Year 1, Fall, First Month, Fourth Week.
One hour after the first encounter, the team stumbled upon an unexpected scene. A group of five hyenas persistently harassing a colossal beast. Standing at an imposing five meters and weighing no less than a ton, the creature seemed unwavering in the face of the hyenas' audacious antics.
Apparently, the hyenas dared to initiate the attack because they knew the beast's sluggishness played in their favor, evading its lethargic pursuit effortlessly. But even so, their efforts yielded no results; not a single scratch marked the massive creature's hide.
‘-- The terraphant is a third-rank LT beast. Usually, it does not go out of its way to attack. But the hyenas have harassed it. Therefore, it might be wise to stay away from it. --’
‘Third rank?’
‘-- Tiers (Low, Medium, High, Unique) divide the beasts according to their magic level. However, the difference in fighting power between same-tier beasts makes it necessary to further divide them into ranks, three for each tier. --’
‘-- The tier levels match the core crystals of the beasts. A medium-tier earth beast has in its core a medium-quality earth crystal. The tiers also represent the level of elemental energy used by the beast. Low-tier beasts develop elemental traits. Medium-tier beasts can manipulate their element. High-tier beasts can incorporate the element. --’
‘-- The ranks divide same-level beasts according to their overall fighting power. However, each element might give the beast advantages and disadvantages. A fire beast has more attacking power and less defense power than the other elemental beasts of equal rank. Contrary to earth beasts, which have more defense power and less attacking power. Wind and water beasts are less extreme. --’
The team halted at a safe distance from the standoff. A collective discussion ensued, guided by Diana's pragmatic observations.
“I don’t think we can hurt that beast; look how the hyenas’ claws didn’t leave a scratch on it... How about we take down the hyenas and skip the big guy? Even if it tries to attack us, we can run and lose it later.” Diana's proposal got a unanimous agreement. Karl, with a knowing smile, chimed in:
“Sure... Since we have experience fighting the hyenas, we know what to look out for, and we could use the extra meat and earth crystals.”
Quickly, the team dispersed into three distinct groups, each tasked with a vital role in executing the plan. Recognizing the hyenas' swiftness, the attack group assembled a trio of archers, a defender, Karl, and Diana. Positioned strategically, Tael and two elite archers aimed to strike the hyenas before they could escape, while the rest stood guard, shielding them from unforeseen threats.
Meanwhile, Toni, Carion, the last archer, and two defenders composed the main group. Their only duty being to protect the carriers. Once the hyenas succumbed, the main group would hasten to collect the fallen before heading towards the Forest alongside the attack unit.
The final group assumed the deadly task of diverting the attention of the massive beast. Positioned along the stream's edge, they would hurl stones at the terraphant from the direction opposite to the hyenas, serving as a distraction. The coordinated movements of the attack and collecting groups would only commence once the distracting group successfully lured the giant creature away.
With Samia and Sania tasked with stone-throwing duties, their role was undoubtedly the most dangerous. Diana, despite acknowledging the risks, opted against increasing the group's size to maintain their agility. The plan was meticulously laid out and demanded flawless execution. So, they took their time ensuring everyone understood their roles, and then finally set the plan into motion.
As the assault commenced, the twins tossed stones at the massive beast, quickly capturing its attention. With each well-aimed throw, the beast veered infuriated toward them.
Persistently throwing stones, the twins sprinted along the stream, aligning their pace with Diana's signal. The coordination unfolded seamlessly, the fluidity of their movements revealing the practiced precision.
With the biggest threat diverted, the attack unit proceeded. Tael communicated with signals and launched the archers' attack. This time, the two archers displayed less trepidation, successfully hitting their marks. Tael's arrow, radiant with the energy of the Sharpness Rune and wind properties, reached its target milliseconds ahead, striking the hyena's back leg.
The other two arrows found their marks as well, one landing on the paw and the other on the hyena's back. Unfortunately, the archer targeting the back failed to activate the Arrays properly, resulting in a mere scratch before the arrow shattered. From this distance, without the extra effects, the arrow lacked the strength to penetrate earth-enhanced skin.
Wounded, the hyenas fled towards the Forest. The archers attempted another volley, but only Tael, with practiced speed, managed to down his target before they left the attacking range.
At Diana’s command, the collecting unit ran to secure the loot. A brief pause to load the corpses and they were gone marching alongside the attacking unit. In just three minutes, the targets had been neutralized and collected.
A whistled signal freed the twins from distraction duty, which had played out without a hitch. The girls immediately abandoned the stones and circled back to meet the rest ahead. Unexpectedly, the terraphant seemed to begrudge them enough to make pursuit. Not wanting the face the giant in a clash, the team hastened their pace towards the dense foliage of the forest. The massive beast eventually relented, allowing the team to revert to their normal pace.
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Ten minutes of brisk movement later, the group paused to extract the blood from the dead beast and apply herbs to mask the scent - an essential precaution considering the unknown territory they now approached.
A couple of hours passed, and the team found themselves on the cusp of the Forest's domain. The transition was subtle but unmistakable; the trees multiplied in number, their hues deepening into richer shades of green. Karl, more sensible to the magical effects, explained that this was due to the magic density within the Forest, slowly altering the very essence of the plants. The gradual transformation became pronounced as they ventured deeper.
Master Al clarified that camping within the Forest wasn't advisable. Safety dictated they seek refuge outside its confines at night. Thus, the team scoured the surroundings for a suitable spot, eventually settling on a towering stone that loomed over the adjacent trees.
Their camp was a makeshift arrangement that featured straw bags on the ground and LCs used as a partial shield, limiting potential attack directions. The decision to start a fire, a deliberation weighed against the risk of attracting beasts, tilted in favor of visibility. The prospect of facing an unseen beast attack outweighed the potential dangers of the fire's allure.
Describing their setup as a camp might have been generous. It was pragmatic, with a modest fire positioned at the camp's entrance, serving as a boundary between them and the wilderness. Aware of the dangers, they established a rotating guard schedule, ensuring constant vigilance from each combat unit – defense, short-range, and long-range attack. The night unfolded, shrouded in the mystique of the nearby Forest.
Sometime during the night, Tael caught sight of a lurking group of beasts. Waking Diana with urgency, he relayed the unsettling report. Abruptly rising from her makeshift bed, Diana strained her sight to discern the mysterious figures in the dim moonlight.
However, despite their efforts, the nocturnal beasts evaded identification. Unease settled in, prompting Diana to rouse the entire team, preparing them for an imminent confrontation.
Karl was still groggy from sleep as he surveyed the pointed direction of Diana's concern, a barrage of questions assaulting him. "Can you identify the beasts? Why aren’t they attacking? Is it the fire?"
"Maybe..." He stalled while directing the same questions at Master AI.
‘-- It is a group of second-rank LT wind beasts. They are faster than grey wolves. It would be unwise to fight against them. Fortunately, they are afraid of fire. --’
Without explaining, Karl rose to action, grabbing branches from the dwindling fire and launching them toward the unseen beasts. Diana, initially puzzled, grasped Karl's intention as the fiery perimeter emerged forming a protective boundary that separated the team from the lurking creatures. In the flickering light, the beasts revealed themselves – larger than hyenas, exuding an unmistakable aura of predators.
In preparation for the journey, the team had simulated numerous scenarios. Nighttime combat was to be avoided. When faced with a nocturnal attack, the protocol dictated attempting to scare the beasts off initially. And only If that failed, would they engage in battle. Karl was just following their prior agreement, which seemed to have been lost to the others amid the panic.
Despite the fire barrier, the beasts remained undeterred, continuing their enigmatic vigil. Frustration settled over Diana. "This is so frustrating... If we attack, we take unnecessary risks, but if we don’t, we can't rest."
Turning to Karl, she sought guidance. Karl contemplated the situation, weighing the options before settling on a simple plan. Staying awake all night seemed futile, and the capricious nature of the beasts left no assurance that they would retreat before dawn. The best choice lay in a strategic barrage of long-range attacks to scare them off.
Wind beasts while nimble in evading strikes, lacked the fortitude to withstand hits. The plan was simple – archers, led by Tael awaited the command to unleash their arrows. Behind them, four shield-bearers formed a secondary barrier, reinforced by four short-range attackers, all ready to engage.
Diana's signal unleashed the first volley of arrows, the magically enhanced weapons flying blindly into the unknown. A chorus of bestial cries echoed as hungry felines emerged, their yellow eyes gleaming in the dark.
Amidst the chaos, an archer, seized by panic, prematurely released an arrow. Tael was fast to respond, signaling the others to follow suit. A misplaced arrow struck a tree, but subsequent shots found their mark, piercing the flesh of the ferocious beasts.
One creature, wounded in the thigh, unleashed a menacing roar. The team involuntarily took a collective step back. Resolute, Tael signaled for a continuation of the assault. Yet, the third volley of arrows met empty air. The painstaking process of hand-imprinting each arrow by Karl meant each archer had a limited supply of only four arrows, plus a few collective spares that he crafted mid-journey. After three shots, just one arrow remained for each.
Recognizing the need for efficiency at their last attempt, Tael signaled for a synchronized attack on a single target. Better to bring down one decisively than to squander the precious arrows. Bow drawn, the archers awaited the signal for the final salvo. Arrows sliced through the night air, accompanied by the crackle of fire.
A shrill wince pierced the darkness. Two arrows found their mark, felling the threatening creature. The remaining beasts, sensing the encroaching threat, retreated into the obscurity of the night.
A collective exhale of relief filled the air, though it took the team a couple of minutes to fully grasp how close they were to doom. The potential threat still loomed; had the beasts chosen aggression, escaping unharmed would have been impossible. The realization of their fortune settled, Diana promptly directed a group to craft torches and salvage the scattered arrows and the fallen beast's remains.
***
Diana roused from her brief rest and was welcomed by the sight of Karl stained with blood. A momentary panic seized her until Karl, with a grin, clarified the situation. Because he couldn’t bear to waste alchemical materials, he was forced to collect the beast’s blood and core in the dim morning light.
Before venturing into the forest, Karl meticulously inspected their weapons, redrawing damaged Arrays. With preparations complete, the hunting team finally entered Eastern Forest.
***
Lew cast a longing gaze back at the receding city walls, regret coloring his breath. The allure of the beautiful Sound City had been overshadowed by the abrupt departure of his party, leaving him with many missed opportunities. Setting aside the fleeting disappointment, he redirected his focus to the unusual assembly.
His party featured noteworthy figures – an Enchanter and a Life Invoker. The disparity in payments couldn't escape Lew's mind, realizing that his five gold coins paled in comparison to the probable earnings of the Magic practitioners, each likely reaping at least 100 gold. Factoring in payments for the four regular Invokers (30 gold each) and the 20 Fighters (5 gold each), the party's cost amounted to roughly 420 gold coins. These figures didn't even include additional expenses. The entire venture, he guessed, wouldn't cost much less than 500 gold, a sum only within the means of Powerhouses or the City Lord Manor.