Addendum: Updating pace; slow and steady, hope you enjoy.

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Birds were twittering from above the trees, flapping around playfully, they sang a cheerful melody. The mana empowering the barrier had attracted the smaller creatures throughout the night. Kura had adjusted his barrier magic to allow the smaller, non-threatening creatures to pass through. If the spell warded off even the smaller animals, anyone with half a brain would take notice when passing by.

Lennox stirred from the makeshift bedding, he could feel its soft fur tickling the back of his ripped shirt. It was a bright day, cloudless beyond the dense tree tops and a deep azure contrasted with the dark greens of various tree leaves. He breathed out a sigh of relief, it really didn’t seem like just yesterday he was on the verge of death. Half an hour passed before he finally looked around him, he saw Buxley sleeping to the left of the campfire. Only embers remained but warmth still emanated from it and drove back the morning chill. Looking to the right he saw the young child sleeping yesterday sitting cross-legged looking back at him with a thick leather-bound black book on his lap.

“How are you, Mr. Lennox?” asked Kura, in a familiar tongue.

Lennox smiled, he just heard the boy spoke clearly in Leva, his language, albeit with a slight accent. He responded in kind, “Well enough, Kura, many thanks to the two of you for saving my life. And you can just call me Lennox, no need for titles.”

“Unlucky, weren’t you? To be hunted by two beasts.”

“Your cousin said the same thing,” laughed Lennox, “searching in the field by myself might not have been the best idea.”

“I agree,” Kura said, he switched back to Ullish.

“Not many people take the time to learn a language outside their race.”

“I could say the same for you.”

“I’m a researcher, working with the Society requires us to be able to communicate with other races.”

“I see,” said Kura, “well, my mother is a Leveren. I learnt it from her.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Lennox, “I couldn’t tell.”

“I was born with the traits but none of the features. Her link to me was of the Ullish alphabet.”

“Interesting choice. I was given knowledge of plants and forest. My parents are an apothecary and a ranger,” said Lennox while he stood up to stretch his aching body.

“My mother was a librarian,” Kura began to put his book away, “there’s still some of that soup left if you want it. It’s been sitting by the fire all night, so it should still be warm.”

“That explains quite a bit,” Lennox said as he went to grab the bowl sitting next to the pot, “thanks.”

The clanging of the bowl and pot awoke Buxley. Briefly apologizing and moving back to his bedroll, Lennox greeted Buxley before he let the soothing regenerative effects of the soup warm his body.

“So, what was so important you didn’t bother requesting an escort through the League of Commissions?” asked Kura, with everything that happened yesterday, they never had the opportunity to ask him.

“I’ve been researching on ways to significantly increasing the effects of the regenerative potion. Right now I’m testing some new ingredients to add in but they are all rare ingredients,” Lennox said in between sips, “I make trips once or twice every few weeks for them so getting an escort each time takes too long.”

“So instead you enter the forest by yourself?” asked Buxley.

“It’s not the first time I’ve done this,” said Lennox and continued with a shrug, “Though it is the first time I had a grodling chase me so far.”

Kura glanced at Buxley, he was surprised somebody would be so brazen to go into the forest by themselves another time after escaping them from once. Buxley could only return a smirk, he knew what Kura’s glance is meant. But they weren’t exactly the right kind of people to criticize Lennox for his decision. They’ve come across dangers like this before.

Leverens are precocial in addition to one of their innate traits, the link, to choose to pass down a piece of their knowledge to their children. This is the reason why Kura is seemingly more mature and knowledgeable than normal. Compared to Leverens, this is nothing special, compared to Urrens, Kura had an early start by at least five years. Urren children doesn’t go to school until they reach the age of five where they first come across literature. Particularly because Kura’s mother had decided pass her knowledge of the Ullish alphabet to him through the link, he was able to recognize words from birth. After the first couple of days, as soon as he was able to move around he began to read his mother’s books.

“So what now?” asked Kura.

“What do you mean?” Lennox asked back, “I suppose I’ll have to head back to Lomin.”

“Did you find what you need?” Buxley followed up as he took his shield and spear out for maintenance.

“I did, though before I had a chance to harvest it, I was found and chased by that grodling. Unfortunately, I even lost satchel that has my research notes.”

“If I could propose something,” stated Kura, “if you feel up for it we can help you track down your pack and escort you to where you found those plants.”

“Really? That would be most wonderful! Losing those would set me back years of research. But, what do you want in return?”

“Nothing,” answered Buxley, “There’s a reason we volunteered for this.”

“Rare herbs and plants tend to be near sites of dense mana, we are searching for these locations,” continued Kura, “as difficult as it is to find one, we can’t pass the chance to explore one of these if it’s reachable. About how far do you think it is?”

“I had been running for two days, and the third was more stumbling than running,” Lennox answered as he put down the soup bowl, “Misfortune or not, if it wasn’t for grodlings waiting until their prey collapses from exhaustion I would have died on the second day.”

“I’d say it was fortune, if it was vanter territory, you’d have had a harder time,” Buxley said.

“Now that the next place is decided, I’d say we should take one more day to rest and make sure you’re fully healed before we head to it,” Kura suggested.

“That is a fine idea, really, I could use more rest now,” Lennox said, his eyes were getting heavy already.

“Rest then. We’ll have some food prepared once you wake.”

“Thank you, Kura.”

“Well, actually, I’ll be the one preparing that.”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Haha. Thank you, too, Buxley.”

As Lennox got back to his bedroll Buxley got up to do a patrol around the perimeter and to hunt some small game. As he also needs practice, they save Kura’s hunting method for when they want to save some time. Since they were going to stay in the camp for one more day, Buxley was free to take his time. Meanwhile, Kura picked up his book again as Lennox fell into slumber.

-----

Three days later, deep inside Zuria Forest, and within the northern hills, three figures trekked slowly through the bushes. As they weaved around the thick fifteen to thirty foot wide trees, they maintained a steady pace. A warm yellow light floated ahead of them, as if leading them somewhere. It danced around here and there, occasional stopping then speeding along.

“Hmm, it’s starting to look familiar, I think I recognize this place,” said Lennox.

“The way you say that does not leave me with much confidence.”

“No worries, cousin, it’s the right place.”

“You sure about that, Kura? Lennox has been saying that since yesterday. And I can’t discern the trail anymore.”

“Don’t forget, cousin, I attached the tracking effect on my wisp, and I can still see the mana trail. Even if you aren’t confident in him, have some faith in me.”

“I can hear you two from back here you know,” Lennox said, he sighed as he pushed past some of the lower branches of the trees in his way. They’ve been using Kura’s wisp after the first day when Lennox wasn’t able remember his tracks.

Finally they entered the clearing right before the mountain side. To the left and right stretched the Varnot Mountains. In this particular area, the mountain does an inward curve so the horizon from three sides is completely blocked by the towering mountains. Still following the wisp they headed west along the tree line.

“I remember now, the spot was just up here,” Lennox said, he picked up the pace and took the lead. After several minutes he stopped. “Look, it’s up there, you see that dark violet flower with the green patterning?”

“I get the impression that is highly poisonous,” Kura mused.

“That’s because it is, Kura,” replied Buxley.

“Oh, that’s nothing special, a lot of plants are poisonous on their own, it’s after they are properly prepped and counteracted that they show their benefits,” said Lennox as he dropped his pack and started to limber up.

“Are you well enough to go up there by yourself?” Buxley asked with some concern.

“Do either of you know the procedures to safely remove and contain that tiger violet up there?”

“No,” Kura replied.

“Then unfortunately, I’ll have to go up there, besides, this path is too tight for more than one person at a time. I’ll feel safer if I have the two of you down here to catch me should anything happen.”

Lennox began climbing up the mountainside before Kura and Buxley could say anything else. His nimbleness belied the fact that he was fatally injured just days ago. It appears the healing magic and regenerative soup had performed its function flawlessly.

Typically just one or the other would leave residual effects for days but they were lucky enough to be able to find the ingredients for the soup. Depending on the method of healing; using one’s own mana to heal or using the mana of the wounded, the one using the mana would be more tired. Mana may be the considered life energy but the mana used for spells come from a separate “container”.

The two watched as the Leveren picked up a satchel behind one of the rocks on his way up with a mirthful laugh. He had left it behind when the grodling appeared and began chasing him. They watched so as to make sure there’s no threats around this time. Meanwhile Kura increased his number of wisps and sent them out again.

Ten minutes later, Lennox made his way back down. It was apparent with the smile on his face he got what he had originally set out to do.

“This is great, I managed to gather some buds as well. I have to thank you two again, you’ve helped me tremendously. I don’t know how to repay you.”

“You’re welcome, Lennox. But as we said before, you don’t have to mind it. We’re searching for something as well and our interests happened to align,” Buxley said.

“Right, you had mentioned that. So, what is it? Perhaps I could help out. It took me a while to find these plants before I was chased so I’m familiar with this area.”

“It’s not around here.”

“Hmm? What’s not around here, Kura?” asked Lennox.

“Ruins, we’re searching for Salvarrosi outposts,” answered Buxley.

“Those, huh? Well, unfortunately, I didn’t come across anything around here like that. My apologies.”

“It is alright, Lennox, at least we searched another potential site. It’s difficult to even find these locations as it is,” Kura said.

“So that’s why you wanted to find sites with dense mana.”

“Yes, though the forest has reclaimed these places, these lost outposts still have enough mana to affect its surroundings,” Kura said.

“And high quality or rare plants tend to appear in such places,” finished Buxley.

“So now that you’ve searched, where will you two go now?” asked Lennox, he sat down on a rock, making sure the contents of his satchel is secured.

“Depending on how far, we’ll escort you back to your town or the next,” answered Kura.

“You needn’t do that. I owe you two enough already as it is. But wait, have you two visited Lomin before?”

“Tell us that when we get you back safely,” Kura said, “and no we’ve yet to head that way.”

“Is that right? Then by all means, you should join me to Lomin. I can request special admission for the two of you to enter the inner city. That’s where our library is, perhaps you can find some clues for your quest.”

“What do you think about that, Kura?”

Kura thought about it for a moment. Lomin is a good distance south at this point. It would take a week at least to get there. To be honest he wanted to search the region a bit longer but as he said before, the safety of Lennox currently takes precedence. Once he casts a hidden mark spell here he’d be able to return to this place at a later time with ease.

“Sounds like a plan. Then we shall head to Lomin for some time before visiting this location.”

“Let’s move out then.” Buxley got up and started heading towards the forest as the other two followed.