“It’s about to rain,” Grisella whispered quietly as she craned her neck up.

Ellis followed her gaze. Black. All he could see was a ceiling of pitch-black darkness. After a few seconds, he furrowed his brow. “Really? I can’t tell.”

A few hours had passed by. Above the forest, a churning storm blanketed the sky. A howling wind rattled through the forest while ashen grey rain clouds stole away the moon and blotted out the stars. With the advent of such terrible weather, the darkness of night grew even darker.

Eerie silence covered the village. Elongated and malformed figures sprouted out from where the shadows once resided.

“It’s in the smell.” Grisella’s words cut through the quiet like a hot knife through butter. She sniffed at the air. “Earthy, slightly fresh and slightly sweet.”

Still a bit unconvinced, Ellis sniffed the air. Not at all to his surprise, the only thing that he could smell was the forest.

“I really can’t smell anything.” He complained. Off to the side, Ena mimicked the two and also sniffed at the air. Her expression changed, but she did not say anything.

Grisella shrugged her shoulders. She turned her head and redirected her gaze towards the village. There was no life, and there was no movement. Only the dark.

“You think he’s coming?” she asked quietly.

“I hope so,” Ellis responded after a moment’s hesitation.

“Mm…” Grisella furrowed her brow as she fell into another round of silence.

“…”

A few minutes ticked by. Those minutes quickly turned into an hour, then two hours. Three, four, after seven whole hours of waiting, they finally heard something.

The creaking of wood.

Ellis, who had grown accustomed to the silence, had immediately noticed the sound. He turned towards its source.

There, he could see a diminutive figure walking towards them. Like with everything else, he was pitch black, almost like a living shadow.

“You’re late,” Ellis commented.

Hal-Wrynn entered the light (courtesy of Ena). His hair was somewhat matted. “I was busy.” He simply stated. After a moment’s pause, he turned around and pointed to his bag. “Like I said, I was busy preparing.”

There was a straw bag strapped to his back. It was big, nearly half his size. Still, for all of his words, Ellis thought that the bag looked only half-filled.

He shook his head. “Never mind that, why did you want to leave so late in the night? Making us stand out here for so long… you might as well have just pushed the time back to tomorrow.” From the very start, Ellis was not a very tolerant man. Being made to wait out here for so long, he naturally wanted to vent.

Plus, for all of his travels, Ellis never really moved around at night.

It was already pretty gloomy during the day. Come night and the forest floor quite literally transforms into tangible darkness. To him, it was a hassle to travel under such conditions.

With a completely serious expression, Hal-Wrynn solemnly answered. “Because my aunt would have gotten mad if she were to find out that I left.”

“…” Suffice to say, Ellis was a bit caught off guard by such a response. “That’s…”

Inwardly, a headache began to form. Why does it feel like I’m about to kidnap a child?

Although he was the one who originally agreed to this, he couldn’t help but second guess his earlier decision. He wanted to say something, but after a moment of hesitation, he ultimately held back his tongue.

Ellis discreetly glanced over at Grisella. For a moment, the two locked eyes and the solitary witch likewise shook her head. For all the long years that she had lived through, she had never once experienced such an uneasy set of circumstances.

Scheming… regardless of how childish he looks now; this boy is scheming something!

Her anxiety once again spiked. At the same time, her resolve also increased. No matter what, I need to come up with a good plan! No matter what this kid is planning, no, even if he isn’t planning anything, I need to be prepared for all outcomes!

Grisella inwardly balled her fists up and cheered herself on. The journey to the other side of the river was bound to be her most taxing battle yet.

As for Ellis, he swallowed down an oncoming yawn. Let’s hope something exciting happens on our way there…

Hal-Wrynn was oblivious to the pair’s contradicting thoughts. He pulled on the straps of his bag and turned towards the two people (and fox) in front of him. With an innocent smile splattered across his face, he asked, “Then, let’s go?”

****

The very next day.

It was early in the morning. A heavy downpour blanketed the village. Inside a certain smoke-filled room, Nar-Wynn stood in front of the tribal chief. He held a piece of pelt up to his nose, but even then, his eyes had long since turned red.

Right now, his mind was somewhat hazy, while his legs felt like jelly.

“So, the boy left with the witch?” A melodious voice echoed through the room.

Nar-Wynn stared blankly at the space in front of him. It took a moment for the question to register in his mind. It took even longer for him to respond. “Yes. Miss Lorelei left at night. I only just found out this morning. The sentries posted along the forest floor saw her leaving.”

His voice was noticeably slurred.

“And no-one stopped her?” A cold question leaked out from Mary-Lynn’s pale lips.

Nar-Wynn hesitated. “Miss Lorelei is someone important to us. She gives us medicine, and a lot of our warriors have been saved by her medicine, so…”

The tribal chief shook her head. “You know how dangerous it is out there right now. Even someone as experienced as she won’t escape unharmed. In fact, you are putting her more at risk by letting her go.”

“It was my mistake.” Nar-Wynn bowed his head. It was unclear whether the blush on his face was from shame or from the smoke in the room. He hesitated for a moment, “Miss Lorelei is an outsider, so it is natural that nobody stopped her, but… that boy… you know how everyone feels about him. When he left, nobody was willing to stop him.”

“…” Mary-Lynn did not respond for a long time. Eventually, she took a deep inhale. Columns of smoke invaded her nostrils and filled her lungs.

Nar-Wynn grew emboldened by such a reaction. “Now that he left, isn’t it fine to just leave him be? That boy, he really is…”

“I know who he is.” Mary-Lynn interrupted. “And for tribe as homogenous as ours, I know exactly how the others treat him. It might even be better if he were to just leave and never come back, but… regardless, he is a member of our tribe.”

Nar-Wynn remained silent. To be more accurate, he did not dare to respond.

“Besides, with him gone, there is no doubt that she will stir up a fuss.” The tribal chief added.

He widened his eyes in response. A look of realization flashed through his face. “The boy’s guardian…”

“Yes.” She solemnly nodded.

“…”

“…”

The two of them exchanged looks before they both sighed.

“That’s why it’s better to act now before trouble starts,” Mary-Lynn stated. “Go, bring the boy back.”

“Me?” Nar-Wynn widened his eyes in surprise. “B-but I’m the leader of the defense force. I can’t just leave my post and run off somewhere!”

She shook her head. “Go, this is also a form of sincerity to her. What matters here is keeping her in the village. As long as that woman remains in our village, then we’ll be safe.”

Despite her words, Nar-Wynn did not look convinced. He wanted to retort, but after a few seconds of unwilling silence, he breathed out a defeated sigh. “I know it well. Aside from the head warrior himself, there is no-one stronger. “

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Since you know it, then stop complaining and go.” Mary-Lynn paused for a moment. She then added, “Besides, you can use this chance to appeal to the witch. You are in the midst of courting her, correct?”

At her words, Nar-Wynn’s eyes blazed with fire. In the blink of an eye, he was suddenly quite eager to go.

Seeing such a reaction, Mary-Lynn inwardly shook her head. She had seen way too many people like him. No matter what generation, there were always a few fools who thought themselves quite capable. For such aspiring young men, there was no better target than a beautiful and mysterious woman. Even her husband, at one point in his youth, also fell to the whims of the immortal witch.

Maybe that’s why I don’t really like her?

As the tribal chief ruminated over her thoughts, her eyes subconsciously scanned the newest ‘foolish youth’ in front of her.

He’s going to fail like all of them, but still, I am grateful. Emotional manipulation is the best way to get people to work.

With that, she quickly sent Nar-Wynn away. Without hesitation, he quickly ran off. Mary-Lynn quietly watched as the churning smoke swallowed him whole. Unbeknownst to anyone, a small smile formed on her face.

****

Ellis’s group descended to the forest floor.

“Let’s get going then,” Hal-Wrynn stated as he tugged on his pack and tightened the straps around his waist. He stared off into the distance. “It should take us about a week or so to get there.”

“Wait one second,” Ellis interrupted. He briefly surveyed his surroundings. After a few seconds of silence, he let out a frown. It was unfortunate, but night vision was not one of his abilities. Tar-black darkness surrounded him on all sides. If it weren’t for the ground beneath his feet, then his current environment would be no different from death’s endless void.

“Where the hell did those guys go?” he muttered quietly to himself. After a brief pause, Ellis spoke to the little fox standing on his shoulders, “Ena, can we get some light in here?”

“Kyu!” With such a cute cry of confirmation, a tiny ball of white fire suddenly appeared in front of the group. While it wasn’t much, at the very least, it provided a break from the endless monopoly of darkness.

Hal-Wrynn stared blankly at the little fox. After a while, he commented, “your pet is convenient. How much for it?”

Ellis raised his brow in a mixture of both surprise and interest.

“I’m afraid she’s not for sale,” he replied. “Also, she’s not a pet.”

“Then, where can I get one?”

“There probably isn’t another one of her anywhere around,” he paused for a moment. “At least, not one that I know of.”

“What about something similar?”

“Something similar? I don’t really know of anything ‘similar’ to Ena either…”

“Eh, what’s with that halfhearted response? At least tell me where you got it.” Hal-Wrynn’s childish face twisted into a pout.

“That’s also a bit…” Ellis furrowed his brow in indecision. He really did not know how to respond to this child’s somewhat demanding requests.

Of to the side, Grisella silently watched their disjointed exchange with tepid eyes. Their conversation was a few parts mind-boggling and undeniably surreal. They treated a legendary existence like a nine-tailed fox as something no better than a simple house cat.

What’s more, the nine-tailed fox herself did not seem all that bothered by their attitude! Still perched on top of Ellis’s shoulders, Ena let out an audible yawn.

Grisella shook her head in exasperation. As she reflected on her reaction, she couldn’t help but wonder: am I the weird one here?

A few minutes passed by. Eventually, they heard a faint rustling. It originated from somewhere close by.

Hal-Wrynn’s shoulders immediately tensed. He subconsciously took a step back. He instinctively hid behind Ellis.

“I, I didn’t think there’d be any monsters so close to the village…” he whispered just loud enough for the two of them to hear.

From the very start, the boy was not very optimistic about this trip. He was well aware of how dangerous the forest floor was. He knew that sooner or later, they’d eventually encounter the creatures that dared to call this place home. In fact, an encounter was practically a given. Ilpin Forest was not called a monster's paradise for nothing.

This was precisely why he needed bodyguards. Without sufficient strength, it was impossible to traverse this forest alone.

For the most part, Hal-Wrynn had done his very best. He managed to somehow find the bodyguards that he so desperately needed. Now all he could do was hope that Ellis and his group were up to the task.

Contrary to Hal’s original expectations, Ellis did not recoil in fear or bolster with confidence. In fact, he did not seem all that fazed.

As the noises grew louder, several silhouettes quickly stepped into the light.

They were quadrupedal, with fur covered bodies. A pair of triangular ears sat snugly on top of their heads. Wolves. Seven of them to be exact.

“A wolf pack!” Hal-Wrynn unconsciously shouted.

He wasn’t overly familiar with the breed or species of this particular pack, but nonetheless, anything that could eke out a living within this forest was not something to be trifled with. Right now, they were severely outnumbered.

“Don’t worry,” Ellis stated amidst his rising panic. “They’re with me.”

“You?” He looked at him with suspicion. After a few seconds, he soon came to realize that despite how close the wolves had gotten, they did not attack. In fact, the wolves surrounded Ellis like needy little puppies.

“They really are with you!” Hal couldn’t quite believe it, but the scene before his eyes more than verified it.

He thought about it for a moment, before he widened his eyes in apparent realization. “I get it now. You are a beast tamer, right?”

This was the only logical conclusion that he could come to. Ellis had both a fox and a pack of wolves at his beck and call. To his knowledge, there was nobody else in this world that could do such a thing except for a beast tamer.

The village did not have a beast tamer of its own, but Hal had heard tales of such a profession from the sparse few outsiders that sometimes visited the village. It was a powerful profession that ran counter with his original understanding of strength.

For one, beast tamers usually lacked physical prowess. They made up for it with the number and types of monsters that they controlled. In fact, they were kind of like shamans, someone similar to the Tribal Chief. Certainly, Ellis fit that description to a tee. He did not possess the muscle-clad bodies that so often adorned the village’s warriors.

Still, Hal-Wrynn did not underestimate him. In a forest like this, someone with the ability to control dangerous monsters was definitely one to be wary of.

“Actually, he’s a—”

“That’s right, I’m a beast tamer.” Grisella tried to correct the boy, but Ellis hurriedly interrupted her. He nodded his head. “Yup, I’m a genuine, bona fide beast tamer.”

Grisella glanced over at him with questioning eyes. For the most part, Ellis ignored her. Instead, he flashed an amicable smile at the boy. There was nothing wrong with letting this kid further his own misunderstanding. In fact, it might even be beneficial. After all, it was always better to be underestimated rather than to be overestimated.

Also, this sort of plot line was interesting.

To think that I’d get to play out the ‘even though I look like a weakling, I’m actually uber strong’ character… once again, the world proves to be a magical place…

“They won’t attack me, will they?” Hal-Wrynn asked hesitantly.

Ellis turned to the wolves. He hesitated for a brief imperceptible second before he turned back to the boy. “No, of course not. These guys are really friendly.”

“….” Hal turned towards the seven wolves. He did not quite believe him. Razor sharp teeth and matted fur. Their eyes looked vigilant, and while he wasn’t all that sure, he could feel an invisible pressure exuding out from their bodies. It weighed on him like a sack of rocks.

Also, for some reason, there was dried blood caked all over their paws. It was definitely a sight that completely contrasted with the word ‘friendly.’

He shook his head. Despite how misguided it seemed, Hal-Wrynn decided to put his trust in Ellis.

“Let’s get going then.” The young boy did not want to delve any deeper into this topic. Without hesitation, he walked towards the deep darkness of the forest.

Ellis and the rest of the group quickly followed after him.

After a few minutes of silent walking, Ellis jogged over to Grisella. He nudged her shoulder. In a quiet voice, he asked, “hey, why aren’t we using your broom to travel?”

The witch’s broom would no doubt make their journey considerably easier. Ellis somewhat missed the feeling of sitting down and feeling the wind brush against his scalp.

“I need to be prepared.” She simply responded.

“Prepared?” Ellis titled his head in confusion.

Grisella nodded. “I need to be ready at a moment’s notice. You know, just in case anything happens. My broomstick is my most powerful weapon, and if I use ‘magic carpet’ mode now, then I won’t be able to use its other forms later.”

Magic carpet? Is that what that form is called? Strangely enough, it did somewhat remind him of a magic carpet.

“Isn’t that a bit excessive?” Ellis wondered out loud. “The wolves and I are here, aren’t we? We can definitely handle anything that this forest throws at us.”

He had a fair bit of confidence in his own strength. Ellis was not one hundred percent certain, but there was an undeniable hidden arrogance buried deep within his heart. Nothing in this forest was stronger than him.

In his eyes, Grisella’s worries were simply just that; worries. They held no basis to the reality around them.

Also, he really missed that comfortable method of traveling.

In response, the solitary witch shook her head. “And what happens if we accidentally get separated? You might be fine and the others might be fine, but I need to have some means of protection for myself. You know, just in case.”

Ellis wanted to argue, but after a moment’s hesitation, he ultimately swallowed his words.

“Alright.” He nodded quietly to her.

She glanced up at him with a sidelong glance. Grisella remained silent. Her grip around her broom unconsciously tightened. Ellis might not know the dangers of their journey, but she did. This danger was only further exaggerated by the unknown factor that was their guide. Even with her broomstick, the possibility of death was far too high for her liking.

The group continued deeper into the forest. At some point, the harsh darkness that devoured the forest had lessened. Small rays of light were beginning to pierce the foliage above.

Morning had finally come.

Unfortunately, the light of day did not last all that long. A few hours after dawn, a heavy downpour suddenly blanketed the skies. It persisted for quite some time. Still, they kept moving.

Throughout the night, they did not encounter a single monster. To Hal-Wrynn, he thought that such an occurrence was rather odd. Monsters were rather active at night. In fact, some of Ilpin’s animals had night vision built into their physiology.

Last night’s forest had been eerily peaceful. This naturally set him on edge.

Unbeknownst to the boy, the real reason for such peace was because of Grisella’s monster repellant. It served to ward off some of the more weaker monsters in the forest. Of course, she knew that this would not last forever. The deeper they head into the forest, the stronger, more feral the monsters become. At some point, her repellant would stop working entirely.

Still, Grisella was not overly worried. After all, Ellis was here. She simply used the monster repellant for expedience’s sake.

At around midafternoon, her repellant finally stopped working.

It was around midafternoon. The rain had stopped and the group finally encountered their first monster. It was a baboon-like creature with bare-naked thighs. It looked somewhat comical, but Ellis felt that it was actually on the stronger side of his most recent encounters.

The wolves quickly took care of it though.

“Your pets are pretty powerful,” Hal-Wrynn commented after the battle ended.

Ellis let out a wry chuckle. “They’re not pets,” he responded, “but yes, they are pretty strong.”

“Good.” After a moment’s pause, he continued. “It’s good to be strong.” Despite his words, Hal-Wrynn’s expression remained deadpan and monotone. The young boy inwardly shook his head. Unfortunately, you’re still not strong enough.

Off to the side, Ellis secretly raised a brow. This little punk sure has a gloomy expression. What on earth could he possibly be thinking now?

Without another word, the group continued forward.

The day passed in much of the same fashion. Ellis felt bags forming under his eyes. As the forest once again began to darken, he was distinctly aware of the fact that he had stayed up all day today. While his body was versatile enough that a day without sleep wouldn’t bother him, his mind was a completely different story.

Something resembling mental fatigue began to set in.

As such, when night finally fell, the group decided to take a break.