This expedition hadn't been a complete waste. At the very least, the group now knew there might be a mastermind behind the mutated animals, plotting something sinister.
The two druids cleaned up the battlefield. Normally, the cycle of life and death was a fundamental part of nature, so druids didn't oppose hunting. If they encountered an animal carcass, they wouldn't perform acts of misplaced kindness like cremation or burial. Instead, they would leave it where it lay, allowing predators to enjoy the meal, scavengers to pick at the leftovers, and microorganisms to naturally decompose the remains.
However, these mutated animals clearly fell outside the category of normal creatures. Even burying them risked contaminating the soil. Thus, the two druids opted for cremation, finding an open space to burn the corpses to ash.
Once this was done, the group began their return journey. Their next task was to investigate the prime suspect: the Moon Circle.
But as Cipher glanced at the slowly darkening sky, she knew that would have to wait until tomorrow. On the way back, she mulled things over and struck up a conversation with the paladin elder. "By the way," she asked, "what kind of being is the Father of Oaks?"
The paladin elder heard her and briefly explained what he knew about the Father of Oaks. His account largely matched what Cipher already knew.
It was no exaggeration to say that the Father of Oaks was likely the most famous Ancient God in this world. He was the source of all Natural Magic, the embodiment of Nature itself, and a remarkably benevolent deity, extremely friendly to all living beings. These traits alone ensured that in the event of a world-ending catastrophe, this god would undoubtedly be a powerful ally.
The paladin elder continued, "The Father of Oaks resides in the deepest part of the Great Forest. In all my years, I've only seen him once. He is the First Tree, a colossal oak that seems to connect the sky and the earth, like a giant umbrella protecting all life beneath it."
Cipher asked, "If I wanted to meet the Father of Oaks, could you help me arrange it?"
Investigating the mutated animals and the Moon Circle druids was the right general approach, but... since this land was protected by an Ancient God of Greater Divine Power, why not seek his help directly?
Perhaps for the people of the forest, the Father of Oaks was like an elder figure. When trouble arose, their first instinct was to handle it themselves. After all, you couldn't go crying to your father every time something went wrong, could you?
But this was no ordinary problem. This was a world-level crisis involving an Outer God. They had to use every means at their disposal.
The paladin elder immediately understood. "You mean... you want to ask the Father of Oaks for help?"
Cipher replied, "For a god like him, perceiving the entire forest and pinpointing the source of the mutated animals should be a simple matter, right?"
As she spoke, however, a new thought struck her. If the Father of Oaks was truly aligned with the forces of good, shouldn't he have intervened immediately when an Outer God Incident occurred on his own territory? Mutated animals were running rampant, yet the Father of Oaks had made no move. Something was wrong.
In that instant, her resolve to meet this god hardened.
"The last time I saw the Father of Oaks was when I was just a child," the paladin elder said. "But I think I remember the way. I can lead you there."
And so, the plan for the next day was set. The paladin elder would personally lead Cipher and her three companions to meet the Father of Oaks, while the rest of his tribe would focus all their efforts on investigating the Moon Circle.
Investigating the Moon Circle had less to do with raw power and more with intimate knowledge of the forest and its terrain. Aria and the others would be of little help, so they might as well accompany Cipher to see the Father of Oaks.
The scene shifted to the next morning. The paladin elder brought no one else, and the group of five set off early, heading deeper into the forest. Their journey lasted three full days.
This was no leisurely stroll. They jogged almost the entire way, pushing themselves relentlessly. Even at that pace, it took them three days just to reach the vicinity of their destination.
The paladin elder scanned the surrounding landscape as he walked. "I remember now," he said. "It should be right around here."
As the guide, he was naturally at the front of the group. Just as the paladin elder spoke, a red beam of light suddenly shot out from deeper within the forest, slamming into him with lightning speed.
BOOM—
The impact even produced a sound like a sonic boom. As for the paladin elder, who had taken the hit head-on... he merely staggered slightly. Otherwise, he was unharmed.
Feidric froze for a moment, then immediately began chanting, casting a Magic Shield over everyone. "That was an Eldritch Blast!" he shouted. "It's a warlock's signature spell!"
Unlike attacks like Fireball, Ice Cone, or Lightning Bolt, Eldritch Blast dealt damage more akin to physical force. Hitting someone with it was like shooting them with a gun—the effect was no different from a bullet. But it was still magic, which meant the paladin elder's Oath of the Ancient Sages' Magic Resistance reduced its damage. They would have dealt more damage by simply shooting him with a real gun.
Just as Feidric finished casting the shields, the next wave of attacks came. A surge of magic power rippled through the area, and the five of them could clearly feel the ground beneath their feet turning soft, as if they were standing on a giant marshmallow.
The paladin elder gathered his strength, trying to leap out of the affected area, but this only caused him to sink deeper until half his body was submerged in the soft ground. He frowned and exclaimed, "How could there be a warlock near the Father of Oaks!?"
After all, most warlocks were not good people. Having signed a contract with some powerful entity, they were bound to obey their lord's commands. This warlock was clearly obstructing their path, trying to prevent them from reaching the Father of Oaks—no matter how you looked at it, this was a bad sign.
Cipher's brow furrowed slightly. Seeing the paladin elder sink, she deliberately lightened her steps, moving as if she were a feather. She danced across the soft ground, barely causing it to indent, and in just a few steps, she was outside the spell's range.
The next second, golden lightning crackled at her side. Before the paladin elder's eyes, Cipher vanished with a soft hum. He could only faintly glimpse a streak of golden light flashing into the depths of the forest, heading toward the direction from which the Eldritch Blast had come.