We were following a beast trail now, the forest growing steadily darker as less and less sunlight filtered down through the higher branches of the canopy. Strange gliding lizards flitted from branch to branch above us, gulping down colorful buzzing insects. As we marched along the forest floor, Elwin donned a small iron pot helm from one of Patches’ bags. He tightened the leather straps around his chin as he looked cautiously above, almost tripping on a tree root as he did so.
After an indeterminable amount of time in the eternal gloom of the Sainba, we came across a recently-fallen giant of a tree blocking the trail. The leaves of its branches were still green and only half of its roots had been uprooted, creating a split down its otherwise solid trunk. Kidu ushered for us to check its upturned roots, remembering the alchemist’s instructions, and sure enough, exposed to the air were growths of hairy mushrooms that resembled a broom’s head. Holding pieces of cloth to their mouths, Elwin and Kidu began harvesting the fungi. They quickly stuffed all the mushrooms within arm’s length into their bags, while Kidu was playfully mocking Elwin for being lazy. I told them that we would need to leave some space in our collective packs for River Root and Lurker hide, so they hurriedly finished their gathering. Once more, we made our way around the fallen behemoth of a tree and off in the direction, according to Kidu, of the river.
Our party continued to make good progress through the depths of the Sainba, but eventually, Elwin began to flag and called out to us.
“Enough! We shouldn’t go on anymore. By my reckoning, it will be nightfall soon and we should find a place to make camp,” the Rogue exclaimed, hands on his knees in exhaustion.
Kidu snapped from his reverie, as going through the forest had an almost meditative effect on him, acknowledged Tucker’s suggestion and led us off the trail. I had more than enough energy to go on, but not enough mental energy to argue. Shrugging internally, I followed the Hunter.
One foot forward, then the next, brushing away any vegetation, scanning for threats, all done almost without a thought. My behavior was now an ingrained subconscious repetition.
Eventually, the Hunter led us to yet another giant, this time the venerable colossus of a tree was surrounded by growths of one of my favorite plants. Snap-Honey plants ringed the tree, growing along its trunk and sprawling over its exposed roots like Venusian jade sentinels. This variant of the carnivorous plant had pink maws that were lined with sharp spiky yellow ‘teeth’.
A dark maw opened at the base of the tree’s trunk, hollow and promising shelter for the night. Kidu didn’t even bother with his earlier trick of triggering the biting heads by throwing a small stick at them. He merely waded in among them, his spear hewing away at the plants and leaving behind a clear path for us to follow.
Occasionally a Snap-Honey would weave its way through his guard of flashing steel only to bite ineffectively against his armor. As soon as a plant head latched onto him, he swiftly tore it off, hardly missing a beat. We followed in his impressive wake of destruction until we made it to the tree’s hollow.
It took a little persuasion to make our donkey enter the hollow of the tree, but once I soothed her with some sweet reassurances she willingly went inside. Once inside, having torn off the spiky ‘teeth’, I fed my faithful beast a whole Snap-Honey head.
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Immediately my companions began to make camp, with Elwin collecting the fallen Snap-Honey heads and Kidu gathering up fallen dry branches. Somewhere along the way, the Rogue must have acquired some flint. He struck one of his knives against a dark gray stone to start a fire. Once the merry blaze had been started, Elwin and I took off Patches’ saddlebags and brushed her down, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Kidu was sprinkling salt on some Karilla flesh, wrapping the meat in the heads of the Snap-Honey before placing them on the open flames. The flames caused the plant heads to shrivel and cling closely to the meat, and a pungent, heady aroma filled the air. My mouth began to water in anticipation of the evening’s meal. Soon enough, the darkness grew as we sat around the solitary fire, which was causing dancing orange and red flames to throw strange shadows into the forest.
Patches, in a moment of intelligence that surprised us all, went out of the tree's hollow, and away from our campfire, to relieve herself. To all of our amusement, she gave us a ‘look’ before returning to the safety of the hollow of the giant tree.
“You know what? That’s one remarkable donkey,” jibed Elwin, clearly amused.
“The trained beasts of my clan do similar,” said Kidu, trying to not look impressed, fondness nonetheless entering his voice.
“She is great! I wonder if my magic did more than just heal her?” I asked, which just drew a few noncommittal or ignorant shrugs.
“Ahh, anyways, I think our meal is ready! Aha, dinner is served!” Exclaimed Elwin as he pulled a delicious parcel delicately out of the fire and began blowing on it to cool it down.
Kidu used a stick to stab through a parcel of salted Karilla meat wrapped in Snap-Honey head, and waited for it to cool naturally. I followed suit and, after a short while, judging that my meal was cool enough, I bit into it. An orchestrated explosion of flavor filled my mouth. The lizard meat was salted to perfection and the added sweetness of the Snap-Honey enhanced all of the flavors.
Taking off my gloves, I gobbled up the rest of my portion and greedily began on seconds, savoring the honey aftertaste. Once I had finished, I washed my hands with some water. Kidu had promised that we would make the river tomorrow, so saving water was of little concern to us.
My companions went about their tasks for the night, checking their equipment and gathering firewood and a dozen other chores that camping required. Sure that I would be of little assistance, I did not offer them help. Instead, I volunteered for the first and second watch. Once they had finished, we talked of matters of little import. Soon enough, Kidu and Elwin, exhausted after the day's exertions, retired for the evening.
At the start of my watch, I cast the dark spell Drain on a giant of a tree at the edge of my magic’s range. I did this to keep my senses keen, the strengthened spell siphoning energy quicker than before.
Alone with my thoughts and the pleasant sensation of my magic, I focused on filtering out the voices that promised unspeakable things. The voices were not the sign of madness—not quite. Or maybe they were, but I had grown so used to them that I no longer recognized the stain of insanity. Still, if madness was the price of survival, and with it greater power, then it was a price that I would gladly pay.
Arranging my thoughts like soldiers before a march, I had a chance to truly think about my next move as darkness stole over the Sainba Forest. As I grew in power, so too did I grow in the agency of my choices. The quest messages still puzzled and worried me. Was it a measure of some divine will that drove them, that provided structure to my experience? Or were the messages part of a game where the wagers were paid in blood and pain? Or, was it my own will and actions that influenced the quests? My mind continued to ponder these thoughts long into the night, going around and around in convoluted, abstract circles. My mind settled on the memory of the woman who was connected to Jongshoi, my first human kill in this land. I concluded from her age that she was probably his now-bereaved mother. What possible vengeance was the harpy planning?
A touch on my shoulder broke me out of these thoughts, Elwin’s mischievous smile snapping me back to the here and now. Gratefully. I unrolled my bedroll and, still in the protection of my armor, rested for the night.