together near the port. Between them, unscatched from the collision, sailed a small wooden raft. Upon that raft was a small goblin, barely discernible from my distance. A familiar goblin.

Is that…

The goblin paddled hard for the port, navigating around a cluster of ships. The little boat swiftly approached port. Then banged against the pilings. Orcs rushed down the dock. The goblin climbed onto the dock and emptied two bottles at her feet.

Oh shit, I thought. Everything was suddenly clear.

I bolted for the libation point, and fished out a Slow Time attribute ale. I popped the cork off, but it was too late. A wall of mist manifested in the blink of an eye from libation point to libation point. The force of the colliding mist threw me into the air, out to sea.

Both attribute beers were blown from my hands. My body hit the sea with a thud and the breath left my lungs. Mist billowed from the wall and extended out to swallow me. I picked myself up, forced myself to breathe and headed back for the coast.

I couldn’t find the coast. I was stuck in a world of mist. It was so thick that I couldn’t even see my hands in front of my face. The Water Walk attribute ended and I plunged into the sea. The waves crashed into me. I was disoriented. I pulled another Slow Time attribute beer and took a sip. Then, in the suddenly still sea, brewed another Water Walk attribute beer and hefted myself onto the surface of the sea.

I walked around for 20 minutes before finally escaping the mist, finding the coast, and returning to land. Then I collected my thoughts.

I’d been had. That freaking little goblin had distracted me. She was protecting Hawkin. I should have known something was up. So for sometime, I paced while I cursed beneath my breath at my own folly.

Reaching Hawkin was going to be a lot harder now.

I should have harvested ingredients for a portal attribute beer when I had the chance. I should have thought ahead. I could have just portaled to the other side of the Mist Hidden wall.

I had to find a way in.

The day drew on while I sat, contemplating my circumstance for hours. In that time, the mist had settled in place, forming a bioluminescent, impenetrable wall. I shook my head everytime I looked at it. I’d been so close. So close! Yet thwarted by a diminutive goblin.

Way to go, Abigail. Yup… Gold ranked Brewer… Awesome.

I considered portaling to Hiccup’s brewery to see if he’d help me overcome this hurdle. But then I considered Margaux, and decided to see what I can do on my own before asking for help.

In the meantime, I decided to make camp.

I made fire, brewed a few different shelter attribute beers, and made myself comfortable for the rest of the afternoon. I lay on my bedroll, just tucked into the woods, and watched the goblin ships near the obscured port.

I considered them. Wondered about their purpose there. Then I remembered that awful beer of Hawkin’s that I’d discovered. The slimy one. I considered the debris that had been at sea. I realized that those skeletons I’d seen at sea must have been goblins.

Hawkin’s brewing beer for the goblins. He has to be. Why the orcs are involved, I have no idea! That was goblin beer I’d had. Wasn’t it? Oh god, I don’t want to even think about what he’d used to brew that!

Wait just a minute. If Hawkin is brewing beer for the goblins, and the port was their final libation point, could he still plan to be brewing beer for them? Would the port be the gate in that case? Would they frequently visit the port? Would that be my chance to finally track him down?

I decided to observe the port from my location for the next few days.