Braid watched his party members with growing irritation. It is true what they say, that the greatest of talents have the strangest of personalities. This motley crew was proof of that, at the very least. Braid thought that he was fairly normal... but he was pretty sure the others felt the same way.
They had just broken camp in the morning of their thirtieth day in this accursed forest, and Braid could not be happier, because it meant he could return home. Not that he had much to return to than a comfortable bed and a mug of ale, but that was much preferred to spending any more time here. he ran a frustrated hand through his tousled dark hair before dragging it through the stubble on his face.
"You look beat." Chuckled Sora. She was an elven mage and the only one of his four companions that he had know personally before joining these people. They had become adventurers at the same time, rising through the ranks along side one another to become A-Ranked. Though she had achieved that feet well before he had. The elven battle mage was a complete beast when she got serious, even if she looked every bit the aloof elf the rest of the time.
Unlike Braid, Sora seemed to just- breeze- into wakefulness, fully clothed and not even slightly disheveled. Her platinum blonde hair never seemed out of place, and her reddish eyes were always intense and calculating. And, unlike Braid, she still looked in her early twenties. And she likely would continue to, long after Braid aged and died an old man. If her got lucky and a monster didn't take him out first.
"I am glad we can finally get out of this forest. I am not sure if it's the monsters of the company, but I need a stiff drink."
"Ooooh, Care if I join you, oh fearless leader?" Purred the amused voice of Reinga. The wolf beast woman seemed to just materialize out of the winter landscape as if she were a ghost. Damn assassins'... they gave him the shivers more than the frigid temperatures could. This particular assassin slash adventurer was particularly good at her job, despite all the personality flaws that would make one think she would be deplorable.
The dark haired, dark furred woman was a lush for one. Even here, in the depths of the Monster Nation of Aeros, he had seen her sipping from a flask a time of two. And to top that off, she was also an insatiable flirt. the very definition of a predator. But that was nothing knew for the members of the Bloodwolf clan that she descends from. The only oddities is that members of that clan are often hailed as great warriors, much like Braid himself, not stealthy assassins'.
Ignoring the lush, Sora said. "It will be good to return to Pern. Still, I feel that we haven't really accomplished what we came to do..."
"How can you say that Sora!" Sighed the youngest, and most treasured, amongst this rag tag band: Porsha. The priestess was not yet into her twenties with flowing pink hair, clear blue eyes, and an innocence that was nearly painful to look at.
Porsha was a letteral national treasure to the kingdom of Pern. Healers, as a group, were highly valued, as they were uncommon, and if in a poor party, easily picked off. But Porsha was the most powerful healer the kingdom had seen in several generation, and she was still so young. Her holly magic was, indeed, a sight to witness, and Braid was grateful that the king agreed that she would be needed for this mission.
Though, the very fact that she was needed, proved just how dangerous this mission truly was. Every member here was an A-Ranked adventurer. That made everyone here some of the most powerful people in the entire kingdom in their respective fields.
"This has been nothing but constant monster extermination!" Sighed the young girl, pulling the draw string closed on her packed bag. "I would say that we have been doing a great deal for the kingdom. Every monster we slay is one less that can crass the border and attack the people of pern."
The bag was removed from the priestess's grasp before she could even lift it. "Miss Porsha is absolutely right!" Beamed the finally, and perhaps most insufferable, member of this party: Prince Arthas. Though not a full time adventurer, he did still hold the A-Rank. Normally the third prince of the Pern kingdom spent his days protecting the people as a knight of the realm.
Braid could not deny the prince's talents with a sword, and he did, truthfully, seem to have the kingdom's best interests at heart but... Well, if ever a man had a 'hero' complex it was this one. The prince seemed to always be posing for adoring fans, with his wavy golden brown locks, deep blue eyes, and perfect smile. But, the people loved him and he got the job done, so they all really couldn't complain.
"That's not what Sora meant." Braid sighed as the prince slung the priestess bag over his own armored shoulder with his own. "Yes, we came to eliminate any monsters that pose a threat to the kingdom... but that was not our main objective."
"The mass migration?" Said Reinga, her voice more serious that it normally was. Braid nodded. "Its true," She said, glaring off into the leafless trees covered in a light dusting of snow. "We have yet to find the cause."
"Are the monster we killed not the cause?" Asked Porsha as Arthas began stomping out last night's fire. "Would they not have driven lesser monster, like the goblins, out?"
Braid sighed. "Possibly, yes. If the land was still as poorly as we once thought. It could have been the battle fore food drove the weaker monsters out... but this place is more vibrant that it's been since I've been alive."
True, the forest was in the grips of winter right now, so it wasn't as easy to see as when the scouts reported a few months ago... but Braid could tell that there was plenty enough game in these woods, and the rivers and streams they had passed seemed to hold plenty of fish. No, this forest, even in the dead of winter, was teaming with life. The monsters would not be hurting now. So why was there a mass of goblins migrating to the dwarven lands to the north? Why would they leave this land if it was suddenly improving? And, more importantly, why was it improving? these were the true reasons for their mission.
"I can not believe that the Dragon is the core cause of this." Stated Sora, her red hood over her head in an attempt to keep her long ears warm. Elves were not made for the snow.
"Well," Said Reinga with more cheer than the situation called for, taking a swig from her mysteriously disappearing and reappearing flask, causing the young Porsha to glare. "Then there must be a new boss in town right? Its the only explanation that fits. No way would that old, evil dragon, have aloud us to wander around this forest for a month like we have been."
This was true. The group had been cutting a zig zag path along the border of the Monster nation and Pern, getting progressively deeper into enemy territory as they went. They had already exterminated many powerful monsters including Ursa, Great Arachne, packs of Fenrir, and even a very large Earth Golem. Their power had been great, and even one of these monsters could have devastated the small villages that had begun to spring up along the border since Aeros stopped paying attention to these lands.
But Braid found it hard to believe that they were the cause of the migration of goblins. Especially since it had only been the goblins, so far, that had left the depths of these dangerous lands. It lent one to believe that the goblins were exiled from here... and according to the old tales, the goblins had been favored by Aeros, and were among the most numerous and prosperous monsters in the Nation. So where were they?
They had cut through plenty of monsters now, but had not seen a single goblin. Yes, there had been a large number seen leaving the forest, but from what Braid had heard, there was an entire kingdom of the green skinned devils! No way that small group constituted a kingdom.
"Well, if there are some bigger questions to be answered," Said Arthas, flipping his hair out of his perfect face. "then it will have to be for another expedition. We are out of supplies and are in need of rest an recuperation, isn't that right leader?" He asked braid, flashing a prefect, white, smile.
Exasperated, Braid sighed. "Yes, we must return. We were given a month, and it has been a month. We will report what we have found to Frost and the king, any further action will be up to them."
"Right!" Smiled Porsha. This had been hardest on her, as she was not exactally accustom to long, drawn out, missions. Especially ones that involved camping and eating nothing but rations or the odd rabbit stew. But she had held out well, and hadn't even complained once.
Braid was about to order the lot to start heading back. it was time they all got the break they had earned. But then her froze as the sound of something large breaking echoed through the dense winter silence. He and Arthas had their swords drawn in an instant, Reinga- claws raised- stood before Porsha protectively, while Sora held twin balls of fire at the ready in her pale hands.
"Are those Ursa?" Asked Arthas, sword gripped tightly but the very picture of calm.
Braid could see them too: three large, bear shaped, forms slowly drawing nearer. Every now and then a resounding snap and creak could be heard as they broke a tree in passing.
"No," Said Sora, confusing Braid, as he could tell that they were, indeed, bear monsters. but the elf's vision was far greater than his, so he would trust her eyes. "they are Dire bears."
"Dire bears!" Gasped Porsha. But, despite the fear and the extreme danger, she bravely began to cast strengthen and protection spells over their group, the yellow glow of her holly magic reflected off the snow.
"This will be fun." Grinned the some what masochistic wolf woman.
Dire bears, though smaller than the Ursa, were known to travel in small groups. And unlike the Ursa, who tend to hunker down in small areas and make dens, the dire bears were known to veracious rovers, killing and eating anything in their path. Three bears was not a large group, but it would still be a challenge when only he and Arthas were their to pull their attention. One of the bears may try and attack Porsha and Sora who were not front liners. And though Reinga was a formidable enemy, she was also not built to tank large monsters.
"Ready?" Braid asked the prince.
"Always." He said, the anticipation of battle reflected in his eyes.
The bears had drawn close enough, and the two men charged, wanting to keep them off their relatively defenseless back line. Braid heard Arthas roar as the man's blade found its mark and then the bear he had cut roared back. Braid's first slash had been parried by one of the bear's massive paws, but he did not let that stop him, as he dodged a swipe and aimed another strike at the bears unprotected neck.
His strike was about to land when Braid was taken out from behind with a loud crash of armor on armor. "Sorry..." Gowned Arthas as the two men hurried to untangle themselves from one another and the thistle bush they had rolled into. One of the bears had flung Arthas at him. Damn intelligent beasts!
"Charge again!" Braid ordered, lifting his own blade when he saw that one of the bears had already made its way to the women. Reinga was on its back, plunging a dagger again and again into the nap of its neck.
Sora shot spell after spell at it, but she could not use any major power to deflect the beast when, not only was Reinga on top of it, but it was also too close to them. And strong magic would take the lot of them out with the bear.
Just as Arthas and Braid reengaged the two bears advancing on them, Reinga's bear finally fell to the ground. The wild looking assassin stood on its back, exhausted but pleased, dagger dripping blood into the torn up earth and snow.
"One down, two to go!" Called Arthas, above the roars of the last two bears.
Braid was about to push forward when another noise got his attention: Voices. Voices and the sound of many feet running over frozen earth.
"There they are!" He heard shout out above the din of battle. A young voice full of excitement. "Surround them and fire!"