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<01/16/1972 – 14:30 | Arragon Forest, Gulop Region, Sprawn Valley>
The air filled heavy in pressure as the sun continued to warm up the day. Though because of the winter solstice, the temperature did not exceed seventy Fahrenheit. Taylor and Danny were waiting patiently by the edge of the Arragon Forest, west of Blue Port Town. Technically, there is an open path from the west exit, but it too leads into a small portion of the forest, making it easy to get lost there. They were waiting on Jane, who said she was heading to the Leray store to buy some snack items, as well as something special to eat for lunch on the road.
Danny had a map of detail specific for the forest area too, but Jane understood it better; at least that's what he thought. Jane plans to travel all the way to Gross City by cutting into the forest on a southwest exit, and then follow a different trail. They would have to travel on foot anyway. Sprawn Valley has no automobiles to drive from place to place. Because of the landscape and the custom traditions that still live thousands of years on, everybody here travels on foot. At the very most, people may use mountain bikes to get around, but nothing more advanced than that. It works well for exercise in the nation, though there are times where walking can be a pain.
"All ready to go - you two."
Taylor and Danny both turned around to meet Jane once again. She had just gone off to buy them all food. Water was already plentiful at the moment. Jane was also wearing something totally different now. She wasn't kidding about getting a refund on her suit. Taylor remembered asking about the way currency and exchange works here. If she heard right, the Sentiment Leray company often accepts refunds at lower values for what the product was bought for. That means even without the food, Jane lost a little more credits than she might be comfortable with, but it wasn't her business to pry any further. Taylor instead wondered where all of that food apparently went.
"We'll pass through the forest here." Jane pointed in the direction she wanted to go. "I have a map and compass for directions. We will have to go in pretty deep, after which there will be a sidewinding path heading to the connecting northern road."
"And then what?" Danny shrugged.
Jane answered, "Then we won't be far from Gross City at all."
Taylor was wondering... If Jane had just bought all of that food, where did it go? It took a few second for the memory of the supply sphere to dawn back onto her mind. Jane must have stored all of that food inside.
Supply spheres are very special items designed by Leray technological mages. They can store an impossible amount of mass by compressing specific items and holding it inside of capsule space within that sphere. The sphere is its own large capsule, capable of drawing in items without ever needing to open the device. Taylor remembered Jane using it once on something she bought. The capsule somehow creates a powerful blue aura around whatever is about to be stored inside, after aiming and pressing a button on top of the sphere. The item glowing blue then transforms into a stream of light, which then travels directly into the supply sphere. Taylor didn't understand what was really happening on a technical level, and she believed Jane didn't care to either. Supply spheres are said to have a maximum mass load, and cannot store items that exceed an initial mass, even if the sphere is normally capable of storing its capacity in parts. So only small items work for this, and only up to a certain point. Taylor has a supply sphere too, as does Danny, but Jane uses hers the most, likely because she is used to it.
Jane waited on her friends to be ready. They were already dressed appropriately for the woods, just as she was. This time, Jane was wearing what appeared to be denim pants with a short sleeve shirt, shinning from the small glittering gems at the front base of her shirt. Jane was obviously dressing according to the temperature changes. It was getting a bit later outside, and therefore getting hotter as well, but the sky was still clear, only just afternoon. It's time to get this show on the road.
Danny was a little reluctant to just walk straight into the forest from this angle. There was not a stone road laid out in plain sight. Nothing at all indicated that there was a path for Jane to follow. She was just going according to her map. Even though this is Jane we're talking about, Danny was slowly losing confidence in this plan. Against his objections, Jane led them both into the dense woods, making Taylor and Danny follow just to keep up. On the way in, Danny kept his mind momentarily busy with the details Jane sadly gave to him and Taylor about the general area.
Apparently, this Arragon Forest is specifically one of the largest dense jungle forests in all of Sprawn Valley, vastly covering the southwest section of Gulop, where the edge spans all the way just past Gross City's west boarder lines. The forest itself is said to be teeming with small wild life, and is protected by a scientific team of researchers who studies medicine. Despite the direction Jane was going, the more official path that cuts into the forest leading to a hidden research institute is part of the official west exit of Gross City. What Danny wondered, is what was really so different about this forest compared to the other less dense ones he's already been into so far.
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Chapter Theme Shift: Morning Dew ~ Adrian Von Ziegler (Wanderer)
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Only ten minutes needed to pass for the structure of the Arragon Forest to completely transform before their eyes. The green grass and moss on the ground multiplied in population, as did many random rocks and boulders. All of the trees in sight had become larger in the bulk of their bark, as did their height. Each one carried a large umbrella of leaves over top, placed carefully enough to allow sunlight through - only in speckled beams.
Far into the woods, the sound of thousands of birds and doves echoed through the endless woods. Bugs chimed in occasionally, though nobody knew exactly what kind of bugs made such noise. Despite being heavily protected by the overcasting coat of leaves and shade, the low powered breezes of fresh air drilled through towards the bottom floor. Taylor could feel that perfect burst of wind on her face. At the same time, she could hear the air up top, brushing intensely against all of those leaves to create a unique and lively sound. Taylor couldn't help but stop and close her eyes. She wanted to feel it some more, begging for another soft brush of forest air. The continuous echoes of the birds began to sooth her as much as the brisk feeling of the winds.
Danny glanced back at Taylor's feet, noticing how far behind she was starting to get. "Looks like someone can't keep up."
Jane responded to Danny's remark by looking back at Taylor. She at first expected Taylor to be breathing heavy, complaining about the wild lands. Instead, Taylor had this incredible look of serenity in her expression; that's why she was not moving. Jane interruptedly stopped, waiting on Taylor with no complaints. "It looks to me like she's enjoying this. You must not have a lot of forests back home."
Danny knew that Jane was speaking to him with her quiet volume. Turning around once more, Taylor really did seem at total peace. Never before had she felt this way, he thought. If she did, it was something Taylor never shared with him at all. "No," he regretted to say. "We don't have a lot of forests at all." Kalamo was much too industrialized to contain any place like this. Since he was being postponed, Danny was also forced to take it all in. This was like a new level of being outdoors.
Though speckled, Taylor felt the beams of sunlight tickling her skin. All of her worries and fears melted away in this noise and vast green. Even with Jane and Danny talking about those things, she was able to totally tune everything out. Never has she felt so happy like this before. Taylor could suddenly capture the idea of staying here forever.
Jane folded her arms, still remaining patient with Taylor until she was ready to keep going. "You don't really talk about your home that much."
Danny cleared his throat, nervously thinking about what to say. Luckily, Jane wasn't asking about that mess with his parents and Taylor's parents. So, this wasn't as bad as he thought for now. "Even the tiny forests there..." he paused, "They're nothing like this."
"Must be a small island." Jane raised her hands while shaking her head, doing the best to use her imagination. Kalamo. It's a different country from which Danny and Taylor both arrived. Jane remembered how they told her about that country, or as much as they felt like explaining anyway. It sure didn't sound all that grand, not from the emotionless expression in their eyes as they thought back. Who could blame them for making that comparison now? Danny and Taylor apparently had zero knowledge of Leray magic upon arrival to Sprawn Valley. Not to mention their trip to this country was a total accident in the first place. Their parents might be worried sick, but oddly, they don't appear to be worried about that drama themselves.
Taylor opened her eyes once more. Everything in front of her was bright, but not in a way which was harmful to the eyes. Everything was just shinier, affected with a powerful bloom as the sun's light bounced through everything. Even the sounds here were incredibly unique, and somehow, this made it so much easier to breathe too. Taylor couldn't stop herself from smiling in response. She continued to walk forward at her own pace. Both Danny and Jane were waiting up for her.
Jane met her gaze. It was clear that Taylor's mood completely shifted since arriving here. Never did someone seem so incredibly relaxed. "You seem to be taking a liking to this place."
"I never knew a forest could be this big, and this amazing!" Taylor didn't mean to, but she spoke with the most relaxing and pungent tone. It was as if she was singing while speaking, giving her voice a powerful hint of happy emotion. "I love this place."
"Thus you get to know the Arragon Forest," Jane proclaimed. "It's not the only large forest in Sprawn Valley, but you only find one as unique as this."
"And through here, we get to Gross City?" Danny questioned.
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"That right," Jane gestured. "Gross City is completely industrialized, but without any air pollution. Don't forget that having no cars to drive around comes with its advantages."
Danny peaked back at Taylor. Her expression still hasn't changed yet. It's like she was under some kind of relaxing spell. Danny had to admit, the forest here was incredible, but he wasn't feeling as happy about it as Taylor was... It didn't matter to him anyway. Just as long as she is happy.
Jane continued her explanations. "It will be another good hour before we actually reach the winding road to Route Eleven. I'm sure nobody will complain about that much distance in a place as calm as this." Jane heard no complaints either. Danny wasn't a fan of walking long distances, but traveling in such a beautiful place does more to negate those little problems. The floor beneath him however wasn't all that flat and easy to walk on even with tough shoes. A few of the grass blades occasionally brushed his pants to create just enough friction to notice a slight resistance from the thin bushes. This just makes walking a bit more rough in the long run. Jane had to get them both to keep going and follow her. There were a lot of interesting landmarks in this forest that Jane knew of well. She had only ever been to Gross City once when she was a child. However, she has since then returned back to the Arragon Forest many times, without actually reaching the city limits. Jane made those trips on purpose. Why go all the way to Gross City for nothing? Of course today was different. With Jane now a licensed Leray wielder, Gross City should hold a lot for her there.
Taylor and the others walked cautiously for more than half an hour since. Not too much of the scenery changed much, but Taylor still fell in love with the environment here. On the way, Jane led them to several more natural landmarks. They passed by a large patch of piled up boulders, unknowing of their origin or story. Then they had to cross a very narrow stream of fresh water. It was at least large enough to prevent one from just jumping to the other side, but too shallow to swallow one's knees. Taylor did all she could to avoid getting her feet wet in these shoes. Somehow Jane managed the same result. Then they all came to a large patch in the forest. Though many tall trees surrounded this particular zone, there was a rather large field spanning out without any tall vegetation within.
The massive large rock was to blame. Almost as large as a house, this rock was mostly flat, tilted slightly on an incline of other smaller boulders. Because of where it rested, only the grass and flowers would live nearby it. Posing as another landmark, Jane finally decided to stop here. "I don't know about you two, but I'm ready for lunch."
"I thought you'd never ask," Danny coaxed. It seemed to him that Jane knew these landmarks well, especially this one. Jane began by hunching down right over the top of the large rock, hinting she had done it dozens of times before. It wasn't difficult to stand taller than the granite. Jane must be planning to use this as a table out here, not that it bothered him. Most snacks didn't need such a formal setting anyway. While Kain did pack a bit more MRE food rations in his bag attached to his back, not one thing was a meal that needed to be cooked.
Taylor stopped closer to Jane, wondering what kind of food she was about to bring out. Obviously this counts as break time, but since the sound, smell, and feel of the forest did not changed one bit, Taylor didn't mind this at all. All of the different songs of the birds bounced above in different directions, scattering and echoing while blending in with the very light wind bristling above. All of it created the perfect music. Taylor figured she could build a house here and live around these woods forever.
Jane pulled out her supply sphere, finally opening up the device. In doing so, an electronic panel formed in a holographic mode. Jane somehow knew how to interact with the keys on the artificial screen before she did something. The ball capsule closed by itself. Then, the same blue beam that also creates an aura around objects shot at the top of the rock. This time, it slowly formed a few items out of phase right there. Jane's sphere was pulling compressed items out of the device, instead of pulling them back in. Once it was all done, Jane's supply sphere had spawned a large wooden spoon, a metal cooking pot, a tiny survival stove, and several random ingredients for something all inside of marked bags. It was...
"Huh?" Taylor studied the situation more carefully. This wasn't a snack menu. All of these were ingredients used in cooking. "Jane? You're cooking a full meal out here?" Taylor wanted to ask her where she was going to get the fire from, but it would only make her sound less intelligent than what Jane gave her credit for. Still, she did not remember bringing any particular fire starters with her.
"Of course!" Jane sounded very happy about her choice. That is because she knew exactly what meal she was making. "Magellos Soup. I'll have it cooked and ready in just fifteen minutes."
Danny reported to Jane, "In that case, I'll go scout around some. I'm not used to a forest this big."
Jane waved a hand to Danny without lifting her head. She knew she would be busy with this for a while. Taylor however refused to leave, instead wanting to help Jane out with the meal. But Taylor was also interested in how this was going to be made, let alone cooked. Besides, Magellos Soup? It sure might sound normal to a local like Jane, but Sprawn Valley contains many different kinds of grain and fruits that don't normally grow anywhere else. Whatever it is that Jane is making, it will be totally different than anything Taylor has ever tasted. At least that was her best guess of things so far.
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Danny couldn't help but agree with Taylor's analysis with the area here. Something like this; a place where no such government exists because there are no people in the forests to coexist, this is true serenity. Even if it lasts in just this one forest, Danny was certain that such a place and concept would relax Taylor to no end. But then, what happens when it does end? There has to be a way to slow Jane down, keep her in Gulop for as long as possible.
Taylor! How did it come to this? Danny felt his heart racing as fast as it could. The feeling of being trapped and crushed in such a small place intensified. There is nothing like the feeling of being lost in an unfamiliar place. Even if it is so peaceful, Danny knows he's not at home. He knows he's not with family. Nothing is safe! Nothing is right! At the same time, home is the one place they both have to avoid at all costs. Danny could only claim to compare this moment to a time when he was only eight years old, where he got separated from his parents in a local grocery store in Kalamo.
Though it only lasted for fifteen minutes, he remembered how terrifying it was. The situation then was fairly ironic. The location hadn't changed, nor had the details, nor any of the people involved. What changed was the situation. Danny was lost in that store for fifteen minutes; it was his very first time there since it was a new build. Being all by yourself in unfamiliar surroundings is scary, but that holds to be truer when you are alone. You have no one to trust, no one to count on. What choice do you make? How much danger are you really in?
Danny could feel a similar sensation taking him a moment ago. Jane and Taylor didn't need to know about it. Even with how beautiful and bright this green land is, it doesn't change how terrifying this journey is. Sprawn Valley and magic may be harmless, but the situation is what's wrong here. How messed up must it be that home is more dangerous than uncharted land? Taylor. I know I haven't thought of anything yet. I haven't developed any new leads or a solid plan of action. But even if Jane speeds up, I promise you. I promise that you will never come to harm. I won't let that happen!
As the minutes passed, Jane eventually finished cooking the soup. It was a combination of vegetables and certain berries mixed in with meat chunks boiled in soy and coconut fluids. Taylor was surprised to see Jane start a small fire under her pot simply by using a well-known Leray spell. Since Fire Bolt and Fire Ball pack too much of a kick, Jane used a spell called Kindle Spark. It simply creates embers where one aims it, designed for cooking and not for battles. Jane managed to take full control of the situation after that, cooking and stirring the soup for several minutes until it was finally ready.
Danny returned to the site, easily finding his way back with the delicious smell that now replaced the air around them. It looked like lunch was already being served. Jane had somehow added some small wooden bowls into the mix of cooking wear, and now she was serving Taylor, dipping spoonfuls of her soup into Taylor's assigned bowl.
"Just in time," Jane hollered to Danny. "I think you'll like this better than a bag of chips."
Danny hovered to the large metal pot, letting Jane pour some of the white soup into his own bowl as well. After sitting down with Jane and Taylor, Danny suddenly realized something. He had never in his entire life endured a moment remotely similar to this one. With his own best friends, he was now eating alongside them after Jane prepared an excellent meal. Additionally, she did all of this out of the goodness of her heart. Danny almost had to reconsider that goodness of heart thing after trying the soup though. Nothing else in the world has ever tasted this incredible! What is this flavor? Something like this could only come from someone so heavenly and divine! Jane must have known that ahead of time, giving her much reason to go through all of this trouble in the first place. Still, it's a very nice thing to do for them both. Danny had to properly thank Jane for this service, questioning himself what he might owe her after this. "This is the best meal I've ever tasted Jane! Thanks for this. I should have helped you prepare it."
"It's okay," Jane blushed. His behavior changed so suddenly! Danny has never shown this much emotion before from a simple bite or sip of food. Is her cooking that good?
It was unlike Danny to stratify such an enormous compliment, but Taylor ignored it for the sake of her taste buds. "How did you get soup to taste this good?" Taylor could not identify every component within her meal. She knew there were a lot of individual ingredients to it, but nothing could properly sum up the unity of the warm taste in her mouth. She swallowed another spoonful in bliss, carefully keeping her bowl steady in her lap.
"It's an old family recipe, but many people use it since it's no secret." Jane was enjoying the soup she made as well. The steam from the heated liquid filled her smell with the same incredible aura of delight. Jane also knew that this is the best meal to have before a battle. Because of the specific ingredients used, it is a really healthy meal to consume in the long run. Plus in the meantime, it helps people become more agile and responsive during a Leray match.
"Mmmmh! I can't get over this taste!" Danny began eating a bit faster than he previously was. If the meal were drier and less easy to spill, he would already be stuffing his face in front of Taylor and Jane.
Taylor noticed that Jane almost stopped completely in the middle of her meal, staring off into the distance. It wasn't hard to tell that her mind was busy about something. "Still thinking back to that battle?"
Jane inhaled quickly, surprised at how easy it was for Taylor to read her mind like that. Though perhaps it wasn't that hard anymore. Jane couldn't stop thinking back on it though. That match against Jack wasn't a normal fight. It's almost like the battle wasn't fair. She remembered some of the status changes carefully. When she was hit with just one single Fire Bolt attack, her HP dropped down by about 21%. That's about 250% of a health decrease more than what it should have been. Fire Bolt isn't supposed to do that much damage after all.
Then again, Jane returned, attacks such as Fire Bolt and Ice Bolt deal more damage than their predecessor forms such as Fire Ball and Ice Ball. It still bothered Jane deeply. Her defense was much lower than it should have been. Whether that meant Jack is at a very high level, or that something was really wrong with Jane's endurance level in total, something about this had to be done. "Yeah."
Taylor detected the familiar tone of defeat in Jane once more, but the solution to this was obvious. After all, Danny and Taylor learned from Jane in the first place. "Don't worry," she uplifted. "All you need to do is train some more. Maybe master that Zero Zone thing of yours."
Jane at first seemed confused. Taylor was right about the additional training idea, but Zero Zone sure is something else. "I think you are right. Zero Zone isn't something I can accomplish anytime soon though. Just that one skill is a really high level kind of aura."
Taylor stopped eating momentarily, trying to think of a better way to encourage Jane to do better next time. After all, she isn't the only one who is supposed to take on more challenges in Gross City. Taylor and Danny had their work cut out for them as well. Jane is still likely many levels ahead of them both put together anyway.
It happened so fast. Like a spark just ignited inside of Jane's mind. Her eyes lit up and her entire body had somehow lifted at stand still. "I've got it!" Jane didn't meant to surprise Danny and Taylor like that, but they soon got used to it by now. "I'll just train to learn some other abilities, right here in this forest."
Yeah, you're just nuts! Danny ignored it and continued eating until his soup was gone. Though her random energy is understandable and usual to him, it's still so random and raw to draw it out so openly.
"That's the spirit!" Taylor cheered.
Jane knew that was an ongoing thing for all Leray trainers, but she already had some ideas in mind for her next battle. "I'll train right around here, and it won't take long at all. I want to learn how to use Sphere of Might. And my Earth Glave could use some sprucing up too."
Danny stood up, though not as excitingly as Jane jumped up. "Sounds good. I'll help you with Earth Glave." My damn soup is gone! Why wasn't there more?
"And I'll help you with Sphere of Might," Taylor added.
Jane was thanking them both without needing to say a word. "Awesome! Let's go around side the rock." The plan to train together would be perfect as well. Taylor had easily learned Sphere of Might back in the Dakota facility, and Danny stuck with Earth Glave. Since they both know the abilities, Jane would have little difficulty learning these spells.
Taylor followed Jane to the spot where she wanted to train some more, as Danny followed Taylor, who was getting excited quickly. Even though the calm of the forest remained as did the bright overhead sunlight causing the peace, Taylor was just fine with getting psyched up about this too.
Danny admired this moment like no other. When he and Taylor first arrived in Sprawn Valley, their feelings about Leray magic were the exact opposite as they were now. Many people at first underestimate Leray magic in general, thinking on how bad and dangerous it can be, but in reality, it's just a combination of support or attack spells used in the everyday exciting sport of Leray battles. Since these cannot take place outside of the nation of Sprawn Valley, there really is no danger to using magic in the field. Now, he and Taylor both were capable of getting super stoked about Leray training, as it was not so in the past.