"Hmm... Is it just me or does the forest look a bit darker than usual?"
After giving up on the village, I decide it is best to stick to my main objective, I need to assassinate the Assassins Guild. I shall not let a single member albeit a child remain in that... Cult!
I may have forgiven them if it was just them killing me, but to kill someone dear to me in Infront of me no less is out of the question!
But back on topic, I wonder why the forest has suddenly gotten so dark. All of the trees looked like wilted flowers that that hasn't been given enough water to survive.
I doubt it is drought season since I inspected the latest date of time from the diary of Galan's Noblesse. Perhaps there's a parasitic monster lurking around these parts of the forest, causing the nearby flora to slowly wilt and die.
Although I am an undead, who has slaughtered many humans mercilessly, who has also been experimenting on them without their consent... It does feel odd for me to show pity and sorrow to these trees.
Hmm, that reminds me. I wonder if the test subjects especially the boy survived the Insect's cold ordeal.
Due to my undead nature, I feel nothing from being touched other than the force of it. Temperature also does not affect me in the slightest, thus, I wouldn't know how cold the snow that was present during the insect's assault on my once humble abode.
The insect itself had summoned a blizzard of tendrils made entirely of what seems to be indestructible ice and that very ice was what revived him from death I reckon.
The acid I had brewed back then might just be a new marvel to the world, for it even melted the labyrinth floor in seconds after it corroded down through one of my thick glass vials.
And even then, it didn't cease until it reached down to the abyss... Is what I assumed had happened due to the smoke that kept coming out for 3 days straight after its corroding journey began.
I vaguely remember there being any acid leftover from the insect's head after the ice reformed him, or maybe it froze due to the severely low temperature.
Which begs the question, did any of the meat bags survive?
I assumed they were all dead since they were all in a state of extreme Frostbite, no human or creature could survive such a thing!
Of course, with the exception of the Servants Of The Ancient Beasts.
🎩
"What the hell is that" I said unconsciously at the scene unfolding in front of me.
From high above the clouds, a Colossal boulder the size of... Possibly a small city or so, is slowly descending down to a city with a grim smile on its face.
Yes, it has a face, I don't know why but it has one for some reason.
The city it's descending down to however... Wasn't particularly Galan.
Rather it was The City Of Order, one Governed by the Servant of the Beast of Order, Arsenault.
The Colossal Boulder continues its descend slowly down to the city as if it's trying to crush it as slowly as possible, like a kid keeping hold of the food in his mouth... chewing it joyfully slow.
"Shit! Shit! Shit! The city will!" I panic whilst desperately running towards the city, despite knowing full well of its inevitable doom.
If I can't give the Servant this damn book then the poison that bastard's gonna use is going to destroy Galan!
Just as The Colossal Boulder touched the tip of the City's central spire... A thundering voice followed by a strong gust of wind follows.
"Begone!"
The thundering loud voice rang throughout Sinners Fields whilst the gust of wind created by the voice alone sends me back toppling onto the ground beneath me.
"Uh..." I grunted.
I fix my gaze back to the city, to see that the boulder has stopped descension upon the city, it was as if it was stuck or maybe fixed in the air.
"What the hell is going on..." I said, unable to grasp what's happening in front of me.
Suddenly the boulders grim smile turns into a sad and terrified one as if there was something about the city that it was afraid about. Slowly... The colossal boulder cracks open like an egg and turns into nothing but dusts in a matter of seconds.
Witnessing the scene unfolding in front of me, it jogged an old memory about what Mr. Jugo had said about the place when he was given a quest to go to the city and investigate.
He was all sunshine and smiles saying that it'll be a piece of cake. But when he returned, he looks as he's seen a ghost. The smile that was once there was replaced with sickened look, and his eyes once cheerful were now how horrified.
I asked what happened and he answered me with;
"When there is Order, there is Chaos. But that city... I hope it drowns in Chaos..."
Was this what he meant by there being Chaos?
🎩
"HAHA! I bid you farewell you accursed forest! Now no tree root shall break or hinder our destination once more!" I declared with my hands in the air.
We are finally... Truly we are finally free from the blasted forest!
It seems due to the parasites hastily withering the trees, we managed to found our way out of the forest quicker.
Never have I felt so thankful to pests like them.
"Williams bring me the map!" I said.
"Hmm... yes, yes I see! So by going straight forward from here we should be able to reach-..."
As I look away from my map, I notice that there was smoke rising from what I assume to be the first city we have to go around from, Sylfia.
"Could it be that there's a Coup D'etat in Sylfia? Or is it under attack by some rabble of monsters?"
The first seems unlikely since this is still in a time of war. Despite the cease fire, doing a Coup right after it was declared would still be quite the terrible idea, even if the cease fire is caused by a fairy tale monster.
The latter seems more likely, hordes of monsters consisting of Goblins, Orcs, and other miscreants tend to attack cities.
The reason they do this is to decrease the forest population but others suggest they want to take over the city and use it as a breeding ground to create stronger offspring.
When a Goblin or an Orc mates with Human or a Dwarf they have a chance to create a stronger heir which inherits genes from both Mother and Father.
If a sorcerer were to be bred by an Orc then there is a chance that the newborn orc would possess talent for magic or maybe have some resemblance towards the sorcerer.
There was a Calamity called The Dragoblin, which is an abomination created by Goblin and Dragon. Somehow... A Dragon in all its glory had managed to get fertilized by a Goblin's seed. Well, goblins have a high fertilization rate so it is no surprise.
But to fertilize a mythical beast should be near impossible! Unless, the dragon has a weird fetish that is.
"The monster attack should be useful enough to draw us unwanted attention! HAHA! Especially from those pesky adventurers!"
But as much as I want to make use of this event, the effects of the Anti-Light Potion can only last so far. And unfortunately, I have made abysmal progress on making new ones.
Keeping ourselves in the forest's shade seems to be wiser than risk hoping the sun wouldn't turn us to ashes.
And I really do not see any point in going around the city through this accursed forest as faster route, I rather wait than break my 5th wheel, Williams couldn't even repair the first one.
I had planned on stealing an elven carriage, but none of them seem to have any after using Roberto to scout their villages.
"Williams, ready cauldron and my tools, we are going to camp here for today" I ordered.
Williams obliged and rustled inside the carriage.
"Now then, hmm... I suppose I'll inspect these withering trees while waiting for Williams to ready the encampment. I wonder what parasite did this?"
🎩
Out of all the things that could have happened during these trying times... A Plague!?
"Plusil, where in Palanela's roots did this Plague come from!?" I asked, showing a some degree of annoyance towards this situation.
"According to the reports, the plague came from Alma Village but have yet to found the cause of it. It may even perhaps be the same one that Galam had suffered days ago Your Highness" He answered.
"I see... But shouldn't the villages closer to Galan such as Olmes and Ytree be infected first?"
"If anything, Alma should have been the third in line for the plague to take over. The distance among the 2 is exceedingly farther than both Olmes and Ytree" I asked.
"It is still speculation Your Highness wether it is the same or not. However, the affects that the elves in Alma has suffered are similar to the ones suffered by the citizens in Galan"
"I see, but what about the trees? I heard that this Plague has also affected them as well" I asked.
The trees are as important to us as it is to the war. If the trees start to wither and weaken, the enemy forces would easily pass through and march into the nearest village station, Our way of life would also be disturbed by this.
Food shortages due to this plague is a problem I hope we will never face in this time of war.
"The trees will undoubtedly be saved Your Highness. We have gathered as many Spirit Users as we could to rid the trees from the plague"
"Excellent, I want this Plague rid from this forest as quickly as possible!"