As we prepared to sleep, various strange noises echoed from the darkness in the cold, damp air. The Lynx assured us that there was no cause for concern, but he and Alice had planned shifts to stand guard during the night. They were insistent on not letting anyone else take on this duty despite all of us volunteering. They argued that our threat assessment capabilities were too low for the task.
Exhausted, I wrapped myself in my sleeping bag and quickly fell asleep.
In the morning, after a hasty breakfast consisting mostly of meat and a few fruits Julietta had found, Alice announced that she and the Lynx would scout for a route out of the forest.
"You all stay here and don't do anything foolish," she instructed. Then she pointed at me and Ju. "You should be able to handle any problems that arise in this glade, but if there's anything urgent, Tina has a whistle she can use to call us. Lynx confirmed that he would hear it from quite a distance. We'll be back soon!"
Julietta had asked us not to use her full name anymore. Her new alias was Jutta, so we could simply use the shortened form Ju. I guess it was the easiest way for her to have a new name.
As I saw her sitting near Tina, I couldn't help but chuckle. Thiara - Tina, Julietta - Jutta, Dolores - Lores. Only Alice was still Alice.
"Stay within the glade! Just remain here for the next hour," the Lynx emphasized again before they departed.
Once they left, we kept hashing out whether to venture into the ring's barn and let Alice and the Lynx take us out of the forest or not. Arguments flew back and forth, but we couldn't reach a consensus. The barn seemed like a potential death trap if it collapsed, but how did that risk stack up against trekking through the forest—or was it more like a jungle?
As it was very difficult to calculate the risks, I decided to bow out of the debate. If the barn had been reliable, it would've been a no-brainer. But now, it all hinged on whether we could anticipate the collapse in time. We knew it looming, but when would it strike?
What about Sid? He was far too big and too heavy for us to even consider moving him out; however, being a black dragon, he might even survive a collapse like this.
Anyhow, the sooner we got out of the forest, the sooner we could start exploring our options to help him.
I knew that rumors swirled about dragon nests at the northern border, nestled deep in the mountains. Few dared to investigate, and even fewer returned from there. But I had a fragment of knowledge from White Flower herself, where she had met a dragon in that vicinity. The memory was there, clear as day, but the when eluded me. Was the dragon still there after all these years? Decades could have slipped by. And even if it remained, would I meet the right dragon there? I didn't even possess its true name, just the moniker White Flower had bestowed upon it. Would that be enough?
The prospect of finding it was nothing short of a miracle, but even then, would it entertain my plea? If we did meet, would it grant me the opportunity to speak, let alone hear me out about my connection to White Flower and my plea for help?
So many uncertainties loomed that I questioned if it was worth pondering. It seemed like a feeble plan at best, but thus far, it was the only one I could muster. Still, maybe I should mention it to Alice and the Lynx upon their return.
With those thoughts swirling in my mind, I set a tin cup on the fire to brew some coffee. Thankfully, I had some ground coffee stashed away in my inventory, and the idea of finally enjoying a cup after nearly a day without one was already lifting my spirits.
"Coffee, yeah!" Tom chimed in, echoing my sentiments.
"How'd you sleep?" Mike inquired.
"Like a log," I replied, sporting a satisfied grin.
"I could barely shut an eye," Tom grumbled. "Flies buzzing around, trying to take a chunk out of me, and—"
"Tried?" Hew interjected, lifting his arm to reveal a cluster of red welts. "I've been feasted on by those damn vampire-mosquitoes. Not flies!"
Mike shook his head. "No, I'm sure it was ants. They snuck under my pajamas, but I couldn't catch 'em. Just felt 'em crawling."
"It was probably your imagination," I reassured him. "There were no ants around here."
"First, I was sweating buckets under the blanket, then they zeroed in on my face and hands. Absolute nightmare," Tom shared his nighttime ordeal.
"Good morning!" Tina's voice rang out cheerfully as she emerged from the tent, her face glowing with the dawn light.
I did have a tent, but it was a small tent practically for only one person. In the end we had let Tina and Michael to sleep inside it.
"Good morning, sleepyhead! Looks like you got a good night's rest. Breakfast's ready! Is Michael up too?"
She stretched and yawned.
"Yeah, he's doing that thing where he acts like he's still asleep, but he's awake," she explained with a chuckle.
We heard Michael's voice from inside the tent. "I'm trying to sleep with all the racket you guys are making!"
"Come on out, it's time to pack up. Alice and the Lynx are scouting the shortest route to get us out of this forest. They'll be back soon, and you'll miss breakfast!" I teased him. Of course, Alice would wait for him to eat, but he didn't need to know that.
"I feel so dirty!" Hew suddenly announced. "I haven't really washed properly since yesterday morning!"
"I poured water for you to wash your face in the morning," I protested.
"You were very thrifty with that water, that was hardly washing," Tom interjected. "Can't we go down to the mill to freshen up?"
"Yeah, let's have a proper morning wash!" Mike agreed.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
"But didn't you hear what Lynx said?" Julietta countered. "Stay within the glade!"
"Technically, the mill is still within the glade," I reasoned. "We were there yesterday. I don't see why we can't go."
Julietta shrugged.
"Alright, you go with the boys. I'll stay here with the kids while they have breakfast. Shout if there's any trouble." Julietta directed, while Tina protested she wasn't a kid and resorted to sticking her tongue out in a very childish manner.
I chuckled at Tina's antics as we rose to our feet and made our way toward the mill.
The path we'd trodden yesterday still marked the way. The day was pleasant, with both suns shining high in the sky, and a cacophony of buzzing bugs filled the air, almost rivaling the hum of a vacuum cleaner.
"Didn't Lynx mention something about snakes near the mill?" Hew queried.
"Ugh, you're right," Tom acknowledged. "Let's head over there instead. Looks cleaner and less ominous."
He gestured a bit further to the right. I hesitated briefly, knowing we might stray beyond Lynx's scanned area, but I couldn't spot any immediate threats.
As we moved in that direction, we stumbled upon a small pebble and sand beach, with the beginnings of a lake where the creek flowed into it.
"This seems like a much better spot for washing," I concurred with their assessment.
As the boys began to wash, I gazed out at the forest ahead. To the left, it was a dense jungle, filled with stings, thorns, and barbs sprouting from the path of the small creek. Attempting to push through would be a recipe for shredded skin, especially for the boys. It would require a machete to carve a path. On the right side of the mill, where we stood, the water deepened, and beyond the dense barrier of water reeds, the small lake stretched far, evident from the absence of trees.
As I ventured a bit farther to find my own spot for a proper wash, I suddenly heard a cracking noise under my feet. What was that? My mana sight swiftly identified them: bones. There was also movement underground, farther from the water—a sight that resembled snakes slithering beneath the surface. They occasionally widened and narrowed, like a worm in motion, yet those sections remained stationary. It was unlike any worm I'd ever seen.
"Boys, don't make any sudden movements!" I called out, loud enough for them to hear but still maintaining a hushed tone.
"Is there something?" Tom halted his washing, standing knee-deep in the water. Hew not far away. Mike was once again nowhere to be seen.
"Mike?" I called out.
"I'm over here, taking care of business," came Mike's voice from about ten meters away, behind some bushes.
Again?
"Everyone, come here immediately!" I commanded.
Hew and Tom swiftly joined me, while Mike emerged moments later, hastily pulling up his trousers.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Suddenly, the skittering sound grew louder, and the small hill between us and the glade began to shift. Those serpentine, undulating creatures I had sensed underground were not snakes or worms, but columns of ants.
"Uh, drats!" I exclaimed, spotting the multitude of bulges between us and the glade. They were all massive ant hills! I sprinted toward the water. "Follow me!"
"What's happening?" Hew wondered, observing the high grass rustling all around our vicinity.
"Ants. Predatory ants!" I exclaimed.
The mounds around us suddenly transformed into something resembling a sieve, with antennas protruding from each hole and dark black streams forming under the grass. Ants, as large as two centimeters, raced with incredible speed, flooding the shore where we had just been.
I began firing shadow bolts at them wherever I saw a larger group, but it seemed to only agitate them further.
"Can't we outrun them, or break through?" Hew's voice trembled.
"They run just as fast as we do, and the ground is riddled with traps. This is a carnivorous ant colony—they hunt big game, and we're the game now," I explained, urging us to retreat further through the reeds.
"Why would these ants make their hunting ground at the edge of a lake where they can't swim?" I mused aloud. They seemed content to gather at the shore and wait for us. But why should we risk leaving?
"Yell for Julietta!" I commanded and started to yell.
Everyone shouted, but Hew's yell was particularly desperate and distressed. My eyes widened when I saw what he was pulling out of the water: a massive worm, about twenty-five centimeters long, with a triangular mouth, that wriggled in his hand.
"Leeches!" I exclaimed in horror, snatching the worm and crushing it in my hand.
"Oh, fuck!" I cursed.
The boys turned to me, their eyes filled with fear, as the water reeds began to rustle as though the water itself was boiling. I turned toward the deeper part of the water and invoked one of White Flower's spells: ice. With a surge of effort, I transformed a large swath of water into ice. It drained most of my mana, but a solid surface of ice formed in front of me, providing a barrier.
"On the ice!" I yelled.
They didn't need my instruction; they were already scrambling onto the ice, and I helped them while grabbing any leeches that clung to their legs, ignoring the ones attempting to bite mine. A sudden, sharp bite reminded me that there were leeches capable of piercing even a twenty-sixth level demoness. The problem was, I was now encased in the ice I had conjured. Instead of breaking free, fearing to break too much of it, I melded into the shadows and reformed above the ice, shedding the leeches and my clothes too in one swift motion.
I was running low on mana and thought we were temporarily safe when an ant fell onto the ice beside me. Then another. They were bombarding us from the canopy of the surrounding trees! Soon, it sounded like hail falling. We tried to sweep them into the water as much as possible, but they clung to our clothes, and several managed to bite me.
"Where's Julietta?" I wondered aloud, struggling to extend the ice toward an area free from tree cover. My mana was so depleted that I felt dizzy, and my head began to sway on my shoulders. In that moment, she materialized among us.
She understood the situation instantly and likely decided that the best course of action would be to extend the ice away from the canopy of trees, providing us with an escape route.
"Channel me!" she proposed.
Meanwhile, she began employing her water manipulation skills to push the ants away from our ice float. The water beneath us had turned into a murky, churning mass that sent shivers down my spine. If one of the boys were to fall into it, they would be instantly drained of blood.
I placed my hand on her shoulder, feeling the vast sea of mana within her. It offered a sense of power and tranquility that washed over me. Drawing on her energy, I felt her mana willingly envelop me, like the taste of sweet sparkling wine—strange yet delightful. I let it infuse every fiber of my being, taking a deep breath to allow it to spread throughout me. It was comforting to have her near, to feel that well of pure mana beside me. The world around me seemed to transform, becoming more vibrant and beautiful. Is this how elves perceive the world?
I continued to draw more mana from her, feeling her worried gaze upon me. Why was she concerned? She had plenty of mana to spare, didn't she?
Ah, yes, I needed to extend the ice. Such a mundane task! Struggling to command the mana, I suddenly found myself immersed in a colorful world, as if soaring through the sky. Was I transported to another place or time? Perhaps my spirit was, but my body slumped on the solid ice as I lost consciousness.