"Do you all have any experience regarding these kinds of terrain?" Natalak implores.
They gather around— maps open.
Sheila then brought out a divination scroll. Unrolled, and through a single injection of her mana. The scroll pulses a light; consequently, the item disintegrates into ash.
When Natalak looked at the map, he saw a single ember dotting the drawings. His eyes lit up in awe, his muscles flinched as fingers tried to rub the glowing dot.
"Strange… it feels nothing at all? Not even the slightest warmth." Natalak ponders quickly removing his fingers before the group notices his unusual behaviour.
"So, what are you all going to do now?" Natalak implores.
The group went silent for a moment or two.
"There's still not enough data that we've gathered," Sei replied.
"Have you noticed any presence of a person during that last fight?" Natalak follows.
Sheila shakes her head, "No, we didn't."
"I see, well, I do intend to go towards the ruined building. But… want to elevate this scout quest?" Natalak's eyes now gleamed with challenge, a testament to the group.
Their mouth was silent, and their face expressed hesitation. They look at each other, communicating through their senses.
"Say, Natalak… from your travels, would you mind lending us some of your experience?" Riya implores
"W-what?" Natalak stammers, his face shifts from dare to stupefied.
"The way you handle those creatures back there… would you like to lend some of your experience?" She follows.
"I-I don't know… the only thing that I can give you is advice. For I can see you're in a league of your own. However—"
Natalak paused, based on his past observations of their teamwork and his careful study. He can tell their teamwork is rough.
"Have you all been with a high-class team of adventurers? Or a party perhaps?" Natalak shifts his words.
They went silent, again. Either embarrassed or have a personal reason not to tell. A repulsion to powerful adventurers, he reckons.
"This is our seventh time accepting a small quest. We didn't get to experience teaming up with other parties, since they are busy dealing with other, more dangerous missions."
"I see…" Natalak replied just as his mind ponders for advice.
Sheila's group could retreat to report their findings. Sitting Natalak waits for their decision.
"We decided… will you join us in advancing our mission?" Sei reach his hand.
Natalak shrugs.
"Excellent, I happily comply." Natalak smiles.
As the party journeys together through the forest, trees rasp, their trunks groan from the howling wind.
"I must say, Sir Natalak… I'm still curious about your origin. You said it's far away. On what continent is it?" Sheila asks.
"Just call me Nat… well, for you question… I don't really know." Natalak answered, pondering a silver word.
"Well…" Natalak scratch his head. "To be truthful, I was raised in the orphanage at Endregar. The caretaker said they found me near the riverside. And a letter that I came from a land called Earth."
"Endregar? What would it be like growing up there? I have never been through that empire, but I heard it's a place full of infrastructure and beautiful cities." Reith follows.
"The fuck! I don't even know what sort of kingdom Endregar is. I just heard that kingdom from someone else's mouth." Natalak's thoughts.
"I would rather not talk about it; my childhood is full of not-so-good things," Natalak replied.
"Ah, apologise for my words, I tend to make sudden outbursts when I'm excited," Reith said.
"No worries, I'm rather more curious about your guild." Natalak smiled, relieved that his lies might have convinced them.
As the group tracks through the path guided by the map. There, Natalak learns little by little how the guild operates.
"Ah, so the adventurer's guild is backed by churches and nobles," Natalak said.
"Yes, it's not only nobles that make connections. Churches like the Radiant Flames that are associated with Azarus. Temples of Sharum, the goddess of luck, fortune and wealth. Churches of Adra and so on."
"Hmm… no wonder the guild administrator is strict with their rules and regulations. It feels no different from Earth." Natalak whispers.
"How was the adventurer's guild established?" Natalak questions.
"Ah… well… it was Seth, one of the famous heroes, who found and created the adventurer's guild. However, some speculate that it was Azageis idea. Today, Seth's descendant still roams the world gathering merits."
"I see. Curious… what's the main house of the guild?" Natalak follows.
"It's in Keshoval, actually, though there are other guild stations in every kingdom and other places. Some inns are associated with the guild. Except, however, for the dwarven kingdom and the elves, they tend to keep their place private." Sheila answered.
"Wow, more like a giant corporation." Akatosh chuckles.
"That's why the guild is very strict on its rules and regulations. There's one at Maginum, but only a handful of adventurers rarely go there." Sheila said.
"Maginum? What's so special about that place?"
"It's an empire of magic. It was founded during and after 'The Chaos of Magic'." Comes Sei.
"A what?" Natalak said.
"It's a continent land only ruled by mages, sorcerers, arcane arts and such. Wizards, however, are different." Sei replied.
"What's the difference between a wizard?"
"Wizards are followers of Vasharim, the god of wisdom. They don't have temples; they roam the world." Sei answered
"One great example is archsage Azageis, the one who ended the veilmage crisis and is still carrying the legends today. He still roams the land, and meeting him is a dream of a lifetime." Sheila said, her tone and expression were full of delight and awe.
"That's something coming from a mage, I thought mages and wizards don't get along with each other." Natalak jags.
"True, but even we mages, sorceresses, and witches are both astounded and jealous towards them. Although they don't really care, even if we scoff or praise them."
"So, what kind of place is Maginum?" Natalak questions.
"Beats me, I heard it's full of magic and unworldly technologies."
"Hmm…" Groans, Natalak's massaging his chin.
The path was long, consuming more than six hours of climbing through terrains. In contrast, Sei and Sheila are chattering with Natalak. Riya and Reith were glued to the map.
Silently, the two would stop their track, Riya scours the place.
Fortunately, the ground was dry and easy for them to trek towards the ruined building. For some time, Natalak saw Reith picking herbs and mushrooms and would often appraise them to Sheila.
The forest is vast but open to sunlight.
For Natalak, he casually observes the party, scavenging what they can find along his path.
It was now past noon, and legs began to soar. Sweat drips, throats dry, and there the group huddles for a rest.
Consuming more than an hour, the group felt a disturbance through the shadowy distance. The person or whoever it was that Natalak saw was following them, watching them.
Then a fast projectile shoots at Natalak's shoulder. Then another.
"Ouch!" Natalak groans.
The projectiles were but a stick, twisted like a rope, but hard as iron.
"Druids!" Sheila shouts upon seeing the projectiles embedded in Natalak's shoulder.
Quickly, Natalak felt something spanning his flesh. And without hesitation, he pulls the sticks, revealing a root emanating from the tips of the sticks.
The group positions itself, and as they do. The presence vanished, gone.
Riya and Sheila fire their long-distance armaments, magic, and arrows. It reveals nothing.
It was then that Natalak understood the enemy's game. It was the battle of psychology and emotion. To put their minds and senses into chaos, the more they linger in this place. The more fear and confusion they'll soon absorb.
Still, the injuries sting his flesh, and it is unknown if he was given poison or not. That, however, was quickly patched as Sheila healed his injuries.
"So now we're dealing with druids." Natalak implores.
Filled with both dread and anger— Natalak was now gritting his teeth, pondering how he could outmanoeuvre the enemy that was toying with them.
Night came; the three moons from up above were fully open, but the clouds were thick like a murky river. A panther was on the run, then it stopped; in front of the panther was the woman from before. For a second, the beast morphs into its human form.
Their eyes lock gazes, circling each other. Though their expressions were different, the man's look gave only a blank stare—it's as if you were staring at an empty soul. The woman, however, seems to be holding back her aggression. And a quick reveal from the moonlight, she was a dark elf, but different, a mix-breed of dark elf and a moon elf, perhaps.
While the tension boils, the woman's hands slowly emit a mist of ice. And when the pressure breaks, the two quickly enter the battle. Roots vent from the ground, trying to spike the elf, only to be shattered by her icy magic. Her moves were those of a cat, sensing and dodging where the roots would erupt. Through their dance, cold mist begins to surge in the area. Crystal ice gradually sprang like mushrooms from every corner.
The man, knowing he was at a disadvantage, tried to flee only to see his feet being chained, cemented by ice. Morphing into his beast form, the panther changes into its second phase. Fangs grew longer, and claws developed into more intimidating ones. Its muscles bulged, giving the panther a daunting shape, and, finally, green mist escaped from its body. The elf's icy magic can't even penetrate his body, even when she sends ice shards, sharp as an enchanted blade; the shards would break like glass thrown at concrete.
Aggressive and deadly, the panther slowly outclasses the elf's reflexes. Shifting her magic, her left hand gleams in emerald light, and from the ground, thick glowing green vines emerge. Wrapping the beast, unfortunately, the green steam withers the vines in just a second.
"Tch, if only the three moons were fully open." The elf sneers. "Should I?" She continues drawing out her two elvish blades.
The blade hums upon the unsheathing— the vane was dark as the night without light, even from the moonlight it absorbs. One more thing, after giving a deep breath, the elf's body turns transparent.
"I need to end this fast. Uncle, please don't hate me for this." The elf grips her weapon tightly.
In their clash, when the panther's sharp paws clawed her body, they merely went through. It's as if her body were made of mist; however, it was only for a second, and then it returned to normal. Fortunately, it was enough to drive her murky blade into the man's abdomen and chest.
"Shoot!" The elf gave a disorderly expression.
From the wound she gave him, the panther was squirming as he slowly reverted to his original form.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Rick!" The elf rushes to help the man.
Her rushing stops when the druid summons a different beast.
The druid's bloody hand placed on the tree trunk. And from there, the tree's trunk was shattered—its fragments spread, levitating, and from the looks, the tree didn't fall. Instead, its inside opens a gate, a portal to another realm.
The sound cracks like a wood being split by an axe. The blue mist-like water that envelops the tree hums like the vibration of a large bell being struck. And from the portal it slowly enters…
It walks on all four, but through knuckle-walking, even its head resembles a gorilla—it has large antlers and a crown. Its body consists of thick fur and scales; its shoulder is a rock-like skin where moss grows and vines drape. It also had a tusk growing out from its jaws.
The elf, when she returns her sight towards the druid. He was already gone; only the trails of blood were there. Leaving that aside, she was rather more concerned about the new enemy.