Damian rode alongside the heavily funded expedition team assembled by Madam Jill, venturing deep into the treacherous Winter Forest.
The group numbered twenty-four in total. Apart from the three members of Link's squad, there were two four-man Court Wizard squads. The rest of the company consisted of Madam Jill's private mercenaries.
The Wizards were all mounted on Land Strider Birds, which were perfect for navigating the uneven, snow-covered forest terrain. For their heavy supplies, the group brought along several Two-legged Pack Beasts. These creatures possessed superb stamina, handled every kind of terrain, and were even capable of short stretches of flight to cross ravines.
The expedition leader was a rigid, stern-faced middle-aged Wizard. He was reputedly Madam Jill's right-hand man and the Chamber of Commerce's supervisor.
As they breached the outer perimeter of the Winter Forest, a colossal Dragon-Serpent Tree came into view. Its thick, up-curved branches formed an immense, perfectly symmetrical canopy.
A closer inspection revealed knotted growths along the limbs. From a distance, the knotted growths looked like a writhing nest of tumor-ridden serpents.
Damian recognized the giant tree immediately. When he had first arrived in Winter Forest, he had initially spawned right here on the periphery. This entire outer belt was dominated by a dense, interconnected forest of these Dragon-Serpent Trees.
The route the expedition took wasn't the exact path Damian had used previously, but it still cut straight through that grove.
These Dragon-Serpent Trees crave mana; should a Wizard or magical beast wander too close, the vines would strike out, drain their magical core, and leave the victim as nothing but a dried, withered husk.
Upon reaching the edge of the grove, the team leader raised a hand, signaling a halt. "We're entering the wood. Al, hand out the powder. Everyone, dust yourselves down."
A stocky wizard pulled a heavy sack of powder from one of the Two-legged Pack Beasts and began distributing it. Al was the sole First-Level Wizard Apprentice in the party, seconded by Madam Jill from her caravans. He knew several field-practical spells and excelled at cooking, camp-craft, and basic wilderness survival.
They doused their robes in the coarse dust, which had been harvested directly from the Dragon-Serpent Trees' own pollen. The scent baffled the Dragon-Serpent Trees' senses.
Coated in the pollen, the wizards could pass through unharmed. Because other magical creatures instinctively avoided the Dragon-Serpent Trees, this dangerous grove ironically became a safe zone from the rest of the forest's predators.
Thoroughly powdered, the column moved deeper into the grove. The Dragon-Serpent Trees remained perfectly still, giving no sign that they noticed the intruders slipping past.
After a while, the air grew thick and misty. The towering, half-seen trees would usually be a nightmare environment to defend against magical creatures, yet Damian spotted none.
Thanks to Al's powder, the team passed through without incident and left the Dragon-Serpent Tree grove behind.
Beyond it, they officially entered the true Winter Forest. Snow lay thick on the ground year-round, yet lush vegetation still thrived—earning the region its name.
Once clear of the Dragon-Serpent Tree perimeter, Damian's magical senses immediately picked up the mana sense of various magical creatures. Fortunately, they were mostly low-level beasts that wisely kept their distance from the large, heavily armed party.
Several hours later, the team reached the edge of a deep canyon.
The team leader called back a warning. "We are about to cross into Lantern Monster Apes' territory. They are fiercely territorial and stay sharp."
Steadying his Land Strider Bird, Damian pulled out the parchment map Link had given him earlier.
The Winter Forest was divided into three main zones. The outermost ring was the Dragon-Serpent Tree grove. Past that lay the Forest Canyon, which was teeming with magical creature clans but had been mapped in relatively good detail.
Their secondary goal in this canyon was to locate a viable harvesting site for Colored Cloud Grass.
Colored Cloud Grass grows widely in Winter Forest and was highly prized in alchemy. However, most of the dense stands were monopolized by territorial, herbivorous beasts, making safe collection sites incredibly scarce.
If their search went poorly, they might be forced to drive off a local beast colony and seize its habitat to secure the harvest.
Past the canyon lay the Deep Area of the Winter Forest. It was sketched only in rough outlines on Damian's map, marked with a handful of known danger spots. Some of these spots were controlled by powerful beasts, while others were treacherous due to nature.
"Link," Damian asked quietly, "can your blood-tracking spell sense Old Watson yet?"
"Let me try," Link replied. He pulled a transparent crystal ball from his robes, pricked his finger, and let a single drop of blood fall onto the glass.
The sphere slowly reddened; Link stared intently into the depths of the crystal, his eyes growing distant as his magic reached out to sense the location.
The pull pointed straight into the Deep Area of the Winter Forest.
"I've got him," Link confirmed. "He's deep inside the forest."
Link felt a surge of relief. Had the team been merely scouting for a Colored Cloud Grass site, they would never push into the depths; the canyon alone would suffice.
But Madam Jill had a second purpose—her granddaughter needed to find a Shadow White Deer.
Legend says Shadow White Deer are kindly souls transformed, guiding lost travelers out of Winter Forest.
Very few had ever seen them alive, but a reliable sighting had recently reported a habitat in the deep zone. This entire expedition was the wrapper around that search for the Shadow White Deer.
Because of this, once they secured a grass-collection site, the team would still press onward into the deep zone. With the combined combat strength of twenty-four skilled wizards, Link could safely tag along to find Old Watson and face whatever was waiting for them.
Damian nodded in understanding. "Then let's focus on securing a Colored Cloud Grass collection area first."
As they descended into the Forest Canyon, the environment drastically shifted. The magical creatures here were stronger and bolder, daring to stalk the party from the distant tree line.
Moments later, Damian's magical senses flared. A large pack was rapidly closing in on their position.
"To arms!" the team leader barked. He wore a perception-type magical artifact around his neck, which had vibrated violently to warn him of the ambush.
Instantly, the wizards readied themselves, forming a defensive perimeter. From the dense canopy above, a screeching band of Lantern Monster Apes sprang into view.
They possessed lithe, ape-like bodies with smooth, mottled skin. On the center of their foreheads sat a massive, glowing orange lantern that flashed like a warning light. Their toes were as long and dexterous as fingers, allowing them to swing through the branches with alarming speed.
Gripping the high branches with their feet, the Lantern Monster Apes hung inverted from the canopy, their glowing orange heads silently ringing the expedition team in the gloom.
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