"Get into formation!" Ian shouted next to me.

As they charged towards us, Rina began to chant behind me and soon a barrier was formed out of thin air in front of us, separating us from the goblins. The charging goblins crashed into the shield and were flung backwards.

Plop, plop

The sound made by the goblin magic hitting the shield reached us. I could see the goblin mages continuously firing projectiles towards us which were hitting the shield and dissipating.

"Mages and archers, we need covering fire," Ian screamed, while he also chanted and strengthened the shield made by Rina.

Various forms of long ranged magic floated in my head.

Ashryn was firing rapid shots using her bow. The arrows materialized automatically when she pulled back the string. Rina was also casting fire magic and was shooting what looked like fire arrows. They were slowly whittling down the goblin ranks.

As I was thinking of what magic to use, Airi suggested one.

(Master, use Hail storm.)

I agreed and prepared the 5th circle magic called Hail storm.

As I indicated the area where the magic should form, wind began to blow fiercely in the goblins midst. A small cyclone began to form with lightning and hail mixed in within the rotating wind. I brought the hail storm down and it made a cracking noise and a white film descended in front of us.

crrajack, thump, bzzzz, bzzzzzzz

When the white film from the magic eventually subsided, there was nothing left except torn goblin parts. Only small Energons lying about could be seen.

"Wow, so this is 6th circle magic," I heard Rina whisper.

It was actually a 5th circle spell. I was busy looking for any survivors so I didn't say anything.

Ashryn and Ian were looking at me in shock.

"I thought you were bluffing about being a sixth circle, to be honest," Ashryn said.

"I knew it. You're our saviour!" Ian said clinging onto me.

"Haha. Let's proceed. Shall we?"

"Ah, Ah....yes. Of course," Herbert said averting his gaze from me and looking back at his accurator. He looked pale and shaken up.

Ian went and picked up the Energons strewn around and we continued heading deeper into the forest.

-----

We soon reached a clearing where the rays of the sun streaked through the trees more clearly, illuminating the surroundings.

(Airi, how far are we inside the forest?)

(I'd say about three percent.)

This forest was too vast.

"S-Should we rest for a bit?" Herbert asked.

He didn't look too well so we agreed.

"Pardon me. This is my first time inside the Frithrin forest. I'm sorry for dragging you all along for my childish curiosity."

"It's fine. I want to see the ruins as well," I assured him.

Rina took a small bag hanging on her waist and brought out a few camping tools.

"Ah, it's a magic bag," She said, when she saw me looking at it.

Ian went to get some branches and soon we had a fire going on and we sat around it. The forest was damp and a cold wind was blowing in spite of the sun shining on us.

They didn't have anything good to eat except some meat jerkies which Ian was handing around.

I thought I'd treat them to something. I opened my shop skill and bought fried chicken legs. It looked like the ones from a famous fast food chain on Earth. They were transported to my item box.

"I have something better to eat," I said.

All of the eyes slowly turned to me. I could almost hear a creaking noise.

"Ahaha."

I opened the item box and brought out the chicken legs packed in small paper boxes.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Wait, th-that. Is that an item box?" Rina asked surprised.

"Ye-yeah."

"Just who are you. A sixth circle at such a young age and now an item box as well. Those things are very rare." Herbert said with an astonished look.

"Haha, I'm just an adventurer."

"A very rare one, to be exact." Ashryn whispered under her breath.

I pretended to not hear her and I stacked the boxes on top of each other and motioned for them to take one for each of them.

"Wh-what is that?"

Ashryn asked, her saliva dripping from the smell.

"Ahaha, it's something I made. Please have some."

Each took one of the boxes.

"W-wow. Th-this is heaven. Food like these exist?" Ian was devouring them enthusiastically.

The legs were deep fried, coated in breadcrumbs. I took one bite and was reminded of my days on Earth. I used to have this for lunch when I was working for the bank. Though those days were peaceful, they were repetitive so I liked my life in Thieca much more.

I got thirsty so I also bought few cola bottles and gave it to them.

"Ah, th-this is amazing," Ian said gulping down the cola.

"What's it called?"

"It's called cola."

"Did you make this as well?" Ashryn asked.

"Something like that," I smiled and answered.

Herbert's gaze shifted between the food and me, brimming with passion.

After we were done, I put the boxes and bottles inside the item box and we just laid down for a while.

"How far do you think it is to the location of the ruins?" I asked Herbert.

"Hmm, I reckon we should reach them in half a day."

I guess we're spending the night in the forest.

(Airi, can you see any caves in the map?)

(There is one three hours from here but it might not be in the direction of the ruins.)

(Alright, I should atleast inform them.)

Suddenly, the ground began to shake. Everyone jumped up, alert. I scanned the surroundings.

"Wh-what is happening?" Herbert asked terrified.

(Master, it's a Mejorif. Use teleportation to get far away from the clearing.)

(Teleport, how?)

(Just hold onto everyone and think of moving to the place you have been before. I'll help with the spell.)

I quickly gave commands.

"Hold onto me. I'll teleport us."

Everyone run upto me and held on to my arms.

I thought about moving to another place a little far away and as soon as I thought about that, I felt the surroundings warp and we were standing a little far away from the clearing.

As we looked on, the trees surrounding the clearing became sharp teeths and the whole place was swallowed up. It was like a Venus flytrap but it was much larger and I could even see eyes on the back of the monster.

[Name: Mejorif

Type: Monster

A cunning monster that waits for the prey to fall into their trap before trapping them and dissolving them in acid. Usually found in small clearings in large forests. It uses the light to lure the prey into a false sense of security]

"Th-this is impossible. At this rate, we'll die before we find the ruins," Herbert said, despair in his eyes.

"You can use teleportation as well?" Rina asked, with sparkling eyes.

"Ahaha, yeah."

As soon as everyone calmed down, I asked Herbert to start guiding us again.

He reluctantly took out the accurator from his pocket and pointed at a direction. We slowly started moving.

We didn't encounter any more monsters as we slowly gained ground and moved deeper into the forest.

Soon an ominous feeling welled up inside me and my skin began to prickle.

(Master, there's a dungeon nearby.)

(Ah, seems like it.)

It seemed that ominous feeling was from a dungeon.

As we continued advancing, Herbert suddenly told us to stop. We stopped and then slowly moved forward one step at a time, with Ian taking the lead.

Soon we came to a clearing where a large structure stood almost eroded by time. It had large pillars supporting a roof overgrown by vegetation and a door almost 20 feet high leading to the inside of the structure. Most of the pillars were broken and strewn about. A strange contraption glowed in the middle of the yard that led up to the building.

I looked around and the building was almost shrouded by the forest.

(Master, I sense monsters coming at us!)

"Everyone, monsters are coming," I shouted.

I looked around us and I could see glowing eyes looking at us from behind the trees but they didn't venture inside the building's area. It looked like something was stopping them from coming near the building.

"It looks okay for now but please be careful," I said.

Herbert slowly walked to the glowing contraption in the courtyard and was about to put his hand inside. It has a circular opening embedded into the small floor-like structure.

"Wait, what if the monsters charge us after it stops working?"

"It won't. There had been another site found like this one a few years back. This place is the key to unlocking the door. This technology is even being researched for its ability to keep away monsters." Herbert explained.

"I,I see."

After looking around at everyone, he slowly slid his hand inside the hollow space.

The contraction began to rotate and letters started appearing in one of the pillars that were still standing.

We went closer to look at it. When my eyes fell on the letters, they were the same letters that were engraved in the dagger.

"Ye shalt pass, when darkness shrouds the world and the red arrow appears in the sky."

Herbert was looking at the letters and it looked like he was deciphering them. He came back to us and said exactly same thing that I read.

"It looks like we'll have to wait until night for the way to open. The arrow it mentions is a constellation and it should appear above this building at exactly midnight. It's called Atelerix."

"I see."

We made a fire in the courtyard and sat around the fire. I conjured up a barrier surrounding us so that the monsters couldn't get to us even if the contraption stops working.

"Oh, I've heard about Atelerix. Isn't that connected to the story of the arrow that reached God?" Rina asked, excited.

"G-God?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's a story about an evil god who wrecked havoc in this world and a hero that was born between the union of Thieca and a human man. That hero rose up in rebellion against the evil god and after receiving the blessing of Thieca and crafting a bow from her hair, fired an arrow that pierced the sky and slayed the evil god. Then he united the tribes that have become homeless because of the God's violence and established a country called Volyar. And he ruled for a thousand years," Herbert explained.

"Ah, it takes me back. My mother used to read me that story," Ian said, listening to the story.

"We elves also have a similar story. If I remember correctly, the hero was called Ciliaine." Ashryn added.

"Yeah, there are different variations of the story among the different races of Thieca. There are many storybooks that tell the story of the hero's journey." Herbert said.

It seems in Thieca, there are similar lores to the constellations as well. Even on earth, the constellations are connected to mythical tales told in various cultures.

As I looked up at the sky, I could see the three moons slowly becoming visible and the light from the sun slowly fading away. The sound of the crackling fire and the low growls of the monsters behind the trees filled the area, as we waited for midnight to come.