Leo led the way through the forest, clearing their path with ease. Marem followed close behind, gripping onto her staff. She had delayed them by a few minutes, casting the only warding magic that she knew on herself. It was rough and unrefined, like a spell you’d find in a fortune cookie.
She wanted to be there, to help fight against Cordylia in whatever way she could. But she fell victim to the calamity in their last encounter, and she was worried it could happen again. The only reason she was confident enough to go along was the fact that she had no way to hurt Leo if she was taken over.
Leo focused on the scent, nearly able to make a trail of where the man had been. He could smell light traces around a small radius around him, but where he was now had the strongest scent. It was as if the man had been there for the past couple of hours, his scent having marked a small clearing.
While they walked, Leo decided to try and smell the specific area. While it was easy to find a scent, and find where the scent is coming from, it is much harder to choose and smell one particular location. After a bit of focus, he could get a read on the people with the man.
There was the scent of the village marked all over the area, likely that all the villagers were there. But he could smell something else with the group that didn’t originate from the village. There was a foul order, as if something nauseating was moving around the group.
But the weirdest thing was the scent of something familiar. Leo couldn’t explain what he thought he smelled, but it was something that he had experienced before. Even as he tried to wrap his mind around it, he couldn’t find out whatever was intermingled with the group.
“Okay, smell update. I’m pretty sure that all the townspeople are there, but I smell something more. There’s something disgusting around the edge of their group, possibly something laid down to scare away predators. No real idea, though. There’s also another smell that’s mixed in with the group, but I don’t know what it is.”
“What if the disgusting smell is Cordylia? You could be able to smell the fungus on people.”
“Huh, it could be. Either way, I’ll keep an eye out.”
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“You mean keep a nose out?”
Leo purposefully kicked up a small clump of mud that landed onto Marem’s robes. He felt her staff tap against the back of his head in response. He couldn’t help but chuckle when it bounced off him.
They were nearly a mile away when something happened with the group up ahead. The foul order that had surrounded them was quickly moving. Leo realized that not only was it darting through the woods, but it was headed directly for him and Marem.
“Watch out, whatever smells like a trash heap is headed our way.”
Marem lifted her wand, ready for whatever approached. Her magic was still mostly supportive, but she had the resolve to bludgeon anyone who dared to attack them. Leo decided that if something could move this quickly through the trees, then he and Marem would be at a disadvantage fighting in the crowded forest.
He knocked aside as many trees as possible, creating a small clearing. He hoped that it wouldn’t be a fight, but it was usually best to err on the side of caution. The scent was fast approaching, about to reach them any second. But then, it suddenly stopped.
Leo tried his best to look through the thick forest, but he couldn’t see anyone or anything. He could just smell the horrific scent erratically moving around them. Leo decided to make a move, unable to handle just standing there and suffering with this scent.
He threw a punch at a tree, sending it straight through the forest with a heavy force. While it barely went fifty feet, it should’ve been launched in the direction of the odorous pest. That was when he heard the cracking of twigs as something approached him from behind.
“Put your hands up! This is the tree cops!” shouted a strange voice.
Leo knew this would happen one day. Ever since he got his enormous strength, he’s done nothing but destroy countless trees. He placed his hands behind his head, accepting the price he’d pay for oak themed murder.
A nasally voice chortled with laughter. “Nah, I’m just messin. He said that one would get ya, but I certainly ain’t believe it.”
Leo turned to find a cloaked goblin currently laughing at him. The goblin had a nearly gaunt appearance, and his large ears were decorated with gold rings. He also saw Marem staring at him in disbelief, shocked that he actually fell for whatever the hell a tree cop is.
“Hello?” asked Leo. “What are you doing out in the woods, and who are you talking about?”
“Follow me and I’ll get ya to him, quick as a leaf!”
The odd goblin darted through the woods, quickly moving out of their sight. If this was a trap set up by Cordylia, neither of them could understand the angle she was playing at. They just followed the trail, keeping an eye out for anything odd. Well, anything even odder.