It is not night-time, the sun is missing for a different reason. A shadow so big it swallows the horizon, and everything in it. The land is flooded and the druid suffocates. No. The land is ablaze, and the druid burns. No. The land is crackling with magic death and the druid is filled with despair. The fire reaches from beneath, the unforgiving cold is from beneath. Yet it is just a child, a cruel old man but still a child next to the mouth that swallows the horizon. A map, with points shining, and a light shining brighter around the map. The sensation of falling out of a dream, being forced out. He does give in, from fear of staying any longer. The fear is greater than the curiosity for the druid, he can not remember the last time that was true.

The druid is shaking in a coat of sweat on a cold autumn day. The trees shed leaves on his bed through the window, comforting him as they feel the druid is in distress. His bones ache as he climbs out of the bed and on to his window, confirming that he is not too late. Should he inform the folk of the nearby village? they valued his foresight in the past, yet the more he gave them the less they thought of him good, and found his ugly visions as the problem rather than the solution. They now fear him and his dreams, as does he. Only the other druids will understand, but with a vision this strong and this morbid, even the other druids will not appreciate this.

Early in the afternoon his eyes hurt, with little to do he guesses that giving another look at the chemi he left to develop over the day, while he rests, is the only pass time for now. He only had half a sleep so he will not be able to be productive. The druid knows that the proper thing would be to sleep, he admits he is too afraid. It has been a long time since he was last afraid. Trolls, Avalanches, Vampires, fires, even Giants, He saw all before, but non gave him a fright so intense that he would reject sleep. Mulling it over, he is convinced. His friend, the wizard in a near by tower will listen. *knock* AAaah!, a knock on the hut has frightened this old druid. Who might it be knocking on the forest’s hut?

The druid walks to the opening of the hut, there he finds 2 young men in armor. They stay outside of the opening, with looks on their faces as if they notice something missing. “Umm… there is no door… may we come in?”

The druid is not blocking their path but they still await a word from Him “The forest belongs to no man, you may go as you please.” The druid says. They look like adventurers, or hunters, the druid has hard time distinguishing the two. At a glance in their faces they seem more afraid than polite. Which is probably a mark of an adventurer, but the druid will proceed with caution.

“We are on a quest. An artifice, or relic of some sort. We presumed if any one will have knowledge in the forest-… ” They say as they enter, taking off their helmets and standing in the middle of the room. Their body language is screaming that they are in terror of the situation and are being as respectful as they can. “It would be this druid who lives in the forest, yes?” The druid continues their unfinished sentence. “Exactly! we just need some information on some magical disturbance location and we will be off.” Says the shorter one, who stands slightly in front.

Why did this have to befall the druid on such a day? the tiresome druid is weary and helping adventurers in their quest is the last thing on the druid’s mind. But perhaps this is why? An opportunity to forget the impending doom. If He accepts this and helps, he might be too bothered than to sleep. He admits he is too afraid to stay, for even meditating, or letting the mind wonder, might bring that terrible vision back. Just the thought alone beats the druid’s heart stronger than he likes to admit. “Then this druid shall accompany you, on your quest to rid of some distress of the forest.”

The druid walks to the other room, the other two pause and when they see he is not coming back they follow him. In the other room there is a lone chair, and a table across from a wall mounted by a skull. “Wait for the druid in this room.” He says as he goes to the roof, and grabs the chair there too and brings it back.

“Is that skull a…” one of them begins to ask. “A bubo” The druid answers. Then proceeds to a different room to bring hospitality. “Is this… your brew?” The tall one asks.

“This is a herbal mix, strong for the mind, and these are carobs, to go with.” The druid says as he stands under the skull and becomes one.

“Uhh, thanks.” they say enthusiastically.

“Now, we are ready. Let us speak. What is the nature of the relic you seek?” I ask them as they gulp their drinks.

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“We Ca- cough-guh-ahch-cahh-” it takes another minute until they regain their voice. “This is too strong!” The tall one exclaims.

“It is my own mix, likely too spicy, I forget that you are not like me. I did not host for a while, you see?” I hope they did not chock too hard. I forgot how common folk tend to be toward spicy drinks.

“Yes… sorry, well… we can’t share everything, just that it is not necessarily sinister. Our client said it does not belong to the forest and it interrupts with his research.” The shorter one answers with small detail but enough for me to comprehend the situation. I stay a while and drink my herbs, Then the carob, to balance the taste, for a few minutes until I finish. The two, perhaps out of consideration, try to finish what I gave them.

As the druid gets back up he goes to the other room, and begins to look in his cabinet for materials. He knows where there might be the relic but to confirm he uses a horn of an elk, grinded, and moss from an old bark, after refining a mixture with chemi using some stabilizers, he rubs the lotion into his eyes, nose and ears. in the mean time the two converse about the oddness of the druid. Most, if not all, of what they know is from the village nearby. They are afraid, and careful, they believe the druid can prophecy their demise and make it true.

“The druid have acquired the means of helping you, let the three leave now.” The druid tells them and exits the hut hastily. The two rush behind him to not be left behind.

“Wait, where are we going?” the short one asks.

“We are going to a place the druid shunned in the forest, a malevolent place. There you may find the relic you seek.”

They catch up to the druid “You can just tell us where, you do not have to come with.” the short one continues, huffing as he tries to keep the pace of the druid.

The forest now shines, the smell and sound of the grove is as natural as the breath of air or feel of the earth under the feet. Yet, one place does not shine, and it’s presence is like eerie touch of poison, one that stings the eyes, the ears and even the heart. The two lose the druid several times, but the druid points the trees to guide them to him. He feels alive, relaxed, a way he did not feel about helping others, not in a long time.

When he stops the two catch up to the druid but not to their breaths. “There you are- huff- we ran but- we cou- couldn’t see you” the tall one says when both sit on the ground using trees and rocks as their back rest.

“This is the place the old druid knew of, that you may find your goal.” the two look toward an entrance to a crypt with bright blue stone.

“A crypt? in the middle of the forest? And what is that color?” the short one questions his eyes. as we get closer to the entrance they seem more and more intrigued by the crypt.

“Look, Jade, its actually blue if you look up close.” The tall one says. “Wow, yeah, I thought it was yellow from up there but from here it looks blue. And touch it too, it’s not stone or metal or anything.” their conversation continues.

“The three will accomplish nothing by caressing the walls, we must go inward.” The druid invites them to enter.

“Hold on there, buddy. You did well on getting us here but this is where we are the experts.” the short one talks back to the druid. “With all due respect, the forest is your town, But the dungeons? That is adventurer land.” The tall one explains to the druid, what the druid thought not important. The two proceed to talk more to each other and leave the druid alone.

rocks fall from the sky and water turns vapor, not only water but blood from within burns the vains, and the arms and legs cannot move. Then falling out of the vision.

It is nearly dusk, and the two do not stop looking through books and drawing with sticks. “Alright… umm druid? by the by, how do others call you?” the short one talks to the druid.

“Bubo is this ones name."

Not a moment passes before the other says “Great! I am Paio and this is Jade.” with a smile.

“No difference, the crypt must be apprehended.” The druid can hardly rest any longer.

“We think we have an idea what we are up against.” the short one talks with a serious tone. Unlike before, when they were scared polite. “Now, this is not above our pay grade, but if Bubo wants to go home, Bubo should go before we enter.” Their condescension is… “We mean you no disrespect, but this is not a place for anyone to roam. We only do this because we have to, you see?”

Are the two truly thinking themselves better? but they do not speak as if the druid is the only one in danger, the two speak as if the two are already dead before they enter.

The druid thinks hard, and the conclusion is that there is no merit in staying out. The druid is more afraid of the vision he may re-encounter than anything that he thinks is able to exist.

“The druid will aid you until the forest is free of this insidious place.”

The two look to each others faces. “Are you sure?” The short one confirms with the druid of his intentions, but his intentions do not waver.

“Adventurer ones, the reality is as such that nothing exists that this druid will deter himself from helping you on this quest for the forest.” As the druid finishes this sentence the tall one tells the druid words that shock him to his very foundation.

“This is not about existence. We believe we came across a dungeon put here by Nanoglich.” The adversary himself!

With eyes wide open and even stronger resolve the druid answers both of the adventurers “Then by all means, in the name of Yggdrasil, this druid must clean if from the forest.”

Jade replies to the druid “To be honest, I am glad. We will need all the help we can get.”