When Phantom regained his consciousness he saw that he was first to do so. Right after that he noticed many, many oak trees surrounding him. He heard something moving in the bushes and wanted to use a spell. To his shock magic didn't work. When he wanted to cast fire spell, his hand only shot out sparks. That was the same with other elements. After a while he heard the groans of his comrades. All of them were as confused as him.

- Do any of you know where that teleport sent us?- Samukai asked.

- Some weird forest in which magic doesn't work- Phantasm answered.

- If I were to guess then I would say that someone has casted a Zone of a Dead Mage here- guessed Noktum. It could be the case here. After all that was common back in the days, and since a lot of smaller wars and battles happened in the past, it wasn’t unusual to find old circles and traps still lying around.

- It isn't a big deal, right? We only need to find the exit and finally start the mission

- Find exit, easy to say snake

- I mean, I was in worse situations

- Yeah, sure. So come on lead

- I don't have a good feeling about this- Noktum muttered.

All four of them spend time wandering around the forest. Trees were big with leaves that looked like tiny emeralds. From time to time they spotted some creatures. Some of them looked like giant yellow beetles, other were like deer made entirely of branches. After hours spend on fruitless looking for exit Samukai finally said:

- Admit it, we're lost

- No, we aren't lost

- If so, then why are we still in this damned forest?

- It isn't my fault that this forest is so big and every tree look the same

- Leader, I think we should make a campfire- Noktum said, trying to prevent the quarrel from growing. He also had a good idea, because the sun was already setting. And wandering aimlessly in a forest without magic wasn’t how any of them wanted to spend the night

- Yeah, that's a good idea- Samukai agreed.

- Maybe, but can any of you light fire without magic?- Phantom asked.

- Watch and learn- said warrior.

Samurai collected some branches and leaves. He took out his katanas and started rubbing one at another. He did that until sparks started flying. After a while the campfire was lit up with a nice orange flame. Warrior sat on one side of the fire, Phantasm and Noktum at the other and Fenfir was laying near them.

They were now sitting in awkward silence. Phantom wanted to somehow break ice and maybe learn something about his teammates, but he had one problem. He didn't belong to those that had any social skills. Even though he knew that it might help him.

- So, say Noktum...to which tier you were learning magic?

- I learned spells to fifth tier

- And how long have you been learning?

- Not too long, I have been thrown out for setting the library on fire. It was accidental

- Great, chit-chat about magic. I'm going for a walk- said Samukai.

- Yeah, yeah just don't get lost or something- replied not amused Phantasm.

- We are already lost- he quietly muttered, when he went deeper inside the forest.

Phantom waited a while, then he said:

- I can't believe that I must be there with both of you

- Erm, what's wrong?

- Nothing I was just thinking out loud

- Oh, okay. Actually I have one question

- So come on

- Why was I the one to join you?

- Lord Lucifer had chosen you, so wear that as a badge of honor. And now that I think about that, I might as well try to teach some magic

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- Well I for sure am honored by that. After all, not everyday you can be taught by a soldier with a rank of Iblis let alone a well known spell caster- demon took some pride in the magician's words. Iblis was a high rank for a soldier, third to the highest in fact. Of course he had his hopes high that after this mission he will be granted to become al-Rajim.

- And how do you know all of that? I doubt that they teach that in Tower of Mages

- I’ve got to hear a few stories about you, leader. Though I can’t say if I heard more positives or negatives

- If they were talking about me then I guess it was the latter- Phantom clenched his fists- That’s all those bastards do- he muttered.

While Phantom and Noktum were talking about magic, Samukai tried to search for the exit. Sadly after he noticed that he made a quite big circle, he sat defeated on the near big rock.

- Being trapped in some weird magic forest isn't how I prefer to spend my free time. I could polish my skills or something- he said to himself.

Samurai took out his katana and started drawing something on the ground. His occupation was interrupted by some noises coming from the bushes. Carefully he stood up and came closer to the source of the noise.

To his surprise behind the bushes lay a young, red wyvern. Even though it might have been only two months old, it was already two meters long. Its lizard-like body was barely hidden by the bush.

What is a wyvern from volcanic territory doing in a forest? Still, it's better than sitting with them, Samukai thought.

The wyvern slowly stood up and screeched on it's opponent. Monster didn't do anything more than that, 'cause the samurai stabbed the creature right in its head.

- Well, I expected something more

Little did he know that there were more wyverns that hide themselves in the tree crowns. Samukai heard even more screeching and when he looked up he saw five monsters jumping down on him, pinning him to the ground. Warrior tried to shuffle them out off himself, but wyverns were too heavy. Reptiles started biting his armor in hope of some fresh meat.

- Get off me you damn lizards!- he shouted.

Phantasm and Noktum were sitting in silence when a shout interrupted them. All of them stood up already knowing that Samukai had a problem.

- Let's go see what our samurait is now doing- said the demon.

The trio slowly started walking to the source of the noise. It didn't take them long. Entire team was a little shocked by what they saw. Well, except Phantom who was slightly chuckling.

Five red wyverns were biting Samukai who was struggling to take them out of him.

- Samukai, really, stop goofing around and help us to get out of here- said demon with a mocking tone.

- Maybe little help out there?- asked the warrior.

- Nah, they're only wyverns

- Oh come on!

- Fenfir help this poor soul

Giant hellhound growled at the reptiles. Entire group ran off but one. One wyvern collapsed and couldn't get up. Samurai took the opportunity to stab the lizard. He wanted to come back to the campfire, but then he saw something on the right leg of the wyvern. Samukai took a closer look. Beast had some sort of silver ring.

- What's this?- asked Noktum.

- I think that I saw it before...Yes!Back in Seiryu, those rings were used on tamed wyverns. They weren’t really useful nor cheap, but for some reasons people were still buying them

- So, you're saying that they belong to somebody?- Phantasm asked.

- Probably, if they haven’t escaped from somewhere

- That would mean that we aren't alone in this forest

- Maybe, I say we should follow the footprints left by those rats

As he said they did. It took them some while, considering that footprints sometimes overlapped with each other. After a few good minutes the team has walked out of the forest. They saw all five wyverns, encircling a person dressed in rags, probably the owner of the lost reptiles. Team came closer to the man, who was shocked by four monsters coming out of the forest.

Demon! What is that thing doing there!? Man thought to himself.

- Would you like to tell us why those wyverns attacked us- Samukai asked .

- It spoke?!- man replied, shaking in fear.

- Maybe we should let him go- Samukai suggested. He felt a little pity for this man. As for what he could tell, that this man was probably poor, by the look of his clothes, probably spent all of his money on the wyverns.

- And maybe tell me to let him live, take his wyverns in peace and give him some gold? Are you mocking me perhaps? This human trash could as well get me to fail my mission and for that I can’t let him go- a demon shot out a red beam, piercing the man and killing him instantly. His wyverns have scattered around, not wanting to meet the same fate as their master.

- Noktum check if he didn't had anything important

- Roger that

Only somehow valuable thing he found was a small pile of gold in the purse. Samukai still had in mind that killing this man wasn't necessary.

- You did that to spite me right?- Samukai asked.

- What are you talking about?

- You know that this man would mean no harm to us, so why?

- Listen, it’s not about reasons, it’s about sending a message

- And what it might be?

- That at this point I am ready to cut down anyone who might stay on my way to fulfill my mission. That also means you- demon lowered his voice so that Noktum wouldn’t hear him. Samukai felt chills on his back, but kept on looking Phantom straight into eyes. Demon scoffed at him and slithered closer to the magician.

- I have one question, do you know where we should go?-asked warrior.

-Yea, do we have a map?- Noktum joined.

- Yes, we have a map- Phantom said and showed his hand on which a rather nicely cut black crystal was resting.

- So where it is?

- Don't you see?

- I see a crystal

- Exactly. Now come after me- me slithered further from the forest.

Phantom was leading his team to the field. From what he could tell, it was ordinary grassland with a town nearby. A wooden town, perfect for firewood but a town. Albeit there was something on the air that interested him. A fair scent like a mix of metal and honey. Angels? Probably. There was one way to check that out.

Raid the village.